Happy New Year's!

[cleolinda]

I've had The Twilight Zone on since this morning--it's the New Year's Sci-Fi Channel marathon, and for some reason I find that as fun and comforting as most people do A Christmas Story. Not going out tonight, which I know objectively is kind of lame, but--I really kind of like staying in on New Year's Eve. I don't know why--but as long as I have it to myself (I remember one flu-ridden New Year's that involved a death-march game of Monopoly I'd rather not repeat) with something fun to drink and The Twilight Zone, I'm happy as a clam. So basically, I'd either like to go out and have fun with people or stay home and have fun by myself, pretty much no in-between.

I've spent the day cleaning as well--not even out of any urge to "start fresh," but rather out of pure necessity, because I can't move in here. It's like I woke up and realized that everything on this side of the room needed to be on that side of the room, and everything on that side of the room needed to be on this side of the room. I have too many DVDs, so I'm recolonizing a cabinet. I've cleaned off a shelf for my Black Ribbon-related books so that I can have them close at hand, all in a row, when I need to check something. My closet is stuffed with stackable plastic drawers that I'm emptying and setting up in the bedroom itself so that I have more room in the closet--and I'm moving the hanging shoe rack from the back of the closet to the front. You know, so I can reach the shoes. (It's a walk-in, which is a huge luxury compared to the, uh, NO CLOSET I had in my room as a kid. I had to go down the hall to get to my own clothes, and the closet I did have was about two feet deep at that. Of course, this was probably for the best, because I'm not sure inveterate magpie-packrats need to be given the free rein of a walk-in closet. It's kind of like the Mines of Moria in there now, is all I'm saying--the dustbunnies delved too greedily and too deep.) One stack of drawers is now a makeshift vanity--all I have to get now is one of those round revolving mirrors to set on top--and I threw out a ton of old makeup, which was hard to do. Among the items that went trashward was Baby's First Powder Compact, because it was fifteen years old. I hate throwing things away because it feels wasteful--you know, that's a perfectly good tube of lipstick someone gave me in a free makeup kit that one time, even though it's a hideous color and it's kind of dried out to boot. But I feel terrible actually tossing it... which is why I'm up to my ears in junk. So one of my--well, I wouldn't say it's a resolution, exactly, but I am trying to give myself permission to be "wasteful" and let go of things. Raggedy old shoes I haven't even worn in ten years anyway, stale boxes of tea, bottles of fragrance "splash" that I never liked in the first place... throwing it all away feels both icky and liberating. I'm just going to try to train myself to enjoy the "liberating" part more. So I'm going to keep moving and cleaning, probably over the course of the week, and see if I can't see the floor by Saturdayish.

Hmm. Not sure what to do for dinner, but I have two options for New Year's drinkage: bust into the tin of Serendipity Fr[rr]ozen Hot Chocolate mix that Sister Girl gave me (pros: chocolate, fun; cons: do I really want to bust out the blender?) or try mixing this awesome white grape/peach juice with rum and some crushed ice (pros: white grape/peach is so awesome; cons: not chocolate). I suppose I could do both over the course of the evening, but... that would just be... decadent. Thoughts?

Comments

[megaleena.livejournal.com]

As much decadence as you can handle, I proclaim it!

[count-01.livejournal.com]

Totally. When it comes to decadence, the only wise policy is: go for it.

[angevin2.livejournal.com]

Oh man, thanks for reminding me of the TZ marathon! *turns on Sci-Fi post-haste*

[etherealshores.livejournal.com]

I vote for both! Go crazy!

[particle-person.livejournal.com]

Yay for quiet drinking. I'm going to be home alone all night, since I don't have any local friends. I've actually never been to a New Years Eve party, since my parents never liked to go out. At the rate I'm going, that will be the case for my whole life. I'm trying not to be too depressed about it.

[particle-person.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, and here's The List of TV Marathons (http://tvdecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/31/new-years-eve-tv-options-times-square-countdowns-and-marathons/index.html?hp), in case anyone wants something besides Twilight Zone. (I'd do Twilight Zone but my sucky cable does not include the Sci Fi channel.)

ETA: I just noticed this is a permanent account now! When did that happen?

[hobbitomm.livejournal.com]

Go for both! If you can't be decadent on Hogmanay, when can you?

I've also opted for staying in, with my better half, some extremely good single malt whisky (Talisker port cask) and a packet of shortbread- and a Bones marathon on TV.

[vampirepig13.livejournal.com]

That just makes me want to hug your face. My other half and I ended up at a friend's, but shortbread and whisky were still involved. Then at midnight I shoved him out the door and made him come back in...

[rorqual.livejournal.com]

I vote decadence as well, but with caution - if you start with the rum, and *then* break out the blender, disaster may ensue. Perhaps you could be properly celebratory with some sort of hot chocolate/alcohol combo? I favor peppermint schnapps myself. You could start with that, get the hard work out of the way up-front, and then move onto the rum and peach if you feel so inspired.

Either way - happy new year, and have a wonderful evening!

[evilsimon.livejournal.com]

Go for the decadence.

[word-herder.livejournal.com]

It's New Year's Eve! Be decadent! But if you want to do both, do the one that makes the most mess first and clean it up ASAP 'cause you sure as hell won't want to do it after.

[aymaera.livejournal.com]

If you don't want to throw stuff out, why don't you try your local Freecycle group? The one where I live is relatively small, but things with titles like "Box of makeup and fragrances in various conditions" get snapped up super fast. Most people make it a condition that you take the whole box and freecycle what you don't want etc. Keeps stuff out of landfills and out of your house!

[soleta-nf.livejournal.com]

I was going to suggest that too. Freecycling is great.

[pigsnicket.livejournal.com]

Do boooth! Tonight is for decadence!

[dragon-paws.livejournal.com]

My family always does the Twilight Zone marathon to stay awake all night, and let's be honest - any Twilight Zone is so much better than that ridiculous movie.

[clodia-risa.livejournal.com]

1) Decadence.

2) Twilight Zone is extremely comforting for me as well. I've been watching at least a few episodes each year from high school on, I think, and I'm definitely out of college now.

3) I meant to tidy and clean and put up my Xmas stuff up today. Instead I watched Mythbusters and am going to a friend's house. I meant to start out the new year fresh, but it doesn't look like it'll happen. Maybe it doesn't matter.

[malanai.livejournal.com]

It's New Year's, do both!

[chaos-slave.livejournal.com]

I'm vegging the New Year in with Planet of the Apes on AMC, Stauffer's Lasagna and french bread smothered in garlic and cheese.

[chaos-slave.livejournal.com]

Oh yes! Happy New Years everyone!

[foresthouse.livejournal.com]

Both! Both!

(Dave and I are drinking wine tonight, primarily because I didn't get off my ass and buy the Bailey's Irish Cream I REALLY wanted to drink...)

When I was in high school for 3 years running I went over to a friend's house and we watched the Twilight Zone marathon! Good times!

I know exactly how you feel about throwing away the old makeup and shoes and things. I still have a tiny purple eyeshadow I got when I was in, like, 8th grade (eep) AND a pair of fuzzy platform sandals I got about 7 years ago and will probably never wear again. Oh dear! After a couple of years of college I got...better at getting rid of stuff (moving all your things from NJ to IN in a Caravan for 4 years can do that), but I still have a ways to go!

[edda.livejournal.com]

Both! DOOO EEET. Do it for me, if nothing else--I have to go into work tonight. Not that I'm all that into New Year's anyway, but still.

Also, I'd come over and toss stuff for you if I lived close enough. The older I get, the better I get at tossing stuff. I find it's even easier to let someone else do the tossing, as long as I get veto power. I had a friend help me with that once, and it helped a lot.

[particle-person.livejournal.com]

I got your card! Did you see? I mentioned it on my journal.

My hope for the new year is that you figure out how to make SF chat work on your computer and come join us in mocking TV badness, like CSI:Miami.

[padawansguide.livejournal.com]

We're staying it too - the friends we were going to visit are all sick.

I'm like you - I have a hard time throwing stuff out, but I'm getting better at it!

BTW - New hi-res stills from The OTher Boleyn Girl!

http://www.celebutopia.net/forum/showthread.php/natalie-portman-scarlett-johansson-more-other-boleyn-girl-56735.html?s=f67d80cb7ed19beeec9ee2bf6a4ceb03&s=16e82294167b22dc22e24c07e34842b7&p=515034

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Oooo, gigantic pretty!

Oh! I meant to tell you! People are collecting ST pics on Photobucket. (http://s259.photobucket.com/albums/hh282/sweeneytoddmoviepics/) I saw at least two pics of Johanna in the boy's (http://s259.photobucket.com/albums/hh282/sweeneytoddmoviepics/My%20screencaps/?action=view&current=TheCast012_0001.jpg) costume (http://s259.photobucket.com/albums/hh282/sweeneytoddmoviepics/My%20screencaps/?action=view&current=TheCast010_0001.jpg) the last time I was there, and apparently they've uploaded a ton more stuff since.

(omg! omg! The digital booklet folder!)

[maggieblue.livejournal.com]

Oh, the liberating aspect of throwing stuff out starts to feel so good after awhile. I was a hardcore pack rat for a long time, and once I started throwing things out, I felt GREAT. I put on some kind of mix-music playlist and go to town. I LOVE it.

As for me, I'm staying home this year, too. My last 6 New Years Eves were spent behind the bar, serving all the drunk people (and getting a little tipsy myself...when I had time). This year? No one can get me out of this house. No one. I will not spend my time fighting the crowds if I don't have to. I've got 2 bottles of champagne and a Twilight Zone marathon!

Happy New Year, Cleo. :)

[shesnotallthere.livejournal.com]

These past two years have been pretty rough for a lot of people...here's hoping we cycle upwards in 2008.

And in that spirit, I vote BOTH! Ring in the new year like a true hedonist!

[mercat.livejournal.com]

I think I'm going to have to say both, as I am going to splurge (erm, calorie-wise) and drink Mountain Dew and sparkling grape juice to my heart's content.

Also, random question; if one were bored, what movies would you recommend? I've seen almost all the ones you M15M'd, so, other than that. =) I'm at a bit of a loss, strangely...

[ponygirl118.livejournal.com]

Be decadent.

[elbales]

Throwing out junk (or giving it to someone from Freecycle or Craigslist) is liberating. You will never know how liberating until you marry a packrat and spend years dealing with all of his junk stuff in addition to the stuff you haven't gotten around to tossing yet because you are lazy disorganized busy.

But yeah: raggedy shoes, check.
Books you bought off the remainder table five years ago and have yet to read: check. The library will love you for them.
Boxes of pens that dried out years ago: check.
Makeup that's more than two years old (less than that if it's liquid, like foundation): check. No, srsly; the stuff can grow bacteria liek whoa. You don't really want to smudge funky colonies of ick on your eyelids while experimenting with the raccoon undead smoky eye look, do you?

Mmm, strikethrough tag. Anyway, there was a point in there somewhere, but I seem to have lost it. Oh, yes: liberating. There are a few good ways to screen for stuff you don't need any more; you ask yourself:
1. Have I used it in the last few years? Am I definitely going to use it again?
2. Do I have an emotional attachment to it? (More than: But, but, I might use it! Someday!)
3. Would I need it for a tax audit?
4. If it's information (say, a book or article), is it likely to have been superseded by something more recent that I could find at the library or through a bookstore? or, alternatively, is it easily accessible from a reliable source on the internet?

I wish you luck in clearing out the unnecessary. It can be hard, but it's so worth it. If only because it makes room for new shoes.

Happy new year, Cleo. Thanks for all you do.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Hee, thanks. One of the things I find is that things I couldn't bring myself to throw away after six months, I can now throw away after two years, for example. So it pays to keep going through stuff occasionally. One of my great vices, though, is hoarding magazines to cut them up for clippings, both images and articles. I used to do it obsessively as a teen and then gradually let off... after I discovered the internet. Heh. But I still have a hard time throwing away Vanity Fairs with articles I liked. I am to the point now, though, where I'm making myself throw out all Entertainment Weeklys because they have their entire site free to the public now. But you will pry my Victorias from my cold dead hands.

[lyn-thorne.livejournal.com]

Happy New Year, Cleo! Hope it brings many great things for ya!

(And some new movies for you to work your M15M magic on :)

Man, I really want some peach juice with rum in it now...

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

I'm happy as a clam

So how happy is that? and how can you TELL is a clam is happy?

[particle-person.livejournal.com]

how can you TELL is a clam is happy?

No engrams (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engram_%28Dianetics%29)?

[vampirepig13.livejournal.com]

Happy new year!

I know how you feel about purging your room of things. I'm such a huge packrat, and I'm moving for the first time in my life (on Saturday, actually...Shit) and I just can't let go. Especially the books and magazines.

And clothes. I get stuck in ruts of "this is hideous, this might fit in another six months, this is awful but it was a gift..."

But I'm doing it. OH GOD MY ROOM IS SO EMPTY.