The last day of the year. Unbelievable.

New Year's Eve - when "people" attend fantastic celebrations or do expensive romantic things. I don't know any of these "people." All my peeps are letting the kids stay up to midnight, watching rented movies and getting slightly tipsy, if they are able to between fetching more popcorn and sippy cups.

By staying up until midnight, I mean every time you pass a clock, you turn the time ahead by 30 minutes (or an hour, heh) and having a noisy celebration somewhere around the kids' normal bedtime.

"Hooray! Happy New Year! Now off to bed!"

As to the expensive romantic stuff, well, I couldn't really be more specific about that kind of thing. We're into cheap thrills around here.

I have spent several recent New Year's Eve nights in the company of my sister and my hubs and children. We get takeout Thai, and act like doofs. Two years ago, we were joined by my double-mint birthday twin, just before she took a flight into the Southern Hemisphere to take a vacation from a recent heartache. She ended up meeting a wonderful man, and she currently makes her home with him there. How I miss her. Happy New Year, N... may all your dreams come true in 2005!

I am actually musing on my theme for 2005. If it isn't readily apparent, I am a GIANT DORK. Three years ago, I decided to be indecisive. That lacked staying power, because I am nothing if not an enormous bag of opinions and blanket declarations.

Then, two years ago, the theme was "New Year, New You!" Yes, with the exclamation point. After a few drinks it morphed into "New Year? Screw You!" Still with the exclamation. That pleased me to no end.

Last year was "Reclaim Yo' Brain" which seemed really spunky and relevant. I was going to found a book club and think about stuff. Really important stuff. Oh, okay. I can't remember what was so pressing, but suffice to say, the book club didn't make it past the first few months and I ended up starting this blog to give myself an outlet.

This year... I haven't locked onto a notion yet. Ooh! Here's a big ole metaphor: what I want more than anything is traction. I want my wheels on the pavement, and I don't want to be hydroplaning or drifting into the wrong lane because I'm too busy on the phone to keep my attention on the road. I don't want to sleep at the wheel or be stuck in traffic. I want backroads, and beautiful scenery. I want to be aware, to see the landmarks, to enjoy the journey.

Okay. So what about "Shut Up and Drive 2005!" I know, I can't help it. A theme for a whole year REQUIRES an exclamation point. It just does.

Or, hmm. "Don't Make Me Honk You, Buster!"

Did I ever tell that story? Where the hubs and kids and I were at the drive-up ATM and my hubs was getting flustered as I continued to sit at the ATM while I put the cash in my wallet. He kept making "mmph" noises and looking behind us and fidgeting. I shot him a look and said "What?" and he said "You should pull up. We're going to get honked!"

*crickets chirping*

Oooh! No! I can't be honked! I'm not that type of girl! You don't just honk me, no sir you do not. I didn't laugh in his face at that moment, but I sure as shootin' called all my family and friends and told them that my hubs is afraid of a little honk.

Is honking the expensive, romantic thing people do on New Year's Eve? Because when I go pick up the take out Thai, I am totally going to do some drive-by honking. I'm just bad like that.

I'm open to suggestions. You see, if I get a few glasses of wine in me, I'm going to be making all sorts of stupid themes up, and before you know it, 2005 will be the year of the Big Honking Easy-Bake.

Happy Honking New Year! Be safe out there!