“You know,” my friend said, looking at me with all sincerity, “I really hope that 2012 is much kinder to you.”

“Thanks,” I said, putting my hand on her shoulder. “And, if not, I hope the Mayans are right.”

She looked at me for a moment before doubling over with laughter.

She gets me. Which is pretty much a basic requirement of friendship, but one that can be a tall order in my case.

Yes, 2011 was what one would call “disappointing”, if not a total turdfest. But, it’s a little too cliché to be all, “Down with 2011! What a shit year! Good riddance to it!”, mainly because I said that about 2008, 2009, but only half-heartedly about 2010. It’s a bit old hat to piss all over the year-that-was, and then put all sorts of hope and glory on a year that, if those Mayans are right, could be quite the clusterfuck. If nothing else, we are going to have one of the uglier elections on our hands…and all the awful propagandized advertising that goes with it. Not only is 2012 a leap year, making it longer than it needs to be, aren’t there also Olympics to suffer through? Oh, the overhype. So, while I’m happy to see 2011 end, and truly do hope 2012 will be better than its predecessor, I already see its flaws. I’m not going into it blinded by optimism. No. Besides, it best to go into a New Year blinded on Veuve Clicquot. But even that isn’t going to happen. I’m being responsible this year.

After two days of migraines, I’m spending the end of 2011 quietly at home. I won’t open the full bottle, but will chill the split of VC (cheers, TB). Not sure what to do about dinner, but a vegan grilled “cheese” just might be the ticket. And there seems to be on a marathon of “The Walking Dead”. What better way to ring out the old year than a zombie apocalypse?

(Actually, after watching Smokey and the Bandit — yes, I’m actually admitting I did — I was really craving a viewing of Any Which Way But Loose, just to spend the last of 2011 with Ruth Gordon screaming, “Who ate my god damn Oreo cookies?!” and a bird-flipping orangutan named Clyde.)

If this sounds über pathetic (outside of my good taste in bad movies), it shouldn’t. This makes me happy. Which might actually be pathetic, but who cares? It’s my New Year’s Eve. And while it is my favorite holiday, sometimes it’s just nicer to huddle up at home rather than braving the crowds full of “those who are about to puke”, and people trying too hard to have a good time. Sometimes, it’s just nicer to be on my own, spending it quietly and toasting the ghosts of auld lang syne. I’ll fill my glass with bubbles of goodness, jot down a few wishes for the coming twelve months. Sometimes, that list pans out. Others, it just carries over to the next 365 days. Either way, there is something to look forward to. Maybe nothing will change. Maybe everything will. I’ve no choice but to wait and see.

Happy New Year. May it be a good one…or may the Mayans be right. xo