Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Kiss the sky at Midnight

New Years....

I’ve tried it everyway. As a child, we hooped and hollered, twirled Nana’s noisemakers in the air! Teetered on the top of the bamboo barstools, feet dangling, arms flailing Wheeeeeee! It’s New Years! Along the way, we started sneaking down to the basement, having James whip us up Suicides….coke and rum and vodka…. Gag me with a spoon! But it left us breathless, and sitting in circles, watching midnight grab the sky, singing…Sha Na..Na…Na…Na… Hey…Hey. …Hey…
holding hands, and sometimes upchucking heads. I ache now. We are not all here now. Those were the New Years we should have hugged each other harder and left the toilets to their own.

And then we were legally “grown up”. And we hung from Balconies and French kissed at midnight. It was still good. Even the year Greg Fishowitz overdosed and sentenced himself to a life pacing in an antiseptic aquarium plugged into IV’s for eternity. It was still going to be a good year. That was the year Christian came out of the closet, called off his engagement to Juliet, and rocked his parent’s world. We applauded him. The year that Kimbies got suspended for smoking in the bathroom and the year that my boyfriend, in a death defying act of jealousy , flipped the camaro upside down and I LIVED! It’s all good.

And then we were on our own, and dateless, and all piled up in a “too expensive” “too cramped for comfort” apartment and “What the hell?” they were having a Champagne and Caviar Party at the clubhouse…… So we tooled our size six fannies over and swallowed fish eggs and pink bubbles and left with the first three cars that fled the scene….

And we married our rides….. (Some of us for better or for worse, one of us just for the ride)

Time flies when you’re having a good time, and we must have because it’s a blur that I really don’t remember…. And suddenly….

Its another life and
I’m at the airport and I’m watching as my soldier lumbers down the ramp and it’s late, far too late to bring in the New Year, and I’m thrilled….
He’s alive and He’s home and I’m in love and jet lag is an urban myth….
We set the clocks back four and a half hours and embrace the New Year just before the sun comes up. On our own make-believe time.

Years pass.

They bring their blessings and their curses and we survive it all.

I’ve cheered New Years and blessed it out. I’ve welcomed the New and buried, literally, the old. Dug mammoth holes in the flower beds and put the crap to rest. . I’ve burned it. And run out into the street and tossed it’s ugly karma to the sky…ashes floating aimlessly, landing on the curbs. I’ve kissed the sky and wished on stars, I’ve gone to bed……

Two years ago, we started this Resolution thing again…. The time had come. A million things to resolve to, to amend to, to agree to, to give in to. But we picked only three. Kimbies and Butch and I. We must have known then. WE CHOSE PEACE. WE WANTED PEACE. And, oh yeah, they would get a dog and I would get a boyfriend. We just sort of threw that in. We just wanted peace.

“Sometimes you get what you want, sometimes if you try, you get what you need” MJ and the Rolling Stones.

On New Years Eve, we made reservations. Resolutions. Wore hand me down dresses pinched a little here and a little there to fit just so. Kimbies was mannequin beautiful in her hippie bandana with her priceless husband at her side. We cheered. We cried. We danced with strangers. Had exactly one too many drinks. We hugged. We all held hands at some point and fell to our knees on the dirty little floor and thanked God for the noise of rock and roll, and the healing, and the Angels that brought us there. At midnight, we turned and kissed.

I’m so glad even resolutions give you second chances.

I’m doing it all over again this year. And this one is a keeper.

Peace.

28 comments:

Alan said...

I love it, Darlin' you never give up.
I think you may be the most alive of all I know.
Did you ever think of bottling that energy and selling it, ha.
Happy New Yeay ;-)
----------
Young love was kissing under bridges
Kissing in cars
Kissing in cafes
And we were walking down Main Street
Kisses like bright flags hung on holidays
In France they kiss on Main Street
Amour, mama, not cheap display
And we were rollin'
Rollin'
Rock 'n' rollin'

singleton said...

sean....
Ha!
A little joni for my soul
a guitar for the wind-me-up
and drop me off to play,
a table top for rock and roll
A bridge for fallin' down,
we're all fallin down
and it's one more time
I'm up again,
one more song to go....
One more kiss
and I'm in love again
with rock and roll
and now....

Here's to The New Year Friend, "Let's hope it's a good one"! Clink!

Peace~love, and rock-n-roll

The Butterfly Bar said...

If you try sometimes, you might find--you get what you need...

ahhh yeah!


Even Mr. Jimi would love this song, this ballad of letters and words and images summoned up before the mind's unblinking eye...

Did that _ _ _ _ _ _ really flip a car while you were in it with him just so he could try and be a bad ass about proving a point? That's beyond awful, down right insane! So glad you lived and learned and said catch you later to that one.

May your resolutions be met--this year, or the next. We're all human, and none of us are bound by what we think. And a good thing too, since we're so often wrong.

We think we know what we want and need, then it changes in the flash of flame.

Did you see the new drafts up at the Butterfly? They're beautiful, you'll like them, I know...

Eric1313

singleton said...

Eric...Oh yeah! And I'm embarrassed to say that I held my breath, and slammed into the floor board, scrunched upside down and after catching my breath for the long dive under, I pretended......For just a moment to not move, not the slightest of hairs, to make him for one moment think he had done it.... and then I crawled out upside down and walked away forever.....

I love the new drafts at Butterfly....they are simply iknowyouknowiknow...funny how it works.....

Wishing you peace and love and line by line a New Years blessed!

The Butterfly Bar said...

There's more where those came from. We have a million of them!

To endless summers and words that go on to the edge of light in the universe.

Clink! Tink!

Debra Kay said...

Dang, flippin a camaro is harsh-they don't roll so good. I put one head first into a bar ditch once (icy road) and it came out without a scratch....wish I was the full moon shining off a camaro's hood. Those were cars....

singleton said...

Eric.....I think you're right! Millions! The halls and walls are growing, a zillion mile maze....Clink!

Debra Kay....Oooooooooh! That woulda scared me to pieces! Have you seen the new ones? I don't think they're on the road yet, but they've gotta lotta rock-n-roll in 'em.....I love that our time is back in style!

Peace~love my friends
And a blessed New Year!

Lola Starr said...

Beautiful lovely lively post. Makes me look forward to the future.

eric1313 said...

Clink! ya real time, my friend.

singleton said...

Karma.....We have to look forward to the future and believe.......yesterday's another page in the book, tomorrow still holds the promise of peace~love and all that wonderful hoo~hah! Again, and again, and again.......:)

Eric....Beautiful stuff you've got goin' on! You are on a rolllllllll!

peace~love my friends
And a New Year blessed!

Sandy Kessler said...

moi aussi

Anonymous said...

have a magical new year! oh how i love a new year...

singleton said...

sandy...Me,too! Let's hope it's a good one, girl!

Mindy....I'm right with you! It's kind of like when the Fair Comes to town!

Peace~love my friends

Unknown said...

Always beautiful. I know when I come here to be prepared to shed a tear or two, just at the sheer beauty of the words....I raise my glass to you!

kj said...

i'm starting to think it is not possible for me to linger in any form of depression for very long, as long as i visit your blog.

i know your life as well as mine goes up and down and up and down and sometimes you can't do much but take the punches and hope for the best. but then i read your incredible optimism--every stronger than mine, which is quite a feat in itself--and i am reminded that it's all about living and loving.

this post is yet again terrific writing. and girl, you and skinny are feeling like actual, not virtual, friends. thanks....

:)

The Butterfly Bar said...

clink!

skinnylittleblonde said...

just hold on loosely & we just might get what we need. ilysvfm.

Maithri said...

Dear Friend,

You leave me breathless and breathing deep all at once.

I FEEL the ride

under my feet

in each old pair
of shoes thats we've
worn out...
grown out..

And I feel the love

thats poured on us like wine
every day

bittersweet

to remind us
That in the end

it is
All
Good.

May the dream of peace that you are weaving grow more beautiful with every moment that passes dear friend,

Youre beauty humbles me and fills me with joy,

Love to you and all those you love,

Maithri

singleton said...

just me...And I raise you back one! Clink you in the air! Sweet Child of Strength, you are a rock....a heart shaped rock....
Wishing you peace and love and laughter for the New Year

KJ....And I think you're right, my friend, we've stepped through the looking glass and friendships, kinmanships, bonds have been born from these pages. You know I wish you and all that bless your world, the Happiest of New Years, each day iced with peace...and love....it grows!

Eric....Great porch party at the Butterfly! It was like bringing a waterfall inside for the night! Cink!

Sweet SLB....I woke up to this, these words, this tune, this day.....keep whispering the words, sweet sister, I believe!
ILYSVVM HSMFF2NITE

Maithri....And if the New Year will gift you with even the slightest reflection of what you've given to her the year before, the world will be a better place for us all.
Hold on, friend,
good is coming,
in the new day,
a new way,
Good is coming...

Peace~love my friends
Believe

Gledwood said...

Good on yer!

Have a Fantastic 2008!


;->...

from
Gledwood
"Vol 2"...

Gledwood said...

Lurve your artwork by the way!

eric1313 said...

clink!

singleton said...

gledwood....It's right around the corner, the big fat new year! "Let's hope it's a good one!" And thank you, btw!

eric...Raising my glass!

Peace~love
It's almost here.....

Princess Pointful said...

It is amazing when you have one theme to hold so many memories together. Another amazing post, and ever so fitting as I struggle to concoct an appropriate plan to ring in another New Year.

More hugging, that's for sure.

justacoolcat said...

Happy New Years and cheers to those Angels.

Me said...

Wow, what a well played series of adventures.

Much love and hope in the near year, sister :)

eric1313 said...

Well, look who has a new look for the new year...

I've been bad.

I haven't been to sleep yet! Yikes!

There's a Beatles song for this--of course, there's a Beatles song for everything...

I'm soooo tired...

singleton said...

Princess....I hope your New Year was wonderful, lots of huggin', smilin', laughin' dancin'......and the 365 days to follow are filled with the same! Happy, Happy New Year!

Suchacoolcat.....And Happy New Years to you and yours! Cheers to a good one, everyday, every moment, for everyone!

Orhan....Much love to you, too, May this New Year be blessed over and over again! And did you put getting a passport on your list of things to do for the New Year? The beaches are callin' your name:)

Eric....Oh, no! I was out like concrete! I cheered myself right into dreamland! Happy New Year, friend, Let's hope she's a good one!

Peace~love my friendsd
Ta!Dah~ The New Year is here!