Sunday, January 2, 2011

Inauspicious



On New Year's Day, my tendency to engage in holiday revelry comes to a screeching halt, so even though the party I was invited to yesterday was no doubt very wonderful, hosted as it was by two of my favorite humans, I ended up unable to move my ass out of the chateau in order to attend. I reveled with the best of them during the holidays, I did, but I'm done.

January 1 is (for me) a day of reckoning, not unlike Yom Kippur, though of course secular in nature. Another difference is that while we Jews take a week to prepare for Yom Kippur, when it comes to New Year's Day, we party right up to the last second. At least I did this year.

For the first time in years I was slightly hungover yesterday, a condition accompanied by remorse (a part of every hangover). I remember the year, in Lake Tahoe, when I didn't get up until 4:30 p.m. after a night of heinous partying. The first act of the new year involved scalding hot tea spilled right on my heart chakra. Ouch. What a lesson!

For at least a decade, I've made sure that I wake up on New Year's Day clean and sober, fresh as a daisy. But not this year. Slightly hungover, feeling remorseful about everything in 2010 that didn't work, as well as spooked about the year ahead, the first day of January was plain old blah.

I went for a walk, watched Cary Grant movies streamed through netflix, read my book, washed clothes. I moved all the furniture in my living room around, but subsequently moved it back. Sometimes days of lazy leisure are so nice, but I took no pleasure in it yesterday. And so it goes, eh?

Today is a new day, thank god. I'm off to work, eager to focus on somebody other than myself. Onwards and upwards!

16 comments:

ellen abbott said...

a totally lazy day here. brunch with mimosas, lazing on the couch, dinner of left-overs, more lazing on the couch.

janis said...

Reya~ Love the post (I had to look up "inauspicious", new word for me).
Love to you♥ Looking forward to 2011 to be great for us all.

Tom said...

start out the year slow and steady...there'll be good days and bad and a host that fall inbetween...love the view of the capital by way of naked branches.

Whitney Lee said...

That is one of the things for which I am still thankful, several years after the cessation of drinking-the complete lack of hangovers.

I love the occasional lazy day; they can be so refreshing. Still, it's not nearly as fun if it's because you feel too crummy to move! I hope your Sunday is a much better start to the new year.

California Girl said...

I found this quote for one of my two blogs:

"It wouldn't be New Year's if I didn't have regrets." Wm. Thomas

No idea who Thomas is but love the quote.

Happy New Year, Day 2. Thanks again for the insight into my numerology quest.

Susan Carpenter Sims said...

My New Year's Day was startlingly similar (the hangover, the remorse, the blah). I've never been too fond of the whole New Year's "holiday" anyway, and New Year's Day has always felt like Sunday to the 10th power.

My son was moving all his bedroom furniture around yesterday too. Interesting.

The Bug said...

We sat around playing on our computers all day too. I did actually read a book for a while (I always consider that to be mighty industrious, for me). I haven't even begun to consider what 2011 might mean for me yet - perhaps today.

steven said...

hey reya, on the first day of the new year i read, napped, had tasty food, tastier drinks, thought, and then read some more. i'm taking in as much of the quiet as i can. as you know, it's gonna get noisier and a lot more colourful!!! today - well a six and a quarter km run, watching the snow hover, watching a candle melt, reading, eating tasty things. steven

janis said...

ps... Reya... Im watching "Diners, Drive ins, & Dives", and they are at a place in DC called "Ohhhs & Ahhhs". OMGosh! I WANT! Can you say CORDINARY? May be worth it. Do you know this place? I may have spelled it wrong but you gotta find & try for me :)

Barbara Martin said...

It's always best to begin a new year slow and easy. I expect there will be momentous occurrences for everyone this year along with new insights of the future.

I sent you an amail that bounced back. Have you changed it?

Anonymous said...

Hope you can catch up on some sleep Reya. My sleep has been disturbing.Had a dream last night about solar eclipses - found out today there is one due tomorrow, a partial eclipse, but not in my part of the world.
Great photos you've featured - like what you have in the foreground,you in one, those wonderful textural grasses in the other.Wishing you the best of health and happiness for 2011.

Reya Mellicker said...

Whoa. The eclipse IS tomorrow. No wonder I've been in such a foul mood. OK.

Janis I don't know the place but I'm going to find it and GO there, definitely! Happy new year to you.

Tom? Great advice.

Since going to work all day I am in a much better space. Thanks, all of you!

Gary said...

Reya,
I missed wishing you a Happy New Year on The Gold Puppy so, Happy New Year! As you say, Onwards and Upwards. I wish you a 2011 filled with all the things you need and above all lots of happiness. Miss you!

karen said...

Beautiful photos! I feel that New Year came so suddenly, without the usual angst/remorse/resolutions - a bit of a novelty this year! Onwards and upwards, indeed.. wishing you all the very best for this year, Reya!

Janelle said...

THAT hat! triffikly kewl pic darlin'! you rock every which way..so there ya go...boo to remorse...there. xxx j

Karen said...

I'm glad you're already feeling better.

I always try to do a couple things I really want to do on Jan. 1st (thanks to my Polish traditions/superstitions!); I would imagine taking care of oneself to be a good choice, yes?

I experienced a rather strange but palpable shift this year on the 31st & 1st--thank goodness! I needed a change for the better, and it seems to have arrived. Onwards & upwards indeed!

xoxo for the new year!