New Year’s Eve is, to me, not a great holiday. I love Christmas, but the night before January 1st…not so much. A good night to stay in with my spouse, drink a little sparkly something and enjoy not being at a party or on the road. That said, I enjoy the sappy NYE scene in When Harry Met Sally. Actually, I enjoy all of WHMS. I remember when I first saw it: I was living in Paris, studying and working, and I went out with my roommates to see it. I just loved it. I think I needed it at the time. Yes, I know Billy Crystal is way too old to play Harry, and yes, I know it’s a Woody Allen knock-off, but both of those things are small quibbles, in my view. Get over yourselves, film students, and enjoy this happy ending:

I know many will be happy to say goodbye to 2020. For me, the restrictions weren’t that bad. I am introverted – extremely so – and fairly misanthropic, so enjoyed having an easy out when it came to not dealing with humans. There were certainly people I missed, and activities – travel would be number one on that list – but in general, I did not find it rough going, as did others. I am lucky: I am not alone; I get along with Significant Other; I have shelter and food.

The low point was the death of my brother from Covid. We were not close, but he was my brother and the loss was painful for my sister-in-law. This doesn’t mean I am not worried about the effects of the pandemic and the decisions various governments have made about lockdowns and such. I take the pandemic seriously, but I am enough of a libertarian that I think we need/needed a better debate about how much personal freedom can be denied to people, as well as about risk-avoidance.

I tried to use the time I had productively: I finished one big writing project and made some headway with another – though I had hoped to finish that one, as well. One lives in hope.

On a superficial note, I gained weight this year — I am officially a “pandemic fattie” — something about which I am not happy. So Bridget Jones’ first resolution here is the only one we have in common. Obviously, will lose 20 pounds. Twenty years ago, when the film first came out, Bridget and I had all of the same resolutions. I gather I have made some progress in this life.

1. Always keep New Year’s resolutions.
2. Get up early and get right out of bed and meditate for ten minutes before starting day (but only after coffee). Am already doing that this morning.
3. Lose weight. Get more fit. Before this happens: 
4. Cut down on wine intake, no matter how stressed I am. Find other ways to handle stress, such as herbal tea.
5. Do something creative/career-oriented every day, and not just watch old episodes of ’70s TV shows on YouTube.
6. Be more patient with other humans and also with myself.
7. Be less gutless.
8. Be less of a ridiculous person.
9. Don’t buy any more lipsticks/lip glosses until have used up all the ones I have, which are myriad.
10. Remember I am lucky to be alive and healthy (touch wood).
11. Be a better girlfriend to Significant Other, who puts up with me for reasons I will never understand.
12. Help as many animals as I can.
13. Try to be as vegan as I can.
14. Read Finnegans Wake (and don’t put an apostrophe in the title, even though I really want to. Joyce wanted the title that way, and yes, I realize it means something).
15. Fight my natural introversion and actually go out sometimes to see friends and family instead of merely maintaining relationship with them over social media.
16. Remember that life is just a bowl of cherries. Don’t take it serious. It’s too mysterious:

It is…not, but try to believe it is! Happy 2016, dear readers.