My New Year's Eve Date

Ben Mankiewicz is the prime-time host on TCM. A group of us classic movie nerds (including Will from my movie group) watched him introduce the first of six Thin Man films and then we live-tweeted. Before the movie started, I treated myself to a steak, mashed potatoes, and bread pudding. I was going to have a drink at midnight, but didn't get around to it. As I compose this post, I'm in clean pajamas and fresh sheets, because that's how I want to wake up on New Year's Day.

Last year I didn't do anything for New Year's Eve because I was emerging from covid. I realized that I'm fine doing nothing on New Year's. In 2020, missing my birthday broke my heart; no Thanksgiving was a definite bummer; the curtailed Christmas left me a little melancholy. But doing nothing on New Year's? It didn't bother me. This year it felt prudent and safe.

I think I have stumbled upon a new tradition.

By the way, Ben Mankiewicz has better hair than any New Year's date I ever had in my long, real life.