Strange Days (1995)

New Year’s Eve Jitters

The biggest date night of the year is fast approaching. We all know that Valentine’s Day is just a puppet of the Hallmark Corporation. We know when the importance of having a holiday date really matters. And before I get into it I should clear up a thing or two.

I know dating is supposed to be a fun process and I should stop worrying so much about meeting “the one” and just try to enjoy myself. And I think I have gotten to the point where I’m enjoying going out on dates and meeting new people.

And I can honestly say that a big perk of just dating is that I’m not investing all of myself into a single person before it’s the right time to do so. One of my biggest relationship problems in the past has been how fast I get wrapped up in someone. How quickly the relationship moves. And I know that moving too fast can do real damage to any chance of a relationship working out in the end. It’s nice for a change that having a girl tell me it’s not going to work out doesn’t feel it’s the end of the world.

Although when you date as much as I have recently, those conversations can begin to stack up and that can be a bit daunting. I don’t care how casual things are. It doesn’t matter how secure you are or how much confidence you have in yourself. You have yourself three of those talks in a week or so and it’ll put a cloud over your week.

But I digress.

It’s not just me that worries about the monster holiday date night … right?

There have to be some of you out there who are terrified of being alone on the upcoming New Years Eve? I know that I am. I just don’t know if I can bear the thought of watching the clock turn over into a new year and being all by myself again. It’s been five years since I had someone to kiss on New Year’s Eve. I think that I’ve suffered enough. Don’t you?

I mean I know it’s just another year. In the end it doesn’t have any relevance on what the next fifty two weeks will be like. I know December 31st is really an arbitrary date and that I shouldn’t let it bother me.

But isn’t smooching as the clock strikes twelve the very definition of a hopeful romance? A hope that things will be as good as they are in that moment for the rest of the year. That this kiss could be just the start and the thrill of that kiss might only be the beginning of things to come.

There’s a sort of depressing symbolic meaning when you’re alone on New Year’s Eve. No one’s saying it out loud. At least they aren’t to your face. But everyone sees you alone and gives a silent little prayer that we’re all familiar with.

“Better you than me.”

And besides … we all know … kissing is fun.

I guess I should really start looking for someone pretty quick before they’re all snatched up by lesser men.

Any volunteers? You know how to reach me … ;)