New Year's Eve, 2007

New Year's Eve from the Front Line


We were listening to and watching the fireworks he had promised me would be around. I was expecting Australia Day type fireworks at midnight. Instead, I got a block war, starting at around 8.30 pm.

Apparently Americans think it very necessary to celebrate any festive occasion with bangs, lots of them, preceded by copious intakes of alcohol, topped up by more alcohol during. They're not so big on the light-up-the-sky types of fireworks either. The main attraction when buying your incendiaries is apparently how much bang you get for your buck! These babies are loud. It sounded like a small army had invaded. At one point I was convinced that the Space Needle had been blown up by terrorists but apparently that was just a special firework called a 'Mortar Shell', working on the same principle as its namesake.

I could not believe the cannonade of sound with so little visible sign of glorious light up the sky. Paul tells me that the 4th of July is much worse and that it is a patriotic thing to deafen your neighbours, in the name of enjoyment and kicking out the British, or possibly a combination thereof.

I expressed sadness for all the poor cats and dogs, being forced to endure this on absolutely every American holiday ever. Paul proceeded to floor me by saying "Oh, its okay, most people would sedate them just in case.". So, this put a different perspective on things. There is a little known cultural tradition for Americans, which consists of drugging into sensibility any domestic pet over any holiday whatsoever, just on the off-chance said pet might get distressed. Nothing says 'Happy Holiday' like Rohypnol for the moggie.

Aren't you people glad you've got me to report on these little known cultural differences?

Oh, yeah, Happy New Year, Y'all!