Another White New Year's

Window on winter, originally uploaded by DC Products.

For the third time in four or five years, our New Year's Eve in Boston came with several inches of snow. Only this time, the attendance at Bryan's party didn't suffer because of it. The place was packed and the final pre-midnight shot -- of Brinley Gold Rum (look for it; it's the best) -- involved about three dozen people. I barely noticed the TV going on in the final minute before midnight, but was aware of the countdown. I'm not sure I caught whether or not they counted the leap second, though.

To enter into the public record, here's how we bid adieu to 2008 and rang in 2009:

• 3 p.m. ET: A shot of Stoli Vanilla as parts of Russia hit midnight.
• 4 p.m. ET: The Freedom Shot, or the Thrown Shoe -- a shot of guavaberry liqueur, which is made in Iraq. (As long as you say something is in Iraq, it's OK.)
• 5 p.m. ET: As midnight comes to Malawi and Jerusalem, we drank the Go Diva -- a shot of Godiva liqueur in honor of adopted Malawian children and red wrist bracelets.
• 6 p.m. ET: Midnight in the Vatican means a sip of red wine.
• 7 p.m. ET: If it's not Scottish, it's crap, so J&B scotch whiskey it is. Midnight in Edinburgh.
• 8 p.m. ET: A shot of recovery: Water to recognize the melting glaciers in Greenland, where it is midnight at this time.
• 9 p.m. ET: With so few areas in this time zone, we go with the Atlantic archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, a volcanic formation belonging to Brazil. We drink Italian Tuaca, connecting the volcanic atoll with perhaps the world's most famous volcano, Vesuvius.
• 10 p.m. ET: Midnight comes to French Guiana, and cointreau comes to our lips.
• 11 p.m. ET: It's midnight in the islands, and so LeeMichael buys two bottles of Brinley Gold Rum without knowing that Casey and I are friends with the people who make it.
• Midnight ET: Champagne, of course. It caps off the countdown and the year, though the night continues for three more hours -- amazingly.

Somehow, we don't fall into bed until nearly 3 a.m., and I woke up just before 11 with a terrible hangover. After some pancakes, water and Advil, I plant myself on the couch for the viewing of "Talladega Nights" and am sufficiently recovered by the time my pizza arrives for lunch. By now, on our third movie ("Roger Rabbit") of this day of marathon television (a little hockey from Wrigley Field, a touch of Capital One Bowling and the Rose Bowl, too much of America's "Funniest" Home Videos and the launch of MLB Network), I'm all but recovered. Just not enough to have another drink. Not until tomorrow, at the earliest.

As for resolutions, I decided to try two in particular this year, both intended to expand my creative and artistic mind: a different photo each day and a few more books read this year.

And a happy 2009 for all.