Auld Lang Sign

New Year's Eve is a holiday that's half real, half imaginary. It is indeed the turning of the year, the last day of the year that was, and a celebration of the accomplishment of that. However, it is also a generally overblown night where people feel the need to blow a lot of cash on a really special date.

This year, I celebrated New Year's Eve in Vegas with Kanye West -- gratis, thanks to the LV Food and Beverage Magazine. (Although I did blow a lot of cash at the casino.) And after driving about 600 miles within 48 hours, and screaming my lungs out for two of those hours, it might have been the first time I felt old as I entered the New Year.

Maybe we reach a certain age where the effort to have a good time just doesn't pay off like it used to. I can't remember the last New Year's Eve I had where I just plain kicked it. I've been throwing elaborate parties or skipping town or stalking rappers. This year, I headed to a party of drunk people I mostly didn't know after the concert, and all I wanted to do was go somewhere and sleep. But I got what I wanted for Christmas -- my second free Kanye show of the year, and it sure was worth it.

Happy New Year, people.


My favorite concert moment: When Kanye told us all to sing "Gold Digger" with him, reminding white people that it would be their only chance to say the N word. God, I love that man.


After losing $2 at Keno (plus $120 in craps), 3:30AM. Those are straws coming out of us.