I really have always loathed New Years. A whole mess of people getting loaded to blot out all the horrific things they did last year. Or, conversely, getting loaded in order to get a head start on all the horrific things they will do this year. Besides, I don't need an excuse to get drunk and do things I'll regret the next day. Happy New Year, everyone!!

All right, I'm (almost) done with the misanthropy for this post. In all seriousness, a happy and healthy to everybody. Not surprisingly, my shift ended up getting prolonged so I worked from 2 p.m. to 3 a.m. on New Year's Eve without a break. I was also the only bartender with any background in the bar, as our other bartender was a Brazilian who usually works in room service and hadn't been behind a bar in 3 years. A really nice guy, but still, it was a touch overwhelming given that I sold $6,000 worth of drinks. On the bright side, I managed to make about $600 in tips despite the lousy service given as a result of being chronically understaffed. Other highlights included the lady who spent ten minutes telling me how dirty she liked it (her martini, I assume) and the lady who called me Joaq the entire evening (presumably because she thought I looked like Joaquin Phoenix. Conversely, I could have misheard her, and she could have been calling me Guac all night because she thought I resembled an avocado.)

After finally getting home around 4 a.m. I proceeded to vomit for the next hour in the hallowed New Year's tradition---unfortunately, not due to any revelry but rather due to an incoming flu. It was definitely one of my more interesting New Year's, and I suspect more drama to unfold in the days ahead. Stay tuned.