So, what came first? Travolta? The BeeGees? Disco? Or Saturday Night Fever?
Well, obviously John Travolta and the brothers Gibb were born before the other two were, but did disco music exist before the brothers created the soundtrack and did disco dancing exist before Travolta hit the big screen?
Well, yeah. They did. We were already dancing at the clubs and there were other disco artists, but the movie Saturday Night Fever took it all to a whole new level! (And that brings on memories of Disco Dance lessons at the "Y" with my sister-in-law Amy, but that's a whole separate blog...)
So, why on earth am I blogging about disco and Saturday Night Fever on New Year's Eve? Well, simple progression and regression....
So, I'm sitting quietly in my apartment tonight, anticipating a calm evening at home, praying that the upstairs neighbors aren't having a party or, almost as bad, going out and leaving the dog home alone to howl all night, and what should come on TV but "Saturday Night Fever!" It took me back in years, remembering the New Year's Eves I spent on dates with Randy, which then took me back to high school memories, and back to childhood memories and then back up to today! So let's walk through the memories of my mind!
My earliest memory of New Year's Eve was about 1965. Both brothers were out of the house by then. My parents had some friends over and I was being allowed to stay up til midnight! Thinking this would be a special treat and SO exciting, I kept watching TV, waiting for the excitement to begin. Although this video was from a few years before (1957 to be exact), it was pretty much the same level of excitement....
To say I was disappointed is putting it mildly! It was the generation of Elvis, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Herman's Hermits and the 4 Seasons and all I had to watch on TV was Guy Lombardo & his Royal Canadians?!?!?! I remember thinking they really needed to put on a TV show geared toward kids who are stuck at home with their parents!
In subsequent years, I didn't trust TV to entertain me and relied on myself to find something entertaining to do; especially after I met Lanie and we could entertain one another... even if the excitement was going to the bowling alley to watch Al & Marcia bowl!
Now, I don't know how many other people this happens to, but throughout my life, I've always thought something should happen and lo and behold within a few years someone else thinks the same thing and they make it happen!
Then I went to college and met Randy! New Year's Eve 1974 was the first really exciting, celebratory New Year's Eve I ever had. Randy took me to his favorite bar in Champaign, Illinois: Chances R. My first New Year's Eve of age to drink, but it wasn't the beer, champagne or wine that I could drink that was exciting... it was the dancing and being with Randy. It was our second date, there was a great band playing a lot of songs from the 60s and early 70s and I got my first New Year's kiss! In fact, I got three of them. (I'm not going to count all the other guys who were at our table who felt it was their responsibility and right to kiss EVERY girl at the table... and I REALLY prefer to forget the jerk that thought it was his right to shove his tongue down every girl's throat in the process!)
In spite of our on-again, off-again relationship over the next four years, Randy and I managed to be together every New Year's Eve for the next twenty until, working for the Cates Company, he had to be out of town. It was one thing I could always count on; Randy & me and a great New Year's celebration!
Since New Year's Eve was always special for us and we enjoyed celebrating, we got in the habit of always inviting friends to spend the evening with us. Being LDS, we didn't have the liquor anymore, but we had plenty of goodies, punch and games galore! And as soon as the kids were old enough to be a part of the celebration, they were each allowed to have one friend over to spend the night and it was a party for all ages! With Dick Clark on the TV, around midnight everyone would watch for the countdown and when the ball dropped the Sloan family & friends all rushed outside with noise makers, pots & pans and made as much noise as we possibly could to celebrate the New Year. We have several of the celebrations preserved on old VHS tapes! We really need to convert them....
Since those days, my New Year's Eves have calmed down a lot. One by one or two by two, the kids have gone on to create their own lives with their own traditions and I really hope they're giving their kids fabulous New Year's Eve memories.
And tonight, I sit here in my apartment alone with my Tombstone Pizza, John Travolta and my memories. I'm reflecting on the blessings in my life; the time I got to spend with my children and grandchildren in the past year; Barton's graduation and new residency in Wisconsin; a new granddaughter; my trip to Illinois and the opportunity to reconnect with my brother, nieces, Mom & Dad Sloan and old high school & college friends. I also have to reflect on the losses: our dear family friend, Susan Schulthies, my cousin Bob Zielke, and most recently my sister-in-law Sue and while I recognize their passing as a loss, having known them was a blessing.
As we move into 2014, may your blessings be huge and your sorrows be small. Enjoy and appreciate all the good Lord gives you each day!
From Seattle, Happy New Year!
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