Nothing to do, nowhere to go, no party invites - this just can't be.
But that was the past. Now I just don't care. I don't need to be out and about as the clock strikes midnight. Neither do I need to be in front of a television set to watch the fireworks from London.
The turn of the year means very little. For me it's just a continuation of what's gone before and that's not a negative comment as it's a continuation of good things as well as bad.
Good things like a visit in the first week of the year to see our new granddaughter.
I think I say this pretty much every year. I find all this celebrating somehow ridiculous. Kick out the old and welcome in the new. Sadly because it's a new year doesn't mean wars will cease, politicians will stop lying and the world will be full of peace, love and understanding. It doesn't mean that your worries or concerns will just evaporate. By and large they just move into the new year with you.
The idea of new beginnings is just a trick of the mind and it can be a dangerous trick if not handled correctly because it can all be what is known as a false dawn.
Having said that I do believe in the power of the mind and the power of positivity. I like to be around positive people and hate being around negative. Positivity can be a healer.
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I must admit that I've got a big one for 2024. I of course refer to a new diary. For the past couple of years I have bought a diary off the internet which has been a bit of a struggle because it has a page for each weekday but only one page shared between Saturdays and Sundays which has made it a bit of a squeeze trying to get all my waffle in.
A few weeks ago I was in Wells Next The Sea when I found a massive diary. On flicking through I thought it was a bin end diary as dates seemed to be repeated. Then I realised it has two pages for each day. That's an awful lot of space, so I can write even more.
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On New Year's Eve we may not have gone out in the evening but we did drive into Norwich in the morning to go to the cinema. We had intended doing that on Saturday but it was cold, wet and I didn't feel like battling through the traffic. Sunday in contrast was a breeze. It took us just over half an hour to drive in, get parked, walk to the cinema, buy the tickets, get a takeaway coffee and get to my seat. The other four fifths went to see a Japanese cartoon film about a boy and a heron while I went to see Last Goal Wins, as I didn't fancy watching a Japanese cartoon.
I wasn't expecting much other than hopefully an enjoyable distraction. I have to say it was one of the most entertaining films I have ever seen and certainly one of the funniest. At times I was crying with laughter. After about an hour of crying with laughter I thought "they can't continue with this level of funny" and they didn't because it became a wonderfully poignant story.
Do catch this film if you can, even if you don't like football. Basically it's the story of the American Samoan football team which recorded the biggest defeat in the history of the World Cup, losing 31-0 to Australia in a World Cup qualifier. A new coach from the USA with distinct anger issues takes over as coach. You can imagine what happens but I'm not going to spoil it for you. It was hilarious from the first seconds. It's certainly the funniest film I have seen since Fighting With The Family a number of years ago.
Once again I find myself totally at odds with critics. The Guardian referred to it as "startlingly unfunny". I must have a very strange sense of humour because this was excruciatingly funny. I will definitely be watching it again and urging everyone to catch it and see if anyone else found it as funny.
There were five of us in the cinema- myself and a family of four. It amuses me that however few people there are for a film you still have to pick a seat. No idea why it can't be a sit anywhere policy. I suppose it's because when a film is popular seat reservations are needed and they don't know when they start booking whether a film will attract a good attendance or not.
But 10 minutes before the film starts it's fair to say with just four tickets sold that there isn't going to be a sudden rush.
Cinema City is beautifully laid back though. Nothing better than taking a glass of wine or coffee in with you. Do so wish that they wouldn't have so many adverts ahead of the film. They seem to go on and no. Ok I know that advertising helps keep the ticket costs down but they go on for well over 15 minutes.
Thought I would close today with a rock music quote that seems very apt. The clever ones amongst you might be able to tell me where this comes from if you have a similar musical taste to me.
Knowledge is a deadly friend
If no-one sets the rules
The fate of all mankind I see
Is in the hands of fools.
And on that note I will wish all my readers a Happy and positive new year with the threat of 366 blogs to come during 2024.