Saturday 9

(Link in meme-roll)
It's Just Another New Year's Eve (1977)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
Welcome to the last Saturday 9 of 2017! Thanks for a great year, everyone.

1) In this song, Barry Manilow declares New Year's Eve is "just another night." How do you feel about 12/31? Is it a special occasion or just another night?

Just another night of massive amounts of fireworks being set off in the middle of the night. I'm excited about the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year's Day, but this year especially tomorrow is just nothing. Someone gave me a bottle of sparkling grape juice. Maybe I'll pop that open. woo . hoo

2) Barry sings that in the past year, "we've made mistakes." What in 2017 do you wish you could do over?

Oh jeeeeeez. This is why I don't do regrets; this YEAR is why I gave up regrets and do-overs decades ago. If I knew last year this time what was coming, I'm pretty sure things wouldn't have panned out at all the way they did. ... It might have been worse, I guess. {somehow}

3) He also sings of happy nights with friends. Tell us about a really good time you had in the past year.

Uhm. There were flashes of fun, some seriously hysterical laughs, and good times with kids. I didn't have a vacation, and my home-life essentially sucked. I'm learning a lot about myself--some of it's even good stuff--but over all, I don't remember "a really good time" this year. Maybe my discovery of podcasts?

4) The song references growing wiser, as well as older. What's something you learned or discovered in 2017?

I have always thought I was a tough chick, despite outside appearances. Now I know I am, and I'm not here to waste my time on anyone else's bullshit. I'm not going to stop anyone's bullshit, but I'm also not going to spend any time on it if I can stop myself. Also, some of the worst bullshit is that of people closest to me, or so I thought.

5) What do you wish you had spent more time doing during 2017?

Reading. Taking care of myself. Throwing things away.

6) What was the smartest thing you did all this past year?

Called for help. Often.

7) As this year comes to a close, what are you most grateful for?

Friends. Holy crap, I am so fortunate to have an amazing group of friends. Also, my niece has stepped up hard this year, and my brother has been a surprisingly helpful presence for me too.

8) When this week's featured artist, Barry Manilow, was a jingle writer, he wrote the famous "You deserve a break today at McDonald's" song. When's the last time you visited the Golden Arches?

Uhm. Tuesday, I think? For breakfast?

9) Random question: In high school, were you more popular with the boys or the girls?

I wasn't popular at all. I had a tight circle of (mostly) girls that I hung with. I was terrified of guys.