Reflections on New Year's Eve

 Anne here, reflecting that it's an amazing world where I can communicate with people all over the world, no matter what the time of day or night, where some are half buried in snow while I'm sweltering in hundred degree heat, and some are preparing for bushfire season and others are battling floods or droughts. 

 Fireworks

I'm especially aware of this precious network on New Year's Eve when I watch the celebrations around the world, particularly the fireworks. I love fireworks and on New Year's Eve, they start in New Zealand and work their way around the globe.   

The fireworks on Sydney Harbour are always spectacular with the Sydney Harbor Bridge as the centre point and everything reflected twice over on the harbour — and by the way, if you want an excellent tutorial on how to photograph fireworks, there's one here, from the person who took the spectacular photo below.   

Friends

But as the new year countdown travels around the globe, I think of friends and relatives scattered so far, special people in places like Bali, Edinburgh, London and Dubuque -- too many places to list. I'm lifting my glass to my friends and relations around the world. For some reason at Christmas the distance between us seems great, but on New Year's Eve I feel connected. I can imagine I'm in Edinburgh, watching the torchlight procession and Vikings walking the streets.  

Resolutions

And then come the new year's resolutions.  I'm not usually one for making resolutions, but I was reading this blog and I thought, if I were to make a few resolutions this would be the way to do it. Much wisdom here.

It's so easy to take this global connectivity for granted but reading a friend's blog a few days ago, I was reminded how recent it really was and how much had changed in the last ten years.

 Ten years ago it was the beginning of a new century and we were all fretting about whether all the computers in the world would go haywire on New year's Day. It seems ludicrous in retrospect, doesn't it? I was at a New Year's Eve party that year and a guy there who was some techno-whizz was on call. Apparently the whole computer world was watching New Zealand to see what happened there -- NZ is the first developed country to enter the New Year. The plan was if NZ crashed, the computer calendars in his (big multinational) company were all going to be turned back a year until they worked out what to do. It seems a lot more than ten years ago. (The stunning steampunk computer on the left is from this site)

The Last Ten Years
 So I've been thinking about my last ten years and how much has changed.

Firstly, I look at the kids around me and it's very hard to believe that ten years ago they were toddlers or gangly teenagers. The little kids are gangly teenagers now, and the teenagers are adults. When did that happen?

Ten years ago both my parents were living independently at home. Now I'm an orphan.

 Ten years ago my first book had been published in the UK, but it wasn't scheduled for a US release - that first happened in 2001. Since then I've had books come out in more than sixteen different languages, including manga (comic) versions in Japanese and Thai. 

Ten years ago on my tax file I was a teacher, now I'm listed as a writer.

Ten years ago I had email, but it was dial-up and slow. I don't think I had a website then. I'd never heard of blogs, and I hadn't yet made a lot of my current friends, many of whom I met and got to know via email before we ever met face to face. 

I didn't own a mobile phone or a laptop; my computer was large and heavy and not easily movable. I remember buying a 20 mg external hard drive and the salesman assuring me it was more then he and I combined would ever be able to use in a lifetime. He also called me 'little lady.' That's changed, too. ;) 

Ten years ago most of my non-writing friends didn't even have computers at home.

Then, to call a friend overseas to chat was unthinkable, it was so expensive. Now I routinely phone friends in different hemispheres for no dramatic or special reason.

Ten years ago getting on a plane was a straightforward, speedy process. I used to take embroidery and nail scissors on planes and not be regarded as a potential terrorist. I could have taken water on board if I wanted to as well, but ten years ago bottled water was mostly expensive and French and nobody charged for a glass of plain water. We drank water from glasses then; drinking straight from the bottle was a little uncouth.  

Ten years ago when people talked about having a wee they were being a little uncouth as well. Now they wii all the time and brazenly boast about it ;)

    So, what were you doing ten years ago, and how has your life changed since?
    Where in the world are you? And what will you be doing for New Year's Eve?

May 2010  bring you health and happiness. Cheers! And to those celebrating Hogmanay, Slainte!

Comments

[Keira Soleore]

Anne, if there was some way to mark the Best Year-End Post I'd put my special stamp on this one.

I have to laugh at the wee, because I use the word in the Scottish sense and with a capital W to refer to my daughter in all online communiques.

Zen Habits and 6Changes has been an eye-opener for me today, thanks to you. Likely to have an enormous influence on my 2010.

So sorry to read about your parents. It's changes like this that are so incredibly hard.

[Sherrie Holmes]

From Sherrie:
As usual, another wonderful post, Anne. I do New Year's resolutions every January, but I call them "goals." That way, there's no time limit. A New Year's resolution implies that it will be done within that year. A goal has no time limit.

I've done this for years, and print out each goal list and keep it at my desk. Whenever a goal or task has been reached, I draw a line through it. At the end of the year, many will be lined out and some will still be there.

I have goals lists dating back 20 years, and it's really fun to go back to, say, a 15 year old list and cross out something. Priorities change, too. Something that was important 10-20 years ago may no longer be important or relevant.

And sometimes I shake my head. For 10 years I've had "get a new fireplace mantel" because the old one was so ratty looking. Well, this year I painted it, and it looks so good that I decided it didn't need to be replaced after all. *g*

[kay]

Lovely post. I don't make resolutions, I gave up, because by the time February rolls around, I forget what my resolution was. Goals are almost in the same category. Like you, I lost both my parents in the soon to be last decade and now I'm the old person at family gatherings. But, I'm looking forward to the coming year, hoping for the best. I'm going to run out and look at the Blue Moon before the blizzard hits. See, good and bad in one sentence.

[Andrea Penrose]

A beautiful, wise and thought-provoking post, Anne. You remind us all that we should be more reflective, and not just at the end of the year.

I can't even begin to describe all the changes in my life during the past ten years. Things seem to be in constant flux, perhaps due to technology and how fast we are exposed to new ideas and how closely we are connected to people all over the world.

That said, ten years ago I was just beginning as a writer. I didn't know a thing about the industry, and I didn't know a soul in the community. Now, some of my best friends are fellow writers, and that's been an amazing gift. I've been so lucky to connect to such interesting, talented and good-hearted people all around the world (the Wenches top the list!) And those friendships have truly enriched my life, and helped smoothed the bumps in the ten-year road.

So, I raise a glass of champagne to the next ten years. May it lead to much happiness and fulfillment for all!

[Jo Beverley]

Great post, Anne. It doesn't seem that long since 1999 when we worried that the world as we knew it might crumble.

In 1999 we were in Victoria with both sons at home. Now we're in England with the sons in Ottawa. But other than that large change, I don't feel the power of others.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Except I'll be back to blog in a few hours, saying that again! LOL!

Jo

[maryjoputney]

What a fine toast to the end of the year and the decade, Anne. Ten years really covers a vast amount of change in our fast moving world. More good than bad. Certainly the ability to connect with friends all over the globe is a blessing.

And maybe someday I'll watch the fireworks over the Sydney bridge!

Mary JO

[Anne Gracie]

Thanks, Keira, I too use the wee in the Scottish sense, but I can't resist a pun ;)

Sherrie, what you do with paint is a wonder and a marvel. I'm a bit believer in listing things to be done and working my way through them, but I think that's a little different from resolutions, which seem to me to involve some aspect of personal change.
But I'm going to revisit that zen post often, I suspect.

Kay, it's an odd feeling, isn't it? I'm still relatively new to orphandom, and am reminded by a couple of friends who phone and start the conversation with "And how are you, Orphan Annie?" They're orphans too, and friends of long standing and we went to each other's parents' funerals.

[Anne Gracie]

Cara/Andrea, it is interesting to reflect on how much has changed. As for not knowing anyone in the writing biz, it was much the same for me. When I think of the wonderful friends I have now, it seems as though I've known them forever, but ten years ago I knew hardly anyone.

Jo it is bizarre to think of how worried we all were about Y2K. It will be one of those things that new generations will laugh about, I suspect. As if we believed the world was flat.
All the best of your next 10 years back in the UK.

Mary Jo, I'm told the best view of the Sydney fireworks are from a boat in the harbour. Sounds like a fine way to do it. But otherwise the TV covers it beautifully.

All the best for the New Year, people.

[Kelly Hunter]

Ten years ago I was in the middle of Malaysia, on call like your company man, Anne. There was this factory associaed with a biological control experiment that we had to keep running. We'd sourced the generators and had them in place, brought in a tanker of diesel. Made backup plans. And then... nothing. Don't think I've ever been so relieved.

Ten years on and so many things have changed. Too many to mention but most of them blessings.

Happy New Year, Anne. Slainte

[Anne Gracie]

Kelly, I imagine that would have been very worrying, all your scientific research -- years worth?-- in danger of being wasted if the machinery failed.

And I wonder if then you had any inkling you'd be a writer, published in so many languages?

[theo]

Anne, what a great post! Thank you.

And as the ball drops in NYC, Happy New Year!!!

[Linda Banche]

Sounds like it's been a good ten years for lots of people. I can't say I'm one of them. I hope the next ten years will be better. Happy New Year.

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