#partying

My new roommate is a party girl. She has parties almost every other weekend where she invites 500 of her friends and they all literally just get high and drink and drive home. 

Pisses me off to no end.

While I don’t question their personal choices, even if they go against my religious/personal beliefs, when they decide to hit the road, it’s anything but a “personal” choice. I have strong opinions against people who drive under the influence. I don’t care if you’re “so f$%kin high” or “buzzed”, DON’T risk other people’s lives alongside yours. If you wanna die by destroying all your neurons, do so in the comfort of your own home. Don’t put others in jeopardy because you decided your buzz was more important than someone else’s life.

That being said, I don’t condone drinking or smoking at all. Especially on a school night. It’s my first day of summer classes tomorrow and I’m still up ranting away because my roommates are annoying. If it was over the weekend I’d drive to my aunt’s house…but I can’t because it’s a school night and her kids will already be in bed. -_-

The other day, my sister and I were talking about how lame New Year’s Eve is. Don’t get me wrong: we both love an excuse to get dressed up, dance our faces off, and pop some bubbly, but all of the hype and pressure surrounding this secular holiday of holidays has GOT to go. In my early 20s, I had two New Year’s Eves during which I did the “typical” NYE stuff, including drinking WAY too much and feeling like crap on toast the next morning (not to mention regretting things I said/did/did not say/did not do the night before). Subsequent New Year’s Eves, while not marred by intoxication, were disappointing because I didn’t have a date, or didn’t like my date, or didn’t get kissed, or got kissed and wished later that I hadn’t*, or was accosted by a guy I had only just met and had to ward off his attempted kiss with a forceful high five (true story), or had no party to go to, or had several parties to attend but didn’t enjoy myself at any of them…you get the picture. And I think this is a VERY common experience for single men and women in their 20s and 30s. Everyone acts like their NYE was the BEST EVER!!!! but secretly wonders if anyone else is as disappointed as they are.

New Year’s Eve 2005, with my dear friend Jaclyn.

You want to know what the best New Year’s Eve I ever had was? It was two years ago in glamorous South Bend, IN. That day, my dear friends Claire and John celebrated the Sacrament of marriage in one of the most beautiful wedding masses I’ve ever attended; it was truly a taste of heaven on earth. After the reception, all of the youngish guests headed to a cabin for the after-party. Unfortunately, I don’t have any good photos to share from that night, probably because I was having too much fun to think about taking any. We danced, we sang, we enjoyed the fruit of the vine (and barley for those who were beer drinkers), we attempted to light floating lanterns (it was too windy and a few trees almost caught on fire…oops), the singles exchanged friendly kisses on the cheek at midnight…in short, it genuinely was one of the BEST nights of my life. The love of Christ, emanating from the newly married couple as well as all of the beautiful souls in attendance, was palpable even as we drank champagne and danced to the likes of Outkast and the Sister Act 2 Soundtrack (don’t hate).

My point is this: let’s stop pretending like going to massive parties where you know almost no one and drink way too much crappy alcohol and have to fend off slobbery kisses from drunk guys/girls is fun. It’s not. A night like that is a one-way ticket to regret, disappointment, and feeling like death the next morning. And frankly, it’s boring.

Can I get an amen?

Having had my fair share of crappy New Year’s Eves, but also a few truly blessed ones, I humbly submit to you some NYE plans guaranteed to leave you feeling more alive and grateful to God on January 1:

-Spend time with the people with whom you have genuine friendships, perhaps over a delicious meal (cooking together is the best!) or at a house party with a decent DJ where everyone’s goal is to enjoy alcohol instead of abusing it.

-Go to Mass with friends and/or family at 11:00 PM to celebrate the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God (a holy day of obligation for Catholics!) and ring in the New Year in thanksgiving to God for the year past and looking with joyful hope toward all that He has in store in the year to come.

-Stay in with a few good friends, reminiscing over the joys and sorrows of the past year and sharing with each other what you hope to accomplish, and (more importantly) hope the Lord will accomplish in you in the year to come. Pray compline (the official Night Prayer of the Church) right before midnight!

-Spend some time in a homeless shelter or home for the elderly or some other service organization. If they’re having a New Year’s Eve party of their own, it’s most likely before the parties you’ve been invited to attend, so why not don your fanciest and bring a little joy to those who may not see the beginning of a new year as a joyful occasion.

-Order take-out, read a book/watch a favorite movie, say a prayer of thanksgiving for 2013, and go to bed early. Because, why not? A quiet New Year’s Eve that you actually enjoy is MUCH better than a party-filled night that you’ll regret. 

For my part, this year I’ll be 1) dressing up (duh), 2) helping out at the Little Sisters of the Poor NYE party before 3) heading to a smallish shindig at my sister’s place, where I will most definitely dance my face off and get to bed before 2 AM. I hope to wake up the next morning thankful that I didn’t place undue pressure on myself to have the BEST NIGHT EVER!!! and even more thankful to have another day to know, love, and serve the Author of Time.

And really, what is more important than that?

*A note on kissing: Kisses are meant to be genuine expressions of affection for someone with whom you have an actual relationship. From where I’m sitting, the fewer people you can kiss before you get married, the better. 

PS Happy sixth day of Christmas!

homofied:

just-call-me-vendetta:

gregwuzhere:

rayvone:

If you can’t be this carefree in life what’s the point

Dora out here exploring lmao

Fuck it up, Dora!!

The new Dora movie looks lit