December 31, 2011

At the New Year's Eve Café...

P1040301

... have a drink with us. Or just hang out with us. We're staying in for the night. Who goes out on New Year's Eve? That's crazy!

72 comments:

chickelit said...

We're going bowling with the kids! Doesn't even open until 10.

Who goes bowling on New Years?

Happy New Years Meadhouse! See ya next year.

Unknown said...

Chickenlittle, Happy New Year to you and your family.

And Happy New Year to Meadhouse and all the readers of this blog.

A bientot!

Deb said...

Thanks for making us all feel welcome. Happy New Year!

Simon said...

We were going to go out, but who has the energy. Making a korma and watching House instead.

Quaestor said...

I'm off for a slug of absinthe with friends. Tah!

BTW, there's another rhyme of twelve besides delve and shelve. Genuine English word of long use and not obscure.

Lee Merrick said...

All the best to you and Meade for 2012! Your blog and especially your photos are a treasure.

Irene said...

Happy New Year to Althouse, Meade, and the readers and commenters who visit here.

Mr. Irene and I are staying at home with Mom and the Poodles. We're having dry martinis. I'm knitting, and Mr. Irene is toodling on the internets.

May you all have good health, loving family, and loyal friends.

David said...

I wonder what President-Elect Santorum is going tonight?

pm317 said...

We saw the movie 'The Way' this afternoon with Martin Sheen. It is OK -- I was expecting a lot more fantastic pictures of the Pyrenees but didn't get it.

We are kind of staying in too but going out for a drive in the next 10 mins. I ruled out a bar visit because I am maxed out of calories for the day.

Toshstu said...

I'm not going out, the police are taking blood again.

pm317 said...

We went to the AFI Silver theater (to watch 'The Way')and they had this promo of all the Hollywood bigwigs before the movie started and I found them all so irritating -- everyone of them voted for the idiot and will probably do it again.

oh, Happy New Year everybody! Hopefully we get the change we want in 2012.

Michael Haz said...

Wishing everyone an early Happy New Year.

We started a New years Eve tradition when our kids were young.

At 11:30, we write down everything we didn't like about the old year, then tear up the paper and scatter it on the floor. We open the back door at 11:55, everyone takes a broom and yells "Get out, old year!!" as the pieces of paper are swept out the back door,

Then we run to the front door, open it wide and yell "Get in here, New Year!!" And with that the new year is swept in.

Much laughter, much happiness.

Petunia said...

Happy New Year, everyone! I'm watching a Big Bang Theory marathon and reading a novel. Off to Lambeau bright and early tomorrow!

edutcher said...

You're very wise.

New Year's Eve is justly infamous as amateur night, and doubly dangerous because of it.

Of course, there's always St Patrick's Day where both the professional and amateur drunks are out.

Best of everything to you two in the New Year.

Seriously.

Irene said...

Happy New Year to Althouse, Meade, and the readers and commenters who visit here.

Mr. Irene and I are staying at home with Mom and the Poodles.


Sounds like Arnold Horshack's reaction to Gabe Kotter's suggestion of a research paper - Josef Stalin and the Purges, "Who're the purges?".

The best of everything to all at casa Irene and the rest of the Althousians.

Irene said...

Happy New Year to you, edutcher, and The Blonde!

gadfly said...

Happy New Year -- From Scott Adams

Toad Trend said...

Agree, going out tonight is crazy. Amateur night for sure.

Myself and the little missus just got out of the hot tub and are preparing our vodka martinis - Happy New Year to all...

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Happy New Year all.

Okay a prediction at this important time.

If Romney wins the nomination for the GOP, and he selects a great VP (who can bring rest of the GOP to form a strong coalition with independents, such as Jindal of LA or Christie of NJ), then that will be a havoc (major headache) for Obama, Biden, Reid. I mean, they will lose WH and Senate.

Thus, it is vital that Romney be the nominee. It is vital that Paul, Perry, and Newt are defeated, as early as humanly possible. Paul is a lunatic with bad/ugly writings. He should not even be in the competition, but we know GOP is full of lunatics. Newt is over-rated. Perry is still an infant in politics.

Romney is the best candidate we have got. He needs a good VP and we are back in business at the WH.

Indigo Red said...

I'm staying in as I have ever since that one New Year's Eve when a 9mm slug dropped out of the sky landing at my feet and the following NY's Eve when I had to jump out of the path of a speeding car as I crossed the street on the way home.

Happy New Year!

traditionalguy said...

New year's Eve being on Saturday night,the early Church services are not scheduled, but the 11:00 o'clock Worship is still on.

Maybe we can get them to serve us communion using champagne.

Jose_K said...

New Year is only a convention. There is no fest more wothless o useless. It had sense when if fell on march and had a meaning. The spring was there and the winter , cold and hunger ended.But today is only a lame excuse for drink and sentimentality

Temujin said...

Wishing everyone the very best for 2012. Althouse- thanks for all of your work this year, words and images. It was an entertaining year- to say the least. Who knew Madison could get weirder?

2012 will be a very bizarre year. Get some sleep this weekend. There will be a lot to talk about in the next few months.

PS-Sparty still smarts from the B10 Championship. Ouch.

Big Mike said...

Thank you, Professor, for your blog. Happy New Year to you and Meade.

gadfly said...

We have little time left to celebrate. From The Canadian, "Canada's new socially progressive and cross-cultural national newspaper" comes this 2007 prediction:

Over 4.5 Billion people could die from Global Warming-related causes by 2012. Hydrate hypothesis illuminates growing climate change alarm.

yashu said...

Wait, what? What is America's Politico saying?? Mommy, I'm confused!!!

AP, if you've suffered from some brain trauma & suddenly turned into a Republican... or the DC winds have shifted so much that you've jumped ship... or some of your multiple personalities have been reshuffled... or the moby wires accidentally crossed &, mirabile dictu, we've just witnessed a fleeting moment of sincerity...

Whatever it is, I more or less agree (with some reservations), so-- re GOP prospects in 2012 & hoping for a great VP nominee-- amen, brother

Skippy said...

We went out early -- as my mother-in-law would say "the early bird" -- and had a nice evening. Home, warm and snug now; the streets and restaurant were calm and quiet. Happy new year to all.

Anonymous said...

Thanks, as we approach the midnight. I leave you all with the Auld Lang Syne by Sissel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOwNBP_B1xo

May God Bless the USA (and GOP).

Beta Rube said...

When I was a pre-teen, I tried like hell to stay up until midnight and never quite made it. Now I'm 55 and I know not to try.

I am celebrating with sugar free jello and a good mystery. Oh to be me!

Anyway, Happy New Year to all, and a special thanks to Meadehouse for their exceptional work this year covering the events in Madison. There is no "big media" in Milwaukee that even came close. As a denizen of the crazy State, I look forward to more and better coverage in 2012.

reformed trucker said...

Happy New Year to you two. Stayed in and enjoyed some lobster tails, but couldn't wash it down with an adult beverage because I may have to go out and salt/plow the roads. I'll just have to make it up during the Packers game tomorrow.

Quaestor said...

gadfly wrote:
We have little time left to celebrate...

With only 38 minutes left (EST) 3.4 billion of us ought to get the lead out and start dying, else the AGW meme might lose some currency.

deborah said...

Happy New Year to Meadhouse and all who sail in her. Thanks for the work you do to provide us a space to consider, discuss, laugh and make merry.

Unknown said...

Come on down to the big L.A. bonfire.

Anonymous said...

I'm enjoying a Four Loko, blue raspberry flavor (a color which appears nowhere in nature). 23.5 ounces, 12% alcohol, so one can is just about equivalent to a six pack of ordinary beer.

Happy New Year (or, as they'd say at Voyeurweb, Happy Nude Year)!

Peter

somefeller said...

Went to lovely family-oriented NYE party and now headed off to bed. 2012 looks to be a great year, particularly because it looks like the Presidential choices will be between Romney and Obama. Two fine men, cut from the right cloth for leadership. Good night all!

kimsch said...

Wishing all a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year!

@Irene - I'm knitting too.

We've been watching movies all day, and last night's Chuck and Sanctuary.

Hubby's reading and The Siberian is upset because The Little Guy is staying up to see the New Year in.

@Michael - love your tradition!

wv: dedli - driving tonight may result in a dedli accident - many drunks on the roads... That's why I'm staying home safe.

raf said...

HUH! Looks just like the old one.

raf said...

Maybe by the time it gets to the midwest it will have improved.

Michael Haz said...

We're watching Season Five of The Wire. Just finished off a delicious dinner - Alaskan king crab.

Champagne ahead. And fireworks, courtesy of my back yard neighbor.

Getting ready to sweep out the old year and sweep in the new one.

JAL said...

May all in Althousia (including the crazy aunt in the attic, Garage) have a blessed 2012.

I think I speak for many of us when I say the denizens have informed us, challenged us, encourgaed us and quite often made us laugh out loud.

We watched some Firefly tonight. And I hear fireworks in the distance!

wv senst
Something you know without knowing.

F said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Time to move, forward.

F said...

We're gonna feed the horses, then turn in early. 2012 will very likely arrive just fine without us there to see it in, and here in the Pacific time zone it's still 2 1/2 hours away. Greetings of the new year to all at this fine site. F

Ken Mitchell said...

Michael Haz's tradition is similar to ours. During the year, we put all of the cartoons, newspaper clippings, postcards, theater tickets and programs, and everything that we think might be important someday, and it all goes into a grocery sack. On New Year's Eve, we go through the sack, sort everything, and paste it all into a scrapbook. Anything we don't want to remember goes into the fireplace.

We have 30 years of scrapbooks now.

bagoh20 said...

Here's hoping you have another great year Meadehouse. I really love the space you've created here. A favorite tree under which many interesting minds stop by and visit in the greater cyberspace city.

I've learned a lot and feel close to you and many others who I have never met, but still consider friends. Happy New Year to you all and thanks.

Anonymous said...

It's the New Year here in the East, and I wish Althouse, Meade and all the Midwesterners a very happy New Year .

Scott M said...

HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL! I did celebrate a bit by buying some on-sale camping gear through the Amazon portal.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Hey

Happy New Year.

Palladian said...

I welcome the New Year, which arrives amid demand letters, a spent bank account, underemployment and much trepidation about my ability to survive another year...

But tonight it was Tattinger champagne, dark rum and Mexican Coca-Colas, and pink gin & tonics, celebrated with one of my last remaining family members, who wasn't supposed to have survived 2011 but did, along with two Boston Terriers and a long-distance call from the man who may become my husband.

Tomorrow I shall cook choucroute garnie à l'Alsacienne, my take on the local custom of eating pork & sauerkraut on New Year's Day.

I'm now going to go out in the fog and quiet and smoke my pipe, and I shall try to remember what I love about life and forget what I despise.

It's been an interesting six years commenting here...

Where will we all be six years from now?

The Crack Emcee said...

I spoke at my local Tea Party event - they're sending a picture to Instapundit - let's see if he posts it.

Happy New Year!

The Crack Emcee said...

Palladian,

I welcome the New Year, which arrives amid demand letters, a spent bank account, underemployment and much trepidation about my ability to survive another year...

If I can muddle through, you can - make it happen, P!

Happy New Year, man!

Methadras said...

My wife and I stopped going out years ago. We watch movies and hang out.

Peter Hoh said...

The boy and I just got in from shoveling snow. I figured it would be easier to shovel now, while it was still slushy than later this morning, when it supposed to be colder. If that doesn't make a lot of sense, it was just above freezing while the snow fell. In fact, it's still above freezing, but the temp is supposed to drop over the next 6 hours.

Kurt said...

I went to a chamber music concert early this evening and got home a little after 10 p.m. I had planned to watch a movie, but ended up flipping channels for a while then got drawn in by a South Park episode which took me almost up to midnight, at which point I switched to some other channels to see celebrations in various places.

Happy New Year!

Jason (the commenter) said...

Merry New Year!

rcommal said...

At 11:01 p.m. Central (quite precisely, actually), we called collected family out East to wish them a Happy [East Coast] New Year. At midnight Central, we did Happy New Year's things here (that took quite a bit longer). At 1 a.m. Central, we took notice of folks in the most-often forgotten time zone. And pretty much at 2 a.m. Central, give-take minutes, I sent a few text messages to some folks on the West Coast who are especially precious to me. All of that is part of a great way to start out a--this--fledgling year (especially given the past few).

All best wishes for a Happy New Year to everyone, wherever you are. ()

regards,l

David said...

Happy New Year, and hang on!

2012 is going to be quite a ride.

MDIJim said...

Sorry, I slept through it all after watching a Netflix DVD of an old British TV program called "Under the Hammer". Check it out, it is actually witty. Happy New Year.

james conrad said...

A brand NEW YEAR, a brand new deal, prosperity for everyone!

PREDICTION:
Romney & Rubio will carry the GOP banner this fall and....win in a landslide

marylynn said...

Happy New Year Everyone. We are headed to a tailgate party at Lambeau by 9. Its snowing and blowing like mad. Oh, I wish i could stay home. The thermos of bloody marys will have to save me. And I bet i am back at the car by halftime.

Robert Cook said...

"I wonder what President-Elect Santorum is going tonight?"

Hey! HEY! President Obama may be a huge disappointment, a less likable (if slicker) continuation of George W. Bush, but there's no need to call him filthy names!

Freeman Hunt said...

Happy New Year!

It's been an interesting six years commenting here...

Where will we all be six years from now?


Into the future we go to find out!

nina said...

Happy New Year! Where I am right now, people are still saying 'Merry Christmas.' We're all a confusion of holidays. May the good spirit(s) last!

I'm Full of Soup said...

Happy New Years to Meadhouse and to their many fans!

JackOfVA said...

BTW, there's another rhyme of twelve besides delve and shelve. Genuine English word of long use and not obscure.

helve, meaning "A handle of a tool, such as an ax, chisel, or hammer."

Ann Althouse said...

"We are headed to a tailgate party at Lambeau by 9. Its snowing and blowing like mad. Oh, I wish i could stay home. The thermos of bloody marys will have to save me. And I bet i am back at the car by halftime."

What the hell kind of a complaint is this?!!

We'll take your place!

Patrick said...

Happy New Year all. I hope 2012 is great for you. We watched a kids movie. The oldest wanted to stay up til midnight, so he and I toasted the New Year with ginger ale. That's about as wild as New Years Eve has been in awhile.

Meade said...

Happy 2012 to all my fellow commenters.

What a pleasure it was to start off the new calendar sipping coffee and reading the comments to this post, feeling our shared affinity for a blog called Althouse.

Here in Madison, the sun is out, a strong wind blows, and I'm fixing to take the blogger out for a hike. May all your wishes for the election of a conservative U. S. Congress come true in the new year and with it, a return to prosperity for our entire nation.

Unknown said...

I was feeling a little less than sanguine lately due to a couple of sad/bad things developing in the family but then...a dear friend called to announce she's pregnant!

So l'chaim and Happy New Year to all!

LarryK said...

Brasserie V or Jacs? (the picture I mean, not NYE plans...)

Meade said...

B-V, LK. Resolved: to meet you and DB there for a St B before the month is out.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

Happy New Year.

We never go out for New Years. For all the reasons everyone else said. Plus...midnight is waaaaay past our bedtime.

We had an afternoon drive through some back woods dirt roads. Went to the top of an extinct (we hope)cinder cone and admired the view and the wildlife. Had a few cocktails and some snacks.

The streets and the highways were literally empty of traffic. Everyone else is home watching football or getting ready to go out and make fools of themselves.

Had Wor Wonton soup (shrimp dumplings) made with the frozen carcass and left over meat from our Christmas duck dinner.

2011 wasn't such a bad year for us on a personal level and economic level. (We are probably the exception to the general rule) Here's hoping that 2012 is just as good.