Auld Lange Syne

So it is New Year's. Meh. I have all the goodwill and mushy feelings I should have at this time of year, but let's face it; it's another year. I'm still in debt, I'm working a lot, and today was a stressful day. It started when I burnt my toast. I decided right then and there, standing in the kitchen at 6am, that I was not going to have this kind of day. Burnt toast days are the worst, and I decided just because I burnt my toast did not mean that my day was going to go this way; like a Monday on steroids. After a day at work in which I became a bit overwhelmed and stressed out (I had to give myself a time out at one point), I came home, and Captain Awesome, who is using his last personal day of the year today, was home relaxing. We had a nice afternoon at home, joking and talking, watching a little tube. For dinner he made lobster tails with Caesar salad and champagne (not real champagne, I can't handle it and I don't really like it. He bought Toad Hollow Risque, which is like an amazing dessert wine with bubbles. I LOVE it, and it's what I had last Christmas, when life was not so hot). And yes, we cooked with the new fancy pot! Woot! It is easy to feel blessed right now on the home front. The lobster tails were a nod to the Japanese New Year tradition of decorating with lobster and lobster themes, representing old age with their bent over tails. Yay, we were festive! :)

I also was reading about Portmagee, Ireland, which still holds an annual tradition brought to them by French Sailors a couple hundred years ago. The villagers watched, awestruck, as the sailors embarked on land, and an old, decrepit man walked slowly up the hill at midnight, at which point he fell over, apparently dead. Then from the crowd, a sharply dressed, spry young man pounces, signalling the New Year, while the old year has died. I kind of like it. I have never really thought about aging until this year (thank you, 30), and time just seems....different somehow. Anyway, here's a cool link to that story... http://www.moorings.ie/Portmagee/Portmagee-NewYear.aspx. Check it out, it is actually very interesting, and the story (surprise surprise) is told well.

Thinking about New Year's and Ireland, I think about my friends and family all over the world, knowing that in each country where live the people that have had such impact on my life live (Norway, Ireland, Austria, Germany), they are all kindred spirits, and even though we are far apart, I love them. I miss them, and I would love to be spending this time with them. I've been thinking of Auld Lange Syne a lot lately. How it was written only a few hundred years ago, by my beloved Robert Burns, and how no one even associated it with New Years until the end of the 20s (and by noone, I mean Americans). And how no one really knows the words. Here they are now, for your enjoyment. In the Scottish-English, and Parochial English :)

This is copied from http://www.electricscotland.com/burns/langsyne.html

Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?
Chorus
For auld lang syne, my jo,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

And surely ye'll be your pint-stoup,
And surely I'll be mine;
And we'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne. For auld, etc.

We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou'd the gowans fine;
But we've wander'd mony a weary fit,
Sin' auld lang syne. For auld, etc.

We twa hae paidl'd in the burn,
Frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar'd.
Sin' auld lang syne. For auld, etc.

And there's a hand, my trusty fiere!
And gie's a hand o' thine!
And we'll tak' a right gud-wellie waught,
For auld lang syne. For auld, etc.


A translation from the Scots Independent

auld;old lang;long syne;since
auld lang syne ; days of long ago
pint stowp ; tankard
pou'd ; pulled
gowans ; daisies
mony ; many
fitt ; foot
paidl'd ; waded
dine; dinner-time
braid ; broad
fiere ; friend
willie-waught ; draught
owresettin

Should old friendship be forgot'And never remembered ?
Should old friendship be forgotten,
And days of long ago.

And surely you will have your tankard !
And surely I will have mine !
And we will take a cup of kindness yet,
For days of long ago

'We two have run about the hills
And pulled the daisies fine :
But we have wandered many a weary foot
Since days of long ago.

We two have waded in the stream
From dawn till dinner-time :
But seas between us broad have roared
Since days of long ago.

And there's a hand my trusty friend !
And give me a hand of thine !
And we will take a large draught
For days of long ago.

It is a nice sentiment. Friends who have known each other for years, drinking and trusting, enjoying each other. This is where the goodwill comes from, and whether or not you know the words, the feeling and sentiment is the same; remember the past, cherish those around you, and look forward to prosperity and better times ahead. I like it. I won't miss this year much, but I am grateful for what I have learned, and what I have seen in my own life. Health and Wealth and joy to all of you. God bless, and No Worries.

today's song of the day is two-fold; Auld Lange Syne, which you can find yourself. Also, Matt and Kim, Lessons Learned. I like the cadence, and I like the "close your eyes and use your mouth and tell me about your song" part :)
http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/song/Lessons+Learned/21999520