ANOTHER NEW YEAR'S ROCKIN' EVE IN THE BOOKS...

...oh, I don't wanna look, I just don't wanna look...

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First of all, there wasn't any rock and roll on ABC's year-end-countdown-program. The music I saw on that show was just a lot of in-your-face rap stylings, or young chanteuses oversinging everything, in order to put across a song that had nothing going for it to begin with. ABC-TV's young geek broadcasters were in Times Square, pumping up the crowd..."HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE HERE, TO SEE THIS EXCITING MOMENT IN TIME, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT ALL THIS...OKAY, WE'RE GONNA COUNT DOWN THE FINAL SECONDS...AIN'T IT GREAT TO BE HERE'...and now here's DICK CLARK counting backwards from TEN as we ring in the New Year (cut to Dick Clark)...Tennnnnn...N-Nine.....uh, Eighhhht, SevvvensssSSSixxxx, ffffFFive....fff-ff-f-Four, th-th-threeeee...t-t-t-Two; Onnnne....Happy New Year...

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And so there ya have it, the biggest non-event event of all...the New Year's Observance. When you boil it all down, it's just one more tick of the clock...tick, tock, tick, tock, and that's four seconds that are gone, over, and ya can't get 'em back. On this program, the youthful ABC-TV purveyors were shoving microphones in people's faces, asking, "How do you feel about this; it's New Years' Eve in New York City!!!" "Oh, it's Great!!! I'm from Canada, where New Year's is more formal; here, it's WILD!!!" A young short-skirted female was asked about what she'll do differently this year, and she said, I swear she said, "I'll try not to be a D*****bag", right there on Network TV! And ya know what? I've come to the conclusion that there isn't any Culture anymore; everyone's just in yer face, saying what they wanna say with no decorum whatsoever.

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The main reason I tuned in was because I wanted to see if What's Left Of Dick Clark was gonna be trotted out for one more year, and alas, there he was. And here's where the subject matter gets tricky...I'm a fan of his. I watched Bandstand for a lotta years. He shared great music with us, and and was a very important figure in 50s and 60s Culture. I am very happy that he more-or-less recovered from what must have been such a devastating stroke, and he's a real trooper to still want to be involved in broadcasting. If I were in Mr. Clark's position, I'm not so sure I'd want to be seen by the General Public, all stroke-affected, slurring my speech, my face being stretched all out of proportion, with a low-throated croak instead of one of the most identifiable voices ever.

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I couldn't watch him. I found myself looking at the TV screen thru closed fingers, like whenever I see a scary movie. This is supposed to be a politically-correct age, and it's great that people with disabilities have more rights and are treated more fairly, but I couldn't watch Mr. Clark, not even thru a sympathetic eye, which is how I should have viewed him. I could barely tolerate listening to him, trying to speak, with a barely-controllable low croak of a voice. I know I'm not being nice here. It's a hell of a way to ring in a New Year, saying these things about our beloved Dick Clark. I couldn't help my reaction. Maybe it's the part of me that doesn't want to make an ass of myself in front of a whole lot of people, or maybe it's the insecure part of me that fears I'll get embarrassed, and so I don't wanna try and reach out for the brass ring.

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As I plod through the age of 56 on my way to 57 and upward, I realize that the years ahead are going to be the time in which Things Happen To Me. Although I've had my tough times, I've sailed right thru my life so far, and while I haven't felt invincible, I 'spose I've taken it for granted that the Sun will always rise in the morning, and here comes another day, another nite, another day and so on and so forth. And indeed, that will happen, but one day I won't be part of it. And maybe seeing Dick Clark the way he is now scares me just a little bit. Okay, a Lot. Only, there's no point living in fear, and we all just have to take each day as it comes. That's easy to say, right? Let me wish you a happy new year and the best of health, and I'd like to wish that for me as well. And may Mr. Clark continue to progress in his recovery.

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Resolutions department: I firmly resolve to come up with some resolutions for this year. I want to walk, or at least MOVE more; I've got weight to lose. It's gonna be tough, tho. I bought 4 candy bars on the way home tonite. Ain't that awful?