The Deuce Club, 1.1
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By Jackie, TW Social Director
Happy New Year, TWibe! I'll get into New Year's Eve happenings in just a bit. First, though, I'm wondering how everyone celebrated the holidays. Are you relishing the time off from work/school? Have you started playing with your gifts?
I had a wonderful Christmas with my family, as usual. The holiday never gets old, even when we do. I can't imagine there will ever be a time when I don't run to the tree on Christmas morning, wondering when I can tear into all those gifts labeled "Jackie." I made out well this year - though I didn't find any Legos, unlike Cowboy Luke - and I'm excited to put my goodies to use in 2009. (Except for the chocolate covered marzipan, which didn't quite make it to the new year!)
The greatest gift might be the start of the '09 tennis season, though. Can you believe tennis is already upon us? I can't wait for the Australian Open to begin, but I can wait for all of those sleepless nights. Oh, who am I kidding - I'm looking forward to that, too.
On to business matters: Thanks again to everyone who submitted nominations for our annual TW awards. That was fun, huh? We couldn't have done it without you, in more ways than one. Next up is our TW Poet Laureate contest, which will take place sometime before the start of the AO. Pete and/or I will have more on that shortly.
We're also ringing in the new year in our TW Facebook group, TennisWorld > Real World. One of our members has started a new discussion topic, asking for everyone's predicted winners of the '09 Slams. Make sure to put in your two cents! (I noticed some of you also had that conversation in yesterday's/today's Watercooler threads; feel free to keep it going here in this Deuce Club, as well as in the Facebook group.)
Now that it's officially New Year's Day (or later) for everyone, I'm curious to hear how you spent your New Year's Eve and if all your NYE celebrations tend to look the same. Do you like getting decked out and reveling at the biggest party in town? Or is staying in and doing something low-key more your cup o' tea (prepared by jewell)? I fall in the latter category.
My New Year's Eve usually consists of sitting on the couch watching the ball drop on television in my PJs, with faux champagne in hand (Martinelli's Sparkling Apple Grape is usually my drink of choice). Of course, my family is also with me, doing the same. Sometimes we even break out the noisemakers ... but that's about as wild as it gets in my household. Sure, it's nothing to write home about - and doesn't include a passionate kiss at midnight - but it's tradition. And breaking it just doesn't seem right.
I'm also a little unconventional when it comes to New Year's resolutions. Unconventional - as in, I don't make them. I realized long ago that I'd forget my resolutions about four days after thinking them up so I figured it made more sense to not go through the effort in the first place. Not to mention, it's so danged difficult to keep resolutions; not making them means not experiencing the disappointment when you break them!
Still, I don't waltz into a new year thinking, "Whatever, it's just another month." I give myself a little pep talk - a reminder to appreciate whatever life throws at me, good or bad, in the coming year. If that doesn't require resolve, I don't know what does.
I'm guessing you all aren't as dull as I am and have some fun resolutions to share; what is it you'd like to accomplish in '09? If you'd rather not divulge your personal resolutions, let us know your tennis-related ones. Are you hoping to cut your favorites a little more slack? Or maybe you're determined to not throw a single tantrum because of a tennis match? (Good luck with that one.)
Dish! And Happy New Year to all, once again!