New Years Eve In Key West 12/31/07

Key West, FL 12/31/07

My first visit to Key West was January 2, 1994 and since that time, with the exception of 2 random years, I have ushered in the New Year here. I have described this annual pilgrimage as a bookend for me. I start the year here. Then I place a bunch of experiences together. Before they fall over I come back to Key West and put a timeline holder in place.

Bookends probably aren’t the best analogy though because it conveys a certain degree of ending something. That never seems to be the case. For me each year just seems to flow into the next. There is no stopping. I love my life and honestly feel that each year just gets better.

Also, and more importantly, if there is one thing I’ve learned this year it is that numbers, days, and dates, are not tangible, only experiences matter. So I guess with that in mind, I would truly say that starting, stopping, and then starting another calendar year in Key West are some of my most favorite experiences and I look forward to many more.

This year’s trip has been fantastic; one of the best ever. This year’s contingent is small in numbers; lean but mean is a phrase that jumps to mind. MJ is back along with his new girlfriend, Nicki. Flick, after years of me lobbying him, finally made the commitment to join us and it’s been great having him here. I think he is really looking forward to seeing the conch drop and putting 2007 behind him. He was coming solo but then talked an old Boston Santa Con friend, Michelle Buckley, into joining the team.

Jillian of course is here too, marking the first time I’ve ever had the same date for two consecutive New Years Eve’s. (I’ve only brought a few other girls with me ever to New Years Eve in Key West and none of them were ever around for the next year. Look at me grow!) The 6 of us all cruised down from West Palm Beach on the 29th.

We had not been in town more than an hour when we were walking down Duval Street and ran into our old friend Mark Holly, who lives in Louisville mind you. It was the standard hilarious “Hey, what are you doing here?!” followed by laughter from all of us. He is down here with his older brother Mike and another SIU buddy of there’s, Joe, along with Joe’s girlfriend, Madi. They all live in Illinois but Joe has a gorgeous 60 foot Carver that he keeps in a marina in Miami. They arrived in Key West on the boat on the 28th.

Crossing paths with friends in far off places is always a welcomed bonus to any trip. Running into friends that are there with a boat is like winning the lottery!

They immediately invited us back to the boat and it has been the focal point of our 2 nights out thus far, as well as an all day cruise yesterday. We left the marina at about 10 a.m. and pulled back in just after sunset. Man, what a great day! Some fishing, some swimming, lots of beverages, loud music, and lots and lots of laughing!

Today has been a lazy day. We just got back from the beach. Well, to be more specific, from our old sleeping spot, Smathers Beach. During the early years of our visits to Key West we would drive down from Illinois. We were just “poor college kids” on tight budgets with high allocations for beer, moderate funds for gas, and no funding for actual accommodations. The many nights I fell asleep under the third cluster of palm trees to the left of the public restroom had a very large impact on my life and solidified the wanderlust spirit that has shaped who I am today. But I digress....

Today was my first trip back to Smathers in many years. This time we had free chairs and towel service compliments of the Double Tree where Flick and company are staying. We’ve come a long way…but then again we are still here so I suppose in more ways we have not progressed anywhere. I think that’s a nice segue into a quick reflection on this past year.

Each year, as I stand in the middle of Duval and “patiently” wait with thousands of other revelers I am flooded with mental images of the experiences I have had since I was last here. This year looks to be one of, if not the best. Wow! 2007! What a year?!

I wandered Europe and the Asian sub-continent. I started a new career and cashing bigger paychecks. I ran another marathon and broke another bone. I read several books, some bad, some good, and some new all time favorites like The Fountain Head and The Sun Also Rises. I heard great live music; at huge concerts by The Police, Wyclef Jean, and Lucky Dube; in the small pubs of Ireland; even at a random music festival in East Asia. I toasted liters of beer at Oktoberfest and did yoga in India. I went skiing in the Swiss Alps and Scuba diving in the Caribbean. I hiked in the Scottish Highlands, The Black Forest, and the Himalayas.

I gave the toast as Best Man in another wedding and tried to help another close friend deal with divorce. I was a camp counselor at my old Boy Scout camp where I got to teach Swimming Merit Badge one more time. I accepted invitations to conferences and dinners around the country to speak, and hopefully inspire. I attended more Pike board meetings and interacted with more amazing leaders that inspire me.

I spent nights in 5 start hotels and dirt cheap hostel bunk rooms. I took naps in city parks and on ocean side cliffs. I touched the Golden Gate Bridge, the Eiffel Tower and the Taj Mahal. I stood in reverence before amazing works of art by Michelangelo, da Vinci, and van Gogh. I stood in awe at natural works of art like the Giants Causeway, Machhapuchhare, and Annapurna. I wandered around the modern buildings of Singapore and the ancient ruins of Hampi.

I made more friends like a Sherpa in Nepal, a boat captain from South Africa, and dozens of others that now dot the globe. I became the Godfather to 2 amazing little girls. And, finally, I moved in with an amazing woman and I’m closer to getting married than ever before.

….It’s going to be hard to write a year summary off the top of my head like that ever again. Of course, I’m up to the challenge. That’s what life is all about.

Well , I’ve just been told its my turn to hit the shower. After that I’ll put on another outfit put together from the Good Will thrift rack in WPB and go meet the gang down at Mallory Square; another beautiful Key West sunset; another end to an amazing year.

Nice job Mat. Keep up the good work!

MJF.