So we're back into January, the start of another year. 2004! You can assume all the old cliche's that start with 'How time flies' and 'How it only seems like yesterday when...' The fact is yesterday was last year.

Yesterday I was in Boston seeing in the new year with friends. We took part in Boston's day long celebrations, an event that is strangely called 'First Night.' Strange because if you think about it, surely it should be called 'Last Night?' But then I can see how 'Last Night' doesn't quite have that positive feel to it that perhaps the people behind such an event would like.

It's a great way to end the year and start a new one though. A day of events and things to do that is as much fun as it is a test of stamina and endurance of cold winter weather. It involves a lot of walking and unless you really plan your day, invariably there are large chunks of time when you feel like you're just wandering aimlessly, which in fact you probably are.

At 7pm the city celebrates 'Children's New Year' on the common. A firework display brings in the New Year for the little people who will be in bed before midnight, of at least that's they will if all goes according to the parents plans. And at that hour I wish my friend back in the UK a Happy New Year as across the pond they cross the border into next year five hours before me.

January the first, two thousand and four. Yesterday was last year, and aside the subtle incremental change we're right back where we started on the calendar.

Wouldn't it be fun though if this year wasn't simply going to be a progression of the last, a sequel to the sequel and the sequels before that. Wouldn't it be fun if this year really was different, completely different.

My life pretty much plays itself out day by day, I'm not known for making plans. But even so I think I can forecast the next few days and weeks events pretty well. I'll arrive back in the UK, get picked up at the airport by a friend who will ask me the standard questions about my flight. Then at home I shall try yet another way to combat jet lag, and like always I shall fail because the day after tomorrow I don't have to be up early in order to make it into the office for nine. Even the ten second journey from my warm bed down a small flight of steps to my office is hard work after a few hours flying the wrong way through time on a plane.

Eventually I'll get back into the swing of things, and pretty quickly I'll start to get excited about my approaching birthday [Jan 11th for those who may be curious]. I'm not old enough to ignore my Birthday yet, in fact I pretty much use the entire month of January to celebrate my birthday as much as possible and with as many different people as I can.

--- Article Notes ---

Time of death : Not specified
The second attempt at writing the first 'Meanwhile' for 2004. This time I decided not to rant about Air France and instead review the previous days enjoyable events at Boston's 'First Night' with my friends Anne and Karen. However I think I was just trying too hard to find something to write about. And after a quick re-read of what I had written I decided to simply close the laptop for a while and just enjoy the flight for a while. Eventually after watching a thunder storm out of the plane window I wrote 'The beauty of a storm.'