Blue Moons and The New Year: Rarity and Clarity

Since New Year’s is my favorite holiday (really); I feel obligated (okay, entitled) to indulge in a little bit of overthinking, pondering and (non beauty product related) introspection.

One New Year’s Eve (many moons ago…sorry), my dear friend and I spent the evening barhopping. At one bar, we came upon a concoction known as a “Blue Moon.*” “Yum!” we said, “this hardly tastes like alcohol at all!” So in our infinite wisdom, we drank way too many, had hilarious fun, staggered home, and woke up the next morning with the most god awful hangovers ever in our wretched 20-something lives. At the time, I thought the lesson was that too much fun could make a person really sorry in the morning. But years later I can barely remember the god awful hangover. I mostly remember the hilarious fun. So maybe that’s another lesson.

This New Year’s Eve not only heralds a new decade, but it also features the astronomically rare (and nifty) blue moon. A blue moon is the second full moon in a month - a rare occurrence. And the last New Year’s Eve blue moon was 20 years ago. (For a detailed explanation of a non-cocktail blue moon, check out the National Geographic.)

Photo from The Christian Science Monitor

More interestingly, some folk wisdom says that time of a blue moon is an opportunity to “release” things. I take this to mean “things” that cause trouble, hold you back or no longer serve you. Maybe it’s some kind of physical or emotional clutter. Maybe it’s a habit, expectation or way of looking at the world. Maybe it’s an actual person, place or thing. All I know is that letting go of something that doesn’t belong in my life is a sure fire way to make more room for something that does belong.

So why am I trying so freaking hard to tie astronomy and cocktails together in the same holiday blog entry? Well first, you all know I can’t resist a cheesy tie-in. And secondly, I actually think that both a fond memory of a drinking binge and a timely bit of folk wisdom might provide some useful guidance.

2009 has seen a lot of changes in my life. There has been a lot of hilarious, explorational (new year, new word) fun. There have also been some not so hilarious times of insecurity, panic and general neurosis. As this year/decade ends and the new one begins; I want to remember that living fully means the occasional crappy “morning,” but mostly it means many “nights” of joy, discovery and probably some kind of lasting fulfillment. The occasional mistake, misstep or excess is a small price to pay for opening up my life. I also want to remember that in order to make room for new things and new people; I’m going to probably have to let go of some things that might feel safe and comfortable, but in truth are probably crowding out any new growth and development. I’m going to spend a little bit of time tonight (and hopefully all year) getting really clear about some of the things I do want – and then getting clear about how I can make room for them.

Enough now! Thank you for letting me ramble. And as always, thank you for visiting my blog. I promise to return to my regularly scheduled beauty blogging on Monday.

I wish you all a wonderful and memorable evening, and a new year full of love, health, discovery and prosperity!

Happy New Year!


*Blue Moon Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients:
- Twist of peel of Lemon
- 3/4 oz. Blue Curacao
- 1 1/2 oz. Gin

Stir gin and curacao with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Add the twist of lemon peel and serve.
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