Coprolite Newsletter, January 2005

For the last two years, we've celebrated New Year's in a pretty strange way. At first blush, it seems crazy. Yet, in my continuing effort to try to find logic and purpose behind what we do, I've come to the conclusion that it does make profound sense.

What we've been doing is celebrating the New Year with both the owls and the larks. People who tend to stay up late are often described as owls, whereas those who get up really early are called larks. It's some kind of genetic thing. Well, we've got friends in both camps, so we ring in the new year twice.

First we drive an hour south of our home to observe New Year's Eve with three other couples. My brother-in-law is sort of the ringleader of this group, and we've been getting together with them for many years. We leave this party about one o'clock, and are in bed by two. Then we're up before six and drive an hour to the east in order to toast the sunrise with another group of our friends, most of whom we met through the Chamber of Commerce.

The two celebrations are as different as--well, as night and day. Each is good in its own way.

The owls live up to their name not only by staying up late, but by being relatively serious and wise. Their conversation is very pleasant but sedate. Hors d'oeuvres are ample, delicious, and traditional. So is the ham dinner. However, the annual game of Pictionary was somewhat of a shocker this year. For the first time in this millenium, the boys narrowly beat the girls. At midnight there is a Champagne toast, but before that there's not a whole lot of drinking.

Next morning, we join the larks. They live up to THEIR name not only by getting up early, but by manifesting exuberance and happiness. The first order of business is to toast the sunrise with Champagne. For some reason, they feel they must do this while standing on ice. Last year it was a river, this year a lake. Then we repair to a nice restaurant for breakfast and a Bloody Mary. Conversation is wild, unpredictable, and creative. This year, they returned to the lake after breakfast for some ice fishing. By that time, however, my wife and I were ready for home and a nap.

Why do we start out the year by subjecting ourselves to such an exhausting schedule? Some might think it's due to an insatiable desire for constant partying. This is not true--at least in my case. (My wife, I'm not so sure.)

The owl group helps keep us grounded, while the lark group helps keep us open. At first glance, it might seem like an age thing. It's true that our lark friends are younger than the owls by ten or fifteen years on the average. But my wife and I are even three or four years older than the owls, so where does that put us? We should be the buzzards or something.

I think if you want to stay young while enjoying the benefits of maturity, you need to keep in touch with both your inner owl and lark. How else can a person hope to be wise as an owl and happy as a lark? Few people seem to manage both at the same time, but we can always hope. A few more New Year's might just do it.

––Wayne Adams
wayne@coprolites.com
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