The Ball Drop and Some Catching Up To Do

First of all, for those of you wondering if the tradition continues, then yes, you have come to the right place. The 16th Annual Xtina New Year's Ball Drop took place in downtown SLO. This year we had a crowd of about 50, and a bunch of others from the corner restaurant. Families, babies, foreigners, friends, dogs, handsome strangers, weird passers-by, and some truly beautiful people. All there to experience the few moments of unbridled thrill that comes when the big ball makes its way over the wall and slowly descends into the new year.

This year also came with two firsts. Number One: No Colin. One of the Founders, and the true energy behind Ball Drop, he made the right decision to attend a family event in L.A. He is married now and he already passed his first test.

However, the other first came in the form of law enforcement. As I looked down among the crowd I could see a patrol car had stopped to check out the goings on. That is not a first. The officer even encouraged us and let us know our countdown was a couple minutes early. I did not know that while I was preparing the Ball's journey, another patrol car was racing up the parking structure. There I was, just lowering an inflated, shabbily decorated sphere, when all of a sudden I have a light being shined in my face and I am being shouted at to "Bring it up!" Were they that concerned we were a few seconds ahead?

Turns out no. The officer made me put the ball into the car, took my driver's license, questioned my data, and called my info in to the station. We "discussed" my frustration with his decision to focus his negative attention on a wholesome, trouble-free event. He claims it was because there were people in the street. That was the only thing he repeated. That he saw people in the street down below. He did not like that I pointed out it was a busy pedestrian intersection downtown. He also seemed annoyed at the realization there was not a drop of alcohol amongst our crowd and that he probably should have somewhere nearer "trouble" at Midnight on New Year's!

Anyway, he was a good cop doing his job and the crowd still enjoyed the event. Here's the video to commemorate those brief, wondrous moments.



The only 16-year vets of the Ball Drop, the Amazing Calandros have also posted an awesome video of the event at their very cool new Living in HD blog - which is part of their big Panasonic prize package. Check it out often for updates on their adventures in cool media!

While I am posting, I realize that my promise to mark all 100 final days of George W.'s presidency has been pretty much un-kept. But I will make up for it! Starting tomorrow I will do a catch-up post each day as we prepare for the 10 day countdown! I actually wrote out the 100 day list months ago, but he has already made me change it by doing horrible crud during his last 100 days! Anyway, glad to be back to the blog.