Time flies when you’re having fun! Personally, I can’t believe it but the New Year is just around the corner, and so much has happened in this last year. Even though there were some highs and lows, I somehow managed to find the silver lining in things. Looking back on all that has happened, it makes me wonder… is the best yet to come?

December started off with a bang, and very little free time to actually have a life. Between Christmas parties here and fund-raisers there it was non-stop, and I’m lucky I didn’t catch a cold or do anything to put myself out of commission. My biggest worry was the annual wreath auction at Martinis Above Fourth, where my friends Tyler, Jason and Dylan were going to be the wreath boys with me, doing our best Vanna White impersonations for John Laird and Coco LaChine, who were auctioning off wreaths for the Queen Eddie Conlon Youth Scholarship Fund. The event was a success, raising over $7,000 for a great cause, but Dylan was sick the Friday before the event and only drinking OJ at my bar. Tyler was talking about how he thought he had food poisoning.

Trying to find a bright spot, I said, “But just think how fabulous your abs are going to look for the auction!”

With everything that had been going on during the month, I had been really bad about missing my regular Monday night dinners with Alex at Baja Betty’s, which I still think is the best deal in town because of their half-price specials. Apparently, tensions between the two of us had risen to an all-time high, and on the night of “The Amazing Race” finale, which we always place a “friendly wager” on, I took to harassing Alex a little too much about how he’d won every major bet we had on the race. I accused him of rigging things – which, of course, is ridiculous, but nonetheless I claimed he sat around calculating every possibility to create the best odds for himself. I punctuated things by calling him a “mathlete,” which is apparently the point where I crossed the line. He spit at me, and, showcasing an amazing talent, was able to nail both of my pant legs in one shot!

With the wreath auction coming up, I was taking every opportunity I had to get to the gym to make sure that I was looking my best. Whether I was successful or not is still up for debate because I only made it to the gym three times during the month of December, but, like I’ve always said, I work with what I’ve got.

I’m not quite sure how it happened, but one night while working out with my friends Brian and Rich, we got on the topic of great gay movies, and a debate over Steel Magnolias versus Fried Green Tomatoes erupted… at which time I not only admitted that I hadn’t seen Fried Green Tomatoes but also To Wong Foo and The Adventures of Pricilla, Queen of the Desert.

My confession caused Brian to exclaim: “OK, just because you suck dick doesn’t make you gay. There are some things that are just required viewing!”

Waving the white flag of surrender, I decided it was time for Alex and me to have a post-spitting showdown. I brought Brian along for moral support… even though he was more of a neutral party since he laughs at almost every joke Alex cracks. What better place to meet than over a meal at Brians’ American Eatery, followed by a shopping spree at Martin and Wall where we could all max out our credit cards on their great underwear selection?

Over dinner, Alex shocked us both by announcing that I was already making it hard for him to keep his New Year’s resolution, which was to be less bitchy.

“I’m going to make you break that by 12:01 a.m. on New Year’s,” I challenged.

“That’ll be kind of hard because I’m going to be in a lounge at The Palms in Las Vegas and I won’t have my cell phone with me,” Alex countered.

“Yes, but Fox will be with you, and I know he can’t resist a phone call or text message,” I said.

Still in shock, Brian simply stated the obvious, “But if you aren’t bitchy, then what’s left?”

With the holiday parties out of the way and the holiday shopping put to rest, I decided to have a Wednesday night out with my buddy Kevin and the girls from work – Julie, Andrea and La Vida Cruz, who showed up in a full drag outfit that almost made me blush. Their night of partying started at Bacchus House, where Musica Pasion Y Latina was raging out of control and the line was down to the corner. It seems like it was just yesterday that I was interviewing owners Robi Cox and Greg Scott about their new barback when I was working full time for the Gay & Lesbian Times, and now they’ve been around for four years and have crazy weekly events like Latin night and the It’s Raining Men wet underwear contest every Thursday night with Coco LaChine.

It was a Wednesday night and I was working, so after closing down the bar I met up with Kevin, Julie and Andrea at Flicks for $1 wells, where things were equally out of control (La Vida opted to stay at Bacchus and dance the night away). Kevin and I were checking out the cute barback Beau, but explained to the girls that they were more his type than we were. Armed with this knowledge, Andrea did what any hot lesbian would do: She made Kevin and I jealous by going up to taunt Beau with the prospect of a three-way with her and her hot girlfriend.

Needless to say, Beau stopped by to say hi to all of us.

On the day after Christmas, I did the unthinkable… I went shopping and braved long lines with Alex and Fox at Fry’s Electronics and IKEA. All that shopping left me hungry, so the three of us decided to get back into the swing of things with a Monday night dinner at Baja Betty’s. It was obviously the place to be because it took us 20 minutes to get a table (that seemed much shorter thanks to a kick-ass margarita).

I had spent a good part of the day harassing Alex about his New Year’s resolution and reminding him that he only had five days left to get things out of his system. Then I decided to see what Fox’s resolution would be.

“I never make New Year’s resolutions,” Fox explained. “I think it’s kind of ridiculous that if you see something you want to change about yourself, you wait until the New Year to do it. Just get it over with and make the change, instead of waiting for an arbitrary date!”

On Friday, Dec. 30, The Flame is having a hosted champagne bar from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m.

On Saturday, Dec. 31, Bacchus House will have a $1,500 balloon drop, a hosted bar from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. and a champagne toast at midnight. The Brass Rail features DJ Rudy, a champagne toast at midnight, a balloon drop and party favors. Bourbon Street will have DJ Kenny, a champagne toast, a balloon drop at midnight with $500 in cash and prizes, and no cover charge. Don’t miss the country bash with DJ Rosa at Kickers, and make sure to start your night out at Martinis Above Fourth for dinner and drinks. Numbers hosts a New Year’s Eve celebration with cash and prizes, a free champagne toast and a special midnight surprise. Rich’s brings you the Salvation New Year’s Eve party with DJ Frank Abraham, a $1,000 balloon drop and a free champagne toast. The San Diego Eagle holds SKIN, a special underwear party and contest, and over at Shooterz, Big Tom Presents the New Year’s afterhours party from 2:00 to 8:00 a.m. with San Francisco DJ Don Tix.

On Sunday, Jan. 1, have New Year’s Day brunch at Baja Betty’s, or at Hamburger Mary’s/Kickers. Dance away the first day of 2006 at Kickers’ Detour starting at 6:00 p.m., where DJs Taj and Steve Oliveri spin HiNRG.

So it’s the end of another year, and it’s been a year of ups and down. New friends, great times and even a break-up along the way, but when I look back on this year, I don’t have any regrets about anything – you live and you learn. I’m instead looking ahead and wondering what the year has in store for me. I don’t need to make a resolution to be a better person in the coming year; I’m just going to be a better and more balanced person. So I am going to work, work out, party when it’s appropriate, and spend quiet time with friends and family whenever I can. And maybe I’ll finally see The Adventures of Pricilla, Queen of the Desert, because there’s always room for improvement!