I am sorry I missed the chat; I was in Connecticut ushering in the New Year with my Goddaughter. She is now 6 years old and vowed on Christmas Day to stay up to greet 2009 (first time she stayed awake past midnight on New Year’s Eve) only if my bride and I came to visit.
How could I turn that offer down

? I left work a little early (3:00PM) and hit the ferry right smack dab in the middle of a heavy snow squall. It was windy and visibility was reduced to about 100 yards

. The seas were very rough about 1/2 way across the Sound (6' or so)
By the time we crossed the Sound and got to Connecticut the snow had stopped, but the frigid air made the slushy road an ice rink. From Bridgeport (CT) to my brother in law’s house is usually about 1:15 travel time (mostly on I-95) but that day it took almost 3 hours.
No big deal as that still left me plenty of time to get “prepared” before midnight

and usher in the New Year with loved ones; just sorry it wasn’t you guys. I was in chat several years ago on New Year’s Eve and it was fun as the New Year greeted folks at different times.
Happy 2009 everyone! 
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During my 18 years I came to bat almost 10,000 times. I struck out about 1,700 times and walked maybe 1,800 times. You figure a ballplayer will average about 500 at bats a season. That means I played seven years without ever hitting the ball. ~Mickey Mantle, 1970