And as for those other days leading up to New Year's Eve, there's stuff to do other than eat, sleep and drink. Really, there is. (Not work, you lunatic.) So keep turning pages and get lists and lists of cool stuff to do on the last week of the year in the Tampa Bay area. Here's to a happy '03.

"I probably will do the same thing I usually do, which is stay home. It's my least favorite holiday, and do you want to know why? I hate that goddamn song, 'Auld Lang Syne.' I swear to God. The most melancholy song in the human lexicon is how we ring in the New Year? If ever there was a toe-on-the-trigger song, that's it. It has forever harshed my buzz on the holiday."—Nancy Alexander"Out There" Correspondent/ Irrepressible News Chick"I consider New Year's Eve to be amateur night, so I avoid it absolutely. I do have my own ritual with Oskar the Luv Pug where we get up before sunrise on New Year's Day and go down to the point across from the Davis Island Yacht club. There is this one palm tree we like to sit under near the rocks. As the sun comes up, I quaff a bottle of J. Roget Extra Dry ($3.49 each) straight from the bottle still wrapped in a brown paper bag as I'm writing down what I plan to do in the next year. Just me, the pug, an empty notebook, the occasional pod of dolphin, the sea set against the industrial wasteland of the barrier islands around Davis Islands and the promise of the rising sun upon us all. I use that notebook of hopes and thoughts to steer me through the year. Nothing ventured — nothing gained.

Added Bonus: I spend my New Year's Day giddy and unapologetic."—Rhonda KLibrarian, poet, writer, intrepid adventurer"Going to a Tampa Tribune party."—Laura CapshawSenior business development specialist (biz-speak for top sales chick) and corporate turncoat"I'll probably put the family to bed and stay up late on the computer and kill people."—Tim DorseyAuthor of Florida Roadkill and four other satirical crime novels"We're gonna take Chuck Shepherd's advice and not do anything to end up in his column [News of the Weird]. We'll probably go to the same party we go to every year; we won't even take our clothes off and jump in the pool naked.—Merl ReagleCrossword puzzle makerThis morning I couldn't even make plans beyond tying my shoe, let alone plan the greatest last hour of the year. Should I fight the crowds of Ybor City? Begin a pilgrimage to Times Square, just to fight a larger crowd, freezing weather and the slight chance of not making it alive? Or should I attempt to get a date and spend most of the evening trying to ditch her? I could stay home and reflect on the year that was and all things Life magazine. That would be pretty pathetic even for me. I know I am supposed to write something zany about how I plan on sky diving into a bowl of Jell-O. Nope, not this time. I am going to spend the last night of the year surrounded by a close-knit group of people, my new cat and — for probably the first time in my life — comfortable in my own skin. Sure, it's not funny. Its not even interesting, but it is my last night of the year, not yours. Good luck chasing the most spectacular night of your life. I am going to enjoy a new beginning of my own. Besides, Michelle is washing her hair that day.—Jerry 'pretty damned boring" NixonBlogger"I'm going to do what all men do. I have to check with my wife."—Paul I. PerezU.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida (as relayed by Steve Cole, his spokesman in Tampa)"My husband calls it 'amateur night,' so we don't go out. We usually have an early dinner, 6:30 or 7, and we're home by 9 o'clock. While people are out drinking and driving, we're home watching the ball drop, if I can stay up that late."—Mary Repper

Political consultantRepper, Garcia & Associates"New Year's? I haven't even thought about Christmas."— Howard TroxlerSt. Petersburg Times Columnist And obviously the wrong guy to call on Dec. 3 about New Year's plans"I'll be workin'. And after, I'll be having a shift drink and going home to sleep. Come on, we get out of here at 4:30 or 5. It's not that exciting. I could make something up (laughs)…after a 10-hour shift, man, you're tired."—Brian KatzBartender, The Hub"I'm definitely going to The Castle. I've been going there every New Year's Eve for the last four years. It's the best mix of people. And I'll probably be walking one of my queens on a leash."—Diana Browning a.k.a.

Bathory Von BrowningPoet and alternative lifestyle maven"I'm staying in. New Year's Eve, that's amateur night. I've been there. Had enough of that."—Brad JohnsonQuarterback, Tampa Bay Buccaneers"It hasn't even crossed my mind. I don't even know what day New Year's Eve is. We better get a bye week (in the playoffs) or I'll be working on New Year's Day."—Dwight SmithCornerback Tampa Bay Buccaneers"We have family flying in from Maine. My nephews are New England Patriot fans and we're Bucs fans, so we're going to be debating football at home. New Year's is for amateurs; too many drunks on the road."—John LoftusLocal attorney and former president of the Holocaust Museum"I will be in church on New Year's Eve, thanking the Lord for allowing me to see another day. I'm not a big party person; it's a private thing for me."—Jerome Ryans Executive Director of the Tampa Housing Authority"Anne and I are going to be at the Renaissance Weekend in Charleston for New Year's. Lot of Political talk but nothing sexy (at least not that I'm expecting…)."—Ben EasonYuppie Hipster President/Publisher Weekly Planet"I'll be checking out some of the monstrous talent in our local music scene. And your girlfriend's ass. It's pretty fine."—Ford Prefect"Sunday School" DJ 97X"After performing at the Swigwam, where the locals get naked and the tourists get drunk, then naked, I'll be doing a private party at a clothing-optional resort. I'll be wearing at least my guitar and harmonica rack."—Ted WraySinger/Songwriter"Ecstasy."—FleeWMNF-88.5 FM DJ"Milking my Brazilian goat with raspberry udder balm."—Tony DolanDrummer The Gita"Playing some rock 'n' roll. Getting obliterated. Taking a cab."—Steve AlexSinger/Guitarist Four Star Riot"Playing anywhere. For free. Call me… ."—Billy 'Soma" SummerSinger/Guitarist The Semis"We're having an 'Enchantment Under the Sea' party, straight out of Back to the Future. It's gonna rock!"—Eva DarkPhotographer TooSquare Magazine"My wife, Summer, and I will have rehearsal for The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged), then head over to The Hub to ring in the New Year. Once nice and liquored up we'll come home, make our dogs wear party hats and scare them with noisemakers while we try to discern if in fact the sounds we're hearing outside our Sulphur Springs home are indeed fireworks or guns." —David M. JenkinsArtistic Director The Jobsite Theater"Staying home. My brother-in-law makes this stuff — he's from Reidsville, N.C. — and we ring in the New Year with his 'Tate's Road peach brandy.'"—Natty Moss BondLead Singer Sparky's Nightmare"I am either staying at the world-infamous, tackalicious Madonna Inn (www.madonnainn.com) with some friendly folks, renting a cabin at Lake Tahoe with same said folks or attending a wild party in West Oakland with a gaggle of hippie circus freaks." —Stefanie KalemEditorial Coordinator East Bay Express"Truth is, every night seems like New Year's Eve to me. As I do on most weeknights, I'll probably just while away the hours, running naked through the streets (except for the sequined pasties), chugging Champagne and playing a tiny paper horn."—Amy AlkonFailed Car Mechanic and Syndicated columnist"I'm performing Salvador Dali: Dream This at the Museum of History for St. Pete's First Night. I'll be the guy on stage in the funny mustache."—Dan KhouryActor, director and manager St. Petersburg Little Theatre"My New Year's will consist of consuming unimaginable amounts of alcoholic beverages (who knew?) and making an ass of myself in the process; probably some 8-track/CD/LP disc jockeyin' as well … more ass making and ass shaking. Happy newness!"—BRIAN REPETTO, Frontman for Dumbwaiters/ Revolutionist/after-hours exhibitionist

This article appears in Dec 25-31, 2002.