New Year's Eve has been my favourite holiday for years, one that I'm committed to marking each and every time.

This used to be easy because it was an automatic trip to JC's where all of my friends were having a party, but over the years, things fizzled out at JC's and there didn't seem to be any Essex County replacement. I then found that my friends in Toronto still got together, but then those parties fizzled out as well.

While not looking for some rager ending in passed-out bodies everywhere, I still wanted something where people get together and mark the day as something more than just another random Thursday, or Tuesday, or whatever day.

These past few years I'd been rolling the dice by hanging around waiting on something, anything to be going on; where Donnie would bail me out by inviting me to small get-togethers at our friend Dave's. The problem with this is that Donnie could give a fuck about NYE, so I'm always running the risk of him simply accepting that nothing's going on and not doing anything about it.

I wasn't about to risk it again this year. I had my car rental reserved, motel reserved, and hockey tickets purchased. I got dropped off at the Avis and was heading down to Fort Wayne, Indiana to mark the end of the 2010s.

I had plans to make this day even better by stopping in Toledo or at some random Ohio county courthouse, except I was running so late in the end, that I was ecstatic when I discovered they upgraded the highway between Toledo and Fort Wayne.

This must've happened some time in the 15-20 years since I'd last been to Indiana's second largest city.

This was only my second NYE spent in the States and it was weird how Fort Wayne's liquor store was only slightly busy. It was a strange contrast from only having the option of the LCBO in Canada and having to endure 30 minute line ups as a result.

Lebamoff's Cap n' Cork was actually right on the walking route between my hotel and the arena, so coming back from the game, a car of girls stopped me and asked me to come over. Confused, I approached the car and the girls who looked to be about 18 or 19, asked if I'd buy them a bottle of booze. They then told me to get in the backseat and said they wanted something called "Kinky", which I discovered is millennial Alizé.

(I of course discovered this during later internet research, because I obviously wouldn't do something as dumb as buy kids booze and risk going to jail in Indiana - especially while clear of mind following hockey game beers. I also wouldn't buy a can of 211 with their debit card as a processing fee.)

In addition to liquor stores, all night diners and car dealerships on my walking route to the rink, I also passed the Showgirl III Adult Entertainment Club, proudly advertising champagne @ midnight.

Not only was I in Indiana's second largest city celebrating NYE by myself, but I was going to get a little glass of champagne at some sad titty club by my lonesome? Yeah, no. I struggled to think of something sadder and pictured the confetti falling on Lieutenant Dan in Forrest Gump.

Tonight's hockey game was an ECHL clash between the Toledo Walleye and the Fort Wayne Komets.

Down in the AHL and ECHL⁰ there are plenty of boring modern glass arenas built in the 2010s, but there are also still some gems like the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum here in Fort Wayne, built in 1952.

0 - The AHL and ECHL are the farm leagues for the NHL

My purchased seat wasn't a gem though. The Fort Wayne Coliseum seats 13,000 and seeing that this popular New Year's Eve game had filled close to 11,000 seats, I purchased a single seat in the lower bowl, which unfortunately wasn't purchased by anyone else for a reason.

To my left was a section of seats in the corner, facing up the ice into the neutral zone; while to my right the seats were facing forwards towards the Walleye's zone. With my single seat shoehorned between these two directions, the guy to my left had his legs up ice, while the woman to my right was squared up with the goaltender, so each of them had a knee where my knees were supposed to go. Actively squeezing my legs completely together, I still touched at least one of them if I let up even a little.

Lasting in that seat for all of one period, I climbed into the rafters next, where I was amazed at how the worst seats up against the back wall were still jammed with people.

Walking around the concourse, I did a double-take when I saw a Chinese food offering called Wok This Wayne.

Chinese at a sporting event would be an odd sight as it is, but this was like something out of a mall food court - complete with spring rolls, fortune cookies and cardboard tray. I didn't overly want Chinese, but I had to get this.

And in the end, it wasn't great. Shockingly, it seems like the food may have been sitting there for a while, haha.

The game ended quickly due to an 8-4 Toledo Walleye wallop, affording me plenty of time to cover the hour's walk back to the motel.

I'd later realize that it was just about the same length walk to downtown instead of my motel out by the highway, but this sad, pedestrian-unfriendly walk through dreary sprawl - complimented by some classic midwestern NYE temps and ice - made for an atmosphere I enjoyed, on a night where I want to get in my feels a bit and think about the past year.

I love the reflection of New Year's and I was getting my share as I penguin-walked through icy lots back to the Travelodge.

At one point I was walking an elevated arterial road, passing over a cloverleaf interchange leading onto I-69. That may sound unappealing to some, but I was pleased to find myself walking in cool temps and light snow, beneath one of those giant green interstate signs indicating an exit for a place that seems so remote to my day-to-day life: Indianapolis.

Then, cutting through a Cracker Barrel parking lot inundated with cars from families inside, I finally reached my Fort Wayne Travelodge out by the interstate, which was clean and I got for the ridiculously low price of $46 USD.

Walking into my hotel room in the eleventh hour of the 2010s, I took stock of this night: I was in Indiana. I was in a fun, mid-sized American city. I'd just checked out a new arena that I'd enjoyed. I was managing to do something on New Year's Eve and to heck with playing phone tag, bothering, and begging others to do something when they don't care about New Year's Eve anymore.

Not to be melodramatic, but there was a creeping sadness though. This was good and fun, but I'd still trade it for 2015 NYE, or 2010 NYE, or 2005 NYE. I feel like it's a holiday that is really aided by being around celebratory friends, but on the other hand, that's not on the table anymore as people move into their 30s and 40s. And one thing I do know, spending the night here at the Fort Wayne Travelodge was better than watching Ryan Seacrest count down the year from my parents' basement.

Even if the front desk clerk was like, "two keys? Oh? Only one?"

LOL.

If there's something that I'm always going to post on social media, it's New Year's celebrations and/or being in mid-sized American cities.

So Whitfield knew I was here from a photo I posted on facebook, and when we met up in the coming days, he took me down a notch as he remarked, "Fort Wayne? I said what the fuck is he doing in Fort Wayne? God, Fort Wayne? Really?"

At least he'd later compliment my wanderings and randomness by adding, "well, it's you, so it made sense."

Whitfield's comment sort of bummed me out, but when I told Don, he went the other way and said he respected "that I was doing what I wanted and put in the effort to to make it happen" and that it made him really happy and prideful seeing my post from Fort Wayne.

Take that Whitfield!

The thought occurred to me that maybe it's simply time to change New Year's Eve traditions. I'd been spending a lot of time riding with Donnie of late, and if NYE is about spending time with friends and reflecting, why couldn't I do something like go riding on New Year's Day to mark the new year?

Although, I'm pretty sure it would still bother me to spend actual New Year's Eve at my parents watching Ryan Seacrest.

Maybe I should stick with checking off ECHL arenas/cities?

I didn't have much time this morning before I had to make the 2.5-hour drive back home and return my car within its 24-hour rental period. I had to at least walk a couple blocks of downtown though, checking to see if I remembered anything from the one other time I'd been to Fort Wayne - a BMX trip with The Fondler long ago.

Rounding the corner, even though I'd picked up McDonald's breakfast earlier with speed in mind, I now had to find room here at Fort Wayne's Famous Coney Island.

(My coney was pretty good. I'd love to go back when I'm actually hungry.)

I'd wrap things up by photographing the Allen County Courthouse, before rushing back to the rental car outlet at Windsor Airport.

Considering how I look back on this trip with fondness, I figure it was a worthwhile use of my New Year's Eve, especially considering the other so-so options (not to mention, the gamble that those wouldn't fall apart).

And hell, it's not like this was a good writeup of the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum anyway, so I probably should just go back and do this again, haha.

Anyway, we now move on to the 2020s. Happy New Year's y'all.