“What are you doing for New Year’s?” asked Doug.

It was New Year’s Eve and I didn’t have any plans yet. After being in NYC for 6 years, the whole counting down in a club with overpriced bottle service in a throng of sweaty strangers had lost its appeal. Back in 2008, Carson Daly had been a no-show to the official "Carson Daly and Friends NYE party" at $125/ticket (while I was still a temp making minimum wage) -- but I’m not bitter about that any more.