This time of year there are so many dating distractions that it is even more difficult to find a serious prospect. ‘Tis the season to not get your hopes up about meeting someone new. So many singles are scared to get into a relationship between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve because of all the pressures of adding in the parties with friends and family when the relationship is too young for such serious introductions.

If you do happen to meet someone on 100hookup or at one of the various holiday mixers in November or December, don’t expect or demand plans for New Year’s Eve. If it happens, great! However, for some reason — probably that midnight kiss and that it “supposedly” means it’s who you’re going to spend that next year with — New Year’s Eve is one of those holidays that freaks people out when they’ve just started dating. If you are not ringing in 2013 together, then just send a little text when the ball drops saying, “Cheers to an amazing year!” or “Happy 2013!” or something along those lines. Don’t let the champagne go to your head though and send drunken text messages which you think are cute, but are actually really embarrassing/inappropriate/sending the wrong message.

Once January arrives you can start dating “normally” again without the pressures of the holidays —  and hopefully by Valentine’s Day you will have been going strong for long enough to make plans together.

Welcome back to September 12, 2012. Or forward, that is. Hope you’re having a rockin’ hookup New Year’s Eve. Our own Sarah Silverman is at Times Square feeling the electricity…

Sarah: “Actually, Andy, it’s the pins and needles from my foot being asleep. Jews everywhere partying like it’s 5999. That was the Prince song he was smart enough not to release. hookup New Year’s Eve is the one night when we throw caution to the wind and really let our hair down. As a full-fledged member of the tribe, I can attest that it’s a nice break from all the other nights of the year when our hair lets us down, but I’ve learned to live with the frizzies, if you call this living. Here’s a young man that looks like he’s ready to nosh up a storm. Happy hookup New Year!”

Young man: “What’s nosh mean?”

Sarah: “Keep moving – There’s a sale on mayonnaise down the street, not that you’d care. About the sale, that is. Okay, now here’s a gal that looks like she’s in for a night of kvelling. Happy hookup New Year!”

Gal: “Same to you.”

Sarah: “Are you making any hookup New Year’s resolutions this year?”

Gal: “I resolve to resent my folks for spray-painting my name and phone number on their roof in case an eligible young doctor spots it on Google Earth.”

Sarah: “Finally, a resolution that’s unbreakable. If an eligible young doctor is watching, I’m on 100hookup.”

Sarah, I have to interrupt! We’re just seconds away from the sun dropping down into 5773!

Ten-nine-eight-seven-six-five-four-three-two-one…Happy hookup New Year! Come on, folks. Look up from your hand-held devices.

Okay, so maybe most of us will be gazing at Blackberrys® versus blackberry Manischewitz shooters the first night of 5773. But at least that’ll leave us bright-eyed and bushy-tailed the next morning for the Roses’ Parade. The Roses – the parade sponsors who allowed me to co-opt their name for that little joke. First up – the Larry David float. All natural materials, the little pisher he’s kicking off his front yard is a mixture of 350 blintzes and 84 pounds of lox. While Larry is crafted from a combination of knishes and bitter herbs.

Nu? As in the Yiddish expression, “So, what’s new?” Certainly not 5772, the year we Jews ushered in well over three months ago. My celebration kind of paled in comparison to the merriment non-Jews and Jews alike are planning, to welcome in 2012. Where were our wacky 5772 eyeglasses? Where were our noisemakers? (Our stomachs growling from the approaching fast is about all I can come up with.) Where was my hot Rosh Hashanah Eve date? Where is my hot generic New Year’s Eve date?

I didn’t even experience the exhilarating embarrassment of accidentally writing 5771 on my October rent check. Why can’t our holidays be as festive as everybody else’s? It’s not too late to glean a lesson or two from the galas about to unfold, and incorporate them into next year’s high holidays. Our high holidays, not the “high” holidays in which those planning to get high need a designated driver. Picture, if you will, September 16, 2012. It’s shortly before sunset. Time to kick back, pour yourself a glass of Manischewitz and tune into… Rockin’ hookup New Year’s Eve!

To the chosen people around the world, thank you for choosing Andy Cowan’s Rockin’ hookup New Year’s Eve. The feeling of anticipation is truly palpable – the anticipation I have that some of you are now looking up the word “palpable” to see if it also means “negligible”.

We’re just moments away from greeting the year 5773! Sounds strange, doesn’t it? Then again, 5772 didn’t exactly roll off the tongue either. We may be knee deep into the ‘70s, but at least we can all be thankful we aren’t wearing polyester leisure suits again. Speaking of the ‘70s, fellow sons of Israel, Barry Manilow and Neil Diamond, will be tearing it up here later. The “it” I’m referring to, is the business card of the agent who landed them this gig.

Can you believe another whole year has flown by since last Rockin’ hookup New Year’s Eve? Me neither. Then again, last hookup New Year’s Eve began September 28th, so that may have something to do with it. It’s a wild scene here at Times Square. Okay, maybe not wild, but I do see a reasonable amount of people ambling about, staring into their Blackberrys. Sarah Silverman is out there amidst the dozens of revelers, and we’ll hear from her when we come back!

(To be continued)

New resolutions abound and generally for singletons this involves a renewed focus on fitness routines and their love lives.  Personally, I’m not a big fan of New Year’s resolutions.  It is never a bad idea to reflect and make changes but shouldn’t these changes occur at the moment of recognition as opposed to Jan 1st?  Though, Harry (Billy Crystal) in When Harry Met Sally made his proclamation on New Year’s Eve, his words of honest vulnerability is heart melting. “I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” I digress, I guess the point being is that rather than waiting for serendipity to happen the real power is to make the “choice” to make it happen whether on January 1st or any other time. “Choose” to play relationships out and see what develops rather than going on the continuous merry-go-round of dating. In any case, come January 1st, gyms are a lot fuller now with a lot of folks on the scene hoping to meet their lobster.  Here’s hoping that you build those buns of steel and, as for the merry-go-round of dating, you get off that ride as soon as possible.

Happy Resolutions and New Year to all MOTs.