But you know what? It's not what we think it is as we see it celebrated on TV every year. Attended by thousands, if not a million, Times Square was not that accessible.

When I arrived in NYC, I headed out to Times Square with excitement and worries.  Once I got off the subway, it was barricaded by gates and police. Everyone was commanded to take one direction AWAY from Times Square(!)

At first, I was walking non-stop with other people. There must be a way for me to see the Eve ball. I was hanging out with somebody at the time, and this guy from another country was more excited than me. He would talk his heart out to cops making up all kinds of excuses just that we could get into the big crowd. I followed him everywhere with the objective to witness the Eve ball drop at midnight.

Ordeal after ordeal, we finally got our way in: by each of us paying a waitress $20 so we could cut through the restaurant and out to Broadway (main road). It was not until 11pm that we made our way into the crowd where I could finally see the Eve ball! :)

I could feel how exhilirating the waiting period was for everyone in the crowd. We seemed to be expecting something big that would happen at midnight.

Regardless, I made the waiting period fun! People were taking pictures of me acting silly with those around me.

Finally, the one minute countdown was the best part of it all when all the confettis started to drop on us. And finally...,
the fireworks were shooting out of the Eve ball at zero. The big 2000 finally litted up!

After midnite, everyone scattered their way out of Broadway. The cops were trying to keep the crowd off Times Square. I persevered to get in, and it paid off. Despite of barricades, I made it infront of the Times Square entertainment stage. And there, I made my very first New Year's Eve kiss. (My first ever New Year's Eve kiss.)

It was with a young German guy who also tried to make his way into Times Square with me. We were running around holding hands and having a good time together. I asked him for a kiss. And after the kiss, he told me that it was the first time
he's kissed a guy. WELCOME MILLENIUM!

Then, another countdown. It was the Canadian time. Behind me, a Dutch guy was standing. At the end of the countdown, I leaned near him, and there we kissed. We kissed long and intimate. Then, we hugged and exchanged emails. He told me how happy he was meeting me, but he was leaving back to Amsterdam the next day...

What else happened...? Many to remember. Besides the club scenes, I got to be on MTV's TRL audience. I got to see Carson Daly work right before my eyes! What great eyes he has... The taping was live, so for me, the chance of being seen by friends would be minute. Boy! They had to tell us to like the videos eventhough we didn't :|

Later during the week, I got to skate in the famous Rockefeller Center.