Auld Lang Syne

"What does this song mean? For my whole life I don't know what this song means."

Billy Crystal in "When Harry Met Sally"

The song "Auld Lang Syne" is an old Scottish song, first written down in the 1700s. In the U.S., we've been singing the song at New Year's Eve since Guy Lombardo popularized it in 1929. A literal translation of the phrase "Auld Lang Syne" is old long since, but really it means just what you probably think it means: times gone by.

It's a song to say goodbye to the past year, and years past.

Goodbye 2005, for many you were a tough year to love (think hurricanes, earthquakes, political scandals) but we'll never forget ye.

New Year's Eve is coming up and I know I'll raise a glass or two (my dear husband will be my designated driver), what's the best way to get over a hangover?

At the risk of perpetuating a stereotype of booze soaked journalists: You came to the right place. Here are some classics and some new inventions from the Internet and the newsroom. My old standby is an iced latte and a garlic bagel with salmon cream cheese. My cure might send some directly under the covers to hide for an afternoon -- a common thread in many remedies.

* The "Red Beer" cure: Drink tomato juice, V8 or Clamato juice fortified with a can of beer. This in the "hair of the dog" vein, the thought is that drinking a little bit of alcohol the day after will restore you to full functionality. I've tried this and couldn't finish even half of the concoction, but many in the newsroom and elsewhere swear by it. The National Headache Foundation says that tomato juice gives you a boost of fructose, to allow your body to burn the alcohol faster.

* The "Thank Goodness for Soscol Cafe" cure: A greasy burger and milkshake at a diner with friends who feel as bad as you do. The NHF recommends eating greasy food before you drink, saying that the grease will coat the stomach and keep the alcohol from absorbing into your system as quickly. In my experience, eating a heavy meal the morning after will settle you in for that nap you so desperately need.

* The Menudo cure: Menudo can be found at most Mexican restaurants and touted as a hangover cure. Taqueria Tres Hermanos wouldn't give Register Staff Writer Cristina DeLeon Menjivar their secret recipe, but told her it has garlic, chiles, salt, book tripe (part of the cow's intestines) and honeycomb, a cute name for cow's stomach. I'm guessing it cures your hangover by hydrating and getting some protein into your sad, aching body. Best not to think too hard about what goes in, just drink the soup and let the healing begin.

* The Air Force cure: Suck on pure oxygen until you either feel better or pass out. Not for sissies.

* The "Health Nut" cure: blend one banana with a pint of milk and a couple of spoonfuls of honey. Milk settles the stomach, sugar in the honey gives you instant pep, and the banana will give you a longer-lasting energy boost. Honey is also a source of fructose and B6, which help with hangover symptoms.

* The "Night B-fore" cure: If you know you're going to go out and get silly, eat a filling meal, drink water and take a B-Complex vitamin. Take more B-Complex the next morning with breakfast.

* The Water cure: Before you go to sleep, drink a glass of water for each drink you've had.

* The "Over-the-Counter" cure: Drink a big glass of water and take an aspirin or other headache medicine, the NHF recommends ibuprofen over aspirin, which has a reputation for being tough on a delicate stomach. For a sick stomach, take Dramamine anti-nausea medicine (preferably the "drowsy" kind), Alka Seltzer or Pepto Bismol. Some Napans have recommended taking the Pepto or ibuprofen before you drink, to keep the hangover from getting a foothold.

* The "Voodoo" cure: Stick 13 pins in the cork of the offending bottle. If you can focus long enough to get this done, it just might work.

* The real cure: Nothing but time, rest and water. Dr. David Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale School of Medicine, is quoted in an article saying, "The best way to contend with a hangover is not to get one, by practicing abstinence or moderation." Live and learn.

Have a safe and happy New Year's Eve!

What is Glad You Asked?

Glad you asked finds answers to readers' questions. In 2006, resolve to be more curious. Send your questions to me at jdecker@napanews.com or 256-2215.