NYC revelers usher in '09 with cheer, optimism

By CRISTIAN SALAZAR, Associated Press Writer Cristian Salazar, Associated Press Writer – Thu Jan 1, 8:58 am ET - Courtesy Yahoo News

NEW YORK – Despite months of economic gloom, revelers throughout the country welcomed the new year with merrymaking and even optimism, though some festivities fell to hard times and others were subdued.

"The worst part of last year was probably trying to get through financially," said Liza Mazzotte, a composer who had come from California to join the hundreds of thousands of celebrants in frigid Times Square to see the Waterford crystal ball drop. "I'm not worried about what I lost. I'm going to be looking to the future."

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