Happy New Year

Goodbye ‘25, Hello ‘26

For as long as can remember, New Year’s Eve was always my favorite day of the year. Thinking about what happened over the past 365 days, events, the review news shows, parties and/or get togethers, thinking about the upcoming year and hope with a new slate. However, that excitement and anticipation just isn’t there anymore.

I don’t truly remember the start. Maybe 1968 or ‘69. That would be about when I would have been old enough to start remembering. In the revolving family holiday rotation, my uncle Wally and Aunt Helen had both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. In future years, they held on to New Year’s Day and my Uncle Frank and Aunt Marcie took over New Year’s Eve.

I don’t remember too much about the get togethers other than it seemed more happened when Uncle Frank and Aunt Marcie hosted. This would have been early 1970s thru about 1979. Those New Year’s Eves had the adults playing poker and the kids playing ping pong. About 11:30, Uncle Frank would start pouring the champagne and Aunt Marcie would start getting the grub ready for the first meal of the new year. We’d find a local countdown show, which sometimes wasn’t until 11:55, sparking fears we’d miss the new year come in. Never missed it though. When the counter hit zero, quarters flew in the air, the kids would scurry. We’d get our dose of champagne line up for kisses with grandma then find mom and dad for the same. The party usually lasted til around 2.

Remembering Uncle Frank’s champagne pour

When I graduated high school, and got my own car, I started hanging out by my pal from high school, Steve and his parents. In those times, VCR players were relatively new and we’d spend the evening drinking Pepsi and watching tapes of old 3 Stooges shorts or some mystery. Around 10:00 we’d get a pizza and then wait for the new year to come in. No champagne, just Pepsi. Afterwards, back to the video tapes. It was definitely more subdued.

Drinking Pepsis with Steve every weekend.

For the most part from the mid ‘80s until 2000, I’d be by my best friend from grammar school, Tom and his eventual wife, Donna. It was the Pepsi and pizza group. They’d have a couple of mutual friends, or people from work, or a relative, or whoever. The night was usually game playing, such as Trivial Pursuit or similar. It was a little more festive, but definitely not a “party”. Pizza time was around 11:00 and into the new year. Again, no champagne. One year, we totally broke the norm and went out for Mexican dinner then back to the condo for the countdown. The cool part was after things broke up, between 1 and 2, Tom and I would sit in front of the tv, hook up the Intellivision and play until the sun started coming up. I think our record was 5am.

Our last get together was 1999 into 2000, the new millenium, Y2K. I remember it well because I went to dinner with my brother, then hustled over to their house. From the restaurant to the house was a 45 minute trip and I got there by 9:30. It was a blink of eye, and it was the new year. That night ended around 1 for me and I was home by 2.

That next year, in 2000 to 2001, was the one year I did nothing. I always wondered what it would be like to have that quiet New Year. It was definitely different. I brought a frozen pizza home from work, watched the news review, Dick Clark, and into the countdown. I blinked, it was over and after some local fireworks making noise, it was off to bed.

My future wife move in with me during 2001 and ever since we’d pretty much have dinner and find a movie or something. My wife always liked the New York countdown and would try and stay awake until then. I’d make it through the Chicago countdown and call it a night. Last year (2024 to 2025) we called it a night at 10:30. For me, I just wasn’t in a very celebratory mood. It was the first time I can remember that I did not see the new year come in.

On that last day of the year, I’d think about events of the past year. Good or bad, there were always a few things that would stand out. A trip, a championship, a relationship, maybe a death, family famous or otherwise, a memorable accident or event like a plane or train crash. As the countdown would approach, 2 or 3 of those events would stand out and flash through quickly. I rarely had New Year Resolutions. The New Year was just about a clean slate.

So, what was 2025 ? Honestly, it just went fast. Nothing overly great, nothing overly bad. I was into my 2nd year of my retirement medical leave from the railroad. There was (and still is) a dispute with Railroad Retirement which up til now hit a low point in June, and has left a pall over the entire year. Someday when it’s finally concluded, one way or the other, there will be a story. My wife has had a few job issues which have brought about their own challenges and changes. I’ve pretty much lost interest in watching sports. Like so many things, it’s just not the same anymore. The political landscape has been garbage and so many people have plum lost their minds. I promised myself I wouldn’t write about that kind of stuff here and I try not to, but I do slip up once in a while. But, in this case it was a big part of the past year and it’s hard to totally overlook. In early August, my engine went out on my car and had to be replaced.

The worst of the year was having my cat, Jimmy, cross the rainbow bridge in August. He had his health issues from day 1, but this time he came down with liver cancer and he went downhill fast. I think of him every day.

Jimmy, my “Palee”. Crossed the rainbow bridge 8-6-25

Some of the good has been my time here on Substack. I’ve managed to keep the writing going, have met some great people and have been able to recall many good times while doing it. I will admit, the past couple of months have been just a little bit slow in writing. I’m not sure if it’s a simple writer’s block or just feeling mentally lousy and trying to keep a positive slant, which hasn’t been easy. Writing is a therapy for me, and it’s like I’ve blown off that part of things, and that’s not good. If there is a goal for ‘26 and that new clean slate, it’s to get more writing done here. I’ve rediscovered music, with the help of the Spa Channel on Sirius-XM. I spend a little more time just listening. It does take the edge off and relax me, and that’s a good feeling.

When I wake up tomorrow morning, it’ll mean I’m still around, survived another year and will do my damn best to appreciate each and every day I have moving forward.

Happy New Year to All.

May 2026 be happy, healthy, prosperous and safe.