New Year, Same Squirrel

     Well, folks, here we are on January 1, 2025. I don’t know about you, but it feels like just yesterday we were worried about Y2K and whether our microwave ovens would turn into little robots ready to take over the world. And now, a quarter of the way through the 21st century and I can’t help but wonder if we’ve made any real progress or not. Are we just running in place? Sweating and panting, while the treadmill of life keeps speeding up.

     I woke up this morning and looked outside. I saw the same old trees, the same old sky, and I thought, "Well, at least the squirrels are still nuts!" But let’s talk about resolutions. Every January 1, people make these lofty promises to themselves. "I’m going to lose weight," "I’m going to quit smoking," or "I’m going to be nicer to my in-laws." But by January 15, most of us are right back to our old habits. Like eating cake for breakfast and avoiding Aunt Edna's phone calls.

     Now, I can’t help but wonder what the world will look like in 2025. Will we finally be living in flying cars? Or will we still be sitting in traffic, cursing the day we decided to move to the suburbs? I’m still waiting for that jetpack I was promised back in the ‘70s. Instead, it seems we’ve just gotten better at scrolling through our phones while pretending to listen to our loved ones.

     And politics? Good Lord, I’m not even going to touch that one. Politics today is like a bad family reunion. Everyone’s yelling, nobody’s listening, and the potato salad is starting to smell a little funny. All I know is that no matter who’s in charge, the weather’s still going to rain on our parades, and the price of a good biscuit will continue to rise.

     But let’s not get too cynical. January 1 is a time for hope, a blank slate, a chance to hit the reset button. So, here’s to 2025. May it be filled with laughter, love, and a little less drama. Let’s raise a glass of sweet tea to new beginnings and the squirrel who stole my last cornbread muffin. Happy New Year, y’all!


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