There are things I spend a stupid amount of time wondering about. How far into the new year do you say Happy New Year, for instance.
Now that we're two days into '26 and broken resolutions are starting to pile up, do you still want to hear Happy New Year? Or are you over it?
I used to get it all out of my system at New Year's Eve celebrations but I can't quite remember the last one of those I've been to. The last few years I've noticed I'm still wishing a Happy New Year up to 4 days in.
Maybe not needing a couple of days of hangover recovery makes you nicer.
On the other hand, maybe you didn't get enough happy when you should have and all this happy new year wishing is subconscious compensation for the crippling trauma of missing out. You're not being nice just needy.
To be clear, nobody is missing out on a hangover. I've had plenty of those on the first day (or two) of a new year. No more of those for me. It's the happy part: the laughter, the hugs, the sounds of celebration. It's the throwing out the old year and grabbing the new bright eyed.
Champagne optional. Dancing mandatory. That's the best new year's celebration.
Not getting it out of my system, it just feels weird to be wishing Happy New Year to someone when the year's four days old. That's 96 news cycles in '26.
And what if we took this one step further. From how long do we wish to what are we wishing with Happy New Year? It's a state with different landscape no matter who you're looking at.
Suddenly you have to be careful what you wish for. There are things that might make my new year happy that make your new year unhappy. What's worse? Reverse that.
So, just know, if you've seen me and I have wished you a happy new year, what I mean is I welcome you to enjoy the happy new year I'm going to have. I do hope you have a happy new year, too.
As you might note by now, I might have too much time on my hands. What can I say, it's the state I'm in. But it's just the second day of the year, there's plenty of time to actually do something besides sitting around wondering.
This year marks the fiftieth anniversary for the Elkhorn City High School Class of '76. It's a club I''m proud to be a member of. Our graduation coincided with the 200th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence which wasn't as big a deal as we thought it would be.
Of course, 50 years of hindsight might alter one's perspective. But math tells you that means 250 years since Jefferson wrote those immortal words that separated us from monarchy, oligarchy and state sponsored religion.
I'll probably spend a stupid amount of time this weekend thinking about that. I mean the fifty years, not how I'll be greeting you next time. Happy New Year!