Rant #1,351: Just Another New Year's

Well, that was pretty much what it was this past New Year's holiday.

We were invited to a New Year's party taking place near where my wife's brother lives, but my wife got sick, and is still is under the weather, so we did not go.

Instead, we stayed home, ate the traditional Chinese food, and I, at least, planned to watch the ball drop ... but I fell asleep at 10:30 p.m. and that was that for me.

It is one of the few times as an adult that I didn't make the ball drop. I did record it for posterity, though. I must have known I was going to conk out.

I usually force myself--or will myself--to stay up, watch the ball drop, watch one or two "The Honeymooners" episodes, and fall right to sleep.

Not this time.

I decided to mix it up a bit on New Year's Day, and rather than watch "The Honeymooners" as I normally do, I watched "The Odd Couple" instead.

This is another classic, another very funny show that I watched when it was originally on, and laughed then and still laugh at now.

It is perfectly cast--Jack Klugman IS Oscar Madison in my book, and Tony Randall IS Felix Unger--and they are two of the better pairings in TV history.

I am so dismayed that later this current TV season, "The Odd Couple" is being brought back once again, with Matthew Perry as Oscar and someone else who I can't remember as Felix.

To me, it is almost blasphemy, after over the years coming out with various other failed versions, including a black version and a female version.

What a waste.

Anyway, it was back to work on Friday--yes, my place was open for whatever reason--I had a very busy day--stuff that honestly, I could have done on Monday--and then the weekend came, did the usual stuff, and here I am now, at 4:45 in the morning, typing all of this out.

I watched the police funeral on Sunday morning, and after spending an afternoon at my sister's house yesterday afternoon, sans my wife who is still under the weather, I watched the Knicks lose once again last night, and went to sleep.

Now, I am back in the same routine that I have been in recently. Wake up at 4 a.m., shower, get dressed, eat breakfast, and type this column on my computer.

Today, I have to go right back into trying to get my son the needed programs he is entitled to, and I will do that as I prepare for work.

Yes, I am the hamster in the cage all right, running that wheel, but I have to believe that 2015 will be a lot better than 2014 was, or at least have a calmer year than 2014 was.

So I am back, back here to give you my perspectives on things as I see them, back for another year.

Barring anything unforeseen, we should go past 1,500 Rants this year, which I think is pretty good, showing "sticktoitiveness" and longevity.

Not every column is going to be at the top of its class, but I can guarantee that you will get a unique perspective on things here that you might not get anywhere else.

I don't propose that I am always correct, but you will know where I stand on matters important and matters much less important here, that's for sure.

So here is to another year ... and sometime this week, I am going to talk to you about a movie I watched on Netflix on Saturday night which, even thought it was an exploitation film made 50 years ago, kind of resonates with all the bad tidings we, as a nation, have had to endure during the past few months or so.

Stay tuned for that.