Happy New Year (242)

Here we are again. Another new year. A regular Wednesday suddenly got promoted to a holy night: fireworks, expensive dining, crowds, and all kinds of parties. Don’t you think that New Year’s Eve is somewhat overrated? Don’t you think there’s so much pressure everywhere to go out, to celebrate big, to book that expensive table and so on? Many people standing in the cold for many hours just to see the ball drop and a countdown.

The question that I always ask: why do we need this night to carry so much weight? The calendar flips and here we are. Time keeps on moving. Nothing magic happened at midnight. Yet, the expectation is so, so huge. If you stay home, it feels like you miss something. If you go out, it often feels crowded, loud, and certainly overpriced.

And this year, while everybody was celebrating, there was also pain. A disaster and a fire in Switzerland that caused loss of many lives. The contrast is hard to ignore. The world does not pause for a countdown.

New Year is not one thing. The Chinese New Year follows the moon and comes to us a little bit later with its own meaning. And the Jewish New Year, the Rosh Hashanah, comes with reflection, repair, and some intention. Seems that different cultures and religions celebrate the New Year differently. So how many calendars do we really need? One, two, or none at all?

Maybe the date itself when the calendar flips from a Wednesday to a Thursday matters less. Maybe we need a reset or a reboot, so to speak. Setup a small intention with no pressure, with no crowds, no ticket, and of course, no dress code. You do not need permission to reset. You do not need fireworks to reflect. You do not need midnight to take on new decisions, resolutions, or to be kinder and slow down. Now, that’s my case: slowing down.

Tonight, we’ll keep that question open. Celebrate or do not. Go out or stay in. Make it big or just keep it quiet. Big resolution or just small shifts—I’m going to leave the decision totally up to you. No matter what your decision is, I have made my commitment and decision for this upcoming year. I am going to continue and provide you with the best music I can discover.

I guarantee that you’re going to find your new favorite song right here on East to West, and you’re going to meet some old songs that you forgot about, and I’m going to reintroduce you to them. And of course, new eclectic music, classic R&B, oldies, and all the rest. Stay with East to West throughout the year and certainly for the next couple of hours.

Today’s Playlist