WEEK, THE OLD YEAR CLOSES WITH CELEBRATIONS, TRADITIONS AND MEMORIES OF ANCESTORS, AND WE BEGIN AGAIN.

WE REINVENT OURSELVES.

LIKE ANY THRESHOLD IT'’S A TIME TO SHED UNWANTED ITEMS AND EMBRACE THE NEW.

TO ASCERTAIN WHAT PAST ATTRIBUTES WILL SERVE US MOVING FORWARD, AND WHICH ONES TO PUT WHERE WE CAN COME BACK FOR THEM LATER.

SOME FOLKS HOLD TIGHT ON TO THE OLD RITUALS LIKE DIGGING INTO UNOPENED DAYS ON THE ADVENT CALENDARS FOR CHOCOLATE.

OR LEAVING THE CHRISTMAS TREE UP UNTIL THE FIRST SIGHTING OF A LEPRECHAUN.

PAST NEW YEAR CASUALTIES INCLUDE THE LOSS OF MIMEOGRAPH MACHINES, CASSETTE TAPES, BETA MAX, AND WONDER BREAD BAGS IN BOOTS, ALTHOUGH IF I DIG DOWN DEEP, I CAN STILL SMELL MIMEOGRAPH, THAT FRESH AMBROSIA OF PURPLE INK HANDED BACK FROM THE KID IN FRONT OF ME IN THE FOURTH GRADE.

AND, OH, YEAH, MAN, IT IS STILL SO SWEET.

AS A STATE WE ENTER THIS YEAR WITH A NEW FLAG AND SEAL.

I HEARD SOME GRUMBLING ABOUT THERE BEING THE IMAGE OF A LOON ON THE SEAL.

AFTER ALL, IT'’S A BIRD THAT SPENDS HALF ITS LIFE IN FLORIDA.

BUT, HEY, HOW MUCH MORE MINNESOTAN CAN YOU GET THAN THAT?

MOVING FORWARD WE HAVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

MY VOTE IS STILL OUT ON AI BUT I HAVE HIGH HOPES.

I THINK IF AI DOES FOR INTELLIGENCE WHAT VELVEETA DID FOR CHEESE, THEN I'’M ALL IN.

AS MUCH AS WE STAGNATE OR MOVE FORWARD THE PROCESS SEEMS THE SAME, THE MYSTERIES ARE THERE WAITING TO BE REVEALED, SCIENCE AND ART ARE LIMITED ONLY BY OUR IMAGINATIONS, MOST UNKNOWNS ARE A MATTER OF ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS AND, ULTIMATELY, WE DON'’T DISCOVER AS MUCH AS WE UNCOVER.

FOR ME EACH YEAR IS ANOTHER MILESTONE, FROM EARLY DAYS WHEN MY SHADOW REACHED BEFORE ME, THEN TO MIDLIFE WHEN IT MOVED DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH AND NOW STRETCHES BEHIND UNTIL THE DAY I TAKE A STEP AND WE PART OUR WAYS.

I STILL CRY FOR LOST DOGS BUT SOMETIMES I HEAR THEM UP AHEAD, BARKING, COME ON, WE'’VE FOUND SOMETHING.