For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

Ah yes, New Year’s Eve is back with a vengeance. Thanksgiving wooed us, Christmas whispered sweet nothings in our ear, and then New Year’s Eve slaps us across the face with the stinging reality that another year has gone by and you’re not nearly as successful as you’d hoped to be. In 2013, you wished to be married, planned on acquiring wealth, and resolved to get washboard abs. But alas, verbal contracts have always failed you, just as every new holiday resolution does. And yet, like an ignorant child, we find ourselves looking back fondly on the year that crushed us, excited for more in the coming one. We choose to dull this painful truth, though, with a “cup of kindness” that more closely resembles a vat of cheap bubbly.

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Yesterday, I was watching The Five on FNC, and the panel briefly touched on a poll that revealed 1/3 of Americans do not trust each other. Read article here. The reality is, (and we don’t need a poll to tell us this) we are a fear driven society. Fear of failure, rejection, being duped, feeling regret. That’s why the “Self-Help” section of the bookstore is expanding by leaps and bindings. This fear can be paralyzing, and our over-exposure to media, broadcasting tragedy and crime, does not cultivate a trusting audience. I’ve always felt that I’m overly trusting, so I make myself watch breaking news and Law and Order SVU, just for good measure. The fact that I even trust the results of this poll is frightening.

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Ah yes. Thanksgiving. A time to gorge ourselves into physical pain, share our gratitude in long winded Facebook posts, and listen to Clay Aiken’s Christmas CD with utter abandon since the holiday season is now upon us. Many will argue that this feast is their favorite holiday, but like most savvy materialistic females, I have to disagree. There is nothing quite like the joy, the thrill that Black Friday offers. The promise of abundant savings, copious purchases, and spending my month’s rent in a matter of hours makes Black Friday my favorite national holiday.

My older sister and I have observed this day for as long as I can remember. We try to go to a different mall every year and hope that one year we will make it all the way to The Mall of America. (I have goosebumps thinking about it.) The rules are simple. Feel free to take notes and participate in the fun!

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Ah yes, it’s that time of year again. The joy of seasonal affective disorder is upon us, with credit card debt wracking up, and herds of Facebook friends whoring around their “newly engaged” photos. The reality of the holidays can cause crippling depression, but thankfully, we have lighthearted cheeky holiday rom-coms to console us. I have my own particular favorites including Elf, A Christmas Story, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, but none of them compare to the masterpiece that is Love, Actually.

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Who doesn’t love a provocative piece of theatre? Classic musicals will always have their toe-tapping charm, but there’s nothing like a play that leaves you inspired and perturbed. On Tuesday night, “Hit the Wall,” an exciting play by Chicago playwright Ike Holter, did just that.