Editor’s Note: “Joy to the World!”

The sky was angry that night, my friends. “Like an old man trying to return soup at the deli,” a wise man once said. The voices of cringy teenagers cracking, as around the world, balls drop. Bullfrogs huddle in the night, croaking “Joy to the World!” Upon the break of New Year’s Dawn, blackbirds sing and children laugh. Happy hikers dot the skyline of East Rock. The sailor’s monument stands tall, continuing to guide lost souls home.

Transplants, ex-pats and geese return home to the places they were born. Places already lost, different or transformed. No time for tears or memories in cities of ash. Petrified forests hold only those smoldering remains — twigs of long dead birch, pine and oak.

Kudzu Queen dies (RIP), but free music lives. The Trump suits win and all JackAces are SetBack.

But this is but one vision of how the future may unfold. The truth is, nobody knows! And how great is that? In spite of our wildest dreams or most morbid fears, no crystal ball casts perfect shadows. The only way to shape that path is through our actions. Decisions made — sometimes hard, sometimes thoughtlessly — but each important ….individual grains of sand, dripping through the hourglass of our shared reality.

Reach out and grasp destiny with both your hands. Let kindness guide your words and hope carry you forward. I promise, the future is yours to create.

2025 New Year’s / Holiday Survey Results

Sample size wasn’t too large (n=9), so responses are biased at worst, anecdotal at best.
Go-to Coffee Shop/Cafe:

• G Cafe, Fussy
• “Spruce Coffee!”
• “Coffee Pedaler for coffee, Atticus for baked goods”
• “East Rock Coffee .. even though it’s kinda bad now”

Small business shout-outs:

• “Blue Orchid, I heard the trivia host there is great”
• East Rock Breads
• Group W Bench
• EBM Vintage
• The Farm Belly
• Allie Perry Designs

Favorite album of the year:

• May it Never Falter – Glaive
• The Secret of Us – Gracie Abrams
• “brat (obviously)”
• GNX
• Two Star & The Dream Police
• 69 Love Songs

Breakout-artist for 2025:

• “Jane Remover”
• “The Rizzler”

Misc: 2/3 of respondents said they exercise at least once per week on average, while 62.5% said they preferred plants over animals.

Respondents also asked for crosswords or puzzles, guest features each month and local art. So I will try to include. My biggest reluctance would be editing / curating, but if anyone wants to send in some short, clean writing with a clear call to action or motif, or art you’d like to share with attribution, please send to eastrockgazette@gmail.com.

As always, thank you for reading. Talk soon!

Index:

• Events Calendar/Schedule
• February Gardening Tips
• Sports Check-In
• Tree of the Month: Eastern White Pine