Well, it's only natural that our calendars should keep track of a quantity that (roughly) increments as often as the frequency of the earth's orbit around the sun. Since there is no obvious way to define the phase of that signal in astronomical terms, we could choose any date to celebrate this occurrence. Most of the world (but not all of it) has agreed that this date is today. And what a bizarre decision that is. I won't go into detail why that date was chosen, I was never a big fan of history and others have probably done that way better than I ever could. I just want to express my dissatisfaction with it.

Culturally, winter has always played a big role for people's survival in many parts of the world. People had to prepare for winter, people were praying for a mild winter and people were relieved when winter ended. In a sense, winter often was the final boss of the year. So doesn't it make much more sense to celebrate the new year *after* winter? Isn't it much more reasonable to begin a new year with the time where you've bested all the challenges, the supplies gathered last year have been used up and everything comes to life again, to start the cycle all over?

Yes, I know, not all places on earth experience seasons that intensely and people on the southern hemisphere would have everything shifted by half a year and I'm not saying we should switch to a new calendar, not that anyone would listen to me, anyways. I'm just saying that to me, new year's eve never really feels like the start of anything. It's mainly an arbitrary occasion to party and maybe the end of what one might call "celebration season". Anything else we do, like reflecting on the year that has passed and looking forward to what the next year may bring, we could do just as well on any other date. Oh and if you actually want a reason to party around that time, why not celebrate winter solstice. The prospect of days actually getting longer again is a way better reason to party in my opinion.

But nevertheless, new year's eve is today, so happy new year everyone. I hope 2025 will be a good year. We could use one of those.

Panel 1:
The Chicken with the heart-shaped hole in their chest is now outside the stream, their chains were broken. The therapist is lying on the ground in exhaustion.
H: Wow. You look so trashed, it’s hard to believe that you’re the one who rescued me.
T: Do you have any idea how difficult it is to break a metal chain, just with your beak? You’re welcome by the way.
Panel 2:
The therapist gets up.
T: Who even are you? You look like someone from a distant memory ...
H: What do you mean? I look like Chicken ... The one who’s mind we’re in ... ? ... No?
T: Ahhhm ...
Panel 3:
The two of them are now sitting at a campfire. Night has fallen.
H: ... which is why Chicken conjured the stream of suppression to drown all their inconvenient feelings. That’s me. I’m one of those feelings, I guess.
T: And what feeling are you?
Panel 4:
H: I represent Chicken’s unfulfilled desire for romance. The hunger for a lasting relationship with that special someone. But Chicken never managed to tell that one bird how they feel about them. That’s probably why they shoved me down there.
behind them, the sparks of the campfire seem to form the face of G, hinting at who they might be talking about.
Panel 5:
H: Anyways, what about you? What are you doing out here?
T: To be honest, I don’t remember much. I went on a quest, but ... why?
H: Well, I have an idea.
Panel 6:
H: You should free the others.
T: You’re right. Suppressing feelings is not healthy. Are you going to help?
Panel 7:
H: Well, if I could break these chains, I’d have done that already.
T: exhausted Crap.