Don't Drop The Ball ......

....yet! Tomorrow night, a zillion people will be in Times Square to ring in the new year as a 11,875 pound Waterford Crystal ball drops. It will be televised and another twelve zillion drunks people will whoop and holler from their living rooms.

Of course we used to always ran out into the street banging the lids to pots and pans together, or grabbing a huge soup pot and beating it like a drum with a wooden spoon. Here at the Compound, that is probably against the by-laws.

Speaking of the Compound....did I tell you that someone called to have my new car towed because it didn't have a parking decal on the windshield? No, it wasn't the front office or security that called, it was a tenant. I ran out and convinced the tow truck driver that I was the owner, and I forgot all about the "sticker rule". He let me go, even though once they roll, they like to be compensated. I gave him $5 as a goodwill gesture. I'm telling you, I am the only one in my four unit building that even owns a dang vehicle...there are plenty of parking spaces for everyone and their crazy uncles to park two cars. Ok, that was a bit off subject but I had to get that out.

Back to New Years, or First Night stuff.....I was reading that Hershey PA, has a plethora of First Night events at the corner of Chocolate and Cocoa. At the stroke of midnight, they drop a seven foot aluminum chocolate kiss.

Other festivities include fireworks, bands, dancing, and the Kissmoble! Not to be confused with this....

The Spammobile!

Bethlehem, PA drops a giant PEEP! I kid you not! Do you remember how much I love Peeps? I did a whole post on Peeps, and I covet them more than Hershey kisses. I would give anything to see a friggin giant marshmallow peep, but the peep they drop on First Night is made out of fiberglass..darn it! But the company that makes Peeps donates a zillion of them for people to roast in the plaza! I have never thought of having a Peep roast. I’m adding New Years in Bethlehem to my list of “places and things to do before I die”.

In Elizabethtown, Pa., a huge M&M will be lowered in Center Square at 7 p.m. The town chose 7 p.m. to mark the new year in its sister city, Letterkenney, Ireland. Elizabethtown is home to an M&M Mars plant.

Oh, and just in case you think I’m picking on PA, you are right, because PA cities take the cake with over forty "drops"……Mechanicsburg drops a ten foot WRENCH made out of sheet metal. Other cities in PA drop Fake fish, giant pickles, and flaming farm animals to help ring in the New Year.......you can’ t make this stuff up.

Atlanta drops an 800 lb peach...

A slew of cities in Florida drop an orange....not real ones, balloons and fiberglass neon ones.

Are you ready for another Pennsylvania city drop?? Lebanon’s 12-foot-long,150-pound Bologna Drop ranks among the weirdest ways in the U.S. to bring in the new year.

What does your city drop on New Years Eve?

SANTA PLEASE BRING ME A HERSHEY BAR

I don't have a real handle on progress when it comes to some of the personal changes in my life. Like people messing with my chocolate. I get it when gas goes up, and when I have to pay twenty five dollars for a piece of luggage to travel with me. I do my best to be green....I turn the lights out at night and chew gum for three days straight a long time. Bad news about interest rates, and mutual funds tanking are a disappointment but I can mooch off my kids ride it out.

Do you know what really upset me today? I heard that Hershey is raising the price of candy 11%. What were they thinking?


This is where the Hershey family lives. Right smack between Willy Wonka and Bossy. I know for a fact that Bossy eats Hershey laden s'mores. What is this thing called greed all about?

This is what's happening to the price, and the volume, and the stock is tanking...down 5% in one day.

Back in the 50's, that would make these six cents and eleven cents.


But would you really want to pay $277.50 for this?


And this cute little two pounder goes up to $27.75.