Right on schedule, 2026 arrived exactly on time last week. Hopes, dreams, and resolutions are running amok (as they should) in the first few days of a new year. Hopes for world peace, dreams of enormous wealth, and resolutions to exercise into a perfect body (uh, maybe not) are a mainstay of any new year. Happy New Year? Or maybe not.
There are several groups that wasted no time in having an “Un-Happy New Year.” Dreams shattered in just a few days. Ah, things can change in a nanosecond.
The obvious recipient of a lousy start to 2026 is/was the president of Venezuela. Sitting at home with his wife last Friday night, dreaming of huge profits in 2026 from drug smuggling, skimming state oil revenues, and possibly raising taxes on the populace, life as president of Venezuela was good. Happy 2026. But there was a knock (?) on the door. Some dudes from something called Delta Force wanted to see him. Next thing he knew, he and his wife were in a helicopter and on the way to an all-expense trip to New York. Poof. Bye-bye 2026 — and life in general. “Un-Happy New Year.” (Rumor has it the dudes of Delta Force have their eyes on a certain brand-new NY mayor, too.)
Ah, but not just Mr. & Mrs. Maduro with dashed hopes and dreams for the new year. Consider the Ohio State football team (add the Georgia, Alabama, and Kansas City Chiefs teams as well). Dreams of a national football championship went poof. The University of Miami slayed the big, bad football dragon. So, a very “Un-Happy New Year” struck a few football teams (and their followers) fast and quickly. The Miami team and a few others have a HAPPY New Year extended for a week or so. Dream on.
As the first full trading day in the financial markets unfolds, the smell of hopes, dreams, and excitement runs rampant. Happy New Year… so far. Yup, get up early Monday morning, buy stocks (and “stuff”), go back to sleep, and make another 20%+ in 2026. All is good. It’s gonna be another great year. Happy, happy, happy.
But… BUT… keep in mind it’s a long year (360 more days), and the “nanosecond turn” is alive and well. A potential government shutdown (yes, again) looms later this month. Health insurance is adding to the affordability issues of Americans. A mid-term election change in government leadership will certainly bring on another (yes, another) presidential impeachment show. Dreams can turn to nightmares quickly. Just ask Nick Maduro and Ohio State.
Anyway, let’s not dash hopes and dreams. HAPPY NEW YEAR.
