I screwed up. I admit it. I fell off the wagon.

Since I discovered I had Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, I have had to drastically change my diet. For over a year, I’ve mostly followed an AIP (Auto-Immune Protocol) Paleo diet, which means I avoid Gluten, Dairy, Soy, Nightshades, Refined Sugars, Caffeine, and most liquor. This was not an easy adjustment. As a comedian, I loved having my Crown Royal shot before a show and visiting the Waffle House at 2 a.m. I loved going out to eat every night. That had to stop. I ate AIP Paleo for over a year, and my joint pain disappeared. My digestion got better. My sinuses improved. It’s been a hard-fought year.

These popular lyrics are often sung by those bringing in the New Year. Auld Lang Syne is from the Scots language and means “old long since.” In practice, it means “old times, especially times fondly remembered.” Robert Burns, the national poet of Scotlalnd wrote those words in a poem published in 1796. However, he took a fragment of a folk song that he heard and built more lyrics around it. Auld Lang Syne became synonymous with New Year’s Eve when Guy Lombardo and his band, the Royal Canadians sang a song with those lyrics every year on his broadcast from 1929 - 1976. He became known as “Mr. New Year’s Eve” as a result.