When everything else turns to shit, you can always count on a cute animal video to cheer you up. But I suppose you have to like animals, which I happen to.

Here’s one of my new favorites, “Baby Elephant Goes Wild”:

What could be better than watching a baby elephant splashing around in a bucket of water without a care in the world? Spoiler alert: Mom interrupts the fun. Darn it, Mom, why’d you have to go and do that?

Another one is “Hamster on a Piano.” I learned about this one from the TV character Derek, played by Ricky Gervais, from the British program bearing the same name (Ricky Gervais also writes and directs this wonderful, touching show). Derek works in a care home for the elderly, and in addition to being very good with old people, he is nuts about animals and even sings the title tune, “Hamster on a Piano.”

Yes, this is totally frivolous and silly, but I would like to wring, I mean ring, out the old year and ring in the new with some lightheartedness. Enough shit going on out there to be angry and sad about.

Happy New Year, one and all!