Hi there, it's Mary Louise Kelly. We did it. We made it to the last week of 2024.

There was a historic presidential election, the Israel-Hamas war and the shockwaves that sent throughout the Middle East,

and some braider stories like the Morgan Library's quest to honor a pioneering woman director,

emo music at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and what it's

like to cook for the president. Look, the thing is, consider this was here, covering it all for you

all year long. We are ready to continue that work in 2025, especially as a new presidential

administration comes to power.

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Every year, more and more Americans embark on dry January, a whole month of giving up alcohol.

You can easily imagine the benefits, like no hangovers, maybe better sleep, maybe a happier wallet.

But like any resolution for the new year, staying committed can be hard.

So today we are bringing you an episode from our friends at the Life Kit

podcast. It's all about how to get through dry January and re-examine your relationship with

alcohol. Happy listening and happy New Year. Hey everybody, it's Mariel. Alcohol is everywhere in our

culture. Think about how many bars and liquor stores are in your city or town.

How many ads you see on social media and on TV? How many times your favorite character on your favorite show pours themselves a nice glass of bourbon or sips an ice cold beer?

Understandably, then, it's easy to forget that alcohol is really not good for us.

Drinking increases your risk of certain types of cancers and other chronic diseases.

In fact, the World Health Organization says there's no safe amount of alcohol to drink.

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