I grew up homeschooled, fundamentalist, in rural West Virginia, with no worldly television, and grew up imagining (I had heard of, but never seen) the NYE ball drop being a huge crystal ball hoisted into air, severed, and shattering over throngs of sinners. This majestic violent image was shattered the first time I witnessed the actual ritual when I snuck out at 18 to a friend’s house to see it for myself.