It’s New Year’s Eve, and there’s this strange electricity in the air. I don’t know if it’s just me being reflective because another year is biting the dust, or if it’s the fact that 2024 turned out to be a year where reality felt more like a fever dream half the time. Like, seriously, if someone told me even five years ago that drones, metallic orbs, and plasma-like entities would be dominating mainstream media, I’d probably have rolled my eyes and poured another drink. But here we are. Tomorrow is 2025, and I’m sitting here recounting the moments that genuinely scared the shit out of me this year. This isn’t just another recap; this is my way of processing the wild ride we’ve all been on. So buckle up, because this is going to get weird.
First off, let’s talk about New Jersey. I’m not even kidding—Jersey became ground zero for one of the creepiest aerial phenomena of the year. Picture this: suburban neighborhoods, military bases, even Trump’s old golf course, all being buzzed by these SUV-sized drones and glowing orbs. People were freaking out, and rightfully so. At first, there were whispers about foreign surveillance, but then the government started backtracking and being all vague, which, of course, made everyone think, aliens. And you know who didn’t help? Trump himself, dropping cryptic hints about how “they’re not telling us everything.” It’s one thing to watch this stuff in movies, but when it’s happening in your backyard, it hits differently.
Then, over in Texas, former NASA commander Leroy Chiao had a moment straight out of The Twilight Zone. This guy is flying his private plane at 9,000 feet when—bam!—two metallic orbs come out of nowhere, zipping past his plane so close he could’ve reached out and touched them. These things didn’t show up on radar, and air traffic control didn’t see a damn thing. Chiao thought they might be military drones, but even he admitted there’s no solid explanation. Imagine being up there, just you and the sky, and suddenly feeling like you’re not alone. It’s enough to make anyone’s blood run cold.
Now, if that wasn’t enough, ABC News decided to throw their hat in the ring. A crew in Mendham, New Jersey, caught a plasma-like orb on live television. This wasn’t some shaky cell phone footage—it was crystal clear, filmed by professionals who were there covering a news conference about—you guessed it—the drone sightings. The orb just hovered there, bold as hell, as if it wanted to be seen. I watched the clip at least a dozen times, and each time I got the same chills. It wasn’t just eerie; it was like staring at something that defied every rule we thought we understood.
Oh, and let’s not forget Captain Ruud Van Pangemanan and his co-pilot, flying a Boeing 747 from Saudi Arabia to Nigeria. They were tailed by bright white orbs for over 2,000 miles. These weren’t some far-off lights—they were close enough to track visually, yet radar showed nothing. The pilots managed to capture video, and the way these orbs moved… it was like they were alive, almost playful. Satellites don’t behave like that. Planes don’t behave like that. Nothing we know behaves like that. It’s like these orbs were toying with them, just out of reach, just beyond comprehension.
And then there was the Pentagon’s little bombshell. In March, they dropped a report detailing over 270 UFO sightings in just eight months. Sure, they tried to play some of it off as balloons or birds or whatever, but the rest? Unexplained. One case involved a near-collision with a commercial plane near New York. I mean, how do you read something like that and not feel a little unnerved? These aren’t some random Reddit conspiracies; these are official reports, and they’re admitting they don’t have all the answers. It’s like they’re dangling a thread and daring us to pull on it.
Looking back at all of this, I’m left with more questions than answers. Are we being watched? Are these things here to observe, or are they just passing through, unaware of the chaos they leave behind? I don’t have the answers, but what I do know is that this year changed the way I look at the night sky. It’s no longer just a backdrop for dreams and stars. It’s a stage for mysteries we’re not even close to understanding.
But here’s the thing—I don’t just write about these moments; I turn them into art. These stories, these unexplainable mysteries, they inspire something deep in me. My canvas art is where I process the fear, the wonder, and the fascination. Each piece tells its own story, capturing the beauty and terror of the unknown. It’s not just art—it’s a conversation with the parts of the world we don’t understand. And now, those pieces are available to the world. If you’re curious, you can check them out at derricksolano.com/art. My goal is simple: to hang these stories in offices, shops, and homes around the globe, so the mysteries we can’t explain can be part of the lives we live every day.
So, as 2024 fades and 2025 begins, let’s keep our eyes open and our minds curious. The unknown is out there, waiting. Whether you’re listening to this on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon, Apple Podcasts, or straight from my website, do me a favor and share this podcast with someone who loves the strange and unexplained as much as you do. It would mean the world to me, and it’s the perfect way to kick off this new year strong.
I’ve got big plans for 2025—posting a lot more about the things I’m genuinely passionate about: aliens, the paranormal, interdimensional theories, ancient astronaut ideas, and all the mysteries that make life so damn fascinating. Let’s make this the year we dive deep into the unknown and uncover what’s out there. Here’s to a new year filled with curiosity, adventure, and stories that make us question everything. Let’s explore it—together.