Happy New Year

It's always nice when you can end the year on a positive note. There have been some years when I couldn't wait to close the door on one year and move to a new one. Thankfully, this isn't one of them. 2007 was pretty good overall. It feels good to be able to say that.

In 2007, we moved, which can be a really good thing. It gives you a chance to purge yourself of "stuff" that you really don't need. It feels good to get rid of clutter and start fresh.

In 2007 I had a chance to visit with just about everyone I'm related to -- in person. That's pretty unusual and it was really, really nice. The occasion was my grandmother's 95th birthday celebration -- a week spent on Lake Maxincuckee in Northern Indiana. I know how very lucky I am to still have my grandmother. So many people my age do not have any grandparents left. It's amazing how smart the elderly are. After all, they have lived far, far longer than the rest of us. If you take the time to listen to them you can learn a whole awful lot.

In 2007 my youngest son became a teenager and for the first time in years I found myself with kids that really truly could take care of themselves. That made my business trips easier and my weekends more enjoyable. I no longer dreaded Friday nights as the start of a long weekend of "taking care of kids." Now I just drive kids, and feed kids, and pay for things. It's easier, and as I get older and my patience wanes, it's nice to have more time to myself. I think that's good for everyone around me.

2007 was a year when gas prices went through the roof and I started thinking more seriously before every trip I took -- whether it was just to town or to some far-flung locale. I don't want to think of the thousands of dollars that went into my gas tank, and it is a little annoying to hear my oil business friends talking of their tremendous profits. (Their new homes, the cars their kids drive, and the vacations they take tell those stories easily enough.)

But other than the gas prices (and the cost of milk and groceries in general), this was a pretty good year. And I'm hopeful that 2008 will be even better. Maybe the economy will continue to improve and gas won't seem so unpalatable.

So here's wishing everyone a fantastic 2008 and one of the best years ever. Happy New Year!