Well, 2009 came in beautifully last night with Bill & Hillary pushing the button to release the big psychedelic blinky ball in Times Square.  And gianthogweed and I enjoyed our annual lovely bottle of Veuve Cliquot champagne and went to bed.  Before all that, we went up to Methuen to hang with my friend P, her friend A, husbands, kids, cats, Wii, The Three Stooges marathon, a birthday party for the world's newest five-year-old... it ended up being worth the drive through snow at rush-hour although we weren't so sure during said drive.

Like whimmydiddle, I'm not much of a "New Year's Resolution" type of person.  I'm constantly trying to resolve to be better, take better care of myself, do more, do less, you name it--but it's not something I necessarily do on New Year's Day.  But I think a whole new calendar stretched out bare before me is an excellent reason to take stock and submit prayers to whatever authority you will (particularly if Stephen Colbert is right and I'm gonna get put on hold until after Easter).

So here are some wishes I have for 2009--not the big "Barack saves Universe" kind of wish, but just wishes for me and my family.

1) I wish D's tooth wouldn't wait until 2010 to come out.  We have one friend whose first tooth wiggled for a full year before the tooth fairy got to visit.  We don't want that here.

2) I wish myself more yoga and less leg and foot pain.  And yes, I believe they are related.

3) I wish for healthy pets this year.  Seriously, I'd like to get through this year with no emergency visits to the vet.  I'm not sure the vet will even look at our hermit crabs, BTW.

4) I wish gianthogweed a couple good days to go play golf and make beer.  So he can finally use the dam' gift certificates already.

5) I wish someone would remind me when it's Talk Like A Pirate Day this year, because I always forget.

6) I wish myself time for more reading.  Books books books books books... It just don't get better than that.

7) I wish myself less Facebook.  Well, no, not really.  I just wish Facebook didn't suck up my time like that.  I kinda like it except for the whole "eating my life" thing.

8) I wish someone would invent Extendable Fingers because mine are stubby. There's a couple of guitar chords I'd really benefit from conquering. 

9) I wish myself luck trying to eat less sugar. 

10) I wish everyone a peaceful, happy 2009.  I'm so thankful for all my friends.