Hi Blank Slate readers, and greetings of the new year. It’s another time to look back and look forward. Here at the house we took a moment to do that around the dinner table, asking each to share one high point of last year. I said this blog<\/em>.<\/p>\n It started one year ago today, with 75 subscribers. Now, some 98 posts later, there are 521 subscribers. The subjects have varied, some comical, some personal, some philosophical. Fairly early it turned into meditation on Ecclesiastes<\/em>, and I’m still thinking of publishing the series in book form when the ten or so entries left are done.<\/p>\n Recently I took time out for the nativity, a worthy topic at any time of year, but not to be missed in December.<\/p>\n The personal takes have included my Wish for More<\/em><\/a> list this day last year, and the Wish for Less List<\/em><\/a> that followed. Then there was the Anne-aversery<\/em><\/a> in February with the overview of our 46 years together, and Jesus After Breakfast<\/em><\/a>, a poem of self-conviction. More recently there was\u00a0Musings on Being Age 69<\/a>.<\/em>\u00a0That, and The Two Lists in One<\/em><\/a>, was a good exercise for me, and maybe a model for you to do likewise.<\/p>\n There were some intentional diversions into blatant humor like\u00a0Gobbledygook and E-Mail Disclaimers<\/em><\/a>, The Entabulator<\/a><\/em>, Letter to Nigeria<\/a><\/em>, More Title Options<\/a><\/em>, Blog Spams<\/a><\/em>, and Response to Blog Spammers<\/em><\/a>. There are always more of these kind in mind, but I never know how much of your time to take up with such frivolity. Then again, we do need to lighten up; the world can be too serious.<\/p>\n For the more serious, however, there have been links to a couple of sermons, like Love, the Greatest Power in the Universe<\/em><\/a>, and Not What but How<\/a>, thoughts on faith.<\/em><\/p>\n Then there are the comments from readers, which can be as interesting as the posts themselves. I’m always grateful for them.<\/p>\n And I’m grateful when I learn that some reader has shared a post with a friend, or recommended\u00a0subscription.<\/p>\n As for what’s next, I don’t know. It is a “blank slate.” I have some ideas–more biblical, more humor, more personal, more philosophical. Who knows? Your suggestions will be useful.<\/p>\n So, as the early Romans <\/p>\n __________________<\/p>\n
\nexchanged gifts and wished each other good fortune on this day,
\n(believing that the beginning of a thing was omen for the rest of it)
\nI also wish you good living,
\ngood working and\u00a0playing,
\ngood moving and resting,
\ngood thinking and good reading this year.
\nI’m glad we’re together.<\/p>\n