The new year

There are, at a minimum, three ways to observe New Year's Eve: 1. Party until the stroke of midnight ushers in 2010. 2. Make resolutions to upgrade yourself and the world around you. 3. Go to bed early, assuming our lives are on a course that cannot be changed or improved -- a conclusion based on a review of the year that is ending.

2009 will be remembered for a long time.

It was the year the nation struggled to recover from the worst economy since the Great Depression.

It was the year Congress and the White House pushed for a health care reform bill of several thousands pages largely unread by the elected officials making so momentous a decision.

It was the year chinks in our armor against terrorism became too obvious despite two wars in far-off lands.

It was the year thousands of us lost our jobs and our homes.

It was the year the federal government became the de facto owner of a major chunk of the nation's private enterprise.

All of which points to the need for careful nurturing and tending of our baby new year. The question is, what are we prepared to do so we can celebrate on Dec. 31, 2010? We might be up late tonight, making a list.