Countdown to the new year

By the end of this day, 2008 will be a memory - albeit a few minutes old depending on when you read this. It was a productive year for me but, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, it was not as satisfying or fulfilling. Still, I have a lot to be thankfull for. Hopefully 2009 will be a lot better in the progress department. However, I also have reservations about the coming year as we face challenges in every area of our lives. For starters, there's the gloomy economic outlook - both local and global, the ongoing war on terror, and the renewed conflict at the Gaza strip. But don't expect me to crawl to a corner and assume the fetal position out of fear; I intend to face the future all guns blazing! At least, the one activity I am able to indulge in, one that took me away from an existence I find rather mundane - even for a few short hours, was watching movies! 2008, wasn't a stellar year for movies from a quantity stanpoint, but two movies did stand out for me. Those two were "Iron Man" and "The Dark Knight." I look forward to another round of barbequed pork kebabs and beer to welcome in the new year!