Crystal Ball

The year 2005 is now upon us - a clean slate, an empty book in which to write the story of our continuing lives. It is appropriate, I think, that we celebrate the winter solstice, Christmas, and the new year all at this time of year. All of them signify rebirth, new life, and a chance to make a fresh start.

I don't generally make New Year's resolutions. I usually check the course of my progress in April and October. But I have thought about what the new year might hold in store, and some of what I would like the new year to bring. Here, in no particular order, is my list of:

Things I'd Like to See in 2005

• A diploma in December
  
• An end to the drought in Utah
  
• Less political whining / grandstanding and more problem-solving
  
• The Utes beat Pitt in the Fiesta Bowl
  
• An increase my savings account balance
  
• Derek and Kathleen's child
  
• Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
  
• Cars (although IMDb projects the release date as 2006)
  
• New studio CDs from Kansas, Yes, Toto, and/or the Rocket Scientists (and please, no more cover collections)
  
• Some sort of resolution to the situation in Iraq
  
• Governor-elect Huntsman paying as much attention to education as Governor Walker has
  
• An end to the NHL lockout - come on, guys, I'm having withdrawal symptoms here!
  
• Osama bin Laden being pulled out of a spider hole
  
• Curtis and the Ogden gaming consortium on something like a weekly basis
  
• Pony, Montana
  
• National Guard units reassigned from combat duty in Iraq to disaster relief in southern Asia - that's what these folks are trained for
  
• Sam in a tuxedo
  
• Harry Potter not acting like a complete idiot in the next book
  
• All of my family in the same room at Christmas
  

How much of this will actually happen? I haven't a clue. Finding out is half the fun.

Happy New Year, everyone!