So yes, my birthday was last week.  My 50th, if you must know.  And the application for the AARP card came, magically, 2 weeks earlier than that.

I've been trying to wrap my brain around the idea of losing not just one, but potentially both our daily newspapers here in Seattle. 

No, there is no news out there that the Seattle Times is closing shop (plenty of news out there that the Seattle P-I soon will be), but it goes without saying that unless daily newspapers, including the Times, fundamentally change the way in which they do business, they will be no more profitable than the last great buggy-whip manufacturer.

In my consummate effort to utilize tools created in the 21st century -- if for no other reason than to wonder what it is my daughter will be doing in her teen years -- I have joined...*gasp*...Facebook.

It is the second to last day of the year and here we are, just the 4 of us.  You, me, my wife, and our marketing director.  The marketing director has to read this.  My wife likes to play nice and encourage my ribald behavior.  You?  This I don't know.

The end of a year is a time for contemplation of all things that have happened that year.  2008 was a year, one of many.