Because new year is a couple of hours earlier in this part of the world (and I have to go to a party ) I just wanted to wish everybody here on in advance a happy new year. I wish all of you all the best and hopefully the upcoming year will be fantastic for all of you!

P.S. Jaime and Mike keep up the good work. This is trully the best and most pleasurable debate site on internet .

Thanks, Renger!

It is after four here, so I believe the New Year is upon you (you are eight hours ahead of the US east coast, I think?)

HAPPY NEW YEAR! (salute!)

It's been dark here all day with rain.

For a middle-aged couple like Curmudgeon and me, it isn't a whoopie type of celebration. The daughter has stayed overnight at one friend's house, and she is currently at another's; we'll be bringing her home soon.

We'll have soda and snacks and maybe watch the big ball at Times Square go down after listening to some bad music from the latest flash-in-the-pan band (our daughter will probably like it ).

We might have a couple of glasses of wine or bubbly, but we won't be spending the first hours of the New Year with a hangover. (For the rest of you who do, good luck with that, and have a designated driver! Our constitutions don't handle it very well. )

2006 hasn't been the greatest, but it was better for us than 2005. I wish a better year coming right up for everybody here.

Everybody have a safe and Happy New Year. May your celebrations be filled with the same love and joy you bring to others throughout the year.

7:30 p.m. CST here.