A New Year!

Sooooo, it is a New Year and for a variety of reasons 2011 seems already like so much better and brighter a year. It seems like a long time that I have entered a new year with so much optimism. The economy seems to be getting slightly better even though we appear to have not really dealt with all of the problems that brought us here. I am frightened about what the government will or will not do this year but am choosing to believe that they will find a way to be brave, make hard decisions and request and lead the American people in a new direction. Perhaps that is silly.

We just finished what we think is our last New Years Eve party with Camp Arcadia staff. We had a nice run. I think 5 out of the last 6 years we have had Arcadia staff or campers spending New Years at our house and perhaps a few days before or after. We are tired but it was once again a good but exhausting time. The good news is, no one died. The bad news is that our house was somewhat trashed, we shepherded over some 20 year olds drinking, some people were smoking cigarettes on our back porch and smokers always make me sad. But once again, even not knowing all the people in our house I was heartened by what a nice group of people we know and what nice families they must come from. Once again, hope for the future.

My TCU Horned Frogs (my alma mater) went undefeated and untied and will have to settle for 2nd or 3rd in the final standings. It was really fun seeing them hold up so well against a really good Wisconsin team. I was worried they would be proven to be pretenders but they are so well coached and recruit so well that they appear to be building a nice program that so far has avoided even a hint of scandal. Their dominance of everyone who they played and their relative class in winning was heartening. Taking so much pleasure in the play of a team I last saw play 28 years ago seems a little pathetic but I take my victories where I find them. I do not think that is unusual. I wore my TCU hat all day yesterday and cheered loudly for them. I had friends out at the came and I think it was a huge victory for a school with 8000 undergrads. We will see how they do in two years in their new contrived conference of the Big East. I do not know whether their quarterback Andy Dalton is a pro but he seemed like a very nice young man. I do not remember another red headed pro quarterback. Perhaps too nice. I am predicting that their receiver Jeremy Kerley will have a nice pro career.

I am currently watching my Rams trying to play their way into the playoffs and right now, at the end of the first quarter it looks grim and we look a little out classed but what a season they have had with their rookie quarterback. It once again gives hope for 2011.

The practice of law looks a lot more interesting this year then it has for a long time. We will see if that lasts.

More then anything else I have the support of wonderful friends and family and no matter how 2011 works out I know that I am blessed. That is a little sappy for me, but what the hell. It is a new year. God's Blessings on all of you, let's make this an awesome year. Tomorrow, the Christmas letter (or more properly Epiphany Letter gets republished. It will give you something to look forward to.