Happy New Year, y’all.

The one that has just left us kind of sucked — nationally, at least.

Although for me personally it was most gratifying and fruitful. Its highlight was a magnificent four-week journey in May and June through Israel with four of the most outstanding young people I’ve ever met. The Rotary Foundation Group Study Exchange experience would change my life, I was told over and over. Man, did it ever. So, my eternal gratitude goes to Fernando, Katt, Shirley and Aida for making me proud and for representing West Texas so beautifully on our shared sojourn through the Holy Land.
http://www.amarillo.com/opinion/MEJ.shtml
http://www.amarillo.com/staging/johnkanelis_slideshow.html

I turned 60 just a few days ago in the Caribbean with my wife and sons. That, too, was an unforgettable experience. The idea of swimming in the ocean on my birthday — four days before the official start of winter — never entered my mind until my wife informed one day about mid-2009 that we were going to St. Lucia in December.

What lies ahead? Well, I don’t predict anything these days, given that I’ve gotten so bad at it.

OK, I’ll take a stab at one thing: The race for the Texas House District 87 seat being vacated by David Swinford, R-Dumas, will be one of the more invigorating legislative races in memory. Who knows? It could turn into one of the marquee races in Texas this year. It will be fun to watch this one unfold up close.

It’s still too early to call the Rick Perry-Kay Bailey Hutchison race for governor. But if you put a gun to my head and told me to call it, or else, I would have to say it’s still Perry’s to lose. He is the incumbent and he does have considerable support among his Republican base. But mind you, I’m not predicting he’ll win it. He just might find a way to fritter this primary nominationg prize away. Waiting in the wings will be Democratic challenger Bill White, the soon to be former mayor of Houston.

The past year was full of downers. Job losses mounted. Companies in Amarillo laid people off in droves. The media business seemed to be battered throughout the year all across the nation. It became depressing. I hope we’ve bottomed out and are finding our way back to a new form of prosperity.

I’m glad people are still reading us in print and I’ve found that this blogging business is a whole more fun than I ever imagined. I’ve enjoyed the comments from readers, even those who have challenged my intelligence. Indeed, that goes with the territory. For more than three decades, hardly a week has gone by when someone hasn’t suggested that I’m not nearly as smart as I think I am. These good folks keep me humble.

Here’s to the start of the second decade of the 21st century. Man, even that seems weird.