As we watched the ball drop in Times Square on the television, my friends and I clinked glasses and wished each other a happy new year. Cory, who typically doesn't offer many insightful words, made a small but substantial toast. I wish I had written it down.

On an unrelated note - blogging, for me, used to be somewhat of a popularity contest. The more readers I had, the more substantial I felt, and on days that fewer comments were left, I wondered, "Have I bored them?"

Now there are a handful of you that I interact with pretty regularly. Some of you are across town while others are across the country. I've realized that I really enjoy this smaller crowd of people I feel like I know. It's not that I don't appreciate the new readers and their comments - I just love the friends I see here every day.

So thanks to all of you for a wonderful 2007 - for dropping by and hanging out and saying hi. Thanks for sharing your lives with me and your stories and your pictures. Thanks for letting me know that you'll still love me, even if I don't blog every day.

My wish for each of you is that this year brings with it health, happiness and friendship. I hope that your troubles are small. I hope that you each have something to look forward to.

Happy new year, friends. It's a pleasure knowing you.