OK, the holidays are over, and here we are, a new year begun, the whole of 2010 splayed out before us just as fresh and clean as moonlight in a martini: endless possibilities juxtaposed against all of our hopes and fears.

Frankly speaking (at least blogging-wise), it’s time to get back to work. After all, we’ve already had our first mini-crisis involving my sister-in-law and her present state of affairs, but we’ve quelled that fire before it turned into an all-out conflagration – this is gonna be one interesting year – so time apparently awaits for no one.

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This dispatch from Michael Yon in Afghanistan touched me deeply, serving as a reminder of those who are making a far greater sacrifice on behalf of the cause of freedom than I ever imagine myself doing. These are truly our heroes. Please consider supporting Michael’s mission by clicking on the link at the bottom of his post; whether in Iraq or Afghanistan, no one covers the war zone so honestly, eloquently, and poignantly.

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Since my parents and friends have have been after me to return to posting more regularly, I’m making a personal commitment to filling these spaces on a daily basis in 2010. Sure, the time factor is something all bloggers share alike; that’s the nature of the beast (“sorry, honey, the roast beef looks sexy and that lingerie looks wonderful to eat but I have to go feed the blog”), but still, I’ve created gaps in my readership from gaps in my postings, and we can’t let that happen, can we?

So this year, we’re going to have a little fun. Every post in 2010 will feature a daily temperature reading from the pool – that way, not only can I see the progression towards swimming-ness, it will also keep y’all on pins and needles wondering what The Great White Shank’s pool showed for that particular day. In 2009 it went all the way from 52 to 97; let’s see what man-made global warming (or the lack thereof) has in store for it this year.

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Pool temp: 48 degrees