January 1. Sunday Night.

Hi Journey.

This year we will win, we'll win and profit. Or, I am going to bust a gut trying.

Sunday school was a bit of a chore today. Tee and Jack Heckstrom were at each other a little. She one-upped him, since he parents allowed her to stay up and watch the Times Square ball drop last night and he had to go to bed at 10:30. Most of the third-graders looked at me through half-lidded eyes. I skimmed over the lesson, mostly asked them what their New Year's resolutions were. I tried to guide them to a few that involved character-building, such as being honest and tolerating little brothers and sisters.

Jack Heckstrom wrote that he'd try and stop telling tall tales. Of course, as he printed painfully produced neat block letters I noticed he had his left hand behind his back, fingers crossed tightly.

At least Mrs. Psalter confirmed that he and Tee had indeed behaved themselves at last week's Christmas Eve pageant.

Last night was a delight. Eddie isn't a great dancer, but he did at least try. The little combo at the Hidalgo Hotel was good; a little swing, sprinkled through with some country, with a lot of 50s sock-hop thrown in. And of course they played YMCA and Love Shack , which have become obligatory at every wedding dance I've been to the last five years. We sat at a table with two older couples. I handed out a half-dozen cards during the night; I'd have a hard time facing Dad in March if I hadn't.

Eddie took me home a little after One. We kissed a bit in the car, but I didn't ask him up.

Three dates though, Journey. It's official. Mrs. Olandon will grill me about that during her Tea Time this year, I'm sure.

This afternoon I slammed down a quick nap, then drove down to the shop around Three. KAAZ was reviewing the BBC's top stories of the year. I listened for a few minutes, then punched the knob to ‘off'. I don't need to be more discouraged at the beginning of the year, J. I just have to think about my older sister moving away and I step right into sadness.

Once at the shop I took out a blank sheet of paper and wrote down what I want out of the New Year. I've learned not to plan too much during early January because Tea Time is right around the corner. During the review sessions the clients inevitably tell me things about the business and my shop and human nature in general I didn't know. The WriteBack campaign we conduct each fall yields me key insights, but one-on-one discourse with the clients supplies a subtler type of information.

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