Well, it's that time of the year again. Now to pause for some optimism: In two months from now, my wife and I will have new jobs and we will be moving into a new apartment. In two years, we will halve our revolving debt and our first child will be about to begin walking. In five years, we will own our own house and our second child will be walking. In the position I will start next year, in those five years I will have worked up the ranks to the point where I have become adept at digital editing and my solo record will be released amidst a sea of nostalgia for the band I am currently about to retire from, and this will provide a little extra income and a gig every once in a while. My best friend, the one I moved out to SF from Wisconsin with almost eleven years ago now, will have his first Broadway play debut in five years, and looking back on his move to Boston in the summer of 2004, he will regard this as the best move he has ever made. My soon to be former bandmates will remain in touch and have musical careers of their own, and we will release our records through our own collective, borrowing ideas from each other often. I will build a tasteful project studio in my new house and will use it to help out in those endeavors. In addition, my book I am beginning to write now on my humble musical life so far will become a cult classic, nudging books like "Fargo Rock City," and "Our Band Could Be Your Life" gently out of the way.

Hope is a wonderful thing. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours. And Go Pack!