Exciting year ahead

From a professional standpoint, our newspaper/company continued to grow with more people reading us every week. Though newspapers have had a tough time across the nation, our niche in this market - local, local, local - has ensured our survival and 2009 promises to be even brighter. 

On a personal level, among the many highlights of the year gone by was the birth of my two nieces - Maya and Anna - and the New York Giants winning the Super Bowl.

As we usher in the new year, an important countdown has begun and I approach it with mixed feelings. My longtime girlfriend has been teaching in China since the beginning of September.

Natalie returns to Saratoga Springs next week for a visit before finishing off the school year in Asia. Next fall, she will be attending the prestigious Monterey Institute of International Studies in California and yours truly will be joining her. As my parents also talk of moving elsewhere this spring/summer, the reality is starting to sink in that my final six months in Saratoga Springs are here.

Except for my time away at college, I have called the city home for my entire 33 years. This is such a great area to raise a family and to grow up as a kid. I never say never, so a return to the Spa City could be in my future and I will definitely be visiting from time to time.

Knowing the end is near, I plan to make the most of every day here and maybe visit a few of the places I've never been.

In last week's edition, we chronicled the top events of 2008. When the year began, who would've guessed our governor would step down in disgrace, Barack Obama would become President and the Giants would upset the previously undefeated Pats. I'm really hoping that history repeats itself next month with another G-Men victory in the Super Bowl, but I digress.

So let's make the most of 2009 and we'll continue to keep you informed of all that happens here in the pages of our newspaper. California, I know you're right around the corner, but I'm not quite ready to say goodbye.