[Original Mike]

Just wanted to drop in to wish all of my friends here a happy and safe 2009! I can't believe 2008 has left us already. I guess it's true that, the older you get, the faster times go.

Now, brought to you without commercial interruption is my own "Hybrid" top ten list featuring my five "best Things" from 2008 and my five "Worst Things". I've also added a "HUH?" section for stuff that's just beyond belief, for good or bad. Feel free to add your own choices and let's get it rolling:

Best of 2008:
1. President-Elect Barack Obama
2. My new job (I love it!!)
3. "The Dark Knight": Visually stunning and a tour de
force perfomance for Heath Ledger
4. The Summer Olympics and a really good roll model
for kids in Michael Phelps
5. My nephew asking for his first Star Wars toys for
Christmas (another generation of sci-fi geeks is
born!!!!!)

Worst of 2008:
1. The endless war in Iraq
2. The economic meltdown
3. The passing of icons like Tim Russert, Paul Newman,
and Eartha Kitt
4. The Jonas Brothers (sorry, folks, no talent here.
They're only popular because they're pretty)
5. Ted Stevens and Rod blagojevich for reminding us
that corruption and stupidity are truly bi-partisan

HUH????
1. New York's governor caught hiring $5,000/hr hookers
2. Rachel Ray: Can we say "Overexposure"?? Enough
already!!!!
3. A new trend around here for teens: co-ed
sleepovers. Gee, NOTHING could go wrong there...
4. An Ipod docking station built into a toilet paper
holder. (Seriously, do we really need this????)
5. Paris Hilton's 15 minutes of fame STILL haven't
ended.

Anyway, have fun with your lists and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Mike