Friends, Romans and Readers -- HAPPY NEW YEAR!

From my perch here in a very snowy Minnesota, I'd like to extend my best wishes to all of you for a wild and wonderful 2008. To those of you who came out to see me while I was touring with "The View From Mount Joy" — you have my deepest thanks — and for those of you who didn't show up; well, I'm trying to stifle my rancor. Just know that you missed out on a lot of fun and free chocolate, which isn't a bad combination under any circumstances.

For those of you who have visited this site before, you know I'm not much of a blogger, preferring more old-fashioned means of communication, like coffee shop conversations or barroom brawls. But I'm trying to be less a Luddite this year and more a woman of the millenium — so I'll forge on.

The best Christmas gift I got this year was a drawing my younger daughter made of a family photograph; she understood that I wasn't interested so much in reality than I was in her making me look younger and prettier.

On New Year's Eve, my husband and I decided to skip our usual couples party and instead went to see Don Rickles, which was bizarre, but historically- satisfying. I liked hearing his stories of Frank Sinatra (fellow birthday sharer) and Vegas, but considering he was in Minnesota, was disappointed that he neglected to call anyone a 'hockey puck.

Speaking of performances, I have one of my own coming up. For those of you near the Twin Cities, please come on down to the Bryant Lake Bowl to see my show PARTY IN THE REC ROOM. It's an all-improvised comedy show starring a cast of one — me — and a blenderful of margaritas. It's lots of fun and tickets are available on the Bryant Lake Bowl's website (BryantLakeBowl.com) or by calling 612-825-8949. Opening night is January 5th — so come on down!

In the meantswhile, I hope you plunge into this new year with grace, fortitude and luck and may there always be a good book in your purse or pocket or on your bedside table to make you laugh, cry, think, question or act. All the better if it's one of mine....