What does apprehensive expectations mean for me? I’m hoping that we’ve gotten close to the bottom of the economic freefall but I’ve not seen much to convince me that has happened. It’s late afternoon on New Years Eve and like it or not, 2008 will go away in a few hours here in Pocatello, despite the people who control time adding a second to the year. I like that I can fill up my car for less than $20. I don’t like that my 401(k) has given up 30% of it’s value. 2008 has certainly been a year of highs and lows. It won’t be sorely missed, I’m sure.

In 2009 we get a new administration, one that has promised “change” without a reasonable definition of what that change would actually be. On the other hand, President-elect Obama has named (for the most part) a very high caliber team. While he’s busy doing that, Illinois proves once again that money corrupts politicians and the most arrogant become the most corrupted.

Our Social Security goes up in January by more than 5%. That’s definitely a bonus … probably the largest pay raise we’ve had in four years. However, that doesn’t translate into very much money! We’ll continue to chop spending out of our lives. Still no cruise in our future!

So, tonight we’ll go to the Stake New Years Eve party, even though they cancelled breakfast because they’ve no idea how many (or how few) people will be there. So, uncertainty reigns supreme as 2008 ends making it difficult to be very optomistic about the coming year.