Since it's the beginning of a new year, I was just looking back over last year's columns, trying to remember high and low points - and what has happened since.
It was an amazing year. It's hard to believe now that we had a war. I wrote some columns about it - including one about the rising star of Gen. Stormin' Norman.Now he's dropped from sight. Even though many thought he would be a presidential prospect, no one is talking about it now.
I gave a quiz to numerous people to ascertain whether their brains were primarily male or female. This was met with such enthusiasm that it has turned out to be a highlight of the year. People keep asking when I am going to give another brainsex quiz.
When senatorial candidate Joe Cannon admitted the youthful one-time use of marijuana, I looked into my own youthful indiscretions - as did many other Utahns - and decided we should be careful about criticizing Cannon.
Despite my burning fear of heights, I took a balloon ride in Park City and loved it. Despite my prejudice against junior high school, I visited my old junior high and found life there to be surprisingly upbeat.
I still wouldn't go back.
I condemned Salt Lake City's "sidewalks from hell," but excavations continued. I approved of one - the accidental discovery of the old Social Hall, Utah's first public building. It led to Zions Securities planning an elaborate underground walkway leading from ZCMI Center to Social Hall Avenue, culminating in an image of the original building outlined in steel, complete with a diorama creating a historical monument.
I had exclusive interviews with the creators and thought I had a scoop, so in June I wrote an extensive column describing the project, including pictures of the old Social Hall and predicting it would be revealed to the press the following week.
It was revealed, just as I had described, but not until December, when everyone had forgotten I ever wrote about it.
To climax a lifelong dream, I decided to try out for the Tabernacle Choir. I went to the LDS Church Office Building with about 50 other people, mostly men, and took a horrendous music theory test that promptly sunk my hopes for the choir.
Then I got a new neighbor, John Goodman, a talented tenor. He tried out for the choir, talked just as disparagingly about the test as I did - but passed it brilliantly. He begins his choir membership this month.
I still speak to him.
I wrote some sentimental pieces about my daughter's wedding. I investigated fast food and wrote an expose revealing that most fast food places are not very fast - then was surprised to hear from the father of fast food, Dick McDonald, who now lives in Bedford, N.H. He agreed with me.
I interviewed some especially interesting people, such as Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Laurel Ulrich, noted writer Judith Viorst, industrialist Jon Huntsman, prison superintendent Lane McCotter, U.S. protocol chief Joseph Reed, psychologist David Raskin, Judge David Sam and Yan Ross, the "Lord Mayor's consort."
I feel invigorated for having talked with them.
I read Robert Bly's book about the men's movement, visited a local men's meeting and wrote columns that got some stimulating reactions. Because of the Clarence Thomas hearings, I talked about sexual harassment in two columns, and I wrote angrily about the airport policy about rape in the parking garage.
But the personal highlight was a visit to Washington, D.C., to study aging at the invitation of the National Press Foundation. Afterward, I wrote several columns based on what I learned there. Even though the theme reminded me of my own mortality, it also reminded me of how exciting and fun it is to learn.
Now if I could just convince my kids.