Well here it is....the end of 2005. It was an interesting year. Mother Nature showed she can be as fickle as a Hollywood marriage, she first gave us an endlessly freezing and snowy winter, followed by a warm and surprisingly super-stormy summer. We were also given the new "It couple" of Bush and Clinton following the Asian Tsunami. Frankly...that couple seems a lot more normal then Cruise and Holmes.

The Terri Schavio thing was a big deal for a few weeks here...then replaced by "mayor" Doombergs stadium debacle as he tried to get the Olympics for NYC...but surprise...no one here really wanted them! We got enough crowds. Thankfully the International Olympic Committee chose London, who subsequently suffered devastating terror attacks in July, further proving that the war on terror needs to be led by a true leader...RAMBO!...who will actually get another movie in which he not only fights osama, but also Old Sal who took Mr.Rambos fruit cup at the old folks home....not funny? gimmie a break, it's 3:30am.

Hollywood was big this year and I’m not just talking about the size of Star Jones Ass. Yes I know who Star Jones is. Sad I know. 2005 saw the return of "The Dukes Of Hazard"...yea...another remake, which in true remake fashion blew more then Tara Reid in a locker room. But wait! Peter Jackson’s "King Kong" gives us proof that maybe some remakes can be good...I say maybe because I haven't actually seen it yet for fear that it may make me wanna act like a monkey and throw poop at people.

The Space Shuttle finally returned to orbit and successfully to Earth...and was quickly re-grounded after having the same problem that ended Columbia's mission in tragedy. This re-grounding thus brought about a wave of criticism directed at NASA. But to the nay Sayers I say this; Have you any idea how difficult it is to put together and fly a piece of machinery such as the shuttle? It is the most sophisticated piece of machinery on Earth, and things can go wrong. Sometimes this ends tragically and sometimes it doesn't but you cannot fault an organization for its entire existence based on a few incidences.

The whole Scooter Libby thing confused me a tad. I get the general jist of the story...releasing a CIA agents name...not good. I mean if you're gonna be on the VP's staff, one would think you'd be a bit smarter, but his name is Scooter...Personally I think Cheney picked him just so he could have someone to make fun of when Dubya wasn't around. That’s what I’d do if I knew someone named Scooter.

April saw the flight of the worlds largest plane, The Airbus A380. The planes designers said that not only was it the safest plane, but that it would also never crash. I think I smell sequel for James Cameron and Leo!!!

And of course there was Katrina. Originally a Hurricane, it slowly built into a massive government screw up that could be saved by only one person...Sean Penn. That’s right, the humorless and smile less actor, sickened by the images of violence and overbearing press coverage quickly flew to New Orleans....with a shotgun and a photographer (Not me.). Katrina taught us many things. For instance, we learned that "Doin a heckuva job" is actually a coded way of saying "You're fucked." It also taught us that the Coast Guard does more then FEMA. It showed that the Weather Channel has an audience other then....well....me.

Death reared its head in more forms then Katrina and Turkey Flavored soda. The Pope died...and was then laid out like a display at Macys for a few days. Sam Anderson, the inventor of the Crash test dummy, finally slammed into that big Volvo in the sky. Johnnie Cochran passed away, much to the joy of L.A. District attorneys.

The years sports stories were also somethin to take note of this year. Though the Yankees didn't win it all, They still provoked Boston’s suicide rate to increase with the winter signing of "Caveman lawyer" Johnny Damon, the self professed "Idiot." Well said Johnnie.

Rafael Palmerio pointed his finger and congress and stated he didn't use performance enhancing drugs. Then he proceeded to make more commercials for Viagra until he was caught with his pants down and hand up Sammy Sosa’s ass.

Tiger Woods hit a tiny ball with a crooked stick and walked after it. Does anyone really care? I don't.

Philadelphia Eagles player Terrel Owens started talking. And wouldn't shut up. Much like me. Unlike him however, I don't have a jersey to burn.

The NHL had a work stoppage, leaving fans who wanted to see mindless morons wail on each other having to watch other sports such as boxing and everyone vs. Tom Cruise.

Nascar driver Tony Stewart gave what I think might be one of the better quotes of the year. After winning the Pepsi 400 at Daytona in July, Stewart proceeded to climb the 30 foot protection fence on the track and then huffed his way back to victory lane where he proclaimed "I'm too damn old and too damn fat to be climbing fences."

Nascar also furthered its attempt at landing a spot in NYC by continuing to move forward with its plans to build a track right here in Staten Island. I may be a Nascar fan, but I’d rather not see Carl Edwards doing back flips here. Move it to Queens.

Speaking of local news...anyone else find the transit strike kind of neat? I mean other then the sheer inconvenience of having to huff over the Manhattan bridge in Decembers -23 degree weather...it was good to see some people stand up to the evil empire known as the MTA. They even got to add to their slogan; "MTA, going your way....if your way is standing still." Granted the strike did little to benefit the workers, its further proof that New Yorkers can band together despite whatever faces us.

Personally for me, 2005 was a better year then previous. I met some pretty spiffy folks, from an immensely large man who can barely fit into a car, to a blonde Texan known for singing songs about Iodine. I learned things about some others...like Joeys solution to a missing car registration, or the fact that Speedy can make good use outta sweat pants.

I learned that when one door slams in your face, another 4 open, all with hands helping you up.

I learned that despite the fact I can be a total ass sometimes, I will always have friends who mean more then I ever knew. Friends that will put their life on the line, even when they don't have too.

I learned that you can find a friend in sometimes the unlikeliest of places, be it a radio station, or even Idaho.

You all kept me strong and gave me a new belief in the kindness of humanity, and I hope that will continue for years to come.

I learned that in some ways, you can go home again. But you must do so with caution.

I look forward to 2006. I hope to build on the momentum of 2005.

I may still be single and jobless, but I can at least say that I have a room that is really, really green.

I hope everyone has a safe, happy and fun 2006!

Its 3am on Christmas and i'm dog tired but can't sleep for some reason so bear with me here...

Christmas. "Most wonderful time of the year" they say. Well who is "they" excatly? Is it the greedy corporations that will do anything and everything to cash in an extra buck? Is it the people who write the overly sappy holiday songs just becase they think it will cement them? Is it the sidewalk Santas who will no doubt ring their bell in your ear to get a few pennies for the red cross? No one really seems to know whos idea it is that this is the "most wonderful time of year." Is it really wonderful though?

Think of it this way, more stress, accidents, suicides, foreclosures and just genreal bad luck events take place this time of year. Now before you say to yourself "oh great another holiday downer.", I offer you the information that I don't intend for this to be a "down" writing.

Many people, myself included seem to have lost the christmas spirt as its affectionately called. I suppose this happens whence you hit a certian age or have a specific major life event occour. Whatever it may be, something inside you takes away that wonder and magic that you had before. Its not fair that it happens but it does. Yet, you know that deep down inside, tucked away...its still there, waiting for something amazing to happen to awaken it....or just maybe waiting for something tinily good to awaken it.

People complain and moan about traffic and crowds and say they'd be better off without them. Not nessacarilly true. Those crowds and that traffic is all going to, in some way put those extra few bucks for that christmas present in your pocket. That person who just cut you off might be rushing to their job at the mall to better serve you. Someone in that crowd will have enough kindness in their heart to help guide your lost little brother or sister back to you. In some way, everyone of the things you find troublesome will help you or someone you care about.

That hidden christmas spirit shows it self in weird, little ways sometimes. That little spark inside you that wants to be a kid again can be re-lit, you just have to beleive in the goodness of humankind.

Lots of people claim they are alone. This is not true, everyone has a friend, espeically this time of year, and as it was so excellently put in the classic, "Its a Wonderful Life", "No man[or woman] is a failure who has friends." You are not alone, especially at christmas.

For those of you who are thinking i've lost it...like I said, its 3am on christmas and I havent slept well lately. Good night and Merry Christmas.

Ok, this is gettin a wee bit...well...odd. For the second time in 2 months, people all over the city have called 911 reporting a sweet smell, very much like maple syrup or butterscotch all over town. The first time it happened at the end of October, FDNY, NYPD and OEM(Office of emergency managment) dispatched crews all over the city...and no source was ever found, and the smell disappeared within a few hours. People weren't complaining about it...but it was noticable enough that everyone had to find a source. Well yesterday at around 3:30 in the afternoon, the smell apparently returned. Personally I haven't smelled anything...other the the usual Staten Island smells. This is getting a little strange though I must admit...and when the OEM says that the smell is not dangerous, you gotta worry at least a little bit. Since the smell is pleasanat, we can definately eliminate it coming from jersey. Some people joke that IHOP is taking their marketing a little too far. Could be. If the smell can be smelled in Manhattan, The Bronx and Queens(Staten Island left out again...goodie), one would have to think that whatever the source is...it is most liekly mobile...or at least emmited from a few spots, carefully placed. It'd be kinda keen however, to have it continue in its mysterious ways for a while...If its not dangerous, and some people seem to enjoy it, I say let it smell.