In his new film the acclaimed New Zealand film director and producer of Lord of the Rings , Sir Peter Jackson, has all but raised the dead – by means of one hundred hours of film and six hundred hours of interviews with scores of survivors, preserved by the Imperial War Museum in London. For Jackson, it was in part a cinematic labor of love in tribute to his grandfather - a professional soldier who fought through the entire war.

In anticipation of heading into the last year of our second decade of the second millennium I asked my friends on social media to share with me their hopes, fears, and aspirations for 2019.

The Shutdown is forcing both sides to embrace possible solutions to a problem neither particularly wants to solve. President Trump demands a border wall - what some have called a “toy” - a big display that won’t address the major challenges of immigration and border security. Democrats claim to respond with tools: targeted programs that might ease at least some of the problems along our southern border.

The start of a new year is a marker causing us to think about where we are in a life span that may end up giving us 70, or 80, or 90 years.

Brian Mulroney was prime minister of Canada during the same years as the first George Bush was our President. The two leaders became good friends and remained so.

The beautiful new statue of Agriculture, better known as Ceres, is finally back atop the dome of the Vermont State House, and she looks just great. She’s been up there for a while now and it still gives me a warm and happy glow every time I go past the State House and see her.

I’m grateful Vermonters are willing to serve their fellow citizens in our citizen legislature. But I hope they’ll serve both the special wants and needs of their constituents … and those of all Vermonters, whose needs sometimes differ. It’s important to foster the balance.

Another year rushes by! And I’m reminded of my uncle Bill who was born before indoor plumbing and automobiles. Bill marveled at the change he'd witnessed over 98 years but complained "It all happened too fast."

2018 sure had its ups and downs, and I’m tempted to say mainly downs. But one particular “down” that stands out for me was the passing of comic book and pop culture icon Stan Lee.

About a year ago, Governor Phil Scott announced the sale of revenue bonds, representing the single, largest investment in affordable housing in Vermont’s history.