If things have seemed squirrelier than usual, Mercury has been retrograde since December 10th and it went direct yesterday. Whoa, what'd you say? Whatever does all that mean, anyway? Who knows! I don't know that I believe celestial bodies being able to predict the future and all that, but Mercury Retrograde, now that's another story, as it is said to disrupt travel and communication. So if things have been out of whack, we can blame it on the planets and move on. After all, it is just in time to ring out the old and ring in the new. I hope that you have made some fond memories in 2010, even in the midst of tough stuff going on in the economy, on the job front, with the housing crisis, not to mention all the other things that might have befallen someone you know, or even you for that matter. Here is to an end that will yield a new beginning.

The song for the last day of the year is from Hans Rotenberry, who tells us how it came to be.

"I think it was when I had my cat spayed that I first said 'so long, sweet bitch,' hoping her behavior would change. It struck me as a good title. Then I wrote the words and had them around for a while, then my oldest cat died, one I'd had for half my life. So I got to thinking about all the Roy Orbison tearjerkers whilst digging a cat's grave, then all the music came. So I used the sadness of Max's passing to add to the, uh, emotional authenticity, or something. It's my mom's favorite tune of mine. I dedicate it to her all the time. Mom gets the joke. Amen."

Remember to take inspiration wherever you can. Goodbye to 2010 and hello to Hans Rotenberry, recorded at Americana Fest in Nashville this past September. "So Long Sweet Bitch."

- Jessie Scott