I have long thought September first is really the first day of the year.

• FIRST DAY OF CLASS: For the first 18 years of life you are defined more by your grade in school than you are by your age.  After 18 years, that's pretty well locked in.
• NEW MODEL YEAR FOR CARS: Maybe not so much anymore, but the new car introductions used to happen all at once in September.  It was pretty exciting.
• NEW TV SEASON: Here again, this is changing, but the networks started all the new shows in fall.
• FAMILY LIFE CHANGING OF THE GUARD: Kids go back to school, vacations are over, the nine month pattern of everyday work life has kicked in.  In the business world, new business really happens in high gear September - December to start January 1.
• FALL FASHIONS: In most of the country, we change clothes - gearing up for cooler weather.

There really is little about January 1 that makes it functionally or practically a new year.

All that said, it will be "New Years" around here soon too (which is why it's been so quiet the last few weeks). Before long, this will be a whole new website with more functionality to it. And there are a lot of developments on the community front.  

So thanks for your patience. Please keep checking in. Tell your friends. Pass around the book. And let me know if you have ideas for Simple Community.