I did a lot of griping last year about the cost of real estate and how property ownership was slipping away from the middle class. But maybe that’s just my Northeast perspective. In the rest of the country, homes are more affordable than they were in the past.

Gov. Blanco wasn’t a bad leader during Katrina, because she cried. She was a bad leader, because she didn’t get relief into New Orleans fast enough, relied too heavily on local leaders, and didn’t advocate for her state with Washington. Just had to clear that up.

There’s a fun meme making the rounds. Alexandra from All Things Beautiful asks who are the worst 10 Americans (via Ampersand, whose blog is also having a minidown about separate feminist threads).

How to be happy? Darrin M. McMahon says don’t try. He quotes JS Mill:

“Those only are happy,” he came to believe, “who have their minds fixed on some object other than their own happiness; on the happiness of others, on the improvement of mankind, even on some art or pursuit, followed not as a means, but as itself an ideal end. Aiming thus at something else, they find happiness by the way.” For our own culture, steeped as it is in the relentless pursuit of personal pleasure and endless cheer, that message is worth heeding.

So in these last days of 2005 I say to you, “Don’t have a happy new year!” Have dinner with your family or walk in the park with friends. If you’re so inclined, put in some good hours at the office or at your favorite charity, temple or church. Work on your jump shot or your child’s model trains. With luck, you’ll find happiness by the by. If not, your time won’t be wasted. You may even bring a little joy to the world.