We all have our new Calendars ready to start crossing off the days of the New Year but before we do that, you got to think of what you accomplished this past year or more importantly who were the people that meant the most to you. Then you got to hug or kiss them tomorrow night where millions pf people around the world show their outward display of public affection.

I don’t care if you plan to stay alone on New Years Eve, text, or skype, or call or go to a website and wish someone well. Why not? Because the time has come to think of those you lost and to think of who you would like to meet. Time for farewells and time for plans. That is what we do!

The people who gave us gifts to our lives that we lost this past year were Steve Jobs who gave us the gifts of new gadgets that made our lives easier and more pleasurable. Elizabeth Taylor who appeared in more than 50 movies, Won the Academy Awards twice, married 8 times, was an advocate for Aids awareness and built a fortune from branding perfume. Did I mention she was very beautiful?

Sidney Lumet never got an Oscar for his directing but gave us” Serpico” the movie along with “Dog Day Afternoon,” “The Hill.” among countless others that drew 40 nominations. We will miss his work in the movies. Five years ago they did give him an honorary Academy Award.

The music scores of John Barry, especially the notes we heard in the James Bond movies won’t be played anymore. We lost him too.

Betty Ford, the coolest wife in the White House is gone who is best known for the addiction clinics named after her and her appreciation for the arts. She was a dancer who used to dance on top of the large conference tables in the White House.

Geraldine Ferraro will be missed, she is the first woman ever to be nominated for a national office by being nominated Vice-President of the United States. We witnessed a major change in history in 1984.

We have to remember the troops who have been fighting the war for us for ten years. This past year 460 brave soldiers died in Iraq and Afghanistan. Frank Buckles died too at the age of 110 who went to war at the age of 16 to World War I. Yes, he was the last surviving American Veteran from that war.

The man who showed his lifelong commitment to health and fitness, well, no one lives forever now that Jack Lalanne has died at the age of 96 years old.

Television favorites died this year too. Favorites like Peter Falk from the Columbo show.

The actor James Arness died; the guy that fought cowboy crime on TV in the show called Gunsmoke. During the 50’s and 60’s more than 50 million viewers tuned into watching that show on TV. We can’t forget Harry Morgan from Mash or Jeff Conaway from Taxi who became more famous for his drug addictions. Or even Sherwood Schwartz. Who is he? A TV legend who created the music and the show for the Brady Bunch and Gilligan’s Island. More people know the lyrics to those songs than they know the words to the Star Spangled Banner.

The most newsworthy death this year was the successful operation by the United States that killed Osama Bin Laden, the leader of Al Qaeda. His life caused many deaths on 9-11

Young stars died this year too. At the age of 33 the race car driver Dan Wilden who won the Indy 500 race twice died on the racetrack. Singer Amy Winehouse was even younger at age 27 when she died this year .

I will personally miss the fiery redhead actress Jane Russell and the boxer Joe Frasier who had 27 knock outs in his career. And Clarence Clemons who played Saxophone in Bruce Springsteen’s Band.

Lets humbly thank the inventor of Super Glue, Harry Koover and another favorite Arch West the creator of the Frito Lay Doritos. Also, the composer of the favorite Christmas song ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” Hugh Martin. They all made an indelible mark on the 20^th Century.

Jack Kevorkian died who helped people die. And Andy Rooney is gone who was so happy to be able to say his opinion on anything . He was paid to say anything he wanted as I write here to say whatever I want. And I thank the 20 Thousand of you who type TheOtherSerpico and read my thoughts. Thanks for remembering me and Happy New Year.