The old looks upon the new, but what does the new see when it looks upon the old? Image by Flickr user ttyS0 (CC-usage).

But, if constructing the future and settling everything for all times are not our affair, it is all the more clear what we have to accomplish at present: I am referring to ruthless criticism of all that exists, ruthless both in the sense of not being afraid of the results it arrives at and in the sense of being just as little afraid of conflict with the powers that be.

Yes, I’m quoting none other than Marx himself, and yes, I’m taking him a wee bit out of context, but for a reason: 2009 has been one helluva year for the entire world.  Now that it’s finally passed and we enter into 2010 and all that could be, let’s take a moment to fearlessly review all that was and could have been.

There has been upheaval of the most dramatic and intimate sorts, from the highest pinnacles of political power to the small, quiet epics of our individual lives.  Several of us here in neweurasia jumped countries, switched day jobs, swapped schools, and changed entire lives.  Some projects never came to fruition; others were frustratingly stalled again and again.  And there were some tragedies, too — loved ones lost, impossible decisions made.

Yet, it has not been all storm and strife. We managed to relaunch our website, conduct two major barcamps, not to mention several trailblazing seminars and workshops, and forge a new team of editors and bloggers, who produced some pretty cool content in my opinion. Most of all, despite all the many moments when it seemed like this battleship might sink, we persevered.

So, here’s to 2009: goodbye.  I’m glad you’re done, but I’m also glad you happened.  And, here’s to 2010:  we’re ready for you as we’re ever going to be.   To paraphrase Ingrid Berman, play it again Marx, play it again.