Well here we are then. Don’t panic, but we seem to have tipped into the year 2010. The scent of sunscreen may be lingering in your nostrils, but the evidence seems to suggest that you are in fact back sitting in front of a computer.

As are we. And we’re not sure how we feel about it. So let’s take this slowly. We can hold hands if you like. Together we’ll dip our collective toe into the year. It’s chilly, but bracing.

Here’s a snapshot of Crikey’s year ahead. Incidentally, it’s going to be rather large:

  • Elections. The Federal one, for starters. The title fight: Rudd v Abbott. That prospect alone would keep us going all year but wait, there’s more. The South Australian election in March. This prospect suddenly got interesting after a rather irate estranged husband attacked Premier Rann with a rolled-up magazine at the pointy end of ’09. And don’t leave the Tasmanian election off the map, also in March, followed by Victoria in November.
  • The UK Election — next week Guy Rundle departs for the Old Dart to report on the state of Britain (which, incidentally, is not crash hot) and the upcoming election, in which it seems highly likely that Gordon Brown will be unceremoniously dumped from office, the ghost of Blair’s New Labor tagging behind.
  • The US mid-terms. Not much riding on them, save for oh, any chance at real reform for Obama as America continues to struggle under the weight of recession. A few tasters: historic health-care reform, climate-change strategy, which will set the benchmark for the rest of the globe, plus the possible resurrection of the GOP.
  • All of this as the debate continues to revolve around the post-GFC economy back home (to stimulate or no? that is the question), the ETS battle brewing on the sidelines and did we mention we’re turning 10 this year? As befits a 10-year-old, we will be throwing a party. Several of them, in fact. They may or may not involve fairy bread.

Meanwhile, Crikey is here to help you procrastinate as you put off performing any meaningful tasks for the month of January. Hot tip: have another coffee, trust us, it helps.