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You'll notice I've not had too many posts the last couple of days and I'd just like to say it's because I've been working diligently on this special end-of-year article. NAH! I've been a layabout, drinking beer, watching football, joining in holiday week debauchery with a few days off from work.

But back to the blog, nevertheless, because it's that time of year when the media make easy stories just for these occasions  out of various annual end-of-the-year awards and lists. So I will embrace the temptation time-honored tradition.

Here is my meager list of nominees for awards in categories I made up only because I had someone in mind for the award. So if you aren't doing anything this weekend, please feel free to correct me where you see fit or fill in where I've been neglectful.

Puna Blog Story of the Year

Emily NaeoleWithout doubt it was Emily Naeole's upset of Gary Safarik. (An interesting aside here is in the current Hawaii Island Journal -- no link yet -- in a story by Tiffany Edwards about Gary Safarik taking a radio job with "Mynah Bird" on Monday mornings on KHBC Radio 1060 AM, where, according to the story, the ex-Councilman will attempt to become a radio personality. Well, now at least he's got the radio part down.

 
The "Oops, That Must Have Been The Neighbor" Award
Brian Jordan's election eve e-mail blunder, in which he inadvertently revealed himself as an anonymous poster, and his wife Kim's subsequent efforts to explain it away, is an instant classic.

The Dog and Pony Show Award
The winner is the Governor's East Hawaii Advisory Council's visit to the Makuu Market to hear residents' transportation concerns, only to hear state transportation officials blow off most of what people were saying. They did have lots of charts showing what they were already planning to do, however. The best thing about that October meeting was that it also produced the following.

The Sleep Aids Advisory Board Award
The Governor's Council Chairman,  Alton Okinaka, was present but unaccounted for as he nodded out during most of the public testimony at the Makuu meeting. Vice Chairwoman Carol Van Camp said he was on medication.

 
The "Would you repeat that question, please?" Award
I could hardly conceal my amusement as moderator of a candidates forum in HPP when Aaron Anderson volunteered to answer a question from his seat in the audience and didn't remember what it was by the time he got to the microphone.

The Art of Existential Evasion Award
Kaniu Stocksdale, declining to discuss her past peccadilloes with the school superintendent, told a reporter she is aware of her past but beyond that now. "That's the past," she said. "It's not the present and it's not the future."

The Only In Puna, "I Feel Good" in remembrance of the late Godfather of Soul, Award
Kapoho residents Yuko Iwamura and Scott Schuett were married on a float  in the Pahoa Christmas Parade Dec. 9.

 
The Toot My Own Horn Award
I'd like to think this blog has made some small difference for the better in the way Puna is perceived from the outside, and perhaps even in the way we perceive ourselves. I also would hope that it has contributed to a better community by providing an open public forum for the exchange of  ideas and information about where we live. The blog has broken news and made news statewide in these first few months, and the comments from readers have been truly edifying. Looking over the last five months' posts, we've covered many issues -- gas prices, incineration, charter schools, media, agriculture, technology -- and I've discovered that readers here like talking local politics, planning and development, and that few give a rip about education. I'm just trying to keep it all local, stick up for Puna, and see if this blog thing works after all. Thanks to everyone for helping. Happy New Year, Peace to all.