Sunday Roundup

Happy New Year, HuffPosters! This out-with-the-old, in-with-the-new weekend is my favorite time of the year -- and the perfect opportunity for cleaning out our internal hard drives of all the accumulated detritus from 2011, including Anthony Weiner's photographic skills, Charlie Sheen's "winning" streak, Rick Perry's "Oops" moment, Kim Kardashian's 72-day marriage, 9-9-9, Tebowing, Carmageddon, Newt Gingrich blaming his affairs on his passion for America, the Raptureless May 21, and the president sending an end of the yearto tens of thousands with the subject line "Hey"... As we leave 2011 behind, let's drop the faux intimacy, clear our personal hard drives of any hurts, grudges, and disappointments and start the New Year with a clean slate -- ready to welcome all the surprises, opportunities, and, yes, challenges, 2012 will bring. Let's celebrate the spirit of renewal that is the essence of new beginnings -- and that the world so desperately needs.