These last hours can be productive

The final work day of the year is here at Numismatic News and elsewhere. I imagine that many people, myself included, are not exactly setting records for output.

Now I know that can be taken to mean that we are all goofing off. That isn’t necessarily so, or even a bad thing if it were true.

Letting the mind wander away from the immediate task at hand from time to time often leads to greater creativity and productivity.

In fact, I get some of my best work ideas when I am not even at work. I can be out walking, having my first cup of coffee in the morning, or staring at myself in the mirror as I shave.

You never know when a good idea will come along. It might even be as I watch the clock mark the last hours of this year.

I have to write a column soon about my annual forecasts to let everyone know how humble my powers of forecasting 2011 events actually are. Then I have to come up with forecasts for what will happen in 2012. It is amazing what variety of thoughts occur to me in this annual exercise.

What I do know is this is a great hobby to participate in and I wish everyone a happy and prosperous 2012.

And if you happen to know where gold is going, slip that information my way.