And so we begin a new year that is rife with possibility — and not without continued risk.

As the national economy makes the first tentative moves toward a recovery, Georgia remains on the knife edge, with unemployment and foreclosure rates still above the national average. The housing market, statewide and locally, remains dicey at best.

For every bright spot, like the upcoming arrival of Mitsubishi, there’s a continued sore spot like Savannah River Landing.

Politically, we also enter a time of uncertainty, as a likely series of retirements and personnel changes in city government (led off by the recent resignation of the stalwart and largely unsung Assistant City Manager Chris Morrell) mean new, untested faces in key spots. Will they be up to the challenges?

Culturally, however, Savannah remains surprisingly vibrant despite 2009’s economic angst taking a devastating toll on nonprofit fundraising. This month the Telfair delivers another edition of its successful, cutting edge Pulse Festival. Soon after that, in February, comes the Savannah Black Heritage Festival, the Savannah Book Festival, and the Savannah Irish Festival.

Then before you know it, it’s time for the full-blown festival season to begin, augured in by Tara Feis, followed by St. Patrick’s Day and then the Savannah Music Festival.

After that comes April’s full calendar of events, and then May’s, and then before you know it — boom! — summer’s here again.

So are you feeling a little less cold now?