2011: Tea leaves say, "read The Indy."

I tell you, North Carolina, I'm excited about this legislative session starting tomorrow.

Legislative building in Campeche, Mexico, Jan. 2011.

The GOP has taken over the N.C. legislature, and it seems to me there's been a good public dialogue between the highest-ranking elected officials. More so, I would say, than I was used to in Georgia leading up to a session.

Here Republican leaders in the House and Senate have said what they want on a wide range of issues. The governor has publicly addressed nearly all of those issues, and the two sides don't seem far off on budget philosophy.

But you just know it's not going to be that easy. Some things we probably know, but trust little as certain about a legislative body.

So these predictions for The Independent Weekly come with no guarantees, and a caution that there are better people to tell you about North Carolina state government than me, but I'm learning fast.

I'll be stringing for The Indy this session, as well as The Winston-Salem Journal, which I also wrote for part time during last years "short" session.

The picture above? From my honeymoon. For the record, those lights change colors.