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Hard to believe that a new year is about to descend upon us, so I thought it appropriate to remember some of the people who graced these pages, my life and, I hope, yours, if but briefly, in 2007.

The incredible shrinking woman: Mary Smith caught our attention when she appeared on the cover of People magazine in January for her feat of losing 125 pounds and going from a size 28 to 4 by eschewing all sugars, even to the point of wearing gloves when she cooks carb-laden chow for her family.

But it was the story of child sexual abuse behind her once-chunky girth that showed just what a remarkable accomplishment her weight loss really was and what an inspiration she is.

Nearly a year later, Smith has remained in that thin "after" life every "before" dreams of, though she admits to gaining 20 pounds despite her continued carb-free regimen.

She suspects that has to do with Albuquerque's high altitude - a phenomenon she is heavily researching.

"I have met numerous persons who gained 20 to 30 pounds upon moving here, and I hope and pray every day that I will soon adjust to whatever it is that causes this and that it will come back off," she said recently. "I am not going to lose faith. I will never give up."

Sounds like a good New Year's resolution.

Broken mind, broken system: Patricia Long went to prison after being convicted in 2005 for trying to hire a hit man to kill her ex-husband.

Her intended victim has implored the courts and corrections officials to get her the help she needed while locked inside, but the state penal system is no substitute for mental health care as he, and everyone else, soon realized.

Six months after her release, Long was back behind bars on a probation violation, her mind seemingly just as broken, her risk to herself, her ex-husband and others just as alarming.

Long goes back before state District Judge Albert S. "Pat" Murdoch on Wednesday in Albuquerque to determine whether she is competent. Eventually, he could decide to commit her to the New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute, the state mental hospital, where arguably she should have been sent in the first place.

It's all been too much for her ex-husband, Stephen Avery, and a new challenge for their 19-year-old son, who has now made it his mission to seek help for his damaged mother.

"I used to tell employees we have left the `Twilight Zone' and entered `Toontown,' " Avery said. "I never believed it would apply to my own life. I simply can see no way out."

But what other way is there, now, but for him to once again hope the system works? You can forgive him, however, if he has grave doubts.

"One point that I hammer the DA with is the truth that Patricia's mental illness, while present during our marriage, did not reach this extent until the state became involved," he said. "First, through the divorce courts and later through the criminal justice system."

It's enough to make the rest of us crazy.

Sanjaya who? My 12-year-old daughter, Alicia Glenn, made her debut as a columnist this year by writing about the hair-gel-heavy, voice-thin heartthrob known as Sanjaya Malakar, who was voted off "American Idol" this season.

"Long and flowing, short and curly, straight and shiny, his hair was like a surprise each week, even though sometimes it was a scary surprise," she wrote.

Alas, Alicia's foray into writing has made like dry hair and split.

These days, too, she has forgotten Sanjaya as easily as she forgets to do her chores.

"I've moved on from that, Mom," she said. "But sometimes I think about his hair."

Sanjaya hair and "American Idol" seem so long ago. A whole year, almost. Here's hoping we all continue to move on in the new year.

Next week: Army veteran James Morris and more memorable column characters of 2007.