10. January 2008.

There is a day during every year that's everyone's birthday: New Year's Day. We have lived through yet another year. At this time, we leave behind all the bad things, all the sadness and regrets, and look ahead with optimism, full of plans, goals, and ideas. And this is how it should be. A new year means new opportunities, so let us always forge ahead with full steam.

Almost as a tradition, the final days are about reviewing the past year, only to realize how much we should have done, how much we should still do. Time may be our greatest enemy. When one has the greatest need of time, it flies, when one wants to hasten its passage, it goes by very slowly. Being in my 182^nd year, I still don't know Time all that well. I feel as if it always gets the better of me.

The first comments about the new website have come in. Dear Journal Reader, I would also appreciate your comment as well, so grab your keyboard and write into my guest book, or send me an email. One can never run out of things to learn. There is always something to polish on a work of art, to make it more beautiful, for as long as there is Time to do so, Time and opportunity. Our membership is expanding every day, hopefully more and more people will make use of the interactive options and follow in the footsteps of the first few brave souls: to comment our news items, to give us ideas, to write into our guestbook, to bid on special pieces, to present their collections, to use the assistance we provide, immersing themselves in the world of Herend. People with similar interests, at a virtual venue, where value and beautify reside, where art creates eternal value and promises only good.

In barely a month, we can meet in person at the largest porcelain show: Frankfurt is awaiting porcelain-lovers, this year as well. But until then updated programmes, news items, events and novelties await you on the website, to be read, studied, used, as we created them just for you.