Inching Forward Editor Amy Cosper's Note from the December 2012 issue.

It happens but once a year, and now is the time: that rite of passage in which we reflect on the successes, shortcomings and outright failures of the past 12 months.

Bearing in mind the travails of the previous five years, I'd give 2012 a solid B-minus. It turned out to be a relatively quiet, non-panicky, non-bailout type of year. But there is still much work to be done.