There's value to taking stock of where we've been and thinking about where we may be going -- and it can be fun.

The North Raleigh News is doing it a little differently this year, though. Last year, if you will remember (and I hope most don't), I handled the predictions myself, in this column. Specifically, I posed several "Questions That Loom Large in 2005."

The questions were:

* How will the new North Hills shopping center fare?

* Will North Raleigh be able to mount a serious effort to bring in low-cost housing?

* Will the new garbage collection system turn out to be a loser or a winner?

* How will the three new Wal-Mart Supercenters impact existing supermarkets?

* How many miles of greenways will the city build?

I predicted "major developments surrounding these issues." I was clearly right about low-cost housing -- the city recognized the problem and put bonds on the ballot in the fall. Voters' approval of those bonds should allow for substantial progress in building sorely needed affordable housing.

Competition from Wal-Mart was cited as a factor when Winn-Dixie announced in June that it would close its North Carolina stores (including two in North Raleigh). But analysts also blamed other factors, and one of the North Raleigh Winn-Dixies -- at Brier Creek -- was quickly replaced. So I'll only take partial credit for being right on that one.

Greenway construction -- or lack thereof -- was a concern in 2005 as the city continued to lag on its construction plans. But I have to admit the concern didn't seem to rise to the level of "major development." And there have been complaints about the garbage collection system, but no citizen uprising.

As for North Hills, my concern about whether it would succeed seems, uh, unnecessary.

All in all, my record for prognostication is a mixed one. This year, North Raleigh News reporters are writing the "looking ahead" stories, with help from experts. We'll see how they do.