Bonne Année 2009?

It's been interesting spending the last 2 weeks of 2008 in England. Not only has it been the longest I've been away from France since 2000, but it's given me a nice change of perspective on lots of things.

It's difficult not to feel bombarded with the media here, with my father-in-law's two daily papers, his reading of the news every half hour on the teletext on his tv (he is deaf, so the teletext is his only way of 'watching' the news). Add to this all the English mags I've been reading, and you've got yourself one news-overdosed Duchess.

And it seems like it's all doom and gloom for the coming year. Between all the belt-tightening and down-sizing that's expected of us in 2009, it doesn't seem as if I'll be able to fit in any enjoyment. Even the fashion magazines are economy conscious, with talk of clothes swapping on the internet and digging out clothes we bought in the 80's (only certain ones, mind you, like leopard print things, not anything neon, for crying out loud).

As always, in times of economical distress, we are supposed to become more inward looking, focusing on our spirituality and emotional well-being instead of material possessions. I'm all for the navel-gazing trend; it goes nicely with my usual economic policy of hiding under the duvet and hoping it will all just go away.

One of my favorite headlines I read this week was about a man who complained to his bank after receiving a statement that said his account was 100 billion pounds in the red. Oops, he must of got mine by mistake. But I do not feel the slightest bit guilty about the 3 pairs of shoes I've bought since I've been here. By the sounds of it, I won't be able to buy another pair until 2010.

As a naturally pessimistic person, the start of a New Year is always a bit difficult for me. So many worries, so little time. So, I've decided to go against the tide of doomsayers this year and predict that 2009 is going to be a stellar year. Not sure exactly how or why just yet, but wouldn't it be nice if it wasn't as awful as everyone is predicting it will be?