It's 2003 and I'm fine.
Although I am feeling slightly bitter that the New Year period is now just an opportunity to wonder how many countries will be wiped off the map this year rather than thinking optimistically about all the good things that might happen in the coming 12 months. Of course, that's primarily a difference in my attitude rather than a change in the fundamental nature of New Year's Day, but I think it's quite pertinent, nevertheless. The future never used to suck this badly.
Still, we somehow made our way through 2002 without elevating cockroaches to the planet's dominant species... maybe it all gets less precarious over time.
I've been watching a lot of Sky Digital while staying at my parents' house over Xmas (pronounced, as in Futurama, with a hard X), and have come to realise just how cool our documentary channels are, here in Britain. Watched a clear 4 hour run of interesting and educational stuff last night, in prime-time no less. So my new year's resolution - the only one I'm willing to make - is to watch more of UK Horizons, National Geographic and the various Discovery channels, because I think that between them there's almost always something good on television. And when I say 'good', I mean 'genuinely meritorious' rather than 'mildly diverting but unengaging'. It also feels perversely satisfying to set myself a new year's resolution to do more of a thing that most people should do less of, but I barely watch television at the moment, so it fits.
In closing, I'd like to wish you all a happy new year, although I feel it is necessary to make clear that I - along with every other human being - do not in fact have the ability to bestow good fortune upon your forthcoming calendar year - or, indeed, to alter reality in any other supernatural way - so I can not, in good conscience, take any credit if you do have a happy new year, nor any blame if the converse turns out to be true. Nevertheless I offer the traditional meaningless and empty salutation: happy new year!
Oh. I didn't spoil the moment, did I?