Looking ahead

Normally at this stage of the year - that dead period between Christmas and the New Year - I look forward to the turn of the year. Remember those days when you wrote the first cheque of the new year? The first was no problem, date sorted. It was about the third cheque before you mis-dated it with the previous year.

Anyhow, no cheques these days, and nothing but gloom predicted by the media. Nevertheless, I am reasonably optimistic. The economy is going to be dreadful at least until 2010 but apart from those unfortunate to lose their jobs - and it is difficult to imagine how traumatic that would be - I expect most will muddle through. Less expenditure on unnecessary items, lower inflation, falling oil and energy prices, and holidays in the UK should help.

The one thing that could make us all feel suicidal is the media obsession with talking down the economy and reporting every expected statistic as a new calamity. Am I the only one not to be surprised by the monthly shock horror figures of falling mortgages and car sales? Does nobody in the media understand moving averages?

Time for another gin and tonic .....