2005-01-04 - 12:41 p.m.

Ahhhhh. There�s nowt like facing that first blank page of a brand New Year, all freshly buttered promise and a-drip with the dewy moistness of liquid possibility.

OK, so the year isn�t strictly brand new, but the first few days were taken up with a fraternal visit from Pablo Minor, an exhilarating half week of long walks, where we bonded, shared a few jokes and tried to ignore my chronic lack of knowledge about the city in which I live. My brother is essentially a taller, cooler, fitter, more quick witted, younger, better looking and less bald version of me, so as you can imagine, his visits always work wonders for my self-esteem. I did notice he was thinning slightly on top, though, so, you know�take THAT, superior genetics boy.

But anyway.

The early indicators of the year, trifling matters like global meltdown aside, are that some kind of action, getting a decent job-wise, is probably needed. The year is seemingly saying, �Well, you can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk?� The trouble is, of course, that I�m not sure I can even talk the talk. I can talk SOME talk, I�m just not sure it�s THE talk. As for walking the walk, well�the best I can report is that my people are looking into the walk, and some kind of walk-based manual will perhaps be consulted if this course of action is approved by the relevant committees. Meantime, I�ll be watching daytime television and trying not to think about it.

I�m preparing for a stoic month (whooooaaah, strap yourselves in for this one), relatively sauce-free and with one eye on my tax bill, which is about to land squirming in my lap like an unrequested turn from an obese exotic dancer. My frugal lifestyle will appear to be a commendable attempt at purity and rebirth, but in reality, as soon as I can afford my vices again, I�ll be re-commandeering their services faster than you can say �persistent kidney complaint�.

Let�s hope it�s a good one, without any fear.

Or emergency organ transplants.