Dry January

With early starts either for running purposes or needing to be at the desk ready for online meetings and writing deadlines, the thought of drinking alcohol the night before is normally a no no. On these wintry nights, I do look forward to Friday though when I can celebrate the end of the week with a few glasses of red wine in front of a roaring fire followed by a nice supper with my Scotsman. Still, after glugging way too much good wine and fizz over Christmas, I feel another Dry January beckoning. Last year, it went by remarkably quickly so hopefully this time it won’t be too boring. I have a lot of urgent work projects to get under way this month and marathon training, so the timing is good. I envisage early nights and mornings and getting stuck into work which should serve as a welcome distraction. If worse comes to worse, I can always pilfer some of the Scotsman’s non-alcoholic beer, though I feel it won’t quite prove quite as satisfying as a glass of ruby red wine.

New Year in the fast lane

Soller might not be St Barts in the sun-soaked Caribbean, but it ticks most boxes for me when it comes to Christmas and New Year. There’s a real sense of community and tranquillity which is a million light years away from the hysteria and heavy footfall found on high streets in the runup to Christmas in the UK. I read the news which shows scenes of disgruntled shoppers fighting over turkeys and crackers in supermarkets and wonder if the world has gone truly mad. So much for the season of goodwill. There is never a rush on anything here. Everyone just buys what they need and frugally at that. With the cost-of-living crisis, more emphasis than ever has been put on being with loved ones and just enjoying good company and the food and drink that one can afford.

Meanwhile, this New Year, the British newspapers were filled with stories about the Hollywood stars and international jet set heading for Dubai and the beaches of St Barts. I honestly can’t think of anything worse than bumping into the Kardashians, the Madonna clan and JLo and sulky Ben Affleck while trying to have a discreet holiday in the sun. But of course, there is nothing discreet about this lot. They have paparazzi photographers lined up to take images of them arriving in their yachts and private planes or pouting on the shoreline in their designer swimwear. JLo was filmed shopping in a Bulgari store while a forlorn Affleck trailed after her, evidently bored out of his wits. On that point, why on earth would JLo want to buy jewels from Bulgari in the Caribbean when she can just visit one of the ubiquitous stores in the likes of London, LA or New York? Are these people not remotely interested in the fascinating local culture and natural beauty of the island? Apparently not.

You have to wonder whether they ever truly let their hair down and have fun without voluntarily being in the glare of publicity. It must be so grim to have to watch everything you eat, drink, do, wear and say. I suppose money and notoriety are the flames they fan but surely nothing can really beat freedom, peace, and anonymity.

Ozempic craze

Most of us put on a few pounds over the festive season but that doesn’t automatically have us reaching for a powerful type 2 diabetes slimming drug. However, in Hollywood, the drug, Ozempic, is seen as a solution to any weight gain year-round and is allegedly being taken by the likes of Oprah Winfrey and Sharon Osbourne. In fact, Sharon Osbourne was honest enough to admit that she had taken it and had lost far too much weight. Indeed, she now looks horribly gaunt, and it has visibly aged her.

The drug has potential side effects and so is supposed to be an aid only for those with extreme obesity. Surely therefore it has to be dangerous to A listers taking it randomly in order to save time on exercise and eating a proper diet. Ozempic is also extremely costly so unless you have big bucks, it’s a drug that won’t be for the majority, thankfully. I think most of us know what we need to do to cut back on the kilos. I shun sweet things and snacks for a while and try to avoid fried foods and alcohol. That, combined with walking or any decent exercise regime helps to get one back in shape. One wonders what the long-term prognosis will be for those taking regular slimming aids of this kind. I fear it won’t be good.

And finally…Happy New Year!

If 2023 didn’t live up to your expectations, let’s hope 2024 will. Last year was harsh and fraught for so many with the cost-of-living crisis, illness and daily stresses. Meanwhile, world wars shot up all over the globe like unstoppable bamboo and sadly, they are far from over. All the same, however grim and ugly the world appears to be, I comfort myself in knowing that for every selfish and unevolved human being, there are countless good eggs and angels who go the extra mile for their fellow humans, animals and the natural world. Many of us are lucky enough to have loved ones who care about us and that is the greatest blessing of all. This is what we all need to focus on in the coming year: cherishing and being cherished, being grateful for what we have, and believing in the power of the people to overcome evil. I like to call it community.