Letting go of the go-getting

Apparently, hoards of young professionals, particularly women, are currently doing just that.  Climbing off the ladder, having an 'ambition comedown' (Grazia), stepping off the treadmill, the hamster-wheel or other euphemism for Corporate high-flying.

Is this really that new? I imagine that the economics of the last two years have made many people re-evaluate priorities, whether or not they have now decided to down-shift their careers. I'm sure the end of the eighties saw a similar exodus, caused by the soul-searching that inevitably follows a period of empty values such as greed.

On my first 'real' trip to Canary Wharf last week, the reality of the banking crisis and credit crunch was brought home.  Standing at West India Quay, looking at the HSBC tower, and others, the symbols of wealth and austerity were so overt it was vulgar.  Particularly when less than a mile away, there are some of the poorest communities in London, which I found out while getting lost on the way to my budget hotel.

 Don't get me wrong, I am not knocking corporate life.  I actually get a huge amount of satisfaction from being able to influence a company's direction.  For many people that just doesn't float their boat, and that's ok.  This doesn't mean they are letting go of the go-getting per se, just that their motivation comes from elsewhere, for example voluntary work, freelancing, being their own boss, or a stay at home mom.  And of course, these all are fine.

We all need a handful of things that get us out of bed in the morning.  Whether or not this means thoughts of smashing the glass ceiling, or perfecting Jamie's 30-minute meal Moroccan lamb, is all down to choice.  Both of equal importance, and perfectly fine by me, of course.

Napster for iPhone Uk

Somebody somewhere please sort it out. Have now been using spotify subscription for over 6 months and it just doesn't cut it.

Why oh why oh why is this so hard

And if it's in the US then why not here?

And then 'the industry' wonders why illegal downloading goes on. Probably because the greed and lack of competition in certain services makes it difficult, for those that want to legitimately pay for e-music, to access it in a way that suits them.

Disgruntled of Shropshire

Finding my reserves

There is nothing like boosting your confidence than running in a race and doing well.

So when I managed to pull out a personal best at Sunday's Birmingham half-marathon, I was over the moon.  Even better that I was running through my old hometown, down streets that had so many memories for me - my old junior school, the park where I watched friends and family pose for wedding photos, the prep school where I sang at a Summer Ball.

Lately, I have been feeling the strain of every day work, as I guess we all do from time to time.  Trying to 'replace' two-thirds of your team, due to maternity leave, at the busiest time of the finance year, is no mean feat.  There have been days when I have felt as though there is 'nothing left in my locker', and I have had to dig deep to maintain my finance-professional-cum-quirky-music-loving-chick persona.

I set off way too quickly on Sunday, partly to escape the congestion at the start of the race, but mainly to take advantage of the descent out of the City Centre.  However, my quick start came to bite me towards the latter half of the race, in the energy-sapping dark tunnels, and climbing the truly awful hill, at mile 10.  It was at these low points that I had to dig deep, find what little reserves I had left, and keep going.

When you cross the finish line of a long distance race, it makes you feel as though you can achieve anything.  Starting a new week, with my half of my new team half in their seats and half waiting in the wings, I feel on top of the world.

"We're women, not ladies!"

Really?????!!!!!

I ran a half marathon on Sunday with my husband.  Actually, it wasn't quite with, because he finished 15 minutes before me.  But anyway, on the journey home, we switch on Radio 4 to hear the last 20 minutes of The Reunion.  I first caught some of this show last week, when were in London for Notting Hill Carnival.  What a lovely day that was - sun was shining, calypso and samba were playing, the police van even belted out KRS One and Shall Marshall (google it).

Last week, the topic of said show was Hurricane Katrina, with the guests a mixture of survivors, officials and an army general.  A very moving and sombre recollection of the events and media portrayal.

This week, the topic was the 1970 Miss World contest, which was famously interrupted by a Women's Lib protest.  Unfortunately, the one fact that I cannot get out of my mind is that one of the guests felt it necessary to interrupt Peter Jolley (organiser) mid-sentence, when he refers to them as "ladies", to say, "We're women, not ladies".  Hello??!!

I am not going to attempt to get into the rights and wrongs of the women's movement, or beauty parades for that matter.  I am fairly sure that I, on balance, have benefited in many ways, from what these women stood for.  But since I heard the program, and listened to it again online, all I can think about was the fact that this guest felt it necessary to undermine her whole raison d'etre, in my opinion, by making a point of protesting against the use of a word which 99% of women have absolutely no problem with.

My friends and I - all career-minded, hard-nosed, corporate-thonged types - call each other ladies all the time.  My younger brother calls me Lady as a term of respect and endearment.  In the same way at work that I will address men as guys, gentlemen or even boys.  What would she prefer? bitches and ho's?? Because I don't see the Women's Lib storming the MTV and Radio 1 studios on a regular basis.

Times have moved on, and although there may have been a time when ladies was deemed to be patronising, or assuming fragility and delicacy (how awful!), it's everyday  meaning has perhaps moved on - this happens in the English language.  When I googled to find out why it was deemed so offensive, I struggled.

Surely we need to stop fighting yesterday's battles.  Instead let's focus on figuring out how to have it all, keep it all, close the gender pay gap, prolong fertility, master the menopause, halt the emasculation of men, and stop the shards of glass falling in from the broken ceiling.  All triumphs of the Women's Lib movement.

Wolf whistling is alive and well

Is it just me, or is wolf-whistling on the increase?  Whilst out for my early morning run on Tuesday I was slightly taken aback when I heard this strange noise, looked around and saw a parked-up driver with pursed lips.  Then on Thursday, I had two horn-honks, in close succession.  At one stage I thought I must have forgotten to put my running vest on, or might have split my shorts.  But no, no wardrobe malfunctions.

It got me thinking about how women in the eighties used to get so hung up on wolf-whistles, and being called "love", or "darling" in the office.  Funny how times change.  Now it seems to be the norm for everyone to refer to each other in affectionate terms such as chick, hun, duck, love, treacle - whether you are male or female, and noone seems to bat an eye.

Even in the office, most women I know tend to hold their own, and give as good as they get.  Don't get me wrong, we still make a mental note of men with an inability to keep the eyes away from the chest-region. But we are probably less likely to go running down to HR to complain, and are more likely to simply recognise this male deficiency and move on, occasionally laughing at said individual with other colleagues who have clocked the same.

I'm not condoning those who cross the line, just saying that I think the line has moved and blurred, since the media and shoulder-padded feminists have stopped telling us it was all so demeaning.

The thing about Skype

We've all heard of Skype.  It's a great idea, and its free - mostly. So why hasn't it taken over the world? Years after launching, why isn't everyone laughing all the way to the bank.  And why haven't call providers revenues been dented?  In short, why hasn't Skype tipped?

I'm not sure what the business text books are saying, but my experience is this, and I suspect it to be typical of many users.  I heard of Skype about 5 years ago.  Didn't really get it.  Thought that perhaps some people were joining a secret cult where you had to scratch your left ear to gain entry.  You would see certain 'types' add it to the bottom of their email signature, or websites - Hmmm.  Anyway, after an advertising campaign a couple of years ago, and after visiting some faraway relatives I revisited Skype.  Set up a username and hey presto, I made 2 or 3 calls - maximum - grainy webcam, patchy sound quality etc.  I then did nothing.  Until this week.

My brother has recently moved to the US, so my sister was teaching my Mother to use Skype (again!).  Now here is the first thing about Skype.  People aren't always on.  They couldn't get hold of him because he was showing as offline.  I used my nifty, free, WhatsApp app to message him, and within a few seconds he was on.  But here for me is the crux with Skype.  The quality was so abysmal they had to abandon.  I called them on my iphone's Skype app, but again the quality was awful.  They could barely hear me at all - just the odd syllable.

If the stats are to be believed they reckon Skype is taking 13% of the international call share of minutes.  Really???  Based on my experience I would rather use my landline, mobile or a prepaid phone card.  Surely you need to be able to hear someone to have a conversation with them, rather than spend the entire duration saying "what was that?"  Perhaps this is why the share of minutes is so high.

What I love about Skype is that it truly epitomises the Scandinavian sense of fairness and egality.  Spotify and Ikea - same thing.  But I think I'll wait another few years until the next marketing campaign announces that you can actually now hold a decent conversation.

Singing for supper on QVC

I've read the article in today's Sunday Times and I'm still not sure what to make of it - artists singing on QVC to sell albums?

For me, Matthew Goodman goes a little far when he calls it 'selling their soul'. No, Matthew, selling your soul is allowing your single, nay, your face, to be used to advertise deodorant. Come on, Alexandra, you are so much better than that.

Is it sad, or savvy, that recording companies are scraping the barrel of recorded music sales by turning to the 'we buy anything on impulse' audience that watch QVC. Sure it may shift a few units, but will these people actually go to the concerts, buy the merchandise, and follow up releases? Unlikely, but still plausible I suppose. Either this is the clever discovery of a profitable new segment, or the last ditch attempt of a dying swan.

I reckon that recorded music is heading one way - free. Or as free as it can be under some sort of subscription, rights, or rental basis. With only collectors, luddites and members of the slow movement regularly buying physical products.

I also believe that there is a big elephant in the room, which the music industry has to acknowledge before it can move forwards. Illegal downloading has not robbed them of income per se, as suggested in the article. There is no way on earth that the quantity of everything downloaded would ever have been purchased. Many illegal downloaders probably don't even get round to listening to half of it. Yes, it will have had an impact on revenues, but what about general social trends. Kids who had nothing else to do thirty years ago except watch TV with their parents, listen to their friends' mix tapes, or play on their Commodore 64 (if they were lucky) now have PSPs, Facebook, iphones, wii's etc. While the grown-ups now eat out, go to the cinema, cook with Jamie's 20-minute meals app. Maybe the time for listening to music has just been squeezed out by our busy, have-it-all lives.

Yes, all creative industries need to tackle the issue of protecting artistic content. But seriously, the music business needs to spend less money on old rope, and put more efforts into making money in the future - be that from recorded music, or something else. And I don't think QVC is the answer. But then what do I know.

Do they have wi-fi?

Modern technology is great isn't it? Advances in digital technology and connectivity have opened up new worlds for individuals, businesses, communities and countries.

At the same time, I firmly believe that this same ubiquitous connectivity is responsible for much of our modern-day stresses and pressures. Put simply, we are always on.

20 years ago, when there were few mobile phones, people simply couldn't be reached when they were travelling, or on holiday, or out for dinner. Emails would not be read, let alone actioned, until the following working day, if the recipient had already gone home.

Now, with mobiles, blackberries, iphones, ipads and other time-saving, sanity-sapping devices, we are always on. And I'm really not trying to raise the gender thing here, but guys, you are by far the worst at this, yet you doth protest the most. Mobile phones are answered in restaurants, cars (obviously), planes and trains (even with the dreadful Euston to Birmingham signal). Blackberry messages are picked up and sent at all hours of night - what must their partners think of them? Do they sneak off to the bathroom to send these messages??

Anyway, my point here is that being on 24-7 can't be good for us. Where is the down-time, moment of calm in the day, R&R? How can we possibly recharge our batteries when we are always on?

One of the great bosses I had a few years ago always used to leave the first hour and a half of every day completely free. No meetings under any circumstances. He also used to like going for a walk at lunchtime. I admire this self-discipline.

I currently find myself in an organisation where, if you will allow it, you will always be on.

I know this because when my friend booked us in for a spa break this week, I said to her, "Do they have wi-fi?"

Facebook's Zuckerberg says "you have one identity"

really???

I read the article in this month's Wired with some intrigue. But I certainly had a better understanding of the interesting beliefs/values that sit behind Facebook's approach to privacy (or lack of).

Don't get me wrong, I have no issue with Facebook's much-maligned abuse, exploitation or under-hand approach to privacy (or lack of) per se. As I have said previously, those that put it all out there on facebook do not give a sh*t about privacy. You only need to look at the content and photos that they publish for their 300+ 'friends' to view. Pictures of their children, tales of their ex's flaws, wall postings to their spouses and children - who actually live under the same roof - and warnings to biatches to 'keep away from my man' etc etc. In fact the real crime here is probably one of general social breakdown and the art of conversation. But I'll save that for another post.

I was intrigued that what seems to be driving facebook's evangelism of no privacy is in fact Zuckerberg's view that we should all be transparent anyways - both our social and work personas blurred. Hmmmm. Interesting that Sheryl Sandberg, COO, did not appear to share the same view.

Now, I don't know Zuckerberg. I've read a few articles about him, and of course I've read his biog on wikipedia, so I'm sure I have the full picture. But I think he is seriously naive if he believes people only have one identity, or aspect. What I find most worrying, is that he implies that privacy, because it is not transparency, is dishonest. When did it become dishonest to avoid flaunting your sexuality in front of small children, or refrain from swearing like a trooper in front of the reverend, or save hangover breath for days when you don't have to be in the office at 8am. Hello!!! I thought that this was part of juggling the various strands of life. Why does Zuckerberg think that this is a lack of transparency, or in some way construe putting up a pretence? Isn't this what all human beings - both children, but especially adults, do, to actually function socially or otherwise? Imagine if no one ever had any social constraints, controls or restraints. Although interesting, the world would be an awful caricature of... facebook.

Ask any working mom, and she will tell you about the different aspects of her life. This does not mean that she has different identities, just that she brings the relevant skills, knowledge, humour and emotions etc, to suit the situation.

I'm all for more transparency, and I agree that people do sometimes suppress their true personalities, and therefore potential, to such an extent that they lose themselves, especially at work. But, I am a little worried that Zuckerberg's mission to correct this is somewhat misguided, and its not what people are signing up to. In a sense, Facebook could actually be accused of having more than one identity. In that it pretends to be a harmless social networking site, when actually its young founder is on a naive mission to 'out' everyone and rid the world of the evil that is privacy.

iphone 4 - gutted

nothing more to say...

Wanted: iphone music subscription

I'm not the first, and I won't be the last, but when will we get more choice around downloadable music on a subscription basis, for iphone??!!

For me, this is currently the biggest drawback with iphone, and was almost a reason for me going with nokia over Apple. I simply must have my music collection with me wherever I am, and I need to limit the number of devices I'm carrying, hence phone must double as an mp3 player.

I chose iphone because I eventually decided all of the other functionality outweighed the music thing (!) But I was ecstatic when I discovered the spotify subscription. My initial take on spotify was that it wouldn't fly unless it could go mobile and I think I have been proved right. That is, assuming they are making money out of this of course. It could not have been cheap to get Apple to agree to an itune 'competitor' on its devices, but then I guess Apple's main thing is not content, because as we all know all digital content will soon be 'free' of sorts (discuss)

So where are the others? I thought they would be piling in? I really don't get it. Perhaps napster have lost the spunk they first started with back in the pirate days, and the new Swedish kids on the block are now the ones pushing the boundaries, even securing the offline access before Rhapsody - the only other (as far as I know) iphone subscription service, in the US.

Now we just need films and books on the same basis...

Sex and The City 2 - Curse of the sequel

I'd love to say it ain't so, but even I have to admit that this is not as good as the first film!

Isn't that the norm with second films though? Matrix, Twilight, Pirates, Die Hard, Beverly Hills Cop... ok I'm scraping the barrel here a bit.

But I think you see my point. Just because the second film is not as good as the first, nor the series, does not mean that the whole Sex and the City phenomenon is an overrated, hyped up, media-inflated, female-frenzied, shopaholic waste of time.

Not sure what went wrong with this installment - writing was a bit too try hard - cue numerous cheesy puns and play-on-word-rhyming-one-liners, plot line was really non-existent - how do you top the Big/Carrie wedding and Miranda/Steve infidelity?? Suffice to say there were still cheers, clapping and laughter when I went to see it in Birmingham on Friday, although a few people did leave the VIP screening early - and that's saying something!

I am still a huge fan. My sister and I left the cinema debating whether women should or shouldn't wear a burka, which still proves that, like it or not, good film or not, SATC gets under the skin of issues that women relate to. I for one am looking forward to my second viewing this Saturday night. Well, I've got to be sure, haven't I? Plus, there'll be cocktails there... again!

Sex and The City 2 - Them that don't get it, don't like it

Well, well, well... once again the critics have got the cutlery out over the new movie.

I have given myself brain-ache today thinking how can women not like sex and the city?

This evening I have read the reviews, mostly written by men.

And I can come to only one conclusion. Those that don't like it don't get it. I don't mean this in a patronising way. I just mean that they don't identify with it. They probably aren't, nor do they know, brassy, upfront, liberal, shopaholic women in their thirties or forties who struggle with relationships and juggling work, men, family etc. Because that is essentially at the heart of Sex and The City.

In the same way that Chris Moyles sometimes suggests that the odd listener doesn't get the show's irony, I suggest that those that don't like it just don't identify with it. You see, the draw is identifying with the aspects of women and relationships that SATC explores in a funny and mostly light-hearted way. It almost doesn't matter how crap the storyline is because it isn't the plot that people are attached to. You only need to watch the first series to realise that. It is the one-liners, anecdotes and scruples that people identify with, and can relate to experiences they, or other friends have had, which is so appealing.

So it doesn't matter that the lifestyles and story lines are incredibly far-fetched - anyone read Dan Brown recently?? because the underlying thread of identifying with the worries, anxieties, happiness, self-doubt and aspirations of women in that age-bracket, regardless of earnings or lifestyle is still at the heart of the film, and is what the fans love.

Sex and The City 2 - The Countdown

So, i totally forgot that it was the World premiere in NYC on Monday evening, hence why things had been very quiet on our shores.

Sarah Jessica Parker, in introducing the film at Radio City Music Hall said it was the 'rightful birthplace.. to send them on their way across the globe' - hear, hear! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXWyre7tryk

The film premieres in Leicester Square tomorrow so no doubt the media frenzy will start today in earnest. I have not one but two screenings to enjoy. The first a champagne/cupcake combo and the second, a late night classy affair next Saturday for the true die-hard fans who want to enjoy it without all of the fair-weather, jump on the bandwagon Carrie wannabe's. Click here if that's you - ie. the die-hard http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=122628284433820

Tomorrow, I'm going to get into the ladies who hate Sex and The City 2 - I was going to do that today but I'm still trying to get my head round it ;)

Sex and The City 2 - Where are they?

Is it just me, or have the Sex and The City girls been conspicuously 'quiet' this time around?

Two years ago, when the film premiered in the UK, the ladies were everywhere, much to the discontent of their US, and specifically New York fan base.

This year, the pound is down, the global premiere was in New York last night - rightly so in my opinion - and we have been left out in the cold!

This week's blog will be a Sex and the City 2 fest. Tomorrow, I'll address the women who also dislike the show - say it aint so sisters!

Sex and the City 2 - why do men hate that we love it?

Click here for your invite: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=122628284433820

OK maybe not all men, but a good majority, really seem to dislike SATC and everything associated with it eg. SJP's looks, her royal styleness.

What is it that men don't like about it? Is it that the story centres around strong successful women? Or that the characters are sexually liberal and take no prisoners in the bedroom department, often being quite critical of their dates' sexual prowess? Or is it just that it is like a secret society whose language is understood only by women in their twenties, thirties and beyond.

Personally I think it's the latter. In the same way that my husband dislikes Sarah Cox, whilst my girlfriends and I think she would be an absolute scream on a night out.

And then there are the serious film critics who like to point out how unrealistic the 4 characters lives are. OK, but when did realism become a criteria for TV or film? Thank you Mr Critic, but we are big girls who can distinguish the real from the fantasy.

It is harmless fun (discuss), and an opportunity for women to bond and celebrate friendships in the real world. It touches on a number of issues that women can identify with - like caring for elderly parents, glass ceilings, cancer, pursuing men who are clearly no good for you, and yes - shoes - in a candid and humorous way. What is there to dislike about that? Unless you simply resent us women having something to enjoy in a way which doesn't include you? You of course (insert stereotypical SATC male sports-loving character, like the one who even Samantha couldn't lure away from the TV) have the world cup to do the same over. And long-suffering partners the world over will show some degree of support and enthusiasm because they will be happy that you are bonding with your friends over what is, after all, only a game (discuss).

I do have a couple of male friends who 'get it'. One of them said that it teaches men a lot about women and their friendships. Whilst the other said that he didn't like it because '...Big treated Carrie like crap, and she still ended up with him - how is that a happy ending?' Well said, Paul.
Anyway I, for one, can't wait. For me the film is all about friendships, and reminds me how very grateful I am for the ones I have.

If anyone wants to come enjoy the film with me and a whole host of other women, follow this link:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=122628284433820

Miller at Muller

It was the promise of the free yogurts what did it. If that hadn't been on the race entry form I probably would not be aching now from the agony of completing the Muller 10k yesterday with next to no training. But, yes, the free case of yogurts for every finisher was well worth it!

There's something in me that hates to admit defeat. When is it time to throw in the towel? if ever? At mile 2? when the quads were burning after the second major hill, or after the last water station when it felt unbearably hot and I thought I might keel over?

Well in my book, I never throw in the towel. I remember thinking yesterday that if Eddie Izzard could do his marathon feat with blisters and sore muscles - heck I've run a marathon myself -then I could surely run non-stop for just under an hour.

And so it reinforces my long-held belief that I can do pretty much anything I want to, and complete it. There are real life examples, all around us, that drive counts for way more than ability and experience. I need more drive!

i-hooked

Yes, indeedy. i have had my new gadget for just a few weeks now and i am converted.

Although my Wired subscription might suggest otherwise, i am no techie, neither am i a geek, or a typical early adopter. But this iphone is completely revolutionising my sh*t! To an unprecedented level. i mean i am all over it. The functionality and accessibility is absolutely mind-blowing, unlike any other phone, gadget or gizmo i have ever had.

Where do i start? firstly it is like having a personal computer on hand at all times, so i can do pretty much everything i would do on my laptop, on my iphone - wherever, whenever. Secondly, thanks to spotify - the only decent music subscription service for iphone (come on napster!) i pretty much have my entire music collection, plus new music i recently discovered on last.fm, right at the tips of my fingers...Marc Broussard and Colbie Caillat in case you were wondering.

i am now in the process of pulling together my online shopping list after watching Jamie's top cooking tips (Jamie's 20 min meals iphone app), which includes essential larder ingredients. A-ma-zing! And then there is catchup tv.... 20 seconds behind BBC, ITV etc - cant be bad. AND ALL THIS ON MY PHONE!!!!

Personally i think other phone manufacturers should just call it a day, or at least, focus entirely on the corporate market - iphone have this sewn up. Should Apple ever find a way of making it affordable for PAYG customers, i seriously believe it would be curtains for others. I predict that unless there is a major game changer in the next 5 years, iphone will become the verb for mobile calling. Steve Jobs i salute u

i-believe

i never thought it would come to this. After several years of cynicism, watching from the sidelines and just not getting it, i have finally succumbed and purchased an i-phone. i was not swayed by its ability to turn into a light-saber. No, it was the fact that the IT help-desk guy had one when I went to collect a new laptop, and he was raving about it.

This is my first Apple purchase, and i think i finally see what all the fuss is about.

As a nokia fan for years and years - have dropped several, which still worked perfectly, knew what all the buttons meant for texting, functionality generally excellent - i finally get the selling point to the iphone. Not sure what its technical term is, but the user-interface, friendliness, ease of use - whatever it is called - in my eyes, outweighs virtually all of the functionally superior benefits that other manufacturers may eschew.

Don't get me wrong - there is a minimum standard which every phone must meet eg. bluetooth, decent camera, video recording etc, which have all been added, and which i couldn't do without, but the usability and usefulness is simply staggering.

In the same way that Apple were not just selling a portable music device with ipod - they were selling the ability to access your entire music collection wherever and whenever, so the iphone is not just a phone. It is, at least in my eyes, a means of organising and getting the most out of me and my stuff - be that my social diary, planning meals at home, staying in touch with people, as well as of course listening to my entire music collection, reading books or watching films. And it does it in such a cool, seamless and easy way that even a 5 year old could work it (or should that be a 35 year old, because 5 year olds nowadays can already work pretty much anything vaguely computer-related). Which is by far its biggest selling point.

And as for the apps, what is there not to love, apart from maybe that there is too much choice. Personally, i can't wait to try out Jamie's 20 minute meals, which is one of the top 10 apps, as well as co-pilot, the cheaper, highly-rated alternative to Tom-Tom.

How many gifts, gadgets and gizmos go untouched because they are so difficult to set up, use, or maintain? In fact, if you were to price gadgets, mp3 players or phones based on usage, or utilisation, i am guessing that the iphone would actually come in cheapest - and that's something i never thought i would hear myself say.

Believe me when i say, you won't get it until you try it.

Let it Snow!

Well, Mother Nature has done her damnedest to prevent all chances of getting stuff done this month. I have few mantras I trawl out at opportune moments, many of them probably conflicting, but useful to either prove or disprove something, depending on which way the wind is blowing.

"Work hard, play hard" - that's what I always say. Or at least I did before the snow-fest that was January 2010. Few chances to do either, this month, have led to serious bouts of cabin fever, compounded by snotty noses, sticky eyes and achy neck which seems to have lasted ages. As one friend said to me - she of the high-flying, 80-hr average week type, "I've been in my pyjamas for the past two weeks. Can't get off the drive!"

For businesses everywhere, January was a virtual write-off. Even the best-laid going out plans came a cropper because of the pretty white stuff, and the mucky slush and ice that inevitably follows.

The worst thing is though, just when we thought it was gone - quelle surprise - IT'S BACK!!!

The difference is that this time, I am fit and well, unlike round one, when the snow seemed to be some cruel reminder of the fact that I was too ill to go out. The older I get, I am constantly reminded of the value of health and happiness. These two gems are so underrated. Instead we all crave stuff, more and more stuff. Or, as I heard Charles Handy put it - we desire unnecessary things, we crave getting and spending, almost for the sake of it.

I woke up on Sunday morning, tired from the previous night's revelry - a Haiti fundraiser I helped organise, where the ravers were unaware of the deep freeze descending outside. But I was fit and healthy, minus ongoing cartilage repair rehabilitation. So, I got up and built a snowman with my daughter - much fun. Let it snow!

Life isn't Black and White

The new year, nay decade, was fast approaching, along with the annual realisation that nothing was planned. No picturesque cottage booked, no swanky club tickets bought, no best restaurant table secured, no house party arranged - nada. For the past few years, my best friend and I have spent most NY Eve's together, with our families and friends, having a blast. But every year was the same - nothing planned until the very last minute.

Why break the habit of a lifetime? We are both perpetually late and fairly spontaneous in our private lives, a rebellion from our years of being super-efficient, mega-productive and highly organised in our finance careers.

Anyway, we rustle together half a plan to stumble down to their local for buffet, bubbly and cheesy disco. 13 of us meet up for cocktails at her house, and I am wearing one of my investment pieces from the Summer - the lovely Matthew Williamson swirl print kaftan-of-many-colours. We are heading out of the door when she hands me the ticket and I notice that it reads "New Years Eve - Black and White Party" - Merde! After about 30 seconds of self-flagellation and a few shrieks of "Why didn't you tell me??!!", I resign myself to having a good time regardless. This is a black country pub, not P Diddy's White party.

Of course we had a fabulous time, and the owner said he loved my top, which I would have taken as mock derision had he not been a gay man with impeccable taste.

From the moment the clock struck 12 until now, my mantra has been the same (perhaps somewhat annoyingly), to both friends and family - 2010 is gonna be a good year. How do I know this? I don't, but I just have this feeling. I'm also a bit of a pollyanna at times, as you'll know from previous posts. My husband disagrees with me (go figure) and thinks it will be another dour, recession-dampened plod. Well, we can't both be right, but I know that regardless of the crap life throws at the fan this year - like my best friends grandmother having a stroke on Christmas day, or my school-friend's fiance coming back from Afghanistan in a wheelchair last Summer - we can all still make something good of the next 365 days. Life isn't black and white, it's what you make it.