Far from feeling full of beans after what was an absolutely fantastic Christmas and New Year Chez Oliver, I’ve rapidly sunk into a pit of despair. It’s hardly an appropriate way to start 2008 but most of the people I’ve spoken to this year have either been miserable or the harbingers of doom and gloom to come.
Take my first day back in the Euromoney office. Arriving early – by journalistic standards at least – I was surprised that my esteemed editor had managed to beat me in. “Happy New Year,” I trilled. “You okay?”
“No,” came his gruff response. “I’ve got the sickness bug and I feel terrible and I had to come in as I’ve got lots to do,” was the terse reply. I took that as a cue to get my head down and start researching this week’s column. My first contact call was entertaining, but far from cheery. “Did you have a good Christmas?” I merrily asked. “No, I had flu and when I was better, I went for a run, trod on something which went into my foot, and now I’m limping around, which has also done my back in,” was the response.