New Year, 2008

It's the first day of a new year, and everything feels fresh and perfect - so perfect I'm almost afraid of spoiling it!

This has been my first new year alone since Cambodia four years ago, and my first in the UK since before Japan. I stayed in, but had the perfect view of all the fireworks in south London from my top-floor window. I felt a bit lost going sales shopping instead of heading up to the Iwaki shrine for hatsumode; this new year (like much of last year) definitely feels like an aberration, despite the fact that I've been spending it in the country in which I was born.

I wandered into town this afternoon, just to see what was going on (and take advantage of cheap DVD sales!) and the whole world seemed hungover. From the neighbour getting in the car in his dressing gown, to the fat sleepy cat on next door's windowsill, to the heavy sky too dull to even drizzle, everything seemed droopy. Even town was subdued, it got dark early and I made the most of seeing the Christmas lights for what might well be the last time. Still, I got what I wanted, had a contemplative walk home, and everything still seems perfect, and the year holds all sorts of potential.