Only 362 More Days To Christmas...

Ah, yes - the turkey's been eaten, the presents have been unwrapped - I got socks* this year, as it turned out, a pair with Santa on and seven pairs with the day of the week in case I'm undecided. I always think getting socks marks a person as being 'of a certain age', and now it's finally my turn.

I, however, welcome the socks, although I reserve the right to wear them at a time and place of my own choosing. So there's every chance the Santa socks will be worn at Easter or St. Patrick's Day (but not both), and that the Sunday socks will be seen in public on Wednesday.

I didn't get the world peace I asked for, but it was a big ask, only slightly easier to find than a Nintendo DS Lite, which is saying something. So the socks were a nice consolation...

But I digress. The moment has passed, and I find myself on the edge of 2008, facing the new year with a mixture of optimism and hope. It's something I attempt each year, resisting as long as possible the descent into cynicism.

I usually last until about mid-January, but as I write this the trailer for Jerry Seinfeld's Bee Movie has just come on, so I may not last that long. Maybe he'll sting himself...

So what am I looking forward to next year?

Well, among other things (and in no particular order):

Season 4 of Battlestar Galactica - who is the final Cylon? Starbuck? Roslin? Henry, the mild-mannered janitor? Could be...

Iron Man - Robert Downey, Jr. is Tony Stark.

The Dark Knight - Ahahahahahahahahahaaaaaa!!!!!!!

The Olympic Games - because despite it all I believe it to be the among the noblest of ideals - that for a month, the nations of the world take their differences off the boil to participate in competition where nobody dies.

Star Trek XI - I just have to know...

Bond 22 - could SPECTRE be back?

The Rugby Six Nations - could this be Ireland's year?

The 2008 European Football Championships, even though Ireland won't be playing.

The Incredible Hulk - Edward Norton as David Banner? Yeah, okay, I can see that, but I still liked Ang Lee's movie.

Smallville - if only to see whether Lana is finally committed to Belle Reve...

That's just off the top of my head - I'm sure if I sat and thought about it I could come up with a whole plethora of things, but enthusiasm and 'flu don't play well together, so enthusiasm's taken it's bat and ball and gone home...

And on we go...

*not just socks, however - just thought I'd mention that...