Happy to see the end of 2017

The author is expressing his views on new year

The times may be bad, but can years, by themselves, be bad too? If so, then my own annus horribilis is thankfully nearing an end. Rarely have I rejoiced in the passing of a year as much as I have 2017, one of the most personally ruinous to have stamped its presence. “Next year will be fine,” says my mother, who is a great believer in almanacs and astrological charts, “just let this one pass.” But for someone of adamantly agnostic beliefs, there is little relief to be gained from this mumbo-jumbo, though one can only hope that a new