2017: Let's Pretend You've Never Been

Hello and Happy Christmas

Writing to you this year from Cheltenham via Avebury were in addition to the largest megalithic stone circle in the world the pagans were out in force playing drums and praying to stones it was in the local parlance(probably not)-massive! Topping off the trip, nearby Silbury Hill stands as the largest man-made mound in Europe comparative in height and volume to the roughly contemporary Egyptian pyramids-in England!

Speaking of piles of ummm dirt, 2017 was once again full of them in the news. Still despite the many backward, ill informed, neonationalist, greedy, intolerant, misogynist types in the world, plenty of progress was apparent. Even in Saudi Arabia, were in addition to other reforms, women can now drive cars by themselves-how 21st century! While the public policy response to the real eminent threats from climate related disasters like hurricanes, forest fires and drought serve as reminder that we are all sharing the same planet and need to do better to make it safer for ourselves and future generations.

The year in a few words:
A freshly minted teenager, Will is practically counting the days until he can drive. He’s a seriously extreme motoring enthusiast intent on plotting his education and career path toward a yet to be determined German manufacturer. If you have an interest, or can feign an interest, his parents would be much obliged to receive a holiday from the topic. Speaking of holidays he’s had quite a nice run with trips to Paris, Italy and an excellent visit to Chicago. Also, being able to spend an extended period of time with grandparents this year was pretty great too. Otherwise, a Grade 5 Cello Merit, progressing golf swing, basketball and rugby club playing, size 10 shoe wearing, giant hug giving, sometimes infuriating little man is happening! Bring on the pimples and braces! Hahahaha

Marian would like you all to know she turned 40! Seeing it in with characteristic style(now blonde in an improved effort to hide the grey), grace(yeah right) and homemade curry feast with friends. Otherwise she is our rock and very much appreciated at #52 Malling street.

Not to be outdone by Marian, I too turned 40 which considering I spent most of my youth uncertain I would ever make it this far feels pretty great! To top it off, I've finally won my fantasy football league and even get to play basketball twice a week if I like so happy days. It was great to go home and commune after an extended time with so many people I really miss and love to be with. A  few new paintings mostly variations on a theme due to my limited skill level. FunctionalFinance.org stands as a clarifying beacon of understanding in a sea of false economic narratives and encourage you to like it on your favourite social media outlet. I was keen to find a single destination to access my favourite economists blogs so developed Ur-Text-a destination for other postgraduate enthusiasts or hobbyists to access their academic topic of interest by consolidating feeds from a host of popular sites and blogs. Very much a work in progress at the moment, building websites is new to me, but check it out for anything possibly of interest.

Music
At Marian’s most recent choir concert with the London Philharmonic, following some spectacular trumpeting, a long time love affair with the trumpet was finally realised. If you have any recommendations for trumpet based bands do let me know. Otherwise, Tube + Berger particularly Introluction is highly recommended. More Perfect, Sam Harris, Hidden Brain and many more make up a stellar roster of quality podcasts. But yes Tube + Berger will make reading this all worth it...

Person of the Year

No doubt buoyed by my ringing endorsement as people of the year last year, in 2017 women well and truly announced the end of the status quo. Whether the global Women's March on January 22 or the #metoo movement take a moment to acknowledge the long, painful, uncomfortable march to extinguish misogyny in our culture and applaud these efforts.

Since this section has developed into more of a forecast, I am hopeful the rumbling
Youthquake, Oxford dictionaries word of the year, awakens more of those voices(+ votes) necessary to push our politics away from desperately divisive, exclusionary and short sighted policies manifested in 2017 dead enders- I mean headliners. If we're to avoid war or improved representation  in places like the US and Russia in 2018 they may be decisive.

Well, the good news is we've made it through 2017 and hope you're enjoying a much deserved break in anticipation of a positive, healthy and productive 2018.

Big Love,

Bryan, Marian and Will