One of my pet hates is when you speak to people post New Year and they say – well that’s it - back to normal – the fun is over.

It’s like suddenly everyone should switch on a negative default setting.

What a defeatist attitude that is.

It’s easily done. Even before Christmas, negative clouds were being thrust upon us.

For example, we had black Friday where the country went ballistic over a few cheap TV’s.

Then on 19 January we had Blue Monday-allegedly the most depressing day of the year.

Without getting overly righteous, everyday has the potential to be better than its predecessor – and the more negatively you approach things the more potential things have to be negative.

If you want proper negativity, spare a thought for someone that my friends and I met in London on 31 December 2014.

Before heading out to a Mexican restaurant, we stopped off at a busy pub and desperately tried to find a table to sit down with our drinks.

A young lady seemed to be getting ready to leave – so we approached and asked her if she was departing.

“Well I suppose I am,” she said. “I’ve been stood up.”

Hopefully your 2015 doesn’t incur similar heartache.

On the contrary, may it be your best year yet.

This time of year is a chance for people to take stock and set new goals and resolutions.

The old New Year, New You and all that!

In addition to our extensive range of full and part time courses, we have also released a new short course brochure has just been launched.

The short course subjects range from beekeeping to bricklaying, floristry to first aid and ploughing to photography.

Many people who study on our courses end up re-training and doing something they are passionate about.

In previous years I’ve met a theatre manager who went from the stage to the stables by retraining with us on an equine course.

Then we had a stockbroker who became a tree surgeon and a lawyer who became a garden designer.

All of them resolved to get the skills they needed to start a career path that truly made them happy.

Well done them.

If this sounds like you, come along to our open days at both campuses taking place on Friday January 30, between 4 and 7pm and Saturday, January 31, between 10am and 2pm – or visit www.eastonotley.ac.uk