India, Jan. 2 -- So, here we are, meeting each other in the new year. I must confess to a certain sense of relief to see the last of 2025 - and I can't be the only one to feel this way. As years go, it was a bit of a bummer (pardon my French) with the world seemingly determined to go to hell in a hand basket. It's hard to see how 2026 can be any worse, honestly, though I may well be speaking (or, more accurately, writing) too soon.

I am not one for perennial pessimism, though. And it is in the spirit of eternal optimism that I am sharing my wish list for the new year with you. Warning: I'm not looking at the big picture or holding out for world peace. Instead, I am focusing on small, incremental changes that will make my life better. So ...