I love how often British people boast: “I’m not dead yet!” It perfectly sums up our gallows humour and also our optimism levels. If someone tells us something we’ve always done is unhealthy: “Well, I’ve done it all my life and I’m not dead yet!” If we ask someone how they are, especially if they’ve been ill or appear to be falling apart: “I’m not dead yet!” If we catch them at the end of the year and ask them what they’re grateful for: “Well, I’m still alive!” (a cheery little variant on “I’m not dead yet”). Being not dead yet… it’s all we can really hope for.