In relationships, a return to traditional dating and an increase in younger marriages is expected. The dawn of the male retrosexual . . . all bottles of beer and lumberjack shirts . . . will contrast with female sexuality, which will continue its identity crisis, flailing between raunch culture, bi-sexuality and nu-conservatism.

In our working lives, the office will become harder to exit, given that we take it everywhere in Blackberries and wireless connection abundant cafes.

Online, 2007 will be the year of the New Networked Self. Mostly driven by Web 2.0 . . . the catch-all name given to the second generation of the internet that has transformed it from a reference point of service and information to a vast democratic plain of social networking and virtual interaction . . . the New Networked Self is part of a wider picture. This will see us accessing the world through the personal base of Me Inc . . . the branding of individuality prophesied by Naomi Klein's 'No Logo' in 2000. Blogging is set to peak halfway through the year, but our personal presence on Bebo and MySpace and self-broadcasting on YouTube will increase. Most dramatically, many of us will throw in the towel on reality this year, as the virtual world of Second Life expands. Many more of us will scratch our heads and wonder why we feel so left out.

BUZZWORDS FOR 2007 . . . WHAT THE TREND FORECASTERS PREDICT

1. RETROSEXUAL A reaction to the New Lad who was helpless and the Metrosexual who was feminine, the Retrosexual marks a return to the man's man.

In other words: more Daniel Craig than David Beckham.

2. IDENTITY FLUX A rejection of the pigeon-holing of the individual in the wake of technological advances that allow us to explore our multiple personalities.

In other words: be who you want to be, even if it changes on a daily basis.

3. MORAL STATUS ANXIETY Faith Popcorn's BrainReserve says: "In today's increasingly philanthropic climate, expect conspicuous self-indulgence to go straight to the social guillotine. The globally conscious consumer regards altruistic activities as a necessary part of self-improvement."

In other words: placing priority on the individual's contribution to the world rather than to the self.

4. WEB 3.0 An extension of the current advancements in social networking and complex data analysis using a layer of artificial intelligence which will transform the internet from a web of connected documents to a web of connected data.

In other words: Web 2.0 in 3-D, and many more uncertainties.

5. VIRTUAL IMMORTALITY Now that many of us have a variety of outlets for our personalities apart from real life . . . be they Bebo, MySpace or Second Life . . . who says these outposts won't continue after we croak it?

In other words: MyDeathSpace. com and paying someone to keep your Second Life avatar alive when you aren't.

6. MASSTIGE The marriage of mass and prestige typified in the fashion world. We can't all have designer or cult labels and we don't all want an all-Penney's wardrobe, so let's find the middle ground.

In other words: Victor & Rolf for H&M.

7. LOCAL LOYALTY Globalisation has made the world smaller, but local loyalty will make our communities bigger in importance, especially as we search for an identity in anonymous new towns.

In other words: block parties in apartment developments and postcode t-shirts.

8. BRAND-AIDES Brands, masquerading profit as idealism, step into social service areas where our governments have failed.

In other words: Tesco GPs and Pampers creches.

9. HEES High-Earning Emigrating Singles . . . the new generation of Irish emigrant with the perfect job and life in Ireland who leaves voluntarily for a larger city, a challenge, and not neccesarily more money.

In other words: moneyed and bored with little attachment to Ireland

10. SINGLE-MINDED ETHICS Trendspotter JWT says: "Bono has Aids, Angelina Jolie has orphans and Al Gore has CO 2. 2007 will see more of us pick a niche and pursue change vigorously rather than skim a stone across the ethics pond."

In other words: championing your personally selected cause.