Less than six hours before we officially celebrate New Year’s Eve. In case it wasn’t blindingly obvious, I can’t wait for the long weekend. Interesting updates for the week (not that you might be interested) include:

1. My youngest sister has gotten a tattoo. She is the first in our family to have one. My mother was surprisingly calm and nonchalant about it, and my sisters and I are still scratching our heads in wonderment. Perhaps she didn’t understand the announcement, or she thinks it’s a fake and Jessie’s playing a trick on her. Wonder what dad will say, I don’t think he knows.

Oops, that’s it.

Oh wait, no it isn’t.

2. For the first time in like, 10 years, I am making a New Year’s Resolution. Actually, I’m making not one, but two resolutions, and I’m almost inclined to give myself a pat pat on the back. I am determined to keep these resolutions, you see.

a) Stop dropping things
This is really rather distressing. When I was a kid, my sister Bec was the butterfingers of the family. In fact, I really only learnt that term because everyone from my mum to my aunts were calling her that. She dropped everything, and I never lent her clothes because she was almost guaranteed to drop whatever she was eating on it. Recently however, I find I have become a butterfingers myself. It’s terrible, I’m dropping almost everything I pick up, almost everyday (Y will swear it’s everyday, but it’s not. I didn’t drop anything yesterday). But fear not, because it stops here. Well, that’s the plan anyway.

b) Think before I speak
Apparently, I speak without thinking quite often. Which is another really odd thing because I remember I used to consciously deliberate remarks in my head before voicing them. I used to be a helluva lot more reserved, or actually, maybe I still am with the unfamiliar or the I-can’t-be-bothered. Well, it’s got to be either one of two things: One, I’m learning to speak up and out for a change (guess where I got that from?); two, I’m becoming increasingly comfortable with the people around me. I think it’s the latter.

And one last thing.

3. Check this out: http://www.speedysanta.com/firebox/. I got this off the Think website (told you they had cool stuff). I’m currently ranking 7034 in the global rankings, but I hope to break that in my last few attempts before I pack up and go home for the nice, long weekend ahead.

2006 here I come! Oh yes, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Wow, almost a week without blogging and here’s three in two days. Don’t get too excited, this probably qualifies as what Y would call a “depressing” post. But this is my blog and I can do anything I want. After all, what is a blog but a place to rant and rave, to express thoughts and expel frustrations, to ultimately make its owner feel a little better, if only for a while (among other functions). That sounds almost hedonistic. Yea, whatever.

Anyway…

I’m sitting at work again while everyone is out there having fun and hanging out. I know I moaned about this yesterday but today, I’m missing out on a La Bodega breakfast and my long-awaited King Kong (yes yes, I haven’t seen it). I can’t believe Y went to watch it without me! Sigh… now I’m doubly glad for DVDs, because after this afternoon, everyone will have seen it except me. The upside is, I never really liked the big, hairy gorrilla. But the downside is, I was actually looking forward to this one.

Oh well, at least we’re catching Pride and Prejudice tonight. Small consolation, I know, but it’s better than nothing. Maybe I should stop by Pedder Red tonight on my way to the movie. You never know, they might have a sale going on. Speaking of which, isn’t there supposed to be some kind of year end sale in December?

It’s after lunch and everyone is sleepy, full and very much in the holiday mood. I don’t think I’m going to work in peace till the New Year is over. It’s a good thing today is already Tuesday.

Anyway, having finished a piece on the upcoming Memoirs of a Geisha and Michelle Yeoh, I have given myself license to wander, at least for a short while. And look what I found…

To you-know-who-you-all-are, this is hilarious. To the rest of you, it’s a pity I can’t share the joke. Let’s just say it involves butt cracks. And by the way, that’s a real cool piece. For the full article, click here.

Okay, back to Orlando Bloom and Kate Bosworth.

It’s Tuesday and I’m back at my desk. It’s depressing to say the least, especially because there are so many dear friends in town that I’d much rather be passing my hours with. Knowing my husband is right at this moment snoring away in bed because he’s in between jobs also doesn’t help.

But gossip goes on, and there’s a magazine to publish. At least I’m not as distracted as I was last Friday. My only motivation now is to work as fast as I can before it’s time for me to scoot off. And in the meantime, I am grateful for a weekend that has definitely been good for my soul. Hanging out, good food, great company, friends we haven’t seen in ages, and the overall Christmas spirit. Laughing late into the night, sleeping till early in the afternoon, even watching Y playing some cool, kick-ass version of ‘Need for Speed Underground’ that I can’t remember.

Oh did I forget to mention? The marital bedroom is looking more and more like a bachelor pad now… not that it looked pretty or anything before. We’ve got ourselves a 29 inch telly thanks to some phenomenal streak of good luck that Y had (don’t look at me, I never get lucky) at an office Christmas bash, and we’ve moved the DVD player and PS2 into the room. I don’t play PS2 and even I think it’s cool. The guys of course are delirious that they can now scream and shout late into the night in the privacy of a bedroom while they pretend to be world-class soccer players and NBA basketballers. Then there was the arrival of a certain shiny saxophone last week, that right now has oh about seven to eight persons’ worth of saliva in it. It’s not as gross as it sounds, if you don’t think about it too much…

Okay, time to head back to work. It looks like it’s going to be pretty quiet today. When you have an editorial team of five, all you need is just two people to be on leave for everyone else to feel like packing up and going home.

I know I know, it’s been ages. Well, here I am now, squeezing in a quick post before I log out and waltz into my Christmas long weekend.

It’s not that I have nothing to do at work; au contrare, we’re rushing for a mad deadline next Thursday, but we’re all so distracted and in a holiday mood that no one is doing much at all today. Wait a minute? What ‘we’? Over half the office has bid their ‘Merry Christmases’ and left, some to do last-minute Christmas shopping, others to go home presumably. Technically, I could do the same I suppose, but I decided to spare my minutes leading up to five o’clock for a quick update. Five sharp, I’ll be outta here. I promise.

For some reason, I’m terribly excited. I don’t know whether it’s the whole Christmas spirit, the fact that it’s a long weekend, or both. Probably both. Plus there’s a house-warming tomorrow night and our pals from Down Under are back. And there’s the SIB production on tonight. And there’s a birthday coming up. My mind is everywhere, I think I’m working myself into an excited frenzy.

Anyway, because the chances of me logging on to blog this weekend are pretty slim, here’s a huge MERRY CHRISTMAS to everyone. You know I would really love to wish you all personally and verbally, but let’s face it, that’s just not going to happen.

I’ll be back next week. It’s crazy deadline week, and our crazy deadline just got crazier because Monday is a public holiday and we have to finish our magazine by Thursday instead of the usual Friday. I see the adrenaline rushing our way already.

Take care folks. It’s five o’clock and I do so want to keep my word. And if you didn’t catch it the first time, MERRY CHRISTMAS (again)!

I am pleased to announce that I’m not such a wuss after all. I am feeling much better today, after very persistently clearing out my nasal passages (the word “very” being much emphasized) for a half hour this morning. Amazing what a very good long blow can achieve.

I’m also still at the office, which makes this the latest I have ever stayed back at work. It’s a personal record. I know it’s tiddlywinks compared to what many of you clock in, but this is my record and I shall bask in it in full pixellated glory because now no one can say I’ve never had to work past 7. I’ll probably head home soon though, unless I can find someone for a quick coffee since I’m out and in comfy clothes already. After feeling downright crappy for two days, I’m making up for it in hyperactivity today. I even got my appetite back!

Okay, time to stop going on about ailments and overtime. It’s the weekend and I’m outta here.

When I was 19, I stayed up all night till 7am and still managed to last an entire day on 2 hours’ sleep.

Now I’m 23, and all it takes is one working day on 5 hours’ sleep and I’m sick as a dog. This sucks. Everything aches, I’ve been popping Panadols to keep my temperature at bay, I have no appetite, and I’m at work because it’s deadline tomorrow and I don’t want to call in sick.

I wonder if all that junk food I ate yesterday had anything to do with it.

One. So the font on my blog doesn’t change.

Two. Are those google ads irritating or what? Can someone tell me whether I can take them off? Please?

I logged on this morning to find Blogdrive’s err… entry-creating interface different. Good different. I like this new one better. The fonts are bigger and has changed from Times New Roman to Arial (I think). I like Arial. So much in fact, that I might actually try to blog more. I wonder if my entry will appear on my blog in Arial too. That would be nice.

There’s also a cute icon for inserting audio. I should try that someday.

It’s a really, really slow Monday morning. For starters, one writer and one graphic designer is on leave which means half the designers and one-third of the writers aren’t here.

It’s also a public holiday for Selangor today - Sultan’s birthday apparently. I overslept by accident and made it to the office in record time because there was none of the usual traffic jam crap. Lovely on the one hand, silly on the other because I want to be on holiday too. Oh well. This is what happens when you give up a job in Selangor and move to an office that bears a Kuala Lumpur address. We get easily 3-4 public holidays less.

While my mood has picked up somewhat over the weekend, I am still one crazy baby. My pendulum mood swings are making less frequent arcs, though even I was surprised when I found myself upset because I couldn’t play badminton. Like, for the first time in my life. The last time I played on a vaguely regular basis was when I was 10 maybe? I am definitely going crazy.

I can’t believe it’s already the 12th December. 2005 is all but over, and it’s plain shocking how quickly the days are flashing by. I expect to be celebrating Christmas the next time I blink.

And speaking of Christmas, there’s a ridiculous war going on in the UK and US. The word “Christmas” is being banned because it’s deemed “not politically correct” and “offensive”. A principal had to apologise for wishing parents and students “a happy, healthy and safe Christmas holiday period”, because a family protested saying they were discriminated against and took offence. They need a good kick up the arse I reckon. Each. I’m not going to scream blue murder if someone wishes me Selamat Hari Raya or Happy Deepavali.

Whatever happened to free speech all you pillars of democracy and freedom of speech? Now shops and advertisements can’t even wish people “Merry Christmas”? And I thought I was being moody and difficult.

Anyway, if you’re interested, have a read from this mish-mash of various articles. I just did a random google:

http://magic-city-news.com/article_5031.shtml

http://www.theheraldbulletin.com/story.asp?id=17339

http://www.crosswalk.com/news/religiontoday/1367455.html

http://www.postchronicle.com/chronic/archives/2005/12/update_on_chris.shtml

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/content/news/stories/2005/12/11/20051211wacxmasretail.html

http://www.harktheherald.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=70780

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/content/news/stories/2005/12/11/20051211wacxmasretail.html

http://www.mainstreetnews.com/2005/November/J1130Z.html

As Scrooge McDuck would say, “Bah! Humbug!”