Happy Ho Ho Ho To You!!!

I have been a bit neglectful. My only excuse; I am a christmas freak!! I think I am the only one, but I LOVE IT!! I love everything about it; decorating the tree, the music, shopping for presents, getting presents. I love all the food, and I absolutely love hanging out, drinking and playing games with my family!!

Last weekend we had our Christmas party. 40 of our nearest and dearest came over for a gift exchange, snowflake contest, christmas limerick contest and a couple gallons of mulled wine. It was a great night. Shining moment-someone calling a "see how many people can fit on my roommate's bed"! There was about 10 at one point. I was pretty pissed at this point but I have a clear memory of being stuck under about 8 men with my roommate. Someone was taking pictures, and her and I were professing our love to each other and sharing a few smooches. She announced "you are a really good kisser!" 8 man heads swung around so fast I imagine there was some sore necks on Sunday morning!! The night ended with breakfast with some cuties and plans for a date at a later date!

This morning I knocked on Leah's door at 7:30 to haul all the recycling down. After a few silent trips up and down the stairs we woke up and fitted "The moms will be here in less than an hour!!!" Hurrah!!

I am now sitting at work, counting the seconds to blow this pop stand and go drink some duty free, triple distilled, 100 proof vodka with my mom, aunt and cousin!! Tomorrow we will go watch the Christmas performance at my kindie, they are SO cute!! Some last minute shopping in the afternoon before we hunker in for a weekend of prezzies, bailey's and coffee, champagne and orange juice, food, trivial pursuit, crib; all the finer things in life!! Hurrah!

I hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas! I hope it is filled with good food, good family, great prezzies and fabulous drinks! A toast to each of you-I wouldnever have thought that I would be reflecting on my cyberfriends on this festive occasion; but look forward to "seeing" you all in the New Year, and hearing about all your zany holiday antics!

THAT Kind of Friend!!

I have a friend. We have been friends for years. Actually, he was my brother's friend since elementry school. I will call him Jake (cause in highschool that was my friend and my code name for him) After graduation I went home for a visit and he and I ended up having a drunken shag. Since then we have talked on the phone, emailed and anytime I go out to my mom's he comes down to play. When J went home to New Zealand, and we were apart for 8 months we agreed that whatever happened - happened. I would rather have sex with someone else between us, then a cheat or betrayal. (it backfired in a way that an agreement like that only could-but that is a whole other story!!) Jake flew out to BC and we spent a week hanging out in a hotel room. This has been going on for 12 years.

Over the years it has been long since noted and documented that this boy has a sense of when I need to hear from him. Without fail, if I am feeling a bit down, having a rough go with some boy or another, or not feeling great about myself, he calls or emails. It is uncanny!! Jake was emailing me when I was in Canada last summer (when J wasnt!). With things rough between J and I, and having physical access to Jake, I didnt email him back. I didnt want to put myself in a situation that would make things worse. He emailed me just after J and I broke up too. It was a bit to raw to talk about it then-EVERY email since he found out I was with J, he asks directly "are you still with J?" I recieved another such email the other night. I finally responed. There is now talk of meeting somewhere in South-East Asia as I don't think I will be in Canada for another year.

It is really strange though. We have NOTHING in common, just history. I am not even sure what he sees in me. He is HOT! Like the kind of hot that I would usually make fun of because he knows it and it is paired with 'cool' and 'money'. When he came out to see me in BC some of my friends were gagging! I think for him I was his pubescent fantasy (best friends older sister) and I have just held this ongoing allure somehow. For me, well, he makes me feel so good about myself. We have fun together. I make fun of his shallow vanity and he makes fun of me for being a hippy. There is nothing deep about it. A few friends have joked that he and I will end up together, and there is ZERO chance of that, he would drive me crazy. But for what he is, he is great!!!

Lost in Translation

Angela, you remember I talk to you next week about Christmas program on Dec 21 and your part I say I need next week.

fuck, what is she talking about

blank stare

We change the Christmas party from Dec 24 for Dec 21, remember I talk to you. We don't do student program because we don't have time so for your part you tell a christmas story and some acivity

uh-huh, so you want my part next week

No I talk to you last week and say you need to prepare for me this week, today.

oops, forgot about that completely...thats what you get for leaving me sitting here with nothing to do- i only get things done under pressure, i was thinking of doing 'twas the night before christmas'-that's easy enough

Oh right, sorry! I am not finished, but I have some ideas....I just need to finish it up.

Your part is from 6:10-6:30, so 20 min. I want you to do a story of christmas with some activity for the students and parents, not only just the story.

I was thinking of doing "Twas the night before christmas"

her blank stare, oh and that face when she wants to say something and is trying to think of the most indirect way to say it-or she is confused

you know, the story that I suggested P9 class perform. when I was planning a whole christmas program put on by students, before you decided there wasnt enough rehearsal time and decided to make it a teacher show...after I had put in several hours of planning.

oh yes, i know. that one is good. i know. but actually...i have asked Maggie to read that poem. I want you to do the story of christmas....but not just the story, an activity too. that face again...

oh THE story of christmas...slightly different that A christmas story, as the director of an english school you should know that, but really, there are a lot of 'shoulds'

I misunderstood you when you said A christmas story, I didnt realize you wanted the story of baby jesus

yes, and an activity

Ok, I will get going on that. It will take me a few more minutes, as I didnt realize that is what you wanted

story of baby jesus, to a group of people who don't speak english, and have NO basis in Christianity. "yeah, this baby was born, and some people believe that he was a saviour, oh, you don't know what saviour means, and he was born in a manger, oh you don't know what a manger is, and he was the only son of God, oh, you don't know who God is...."

Is someone going to translate for me?

ummm, the face well I could or some of the other teachers could help you... or you could just use some pictures and very simple language. and an activity, not just the story.

she actually wants me to tell this story to a room full of people who will not understand it, and play a game in 20 min. what kind of game goes with the birth of Christ anyway...pin the saviour in the manger

I finally convinced her (45 min later) that I wasnt comfortable telling a religious story to people who wouldnt understand it anyway, to people who had such starkly differnt religious beliefs. I don't consider myself a christian, but I do resent the removal of Christ from Christmas. I find it wierd enough to be pushing Halloween and Christmas on this culture let alone bringing in the religious side of it. When it was going to be the kids doing the program I had one of the classes doing the nativity story, but the idea of telling the story and playing a game in 20 min, followed by her dancing around singing "santa claus is coming to town" was just too much. Maybe I am just being lazy, but the thought of that overwhelmed me. I tried for the grinch and settled on rudolph the red nose reindeer -with pin the nose on the reindeer!

I'm Baaaaaack!!!

Jobe has released me, and I return with a tag from Steph!

1. What did you do in 2005 that you hadn't done before?
Been a puppy mom.
Broken up with someone that I still loved.
Had a broken heart.

2. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A cousin, but we arent really close

3. Did anyone close to you die?
no

4. Did you travel? Where did you go? Best holiday memory?
He and I went to Thailand. Met up with some friends I had travelled in Europe with and my best friend from back home and her mom. Very cool seeing people you love 'out of context'.

Went home to Canada by myself. Had some quality time with all the most important people. Realized that I wasnt truely happy in my relationship.

Went to Thailand by myself. Lots of snogs! Got back to myself a bit. I can go anywhere, I can do anything...blahblah

5. Best thing you bought?
My dog!! (although I got her from the humane society and only had to pay for her first vaccinations she is the best new not human in my life)
Laptop

6. Where did most of your money go?
Trip to Canada where I bought a crap load of clothes that fit!! (except all the underwear bought because I overestimated my size...used to asian sizing. There is nothing worse than a baggy thong...
My lap top,
random shit really

7. What do you wish you had done more of?
Well I was getting lots of sex for the first half of the year...but this barren sexual landscape I am treking across now, makes it hard to remember that! So...More Sex!!
Again I am with Steph here...sleep!

8. What do you wish you had done less of?
Tried to make him happy

9. What kept you sane?
First off, this implies that I stayed sane, and I definitely didnt- but my friends (esp Lisa- flatmate, and cuz Leah) really helped me realize that that was part of the process...
PaoPao

10. What drove you mad?
Myself, him, my job, Taiwan in general, PaoPao

11. What made you celebrate?
That I could realize that love wasnt enough, that I am worth more than he could/would give- and be strong enough to walk away.
Finally deciding what I want to do with my life.
Pao Pao

12. What made you sad?
Missing my family, especially my brother.
The whole thing with him...he started dating not even 2 months after he moved out, and it made me realize a lot about the relationship as a whole.

13. How was your birthday this year?
So good!! Shared it with my friend Ruth and had a 'bad taste party' (see August archives) It was a blast.

14. What political issue stirred you the most this year?
I have to be honest I havent been all that stirred, politically this year. Bush winds me up to no end, and the Canadian government has gone to shit-I won't even vote because I don't even like the polical system at this point and any vote would just be the lesser of evils or a cast away vote (that and I would lose my non-residency status) , but I am pretty far removed from it all, and feel pretty powerless to do anything.

15. Where you in love in 2005?
Yes.

16. What would you like to have in 2006 that you didn't have this year?
More money, but that is more of something...
umm a healthy relationship...don't really care about that even...I had all I needed in 2005.
Saying that, I am looking forward to going to the Philipines with Leah though. She is leaving Taiwan next summer and I am looking forward to having one last Lea/La trip. This time here really has been a bit of 'our' time.

17. What date from 2005 will be etched in your memory and why?
No one day really stands out...

18. What song will remind you of 2005?
Mr. Brightside -The Killers
If You Could Read My Mind - Gordon Lightfoot
I'm a Rainbow Too - Bob Marley

19. Compared to this time last year are you happier?
Yes, and no. (equivocate much? maybe!!)
This time last year I was preparing for a bubble christmas, and our first christmas in the same country. I was doing all I could to give him everything he wanted and more.
This year I have some sadness around me, some soft...but I like it. I feel more whole now than I did then. and the big news of the season...
THE MOMS ARE COMING FOR CHRISTMAS!!! i know this means absalutely nothing to most of you but it is so exciting OH OH OH andDave is not going to be here for Christmas, he is going home early...BECAUSE HE IS COMING BACK TO STAY UNTIL JUNE (he was supposed to be going home in Jan) So it is going to be Leah, our moms (they are sisters) and I for a proper family christmas. It will be great. Trivial Pursuit, Bailey's and coffee in the morning, red wine..or vodka in the evenings.
did I answer the question??

20. Biggest achievement this year?
Not only the break up, but my healing from it. I am really proud of myself! My best friend back home had the quote of the year..."Men cauterize their wounds with the fluids of other women." And I know this is not true of all men, and I know that it is not true of only men. I have this tendancy (not from other women). 2nd best quote ""best way to get over one man is to get under another") - I also have a tendency to partying my way through pain. I have had opportunity for random sex, and I have definitely done some partying, but I have chosen to feel the pain, embrace it and heal from it.

21. Biggest disappointment this year?
The realization that I had given my heart and soul to someone who did not appreciate or deserve it.

22. What is the one thing that would have made you more satisfied?
I agree with the more sex and money...but on a whole I am satisfied. I have learned SO much this year!!

23. Best new person you met this year?
I know it has been said again and again, and when I started this thing I never imagined I would have the emotional investment that I do. You guys rock! (and I am SUCH a geek!!)

24. A valuable life lesson you learnt this year?
Embrace the soft. It is what makes us human. I always fancied myself the tough chick. No one could get under my skin. Even in a debate, I keep my cool. "If you care don't let them know, don't give yourself away". But I have seen both sides now. It is not only ok to love, care, hurt, cry....it is amazing!!

I am so behind that there are not a lot of peopel in blogsphere left to tag-especially since most of the time people ignore my tags. Neverthless I have a couple

Leah-Little Fluffy Clouds - you can't ignore me forever cuz!!!
Dave - Djyooolaaaiiiiiiiiyykkit??!! - 24 and never been tagged!

There you go...pretty long winded and a bit whingy about boy stuff, but it is a big part of what 2005 means to me and will be remembered for.