digital.goth.geek

Christmas, what is it?

Well for me, this year’s winter holiday celebration was a great time - far, far, far better than the same time last year (which consisted of me watching Eastenders and Sky News whilst eating beans on toast!)

So, what did I do?

24th December:
After the laundry run to the laundrette I had to do (the washing machine has broken down, I must try and fix that tomorrow) The Wife and I travelled through to Ayrshire to meet up with her folks.

Once there, we registered with the hotel, we were staying the night at, dropping our stuff off, then going to their home in Dundonald to leave the gifts for the next morning.

We had a quick drink and a chat or two before heading back to Kilmarnock to go to the hotel. We got undressed, watched some crap TV and decided to have a relatively early night…

25th December, 12:01am:
We get up, and start unwrapping the gifts in our stockings (yes, we had them, even at our age! :-D)

In mine was a load of presents given to me by The Wife. A lot of these consisted of various packs of playing cards, as I a) really like playing cards, and b) like to collect playing cards (although I didn’t realise it before!) as well as various other sundry items including a self-inflating Whoopee Cushion and obligatory chocolate coins!

One of these sets (of cards) really caught my eye, as they were the cards featuring the Iraqi military and government leaders as given to the coalition troops out in the Middle East. I didn’t actually think that these things were real, that they were some sort of urban myth spread to keep the fear of God/Allah/The Great Maker to the respective dignitaries featured on the cards. But no, these things are quite real, and a little weird to behold.

We then allowed ourselves to open one gift from our respective piles (well, “pile” being a real descriptive term in the case of the number of gifts from The Wife to myself.

My gift to The Wife consisted of some velvet underwear, which she really liked. However, being a typical bloke, I neglected to get the correct size, and made a total arse of things. Which is a shame, as the basque is really quite lovely, and something I would have loved to have seen wrapped around her slender frame. Well, I know better for next time… For myself, I had a card game based on Monopoly, which I’m dying to try out.

We then thought that, as it was gone 1am before we knew it, we should get some sleep as we’d booked a taxi to take us to the parental abode at 10am.

25th December, 7.15am:
The Wife and I wake up…

25th December, 8.15am:
I get up from the hotel bed to fetch the continental Christmas breakfast-in-bed that’d been left outside the door to the room, which included the infamous all-in-one Cornflakes+milk+sugar+folding-spoon combo - inspired!

I’m not sure if the hotel staff had heard anything from inside the room whilst delivering the breakfast trays, but I’m sure that there might have been something behind the smile of the guy at reception when we left.

25th December, 10.00am:
We heard a car horn outside the room window, alerting us to the fact that our ride to Dundonald had arrived. We handed our room key into the reception, and made our way outside into the bracing air, with me clutching The Wife’s hair tongs in my hand as they’d been left on and couldn’t be put into our luggage! I felt like bit of a banana as I rode the 5 or so miles from the hotel, holding these tongs in my mitt in the taxi as we travelled along the country roads, I can tell you!

25th December, 11.00am:
It was at about this time that we started to open the gifts in the living room, with myself receiving many weird and wonderful gifts, including a mini-pinball table (note to self: buy batteries!) a couple of “why America is shite” books (by Americans, no less) and a rather creepy skull with spider money box… I also received socks (a tradition or old charter or something) and a funky desktop plasma ball! Yippee!

25th December, about 1.30pm:
The Wife’s aunt and her partner show up at the parental home with The Wife’s grandmother, bearing elements of the festive meal: melon baskets, mini sausages, mince pies and creamy gateaux. I was led to believe there was a turkey also, although I only saw the post-carved evidence of this.

The meal itself was fabulous, with a great selection for me to eat (which is normally a real chore for anyone cooking especially for me, being a fucking awkward vegetarian type) but they galiantly came to my rescue and made sure I wouldn’t starve. In fact I’ll probably go so far as to say I probably won’t need to eat another proper meal for a good few weeks!

25th December, about 5.30pm:
After the meal, we tidied up and settled down with a few drinks to play cards, where I learned (contrary to my previous opinion of “knowing how to play but forgotten”) Newmarket, where I also learned that I wasn’t very good at it.

25th December, about 9.00pm:
After Newmarket, The Wife’s aunt and partner, and her grandmother left for the evening, The Wife, her mother and father and I decided that, as I’d received a Poker Players kit as a gift, we’d crack it open and test our mettle. I found that my personal mettle was rather lacking, in that I managed to lose all but $100 within about 6 hands (having started off with about $3000!) Again, another game that I quickly realise that I have no talent for, despite my enthusiasm for the big money world poker tour on the TV. Ho hum…

Soon afterwards The Wife’s sister returned from her shift on the wards, and we settle down to chatting and laughing about anything and everything that is no consequence. By this point the alcohol is freely flowing, and I have a vague recollection of explaining the differences between radio waves and microwaves (thanks to the Optoelectronics and Laser Engineering degree course) to anyone that would listen, and my personal opinion that you’re unlikely to fry your brain by using a mobile phone.

Later on (and by this time, I have absolutely no idea what the time is - you may have noticed the timestamps above becoming less and less precise) a couple of The Wife’s old friends turn up, bearing gifts and cards. We blether, drink more, talk shite and generally have a laugh at some poor sods’ expense. In fact this was probably me, but I don’t think I either picked up on it or gave a poo by that point. :-)

Probably some time on the 26th December:…
And then there was bed time, kipping down on the inflatable bed in the living room, trying to the fall onto the floor (more difficult than it sounds) and avert being savaged on the feet by the cat, or licked by the dog.

I somehow fall asleep, very happy, content and fat.

1. What did you do in 2003 that you’d never done before?
Made plans for the rest of my life. I’ve always been a “let’s see what comes along” sort of guy, but this year I’ve made some life plans. Not that I thought I would be doing so this time last year, but I’ve done it anyway.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn’t make any, as I usually break them after about 12 minutes. I suspect I will make at least one this coming new year, but I can’t guarantee anything.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not that I can think of.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, unfortunately. My uncle Dave who, regrettably, I haven’t seen for so very long. I miss you Dave.

5. What countries did you visit?
I haven’t been out of the UK this year, although I’ve really wanted to at certain points.

6. What would you like to have in 2004 that you lacked in 2003?
Money. I know it may sound incredibly shallow, but money has definitely been an issue this year.

7. What date from 2003 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
9th August, the day I asked Suzy evils to marry me.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I’m going to say that I’ve made some great achievements this year. I met someone who I’m totally in love with, someone I want to share the rest of my life with (q.v. #7) and I took the huge step of saying “sayonara” to the 9-5, and set up my own business, something I’ve wanted to do for a very long time, but it didn’t seem right, or I didn’t feel strong enough, until this year.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not being brave enough to stand up to someone (for a while) and then failing someone I hold very dear. And losing a potential friendship in the process.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing major, just the odd cold. There was a point where my shoulder was extremely painful, but I think that was booze-induced, hence self-inflicted injury, and I deserve no sympathy whatsoever.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
A digital camera for Suzy’s birthday. The smile on her face was indescribable, but of the “good” variety.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Paul, who’s been a fabulous friend for the past couple of years, supporting me through everything, and has never asked for anything in return. Except to go to the pub for a pint now and then. :-)

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I really don’t want to name names, but there was one person, who I was very close to at one point, who made life exceedingly difficult. And of course, my own.

14. Where did most of your money go?
The mortgage, bills, food, fags. And, if I’m being honest, probably DVDs. Not having had much of the stuff recently (certainly less that I think I deserve, cheers Pure!) I’m really having to spend most of it on the essentials.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Lots of plans. Christmas with Suzy. The future.

16. What song will always remind you of 2003?
I think “Let Me Be Your Armor”.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Far, far, far, far, far, far happier!!!!
ii. thinner or fatter? Probably a little lighter/thinner, but not by a great deal.
iii. richer or poorer? In fiscal terms, definitely poorer. Emotionally, a great deal richer.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Spent time with Suzy. Spent time with friends. Spent time not worrying about things, whether I can change them or not.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Farted around, doing what I thought I had to do, rather than what I should have done, when setting up the business. Smoked.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Eating, drinking, playing and laughing plenty with Suzy and her folks in Ayrshire. Basically the complete opposite of last year’s “look for something that’s open on X-mas day, can’t find anything, beans on toast it is then.”

22. Did you fall in love in 2003?
Absolutely. 11th January 2003. I was in London, she wasn’t.

23. How many one-night stands?
None.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
It’s got to be Family Guy, Will and Grace, or 24 (season 2)

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I think so. Yes, *think* I think so.

26. What was the best book you read?
The Brentford Trillogy, Robert Rankin. I know it’s five books, but I did read them all this year.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
That I wasn’t the only person that can’t stand Kylie Minouge. I have no idea how to spell that, and I’m not even sure it’s music related… Bitch? Me? Ha!

28. What did you want and get?
Happiness. Not sure I deserved it, but I wanted it and got it.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
LOTR: The Two Towers. It would probably be LOTR: ROTK but I haven’t seen it yet.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 31. I was surprised by the great number of folk that turned out to wish me well. I did myself a mischief playing with the Eye-Toy.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I can’t say I wanted anything more. Perhaps a little less grief from certain quarters, and being paid on time for the work I’ve done.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2003?
What I like, exactly as it’s been for the past god-knows how long.

34. What kept you sane?
A few close people and a million little distractions.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Is this a trick question? I can’t say that I think anyone that’s regularly in the public eye has anything worthy of being respected for. Unless it’s honesty, and that’s very, very rare.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Not an issue as such, but the complete lack of accountability (and backbone) of the British Government. I suppose the next thing would be the thieves building the Holyrood Parliament.

37. Who did you miss?
My uncle Dave, my Mum, Dad and sisters, David in Cardiff, plenty of friends still in Edinburgh, and down in London.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
I can’t answer this question with one name, there have been many.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2003:
I already answered this here http://www.matt.blis.co.uk/archives/000026.html

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Music has taken a back seat for me this year, so I can’t think of anything that immediately jumps out at me. I may edit this later if I think of something.

Well, I’m obviously not going to rant about all plumbers here, but I am going to get at a certain breed; the ones that carry six-shooters and wear stetsons and spurs.

Note: this is a bit of a rant; feel free to ignore this if you have a mind to.
(more…)

It’s the intention, as part of Suzy’s birthday celebration, to go to Opium (yes, we know!!!) in the Cowgate on Sunday evening (14th Dec) and partake of the el cheapo drinks there.

Not sure of the exact time, but I suspect that we’ll be making an appearance somewhere between 7 and 8 pm.

I’d be dead chuffed (and she would too, but she doesn’t know I’m writing this…) if you would pop along, even if it’s only for a snifter, and give her your best. I know she hasn’t been out much recently, and she would love to see you all.

Sorry for the late notice, things haven’t quite gone as planned…

I just want to take a moment, now that we’re back in from watching the sunrise over Edinburgh from Arthur’s Seat (and the freezing cold!), to wish the happiest of birthday wishes to the ever-fabulous Suzy!

Happy birthday babe!

*kisses*