all in good time

And, here we go. Final stretch of the winter break, and I'm expending as little fuel as possible. It was a great break, too. Didn't get to go out too much since there were familial exigencies to deal with, but I managed to make initial rounds anyway. Hosted 2 dinner parties, which were great. I mean, I have to use up that store of heterosexist societal expectations that have been shoved down my throat, right? (Pertaining to housekeeping and contrived hostess duties, and the like.) It was all in good fun though, I even enjoyed cleaning up, which is a little disturbing. I've also developed an active distaste for cilantro and, to a lesser degree, wine. It seems my palate has shifted back to that murky area of hard liquor that it favoured back in the day. Managed an appearance at G's party, which was monumental, since it's been ages since I saw those full-time-workforce folk. It was a little shady (all that questionable under-the-table action afoot -- yes, that was a pun, savour it), but it was great in a reassuring kind of way. There were other opportunities for social interaction too, of course. And they were all: awesome. But it seems counter-productive to recount them all. (At least this way my life seems more mysterious than peculiar.)

Dad and other-brother came over, which took up most of my time -- not surprising. It was great though, I'm a sucker for my Poppa, and it's always fun ragging on my younger brother. Christmas loot was surprisingly mostly liquid, which I heartily appreciate. Only, I'm seriously considering blowing the lot of it on a digital SLR or something. This is only because I've lost faith in my historic little cybershot after it died on me in Banff a number of times (all that extreme cold weather, see). There were circumstances that needed documenting, and I was ruthlessly disappointed. Maybe not even a full-out SLR, I'd be happy with a powershot (only marginally less probably). But, what.

There will be no talk of grades.

Banff was great. Even all those icky touristy things my parents made me do. I abhor playing tourist (or, really, conspicuous displays thereof), but sometimes, things need to be sucked up, etc. The hotel food was atrocious for the price they were charging us, but the downtown area was replete with all sorts of chain restaurants and tourist food-traps, so that wasn't really a big deal. It was a busy few days, all that running around and sport (to a certain extent, ok), and all that piss-freezing snow. I liked the snow the best, I may have grown up in the tropics, but I'm a sucker for frost and powder and all those other white and silver things. I wish I had more pictures, but my camera, dammit.

Anyway. It really was a great holiday, I'm probably making it sound retarded.

Mm. Managed to watch a bit of the Democrat leg of the New Hampshire debates. I wish Philippine politics had that sort of substantive space for debate and discourse. Political participation and investment on my part would be easier to stomach, and I wouldn't have to suppress the furious urge to make myself bleed just so I could drown out those pompous and conniving talking heads that comprise a tragically good portion of the current Philippine political landscape.

Aaaah, I can't believe classes are about to start. Poo.