This is the first time that I will post in over a month because of the hectic schedule and major stresses brought about by the school work and frankly, I did not have the time to think about a sensible thing to write about here. Not until I thought of writing again in this personal space.

A lot of people have bombarded my text lines and my instant messenger account of Christmas and New Year greetings for the past two weeks. It is the holiday season again but it’s feeling quite strange for the first time for me. And of course I’m getting fattier and flabbier as usual because of the constant influx of food in the refrigerator. It’s the first Christmas wherein I did not come to receive any gifts from my godparents. Of course that’s understandable because I’m already freaking old and I should be the one giving gifts to others, and I received a hell lot of presents from my parents, including a brand new computer. It’s also feeling different this year because we are celebrating Christmas as one whole family. My father did not celebrate Christmas with us last year because he was in the Middle East trying to earn money for us. I really did not feel the Christmas spirit this year compared to other years where I would usually become giddy and excited about the holiday season. I mean to say it’s all the same stuff from the past years and the excitement is no longer there. It all feels like just an ordinary day for me. Not to sound like ala-The Grinch, but I really think that Christmas has already been slowly losing its real essence as the years have gone and will go.

The only exciting things during Christmas were remembering the birth of Jesus, the special food that was prepared, and the beautiful chicks during the Noche Buena mass just before Christmas Day. I was also happy that the Lakers won on Christmas Day for the first time in 5 years - and they did it against the Phoenix Suns. Really one of the best Christmas gifts for me.

The firecrackers for New Year are back again. We did not blow firecrackers and pyrotechnics last year because my dad wasn’t here but this year 2008 will surely start with a bang. I am also trying to make my new list of New Year’s resolutions which I think I will surely miss by 95 percent chance. Anyway, I think it’s really not bad to create resolutions and just hoping in the wind that you will be able to fulfill it. This new year, I promised myself to study harder and avoid being lazy with schoolwork, I also promised myself to get thinner and be in shape, and I promised myself to improve on the defensive end of the basketball court. I think three resolutions are not hard to obey for me, I think I can manage to do the three this coming 2008. The whole clan in my father’s side will surely go to the reunion party on January 1, which has been a tradition for us and we will surely not miss attendance there.

My dad’s leaving again for abroad on January 10. I’m wishing him all the best.

Happy Holidays, people! Enjoy the holiday season because it only comes once a year.