HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!~!

I am sick again. This really sucks. I had a bad week at work too. Working like a madwoman. In any event, at least it will be a three-day weekend for me. I would say that I'd need the rest, but I was volunteered to make dumplings and wontons. Now that I've been volunteered for this job, other people have been placing orders with me too. Its a wonderful life ain't it?

I hope this new year brings me the basics: health, wealth and happiness. Its what I wish for every year. I hope the new year brings you the same, too. Just remember that I wished these things for you, too, when you hit the lottery! =)

Christmas was good. I had a lot of fun. I got a PSP, "Set it and Forget it," and a portable skillet!!~! Though Steve is the real recipient, I am the beneficiary - so I have nothing to complain about. Also receive a lot of liquor too, but I'm still debating whether these people liked me enough to think about me during Christmas, or if they had the slightest ill-intentions. Thank you, Kandice, for the hat and sweater - just what I needed to keep warm!

A special THANKS to Joe and Nancy for the Black!!~! Its an awesome gift set, though I won't be drinking the Black, I can still fill the glasses with some iced tea and act "as if." We should get together sometime soon.

So that's all that I have to report. Later!

The STRIKE is on ...

Ahhhh... Living through history again.

Well, I made it to the office. Thanks to Joe and Friends for counting me in for a car pool. It was a pretty smooth ride. Not exactly sure how I'll get home, but I will make it home regardless - my boys need me.

I must say, I really don't think its worthwhile for the TWU to strike. They're losing - what was it 2-3 days pay per day of striking. They're asking for way to much to begin with. 8% non-cumulative raise, no-contribution pensions, and a retirement age of 55. That's outrageous. People who work performance base jobs don't even get that. If you want to live comfortably when you retire, that's your responsibility to build up your own little nest. The rest of the world retires at 67. But because you drive a train or bus, dispense metrocards and do whatever "cleaning" (I must use this term loosely, in case anyone reading this blog has never been on a subway-tunnels are painted a trendy black dust and the aroma is of natural urine), you deserve to retire 12 years earlier. I can see the physical and emotional toll your jobs take on you. You are constantly confronted with directions from passengers, therefore the emotion toll leads you to be grouchy and thus the only answers you can communicate are grunts, rolling eyes and pointing. Its quite obvious, the physical damage you suffer - its led you to obsesity, where only the rare few fit in your posts.

In any event, I had a good weekend. Did eat out a bit too much, considering all the holiday parties I have attended. Caught a slight case of food poisoning - but that was to be expected. Also spent the weekend wrapping gifts - it took me about 8 hours straight - yeah that's retarded, but I had so much fun wrapping, the time passed by in a blink of an eye. I realized how tired I was when I a started wrapping gifts the wrong way and there was no correcting since I started running low on wrapping paper. The next challenge - how do I get these things into the car and delivered?

This weekend, I hope to take in a couple of movies. I want to see Geisha and Munich.

Well, in case I don't see you anytime soon ...

Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Let your hear be light

From now on, our troubles will be out of sight.

Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Make the Yule-tide gay

From now on our troubles will be miles away.

Here were are as in olden days, happy golden days of yore.

Faithful friends who are dear to us, gather near to us once more.

Through the years we all will be together

If the Fates allow

Hang a shining star upon the highest bough.

And have yourself a merry little Christmas now.

COMING SOON ... WHY PEOPLE GET FAT DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON!!~!

There's not much happening ....

Bored to death here at work. Its the AM, so of course, I will read my 3 newspapers, everyone else's blogs and sit on my behind eating breakfast. In any event, I found this article I think people should read:

Tortuous Progress, Wall Street Journal, December 13, 2005; Page A12

The article is an opinion on the debate of interrogation 'practices', whether they're humane or not. I'm pretty sure anyone reading this blog already knows what my opinion is, so I shall spare you by not going into detail.

The weekend was relaxing. I watched a couple of movies that I failed to see at the theatre, Interpreter and Kingdom of Heaven. I thought Interpreter was a really good movie, and No, Bloom did not redeem himself from the character he played in Troy. I was actually a bit disappointed with the entire movie - I guess I expected more from Ridley Scott.

Other than that, there isn't much else going on.

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas ...

Everywhere you go;

Take a look in the five-and-ten, glistening once again

With candy canes and silver lanes aglow.

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas,

Toys in every store,

But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be

On your own front door.

Well, I am officially done with my Christmas shopping. Woo HOoO!!~! I guess I could just lay back, relax and rest up for the party season.

I am quite upset about the blown Carmine's reservations - KANDICE - I was really looking forward to a feast. Sucks.

I was hoping the snow would hold up so that Chester and I could go tubing today, but it rained. Sucks.

Is its really just Chinese people?

Why the Chinese Hate to Use Voice Mail - WSJ 12/31/05

Chinese people "hate" voice mail ... "who has time to check it?" he says.

Many Chinese who have worked for inefficient, state-owned companies may not comprehend the idea of being obligated to return phone calls or to respond to customers.

Nor do many Chinese expect to leave messages.

Others consider it a loss of "face," or dignity, to leave a message with someone of lower corporate rank. "It's basically a cultural gap," says Mr. Clark, a Westerner who speaks fluent Mandarin.