Merry Christmas!

Time was I enjoyed Christmas. Time was I was a kid. Only I'm not anymore and I wrestle with mixed emotions at supposedly the most joyous time of the year.

Today on Christmas Eve, I went with my pop to the grocery for some last minute shopping for ham and stuff. Lunch and dinner was pretty good. Feels great not to cook my own food for a change. And I can't even begin to tell you how great that was. Been living alone for so long. I fell asleep in my old bed -- that old familiar friend. I opened my closet and rummaged through a lot of my things. I saw my plastic covered vinyl LPs from the US pressings of the early U2 albums, Band Aid, the Beatles, the Clash, Madness, and Bruce Springsteen among others. I pulled out my Yankees beanie (which I can be seen wearing in the picture). I also pulled out my hockey jerseys and tried them on. Man, they fit a little more since I gained freaking weight. Bwahahahaha.

We watched Band of Brothers (a couple of episodes together) and my pop borrowed my hardbound book of Stephen Ambrose's war novel. How many war movies do I rank among my favorites? There's Saving Private Ryan, Platoon, and Blackhawk Down. There are military adventure thrillers like Crimson Tide and Behind Enemy Lines among others.

I was in heaven. I can't tell you how I've missed doing old rituals.

I wrote a while back how it's funny that when you're young, you can't to get a little older and do adult things. And now, I guess that's why I hold onto my childhood's faith. It keeps me from being jaded in a complicated world.

Over meals we talked about home stuff and the world. About climate change, Barack Obama, gifts, relatives, the Ateneo Blue Eagles, about going home to see the relatives from my mother's side... the Tañedos, going back to the US, and watching Band of Brothers all night.

Aww, hell... enough of the sentimental stuff. I just wanted to greet everyone a MERRY CHRISTMAS.




What was playing on my iTunes on Christmas Eve:
Sugar Hiccup - Of Tongues and Thoughts
The Style Council - The Singular Adventures of the Style Council (the first CD I ever purchased!)
Tears For Fears - Everybody Loves A Happy Ending
Dream Theater - Live Scenes from New York
Oasis - What's the Story Morning Glory
Incubus - Live At Red Rocks


Those who are waiting for the 2009 Ateneo Sports Calendar, sorry for the freaking delay! It will be out first week of January. Sorry talaga but this will not happen again the next time we do this. Will advise details here right on New Year's Day.