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hello 2007!

Okay, I have to admit. I'm not much one for New Year's Eve. Its busy and expensive and overrated and people are just trying so hard to have a darned good time that it always seems that people are disappointed. In order to avoid this, I didn't plan anything. The day before yesterday, a few friends and I semi got our plans in order. But, it was less plans and more mutually planned hanging out.

By nine or so, my living room was nicely filled by the usual suspects. Tasha, Court, Stephanie and Eddie, his brother Bert, Julia and I hung out in living room while, with breaks to the deck to visit Jarrod and Chris, or to the kitchen to pour more wine or treats. I think it was pretty quiet until Tasha brought out the mojitos. Then it got really rowdy--I mean, we played Trivial Pursuit. On the Xbox, so at least we didn't have to worry about losing any pieces.

Even with static-y (we don't have cable) Nathan Philips Square coverage on to announce the New Year, I think it was one of the most enjoyable. I have had exactly one other New Year's that was excellent. It was three or four ago now, but, it was the only time I bought a ticket, got dressed up, and went out with girlfriends. Actually, when I think about it, maybe going out for New Year's isn't so bad. Maybe next year.

The Swing of Things

I'm having trouble getting back into the swing of things. For instance, yesterday I actually had to work. My supervisor had sent out an email a while back offering Christmas hours. Part of the email said, "Its quiet, so bring a book." It was not quiet. And even though I brought a book, there was no reading to be done. There was real work to be done, people to help, UTORdial accounts to troubleshoot, and I did not like it one single bit. I had expected a semi-quiet day and I hate not getting what I expect.

I love breaks. I love not knowing what day of the week it is, even if it means that I miss garbage day. I love sleeping in. And reading three books in three days. And big breakfasts with eggs and toast and sausage and coffee because there's time to enjoy it. I love staying up late and watching the James Bond movies that Jarrod downloaded.

There was a time when I would have said that I needed something to keep me busy and productive. And while I know that I would start feeling like that after a month or so of breaking, that I would get a bit antsy, right now, a week into the world of relax, I would say that I could live like this forever and not worry about being productive again.

I'm going to go eat breakfast at one o'clock, read a book, and visit my dog. Maybe work out. Maybe not. Because, hey, I'm on break.

Dear Aunt Lynn and Uncle Doug,

I just thought I'd take a second to thank you for my Christmas present. I know that the tickets weren't given in the best of circumstances, but, we did have a wonderful time.

We got all dressed up, which meant that Jarrod wore his really nice suit. And Jarrod even gave me my Christmas present early so that I could wear it (you can see it when we get to Windsor). Dad gave us a lift down there, so we almost arrived in style. I have a bit (read: a lot) of a cough left over, so I was afraid of being kicked out. But, things all went well, seeing as how I was full of cough medicine and brought a bottle of water.

We loved the show. Okay, there are some things that I would improve. But really, have I ever seen a movie or read a book that there wasn't something I would change? The dynamic between the two women was fantastic, but, if Galinda kicked up her leg one more time...

Thank you thank you thank you for giving us an evening we otherwise would not have had.

Merry Christmas!

xoxo

Alli

Alli's Method of Beating the Hell out of the Common Cold:

1. Mope around for a few days, so that it thinks it is getting the better of you. Extra points if you fake it so well that you start to believe yourself that it is getting the better of you.
2. Make friends with Buckley's. When you start to like the taste, you're know you're getting better.
3. Learn to sleep sitting up. Not only will you cough less, you'll also freak out anyone who walks into the room during the night. Yesterday, Jarrod started a conversation with me because he thought I was awake. In his defense, not only was I sleeping sitting up, I also had my Nalgene bottle on my lap.
4. Water. Lots of water. When you feel that damned cough coming on, drink it.
5. Tylenol with codeine, over the counter from the friendly neighbourhood pharmacist. No, seriously, codeine is a cough suppressant, and when combined with the wonderful DM, it almost makes you feel human again.
6. Rolling up kleenex into a little sausage and sticking it in your nose. Prevents the nasal drip and is uber hot.

Now, I can't guarantee this method, seeing as how, well, I'm still rather coughey. But I will mention that this is the best that I've felt in a week, so, I think I'm on to something.

There are very few things that could make a girl like me (and by that I mean one who is sick even though its been FIVE days) feel better right now: soup or ice cream. I'm working tonight, because I figured the only thing worse than writing a paper while ill is to be writing a paper while ill when you could be getting paid to write it. So, at work, after suffering through a few short but cough filled calls, its finally my break. And I go upstairs to grab, oh, I don't know, maybe some soup? Lo and behold (that's for you!), the whole cafeteria is torn apart. Not only is there no chance of me getting soup, there's no chance of my fracking getting anything.

I realize though, that there are vending machines. And, there's ice cream in them. The thought of smooth cold ice cream on my sore tender throat was enough to get this gal a salivating. But, I only had a new Canadian five, and of course, the machines just kept rejecting it. I am telling you, after a day like this (and the previous five sicky ones), I was about ready to burst into tears. You know that feeling you get when things are just too beyond your control but something really simple would have made it all better? That was how I felt, standing there, looking at the ice cream, with a stupid new fiver in my hand.

You had better believe that if the convenience store by my apartment doesn't have the ice cream that I want, I am going to go absolutely postal.

On the upside, my paper is officially seventeen pages. That is so much closer to eighteen than I ever expected to get. And my foot notes are done. I'm not sure its English, but, hey, they can't fail me. Knock on wood.

Things that make me

Things that make me miserable:

1. A sore throat that I thought was getting better but was really only going into hiding to execute a sneak attack at four am this morning, wherein I was awake and trying not to swallow for over an hour.
2. Not knowing where my Knowledge Ontario book/pamphlet is, which is terribly important to reducing the number of hours that I have to spend on my stupid advocacy paper.
3. The thought of cleaning my room. No, seriously, its really really bad right now.

Things that make me Not miserable:

1. Having friends come into town, who I don't have to entertain and don't seem to think it is anything out of the ordinary for me to be writing a paper two days before its due.
2. Jeff flying in from Halifax, and remarking, within ten minutes, that he thinks he might be stupid.** Which leads me onto the running joke, entitled: "Proving to my guidance counselor that I should recieve special compensation in academic matters because I was born stupid."
3. The opening scene of Troy where Brad Pitt kills the shit out of that big guy.

** I do not mean to insinuate in any way that I actually do think Jeff is stupid. We all know that I make the jokes about the hockey, but, really, he's a very smart kid.