Merry Christmas ! albeit a rather belated one !!

Having taken off two days off last week, it was a rather short week for work. As it is, I believed I spent the first day watching movies on HBO and pining for my office, and I actually went into office on the second day. By the time I was back into the office officially on Wednesday I felt really good. Work was kind of sparse, and it was a pretty fun and relaxed environment with most people going home by around mid afternoon. My team proposed a short trip to Macau for Christmas Eve night, and having nothing better to do at that time, I agreed. I took a cab home for my passport and off it was to Macau !

An hour's ferry ride later, we were in Macau. We first partook of quite a fancy Chinese dinner, over which I had a whole load of advice given to me regarding work. Walking through a dark tunnel with computer generated images and sounds of flowing water to reach the table was a pretty interesting affair, and much more so the food. Tiny pieces of suckling pig, followed by equally minute portions of jellyfish on seaweed, wine marinated chicken pieces, snow asparagus, followed by a soup. Yummy, but not really satisfying. Unfortunately, everyone else seemed satisfied and it was time to hit the tables.

I spent most of the night (from nine to about three) walking around tables, laying down some money in the name of saving Macau's economy from time to time, and mostly watched humans at play. Human nature is fascinating. Probably half the people were local, and it was slightly disconcerting to see thousands thrown over the table when the economy is not doing so good *( I knew someone who could have used that money - me !) hehe.

Around three am, I was hunted out by MrAx to go for some mid morning porridge. I was introduced to this fantastic fishy porridge, no bones, and over which I was treated to more work advice. Somehow I seem to get a lot of advice about work. I wonder why ? Is it because everyone thinks I suck, or is it the fact that I am at least 10 years younger, or is it because I actually AM bad at my work ? I appreciate it anyway. I get a lot of information this way, from different sources.

By the time I arrived home from Macau, it was about six in the morning on Christmas day, and I had a nice chat with the taxi driver on the way home. Slept most of Christmas day, until I met up with FredBear for dinner (!!!! yea slept till dinner). Had Chicken Noodles at some dingy coffeehouse place (WORST CHRISTMAS DINNER EVER !) but I was starving due to not having eaten anything, so it tasted pretty good. Oh, except a whole tiramisu cake that I scoffed just before I left the apartment that FredBear bought the day before. The WHOLE thing. Sigh. 2 million calories.

26th was spent accompanying some extended family members at Mongkok before rushing back home for the party. Decorations were up a few weeks earlier, thank goodness, and just had to wait for people to arrive. They started to arrive and by eight both my tables were brimming with food including a giant turkey, ham, sausages, LOADS of salad, giant buns, pasta, mince pies, pizza, juices, cordials, soft drinks, ice cream, cake, chicken wings.............the eating went on and on until a mahjong game got started and the rest went in for poker on my living room floor. By midnight, most were gone, part of the Hong Kong Transportation Disadvantage where one has to leave a party near midnight so as to catch the last train home, something which is never a problem at home. So it went that a Mahjong game went on till about three am. Which I became the big winner. Woohoo.

That equals a Merry Christmas.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE !!

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Ah, life.

Is it not terrible that people can be in love with several other people at the same time ? Or perhaps that is not love.

Work was tremendously busy this week, and I am really glad I made it through the week. Christmas week is next week and I am looking forward to it, even though I will not be home for Christmas. This will my second Christmas away from home in 3 years, and again, it will be a cold, though not white Christmas. Lovely.

My cheque for USD 450 arrived today, and it was wonderful to receive it. It is from Citibank though, so I better cash it in soon. What should I get myself ? Being such a piece of luck, I am going to spend it on something really evil. A new suit perhaps ? Or a flight ticket ? So much choices, what do I do ?

Ah.

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I really do not intent to let this be a weekly event, so I do need to find time to post here more often. With most other pages left along, they seem extremely desolate, and I would be hanged if I do abandon this place, as I really love it here. I have taken to reading some of my older entries, and nostalgia abounds. I think everyone who enjoys delving back into the past needs one form or another of reminders from the past, and blogging is a fantastic way, very much like writing a diary.

Even if my weeks now are filled with work, and I just get the weekends to myself, I still have loads to say to myself in the future. I just want to tell myself (the one in the future) that I am extremely glad to have a job that I love, and one that I love to go to every day, even though it means 12 hour days. In recent days, I have taken over the local currency book and also am in charge of setting rates for the entire bank. Whether someone is quietly supervising me or not, I still feel that with great power comes great responsibility. And taking on more responsibility will lead to one getting or feeling older. No longer can one be as reckless or lackadaisical as before. It really is time to grow up.

With all this new responsibility, it comes at a cost. The cost of time for myself, family, friends, social life, or learning. I do not really have as much time for myself. I used to read a lot more and plan and dream and have more thoughts. I realised that today, as I spent a couple of hours finishing "The Other Boleyn Girl". A great book. Got me going back into old English history which still fascinates me. But the best part, was just sitting down and reading a book. Comfortably. I promise to spend more time like this. Family and friends. Obviously work has taken me far away from both family and friends, which is unfortunate. Nevertheless, life is a journey and while there are a million memories which we carry with us, there are billions more to be made. I both envy and pity those who stay in one place, comfortable, with day to day life as they are used to, but unable to appreciate the width and breadth and depth of the world. Sacrifice is a word tossed around usually, but to me, it is a matter of understanding what you need and want in your lifetime. I am still finding that out for myself. Social life. Went to a club on Friday night and partied till past 3 am. Walking home in the cool weather with lingering cigarette and alcohol smells on my jacket made me reminisce about winter nights spent in Chapel Street clubs and the fun times that ended earlier and earlier as I got older. Late nights spent bobbing around to loud music with the sole aim of getting pissed is no longer and probably never was interesting to me now. I so much more appreciate the gathering of friends, sometimes just to be.

Ah life.

With GAIst and GANay visiting this weekend, it made me slighly wishing for the good old times of 2006. Where fresh faced into the workplace, everything was an adventure, and it was easy to give 200% at your job everyday. For a moment, watching the lights show at the harbour, eating goose at Sham Tseng, travelling to the Peak, there were times where I wished that we could turn back time. Until I realised that in 2006, I was wishing for the good old times of 2003, my first year at university. And it just goes on. Until we can fully appreciate the here and now, we will never be truly happy. I am learning. Learning to let go of the past, and understand that it has passed, and that is why it is called the past. Learning that I am extremely fortunate to still remember why I want to turn back time, and that I would have wanted to relive the life that I had because then it would mean that I had a good time. Learning that perhaps I should spend more effort making the present a great time to be in, as I would need to look back upon this time in the future and wish that I could turn back time to Christmas 2008.

But I am fortunate. Ah, even as I jot my thoughts down here, I think, perhaps this is all just a dream and I might wake up one day. But while I am still living the dream, happiness, is something that I can make, and control. And I will be happy.

Time to grow up.

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Went on a dolphin watch today, meaning about 50 people, mostly staff and family went on a pleasure boat. We travelled almost two hours before we reached a Marine Park, sort of a protected area for marine animals. It brought back memories of the Houseboat though of course a lot more bumpy ! The sea could be considered calm, though being a small boat, we still bounced quite a lot. Since I knew noone on the boat other than GAHil and of couse GARic, it was not very eventful. However, I spent most of the trip listening to the WWF people introduce the Chinese White Dolphin. Must be a pretty good job doing what you are interested in, thought I must say, I could not imagine spouting the same speech over and over again.

We stopped at the Marine Park and 50 pairs of eyes went roving about in search of the dolphins, white in colour. Not too long, the boat captain spotted three about 30 metres away. It is not like how you imagine them to be, jumping over waves and making squeaky noises. In fact, all you see is more like a flash of white bodies. After a collective of oohs and aahs, it was all over. And people starting lining up for food. Gosh. How I hate cramming for food. Remind me not to do this again. Having a buffet line with kiasu people in a small boat is not that fun. Argh. The rocking of the boat killed my appetite anyway. I almost fell asleep in the wind, and in fact that was what I did in the end. I spent most of the trip home asleep, as did most people. Except for those bratty kids !!

By that time, I was feeling pretty seasick and ridiculously tired. So I just taxied home. But I did not dare to sleep as I was afraid it would spoil my sleep later. So I am just spending some time, cleaning the house, getting some food in, ironing...television. I am feeling sleepy...............................

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