Since I didn't manage to blog on the 25th, Merry Christmas!

And for the 26th, what a day it was. Like a friend said, "Boxing Day. A day when the heavens decide to box us puny humans." After yesterday's disaster, everybody's paranoid about everything. I'm just glad that it didn't affect anyone I know - quite amazing really. Almost all my friends and I live in highrise buildings, yet none of us felt a single thing. Either our buildings are damn solid or we all sleep like pigs. Hahaha.

Anyway, no disaster is going to make me change my plans. I'm flying off to Hong Kong tomorrow (yes, again!) Will be there for only a couple of days though. Don't really feel like spending new year's there. After all, all my friends are here and I look forward to the silly drunkenedness that's going to happen.

It's the 3rd day of Christmas!

Have you got 3 french hens, 2 turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree?

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Ev'rywhere you go;
Take a look in the five-and-ten, glistening once again
With candy canes and silver lanes aglow.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas,
Toys in ev'ry store,
But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be
On your own front door.
A pair of hopalong boots and a pistol that shoots
Is the wish of Barney and Ben;
Dolls that will talk and will go for a walk
Is the hope of Janice and Jen;
And Mom and Dad can hardly wait for school to start again.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Ev'rywhere you go;
There's a tree in the Grand Hotel, one in the park as well,
The sturdy kind that doesn't mind the snow.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas;
Soon the bells will start,
And the thing that will make them ring is the carol that you sing
Right within your heart.

Merry Christmas Eve!

Christmas, Christmas time is near
Time for toys and time for cheer
We've been good, but we can't last
Hurry Christmas, hurry fast
Want a plane that loops the loop
Me, I want a hula hoop
We can hardly stand the wait
Please Christmas, don't be late.

1 more day till Christmas eve!
2 more days till Christmas!

What do I want?

What is it I fear?

Why is it that I always hurt the people I love?

I don't want to...I never want to...but somehow, it just seems to happen...

It's like some built-in self destruct programme.

I really hate myself.

I don't know what it is people see in me...

I'm not all that I'm cut out to be.

I feel I'm not worthy.

I cannot give back what I receive.

What is wrong with me?

I'm so fucked up.

I think I deserve a pat on my back.

I've done all my Christmas shopping!

Well...ok, there's just one more gift. But at least there's just one more. I won't have that last minute panic. Although at this point in time I still haven't figured out what to get for that particular person...

On a bright note, I've decided that beer is a great gift for guys when you can't think of anything else. And a bottle of Coke as well. So, there are two guys who will be getting beer and one who'll be getting Coke. Hey, it's the thought that counts and I think it's a bloody ingenious idea. Haha!

The Christmas tree in the office doesn't look as full as last year. I remember this time last year, the tree was already chock-a-block full of ornaments and presents. Maybe people are just too busy...or maybe I set the bar high with my ornament this year. Haha. I'd like to think so...:P The theme this year is superheroes, so we're all supposed to make superhero ornaments. Yours truly hung a piece of string and named it Invisible Girl. Even if I don't win most creative ornament, I bags the early bird prize as the first one on the tree. Thus setting the bar. *grin* So far, everyone's been trying to outdo each other. There's a pair of shoes at the bottom of the tree (Camouflage Girl - mistress of disguises), webbing around the tree (Spiderman), a yellow sponge (SpongeBob), a magnifying glass (world's smallest superhero), a red underwear (Superman), and a black underwear (Batman). The Christmas party's on Friday, so hopefully we'll get to see more interesting ornaments this week.

Only 10 days till Christmas!

Christmas is in 2 weeks time. And I still haven't bought any presents for anybody. Time to panic.

I'm also very broke. It seems I'm always very broke when it comes to the year end. I wonder why...I wonder if the agency will declare a bonus this year too. I wonder if I'll get any, considering the dismal performance at the awards shows this year which somehow we (my partner and I) can't help but feel we're being blame for. The boss didn't say anything about that during the performance review but well, you know...sometimes you just don't have to say anything. Oh well. Life sucks in many ways.

The Christmas spirit hasn't begun to settle in yet as you can see. Actually, I haven't felt very Christmas-y since December begun. Maybe I haven't been out to the shopping centres to catch all the lights and decorations. Maybe I should dig out my Christmas CD and start playing it to get into the mood. Maybe this weekend when I go shopping for Christmas presents, the Christmas mood will begin to sink in.

Sleigh bells ring, are you listening,
In the lane, snow is glistening
A beautiful sight,
We're happy tonight.
Walking in a winter wonderland.

I wish it snowed here. Somehow Christmas seems more Christmas when there's snow.

I was watching a rerun of last year's music awards presentation on TV today when it suddenly occurred to me that it's that time of the year again.

The year end music awards presentations. These should happen pretty soon - that time of the year when HK singers vie for accolades and awards. That time of year when the HK music industry rewards them with awards of all kinds (whether or not deserving, that's the debate of many). We can dispute some of the results, we can throw a tantrum, we can throw a fit, but whatever it is, the awards will be given out and there will be people who win whom we don't like. After all, music like many other creative pursuits is subjective. You win some, you lose some and sometimes it just depends on how big your promotion budget is.

Having said that, I do feel the HK music industry has been trying to redeem itself. Sure, you have those who still can't sing and are mere marketing tools of certain companies. But there are also those whom you feel have genuinely put their heart and soul into making good music. A lot more singers are trying their hand at other avenues of music production now, not contented with just merely being the voice of the album. I feel HK has a lot more singer-songwriters, singer-composers, singer-producers now than there used to before. I mean, compared to the 80's, 90% of the songs then were cover versions of Japanese and English numbers. Now, most of the songs are original compositions.

Many may not agree with me. To each their own, I say. Although HK doesn't have the superstars of yesteryears, this current crop of musical artists have contributed to the changing face of HK music. And may they continue this dedication and strive to bring us even better music.

To all of them, I wish them luck in the coming music awards shows. May the best person win.

I haven't really listened to much HK Cantopop this year so I don't purport to know what's hot and what's not, what's in and what's out. Nevertheless, I have my list of favourites and here are my top ten albums of the year (in no particular order):

Please Steal This Album - Edison Chen
Back Up - Andy Hui
Big Bear - Leo Ku
Never Walk Again - Alex Fong
Life is Like A Dream - Jacky Cheung
Don't Want To Be Liked By Everyone - Pong Nan
Love & Hate - Ping Pung
Boyzone - Boy'z
Effort & Love - Edmond Leong
and for bias reasons, The Best of HOCC - Denise Ho

Just realised that they're mostly all males. Hmm. Maybe I haven't listened to many female singers this year. Or maybe the female singers just haven't impressed me with albums which I think are worth mentioning/listening to this year. Although I'm pretty sure the same females will be dominating the top positions, I feel they haven't really done much with their music - when albums start to sound like previous albums, they really need to relook at themselves.

On an end note, all the best to Denise Ho at these year end awards. May you begin to dazzle.

I shouldn't be upset over a t-shirt but I am. I can't help it.

1. I've only worn it twice.
2. It's something I can't buy/find in this country.
3. It wasn't cheap.

All thanks to stupid male DNA who simply chuck everything into the tumble dryer!