Hello! I have been woefully lax in updating this for the past month or so. About time I did really, so here we go! Another entry! Just what everyone - um, anyone? has been looking forward to! Ignore the title again, btw.

Let's start with Christmas. I had a good Christmas. As usual I went down to visit family, although it was all a bit more complicated this year. Both sets of grandparents live in the same town, so I see all of them, however my parents split up this year. This meant my dad went to one set, my mum to the other and I was free to choose whichever. I spent time with both sets though I spent Christmas itself with my mum's side.

I took both my laptop and my Wii down with me, so I wasn't short of entertainment. I managed to get my family playing the Wii, too! That proved entertaining. Unsurprisingly I won most of the time. I have had rather more practise than anyone else there. We all agreed that bowling was the best sport in the Wii Sports pack.

The two best things I got for Christmas would have to be The Dark Knight on DVD, and The Orange Box for PC. Excellent film, excellent games. I completed Portal quite quickly, and I'm now working my way through Half-Life 2 and playing the odd game of Team Fortress 2 with some friends. The pyro is so awesome! *is not a pyromaniac, honest* Half-Life 2's good, too, though Ravenholm is creepy. I have never in my life played a zombie game before, or even watched a zombie film (or had much to do with horror in general) so that was a new experience for me. I am of the opinion that all headcrabs and headcrabs zombies should burn in a blazing inferno of burning...stuff! I also think normal headcrab zombies sound funny when they're burning. ^^

Portal is, of course, magnificent. Fun and challenging gameplay combined with hilarious and downright creepy humour become what has to be one of the best gaming experiences I've ever had. Solving the puzzles can be very satisfying, and listening to GLaDOS' unnerving suggestions and comments adds a whole new element to the game. And the turrets! I think they scared my uncle a bit. I can understand why! It is not normal for turrets to say "I don't blame you" in a strange, almost cute voice when you knock them over!

Skipping ahead, New Year! I was back in Bristol for that. What did I - oh, I remember what I did! I went to a party not at my friend's house, but at the house of one of her friends who lives opposite to my aforementioned friend. Between tasty food, terribly cheesy music that we sang and danced to anyway and the odd drink, it was a very enjoyable party!

Since New Year I have been spending most of my time playing games. The Orange Box has delivered with it Steam and all the delights therein. I also know a few people online who own the box, and I'm able to talk to them (actually talk, not write) through a little application called Ventrillo. Those conversations tend to be entertaining. I met most of them through an MMO called Eve Online, so we play that a lot too. I probably play it too much. Still, it's fun, and is one factor in my complete lack of kit-related work recently.

Most of my time may have been an exaggeration. I've spent quite a bit of time with my friends too, doing all sorts of things. Bowling's a popular option, though last time I went I did abysmally. I blame the caffeine. Unfortunately most of them are going or have gone back to Uni, so less opportunities for such things now.

That reminds me! Uni! I am almost certain I have mentioned The University of Reading at least once in previous entries. I have a place there, which I have accepted, and I cannot wait to get there. I'm going there on the 28th January for a Visit Day, the purpose of which I believe to be learning more about the course and the University. It's probably intended to convince people to go to that University and not another one, but as I've already made my decision there's not much for them to do in that regard. Still, I'm looking forward to it. I enjoyed the Open Day, so with any luck this will be just as good.

Other things. Ah yes. I'm working at a local charity shop, which again I'm sure I've mentioned. I now have some regular shifts - Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons. Not being a morning person, this is quite a chunk of my time taken up, but I do enjoy it and reckon it's much better for me than slouching in front of a computer monitor all day. The manager is a wonderful person, and I can't think of a nicer person to be working under.

On a more Bionicle-ish note, I'm getting Glatorian! They recently became available on amazon, if not in any local stores, so I've ordered them. I was sorely tempted to order them from the Lego website before, but the ridiculously high P&P costs were a heavy deterrent. I've ordered Malum, Strakk, Tarix and Gresh. Hopefully they'll be arriving soon. When they do, not only will I be consumed by waves of great joy and happiness, I'll be able to start work on the 2009 kit! I say start, I've already started, but I haven't been able to find suitable reference images for everything I wanted to. This gets round the problem entirely.

I'd say I've rambled enough. Until next time!