Well, that's another one over with :)

In the end it was a quiet Christmas Day, just me, mum, step-dad, my sister and her boyfriend. We all ate too much as usual but there was the minimum of fuss.

I still find the festive period quite difficult, with my Dad living so far away and my former step mother denying access visits to our half brothers. Not even a card this year........ I'll stop there before I get too cross or cry. I may blog about it at another time.......

The gift haul was impressive this year. I got a soft modded X-Box which is fab so I can play *cough* DL'd games and DVD's with no fuss. I fear that my social life will be over though......the controller extends far enough for me to play Project Gotham Racing 2 from the comfort of my bed. I also got a Spencer Tracy/Katharine Hepburn DVD boxset, a new winter coat, a lovely print of photo from a trip to the Lakes in the summer, a Hello Kitty t-shirt (yes, I am a big kid) and Hannibal Rising in hardback.

I read Hannibal Rising in 6 hours. It is.....................dreadful. A massive disappointment. Lecter should have remained an enigma.......I also think the reasons behind him becoming a serial killer are lame. Why do we need to justify his actions? Can't he just be evil....or do we need an answer in order to make us feel better? If you want to read a book that really gets into the mind of a serial killer than find a copy of Silent Terror - Killer on the Road by James Ellroy. It's a truly terrifying read.

It's nearly Christmas! Hurrah!

13 days (my maths maybe wrong) and it'll all be over and I won't have to hear Wizzard singing that bloody song again, or Slade or Paul McCartney for the matter.

Yes, I am not a big fan of Christmas, in fact I am beginning to hate it. Not the present giving and christmas dinner eating, it's everything else. The office party, queuing, crap telly, queuing, christmas card writing, queuing, silly santa hat wearing and bloody queuing.

Why do people do that whole thing of standing in the doorway when you are trying to get into a shop....and why do they tut at you when you try to get past? Why are all supermarkets full of people buying enough food to last 3 weeks rather than 2 days? Can we really not cope with all shops being closed for one day? What is it with people wearing Santa hats? No, I will not smile and be bloody festive!

The one phrase I do not what to hear said to me at all is 'Cheer up, it's Christmas'......I maybe force to stab someone if I do.

Now, if you'll excuse me I have some presents to wrap.

PS - I work for a bunch of tossers - I'll will tell all tomorrow (otherwise I'll get worked up, go grrrrrr and not get to sleep for hours)

I've been away and just come back. I went to Newcastle. It was ace. I spent some time with a lovely friend, ate cheese, went see the Spanking the Monkey exhibition at the Baltic, finally saw the Angel of the North (after dodging 4 lanes of traffic), ate even more cheese, drank cherry beer, watched a puppet show and went to look for vampire rabbits.

I was the perfect tonic, work is very stressful and if I hadn't have got away I think I would have gone bonkers.

PS - The Killers were crap....not the band but the sound. Hull Arena should not be used as a music venue....ever. Have you ever noticed that no band ever plays there twice.........

PPS - I passed my driving test on Friday.....hurrah.