h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This is all about nothing. Or, to put it another way, it's a record of what's going through my mind on 23 December 2009. It's the day before Christmas Eve, or to put it another way it's Payday Eve. Now, there's an event to get excited about.

My beer just got excited. Froth everywhere. That'll teach me to swill it down fast and then slam the bottle onto the table. (Boag's Draught, if anyone really wants to know.)

For anyone who thinks I might be a bit drunk, or assumes I'm a complete boozehound because I've had two drink-related journals in a row - well I can still type, can't I? That's surely proof enough that I'm not sozzled. The real problem du jour has nothing to do with drink and everything to do with the weather. It's hot. Very hot. Not ing hot, just very hot - there's a subtle but important difference. So the garden's half-dead, I'm all sweaty, the aircon's off because the power failed a while back and I haven't reset the thingy yet, and I'm yet to decide what to cook this evening and if I leave it much longer it'll be too late to do anything about food at all. For those of you who haven't encountered truly hot weather before, I assure you that an ice-cold lager is sometimes the one and only thing that makes life bearable on such a day.

At least I've watered the surviving plants, this being one of the days when I have a legal entitlement to use mains water outside. I quite illegally watered myself at the same time - pointing the hose at the sky and standing under the stream as it fell back to the ground. It felt so good, even if I did squelch about a bit afterwards.

Today's achievement - well, there wasn't one in practical terms, but I did end up having a few drinks with the Big Boss at lunchtime. I think he has trouble with the concept of being a Big Boss; he'd much rather be one of the lads. So every so often he makes time to join us at the bar. I like him. He's a nice chap. If he didn't have to maintain a certain professional distance, I think we'd get along quite well. If I'd met him 15 years ago (give or take), I'd probably have fancied him a bit. (Tall, dark and et cetera, and rather witty...) But I try not to dwell on this. At any rate, it's nice to have a Big Boss who comes down from the ivory tower from time to time.

My direct boss is also a bit of a treasure. She has a way with words, which counts for a lot in my book. She won't be in the office tomorrow, so I'll be in charge - if that isn't too absurd a concept when only one junior staff member will be on the premises. We officially close down at 12:30pm and reopen on 4 January; most of us had the foresight to arrange to take the whole day off tomorrow. I didn't. But then, why would I? I'm not travelling, my entire family (both of them) is elsewhere and I have nothing in particular to do.

My junior has arranged to bring in a chocolate, cream and brandy pudding so we have something to do while we man the phones for half a day. I'm considering taking something to drink... This would be incredibly naughty, but on 24 December there's a certain amount of latitude available.

Now, to jab at the real problem as one jabs at a tooth that needs dental attention - on 24 December 1976 my mother's stepfather died. He was the only grandfather I ever truly knew. He was in all honesty a bit of a bastard, but he was kind to us kids. I remember him fondly even if he was dreadful to Mum. But I'll never be able to get into the spirit of 24 December while I can remember Vilis lying there dying in a hospital bed, by a strange coincidence in the ward where Mum tells me I was born, while a bunch of carollers were singing their hearts out down the hallway. Christmas carols make me feel sick to this day. They are, to me, the soundtrack of death.

So while I'm supposed to be all happy and cheery and hypersocial, I'm forever being reminded of something that's quite the reverse of all that twaddle.

I have surprised myself by posting this. I once vowed that I'd never post anything self-revelatory again, after an outbreak of mawkish sentimentality on a previous journal. But here it is. Please don't try to cheer me up, or express pity (or anything as maudlin as that). Please accept that some of us can't be exuberant just because the calendar says we should be. I think that's really what I'm saying.

Let's have another




*hic*

What a good idea.

We haven't had a Christmas Paarrrtttayy since... Oh.. Last Christmas!! *hic*

What a coincidence.

Wooo!... And it will soon be my 7th Hootoo Burpday, too!

*hic*


Another one, hunny?

Please.

*giggles*

Have a drink on me, too, Ivan.

Hot weather sucks, though I doubt it ever gets nearly as hot here as it does down there.

i could use a little of your hot and save electrickery, ivan

I have some sympathy with your sentiments Ivan. I think a lot of people feel that way. Families who have lost their soldier sons must feel it particularly.

I remember the Dawn Chorus made me feel sick for many years as it was the accompaniment to three of my close relatives dying as I sat up all night. The Dawn was so long and lonely.

In spite of that I am going to wish you a Happy Christmas and a good New Year, even if I too will be glad when it is all over!



Websailor

And here's another thing. I came horribly close to being horribly rude to a stupid person today. She was drivelling on about how awful it must be to be alone at Christmas and tried to get me to join in some startlingly dismal event she's running tomorrow. What the hell is wrong with this woman? I am not a Christian. I am a convinced atheist. I am alone most days. Why is she wasting her breath telling me I shouldn't be alone for a religious occasion I don't believe in at all? So I just pointed out that she seemed happy enough for me to be alone 364 days of the year, so making it 365 isn't much of a stretch. The look on her face as she realised that she'd fallen into a pit of logic was rather special. I expect she'll give me a wide berth in future. That suits me fine.

fellow atheist, I wish I was "enjoying" xmas down your end of the world, instead of freezing here

happy ale'ing Ivan

It's not that good at the moment Prof; there are fires south of town at the moment. Tomorrow, on the other hand, we're expecting rain with the chance of flooding further north... Anything's possible.

You could have some of our It's snowing quite a lot presently, which makes me reconsider my plans to go to a biking class at the sports centre at 2 o'clock. The thought of putting on hat, scarf, gloves and a long fur coat and then walk some thirty minutes one-way on untended paths and roads is all but appealing.

Neither do I understand this fear some people have to spent excessmas alone. Maybe I'm just turning into a grumpy hermit, but having a lot of family etc. around "just because" is not fun.

My both youngest children spent a good deal of yesterday (the 24th is the day of celebration in the Far North) at my home. It was nice, and I appreciated their presence even though it means more fuzz with food and such. But honestly when they had been around for some seven eight hours I started to long for solitude, and when they both had left it was past ten, so I was pretty tired.

I'd rather prefer some nice shellfish dishes and a good book to read.

We have the rain that was promised. I am so glad about this.

As for having people around 'just because' - that's exactly what I've avoided. If I really wanted to be with people over Christmas, I'd have taken a flight to Adelaide where I have a room at my disposal at Mum's place. But I didn't especially want to do that, so I didn't. Mum understands. She's reported in on what she and my sister did today, and it's roughly what I did. Nothing, in fact. Mum said this was exactly what she needed. I can't help thinking that if I'd been there, she's have felt somehow obliged to Make Grand Plans... This is another good reason for me to have stayed put.

Yay for the rain. Have another

I am quite good at both sulking and doing nothing at x-mas. You should hop over one year... Besides, we have very white x-mas this year, almost too white (shoveling-wise).

Sounds like you'd get enough exercise just walking there, DQ!

Our Christmas is quieter than usual, because for the first time since we moved back to Germany, my grandmother is with my uncle, not us. Aaaaah, the peace and quiet!

We also won't be having the traditional family meet-up on Boxing Day. My aunt was going to host it, but she had a small stroke and was only released from hospital yesterday afternoon. Two hours later, they had to call for an ambulance to take her back because it happened again... So we'll just go visit her in hospital to play cards tomorrow.

It's stopped raining here for the moment, but I live in hope that there'll be more later on.

Mala, it sounds like the hospital was being a bit too efficient and trying to get as many people as possible home for Christmas. Enjoy the cards tomorrow.

Hati - one of these days I'll get there.