I spent a grand total of 3 hours across 2 shopping malls to buy 2 $99 mobile phones. I can’t even manage to type it down, such is the pain at recalling that nightmarish adventure.
//here endeth the semi-jesting
I am a male. Hence, it’s naturally difficult for me, and such poor folks like me (i.e. of the same gender), to engage in that fearsome activity known as “shopping”. I think it is fair to say that we are not designed to spend hours upon hours roaming frustratedly through malls, doing said “shopping”. I usually leave that to the female members of my household. However, when the need arises, I myself embark on this epic journey.
The Christmas season is a time for good cheer, however, in my family it means it’s a time for everything to go wrong. Ever since my family and I have moved to Utah we have made it a point to return to our roots during the Christmas Season. Due to work schedules, the family went down at two separate times. Those in the first wave made it all the way to Holden, Utah before breaking down. After being towed back up to where they started, they were able to switch cars and make the arduous journey down to Vegas. Those on the second wave made it all the way to Mona, Utah before breaking down. Did I mention that when the car broke down my dad was on the phone with AAA renewing his membership? That’s right. We literally broke down while we were on the phone with AAA. I’m still waiting to exchange some words with Mr. Irony.
(One of our Mechanics trying to Diagnose the Problem)
After being towed 50 miles to the mechanics those of us in the second wave were able to head down to Vegas only 6 hours behind schedule. The second wave soon realized that the heater in the alternative car being driven down did not work. With the air outside being at a -3° you can imagine the discomfort. Finally when we got to Scipio, Utah I was able to “fix” the heater by purchasing three hot chocolates, three beanies, and one blanket. The car trouble continued throughout the trip with a flat tire (that could only be fixed with purchasing a new tire) and a rock chipping the windshield. Those of us in wave two found the whole situation rather hysterical. It all proved one point—my family is cursed when it comes to automobiles.
(Trying not to get Hypothermia)
I hope you all were able to enjoy this holiday season even if things did not go according to plan.
Memorable Quotes from the Holidays
“Nothing fazes me anymore.” Brooklyn (After breaking down in Mona, Utah)
“Wait I know you…. I’ve towed you before.” Tow Truck Man
“You can tell mom I fixed the heater.” Brooklyn (3 hot chocolates, 3 beanies, and 1 blanket later)
Faith (Age 8): Mom are you mad right now?
Deanne: No…
Faith: Ok, I bent my glasses.
“The box says it was made in China. Lets call them to see how it works.” Grandpa Chappell (opening Christmas presents)
“Why did I have to get stuck with Mom?” Elese (playing Cranium)
Celeste: To win this Spellbound, choose a teammate who can correctly spell the word below on the first try without writing it down. I’ll read the word to the speller and then start the timer The word is…….
Brooklyn: Celeste doesn’t even know how to say it.
(Word: Gamut)
“Too bad it wasn’t Marilyn Monroe.” Amber (After Brooklyn not being able to guess Clint Eastwood on a Cranium card)
“That’s what you’re scared of? Little kids with lice?” Cody (directed towards Celeste who said she could never be a school teacher)
“I’m not very good at Rock-Paper-Scissors. That is how I got a kid in my class I didn’t want.” Deanne (Kindergarten school teacher)
(Mother-daughter Arm Wrestle)
(Only in Vegas do they have to put Security Sensors on Gum)
Today’s been pretty hectic. We had to pick up pumpkin A from grandma’s, then we went grocery shopping. I found some cute scrapbooks at the dollar store so I bought one. I need to start Emmalee’s Year Three book. I printed out all those pictures then I made a horrid mistake of spilling wine on them. It was a hilarious chain of events. Unfortunate, but hilarious. So i laid out all the pictures that I have to get in to their books on the dinner table so they don’t stick to eachother. Which brings me to today’s photograph.
It was a nice segway.
There are about another 6 pictures that I had to lay on a different table for lack of space. I have a lot of work ahead of me today with these. Off to work I go, wish me luck!
Well with all the Christmas proceedings over, the world returns to normality. Slowly the decorations will be removed, good programming will return to our televisions and here in the UK, we’ll all be bombarded with celebrity fitness videos and adverts for 2010 Christmas Hamper packs (Who even does those?). The festive spirit will be laid to rest for another year. But with that said, how was YOUR Christmas? Was that Panasonic Lumix G1 Camera cosily gift-wrapped under the tree waiting for you to shred the packaging? Was the turkey NOT the best example of some of the driest poultry you’ve ever eaten?
Christmas is usually a pretty “meh” affair around my parts. It’s been that way since I turned 13. Funnily enough despite knowing this from the start, time after time I set myself up for disappointment. Shame on me for forgetting that Christmas sucks as you get older. This Christmas did keep the tradition, however wasn’t so bad because I got:
Chuffed!
A pair of mitts, a hat, and 2 pairs of trainers. Nice.
Edit: Imagine a pair of socks somewhere in that image…I literally just got them as I was typing this! I guess no Christmas is complete without SOCKS!
But moving away from Christmas as it is now OVER, we obviously look towards the new year. This is usually another time of year I hate as it breeds procrastination:
Yes... I searched among my own Facebook Friends for that JUST to prove my point!
You only have to be on the homepage of any social networking site before you’re flooded with these… I mean look at the date on the example above. Talk about “the early bird catches the worm”… yeesh!
Another pet peeve of mine, of which we are all pretty much culprits, is that we get so besotted with the year ahead (whether we say it out aloud like Mr Fail in the above example or simply keep it to ourselves), that we forget the year that we are currently in. “Hindsight is always 20/20″ (Megadeth, 1993). Looking back never does anyone harm, does it? (DOES IT!?) Well I indeed looked back and discovered my year was a’ight:
I made it through to the second year of university without so much as a hiccup
I had the longest summer holiday known to man
I had an epiphany in that being unemployed on the longest summer holiday known to man gets boring…. FAST
I passed my driving test after 3 attempts!
I went through 2 tires, lost 1 wing mirror, got 3 tickets, paid 1 clamp release fee and have nearly lost my “No Claims bonus” 5 times
I cut off all of my hair (“a number one please…keep the sideburns”)
I got the chance to eat Thai, Lebanese, Tex-Mex, Indian, American, Italian, Japanese and Chinese food (A career as a food critique maybe?)
I bought lots of shoes/sneakers/trainers and in doing so I accidentally stumbled on what I’d like to do in the future (entrepreneurs FTW)
Saving the best till last in all its glory of corny-ness and shameless promotion, I made a good homeskillet along the way (read her blog yo!)
Like I said, my year was a’ight… But ask yourself… How was yours?
P.S. I sure did sound like a shrink in those last sentences just there didn’t I?
so i’m really thinking about joining tumblr..
i wouldn’t blog like the way i do here. i’d probably just post random things.
but i think about joining it because a lot of my family is on there.
i feel like when i go off to school i’m so distant from the rest of my family, like i never see them.
i never know what’s up with them and i’m always the last to know.
something about me has really changed and that’s how i keep to myself a lot.
i don’t talk to anyone in my family about what’s up with me, and i guess that’s what keeps me out of the loop,
`cause i don’t really stay connected with them.
i loved christmas this year because it was almost as if time went backwards and i was back to where i was before boyfriends.
we got crazy and ridiculous and gossiped with each other about what’s going on with each of us, getting advice from our parents.
or maybe it’s always been this way and i just haven’t been around to see it `cause i’m always so caught up with my “boyfriend” whoever he is at the time. ugh i hate that about myself.
Christmas has just passed but I am still in the Christmas mood. I was on leave since Wednesday where I went with Wai Yue to Ampang. It was a very humbling experience and I was really encouraged by the teachers. Despite their living conditions, there are still faithfully serving the Lord. I am also encouraged by Wai Yue for her work among these people. On Thursday, I went shopping with Sharon and we managed to catch the movie, ‘Avatar’. Surprisingly, I enjoyed the movie. It was also a good time to fellowship with Sharon. It has been a while since we both went out together. Since Eda has to work, she was unable to join us.
Yesterday, there was a morning service at SSGC where the youth performed a musical play then followed by lunch. I really enjoyed the performances and I am really proud of the youth. They did a wonderful and amazing job. I managed to catch up with a few of my friends before I went off for lunch with Wai Yue and Guat Lin. It was a wonderful time to spend Christmas with some great company. We chatted and catch up during lunch and had a great time together. Once I reached home, I continued my mood for Christmas by watching Christmas movie on Hallmark channel on Astro until today.
Though Christmas has passed but I was once again reminded of our wonderful and amazing Savior on this special day. Nothing could compare His sacrifices for us. Let us continue to worship HIM and be reminded of HIS greatness and faithfulness.
