Ho ho ho and a bottle of bubbly!

I think I can now say that my christmas shopping is officially finished. Thank goodness, as the shops are a bit mental at the moment and I can't stand getting stuck behind dawdlers or people who randomly stop walking right in front of you.

I also hate dealing with shopping centre carparks, but lately I have started using my voice to good effect in such places. In the past couple of months I have had two incidents where I was (obviously) waiting for a park and someone stole it right before my eyes. I now realise that if you wind down your window and shout "Hey!", the driver looks over, realises what they have done, and vacates the space! It's much more satisfying than wishing pestilence and plagues upon them whilst you drive off to find another space.

I've managed to pick up some consulting work next week which is nice, as I'm not working at all over the Christmas/New Year period and am a bit concerned about my finances. Granted I will be spending most of that period at my parents house, and so won't really be spending any money, but the rent still needs to be paid unfortunately! I guess there is always the credit card as a last resort but hopefully it won't come to that.

I must say that I've been quite pleased with the Ashes results thus far!! A nice change to last year, that's for sure. Let's just hope that it doesn't all fall in a heap now. I think the weather is on our side though, as it's a pretty hot day today and I'm sure the poms will be feeling the heat (in more ways than one haha). Speaking of such things, it is certainly nice to be living in a house with air conditioning, after living through the last 6 summers without it. Well, we had one of those old brown ones in the last house, but it didn't seem to do very much so we didn't bother using it (except when we felt we were about to pass out from the heat). I haven't had to drape wet towels over me to get to sleep this summer, but it hasn't been that hot yet so perhaps that will still happen.

I doubt that I will be motivated enough to write another post before the 25th, so Merry Christmas to everyone and may your stomach be nice and stretched :)

and that is that!

Wow, I am almost afraid to say it, but.... I think I have actually finished my degree! I just had my very very very last exam ever this arvo, and although there is a distinct possibility that I failed it, I am hoping that they will find it in their heart to just shove me through the system regardless if that is the case. I handed in my thesis last Thursday too, so woooooooooo! Party time!!!!

I just started off the celebrations by going out to dinner with some good friends, and have thus begun the process of catching up with everyone who I have horribly neglected this year. My computer has become my closest companion, which is a sad state of affairs. Perhaps now I have finished it will get a wee break from my constant tappa tappa tapping and trying to run impossible MATLAB functions whilst pulling out my hair in frustration.

I am also hoping that this end to studies will mean my sleep will get back in sync. I've been taking forever to fall asleep lately, and with my inevitable toilet trip every night, and our new neighbours yelling at each other every morning at 6:30 and waking me up, I have been quite bleary eyed lately. Not sure what's the story with the neighbours, but I wish their tongues would shrivel up and die.

I have to go lie down an digest now..... ate too much tasty pizza and ice cream.....

human space invaders