I have a ticket booked to Hong Kong at the end of November. I’ll be staying there for a little under a month, during the Christmas season when the entire island looks as if it’s one big ornament from the sky, a giant floating decoration. The best weather of the year is in December, when the temperatures drop to a reasonable warmth and one can actually walk around with a coat on.

I’ll be trying to learn the subway system for the first few days so that I can get around on my own. I’m going alone so I’ll probably be living with my uncle most of the time, and staying at my grandmother’s on the weekends. I’ll be going home first and staying there for a few days, then flying to Hong Kong, then flying back and staying home for New Years. I’ll meet up with Ken the day before I depart from Hong Kong, since he’s flying up from Ohio.

I can’t wait to get back to the busy markets, taste the Chinese food, browse the endless shops. I want to ask my grandmother so much, and celebrate Christmas with her. I wish there was something I could give her that she could keep, similar to the jade necklace she gave me that I’ve almost never taken off ever since I received it. There’s an almost ineffable feeling that’s conjured up in my mind when I think of the modern skyscrapers, the crowds of people, the very ethnic faces. Some of my best memories are from being in Hong Kong during Christmas, when there’s an almost mystic feeling in the air and everyone is in good spirits.

I’ve been wanting a vacation, from both the good and bad in my life, for so long. Just to get away from absolutely everything going on right now would be beneficial, almost like a self-imposed exile. I’d be able to distance myself from things and gain some perspective, something I usually believe I’m able to do until something drastic happens that changes the way I view things.

I’m not really sure what to expect from my visit, although I think that I’ll be changed ever subtly, maybe subconsciously. One can rarely walk away from such things without being affected in some way, perhaps both Tina and Em would agree. I just don’t know how this may change me. I don’t have any questions. I’m not looking for answers.

I’m just waiting to find out.

The trip home was alright, watching Men In Black 2 (not a very good movie at all) and taking under five and a half hours. I like the fact that I can purchase a bus ticket at any time, and not have to worry about booking and reservations. I’ve always liked the idea that I have the freedom to pick up and go whenever I please. Of course, this only works when I have a guaranteed place to stay at the destination.

My Candela’s came in last week. They are quite nice, although they look rather cheap during the daytime when they’re off. They give off a decent ambient light when other (more primary) lights are on, but are good at setting a mood when they’re the only things illuminating a room. It’s a hassle to always let them burn out to prolong battery life, since that means that I’m usually going to bed with them on, and for someone who wakes up from the first slit of sunlight piercing the room, it can be an annoying thing.

I found a great astronomy book for Darren, covering everything from the smallest detail in purchasing a telescope, to the patterns the planets make in their orbits. Astronomy is something that I’ve always found to be mysteriously interesting, a seductive past-time I’d be afraid to be consumed by. A few people I’ve talked to have felt the same way, although some with an even more severe emotion. I would have taken up such a hobby as soon as I had the means to, if the area I live in wasn’t so unbelievably light polluted. It’s as if the mayor wants to keep the lights in the city bright enough to have a constant daytime. I’m fairly sure that I’ll buy a decent telescope eventually, once I’ve settled down in a condo and have a career.

I can’t wait to get back to my pleasure box and begin fooling around with Movable Type. I just hope that my host can provide enough flexibility for it to work.

When I got home, a stack of red envelopes and wrapped boxes were waiting for me. My premature exit at Christmas left gifts unopened and money unclaimed, quite a welcome surprise. I got another $50 gift certificate for Futureshop, which will most likely be going towards Vice City as soon as it comes out. I haven’t played a very absorbing game in a while, the last ones being GTA3 or Neverwinter Nights, but my favourite is still probably Half-Life. And with Half-Life 2 slated for a fall release, well, I find myself becoming unhealthily excited.

I’ll be splitting a box of Onslaught with Darren today.

This has been one of the most stressful weeks I’ve had in recent memory. I have to organize my trip home, my trip to the Dominican, my living arrangements, and my studying within the next day or two. I’ve decided to take the bus home, since it will be much cheaper than the train, but I haven’t decided when to go yet. I also can’t book a return ticket until I find out if John is going to his cottage or not. My living arrangements have become even more complicated. Between giving my two months notice and finding out whether Nick and I have been accepted at an apartment, I have to figure everything out by the time I leave for home.

I’ve mainly been studying for my two finals in the last few days. I’ve tried really hard at my graphics final, so hopefully I’ll be able to pass it. Otherwise, I’ll be taking a software engineering course in the summer to make up for the lost credits, which will delay my graduation a possible eight months. Geology hasn’t been going well, as I’m finding it extremely difficult to concentrate. In the end, all that matters is that I’ve tried my best.

Trolley and Wheaties have bought Canadian domains, and registered with the provider which hosts me. It will be interesting to see what the domain is finally used for, aside from their metric time system.

I will be going home soon, and Dolores will be taking up residence at Trolley’s for the week. Hopefully, she will get along with Nala by the end. I look forward to playing Magic: The Gathering at Coffee Time, meeting JG, talking with Sam, hanging out with Darren and John, blazing, and just generally relaxing.

It’s getting dark here, but the light hasn’t completely left the day yet. The sky waxes grey with the setting of the sun, and a gentle rain is making the pavement shine with the yellow glow of the street lamps. The smell consumes me, and I’m back walking the streets on an unrecollected gloomy day.

I finally finished off my honours project, so I can rest a bit easier now. The one report is worth two courses itself. It ended up being around 22 pages, which isn’t too bad. The only thing that remains is my geo essay, and I only have about a half page left to write. I went to lunch with Aaron and Wheaties to celebrate a completed course at the Elephant and Castle. A great waitress served us, and offered a variation on the Strongbow I was having, which was the addition of some lime cordial, or some black currant juice. We all got to try both with the Strongbow, and it was decided that the lime was the better of the two. The remaining black currant juice went into the beer, and Aaron told me that it was tasty.

200 more wins to an archmage icon.

I’ve been listening to the latest AFI album lately, and even though I didn’t much care for it at first, I’m completely addicted now. There’s something about the harmonies in the vocals that make their sound so unique. I’m not quite used to Davey Havok’s voice though, as he sounds like a child to me. Quite unconventional Currently, my favorite song is This Celluloid Dream.

A trip to the Dominican Republic may be working out for the first weekend of May. Since it’s the beginning of the off-season, the cost of the entire trip, drinks and meals included along with residence at a four-star hotel, will be around $900 for a week. Apparently this includes scuba diving, horseback riding, jet skiing, and a beach-side view. Currently, only Aaron, Cristina and I are completely committed to going, but we need an even number of people so we’re trying to find one more person.

Artfag is currently a redhead. Ummmm…yah.

Jonathan tells me that the full-time job seems promising, but he’s not making any guarantees. It would mainly consist of going around the city to various commercial customers and troubleshooting computer problems. The pay will start at around $15 which is not too bad, but not great for a graduate. He says that I’ll also need a car to be able to get to the locations that need service, something that I’ll consider more if I’m actually able to get the job. He tells me that it’s a good foot-in-the-door for web programming positions in the future. I am very grateful, and I’m not getting hopes up.