An 0dd Xmas Message

Here at Chez 0ddness, Christmas has been building slowly over the last four or five weeks, with presents being bought well in advance, wrapped and... no.. Wait...

Let me start over... This year hasn't been quite as manic in the run up to Crimbo as it usually is, and we have been done for longer than normal, but we have been busy these last couple of weeks.

However, for once, we were done before last-thing Xmas Eve. I was completely done 22 hours before Christmas Day. Usually, we're still wrapping/writing/stressing/arguing into the early hours of Christmas Day.

As is the case for life here, nothing runs as it does for others in the world. Case in point: At 8am this morning, Kellie and I had to wake up three of the four children.

I'll emphasis that a little more: we had to wake up children at 8am, Christmas Morning.

I know, it's like some sort of crazy alternative dimension.

By 9am, we were all sat and ready to go, and by 10am, all presents were open, cheered, shown-off and generally done. Kellie was a little pissed off as we had agreed not to do presents for one another this year. HOWEVER: I am a man and there is no way on this planet I am falling for THAT pitfall.

No sir, not this year, not next year, not ever.

To most people, you tell someone you got your better other half a massive beast of a photography printer/scanner/photocopier/fax and so on - and no matter HOW you sell it to another person, it never sounds right. None the less, that is what I got Kellie, a Kodak 6.1 Printer.

Yes yes, I know it sounds like the sort of gift a clueless geek gets someone, but this was actually something that Kellie wanted - however, we had agreed we'd get it together in the new year.

So: Sod. That.

After the scowls of "But-We-Were-Not-Doing-Presents" we started operation Clean The House. We had 50 minutes to get the house tidy, Jaysen & Tamsyn collected by their mum, the 0dd Mother In Law collecting us, packing bags, feeding cats, turning everything off and getting ready to go stay with the 0dd Mother In Law for a day and a half.

Surprisingly, we got everything done and dusted with time to spare.

See previous statement regarding an alternative dimension.

By midday we were off out and away to Canvey, and that is where we currently reside, sitting, chilling, eating WAY too much and having a jolly good time. Kellie, Diane, Dom and Molly are currently "SINGING" on SingStar, and I am pottering around on my phone, blogging, offering words of *cough*encouragement*cough* to those *cough*singing*cough*

Looking back on this past year, it's interesting to see where I started, where I am, and more importantly, how I got there - life is about the journey, not the destination or whatever...

The most obvious thing is my medical stuff, and while I am not any better (If anything, I think I'm worse) I like to think I am on the right path to getting better. I'm finally diagnosed, I'm finally getting help, and I hope and wish with all my heart that 2013 sees improvements both physically & mentally.

Kellie started the year in much the same predicament with her wonky/stressful Cardiac shenanigans, as well as her wonky/stressful Triglyceride shenanigans. However, like me, she is on the right track now and is being seen by both the Cardiac and now the Lipid clinic to get her fixed again.

Plans have not quite gone our way this year, but as there is very little we can do about it, we've drawn a line under it and are moving into 2013 with a positive outlook. More on that in the coming weeks no doubt. I DO need to rant and rave about it, but not yet.

The kids have all had great academic years, and aside from the boys having their own "blips" during the school year, they are both back on track and moving on. The girls on the other hand have had great years without any issue at all. I'm sure that will change as they get older, but fingers crossed they takes a while yet.

Next year - and I refuse point-blank to use the phrase "Resolution" because it's shite and if it goes wrong, it's like some sort of crappy failure... However, that said, next year, I am working on CHANGE. No no, not Obama-Change (No, don't go there America!) but actual change for me. Weight, Hair, Moods, Exercise, Visiting People & Places...

A lottery win wouldn't go amiss either.

Yes yes, people say this sort of stuff all the time, but I am really intending to do it. I NEED to lose weight, I NEED to get some sort of activity too - cycling or swimming. I'm even considering learning a language... The only drawback to this, is the fact that my brain cannot process new information very easily, so I'll have to get a book or audio-guide or something, see if I can do something over and over and eventually drill it into my brain.

But we shall see... As usual, watch this space, and I will slap out whatever I am doing at whatever point I am doing it.

All that remains to be said, is to you - my special little group of readers. Either those of you that come from Facebook, from Twitter, that subscribe to my RSS Feed, or actually visit the blog and read on the actual site... Thank you for reading, and here and there, where commenting. I write here for me - it's my little outlet in the world - but if even just one of you read and enjoy my ramblings, my rants or my tangents, then so much the better.

To readers old and new, friends that live yards away and friends that live scattered all the way across and around the world, thank you for reading, and here's to a very Merry Christmas. Peace on Earth, Good Will to all 0dd People!

Here's to 2013 being a bigger, better, and ESPECIALLY less... End-of-the-World-y...

-Dan

Yes, I'm 0dd... Get over it ;)