Dean Martin sings the best Christmas songs! Or at least, he sings it beautifully. His voice is angelic.

CHRISTMAS (:

A time of giving, receiving, laughter, warmth, merry and joy.

Woke up at around 10ish and Mum walked in after I ate breakfast to hand to me my not-so-surprising Christmas gift. A book entitled The Lost Symbol, by Dan Brown who is one of my favourite authors. And she also bought a pair of swarovski crystal earrings with a mini dog on each earring as a charm. Well it was pretty much tiny to what I prefer wearing, but then again, she bought it because I love dogs and because she loves swarovski crystal. So thanks Mum (:

Mum announced her Christmas relevation-cum-prediction while folding the laundry before she left for the gym after lunch. She said that I would be successful in the future, because among her 2 useless daughters, I was the only one who was helpful to her brother. Since we share the same room, I make his bed, keep his clothes and keep and tidy all of his books so that they're neat and proper, but only because it messes up my room and ruins my vibes for studying. I mean I can't think or concentrate when the clutter is...too cluttered.

So when she said that I recalled my Grandma telling me that she met this fortune-teller woman who told her that her 2nd granddaughter would end up marrying a Caucasian man and be successful in life.

I wonder of Grandma and Mum are telepathic, you know like a mother-daughter thing that they share and transmit signals to each other and stuff. Anyway, it's cool, because I think it'd be nice to marry a Caucasian man. But he has to a good man and all, not just some random dude on the street.

Mum went off to the gym and Dad was left in charge to get the kids ready before leaving for my grandfather's house for Christmas dinner. He was being annoying and all when he complained about me bringing my book over to read. I quote "Stop reading your books and go socialize"

Okay can I just erm, point out that I DO socialize, but not with the people at my grandfather's house, because like many of the guests there are Christian and I refuse to be at the mercy of their beseeches and requests to seek enlightenment in the Lord Jesus Christ. Like I mentioned, I DO believe in Jesus and God, and I may have a Bible at home but I do not entirely believe in what man says about God. The Bible is NOT a fax from Heaven. They are the words of man about Jesus and his disciples.

Of course, one can have faith in what man says about God and Jesus and all and can accept them as true.. My mind tells me I will never fully comprehend the true meaning of faith. Acceptance doesn't always mean validity. Sometimes I think faith can present itself to be a placebo actually. I don't know. I'm a skeptic, but that doesn't make me a non-believer in Jesus and God. I just don't see why I should adhere to what man says about how we should love and accept God. Since when is it that I have to go to church and pray in order to feel God? Sometimes at night, I talk to God and tell him about my day and all, not because I'm bored, but because I just know that He's there and he won't answer back, which mean he'll be nonjudgmental.

I wonder whether what religion I actually classify under given my beliefs about Christianity and God.

I think this could possibly be my life motto: skepticism keeps one open-minded and therefore, invites knowledge.

I'm not the kind of person who likes to yield to a specific side. I like knowing all things. I don't have a great stand on certain issues, except for things like animal abuse in China and other countries where the people kill dogs and stuff because that's just crap.

Anyhow, the father was being nasty and annoying so I gave him the silent treatment like I always do when he talks to me, though my brain processes and takes in every word he says, because some of them are the foundations of the beliefs to which I take stride in.

Went to my grandfather's place, after like a few months of not visiting and was struck by how much my cousin had grown. He's now in secondary three and he looks well, the same but his taller and carries himself differently. My other cousin looks the same though. She's Primary 5 but very domineering. Her brother is more polite and sensitive.

Mum came, who cued the start of dinner. I had spinach pie - spinach with potato - turkey & lettuce. The spinach pie wasn't that nice. I love spinach but it just didn't taste good. The rest were pretty much all right. Luckily Mum bought nuts from Marks and Spencers and I ate some of them. The maid then served a slice of homemade chocolate cake and my uncle put on 2012 to watch! I only watched half of it. Didn't expect the movie to be that long. I left at the part where the Russian woman coaxed her cute little dog into big ship and gave her fat Russian boyfriend the middle finger. I was HORRIFIED when Sasha - the Russin pilot - died in the plane crash because I thought he was so handsome!

Anyway the show kind of freaked me out because 2012 is like about 2 years away and I wonder if the Mayans are really right. Even if they were right, the Earth won't succumb to an Apocalypse because the Earth's crust has destabilized or because the poles got spinned around and mixed up, or because the plates are moving. It'll be because the Chinese, the Indians the Americans refuse to limit their carbon emission and also because people like my brother and father have to turn on both the fan and the air-conditioner whenever they use the room and leave it running when they're done using the room.

Watching 2012, or at least most of it, has left me determined the get the book called The 2012 Story. I'm going to read up on the net about this whole dated judgment day and its origins because its fascinating.

So we all called it a night at about 10pm because most of us were getting sleepy and had work the next day. I wanted to stay and continue watching, but bugger. My aunt did the usual of sorting the Christmas gifts and putting them in respective bags for each family or guest and we all left after a hasty Merry Christmas greeting and good bye. It was weird saying bye to my aunt's friends because when I waved and smiled at them, they looked at me like I'm some sort of an alien and - under the impression that I do not speak Mandarin - say that I've grown up and am beginning to look more like my mother. Apparently the impression they have of me is that I'm more sensible than my sister, who can be extremely haughty, bossy and crude. Which I must admit is true, even if I say so myself. I kind of believe that I'll actually end up being happier than my sister because of the way I live and behave, as compared to my bratty older sister.

She just announced that she broke up with the guy that she met and Facebook and has hooked up with another Indian guy after he broke up with his girlfriend. My mother was furious about it, because she doesn't approve the way my sister is handling relationships. And also I think my Mum is against my sister going out with an Indian male. My mother once thought my sister got knocked up, voiced her worry out loud and I almost gagged on my apple juice.

Just unwrapped the presents my two aunts gave to me. I got a pretty heart-shaped necklace and a pair of stud earrings. The stupid sister walked in and demanded to see the necklace and after scrutinizing it, she announced that her's was nicer. Bitch. I mean honestly that was such a slutty response. Who compares necklaces and presents like that? She's under the impression that she got a nicer one because she's the oldest sister and prettier and deserves a nicer looking piece of jewelry. I told her off right there and then. Like I said, I'll be happier and live a better life than her when we're older, because her self-conceited attitude will get her into a lot of trouble. Even my mum said the same thing. Hello, my mum and I actually agree on something!

Why can't I have a nice sister whom willingly wants to help me paint my toenails and buys me little treats now and then unconditionally; and doesn't compare everything we own or have? How come I was cursed with a self-conceited one who think she's the queen of the family and we owe her money if she buys something - even if its lunch - for us? Once, she asked that I help her get 2 bottles of Coke for her. And I did, without expecting any payment whatsoever. When I asked her to get me a pen, she came back and said "$1.50, and that's with a 50cent discount".

God save me. And her.

So in conclusion, God's in a good mood and gave me a book, 2 pairs of earrings and a necklace from my family. And Lynette's quirky gift (: It dawned on me that as the years go by, we begin to lose contact with people whom we once call friends, be in secondary school or primary school. I suppose this goes to show the cliched term "BFF" is pretty much overrated and reserved for little children who have not yet been exposed to the harsh realities of life. Well, life goes on and I'll accept whatever life throws at me and handle it as much as I can.

Right its the 26th of December and school reopens in 2 days. So much things that I haven't exactly settled. APIP materials, Abnormal Psych, Health Psych, Counseling, plus TPDE training for GEMs.

Sem 2.2 is going to be stressful. I hope God can give me the strength and wisdom to help me prioritize my commitments, especially for dance, because concert is in March. I refuse to let dance take over my studies and grades, no matter how much I love dance and want to become better.