The Ramblings of Guise Dugal

Hey all,

I hope you are all having a wonderful Christmas, with plenty of time with family and friends, with great food and good drink, with presents and music galore, and with memories and love that will last a lifetime and more.

Best wishes to you all and to those closest to you,

Guise

(For those who don’t necessarily follow along with Christmas, please accept the sentiment in the spirit it is given, however it may apply to you individually)

Missing In Advent!

“At least you’re not sometimes debating spiritual and social suicide because of someone proving that you are of lesser worth than you initially believed.” ~ Boo #

Wrong. So very, very wrong. If you don’t want to see the self-absorbed rambling, skip ahead to see funny pictures and hear about chocolates. Or go to YouTube, look up clips of Mock the Week with Russell Howard and Frankie Boyle, that’s better use.

It’s been a bit of a rough December, so I haven’t been around much. October and November kind of paved the way with a few losses, and some friends and family having different problems. I tried to be there as much as I could, but not sure really how much that really helped or worked, even through December I still gave it my best shot – at least I stand by trying, the least they had was my love and wishes.

Then my mum went in to hospital at the start of the month and is still there, so between working and visiting at the same hospital – spending some days over 13 hours there – and having to talk to doctors as colleague and concerned family member, and look after the households, I was spread quite thin and pretty much under constant cracking.

I pretty much could not embrace Christmas fully, we don’t even have a tree up this year. This might seem stupid or lame to some people, maybe self-indulgent, but we’re a pretty close family, we’ve always had Christmas together – from when it was the five of us, to we four – it’s always been the same and none of us really had the push to decorate or get fully enthralled. I got presents in and wrapped, though it was a lot more last minute than past years, and the presents still sit unwrapped until we’re all together again.

I did do a mass shopping before Christmas, to get in decorations and other goodies, even if not used. I sent Dan and his lovely wife some presents, and I was very touched to actually get a card from the couple – I have a deep love of tangible things like that. I also got to send some things to Dio and her friends and family, quite a sizeable parcel of stuff that I was so happy got to her in time to hand out at their party.

Have to admit, the only reason I held on to my Christmas spirit and sanity – especially given the very little time I had to spend with those I really wanted to spend time with – was down to the level of excitability of a few of my utterly wonderful colleagues who, even though really I had to force myself in to the spirit most of the time (almost as if competitively), made it worthwhile.

Things I Haven’t Blogged About!

Just because I haven’t been here, hasn’t mean I haven’t been thinking about this place and you guys. Honestly, I think about people here a lot. Some of you guys are regular cameos in my simple-minded head, a few have guest starring status and just a very limited number are actually regular cast members. Yes, when I wake up and the opening title sequence plays, a very, very, very small selection even has a picture in the opening credits because of how much they are thought of.

So, what have I thought of…

Walkers Crisps
Christmas seasonal flavours of Ploughmans (not a Christmas thing), Ham and Mustard (other brands do it year through), and Turkey and Stuffing. I still have the packets, I even sent Dan some for Christmas – as well as some other crisp flavours – and he may well blog about them first at this rate.

Christmas Parties, Meals and Stuff
I went to two (and a bit) parties this year. The first with my current work colleagues, and had an absolute blast with them. The bit was a bit of extra time afterwards, playing “Malpractice”, the game of “Operation” with copious amounts of alcohol. The second big party was drinks with ex-colleagues, where after I left, I got waylaid by some girls in the bar on my exit (hehehehe!).

I was even Secret Santa for our office.

Yes, there are pictures. No, you can’t see them. Sorry.

The Hssxxlllo Shirt
So, after winning a prize for the Dancing Jason Vorhees video, Matt sent those of us still not recieving the Kool-Aid a voucher. Mine went on a baseball shirt that was pretty close to Hssxxlllo’s. Maybe.

Fitness
The 2009 plan and what 2008 has meant. I’ll probably get round to this for New Years though.

Batman Christmas Specials
To celebrate how many Batman movies were set around Christmas, I actually had a plan to write about the animated episodes set at this time of year. Has yet to happen. May still happen. May happen next year.

Becoming Batman
Because if you haven’t watched it, then you are sorely lacking.

Nazi Zombie Ninja Pirate Cyborgs
I am still searching for a log of that conversation, Dio. If you have it, I want it.

Advent Calendars!

“So, what is this, FOUR Advent calendars you’re keeping up with now (counting THE BIG ONE)? How do you do it? With a wicked sweet-tooth I guess.” ~ DJ D #

Advent Calendars have been a downfall of mine this year, both keeping tabs of my own calendars and keeping up with Matt’s on X-Entertainment and Dio’s on her DeviantArt. I had fully intended to join the dA festivities with my own writing and doodling, but I got too caught up elsewhere in life. I have quite a few favourites from Dio’s collection from this Christmas period, there’s so many that raise a smile or an audible ‘aww’ (and a couple that get a ‘yum’).

What happens when things get out of hand throughout December? Well, for a start you don’t get around to opening the Advent Calendars you bought. Now this isn’t a problem if you miss a few days, or if you are dealing with one calendar, but when you start the month with three calendars and only get as far as opening up until the second day of December, you end up with more boarded windows than a slum housing project in the Thatcher years.

So, in one go on Christmas morning I opened up each window and emptied each box of the three calendars.

Ben10
On Day 3 the chocolate was Holly, the image was Christmas Pudding
On Day 4 the chocolate was Cracker, the image was a stocking
On Day 5, underneath Ben’s crotch, the chocolate was a pigeon (maybe an obese robin), the image was candles
On Day 6 the chocolate was present, the image was santa in chimney
On Day 7 the chocolate was reindeer, the image was tree
On Day 8 the chocolate was mouse with lantern, the image was candy cane
On Day 9 the chocolate was snowman, the image was presents
On Day 10 the chocolate was donkey, the image was fur lined boots with a teddy bear in one
On Day 11 the chocolate was santa in chimney, the image was reindeer
On Day 12 the chocolate was bells, the image was snowman
On Day 13 the chocolate was snowflake, the image was teddybear
On Day 14 the chocolate was sack of toys, the image was yule log
On Day 15 the chocolate was candy cane, the image was snowflake
On Day 16 the chocolate was star, the image was wreath
On Day 17 the chocolate was xmas pud, the image was reindeer
On Day 18 the chocolate was teddy bear, the image was bells
On Day 19 the chocolate was stocking, the image was expolding cracker
On Day 20 the chocolate was santa hat, the image was sack of toys
On Day 21 the chocolate was baubel, the image was igloo
On Day 22 the chocolate was wreath, the image was mouse with lantern
On Day 23 the chocolate was candle, the image was holly
On Day 24 the chocolate was santa boots, the image was penguin
On Day 25 the chocolate was round-shaped Merry Xmas message, the image was Happy Christmas

Barbie
All the images were the same as Ben10 calendar, but the chocolates were different.
On Day 3 the chocolate was wreath thing
On Day 4 the chocolate was snowman
On Day 5 the chocolate was santa face
On Day 6 the chocolate was shepherd/wise man
On Day 7 the chocolate was train
On Day 8 the chocolate was lamb
On Day 9, underneath Barbies tit, the chocolate was penguin
On Day 10 the chocolate was xmas tree
On Day 11 the chocolate was toy soldier
On Day 12 the chocolate was tree
On Day 13, under the other tit, the chocolate was teddy bear
On Day 14 the chocolate was bell
On Day 15 the chocolate was bird
On Day 16 the chocolate was star
On Day 17 the chocolate was sleigh with pressies
On Day 18 the chocolate was box lantern
On Day 19 the chocolate was choir boy
On Day 20 the chocolate was toy vintage car
On Day 21 the chocolate was candle and wreath
On Day 22 the chocolate was present
On Day 23 the chocolate was shepherd/wise man
On Day 24 the chocolate was lump of genericness
On Day 25 the chocolate was round-shaped Merry Xmas message

Bart Simpson
On Day 3 the chocolate was choir boy, the image was sack of presents
On Day 4 the chocolate was lump of genericness, the image was homer in santa hat
On Day 5 the chocolate was toy train, the image was maggie in antlers
On Day 6 the chocolate was reindeer, the image was maggie in santa hat
On Day 7 the chocolate was shepherd/wise man, the image was Santa Homer and Marge making out
On Day 8 the chocolate was toy soldier, the image was homer sucking candy cane
On Day 9 the chocolate was yule log, the image was lisa
On Day 10 the chocolate was lamb, the image was bart in santa hat
On Day 11 the chocolate was toy car, the image was maggie in stocking
On Day 12 the chocolate was candle and wreath, the image was Simpson kids in winter coats caroling
On Day 13 the chocolate was bell, the image was baubel
On Day 14 the chocolate was box lantern, the image was baubel
On Day 15 the chocolate was penguin, the image was Simpson kids and Santas Little Helper in fast moving sleigh
On Day 16 the chocolate was tree, the image was bart string sleeping homer up in tree lights
On Day 17 the chocolate was santa face, the image was marge with tree decorations in hair
On Day 18 the chocolate was teddy bear, the image was Bart and SLH on roof with Santa Homer stuck in chimney
On Day 19 the chocolate was shepherd/wise man, the image was stocking with homer written on it
On Day 20 the chocolate was present, the image was “Deck the Halls” message
On Day 21 the chocolate was snowman, the image was stocking with bart written on it
On Day 22 the chocolate was bird, the image was present
On Day 23 the chocolate was sleigh, the image was fireplace
On Day 24 the chocolate was star, the image was bart on Santa Homers lap
On Day 25 the chocolate was round-shaped Merry Xmas message, the image was Santa Homer

There is of course the thing of how much chocolate does that leave you with? Here’s a hint: