And I wonder when I sing along with you
If everything could ever feel this real forever
If anything could ever be this good again

Hmmm let's see. How was my Christmas? Pretty much like every other day really, although my great aunt and uncle came over with Jane, and she made me watch "Amelie." Sigh...

I got a jacket and a speaker system for my comp. Thanks Kev. He got it for me because my current speakers suck pretty bad.

Yesterday I went grocery shopping with my brother and then played a little halo at Justin Thomas'. I know I wouldn't play that much more, but it was only for like an hour. I did much better this time, I was consistently 2nd overall, right under Brian freakin Sze.

Then later that night I went and saw "Catch me if you can" with Diana and Bbin. Pretty good movie, so freakin smooth. I suggest you all go see it.

Tonight I went and played pool with Grant, J-Law, Justin and Duke. Afterwards we all went and got spicy pepper chicken and snow bubble. We chilled outside and spent most of the time swapping gross stories about fast food and stuff. Of course my obligatory Jack in the Crack/Stanford story was told. A pretty money night. The ride back was pretty funny because we spent all our time reminiscing of all stupid antics in high school. Man we were goofy back then. Yes...back then...ahem.

Okie that's it for now. One of my more boring posts in a while.

-Phil

I need to start keeping track of all the stuff I've done over Winterbreak so that one month later I'm not like "Ummm....what'd I do?"

Now then.

...

Right...

No but in all seriousness, on Monday, I did what I had been running away from. I entered into the depths of hell where I knew there was little chance of ever returning. I readied myself for the battle of my life. I wiped away my tears and said my prayers, asking God for the strength to last the next few hours.

I went to the Stoneridge shopping mall.

Now don't get me wrong. I know we have a great mall and all, but if you know me, you know my stance on it. I hate it. With a passion. There are few things I'm vehemently against, and shopping is one of them. I meant submerging myself in overcommercialized shopping centres, where people left and right are flashing plastic and cell phones, bending over for expensive clothes and advertisements, while lonesome and depraved guys come and drool over anorexic, made up, hair-highlighted eighth graders in ass tight jeans, and revealing blouses that only reveal their developing bodies, who wave around daddy's credit cards, and know that they can only drool because they'd never have the balls to do anything else. And imagine this in the Christmas season. Prices skyrocket. Add babies. And mulitply the aforementioned scene by 5. And you have America's idea of Christmas ladies and gentlemen.

Sorry if I sound bitter, but I really hate shopping. I'd rather grocery shop. But yeh, Justin Thomas and Justin Law surprised me by swinging by my house, and I knew I had to do it, so I headed on over.

After it was done, we ate Jack in the Crack and balled it up at the courts finally after the weather cleared up. Later that night we played an insane 16 man Halo at Aaron's. Crazy stuff. Oddball. Hang Em high. 5:00 to 4:57. Game. Your team wins. Enough said.

Today I just sat around and chilled until I went and played ball again around 5. Wow, these days feel kinda long. I've only been out of school for 5 days. Seems so long ago. Ahhh....the goodlife.

Oh, and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! As of now, it doesn't feel like it so much. Gone is the anticipation for gifts. Gone are the Christmas trees. Gone are the Christmas specials (although I caught a bit of "A Christmas Story") on tv. It just feels like any other day. Kinda makes me wonder how much my idea of Christmas was based on that, and not about my remembrance of the birth of my savior. Sigh.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Phil

Oh my hizzel, it's been too long since I've updated this thing. My finals were just consuming my team. Even if I wasn't always studying, I know I would have felt bad about blogging when I knew I SHOULD have been studying. I had the last possible final, so it sucked big time to have nearly everyone leave while I was still studying. All my roommates were done by Tuesday and gone by Wednesday, while I had my final on Thursday. :(

You have no idea how happy I was to be done. It was pouring like none other and I just ran out and yelled "YEAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!" Hmm, I did a terrible job describing that scene.

All in all I thought this semester was pretty good. Academically I think this is the best I've done thus far, even though I haven't gotten any of my final grades. But in general, most of the times this past semester, whenever someone asked me how I was doing, I'd usu. respond, "Pretty well actually..." and it's true. I really couldn't have asked for that much more. God's just blessed me in a lot of ways, and it's been pretty chills. Hmmm, kinda lackluster though. No drama which is good, but still kinda...lackluster. :)

Thursday night, Kwan drove back Justin and I back to good ole' P-Town. Mr. Yi chilled at my place for a couple of days until Saturday, so I had to do my best to show him everything there was to do in Pleasanton which took...a few hours. Sigh, but he's from Irvine, so he's used to the whole suburban attempt at social life thing. We watched LOTR that night. How was it? All in all, I honestly thought the first was better. I know some people are going to say "Blasphemy!" but most of the people who I've spoken to here and pretty much agreed. I just thought the pacing was kind of off. The first half hour was awesome, then the next hour and half just kinda dragged down a bit, and the last hour was back to being awesome. Not just because of the hour long war which of course was money, but because I saw some of the traces of the emotion that was evident in the first film. The first film's action scene weren't as grandiose, but those scenes had so much emotion that was lacking in many parts of the second film. Seriously, just watch the first one and see how Aragorn fend off an approaching swarm of Orcs while he yells at Frodo to go, and match it with some of the action films in this one. Don't get me wrong, I still liked Two Towers A LOT, I just thought it wasn't as well balanced as the first.

The rest of Justin's trip here was just playing some ball and 4 on 4 Halo at Amith's. Tis the life of a Pleasantonion.

Dumb and Dumberer....BOO.

I GOT A PUPPY!!! Well not me, my brother, but still it's the cutest freakin thing. It's a one month old Maltese. I'll post pics soon.

Yesterday, after playing basketball, I went and played Pool at Edgie's with Bbin. We met Fil, Vivian, Sherry, and Jeanette there. Then we ate at In N' Out afterwards.

And TODAY, after church, Bbin and Llong came over and just chilled for a bit. Played with the puppy, played cs, watched "Lilo and Stitch" (which is a quality film btw), ate, played guitar, and eventually went bowling. Freakin A, I got 127 BOTH times. And the second time, we each put a dollar on the line, and I HAD IT IN THE BAG. I was at least 20 pins in front of everyone, and Llong starts making this ridiculous comeback, and some dude next to me messed up my mojo, and I guttered in the last frame for the first time ALL NIGHT. B.S I say.

Argh, now I'm all pissed off again. Must go beat up my bro or something. Tis the joys of being home.

-Phil