Why I don't have more interesting things to say

I'm not having the most festive December this year. Mind you, last December was a delayed Christmas season for me because I was in India until December 14 and came back to the States when the decorations, Christmas music, and holiday promotions were in full swing. India hotels had only just put up their tasteful and low key decorations in the first week of December, so I didn't suffer from over saturation; until I got home, that is.

This year in London, the Christmas decorations were put up in the office over the weekend and the bright lights overhanging Regents Street and Oxford Street have been up since mid-November. Most of my Christmas shopping is already done (online via Amazon US) and I don't have many holiday parties to go to because I am still working on building up a network of friends (although I did have the Thanksgiving dinner this past weekend and may be going to another holiday party this coming weekend, so all is not lost). But mostly, I am just working ridiculous hours and have a LOT to do before I fly home on 21 December.

I'm not going to get into the details about work on this blog, because that is decidedly not what this blog is about, nor is it appropriate to post that kind of info on the net. Suffice to say that I am doing two people's jobs and although we are going to re-scope some of the effort, just all that planning takes its own time as well. I also feel like I am constantly fighting off something, a cold, a flu, or maybe some London winter disease I've never heard of. Whatever it is, it seems to require copious amounts of sleep to pacify whatever it might do to me if I let it have its way. I am trying to stay healthy, drink lots of water, and yes, decrease my overall alcohol intake in general self-defense, but working at the office for 12 hours, as I did yesterday, plus working over the weekend, doesn't help. I'm guessing that the additional two hours of capsule commuting on the tube isn't giving me any benefits either.

I am really looking forward to Christmas this year, although I know the single week at home won't feel like enough. I already have a packed agenda of sleeping, playing with the dog, meeting up with family and friends, and letting myself go on a shopping spree like I've never had before (there are undeniable benefits of being debt-free, not supporting anyone else, and having the opportunity to capitalize on a GBP to USD exchange rate that makes everything in the U.S. at least half the price of what it is here).

I know, now you don't feel sorry for me anymore (cough, cough).