finally.

phew.  my monstrous project is done, for now.  just waiting on approval and then i move on to phase 2 (which, by the way, is just as crap as phase 1).  i sent off my files just a few minutes ago and now i can breathe.  and write.  i know you’ve been so bored without me.

i’ve actually been so busy that i haven’t had time to fixate on the fact that i’ve also been doing douchbag’s job at the same time which was a good thing.  but i’m back to fixatin’ cuz my project is done for now.  he’s a douchbag.  and he hasn’t started yet.  will he ever start?  we’re taking bets. 

i’ve been tempted to set up an auto-reply rule in my outlook for certain people i work with.  the reply would be “you’re a tool.”  it’s my knee-jerk reaction everytime i get an email from one of them and i have to wait a few minutes before replying to them or else i will say it.  let’s face facts.  they are tools.  i only speak the truth.

news news news…

oh! it’s the Brit’s birthday today! yay!  last night i cooked extra special dinner for the Brit, the Kiwi, and the Other Asian (dude, sorry about your nickname but I have to distinguish you from the main Asian (me) and it’s way better than Hand Job which is what i considered calling you (minds out of gutters people – he’s an occupational therapist specialising in hands – sheesh!)).  the Brit chose the menu.  we ate until we burst.  it was a good night. 

the Kiwi got the book ”band of brothers” by stephen ambrose for the Brit and i started reading it last night (his presents are actually our presents).  i finished Thurber finally which i quite enjoyed.  i am also trying to finish Gaudete by Ted Hughes which i started a year ago but never was able to finish.  it’s one of those books that i can’t stop and start because i lose track of what’s happened and who’s who. it’s also written in verse so the momentum gets lost.  it was a gift from the Brit a few years ago and he attached a note that said “…in places, this poem really gets going.”  he didn’t mention that the rest of the poem drags.  i’m determined to finish it before 2010. 

the Brit got me DVD box sets from overseas – House of Eliot, Ms Marple, Little Dorrit and the Forsyte Saga.  did i also mention that the Brit is required to buy me gifts on his birthday?  He’s trying to inundate my head with BBC programmes and not Australian entertainment or people’s court.  apparently he thinks i’ve become dumber too.  Not like House of Eliot is edifying but the english accents make it sound way more intelligent than judge judy. my plan was to watch them all this weekend but i had to work!  i have therefore amended my plan to go home at 1pm today because i’ve been here since 6am trying to finish my stupid project. 

about that link to the australian programme above,  had quite a lively discussion about it at work last friday.  most of the aussies i work with were mortified and embarrassed.  others didn’t see the big deal and then spent the next few minutes convincing me that they have nothing but high opinions of black people and then talk about the one black person they met overseas and how they consider them a friend.  i told them that the “i know a black person” logic doesn’t really wash in america but neither do black face performances.  things must be different in australia.  i have my opinion on it and so do some of my colleagues and i didn’t want to get involved in the dicussion, but i’m the only american in the office so they ask me.  “do you think you guys are being oversensitive?”  you guys?  my reply – “do you think you guys are a bit bogan?”  they should know better than to ask my opinion.

got an email from my father this morning.  he only emails me when my mother has a question for me.  my mother doesn’t know how to work email.  they always start like this “mom wants to know…”  and then he always ends with “if you can please let me know and i will inform mom.”  and then he always signs off “regards”  or “kind regards.”   my daily CNN updates make me feel more warm and fuzzy than emails from my parents.  when my parents write to the Brit,  they always sign off “love.”  i’m convinced my parents love him more.  it’s probably because he always unpacks his suitcase straightaway.   he’s such a kiss ass.

I am currently obsessed with anything  WWII at the moment (hence “band of brothers” on reading list).  it’s  been ongoing for quite a while now and hasn’t faded like my obsession with quantum physics (which came about after watching a series of movies about time travel like back to the future and terminator (very scientific indeed!)).  the quantum physics thing got a bit too nerdy and i envisioned myself playing world of warcraft at a LAN party in the near future so i had to put a stop to it.  on saturday, when i got home from work, we watched three documentaries – one on patton, one on macarthur and one about the battle of britain.  i feel my brain cells regenerating.  we are watching everything that has to do with WWII in including old movies which are the only movies my father likes – finally something in common.  i’ll have to write my father an email “dear dad,  we watched tora! tora! tora!  we can discuss at a later date.  kind regards,  your daughter”  he’d probably reply to the Brit,  and cc me.  maybe not even copy me.  that’s how it is.