This has been the blah-est day ever. It's so sad. No one is in the office. I'm not doing any work. I really don't like the holidays like this.

Lord of the Rings - ultimate MIT movie! That's why I'm reluctant to see it for the same reason you enjoyed your waiting-in-line experience.

It's Wednesday. It feels like Friday. I'm ready to stop work and go home. I've been ready since Monday, mid-morning.

What does one have to do to get some respect around here?!?!? I've been without a reasonably up-to-date computer for the last week. Even the tech help desk is getting to call the shots (by withholding a new desktop)! That's how low on the totem pole I am around here.

Please! Lay me off! Hope the bosses don't see this.

I have 4 more days to go before vacation but instead of being excited, I'm anxious. I'm anxious about packing, about getting presents in time. I have yet to send out cards, so, you might get yours late. =)

Christmas is just rushing on by, isn't it? Although each day I notice or experience something Christmas-y, they haven't amalgamated into the "holiday spirit." The lights on a wreath at a skating rink, the tree at Lincoln Center (they have one too!), familiar logo-ed shopping bags in red and green, coworkers talking about vacations, Christmas get togethers here and there. All nice things that do remind of Christmas but I think it's all bittersweet in the end. It's like being in college. You want to spend the holidays with friends because you think it'd be so much fun, but people end up going "home," as do I of course. But right now, for eleven and a half months of the year, my "home" is where my friends have been, right here with me. But at this relaxed and meaningful time, they're not here. I'm not here.

I've asked this of some people once: "When do you get to actually spend Christmas and the holidays not at home?" The main answer I got was: "When you have your own family and that's your home."

I'm actually spending less of my Christmas holiday with my family than I am with some friends this year. But upon my return on January 10th, I might tell you that despite getting my wish to spend the holidays with friends, it's perhaps family who I really want to be with.

I'll have to find out for myself.

OK. I see the quandary that you're in. Why are you even tutoring? Cause you have time? Cause you want to be around the kids?

My laptop at work was stolen over the weekend. I'm very annoyed. I locked it and everything but someone even took the cable that was attached to the table. This is ridiculous. It's like the 3rd laptop stolen among coworkers that I know. I'm really curious as to who it could be. Obviously, it's someone I see daily, perhaps the cleaning crew. For a while, I was doubting my eyes and thinking that I brought it home over the weekend...and forgot to bring it back!!??! Of course not! Dang thieves.

Went to a Praise Night this weekend. It was good. Trying to connect to God but wasn't very easy.

Plans for the holidays?

Why does your mom disapprove? Would convincing her otherwise allow you to continue to tutor and still honor her?

Lots of layoffs around. It's kinda sad. I never worried about it even amidst all the rumors and even when it initially started happening. But yesterday, it hit closest to home. I felt it was like the angel of death coming to each house during Passover. It moved from the south side of the building towards the north. I reside near the center. People in my division, my friends' managers, a manager I used to work for are now gone. Significant role changes are happening too. Ultimately these organizational changes for the high-level folks are not of their own accord. They're being relegated to nothing-type jobs so that they can prepare to leave without being laid off. I was just thinking about it last night. And I was thinking about why I was thinking about it. I usually don't think about other people's problems. I'm selfish like that. I'm not really afraid of being laid off. If I am, that would be fine. If I'm not, that would be fine too. I think this is another instance of me just sitting back, not making decisions, letting them be made for me. Not very good, but in this case, there's not much I can do.

You like Dave Matthews, right? Heard of Five for Fighting? Very similar. Good. The first single out: Superman. Lyrics below. I like.

Superman (It's Not Easy)

I can’t stand to fly
I’m not that naive
I’m just out to find
The better part of me

I’m more than a bird…I’m more than a plane
More than some pretty face beside a train
It’s not easy to be me

Wish that I could cry
Fall upon my knees
Find a way to lie
About a home I’ll never see

It may sound absurd…but don’t be naive
Even Heroes have the right to bleed
I may be disturbed…but won’t you concede
Even Heroes have the right to dream
It’s not easy to be me

Up, up and away…away from me
It’s all right…You can all sleep sound tonight
I’m not crazy…or anything…

I can’t stand to fly
I’m not that naive
Men weren’t meant to ride
With clouds between their knees

I’m only a man in a silly red sheet
Digging for kryptonite on this one way street
Only a man in a funny red sheet
Looking for special things inside of me

It’s not easy to be me.

Never saw that movie. Heard it was good. Despite the context, still very sad and depressing. Coincidentally, I ran across a book that your poet Auden wrote about Shakespeare. He was given a series of lectures on the topic and some attendee took meticulous notes, I guess. Do you read his other stuff?

How's life? Must be good. It sounds good. All these opportunities are open to you: taking classes, part time vs. full time of any type of work you want.