A very happy New Year to all of you. Hope 2008 proves to be a productive and above all, happy, year for all of you.

And remember:

“The way we distinguish ourselves is by showing our individuality.”
Elisa Camahort, We Got Naked, Now What, SXSW 2006

As usual, family were more than generous to me and the missus this year – we had six sacks’ worth of presents between us!  Crikey. The best things I had were a remote-control Audi TT (I’m hoping to buy a real one in 2007 when I qualify) and this jacket.  We also had shitloads of chocolate – enough to last until Easter, I’m sure!

Now that Chrimbo is over, all I’m seeing on the TV is “SALE! SALE! SALE!”.  Doesn’t it annoy you?  We spend all that money at Christmas, and then the next day, the sales start, and all the things you bought for presents is now cheaper.  Also, if I see one more bloody sofa on TV …

Sorry … got distracted by the Sale on the Burton website.  Tsk.

(L-R: Rob, Sumita, Ricky, Laura, Mangai and Daniel)

Just as well Rachel and I are starting our Christmas shopping tomorrow!  TIme’s running out – argh!

Pah, some people are just so rude. A has the audacity to suggest that I’m sad, geeky, boring, no life etc. just ‘cos I mentioned headers and Google ads after 12am on Christmas Day. I wouldn’t have been in that frame of mind if A hadn’t banged on about www design at 12.01am!

Anyway, just wanted to say have a great Christmas Day everyone. For those of you who have been good, hope Santa brings you everything you wanted; for those of you who have been bad (e.g. A), SHAME ON YOU!

Me; I am in the former category. I am wonderful, charming, witty, brilliant. Therefore I am a good boy . So Santa, where’s my Audi TT? Hmm … ?

Yesterday, we cleared out the bedrooms in order to shove things into the loft and make more room and make things tidier. It took all day. The funny thing is, I enjoyed it (!).

We also wrapped our Christmas presents up and put them under the Christmas tree.

Ain’t that sweet?

This is something that I probably never will see. My parents always say that they’re too old to learn and reckon that they would never practice enough as I’m in London etc. However, I feel that, as it’s very likely Rach and I will have Deaf kids (who we plan to bring up bilingually), my parents (and the rest of the family for that matter) need to learn BSL so that they can encourage the language development of the kids.

Why is it that hearing families with d/Deaf children are so reluctant to learn BSL? Does the medical model of deafness as portrayed by clueless audiologists really get to them that much? Why don’t they *listen* to what their kids are saying? Surely we know better than the doctors who don’t even know how to communicate effectively themselves.

Saturday 18 December
Having caught the 1245 train to Newport from London Paddington, which involved a great deal of heaving as I had a heavy suitcase (thankfully one of what I call “trolley dollys”) and a backpack with two LLM folders in, I arrived in Newport at 1430. The evening was an interesting one as my mum hosted a dinner party for us four, Rachel and Sam, Sam’s parents June and Dave, and Linda and Stuart. Rachel and I were slightly bored because we couldn’t follow the conversation, but it was nice to meet Sam’s parents and there was some lovely grub too.

Monday 20 December
Mummy took me shopping in Cardiff for my Christmas presents! Whoo!! She was being antagonising because she wouldn’t tell me whether or not she had bought me a £79.99 blazer from River Island that I’d told her I wanted!!! She bought me two pairs of jeans and a sweater from Madhouse and a funky hat and scarf from GAP. We also went to the new Costa in WH Smith for my dreamy latte and almond croissant – heaven.

Wednesday 22 December
Went up to stay with Rachel’s parents in Pentwynmawr for a few nights and went out for a Chinese at Peking City in Blackwood with Rachel’s friends from school, which was lovely. One observation I’d like to make though – I was the only one who drank booze! And young people are supposed to be boozers?! All of them are university students as well. Boring!

Friday 24 December
Rachel and I went back down to Malpas with Oliver in tow to spend Christmas Eve with my family i.e. the usual plus Uncle John and Aunty Annette. Rachel and Oliver left for home around 10pm, leaving me on my own with my hearing family. Sitting there in the chair not able to follow the conversation got me riled up, and I blurted out “How does it make you feel to know that I’m left out of conversations like the one you’re having now?”. Mum, Dad, Kirsty, Sam, John and Annette were all astounded. It was quite funny. I asked them all why they never bothered to learn BSL, and why don’t they do something about it if they feel so bad about leaving me out of conversations. It was quite interesting, and I felt tonnes better for having gotten it off my chest.

Saturday 25 December
I got the blazer I wanted! Whoooo!!!! After the usual Wilks Christmas Day, Rachel came down to Malpas and stayed the night.

Sunday 26 December
Rachel and I went up to Pentwynmawr for Boxing Day and stayed there until Wednesday. We didn’t do all that much to be honest. I just studied my LLM materials and watched TV.

Friday 31 December
After spending much of the afternoon in Cardiff shopping (where I spent far too much) with Rachel, and a lovely lunchtime meal in La Fosse, we went up to Pentwynmawr for the New Year as Mum, Dad, Kirsty, Sam, Linda, Stuart, June and Dave went to the Old Mill Hotel in Batheaston for two nights. We had a pleasant evening at Carl and Sian’s home with the Johnsons, followed by a quick visit to the Pentwynmawr Workingmen’s Club to see Diane and Jack.

Monday 3 December
Heaved all my stuff back to London (heavier this time because of all my Christmas presents etc.).

Och well, back to the grind that is RAD tomorrow. It’s quite nice to get back to normal, but the past two weeks have made me realise just how much I enjoy being at home with the families. Hopefully, Rachel and I will be able to buy a house this year in the valleys. That would give me a huge incentive to move back to South Wales. Let’s hope it happens.