I have 10 invites to give away. Get in touch if you want one.

Right, just because people keep asking me, here, for the record, are my plans for Christmas and New Year's Eve:

• Christmas Eve I'm working until half-day; then I will go to my brother's house in Balham for festivities to begin.
• Christmas Day will also be in Balham. Yay for 7000 calorie days!
• I will then be in London until December 30th, and on vacation. Don't fail to invite me places because you think I'm in the tropics.
• I am in the tropics 30th December to 13th January. I can receive text messages (and calls, if you feel like spending an absolute fortune) on my usual mobile number, but don't expect me to meet you for coffee as I will be on the other side of an ocean.

This is the latest into December I've ever been in the UK so far -- well, pretty much as far as it's possible to go, really. Everyone has always told me that Christmas is better in cold countries; I am going to do a like for like comparison and let you all know. Apparently Christmas is better when you're freezing your ass off, which I can't say I understand. Christmassy = warm fuzzy family feelings, yes?* Well, warm fuzzy feelings are easier to achieve if one is already warm. In fact, all you have to do is not shave for a few days, and you're there. But if there's something I've been missing, I'll let you know.

(Unless you're a crazy religious person, but then it's about the birth of a religious figure actually born on September 29th, so either celebrate it then or admit it's a secular/commercial event and quit bitching)