what i want for christmas...

...is a fruitcake.

in many ways, i'm pretty easy to please. i know, they're as tacky as the candied fruit that cover a fruitcake's surface but one of the few things i like about christmas is the availability of fruitcakes.

i remember growing up with neighbors (and many times, my dad) bringing christmas loot from their offices and there is often fruitcake. they'll give it to my mom because they don't like the stuff and my mom eventually gives them to me because i'm the only one in the family who really enjoys eating fruit cake.

but i grew up and somehow the christmas loot bags became smaller and the fruitcake started to show itself less and less.

and now, nobody gives me fruitcake.



...is a bat-size pepper mill.

doubles as a blunt object. if you ever find yourself in a situation that requires a blunt object.



...is a bookshelf.

so kiko and anton are moving out of the chairless apartment, so that'll take away half of the books that covers a small portion of the living room. the books are more or less equally divided between me and kiko -- kiko has slightly more books in mandaluyong but i still have more books left in makati. for the longest time, the books are just occupying an area next to the TV without proper bookshelves to put them in.

my initial attempt to arrange the books included the use of the step-ladder. it now functions as a makeshift bookshelf where some of my books are resting on each step. (i did it because i didn't know where to keep the step-ladder.) of course, when we really need to use the ladder, we have to remove the books and then replace them back once we're done with the ladder.



...is an inverted christmas tree.

well, not really. i hate christmas trees. i will not allow one to invade the chairless apartment. in fact, we don't have any christmas decor.

i guess it's because i often find christmas decors tacky. understated wreaths are okay and curtain lights are pretty; but filipinos often have a horrible enthusiasm towards christmas decorating that included the misplaced idea that anything that is shiny gold, brightly lit and playing tinny music is the way to go.

when people ask why i don't like christmas trees, i answer: "because i don't ike upright cones." well. someone could now argue that i ought to get an upside down tree instead.



...are round-trip plane tickets to batanes.

i'd settle for a one-way ticket and stay there long-term. but i hear the place is unforgiving during the stormy season, and there are banks who are watching me and how i maintain my little plastic cards.