Today, I leave for Europe. For my first White Christmas, EVER.
  In fact, I leave in an hour.

  If there's one thing that I've discovered, it's that the time waiting silently for the departure date of your holiday is the longest you'll ever spend in your life.
  The unrelenting ticking of clocks, the perpetual drip, drip, drip of water from the half-broken tap, the neverending tap of fingernails on the dining table - it's enough to drive someone crazy. And call for a plumber.

 However, despite being the single most painful feeling that a person could ever experience, it's also one of the most exciting. Since the final r-r-r-ringgg of the wretched school bell that ended our hour-long game of scrabble in maths, I haven't stopped smiling. I've been a lighter, brighter and a nicer person (mind the rather subtle Nellie Mckay reference), and my unwavering facial expression of utter enthusiasm has become unsparingly infectious amongst family members, friends and neighbours. Even right at this moment, as I sit in the cushioned comfort of my black desk chair, I'm overwhelmed with an amusingly stubborn grin that quite literally, extends from one ear to another. Seriously though, I'm rather sure that my perpetuously painful predicament might require the pseudo-functional powers of those dodgy Chinese "Healing Patches", - or even better yet, a small dose of horse tranquiliser.

  Nevertheless, I shall live with my pain. I shall pull through, like the valiant rabbit that I am. And whilst I'm sure you're terribly concerned with the severity and suffering associated with my unbearably excruciating state of pain (I expect cards and flowers by Tuesday), I'm sure you're probably more interested in the course of my upcoming travels rather than my increasingly degraded state of health. Shame on you. And that guy over there too.

  Yeah, you. You know who you are.

  For those of you who aren't yet informed of my trip to Europe, the bulk of my journey can be seen here. Additional to the locations specified, I'll me making my merry way though London, Oxford, Cambridge, Normandy, Belgium, Paris (for a good two weeks!) and the compellingly commercialist city of Dubai. 'Twill be nothing but pure aweeeesssome. Or "aweeesssomecore", as Ashwin might put it.

  2006 has been a fantastic year - I've had the experiences of a lifetime (and a few more to come, starting tommorow!), achieved feats I never thought I could pull off, discovered some great music, watched some utterly amazing movies, and established new and fruit friendships with several individuals through various means. To that certain few; (you know who you are) - thanks for hours of delightfully abstract conversation and your intensely interesting tales of life's soaring highs and (sometimes) sore lows. I regret not having been available to say a final "Merry Christmas" and wish you the best of summer holidays, but hey - consider this an incredibly apologetic substitute.

  To the Hwang twins, who helped bring further insight to this often introspective adolescent, thank you. To Lyall and Jordan, you've been incredibly bad influences (albeit charming and intensely amusing ones), and I promise to never again, crack a Kiwi joke. To Azukar (the assassin), Flump (the frogcatcher) and Lloydo (the blog-quitter), you've established yourselves as the three kings of wit, and for that, I decalare your utter awesomeness. To Jos and Josh - though I've not know you for a long time, it's been great to have "met" you, for lack of a better term. To Sianne, since our first, fractured exchange of badly spelt comments, I've held you in high regard for your sensitivity and emotional strength. To Ashwin, I declare you the "Official-blogger-for-when-Nathan's-in-Europe", and that you end every entry henceforth with the phrase "... La la la - Uh... CLOSING THE GOD DAMN DOOR!!". And finally, to the always-friendly Fillet - Darwin's not a city! For moving there, I say; "You're not people!".

  To those I know personally (including Mr. Thomas from the previous list, consider yourselves officially thanked and wished a Merry Christmas. You're undoubtedly much, much, MUCH more important than those internet fools (You're not people either!). In all seriousness, I wish you a happy Christmas and an equally as joyous new year. Except to Simon, of course. Haha, I want my English duxmanship back!

  Originally, I had planned a massive end-of-year blog, which I aptly titled "The Christmas MEGABLOG©®™ROFLOMG!!1", but due to the fact that I'm leaving home in under an hour, my devious plans were abandoned, and the already-written content will eventually be put in to good use. However, until then, you'll just have to wait. Until my return, I would graciously appreciate the passing on your knowledge of this blog's existence, so that I can continue to build this network of friends (and in certain cases, unpleasant acquaintances!).

  In under approximately half-an-hour, our taxi will arrive to take us to the airport. I'm sorry I had to make you endure such a boring entry, but then again, I wholly reserve the right to - this is my blog, for Cullum's sake (He's the equivilent of Christ!). In fact, anyone who actually read this paragraph, include the word "Craptacular!" in your comment (Let's just see you actually reads these entries). Once again, I wish you all a safe and joyous holiday, devoid of my nagging whines and proclamations of nonsensical so-and-so's. You've all contributed greatly to my development as a blogger, a hidden conversationalist, and a person.

  And so, I bid you a final farewell. May you all have a merry Christmas, and a happy new year.

  Signing off for the very last time (this year!);

the-social-bunny.