Just a few hours away now from New Year’s. This time last year, I thought it was kind of cool that we were approaching on the year 2010, since to me that sounded/still sounds like a pretty futuristic date. Growing up, sci-fi movies and stuff would use “the year 2000” or “in the year 20xx” to talk about stuff that was supposed to be so far into the future that you couldn’t even imagine it. Kind of like having a robot dog that can turn into a jet-powered hoverboard, a submarine, or a … big spring so you can jump really high. But here we are, now just one good nap’s time away from the year 2011, which to me sounds even more ridiculously far into the future, although the sane half of me realizes that it’s just the year that comes next in sequence. I haven’t really paid much attention to the dates that sci-fi movies use these days, but what is it, like the year 3000 or 4000? Because if they’re just using like 2100 it’s kind of pointless considering that some kids will be reaching that point in time within their lifespans.

Where was I going with that? I have no idea. Anyway the past few weeks have been pretty good. Christmas to me has become, with age, less a holiday to get a whole bunch of new toys and video games from my parents and relatives. Okay, just typing that last sentence actually made me age about 2 more years. But yeah now Christmas isn’t just worrying about what toys to ask for. I’ve grown up from that. Now I wait for gift money, and go out and buy those toys and games myself.  You see, it’s much easier this way because I don’t have to worry about people making mistakes and me having to go through the hassle of waiting in a return line at Target.  I kid, I kid!  No, actually Christmas really has become more about just relaxing, seeing people who have been away, and hoping it doesn’t snow because I don’t want to scrape the ice off my car.

So speaking of Christmas/my birthday/what the locals have begun to call The Holy Leongmas, it was pretty awesome.  Had the (extended) family over at my parent’s house for the big meal, which started around 3PM this year.  Lots of eating, not much sitting room, and an assortment of probably-banned-by-the-FDA malt beverage energy drinks that the kids call Four Loko.  Seriously, don’t ever try those things.  My cousin put it best when she described them as such: “It tastes like taffy…then butt!”  But after the family tasting of the traditional Four Loko assortment, stereotypically playing some mahjong, and telling enough offensive stories to make my new relatives probably pretty  uncomfortable, we decided to get out of the house and go to where most families spend Christmas evening after dinner – the casino!   Yes, it might sound kind of strange but it was a lot of fun.  We pretty much took over an entire blackjack table and annoyed every single other person in the place by group-cheering every time we won.  Which, luckily for me and my BIRTHDAY MIRACLE powers that night, was actually quite often.

I don’t really have much else to write about right now, but mainly I felt like I should reflect a bit on the past few months.  There really isn’t much else to reflect upon, although I don’t know if I really got the maximum relaxation out of my 1 week off of work.  I mean, it was good, but I feel like there still could have been more video games played, more movies watched, and more sleep slept.  I guess I still have two days left.

Happy New Year to everyone, especially the four readers of TheLeong.com.  Oh yeah, if you’re reading this on Facebook you really should check out my actual blog where this post if coming from.  If you want to see a pretty janky website, that is.  See you all in 2011 – I’ll be on the Rush Jet flying over some lava.