I've been told, many times over, that Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Jesus, who walked among us and died for our trespasses. And, in honor of this sacrifice (so that we do not burn in Hell), we celebrate this birthday by decorating our homes and our streets, giving gifts and taking long vacations.

I think, because I've been doing this too many times already, it's become routine. So, when December arrived, I decided I would consciously look for some other thing to look forward to, other than the predictable Christmas feast, the socks, and the hangovers. I'm still looking.

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I watched Shinobi, a movie about two ninja lovers, last night while waiting for dinner. I wouldn't recommend it for fans of any kind of action on film; it's supernatural. However, if you liked Hero, Crouching Tiger, or the like, then you'll enjoy this movie. Watch it with your buddies and cheer for the guy who just. Won't. Die. And, as expected, there's a heartbreaking ending.

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I'm all alone here at the office. It's a bit strange because normally, I'm content in solitude (see INTJ), but I think when you expect to be with company, and there's no one there, that's when you're really alone.

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For all the nasties one hears about security guards, and how annoying they can be, they really are useful. It's one of those things: when you can't tell they're their that's when they're doing their job. But the other day, a guard at the SM Hypermart in Pasig really helped me out. I asked about an ATM in the area, and he said there were a few. Then he asked me to wait a moment, because he wanted to verify for me whether they were online. To save me, he says, the trip. So he gets on the radio and asks his colleagues to check. After hearing word, he promptly sends me towards an ATM that was online. I guess that's Christmas for you.