Happy New Year everyone. If you’re finding it hard getting back into the swing of things with getting up early for work, you have my sympathies, I’m not managing very well either.
The Christmas break was very welcome, although I’m feeling the effects of it now. I shudder to think how much I ate and drank over the ten days off, but as if by some miraculous coincidence most of my clothes seem to have shrunk over the last month. I’m beginning to suspect alien involvement! Christmas Day was the first time I’ve ever cooked the main meal, and with twelve to cook for I was apprehensive to say the least. Usually Christmas morning for me is spent with a glass of orange juice while we open our presents, so it was a bit strange to find myself in the kitchen at 7:30 brushing molten butter onto three turkey crowns. It was worth it though, even just for the delicious smell permeating the house through the day. I think the meal went well, the turkey was well cooked (probably a tiny bit overdone if I’m being critical), and noone could complain of not having enough to eat. The plates were piled high with meat and veg, and with the addition of a small table we comfortably sat all twelve which was really nice. It felt good once it was all done and out of the way and I could properly relax, and as always happens when I get the festive period off, my sleeping pattern slipped drastically. Going to bed between 1am and 3am is strange to me now, but I enjoyed not even waking up before 9, and then having a good lie-in.
Like the rest of the western world I’m starting the new year with a bit more of a healthy eating kick, mostly to lose the holiday weight, but also because I found myself really missing it. I remember craving fruit and veg, and I feel a lot better for having got back on the wagon so far. I already know I can do it, I proved it to myself last year, so I don’t feel any pressure. Murphy is next in line for getting back in shape after a couple of weeks of no agility, eating a huge amount of turkey and gammon, and joining me in my sleep patterns. He loves being lazy, it’s a nightmare getting him up in the morning to go next door and stay in with their dog while we’re at work.
I’m currently loving Valkyria Chronicles on the PS3, it’s a great mix of old-school tactics games and a regluar 1st/3rd person shooter. Adding the third dimension to a turn based strategy game has added a huge amount to it, and the characters and presentation are real top-drawer stuff. I’ve got Metal Gear Solid 4 too (bought during the same cheap game mission), but I’m struggling with finding the patience for ‘stealth’. Modern Warfare 2 is still getting a large amount of my free time too, but the BBC Iplayer channel is such an unexpected bonus, I love it.
Some pretty big non-Christmas, non-game based news coming soon.