December 28 (Tuesday): Yeah I Know. Up and at ‘em. I awaken this morning with my computer unbelievably fucked. I cannot believe this thing, I seem to have no end of problems/troubles with AOL Broadband. And I get so stressed out with it in the process, unfortunately I have reached the point in my life where I don’t think I could live without the internet (and would struggle without broadband for that).

I text Tom to tell him how cool it had been to hang out and then I get a text following from Ben asking “where we got to on Boxing Day night”. I make my excuses (“tiredness, needed seat”) and he tells me how he is on the coach to Luton to watch Col U play there today. I remind him about Millwall at Luton in the eighties and in return he asks who Millwall have and when it turns out to be Derby, he says “put one over on Burley the Judas”. Good times.

From there I continue to spend all morning repairing my computer, today the broadband modem isn’t even working. As good as AOL Broadband is, I never had this much trouble when it was just dial-up. Eventually I manage to get it all running again, all my fluke/accident and reinstalling the modem drivers, which sounds like a really desperate move to me. One day I won’t be able to fluke my way to repairing my computer.

My intention today was to go hit the sales again and then pop home to the parents but ultimately no dice on that idea, not least because for the day being well into the afternoon by the time my computer is up and running again.

I get into writing. Or at least I attempt to, today it just isn’t happened. Instead I begin watching some documentary about Inspector Clouseau called The Curious Case Of The Pink Panther, half way which I realise I have seen it before. Also during the show some cold caller gets me on the phone. He could talk for England I tell you despite (probably) being Asian and unable to say/pronounce my surname correctly. I giggle when I sit the phone down and wonder how long it will be before he realises I have done so. Small things.

And on that subject, film of the day is Small Soldiers, which I kind of like not least because it has David Cross in and when I was younger I would play (and worship) my Star Wars and Action Force (UK GI Joe) figures. Towards the end of the movie Action texts me saying: “I didn’t know David Cross was in Small Soldiers”. Indeed.

Today there is a full programme of games and Millwall are away at Derby. Barry Hayles scores again. And again and again as he scores a hat-trick and Millwall score three goals for only the third time this season and win 3-0. The only other times this season they had scored three goals was Boxing Day against Ipswich and the home game against Derby earlier in the season. Things look so good.

Evening and Chris texts me about hanging out and doing lunch tomorrow before getting me on MSN and asking me to burn him the files (Monkey Island etc) onto CD-R. It’s all good.

Tonight turns out to be a bit of a snorer. More feeble/weak attempts are made at writing before I trawl through the box of food mum sent me home with on Boxing Day and inside there I find a Cadburys advent calendar. Nice but a bit late maybe. Regardless I proceed however to begin eating the chocolates. It becomes very moreish (like heroin) as I replicate Bad Santa and proceed to eat all 24 chocolates but doing so in the correct numerical/date order. I am perverse sometimes.

And on that subject, B comes online and says hello on MSN. We exchange Christmas wishes (three years too late babe) and talk randoms but fortunately it sounds like we both had good Christmases (her having just returned from Derby to an empty house). We question each other’s plans for New Years and we have neither. I mention that Tom asked me up to Nottingham (where she is remember) and she takes some interest, probably more than me, I really don’t fancy it up there. Our conversation withers and dies though, she tells me she has stuff to and so do I (writing when I can be bothered. And of course job hunting prep).

Tonight is the Bear’s Christmas Tail on Channel Four and this is one of the things I have (sadly) been looking forward to all Christmas TV. It turns out to be only OK though, trying to be too much, more than it can accomplish/pull off. The Bear is a fantastic character in itself, a very generic vehicle type show would it work on its own and still be really funny. This show delivered just seems to be an example of trying too hard, attempting to cram in roles/cameos for too many of the Bo Selecta characters.

On a boring note, my day/night ends.

np: Mercury Rev – Chasing A Bee