Hello. It's been a while. I was going to give you a reason for my absence but ah.. yeah... well, I got nothing. I'll give you a little run-down though, things have been all go of late.

I handed in my thesis. Phew. I even decided not to care about the pages that Word decided would look better with fluoro green borders, rather than black, on the pictures. And then I defended my thesis a few weeks later (actually that part happened yesterday) and felt a wave of relief because I never have to think about it again. Except for when I start writing up our paper about it, but that can wait.

I went to Grafton too, helping to pack up the house my grandparents have lived in since 1957 and attempting to ignore the concomitant emotional guilt-tripping and martyrdom, whilst simultaneously organising to get the electricity disconnected. I also went to the hospital every day while I was there, to visit my grandfather, who broke his hip 6 weeks ago, and who told us he was being released on Friday, even though he wasn't really. Lucky me, in the process of all these doings, I contracted some kind of hideous chestal infection. And that's enough said about that whole kettle of fish.

Then, somewhere in there, I started packing up my own belongings, getting ready to move house again. Once again, I am amazed by how much crap I own. Even when I throw bags of it out, the piles don't seem to shrink. It's a very concerning anomaly of the physical universe. I'm sure one day it will be the subject of someone's doctoral dissertation.

Since I handed in, I haven't really had much to do with myself, except to trawl the intertubes looking at pictures of nice things. Since it's November now, which means it will be December next, I have decided to do you all a favour and give you some Christmas gift ideas.


We shall start with the under $30 category. Gifts in this category are appropriate for when you are poor but would like to look like you care, siblings' new partners, friends from whom you have drifted slightly, and people who you don't really like but feel obliged to acknowledge (eg bosses, colleagues, frenemies etc). Do enjoy.

Actually, stay tuned and enjoy them tomorrow. Writing this post has taxed me, and now I'm going to take a nap. More to come.