The fourth quarter review.

Well, I thought since I haven't done a proper update in a while and the one line blog posts were getting kind of annoying [even to me], so here is an amalgamation on what's going to happen by November's end, and what the month of December is probably going to entail.

This also means that I may or may not post in a while, at least to this extent.

December is definitely going to be one of those months. I don't mean to sound surprised, because it always is, but it gives me the impression that it's going to be busier than usual.

The end of November, for Americans anyway, brings the advent of Thanksgiving. Now, I'm not saying that you shouldn't be thankful or anything, but I've never really liked this holiday. Like most others, it seems to exist as an excuse to completely gorge yourself on food. Because that's what you're thankful for, right? Either way, we have guests coming over, none of them do I know very well. Maybe that's why I'm so jaded: This happens every year. Well, mostly.

I've only got about another week to last in Movember before I get to shave everything off. Not that it really makes any difference, and if you could actually see me, you would know precisely what I was talking about. I have plans to last through Thanksgiving, only to give up just before and succumb on the twenty-eighth. Only because, you know, I want to look nice for the school dance that's coming up.

Which leads me into the next topic: drama, drama, drama. I'm taking someone else (a girl, just in case you were wondering) to the dance for the first time, even though I haven't actually asked her yet. I've bought the tickets already, yet I haven't talked to my parents yet (that comes later today), and I'm going to have to go almost right after an extra Shakespeare practice that we're having. I can only hope I can get dressed and smell good properly in time.

Ah, Shakespeare. Shakespeare encompasses most of the busy feelings that I have about the upcoming month, primarily because we're performing on the eighteenth and the nineteenth. This means practices, practices, and more practices. I've also discovered that I'm going to be playing two characters instead of just one, which also means that I have some extra lines to memorize. Piece of cake, a stress-filled cake. So, we have two practices a week (we could use more, but we're a club, not a class) and then a practice every day for the week leading up to the performance. We've got a venue, and posters, and much prayer going out, praying that it all goes well. If we miss more than one practice, then we have to be out, and considering I'm one of the main characters, that just can't happen.

I will however, have to miss one practice: On December 3rd, my mom and younger sister and I will be on a plane to Singapore, with the eventual destination of Malaysia. My cousin is getting married to an American-Malay, and since he has family in Malaysia, we are conveniently right around the corner to attend their wedding (or second one, that is.) This means I get to wear my suit twice in the same week. Looks like, he has...arrived in style. YEEEAAAAHHHHHHH.

Christmas really does come earlier every year. This Christmas, I just might have enough money to buy presents for all my friends, and that's the one thing that fills me with hope about the holiday season. Although it may be commercialized schlock, Christmas is still my favorite time of year because I absolutely love the gorgeous atmosphere surrounding it. Cinnamon and holly leaves, not the smell of someone's sweat as you're getting trampled for marked-down prices at Walmart.

My brother is also thankfully coming for Christmas, and since I haven't seen him in a year, that's probably the thing I'm most looking forward to. Sadly, this will be the very first family Christmas that the whole family isn't able to make to, but I think I can forgive my sister for that. Maybe not for going to New Moon on the midnight showing, but we'll discuss that later.

I think I'm pretty much covered on what I wanted to mention, but if I've forgotten anything, I'll let you know. Otherwise, keep on truckin'

-Ben