Merry Christmas!

It's been an absolute age, but I'm finally relaxing on my Christmas 'break'. Not that it's much of one, really: a Hebrew exam to revise for, 2 essays to do and 65 first year undergraduate scripts to mark. Ah well. I'm sure most of you who read this are busier than I, so I suppose I can't complain.

It's nearly Christmas! However, it feels less and less like Christmas every year. I once again left my shopping until the last minute. Why do I do it? There's something soul-destroying about Christmas shopping... perhaps this is how the Magi felt! But seriously, I feel horrible after I've involved myself in the compulsory capitalist ritual Christmas has become; granted, walking around Derby trying to find presents for people involves more exercise than I'd get in a typical day, but that doesn't make me feel any better. It also feels like an immense waste of time: much like proving/disproving the nativity stories of Christianity. (Of course, just because the Christmas stories are fictions doesn't mean they aren't 'true'.)

For those who are interested, I have done a draft dissertation outline, and will be posting it shortly for any comments, etc. I am also writing an essay on cartography and the New Testament, and I shall post that as well in mid-January, when it's finished!

Outside of biblical studies, I recently purchsed Mario Kart DS (and here). Considering the work I have to do over the next three weeks, it was probably a bad idea... It's a great game, though! (If any of you own Mario Kart DS, my friend code is 5197 5250 2465.)

Merry Christmas to all!