I'm happy to start the year with good news! Bill the X-G-Man and Steve the numbers cruncher guy have both replied to my email asking after them. I was being a bit macabre by entitling the email, "proof of life," but they both appreciated my concern and thought it was sweet of me to think of them. I was surprised that they were surprised. I mean, I'm sure I was not the only person who ran through her list of friends and acquaintances after hearing news about the tragedy. They're both travelling at the moment, work-related. Bill was, I think actually at his place in Phuket when the tsunami hit. The pictures he sent were taken from his balcony and showed a 12-foot wave crashing into the pool area which was right next to the beach. It was amazing. All the umbrellas and the tables and lounge chairs were all washed away. Fortunately, his condo was in an area not so badly hit. Still, a 12-foot wave is a 12-foot wave. It's nothing like the huge waves that surfers ride, all pristine blue with white crests, and smooth; the wave in the photo was brown and murky, and it looked strong. There was something sinister about that brown water covering the chlorine-blue of the pool. Steve, as it turned out, did indeed buy a place in Phuket but still needs to develop it. So, he wasn't anywhere near Phuket when disaster struck.

New blog

I thought I'd go for a change in design. I spent some days going through sites offering free blog-hosting services and found that Blogger offers the best of the free services for a beginner like me. I like playing around with the design and the codes. I've learned a lot of HTML since I started blogging, and the new Blogger templates allow you to change a wider array of design elements. I'm also learning a few CSS tricks.

New year

It's the Year of the Cock! Imagine that! Well, actually, it's the Year of the Rooster. But calling it the Year of the Cock is more interesting. I still have to read something unequivocally positive about this Year from feng shui experts. They say that global conflicts will worsen this year. As for my personal horoscope, the Year of the Cock emphasizes the element, metal, and, as I was born in the year of the Rabbit, that happens to be my lucky element. What do you know? I'll just have to wait and see. The Chinese New Year doesn't officially start till February 9.

In any case, here's to 2005! May it bring us enlightenment and peace!

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keithoe
http://jazzpoultry.blogdrive.com/

Hi Emyn!

I hope you had a nice new year. I had a gig which was low-key, but enjoyable.

Your new blog looks great. I was wondering if you could send me tag.

Thanks!

Keith

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Anonymous

i really like reading your blogs. it's so insightful and totally honest... it's like the written version of a SATC episode... which i love... so keep at it! here's to more cocks this 2005! (hehehe, my new year's resolution)

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keithoe

I just started that second blog so that I could put a comment onto your *&^%$# new blog! I'm probably not going to post any original content there. Just reposts of what I post on jazzpoultry, if that.

Hope you're doing well.

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Emyn Galad

Haloscan's commenting service IS a better service and I thought of incorporating it here but I didn't have time to mess with the template. I still don't. 2005 really started busy for me. My fault, really -- I had to start this huge project which will probably be finished by June.

Anyway, I hope that if you do post anonymously, you'll leave your name!