What to do for the long weekend?

I mentioned earlier that today, 29th of December 2005, will be my last working day. I forgot to add what I will do for the long weekend ahead.
Let's see:

--My eldest brother brought home some DVDs and VCDs, so a marathon viewing is definitely in the offing. But aside from changing from corporate slave to grade-A couch potato overnight, what will I do?

Work on that story that has been gathering dust?

Engorge on food, lay back after eating, pig out again until I become bloated and resemble Babe (the piglet, not the bimbo!) with grease oozing from my skin?

Or, do nothing to replenish my energy, save it for the grueling year ahead because the next long holiday will be four or five months for Holy Week (thank God for Catholicism)?

Methinks that the last option is the most attractive for the sloth-trapped-in-a-corporate-slave's body.

By the way, I found worthy heirs of William Hung of American Idol fame, or is it notoriety? You should see those Chinese boys make a fool of themselves on the Web, spoofing the Backstreet Boys, clowning before a webcam.

'Tis the Season to be Broke

The year is almost over and today will be my last working day for 2005. My thoughts on Christmas revolve largely around the crass commercialism of a supposedly holy season, celebrating the birth of, who else, but THE MAN, I mean, GOD HIMSELF, Jesus Christ.
Okay, you can horsewhip the darn capitalists (the communists will love this!) for hijacking and corrupting the solemnity of the season, but their nefarious trade would never thrive without throngs of one-day millionaires (the ones with 13th-month bonuses) patronizing their shops, emptying their shelves of all imaginable things that are offered at bargain prices. The countless year-end sales promotions only represent the unabated consumerism of the yuletide season. Throw in the endless rounds of parties that could fill a person's social calendar, and you can say that December is the month for hedonists.
I may sound like a reincarnation of Scrooge, but is it not abhorrent for people to treat Christmas as the reason to go broke in the guise of generosity? I mean there are eleven months of the year when you can partake of your blessings with your friends and kin, so why wait for the last month to be selfless? Is not not weird for somebody who has been so self-centered from January 1st to December 24th to sudden reverse course and be altruistic on the 25th of December and then revert to his old selfish nature the next day? A Christmas Day miracle? A recently converted Scrooge? Maybe. Maybe not.
I just wish that people would not wait for Christmas to be benevolent when they have been malevolent creatures before the yuletide.