Old New Years

This is Jim's new rat, Bruiser. Jim received him for free from a pet store because the little guy has a skin condition. Bruiser is a great rat.

I previously mentioned the holiday season in Moldova that I experienced last year, but did not talk at all about New Years. For the most part Moldovans celebrate the holiday in the same fashion. They drink champagne, they eat a large meal, they light off fireworks, they gather around the television. However, the celebration does not end on January first. Two weeks later, on the 14th, is another holiday, which is known as Old New Years. This consists of children going door to door throughout the day and asking for candy and money. There also may be some sort of tradition that involves dressing up like a bear but I don't remember the specifics.

The other day I was heading to Hyannis (the town where the fountains are frozen and the streets are paved with dirt and salt) with money in my pocket and no real obligations. I told my brother that I wished every day of my life was like that. He said basically what I described was the life of a drug dealer.

There are so many good films out right now. Within the last week I have seen Benjamin Button, The Wrestler, and Slumdog Millionare. I would recommend all of them.

I took this picture of the Christmas Tree and it kind of ended up looking like a tangled bunch of colored wires.

Speak easy,
Neil