Happy Generic Holiday To All!!

Because, yeah, the work Christmas seems to offend some people. Such as the removal of a Christmas tree from an Ontario courthouse after someone complained about the court associating itself with a Christian symbol. I'd have replied, "well, you're in luck. The entire holiday has been commercialized to the point where it has no meaning." Except of course for retailers to make money. VISA predicted that the 22nd would be the peak for transactions, while last year the LCBO (the provincial alcohol monopoly) peaked on the 23rd last year, moving $40 million (CAN) in wine, spirits, beer, and gift sets. I personally subscribe to the theory advanced by columnist Gregg Easterbrook, who once suggested that Christmas should be replaced by an entirely secular holiday called Spendmas. This would eliminate a lot of my-god-is-better-than-yours related bickering, retailers would not feel any pinch, and Easter could once again reclaim its rightful place as the main event on the Christian calender. Because, you know, lots of people get born, being resurrected is a tad more unusual. Anyway. There is no punch line to this, so if you were expecting one you may now feel free to be disappointed.

School is officially done. The last item was passed in Friday morning. Thus ends my university career. 'BOUT TIME! Seeing as how my availability date falls when everyone in a position of authority gives themselves a week or two off, I probably won't have a job until early in the new year. But I am very excited to be out of school and ready to practice engineering for real. For those of you who are keeping score, I started university in September of 1999.