Thing 250 Budget/Wonderful Life

I promise, I've only got a few more days until I've caught up to Christmas, and then there'll be very little left of the festive nonsense any more. I'd once again like to blame eircom and winter sickness which struck me down (I do enjoy using the phrase "struck me down" - it's a little outdated, but it's very dramatic). Promise the outdated festiveness shall be over soon.

So, the winter blues had set in by early December, Christmas was coming to bring some warmth to the ridiculous non-stop frozeness that had locked the country in its grip, until the Government stepped in and ruined everything. With the Budget.

Now if you're one of the people who understands what's going on at budget time, I'd like to tip my hat to you. If you're like me then this is what you do at budget time:

"Isn't it terrible what they're doing. I feel the need to take part in the general outrage, even though I've a limited understanding of what's going on. What? Yes. I also hate the guy on the news in that suit. And I agree with that outraged chap talking to Brian Dobson. It's appalling. I'm horrified. Yes, those percentages are important, and wait, what... how many billions? Yes, I knew that..."

Alright, I'm not that bad, but I'm definitely not up to speed enough. And I used to be a journalist. Half a clue at best. Thank god for press notes eh?

So it's time to sit down and do something about it. It's time to read the budget... right after I watch Tron. Okay. Now I'll sit down and read some budget... straight after I finish this bag of peanut M&Ms. Now it's off to bed to read the budget... It's cold outside. It's cold in my room too. There's a fire downstairs. This budget is crap. I don't understand any of this stuff. I can see all the pages and I know it says a bunch of things, but I'm not feeling it... and it's Christmas week...

I'm throwing in the towel early. I tried. That's the main thing.

Down to Little Flower and Pony Boy to tell them that I'm not reading every page of the budget on Christmas week. I've enough done. What'll we watch?

Ever seen It's A Wonderful Life? Neither had I...
I realise I'd covered classic movie day, but since this one is half classic movie, half complete failure to read the entire budget I get away with it. Since It's A Wonderful Life is the most amazing all time classic Christmas movie of complete awesomeness that makes it even better.

Please tell me you've seen this movie? I routinely ask you questions. You can't answer. You never do. Still, I hope you've seen it. It's one of the movies constantly referenced in multiple TV shows, in other movies, it's pretty much everywhere. I included the question on the Questionnaire I did the previous week about what the all-time greatest Christmas movie was. I spent all of Christmas watching festive movies of every ilk and description, and I do that same thing every year.

And I'd completely missed this one. How does someone who owns two hundred odd DVDs and have an obsession with Christmas movies get till the age of twenty six and a half without seeing this movie? Honestly.

Aside from anything else, Jimmy Stewart is amazing. I love that man. Watch the movie Harvey? Amazing. Soft spoken, talented actor is Jimmy Stewart. I don't want to ruin the movie though I'm sure you've already seen it.

My options were reading the budget... snore... or keeping festive and discovering the greatest Christmas movie of all time. Easy.

Here's the BUDGET, if you want to pick up where I left off. I don't know where I left off. There was something about numbers. If you can read it all, I'll call to your house and hug you.