Finals are finally over for me. It's definately going to be nice to have 4 weeks off. I don't really have any big plans except doing some reading and playing with my Wii. I need to go buy a new game later. My last Econometrics final was actually taken inside Haas Pavilion stadium where all the basketball and volleyball games are played. I felt like a superstar walking into onto the gym to take my final. A few of us even took pictures. As I was preparing to start, I looked around and saw the retired jerseys of Jason Kidd and Kevin Johnson. I was hoping the entire Cal basketball team would roll in during my final and start shooting around, but it didn't happen.

Bennie and Steph had a Christmas dinner/White Elephant gift exchange last night. I didn't get a chance to buy a gift since I got back Saturday night, but it was super fun to watch everyone else play and end up with their own gift. It was good to just be around people and not have to worry about school for once. Let's recap the night in the form of pictures:


I went over to Peony's house Sunday afternoon and watched her cook. I wandered into her room and saw her volleyball trophy.


Upon closer inspection, the person on the trophy did not look like her, and therefore I was unimpressed.


The night started off with a bang. However, the bang came in the form of a punch at Martin's expense.


Everyone was watching Lord of the Rings III (or as I call it, Lord of the Flies). I was in the kitchen getting a drink when I heard Pat and Martin yelling my name. I thought there was something awesome on tv that I had to see so I rushed out. Instead, they just wanted me to take a picture of Brandon and Danny watching in awe with their mouths open. This was the best we could do.


There was a ton of food. So much food that there was even a tri-tip battle. I was in charge of the drinks, and as far as I know, nobody died of dehydration. Peony complemented me afterwards on my drinks. I thought there were lots of awesome dishes, but the best has to be brownies that were not burnt at all. I forgot who made them though. Hahaha. Here is Ben giving the thumbs up on ROGER'S CAKE. I had the lychee ice cream Susan brought for dessert, and also a slice of Gars, Shirley, and Abby's sweet potato pie with marshmellow during my dinner. Ben aka The Surgeon diced up the tart and cakes with fetus-like precision. (On a side note, I was considering applying for the Cal Athletics hydration technician position next semester. But if you break it down, it's just a fancy name for waterboy).


Then the fun began. There was a 800 pound white elephant in the room and Bernard couldn't avoid him. Bernard got it rolling with a cool Starbucks giftcard.


It wasn't long until someone stole that giftcard. I think Shirley ended up with it. Bernard chose another gift and ended up with this awesome cushion which also acts as an MP3 player charger.


Bernard didn't even get a chance to read the back of the box, because someone stole that from him too. Given the opportunity to steal or open a new one, Bernard found a new gift in a beautiful new...vacuum cleaner!


The only dust Bernard cleaned up with that vacuum was the remnants of the vacuum's gift wrapping, because that was stolen from him too. Bernard elected to open a new gift and chose the gift Danny brought to the party: a gift basket of lotions, oils, and shampoos for women.


I know Steph ended with that gift, so Bernard decided to steal someone else's cushion massager device. You can see the comfort in Bernard's eyes that this was going to finally come to an end and be the gift he went home with.


But of course it wasn't. Bernard had that stolen and he got a new gift: a flashlight that uses 3 AA batteries, one too many even for Bennie to want to steal it.


I have no idea what happened, but Bernard was left sitting with a new gift all of a sudden: a thermos. The most ironic thing was that this was the gift he brought to the party.


But it wouldn't be a Merry Christmas if we all went home with the gifts we came in with. Bernard finally walked away with a brand new auto massager.


Christmas isn't about buying gifts for others and walking away with that gift (please refer to Mad Cal's Blog if you disagree). This is Abby opening Aunty P's gift. That's what Christmas is all about.