In the city of Pamplona they host a unique adventure--running with the bulls--an activity that tests your courage, guts, and pretty much overall survival skills (to some people this means staying away from animals so much bigger, faster, and with considerably more horns than ourselves...). In our native cities we have a similar activity, only we call it Christmas shopping.

I've almost been hit by a car twice, had my cart stolen away multiple times, wrestled over the last Holiday Barbie, and been cussed out by an eighty plus year old woman in a snowman sweater. So much for holiday spirit.

I've been home for the holidays since last Tuesday, and loving every festive bit of it. True, my competetive edge needed sharpening before I headed out into the wilds of the shopping centers and I can't really say break's been relaxing at all, but I must say I prefer the upbeat, break-neck speed of life compared to that of the previous world of academia.

Since I don't really have a paying job over the break (my field of horticulture tends to lay people off at this time, not hire), I've been left with the tasks of buying all the gifts for my little brother and sister (parents, relatives, neighbors, friends...) as well as maintaining a clean on the house and attempting to cook the seasonal favorites (I can say that I'm now quite good at disarming the fire alarms). It's also been nice to be able to see some of my friends from home, although most of my friends still in college won't get out for break until later on in the month. Eh, it gives me more time to Christmas shop for them. And I'll need it--it's a jungle out there.