I'm not sure if I will be able to post anything tomorrow so let me wish every one of my friends, family and visitors a Happy New Year. Looking back on events in 2004 it was certainly a heavily political year for me and for the world. I'll let the newspapers review those events.

Personally, being back to work was important after being looking for work at the end of 2003. Still those months off kick-started my screenwriting career which really got off to a great start with the completion of the two scripts I submitted to the Praxis contest. Being one of the winners in the spring of 2004 introduced me to a community of working writers and editors and encouraged me to develop creatively and professionally.

Also in the spring I took part in a friend's major production shoot as a documentary video director. During the summer my brother was married and around the same time I bought a new car for the first time in my life. Things were looking up all year and then I capped the year's accomplishments by getting into a really good relationship. And as usual throughout the year I completed several web contracts.

I don't usually put really personal events on this blog but the subject is events and these certainly count as a big ones for me. Ignoring the troubling world events, it's been a positive year personally and hopefully a foundation for an even better 2005. Here's to you and the new year.

Slipping back with all of the hurried holiday driving . 13L/100 km or 21.6 MPG
(44.572L / 342.6km). Compare with my previous calc.

Today I finished the third draft of my third script, a vampire comedy that I hope to put to market some time. A handful of people read previous drafts and had mostly positive things to say. The third one has more action, more blood and more character development. Just had to post this note as I am feeling somewhat accomplished now. It took the trip to the island and taking time off this Christmas to get it done. I also am feeling good now about writing on a laptop.

The news since Boxing Day has been filled with the imagery and stories from the tsunami disaster in SE Asia that has killed reportedly 30,000+ people. The newscasters were calling it the largest human disaster in history. I'm not so sure about that but it certainly is one that has affected a great many countries. At first the imagery was tourist-centric (on the CBC) but in succeeding days the news has covered the plight of the local peoples. I am from Malaysia (but know of no one who was caught up in the destruction. Still the consequences will be worse for the region without reconstruction, a rapid deployment of health and sanitation resources and of course money. The Canadian Red Cross has set up a special on-line donation module here. The CBC page I linked to has more avenues for donation. I have tried it out and it works smoothly with a credit card and you receive a tax receipt by email within an hour. The relief agencies always advise giving money instead of actual items as the money can be quickly transferred to local use whereas the usual blankets, medicine, etc. would take time being transported and would end up costing money for transportation. Worries of a Pacific tsunami disaster have periodically been raised for British Columbia, in particular the coastal communities on Vancouver Island and the north coast. Apparently some communities already have an early warning system that is connected to detection buoys far out to sea. The warning would give people 20 minutes to reach high ground. But with such a rare occurence, I wonder how many people would react immediately?

From Christmas Eve to tomorrow night I've been eating continuously. I am still alive, there have been no mishaps, and I've successfully avoided the Boxing Day madness. As a present for you all, check out the trailer for Ridley Scott's upcoming "Kingdom of Heaven", a battle epic starring Orlando Bloom. Hopefully it won't all be images but actually will contain a compelling story. I'm not a huge fan of Orlando Bloom with his searching eyes and portentous delivery. Scott's "Gladiator" was big and brazen but the story of Maximus didn't have any surprises at all. See it here >>

It is Christmas Eve on the west coast and this year is busier than ever for me which is the reason why I haven't been posting much the past week. This season is for giving and I've done my share and now begins the eating. Turkey, cakes and hot cider around. For you and yours, I wish you all a happy holidays, hannukah and vacation.

Discovery Channel's Animal Planet programme has created an innovative bird cam for an upcoming episode. Filmmakers trained a golden eagle named Tilly to fly while being burdened by a tiny video camera weighing less than an ounce. The camera is able to broadcast microwave signals from mid-air. The result is the first real bird's eye view (well, from its back) in assorted shaky clips. See various video clips here >> (Flash required)

Saturday I accompanied my girlfriend and part of her family to see Handel's Messiah performed by the Vancouver Bach Choir, massed string accompaniment, a tenor, bass, soprano and counter-tenor. It's nice to get dressed up and soak in high culture and soak I did because a few minutes after seating myself I managed to unload half of Sarah's water bottle into my lap. Later on someone a couple rows behind us had a heart attack. This is no reflection on the performance which, to my ears, was a stirring combination of massed voices and strings. I hadn't heard a counter-tenor perform live before.