Boxing Day, ir.re.gard.less

ir·re·gard·less/ˌɪrɪˈgɑrdlɪs/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[ir-i-gahrd-lis] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–adverb Nonstandard.
regardless.
[Origin: 1910–15; ir-2 (prob. after irrespective) + regardless]
—Usage note Irregardless is considered nonstandard because of the two negative elements ir- and -less. It was probably formed on the analogy of such words as irrespective, irrelevant, and irreparable. Those who use it, including on occasion educated speakers, may do so from a desire to add emphasis. Irregardless first appeared in the early 20th century and was perhaps popularized by its use in a comic radio program of the 1930s.

The origin of irregardless is not known for certain, but the consensus among references is that it is a portmanteau of irrespective and regardless, both of which are commonly accepted standard English words. By blending these words, an illogical word is created. "Since the prefix ir- means 'not' (as it does with irrespective), and the suffix -less means 'without,' irregardless is a double negative."[1]. (Cf. inflammable, flammable.)
Irregardless is primarily found in North America, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, and was first acknowledged in 1912 by the Wentworth American Dialect Dictionary as originating from western Indiana. Barely a decade later, the usage dispute over irregardless was such that, in 1923, Literary Digest published an article entitled "Is There Such a Word as Irregardless in the English Language?"[2]

One way to follow the progress of and sentiments toward irregardless is by studying how it is described in references throughout the twentieth century. Webster’s New International Dictionary (2nd. Ed. Unabridged) described the word as an erroneous or humorous form of regardless, and attributing it to the United States. Although irregardless was beginning to make its way into the American lexicon, it still was not universally recognized and was missing completely from Fowler's Modern English Usage,[3] published in 1965, nor is irregardless mentioned under the entry for regardless therein. In the last twenty-five years, irregardless has become a common entry in dictionaries and usage reference books. It appears in a wide range of dictionaries including: Webster’s Third New International Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged (1981),[4] The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology (1988), The American Heritage Dictionary (Second College Edition, 1991),[5] Microsoft Encarta College Dictionary (2001), and Webster’s New World College Dictionary (Fourth Edition, 2004).[6]
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Boxing day origins

There are disparate theories as to the origins of the term. The more common stories include:

In feudal times, Christmas was a reason for a gathering of extended families. All the serfs would gather their families in the manor of their lord, which made it easier for the lord of the estate to hand out annual stipends to the serfs. After all the Christmas parties on 26 December, the lord of the estate would give practical goods such as cloth, grains, and tools to the serfs who lived on his land. Each family would get a box full of such goods the day after Christmas. Under this explanation, there was nothing voluntary about this transaction; the lord of the manor was obliged to supply these goods. Because of the boxes being given out, the day was called Boxing Day.

In Britain many years ago, it was common practice for the servants to carry boxes to their employers when they arrived for their day's work on the day after Christmas. Their employers would then put coins in the boxes as special end-of-year gifts. This can be compared with the modern day concept of Christmas bonuses. The servants carried boxes for the coins, hence the name Boxing Day.

In churches, it was traditional to open the church's donation box on Christmas Day, and the money in the donation box was to be distributed to the poorer or lower class citizens on the next day. In this case, the "box" in "Boxing Day" comes from that one gigantic lockbox in which the donations were left.
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-----> all excerpts from Wikipedia.org (its so easy to find stuff there!)

Merry Christmas 2006!

Just before the day ends, here's a very merry Christmas to one and all! May everyone who reads this have a blessed and fulfilling new year too!

Yesterday night we had a Christmas party at Bock Lian's place. Its the biggest turnout of Hall 8 block 44 alumni yet thats NOT a wedding dinner.

Here's a namelist of attendees:

Me
Chun
Leon
Robin
Weiming
Bock Lian
Roy
Zhiqi
Xiuwen
John
Guoxing
Jianfan + GF
Mingxi
Janet
Kelvin
Fiona



And it was great fun! We had a cookout (thanks to all the ladies) and enjoyed ourselves into the night with crappy games ranging from the killer zhong ji mi ma (to finish Roy's ham) to some light-hearted Blackjack, to some heart stopping In-between.

All in all a really good gathering. Probably the best Christmas gathering for quite a couple of years for me in fact. At least it brought back the Christmas spirit that was found wanting a few days ago.

Oh, and I just bought myself a new Microsoft keyboard from the new Courts @ Tampines! Its like right beside the new Ikea so its really convenient to buy whatever you need for your car/house/room. Crowded on weekends though.

Merry X'mas everyone!!!!!!

Pain In My Neck

I've got a pain in my neck that wouldn't go away. I don't know how it got there, but its been around for the past few days.

Maybe something is bothering me.

I hate it when I don't know what's the matter with me.

I was lying in my baby at the carpark listening to my favourite music with the windows slightly down. It took me back to the days of USA where we spent our nights sleeping in our rented car. I listened and listened, till I dozed off for half an hour or so. I fell into slumber listening to Mansions Of The Lord from the We Were Soldiers soundtrack.

Maybe it helps sooth. Maybe it makes me feel good all over again. Maybe its therapeutical. Maybe it reminds me that I think too much.

Just maybe, baby?
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It's Christmas eve already, so here's a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year everyone!

Why don't I feel any Christmas cheer? Will someone spare me some?
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Man U just beat Aston Villa 3-0. But Chelsea is leading Wigan 2-0 and its still the first half. Xianz. And I'm winning alot of money just plonking my money on a Chelsea win. Hmph.

My New Car

If you haven't known by now, I've gotten a new car recently.

Its a Toyota Corolla Altis. Its simply awesome! Even the licese plate number is also a really lucky 8802. I've bought 4D three draws in a row and still haven't strike yet, but I guess with such a good number you really don't have to strike 4D to know its lucky.

Been driving it all over town as and when I can. Its a weekend car, so I only drive when I'm off work, which totally suits me since I get home around 7 these days. Right now I've gotta clock the first 1000km mileage so that I can get the lubricants and oils changed and the first servicing. Meanwhile I'm restricted to 80km/h and 3000rev/min on the road, which is quite a bummer cuz I really wanna see what my baby can do.

So I'm always on the expressways getting overtaken by little Picantos and speeding vans.

Bummer man.
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Life has been good so far. Getting busier at work, but with Christmas coming, all management can think of is the cheapest flight back to Europe to celebrate with their families. Don't you just love it when the already relaxed working culture is further relaxed by a premium western holiday like X'mas?

Don't really feel the X'mas spirit this year. Maybe because I've been busy with work and the car. Maybe because I haven't heard any carolling performances as yet. Maybe because I don't watch TV anymore. Maybe because I haven't walked down Orchard Road in eons. Maybe because there's no snow here where I live.

*sigh*

Nope. No Christmas-sy feeling whatsoever.

I have to worry about getting Christmas pressies though. Hehe.

Gosh, am I getting older?

Wedding Bells Galore

Just cleared 2 weddings out of 6 for the month of December. Its crazy man. Every single weekend got someone's wedding to attend.

So last Saturday we attended Bang's wedding. It was unusual because it was my first ever Church wedding, and it was an afternoon luncheon. No traditional Chinese dinner. Cute babes, ok-ish food, meaningful wedding would sum up the afternoon. Happy for him.

Yesterday was Esther's wedding. Esther from secondary school. I think its quite commendable considering that our sec 1/2 classes still can fill at least 1 table. And we totally enjoyed ourselves more because we were having fun amongst ourselves than because it was, erm, her wedding.

Haha. Jinde + wine + girlie giggles = lotsa fun. Jiajie didn't help with his influence on the table that got all of us playing punk by leaving the last yum seng so late that the WHOLE ballroom was looking at us. You can only imagine...

Shite. Sibeh paiseh.

That's about it. Next week, Yonghan from primary school and Guotai & Yifan from hall.

Fierce.

Today I went to cut hair after work and got into a coughing fit because of my flu. The hairdresser was so nice! Pre-empted that I was about to go into fits and got me hot water! Twice! So good of her. Maybe she just wanted to get it over and done with and not have me make a scene at Mode. Hmph. Still she was nice lah.

SITEX 2006

No hot models...

No XBox 360 playground...

No Osim massage for exhibitors...

Xianz.