This is my office coffee cup. It looks like this for a reason.
It looks this way because I never wash it out. Someday, when I’m out of coffee I’ll be able to fill the mug with hot water and it will make one more cup of life giving nectar to get me through the day. I like to think of it as planning ahead.
Today however, my head feels like the inside of my mug. I had THE MOM in town last week and all went well. By that I mean there was no real drama and all the cat fights were on television. MOM is a great old gal, but even a spry 71 year old gets worn out by a house full of grandkids that found where we’d hid the Halloween candy. She was ready to leave long before I dropped her off at Dulles. Which of course was at the height of the Black Friday hysteria.
As always I bought a shit load of shit on line (using the Amazon link on the right of this page of course). I did get out and fight the crowds for an hour or so early that morning but nothing that much to talk about there. Costco was pretty peaceful in the afternoon when THE WOMAN and I went to get more crap.
Fact is, I’ve pretty much given up on Christmas. If I need something I’ll buy it for myself and if it something obscenely expensive and I can’t figure out how to get it – odds are I really don’t need it. When I’m out in the crowds I really feel like asking the shopping obsessed if this is how they think Jesus would want his birthday celebrated. Not that I’d expect to get a decent response anymore than Rev. Billy of the Church of Stop Shopping does when he’s out in front of the original Macy’s.
Don’t get me wrong. I love seeing the kids’ faces when they open their gifts on Christmas morning. But I hate like hell that two days later they “don’t have anything to do.” Or that no matter how much of our savings is spent on gifts it never feels like it was enough. We held back on purpose this year. The kids know up front that there won’t be as much under the tree as they are used to seeing. Family members have been warned to not get their hopes up. But I’d bet my last dollar that someone is still going to bitch about not getting enough new shit.
When they do, I may have to shoot them.
