Love, empathy, tolerance--also puppies, flowers, and laundry

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Let There Be Peace On Earth

May your holidays be joyous!
 

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Part Ebenezer Scrooge and Part Buddy The Elf

News Flash:  Christmas happens on December twenty-fifth!  Every year apparently.

So why is it that my journal looks something like this year after year?

December 22nd:  I mailed packages to my out-of-state family.  Three whole days before Christmas.  Chances of presents getting to them by Thursday?  Pretty much the same chance Olaf has of surviving summer.

I decided I'm no longer worrying about when people get their presents.  In fact, I think I took a blood oath that I was NEVER EVER EVER sending packages to anyone out-of-town again.  Yeah, pretty Bah Humbug (although I just realized that I was channeling Taylor Swift too).

When I came home from the post office, I put five holiday albums on the stereo and strung my eighty-two Shiny Brites and other vintage glass ornaments into a holiday wreath while Singing Loud for All to Hear.  So maybe I'm not totally Buddy the Elf but I'm not a cotton-headed ninnymuggins either.

December 23rd:  Today I finally got myself to the music store to get a guitar tuner for my co-worker, but walked out after being ignored for twenty frustrating minutes by salespeople who helped other people who were there long after I showed up. 

I think I must have had my invisibility cloak on. It's a pain being a super-hero sometimes.  

Please notice I said I walked out rather than stalked angrily. I chalked the whole episode up to musical artistic temperament complicated by pre-holiday retail overload.  Plus they were very nice and helpful when I bought my ukelele from them this summer so they get the benefit of the doubt.

Since I'm no longer worrying about the date of gift giving (see paragraph 4, above),  I can order the Snark online instead and the recipient will get it as a New Year's present instead.

I also braved Whole Foods, TJ Max, Trader Joe's, Hobby Lobby, Walmart and Healthy Tails.  I waited patiently in lines, engaged in cheerful conversation with clerks, smiled at everyone and generally tried to spread Christmas cheer.  I even drove in the heavy traffic around the mall and didn't once utter a nasty word.

Truth is, I used up my monthly allotment of nasty words last Thursday when I was getting ready for Pajama Day at school.  I'm really not a Pajama Day kind of person.  It just feels wrong to wear underwear under jammies.  Plus you get some strange glances when you shop in your jammies after work. 

I was feeling relaxed about the whole Christmas scene until I realized about three o'clock that I'd forgotten to open the coop. I think I owe Pet a special treat for her Christmas dinner.


After losing a week to sickness, complicated by the way work interferes with the important things in life (like finding the perfect gifts for the people you love), I can finally take a breath, slow down and truly enjoy the Season.


Anyone else out there feeling a bit frazzled and promising themselves that next year it will be different?

Be (INSPIRE)d--not overwhelmed,