Today is the day that I hate the most in my office. It's called Pig Out Day. And it's the epitome of why I hate this gluttonous, consumer-driven holiday. There are at least a hundred people roaming the hallways avoiding work and eating today - all in the name of the "holiday season." And not just eating bites here and there but piling their plates with the fattiest, greasiest, most unhealthy food they can find. And the piles threaten to topple over at any moment with the weight of the food on them. The smells in the hallways make me gag and the site of the same overweight, unhealthy people going back to the crock pots over and over again make me want to scream. When I explain to co-workers why I haven't brought any food and I won't eat any food, they explain, "Oh COME ON. This only happens once per year."
Oh yeah? How about Halloween? How about Thanksgiving? How about all the Christmas parties? How about New Years Eve? That isn't once per year; it's three months of the year. And no wonder we all need New Years resolutions: So we can take off all the pounds we put on over the "once per year" holiday season....
And I realize that my inexplicable visceral reaction to a day is more about me than about anyone else. But I just have to take this moment to say that I really can't stand the gluttonous consumerism and excesses this "holiday" tolerates. And I thought the poster child couldn't get anymore obvious than this day. I was proved oh-so-wrong about the animal instincts this holiday evokes when a Wal-mart greeter gets trampled by the herds of animals shopping for the perfect cheapest gift for the "spirit of the holidays" and when the police came the shoppers got MAD BECAUSE THE POLICE INTERRUPTED THEIR SHOPPING.
I get spitting mad when I get on this subject. And Internet, I'm usually a happy-go-lucky person that just wants everyone to get along. But this is something that will bring out the devil in me every year. So in order to let all my co-workers just have their gluttonous day without my stupid rantings, I'll write about it here for you, Internet. Aren't you lucky?
Friday, December 19, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Stay Warm
Winter is finally showing its true colors around here. We've had sub-zero temps for the past 5 days and it's forecasted to continue for another 5 at least. I would normally be complaining up some warmth about such a thing. But this time, I'm actually relieved we have some cold weather. The pine bark beetles might be halted in their steady consumption of a good portion of our forrests. The flu and pneumonia viruses that have proliferated around here might be stopped in their tracks (just before they get me). And the deer in our town for which people have no tolerance will have a more difficult winter and may perish at the hands of their more sympathetic Mother Nature rather than the Helena Police in their culling efforts.
Unfortunately CDoc's car has been sacrificed to the Winter Gods. It got a ride (tow) to a warm and lovely garage to get some love and affection. Hopefully it'll come out with a new attitude and work for the rest of the winter. Keep your fingers crossed.
But my conscience is not without some pause when it gets this cold for this long. Paying for heat is especially difficult when it has to run 24/7 just to keep a place warm. I cringe to think of the families that have to choose between warmth and food at this time. Our office has vowed to donate piles of food to the Food Share in town. I loaded up my car full of food to add to the mounds of food brought in by my co-workers to donate. I have this hopefully-not-naive thought that maybe my donation will make the choice for some family to turn up the heat instead of spend their money at the grocery store.
I hope more of you do the same.
Happy Holidays. Stay warm.
Unfortunately CDoc's car has been sacrificed to the Winter Gods. It got a ride (tow) to a warm and lovely garage to get some love and affection. Hopefully it'll come out with a new attitude and work for the rest of the winter. Keep your fingers crossed.
But my conscience is not without some pause when it gets this cold for this long. Paying for heat is especially difficult when it has to run 24/7 just to keep a place warm. I cringe to think of the families that have to choose between warmth and food at this time. Our office has vowed to donate piles of food to the Food Share in town. I loaded up my car full of food to add to the mounds of food brought in by my co-workers to donate. I have this hopefully-not-naive thought that maybe my donation will make the choice for some family to turn up the heat instead of spend their money at the grocery store.
I hope more of you do the same.
Happy Holidays. Stay warm.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Never Too Old ....
My birthday was last Saturday and Hubs came home the night before. He couldn't wait to give me gifts (that he bought against the rules of NO GIFTS while we're on one income). So, shortly after he was smothered with love by the dogs, he presented me with gifts. Yup, plural. Rule breaker.
The first was a beautifully wrapped package of 1/2 dozen red velvet cupcakes from Crave. Seriously, these HAVE to be the best cupcakes I've ever tasted. I immediately stuffed my face with every last morsel of cupcake leaving nothing behind but the sheen of butter on my fingers. Mmmmmm, my mouth is watering right now as I write.
The next gift was a cute red hat that I'd lusted over while I was visiting Hubs in Calgary a few weeks ago. I heart my new hat and think I should wear it EVERY.DAY.
And then the finale. Hubs pulled out a little manilla envelope about the size of a post-it note. I opened it and inside was a tiny plastic ziploc bag holding a diamond stud with a post that twisted into a funny shape - clearly not an earring. My eyes got big with surprise and trepidation when I'd realized that all the years I'd claimed that I would pierce my nose were going to be put to the test. He'd gotten me a nose stud; a diamond, white-gold nose stud.
Sooo, December 6th, the anniversary of the day of my birth 36 years ago, I paid someone to shove a needle into my nose for vanity's sake.
And I love it.
The first was a beautifully wrapped package of 1/2 dozen red velvet cupcakes from Crave. Seriously, these HAVE to be the best cupcakes I've ever tasted. I immediately stuffed my face with every last morsel of cupcake leaving nothing behind but the sheen of butter on my fingers. Mmmmmm, my mouth is watering right now as I write.
The next gift was a cute red hat that I'd lusted over while I was visiting Hubs in Calgary a few weeks ago. I heart my new hat and think I should wear it EVERY.DAY.
And then the finale. Hubs pulled out a little manilla envelope about the size of a post-it note. I opened it and inside was a tiny plastic ziploc bag holding a diamond stud with a post that twisted into a funny shape - clearly not an earring. My eyes got big with surprise and trepidation when I'd realized that all the years I'd claimed that I would pierce my nose were going to be put to the test. He'd gotten me a nose stud; a diamond, white-gold nose stud.
Sooo, December 6th, the anniversary of the day of my birth 36 years ago, I paid someone to shove a needle into my nose for vanity's sake.
And I love it.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
I Heart My Tyres
I spent a whole lotta cash on my well-being yesterday: 4 new Nokian Tyres on my little car. I have been batting back and forth the idea of getting new tires on my car. I decided long ago that I would either get studded snow tires (something I've never had before) or get new all-season, severe-weather rated tires. Usually I can rely upon Hubs' 4-wheel drive truck to get me around when the weather requires. Since he left, I've been meaning to make an appointment for my little car.
Yesterday when I awoke to rain, it crossed my mind that I would need to get rolling on that plan for new tires. Then, when it turned to snow and the forecast predicted much more of it along with dropping temps, I called my favorite neighborhood tire shop and made an appointment. They had the all-seasons in stock and could get me in by 11 a.m. So, that made my decision: no studded tires. I was reluctant because studs would be perfect for the steep drive up to my little home perched above Helena. However, my friends at the tire store made me think that the all-seasons were my best bet.
$650 later I rolled down the street still unsure but ready to test the new tires in the still-snowing, icy underneath roads. I turned out of the parking lot, stopped at the stop sign and BAM! A freaking idiot rear-ended me. NO KIDDING. Fortunately for her, there wasn't even a scratch on my car. I took her name and number (knowing nothing would come of it) right after she proclaimed: Sorry. Ice. Like it was going to help explain the fact that I'd just seen her pull out in front of another car and then proceed to whack me.
I drove home wary of other drivers. But my car, despite the ice and snow and the steep road, and weather that previously would have left me parked on the roadside hiking up the hill, carried me home without even a spin on the tires. I turned the corner from one steep hill to the next steep hill as if I was on dry pavement. I think I love my new tyres. And I think I'll write to this woman and suggest she get herself an appointment and some new tyres as well.
Yesterday when I awoke to rain, it crossed my mind that I would need to get rolling on that plan for new tires. Then, when it turned to snow and the forecast predicted much more of it along with dropping temps, I called my favorite neighborhood tire shop and made an appointment. They had the all-seasons in stock and could get me in by 11 a.m. So, that made my decision: no studded tires. I was reluctant because studs would be perfect for the steep drive up to my little home perched above Helena. However, my friends at the tire store made me think that the all-seasons were my best bet.
$650 later I rolled down the street still unsure but ready to test the new tires in the still-snowing, icy underneath roads. I turned out of the parking lot, stopped at the stop sign and BAM! A freaking idiot rear-ended me. NO KIDDING. Fortunately for her, there wasn't even a scratch on my car. I took her name and number (knowing nothing would come of it) right after she proclaimed: Sorry. Ice. Like it was going to help explain the fact that I'd just seen her pull out in front of another car and then proceed to whack me.
I drove home wary of other drivers. But my car, despite the ice and snow and the steep road, and weather that previously would have left me parked on the roadside hiking up the hill, carried me home without even a spin on the tires. I turned the corner from one steep hill to the next steep hill as if I was on dry pavement. I think I love my new tyres. And I think I'll write to this woman and suggest she get herself an appointment and some new tyres as well.
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