Boy, do I have some Tales to Tell...
"Random Bursts of Neurotic Energy"
That's the term I have come up with to describe what retail workers deal with. I coined the phrase because I tired of explaining why I was so tired during these holidays. Actually, it's not really fatigue (although that's included). It's really more over-stimulation. At the end of any given day during these holidays, most retail workers just want to crawl into their homes and avoid anymore interaction. I, for one, would rather just stay in my apartment on Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day. Unfortunately, that is not an option given that my partner and his family do celebrate these holidays. My family does too but they, thankfully, have come to accept that my work in the retail field has caused me to be a major bitch during these times. And so, they have chosen to just let me be at the end of the year.
"Self-loathing for participating in archaic familial traditions"
That's a phrase I came up with this past weekend. It seems as though people become more rude when they return from Thanksgiving. Even the normally nice customers seem to have an edge to them. A co-worker of mine brought this fact up after she was hit by a cart four times in 10 minutes and not one of the customers apologized. Or even acknowledged the fact. I realized that as more people returned from their travels, there seemed to be this tension. So, I thought about it. I think most people go home to their families for Thanksgiving and after three or four days of dealing with their biological familes, they become irritated. I myself, was glad to only have two days with my partner's family. I love them but they can get overbearing after two days. So, to deal with their pent up emotions of loathing (both toward themselves and their families), customers take it out on people they think they have the right to: retail workers.
I wonder what would happen if retail workers suddenly called them on their issues? Later.
In retrospect, things that I am thankful for:
Heroes on NBC: I have not been this excited about a show in forever. And to top it all off, I can stream it on Tuesday, free online, since I work on Monday nights.
Sleep, lots of sleep: On Thanksgiving Day and the Friday after, I got a total of 24 hours of sleep. Think about that carefully. Ahhh, sleep, glorious sleep.
Casino Royale: Okay, if they keep this guy as James Bond, I will be a loyal fan. When he came walking out of the water in that baby blue square cut... sheesh, it was worth the $10.50. Daniel Craig is my new wet dream. I think... no... I know I am in major lust.
Pierogies: While in Philadelphia for Thanksgiving, I met a woman who's niece owns the
Pierogie Kitchen. She gifted us three dozen. I sauteed a bunch for Friday's breakfast. I ended up going to the store to purchase eight dozen. They sit in my freezer as I type. Mmmmm... pierogies. With butter. And caramelized onions.
I am sure there are much more meaningful things I could say I am thankful for. But, ehhhh...
Later.
I've never skirted around the fact that I don't like this time of the year. I've been working food service/retail for some time now and I have really grown to dislike the holidays. I deal with it in my own way. I try not to burden others with my hatred for the holidays. (Maybe that will be my new philosophy: Hatred for the Holidays) Nonetheless, it can be trying BUT it only lasts for a month of so; after which, I am fine.
What I don't understand is why people get so ugly around this time of year. Ugly as in:
Yes, ma'am. It's ridiculous how many people are shopping for food on the weekend before Thanksgiving. I swear, the nerve of them. What?!?!?! Wait in line?!?!?!!? On the Monday night before Thanksgiving?!?!?!! Atrocious! Goodness, sir. Why on earth would anyone be in a grocery store on the Tuesday before Turkey day. Oh, the humanity. Oh, you've never ever been in a grocery store before and you decided to cook dinner for your 15 family members visiting you. And you have a list of things that you have no idea where to get. Well, let's start with this part... all the veggies are in produce. Oh, Produce is where they put all the vegetables. That area you walked through to get to me. I know, silly us.I am a firm believer in the fact that Customer Service no longer exists. But here is my question: did people stop caring about the customer or have customers become so difficult that we stopped trying to please their impossibly ridiculous demands? Think about it while I take my meds so I don't kill anyone in the next 7 days. Later.
In my last post, I mentioned something about wine making me feel sexy. Just to clear it all up: yes, wine does make me feel good. Not in a junkie way. I think having a glass of wine just represents a winding down/relaxing/end of the day mode for me. As I blog, I am having a glass of chardonnay. Ok, it's my third. But who's counting.
Speaking of feeling sexy: In the past few weeks, I have changed my eating habits. I haven't really done anything too drastic. I have just been eating more vegetable products rather than animal products. I would say that four out of seven days of the week, I eat vegetarian, if not vegan. I can feel the difference. And, equally important, I can see the difference.
I never set out to make my consumption primarily plant-based. It just happened. I know it is because I only purchase my meat products from Whole Foods because they are the only place that I trust when it comes to naturally-raised, non-rGBH, non-antibiotic, humanely-raised livestock. Since I sometimes forget to purchase meat at work, I tend to make a lot of vegetarian meals. For example, tonight, I made spinach pierogies with sauteed onions accompanied by a side dish of roasted vegetables (eggplant, zucchini, red bell peppers, cauliflower, and garlic cloves). IMHO, I thought it was quite tasty. I also did make some vegan chili using some textured vegetable protein to substitute for the meat. Anyway, I am babbling on about food.
What I did want to say was that I think I want to go dancing this weekend. I have not been in a while and I think I want to go out and just dance up a storm. I am not sure where I want to go. I did have a good time at a place I went to on a friday night a while back. I do want to go to a big club where I can just lose myself in the music. I have no problem going by myself. I actually have more fun that way. So, if any New York City Boys out there have any suggestions, send them my way. Later.
Just in case you didn't know: a glass of wine can make you feel nice. Two can make you feel sexy. A whole bottle can make you feel god-damned HOT!
Just in case. Later.
It always surprises people when I tell them that I don't like children. It's not that I don't like being around them, which I do, I just don't like them. I don't like the noises they make. I don't like their need to be tended to. I certainly despise any kind of tantrums they create. I don't want them with me, around me, and near me. I could do without seeing kids ever. I also hate how everyone becomes so "aware" around them. I certainly detest how adults get around kids.
I always cringe when I am around a co-worker and they begin cooing about how cute a child is. Even though I appreciate a good confrontation, when it comes to kids, I tend to keep my mouth shut if asked "Isn't he adorable?" I hate that question because there really is only one answer expected; and I refuse to give it. Truth is, I don't believe it. No, I don't think they are cute. Oh, how cute is she? Not in the eyes of this beholder.
Whenever I don't answer the question of cuteness, I tend to get prodded or poked to answer. My standard answer is always "Hmmm." Not one of agreement or disagreement. Just "Hmmm." For the record, not all kids are cute. Some of them are ugly. Worse yet, some of them are just downright plain. It's a fact. Not everyone or everything is cute. Get over it.
I don't feel that I am mean for not thinking children are cute. Or adorable. Or even tolerable. Freedom of choice doesn't apply to just pregnancy. It is my choice and I have decided that I don't like them. I don't think that makes me a bad person. Now, if I punched the child in the face, sexually molested it, or kicked it in the stomach, that would make me a bad person. But I didn't do any of that. I just told you that I don't like them. I'm over it. You'll get over it too. Later.
I've decided to take on a project. A project that I know I have not one iota of talent in. Not a single bit. Sure I can go through the technical motions to manage and complete this project BUT I do know that the outcome will definitely not be stellar. It probably will not even be mediocre. In all honesty, the results will be so awful, I will not show them to anyone. Maybe, not even my partner.
I was inspired to start this project by a blogger (and yes, it's one of the two I have a crush on). I knew that I had no talent whatsoever when it came to what I had to do. But I needed to step out of my comfort zone. I've always taken on projects that I know I have some knowledge in. I tend to do things that I know I will, at the very least, come up with someting better than average. But, as I said before, I won't be sending ripples in the fabric of artistry; still waters will be... still.
A huge reason for my undertaking is to see what I am capable of doing. I am not sure what I will discover with this project. I hope I do discover something. I don't expect to discover too much; just something will be fine. It doesn't have to be ground-breaking. It just has to be a discovery. Wish me luck. Later.
I think I am going to faint. Neil Patrick Harris has admitted that he is GAY!!!!! All my (wet) dreams have come true. If Dean Cain comes out, I am going to have to lie down. Later.
I confess. I have a huge crush on someone. Actually, it's two someones. Two someones who I have never met. Unless you count reading their blogs "meeting" them. I have toyed with actually going to "see" one of them since they do function in my proximity. But, alas, I have not gotten up the courage. The second one is not so accessible but I have communicated with him.
Besides their unnerving good looks, I find their words very appealing. Let's just say that I check their blog way too many times. I don't necessarily leave comments. I don't want to seem stalker-ish.
But I guess this post will change that. Later.
