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Can’t Piss and Moan today.
I mean, I could, but I won’t.
Today we pause and reflect on those that gave their lives so that we might be free, and hopefully continue to be free. That’s why they died. And for that we honor them today.
Thanks, to then men and women who have given their lives in the name of freedom.
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Nope. I’m not talking about small, over-priced cookies distributed by your little local vested gang…
I am talking about family members (adult children, really) who don’t ever make any plans on their own, but just “tag-along” on the plans of others.
Birthday parties, Thanksgiving, Mother’s/Father’s Day, etc…never their own plans, always the question that comes one of two ways, “What are the plans?” or “What are you doing?”
Both of those questions are then followed up by the assumption that they are automatically invited to the event (even if it doesn’t really involve them) and don’t have to put in any effort into it. Sure, sometimes they offer to bring something minimal but most of the time they just show up and consume with little to no appreciation.
I have watched from afar and up close and personal, so here’s an example of which I speak:
Mother’s Day planning is done for an elderly mother. Plans are made, set, decided upon, and food is purchased for said get together. Planning has been done by the child of this mother BUT what soon follows is the children (the adult grandchildren of the elderly mother) of said mother doing the planning don’t plan anything for their own mom. Instead, the children just horn in on the plans for the grandmother – they don’t make any effort to plan anything for their own mother, other than just going to the gathering for the grandmother.
Does that make sense? I tried to explain that as clearly as possible, but I am not sure I did it successfully.
Anyway, this kind of tag-along thing happens all the time and, quite frankly, the mother needs to say something about it but doesn’t have the heart to speak up and tell the kids they need to do their own planning.
Of course, I can’t speak up either because that is a battle I can’t win no matter how I approach it. I am sure you can assume you know how that would all go over.
Irritating, really. And all I can do is sit back and watch it happen…
Unsolicited Advice? If you have are an adult child with parents who are still around, make your damn own plans! That might be challenging depending on family situations and timing, but the effort is noticed and appreciated. DON’T just tag-along (even if you are invited to). Grow up, be responsible, and truly appreciate your parents instead of just relying on them.
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Apparently I took the day off yesterday. I don’t think I meant to as I totally remember thinking to myself that I needed to write something and click publish. But, between family in the house and the coffee cup, I must have gotten distracted and forgotten what I was doing.
So, thanks to those of you who still stopped by yesterday, even if there wasn’t something new to read.
Maybe I needed a day off. I am not sure. Of course, here in the US it was a holiday. As such, I wasn’t at the office and I wasn’t doing my telecommute thing. The schedule was off so I guess so was I.
Here’s the weird thing though. When I am off, like off from work because of a holiday, there is scorn in the house. Scorn because the holiday doesn’t relieve everyone in the house of their work responsibilities. Because I get a day off and get to do what I want to do, I get scorn. I hear things like:
“What did you do today?”
“What did you get done today?”
“How were you productive today?”
“What did you do with yourself today?”
It’s some version of that. Scorn.
How about I just get to take time off for me? How about I get to do what I want on these days because I can? How about I just get to do me today?
I am off. I have no work. I don’t feel like doing work at home today either. In fact, I left a 15 year career in teaching so I didn’t have to dedicate my whole life to work, even when I wasn’t at work. Get it?
I.AM.OFF.
(Oh, and for the record, I cleaned the house and put away laundry since dinner guests were coming. There. I did something.)
Now, leave me alone.
***Dang, back to work today…***
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What do you guys thing? Could this instance be considered price gouging or just market demand?
New Years Eve plans weren’t set in stone yet, so going to the movie theater was determined to be a good idea. Killing a few hours at a movie would help get the evening along and help me make it to the new year (instead of being an old, grumpy person – er, like every other day).
Anyway, we only have one movie theater that is local so to the AMC we went. During the ticket purchasing process it was discovered that the normally $5+ tickets at the theater were just the normal price of $11+. Huh? What’s going on here? Discount Tuesday has been a thing for years and this last year has been no different, so why suddenly are prices not the normally discounted price?
Come to find out, because both Christmas Eve and New Years Eve are the night before a holiday, the theater suspended the special price to take advantage of the fact that maybe more people would want to go see movies. Really? They’re going to jack the normally low price up for two days just so they can take advantage of their customers?
To me, it smacks of “price gouging,” because it is taking advantage of an abnormal situation to make more money. The official definition doesn’t say anything about a “state of emergency” or “disaster,” but if you look at legal definitions it tends to lean in that direction.
I guess it probably isn’t really price gouging, but it feels really shady when you are standing in line to buy tickets with your kids and what would have been a $25 night at the movies turns into $60 (before you even buy popcorn or snacks) because you have no choice at that point. I watched family after family be surprised by the unique “price adjustment” and the unspoken visual debate between husband and wife take place via their eyes. There were some who just turned around and left, but not very many. As parents, it’s hard to turn around and leave when you have all those eyes staring at you in expectation. So, they break the budget to make it happen.
Real shady, AMC. Real shady.
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As 2020 comes crashing in and we usher in a new day, month, year, and decade, I just wanted to pause for a moment and reflect.
Ok, not really. Why reflect? It will only bring back the things we weren’t successful with, the things that weren’t fair, the things that sucked, the things that were disappointing, and the things that just plain didn’t really need to happen.
CRAPPY NEW YEAR!
I jest, of course.
But as we raise a glass to a new year, may we be blessed with more things to Piss and Moan about.
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I got a Christmas package from a relative and it had some treats in it. I love (yes, WAY TOO MUCH) Christmas treats…cookies, fudge, anything chocolate, pretzels, blah blah blah! There isn’t much that I don’t find appetizing this time of year.
So, I was looking forward to one particular treat that appeared in my box – a homemade popcorn ball. I love popcorn and I don’t have popcorn balls all that often so I saved it for another day. It was wrapped in wax paper, but I knew what it was.
I opened it up this morning and seriously debated if I should eat it.
It had raisins in it.
Who puts raisins in popcorn balls?
Well, apparently the answer is, my aunt.
I am not a fan of raisins. Not at all. I like grapes, not raisins.
Just so we’re clear on what happened, I ate it. But it was…different. Can’t say I am particularly fond of that combo. I think we can safely say that popcorn and raisins don’t and shouldn’t belong together. I briefly debated whether I would eat the thing, but the popcorn got the better of me. I like popcorn!
What food combo/ingredient combo has surprised you in the past, good or bad?
So, is this how you were trained? Is this how we do things now? Total disregard for people’s property and landscaping?
Is this how FedEx trains its delivery people? Did this delivery driver get it right?
My guess is that this jackass tromping through my flower bed, tripping over the little wire decorative fence, and then turning around to go back the way he came wasn’t at the top of his training class.
Wait? How much training do these people even get?
No wonder Amazon is looking to abandon using FedEx for delivery.
Actually, I can’t pick on FedEx too much because I had a United States Postal Service mailperson (hint) do the same thing earlier in the month. I thought about sharing it, but thought it was a one off, so didn’t think it was that important but now I see shortcuts are a common practice, apparently.
That’s a rather irritating practice. I hope I am home the next time this happens.
Anyone else have a delivery story that annoyed the hell out of you?
I don’t want to get up. I’m a Toys-R-Us kid…and Toys-R-Us really isn’t even a thing any more.
It’s too early and there are no toys under the tree for me.
There is no snow. This isn’t Christmas without snow.
Why is everyone making so much noise? I am trying to sleep in here.
Do we have any real food? I am tired of eating Christmas cookies and fudge for every meal and snack.
Put up the decorations…and tomorrow take them down. What a waste of time!
It’s a good thing Costco already has exercise equipment for sale. I can remind myself of what I should be doing, but won’t be.
Finally, the mall Christmas soundtrack can leave repeat and be given a rest. Three months of Christmas music is enough.
Got a “bah-humbug” phrase or statement to add? Share it in the comments.
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Today I am missing it.
Today is the first day of Christmas break for students (at least for most schools) in my area. They are enjoying the day, I am sure, by not doing anything. I even have a teen who hasn’t seen the light of day yet because the bedroom door hasn’t cracked an inch and likely won’t for a couple more hours.
Today I am missing the fact that as I teacher I would not be working today. Usually the first couple days of Christmas break was an ACTUAL break for me. I usually finished up shopping and generally relaxed and spent time with the kids.
Instead, I am at work today…and there really isn’t much going on since my job is to support school personnel with their software…and they are all (or nearly all) on break…not working…and I am trying to find things to stay busy…but really all I want to do is not be at work…
Today I am missing it.
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I don’t know if this is possible, but I think it probably is.
Is anyone else so overwhelmed by the Black Friday sales and ads and commercials and flyers and emails….that they are actually underwhelmed?
There is so much! So much. I found myself going through emails yesterday morning and then actual printed ads yesterday afternoon (you know the ones that come in the paper?) and I just found that I was so overwhelmed that I was underwhelmed.
There just wasn’t anything in the ads that made me go, “Whoa! I gotta get that!” Nothing in the ads that made me want to get out of bed, to either go to a store or to shop online.
Anyone else feeling it too?
