Holiday Cheer!

  Oh how I love, love, love the holidays! The first indicator that the holidays are approaching is the end of Fall quarter at school. I recognize the end of the quarter because I stress over projects/papers/finals, and more notably, watch all the borrowed financial aid money diminish in my bank account. I enter into the holiday season broke and stressed, so the break from school is a welcome relief.
  Winter break is a lazy, unproductive time for me. Each and every year I tell myself "this break will be different. I will do x, y, and z". So far, I've done a little bit of x, and I'm toying with the idea of scratching y and z off the list entirely. We'll see... Well, I'll see, because I'm sure none of you care or are keeping tabs on me and my Winter Break productivity. I appreciate your willingness to give me my space; I require lots of space these days.
  The icing on the cake of Winter Break is the specific Christmas Festivities. As an atheist, I really rejoice in celebrating the birth of Christ....(or whatever), and revel in all the obligatory visits with family members. Its not that I don't love each and every member of my family, quirks and all, but sometimes its easier and preferable to love from a distance and through stories heard through the grapevine. Family gossip keeps me close enough to *some* relatives. (Of course, if you are a relative reading this, I don't mean YOU, you are my favorite) ;-)
  Christmas shopping is such a joy, right! What better way to show your family and friends that you love and appreciate them, than by buying them material goods they don't really NEED from department stores. Oh the gift of giving! This is a joy I have not been able to partake in for the last three years. Yes, for three solid years I have been so destitute that I have purchased ZERO Christmas gifts. This has turned me into a type of Scrooge. I fear that when (if ever) I have a steady job, and money, my dislike of Christmas will linger and then I'll be perceived as the cheap ass who doesn't give gifts, when really I'm just sour to the whole concept of a commercial Christmas.

  This blog is not meant to poo poo on anyone's Christmas joy. Just a rant, intended mostly to be amusing. My next blog will be positive....about my favorite thing ever. (really, truly....no sarcasm)