Every year, I think to myself that I'm going to DO Christmas. Like, really DO it. I'm not going to crabass around about traffic, snow, early advertising, whatever. And every year, there are things that let me down--despite my honest attempt at being good-natured about "The Holidays". Here they are this year:
1. There really isn't anything that I can say that I WANT.
2. I have finals to worry about before I can care about Christmas.
3. Disney's seemingly legitimate belief that Narnia: Prince Caspian really is the perfect Holiday gift.
4. The constant bashing over the head I will receive about how the troops don't get to see their families.
5. The 12 Days of Christmas.
Quickly, a comment about each.
I have good stuff already and aside from clothes, eh, don't know if I NEED anything either. More socks, more white undershirts (Hanes tagless, size M, crew neck). Finals suck. And are stressful. I rest my case. I refuse to watch Narnia. Ever. I don't care what happens, I am NOT watching that damn movie...any of them. Look, I sympathize with the families of troops and I feel it. But I feel like the other 364 days a year should also count towards the consideration that I give this issue. Plus, with bumper stickers, those damn ribbons, and people and rallies at school, I get it. Trust me. This is the worst Christmas song of all time. And that's saying something because Jingle Bell Rock is also heinous. Also, I hate almost all Christmas music.
1. There really isn't anything that I can say that I WANT.
2. I have finals to worry about before I can care about Christmas.
3. Disney's seemingly legitimate belief that Narnia: Prince Caspian really is the perfect Holiday gift.
4. The constant bashing over the head I will receive about how the troops don't get to see their families.
5. The 12 Days of Christmas.
Quickly, a comment about each.
I have good stuff already and aside from clothes, eh, don't know if I NEED anything either. More socks, more white undershirts (Hanes tagless, size M, crew neck). Finals suck. And are stressful. I rest my case. I refuse to watch Narnia. Ever. I don't care what happens, I am NOT watching that damn movie...any of them. Look, I sympathize with the families of troops and I feel it. But I feel like the other 364 days a year should also count towards the consideration that I give this issue. Plus, with bumper stickers, those damn ribbons, and people and rallies at school, I get it. Trust me. This is the worst Christmas song of all time. And that's saying something because Jingle Bell Rock is also heinous. Also, I hate almost all Christmas music.
6 comments:
"I have finals to worry about before I can care about Christmas."
JPD, you have just defined my life for the last 5 years.
I have 2 final exams in grad school next week. AND 2 final papers (20 pages, approx., one in English and one in Spanish). All due on Dec. 8th and 9th.
After that, I get to grade 100 written exams and 100 oral exams from my students.
So... YES! There is MUCH to worry about before I can "care about Christmas." I love that expression, and have been looking for it for years, so thank you for finding it for me.
Now, go study, you! Neither of us can afford to fail. (O.K., *i* can't afford to fail. Failing, by the way, means getting a "B".)
The thing that bothers me about the troops is that no, no one thinks about them the rest of the year. Yes, there are flags and stickers, but otherwise, our lives are going on just as usual, and they are in harms way because an idiot decided that was the right thing to do. I hate that they're not home every day. Christmas doesn't make it worse for me.
I'm glad I'm out of school. I remember finals being a huge drag on the holiday spirit. Finally finishing, though, and having that weight off of your shoulders...that's a feeling you don't get in the 9 to 5 working world.
Let me tell you something worse than finals before Christmas ... finals AFTER Christmas. That was what I dealt with at the college I went to. It totally SUCKED. Frankly, I don't think either is good though. My son is in college and dealing with finals right now and he is definitely stressed. Ah, to be a little kid again with only the joys of Christmas and none of real life!
Good luck to JPD and Ortizzle on finals (and grading all those papers/exams, too, Ortizzle).
Along with the troops only being considered at Christmas, add in the homeless and others needing food, etc. You'd think they only ate at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Any time your pantry seems overloaded or you have items you've decided you really don't want to eat, it's time to grab a sack and make a trip to the food bank. Always take food freebies (like those gotten with free coupons or samples) to the food bank, too.
Christmas music is yet another victim of being done too much, too long. One local radio station had Christmas in July with Christmas music playing several days and it's been back since before Thanksgiving. Too much is just too much, not to mention that in order to play Christmas music 24/7, they have to find every rendition of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" by every Tom, Dick, and Harry, whether they had any talent or not.
Ortizzle - Finals are brutal aren't they? And it feels like they never end. And being a literature major means very few written finals. It means writing long papers. So it is stressful. This is why we have sauvignon blanc, baco noir, and gin. Also, best of luck to you. I'll be pulling for you. Be sure to update us.
J@JJ - I follow your sentiment about the troops. I suppose that the media makign sure we are aware of it is a way to make sure that everyone thinks about them, not just the people that normally do. As for the 9-5 world. Gross. I don't want to do it but realize that I will have to. Hopefully, my football stuff will take off and I can do that AND still make Big Boy Money at a real job.
Shirley - I love how you put that Christmas is "done too much". That's exactly what it is. Christmas is like asking for some spaghetti, and someone taking you Italy and forcing you to eat it for like...48 straight hours. And finals after Christmas? Good God. What sick twisted institution would do that? Yikes. Thanks for the well-wishing.
Great analogy, JPD.
William and Mary ... I transferred later. Come to think of it, that was probably a factor in my decision. That, of course, was "back in the day" ... W&M has finals before Christmas now. It's definitely an institution that likes to push its students' limits--then and now.
JPD: I just wrote you a reply and it went into a black (Internet) hole.
Update: 2 exams done, 1 essay paper done, 1 essay paper to do. I also study Lit, but Spanish Lit, and in grad school (at least where I go), I have a 3-hour, sit-down, turn-your-head-into-sawdust final PLUS a 10-20 page paper. For each class. Wrap your head around that. Totally worse case scenario.
Hope your torture is over or almost over. :-)
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