Tomorrow everything is back to the usual. And I hope to get out Christmas decor this week.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Slothful Thanksgiving Weekend
Four days off and I did nothing much. I'd been debating whether to get out my Christmas decor this weekend, including the fiber-optic Christmas tree I've had since 2001, but didn't get around to it. I felt too sick on Friday morning to go anywhere, but felt better by the afternoon. Needless to say, I did not shopping, something I wasn't planning. I was glad to be off the day after Thanksgiving, but wasn't sure I wanted to face the crowds. I didn't even do anything on Thanksgiving itself.
Are You Wal-Mart or Target?
| You Are Walmart |
 Everything is so inexpensive there that you're really throwing your money away if you shop any place else. You like the convenience of being able to get all the items on your list at one store, at any time of day. So what if the lines are long and the aisles are messy? Shopping at Walmart is an adventure that doesn't tax your wallet! |
Thursday, November 26, 2009
What's Your Thanksgiving Personality?
| Your Thanksgiving Personality is Foodie |
 Thanksgiving is all about the food for you, and you like it to be top notch. There's a good chance you do all the cooking... that is unless you dine out. Your ideal Thanksgiving would include your favorite dishes, as well as a few funky new experimental favorites. And it would also include friends and family who can appreciate good food as much as you do. No instant mashed potatoes lovers welcome! |
What Does Your Favorite Thanksgiving Food Say About You?
You Are Friendly and Cooperative |
 You love the togetherness of Thanksgiving, and you like adding your own little something to the group dynamic. Like stuffing, you do a good job complementing and cooperating with others. When you're on your own, you're a little lost. You are old fashioned and love traditions. You like to remember the holidays of your childhood and replicate them as much as possible. You think that passing down customs is important. Even if everyone at the table doesn't like stuffing much, it should still be served. |
Friday, November 20, 2009
Christmas music already
I have to confess I broke a vow I'd made not to play any of my Christmas CDs until after Thanksgiving. But I was tempted after the music system at my work started playing the all-day Christmas music rotation yesterday. In previous years, they would wait until the day after Thanksgiving to start the Christmas music. I guess they had to be like other stores that were already playing the holiday music over their intercoms. I heard Christmas music over the intercom at the Super Walmart across the street earlier this week. At least our store avoided playing the the Christmas music starting on November 1. A whole month of Christmas music all day is bad enough, an extra week than in previous years I guess I can take, but I could never stand two whole months of Christmas music all day long! One day after dragging out my Eagles CD to play "Witchy Woman" for Halloween, I had no interest in getting out my Christmas CDs (including the Christmas parody CDs by Bob Rivers) when I needed to take down and put away my papier-mache ghosts, plastic bag pumpkins, plastich hanging ghosts and lighted plastic pumpkins until next October. Only after hearing the music on the work intercom earlier than I'd expected did I want to start listening to the Christmas music I have at home.
Strangely, I have never heard "Do You Hear What I Hear" or "Little Drummer Boy" on the work intercom. I began noticing that when I first worked at Home Goods in 2006. During the holiday season that year on one of my days off, I went to my local Safeway had heard "Do You Hear What I Hear?" over their intercom system. That's when I realized I hadn't heard it at work. But the lack of these songs is hardly bothersome because everything gets repetitive anyway. I will have already heard between 15 to 20 versions of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" and other standard Christmas fare by the first of December. And I will hear Christmas songs done by everyone from the Jackson Five to Bon Jovi to Macy Gray to Harry Connick Jr., to Mariah Carey to George Michael... the list goes on. I have to admit I like the songs "Step Into Christmas" by Elton John and "Wonderful Christmastime" by Paul McCartney. It took me years to find CDs that contained those songs. I don't mind playing those at home even though they too will turn up over the work intercom. One Christmas song I've not found on any Christmas CD is "Please Come Home for Christmas," the version by the Eagles from 1978. I hear this one over the intercom as well other versions of the song.
At least I will be sticking to no Christmas decoration up until at least next Friday as I had planned. If I can get them up next Saturday I will have them up before December 1, a Tuesday this year.
In honor of the release of "New Moon"...
| Your Dream Guy is Jacob |
 For you, love is an organic process. It happens naturally, and it sometimes takes years. You love being with a guy who has a wild streak like Jacob, even if he's a little unpredictable at times. You love fun and adventure. You're likely to fall in love with a young soul. |
You Should Date a Vampire |
 You're attracted to intense, complicated people. You think danger is sexy. You're willing to risk your heart (or even your neck) if it means you get to be with a super hot, super powerful vampire. You think that there's a fine line between pain and pleasure. And you're certainly willing to learn exactly where that line is. You think there's nothing hotter than a vampire falling for you. You're honored to be chosen by such an experienced and wise creature. |
Friday, November 13, 2009
Christmas Stamps
I went to get postage stamps at Walmart the other day after work to get postage stamps and what did see? Christmas-themed stamps already! I didn't want to get any Christmas stamps until December, but I wasn't going to complain because I needed stamps.
Friday the 13th
Yes, that's today! There were three this year, the other two having occurred in February and March. I reminded someone at work of today's date, and customer announced that she didn't know that's what today's date is.
If you're superstitious (I'm not!) or just curious, there will be only Friday the 13th in 2010, in August. And the only one in 2011 will be in May.
I've never had anything bad happen to me on this supposedly scary day. And we're having another spooky day less that two weeks after Halloween!
Monday, November 9, 2009
November
A month I've often found less than exciting. No exciting holidays, as it's the month that starts after Halloween ends and the month before Christmas . And all throughout November, everyone seems preoccupied with preparing for Christmas. Of course we have Thanksgiving, but all it seems to be these days is an excuse for a huge dinner (with turkey as the centerpiece dish), with family members watching the Macy's parade and football games all day long. It doesn't look like my family is doing anything that day this year. People now think Thanksgiving is the forgotten holiday. Retailers seem to jump from Halloween to Christmas. Some radio stations have started Christmas song rotations. Thankfully the music system at work doesn't begin this until after Thanksgiving, but a month of Christmas music all day long sounds almost as bad as two months worth. I always vow not to put up any Christmas stuff or play any of my Christmas CDs until after Thanksgiving Day. But starting to buy stuff for Christmas--I may just get that started in November, to avoid the rush. I've been slothful on some things, but the last thing I want to do is be caught in the shopping rush that occurs once Thanksgiving is over. I almost always work that day so I can't even think of trying to go to those huge stores on the so-called Black Friday day. I work at Home Goods, an off-price retail store, with no sales so we never really expect our store to be quite as busy as say Wal-Mart and Best Buy, both of which are close by our store. Old Navy is also next to our store and they are more likely to busier than we are.
OK, I admit I can't and don't always get all my Christmas preparations done in November, but I try to get started sometime then. I'm afraid to even go to the grocery store on Christmas Eve. Those at grocery stores on Christmas Eve holiday are either slackers who put off buying important stuff ahead of time (I try to avoid being one of those people) or those who unfortunately ran out of milk or toilet paper that morning (I'm often scared of being one of those). Lucky I live across from an independent grocery store as well where I can get these things if that fear should arise. Independent grocery stores tend to be less busy than chain grocery stores.
Thanksgiving just doesn't seem to be as commercial as other holidays. Do many people go out and wear pilgrim or turkey costumes? And where do they go and what do they do to don these? We have Santa suits and Easter bunny outfits for those who take mall jobs as these holiday characters. And there are elf outfits for those helping Santa at the mall. And of course we have Halloween to play another person for one day. But even thought they sell cupid and leprechaun costumes, Valentines and St. Patrick's Day aren't exactly dress up occasions for most people either. And you don't see many too Thanksgiving decorations on the outsides of houses the way you do for Halloween or Christmas.
Even if you don't go all out on Thanksgiving, I suggest that you let those you love know how much you care about them. You don't need a huge dinner or elaborate decorations for that.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Post-Halloween Weekend Recap
Of all the people I saw in disguise last weekend, I did not see the projected-to-be most popular guise of Michael Jackson. Not a one! No Oxi Clean guys either--I guess that wasn't expected to be quite as common as MJ was expected to be. No Farrah Fawcett, either, but how many of you expected to see that one? As far as living celeberities go, the Octomom and Kanye West were nowhere to be seen in my neck of the woods. One Flava-Flav showed up, however. Somehow I did not see that one coming. I guess I don't live in the right part of the country to see these costumes. They must have had some better ideas where I live. I could try Googling images of them, but it would have been much more fun to see one in person. I can assure you I'd be snapping them with my camera (with the hope they would permit doing so, of course).
I kind of wish that I were a guy so that I could have gone as the Oxi Clean guy. Having not seen anyone in this guise would have made me the only one in my neighborhood. And if I had thought hard enough, I could have tried going as a bottle or jar of Oxi Clean, Kaboom or Orange Glo. All those were promoted by Billy Mays, though most everyone remembers him as the Oxi Clean guy.
Some thought my Pumpkin Spice was a relative of the Jetsons or the Flintstones. One even thought I was Betty Rubble, though the outfit looked nothing like her! Someone even guessed a Doodle Bop. It was not a common disguise, so I was sure most people would question it. Though some did get the pumpkin part.