Happy Days are Here Again

The Holidays or "holy days" are upon us. So why is it that most people I know aren't very happy? While I am sure that each person has their own individual drama, they mostly seem to be stressed out by the preparation needs associated with both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Why are we supposed to be happy at this time of year anyway? Sure, we get yummy food on Thanksgiving, but we slave over a stove for 3 days prior and suffer on a treadmill for a full week afterwards. All this only to have our credit cards attacked by a red-suited bastion named Santa who likes to litter our living room floors with pine needles, wrapping paper and a curious amount of pastry crumbs. (OK, so maybe children should be blamed for that last part)

Santa Claus! | Funny Jokes at JibJab

Sure, my view of the holidays may be pretty jaded, but from the perspective of someone who has worked on 5 of the last 6 collective Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, let me say this. Delaying my celebration of the holidays has not made them any less satisfying. In many ways, the holidays are even better.

Celebrating Christmas 4 days late allows me to take advantage of after Christmas sales that really should be before Christmas. Eating turkey a week late helps me avoid traffic when visiting my family, and shockingly, a turkey cooked a week after Thanksgiving still tastes like a Thanksgiving turkey.

Thus, I implore you. Please do you and your loved ones a favor. Take the pressure off of the holidays. Who cares if you can't get your shopping done on time or if the store ran out of cranberry sauce? Give gifts before during and after ChristmHanuKwanzakuh. Dine on turkey all November long, fixings included. Most importantly, laugh love and live. Stress is nothing more than our willingness to let things make us miserable.

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The Art of the Game

I've recently been involved in numerous discussion on what makes a good game.

Some people believe that a good game is like a test and will always reveal who is the best or most knowledgeable at something. Some feel that the game is all about winning. Others feel that the win isn't nearly as important as the journey to determine a winner.

Might i suggest that we stop asking questions and just play. After all, the first question of, "what do you want to play?" all too frequently grinds the fun to a halt. People argue over the type of game complaining about the difficulty, the length, the lack of team play, someone who wins too much or the need to be able to sculpt clay.

All these questions lead to the same answer: "Eh, let's do something else..."

So screw all the bureaucracy and just play. Have fun. Play to win, but laugh when you lose and herald all the mini-accomplishment along the way.

After all, when it comes down to it, The only question that matters is, "Wanna Play Again?"

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Art Imitates Life

While in most circumstances I would never take the time to point it out, the circumstances absolutely merits the mention. Grey's Anatomy has nailed my life. Now while I wish I could say that my personal life mirrored that of McSteamy or McDreamy, in this instance I am referring to the trials and tribulation of Dr. Miranda Bailey.

To work so hard for so long and not be noticed is a burden that I might argue is heavier than the world upon the shoulders of Atlas. After all, when asked how difficult holding the Earth was, Atlas Shrugged.

Bad humor aside, the ceremonial pats on the back received for a job well done have a way of turning into slaps in the face. Crazier yet, when your invaluableness is at its zenith, people may question your reasons for continuing to put forth effort.

It's as if they know that the world is a toilet and that you are its drain but they choose to eat burritos anyway. (I need to resolve to stop ringing the bell.)

Many people can't believe that a person could truly be driven by personal pride. Slacking has become such a norm in our society that it is heralded. Why work hard when you can still get paid by hardly working? Can't really argue with that one.

But let's put the shoe on the other foot. A little role play perhaps. I might be suspicious of someone who put forth total effort all the time. After all, I would never do such a thing myself and I'm doing great. They must think that they are better than me. How dare they! If they're so good why aren't they getting the respect they deserve. They must not deserve it.

Kind of makes me sick to type that, but it's probably closer to the truth than any idealized yarn that I might spin myself. Just makes you want to leap out of your skin doesn't it? Be someone else, on a different planet with "normal" people? Maybe that is what it takes. Maybe we need to flip our roles and change their perspective. After all, I you are working so hard at playing you game, why not buy Boardwalk in theirs?

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