How do you feel today? v. 3.0

[Cagliostro]

Me too. She doesn't even Facebook anymore. At least that I've seen. Maybe she does all the time and dropped me as a friend. Awwwwwwwwwwww....now I have to check.

(later)
No, we're still friends and I'm not seeing her stuff for some reason. Curse you book of face!

[Sorus]

(Damn, I can't believe the year is nearly over.)

--A

That's not possible. I haven't celebrated my beloved Christmas Holiday yet.
In fact the middle of October we have to start decorating.

But... but... Halloween. Still my favorite holiday (I think October is my favorite month), even though I haven't done any actual form of celebration in many years. I think about it every year.

[Avatar]

We host the annual family Christmas party and we go as far as possible on the decorations.

Americans.

We don't even put up 1 Christmas tree.

I miss Jenn.

She's a traitor. An abandoner. Fie on Jenn.

(There aren't enough opportunities to use that emoticon. )

--A

[aTOMiC]

What on Earth are you two talking about?

Av, sometimes I forget you are from another planet...I mean country...so it makes sense that perhaps your view of Christmas would be a tad askew from that of the typical American. (I should be careful, 3/4 of the Americans on the Watch probably don't celebrate Christmas)

Sorus, I used to really love Halloween. I did. Then one day the whole thing shifted from candy, ghosts, goblins, witches, pumpkins and black cats to hatchet wielding serial killers and ripped from the headlines murderers. (I know I'm being unreasonably harsh about Halloween. Its just a general perception I have of it these days.)

I liked having fun on Halloween not being reminded that my next door neighbor might have a family locked in his basement. That's just way too dark which is why my focus shifted more to Christmas I guess.

The time and effort we spend on Christmas each year is filled with fun and reminds me of times, as a kid, that I enjoyed the most. As an adult I get to try to make my house an entertaining place for my whole family to visit and make something that my 9 year old self would have lost his mind over.

Besides its a terrific excuse to buy a new Hallmark sound making Star Trek ornament every year.

[Sorus]

Sorus, I used to really love Halloween. I did. Then one day the whole thing shifted from candy, ghosts, goblins, witches, pumpkins and black cats to hatchet wielding serial killers and ripped from the headlines murderers. (I know I'm being unreasonably harsh about Halloween. Its just a general perception I have of it these days.)

I liked having fun on Halloween not being reminded that my next door neighbor might have a family locked in his basement. That's just way too dark which is why my focus shifted more to Christmas I guess.

The time and effort we spend on Christmas each year is filled with fun and reminds me of times, as a kid, that I enjoyed the most. As an adult I get to try to make my house an entertaining place for my whole family to visit and make something that my 9 year old self would have lost his mind over.

Besides its a terrific excuse to buy a new Hallmark sound making Star Trek ornament every year.

I wouldn't be shocked to hear that my next door neighbor had a family locked in his basement. He's quite creepy, but that's a 365-day of the year thing. Nothing to do with Halloween, which in my book still revolves around pumpkins and black cats and too much candy - and the license to be someone else for a day.

Christmas on the other hand was never a big part of my childhood. (Though I will admit that I own one of the Hallmark Star Trek ornaments. I used to have it hanging over my desk until my youngest decided it was her new favorite chew toy. Is it supposed to have sound? It lights up, but I don't remember it ever having sound.)

She's a traitor. An abandoner. Fie on Jenn.

(There aren't enough opportunities to use that emoticon. )

--A

Yeah, but she could come back. I'd forgive her.

[aTOMiC]

The tree in my man cave from last year.

If you look closely at the floor in front of the tree you will see the Star Trek pizza cutter I got last year. The big thing rolled up next to my guitar is a Millennium Falcon floor rug.

How is this not a good thing.

[Sorus]

That is epic.

I think I remember seeing the pizza cutter on ThinkGeek (weirdly enough, a site that Jenn told me about - never bought anything, but I like looking) - have you ever used it to cut pizza, or is it decorative?

[Cagliostro]

Sorus, I used to really love Halloween. I did. Then one day the whole thing shifted from candy, ghosts, goblins, witches, pumpkins and black cats to hatchet wielding serial killers and ripped from the headlines murderers. (I know I'm being unreasonably harsh about Halloween. Its just a general perception I have of it these days.)

I liked having fun on Halloween not being reminded that my next door neighbor might have a family locked in his basement. That's just way too dark which is why my focus shifted more to Christmas I guess.

There has always been a horror element to Halloween, and that's just movies trying to make a buck by having scary stuff. And scary strikes everybody and different age groups in different ways. But there is definitely still all the things you think of around as well. But honestly, there seem to be a ton of people who don't celebrate Halloween anymore, and that sucks. As much as has been made of the "War on Christmas," which I really honestly take it as the Christians trying to play the underdogs, but I see no signs of Christmas going away, there is a legitimate War on Halloween. Mostly headed by Christians themselves who don't want their kids dressing up as devils and witches and the minions of Satan like Harry Potter and such. Then there are parents who complain about all the candy given out at Halloween. That seems to be why Trick or Treating is becoming a thing of the past, and why the majority of the houses along the streets are dark on Halloween night when I take my kids out to enjoy what used to be every house participating. And don't hand me the razor blade in the apple lies.

[aTOMiC]

Cags, I don't disagree with much of what you said.

I guess what put me off of Halloween took quite a while to manifest.
When I was a kid Trick or Treat genuinely competed with Christmas Morning for the fun and thrill factor. Pretty much none of it had to do with horror or jump scares, it was really about costuming and candy. It wasn't until I got a little older and began to become better informed about the world around me that Halloween started to remind me of the things in the news that troubled me the most. Halloween for kids isn't like that though, not even today. I can attest that for kids Halloween is alive and well and is as much fun for them in our neighborhood as it ever was for me. That, thankfully, hasn't changed. At least where I'm from.

I'm sure there are Christians that complain about Halloween but that has always been around as far as I know. I pretty much have always ignored it. Kids dressing up and Trick or Treating has as much to do with Satan worship as good health has to do with drinking soft drinks.

If God forbid Halloween disappears one day I will be saddened. I don't attend parties like I used but I do watch Halloween movies and binge watch the Simpsons Treehouse of Horror episodes (by the way there are very few movies about Halloween as I've mentioned dozens of times. Halloween III and Its The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown are the only two I can think of) but its a part of American culture and would be a shame to lose, like losing Christmas or Independence Day. And if I get another Star Trek uniform I'd like the option to wear it to a Halloween party sometime in the future.

[Sorus]

I've always thought that marketing is a big part of it. Halloween is simply not as profitable as other holidays, so it gets squeezed to the side.

And if I get another Star Trek uniform I'd like the option to wear it to a Halloween party sometime in the future.

I'm going to wear mine this year, even if I don't end up doing anything. Because I can.

[Skyweir]

I dunno Sorus...it's not fair that him being pissed off is giving you more work to do. Think you should communicate that to him?

Of course our post count is going to drop next week but as long as you are happy...

Ah, I'll try drop in if I feel like it. Gotta use this leave...it's accumulated from last year and if I don't use it after two years I forfeit it.

In fact, after this week I'll still have 11 days left that I have to take before the end of the year. (And my leave from this year is still untouched, that will roll over into next year.)

(Damn, I can't believe the year is nearly over.)

--A

You forfeit your leave?????? Is it not an entitlement??? Take the damn leave!! Take it now!!!!!!

[Skyweir]

Yay only 12 weeks till Christmas! I'm from a different planet Countey and we go nuts at Xmas - I put up 2 trees lol decorate outside and inside!!! We do Christmas turkey and all the trimmings... ugh two of my sons have gone vego (not a bad thing) But I'm not doing a tofurkey!!! Hahaha .. they'll be enjoying all the trimmings! while we enjoy 🌶

But we'll all enjoy

[Cagliostro]

I've always thought that marketing is a big part of it. Halloween is simply not as profitable as other holidays, so it gets squeezed to the side.

For fear of doing a Tank-like posting of FACT!, it looks like it is actually #2 most profitable.
Here

It's my favorite time of year to go shopping.

[Sorus]

Well, that'll teach me. I guess it just wasn't a big deal in the areas of retail that I have actual experience in.

[deer of the dawn]

I think Halloween lost its charm for me the year I spent it in bed hurling chunks. But, I ruined my horsehair mattress (ca. 1879) and had to get a new one (I am probably not off by too many years when I say 1879, either). So, not all bad.

Thanksgiving kind of became my fave for a long time because it's about families getting together and I like to cook food, especially some ridiculously huge turkey, and have lots of people come to eat it up in my house, and then go away. I know what to do, I don't have to spend a crapload of money, and I don't have high expectations to dash.

Av, sometimes I forget you are from another planet...I mean country.

You're not wrong. I know Nigeria is not only a different planet, but my few days in North Carolina reminded me that there are different planets within the same continent.

They don't have Bibles down there, they have Bobbles. My dear elderly friend was heard to exclaim in all earnestness "HoooowWEEe!!" numerous times. The town of Danville still proclaims that they are proud to have been the Confederate capital. Macaroni and Cheese is listed under the "vegetable" section on menus.

We had a great time but it is SOOOO good to be home.

[aTOMiC]

Yay only 12 weeks till Christmas! I'm from a different planet Countey and we go nuts at Xmas - I put up 2 trees lol decorate outside and inside!!! We do Christmas turkey and all the trimmings... ugh two of my sons have gone vego (not a bad thing) But I'm not doing a tofurkey!!! Hahaha .. they'll be enjoying all the trimmings! while we enjoy 🌶

But we'll all enjoy

That all sounds awesome, Sky!

We are on the same page.


Today I feel like a Thursday is coming on.

[Sorus]

It has definitely been a Thursday. Could be worse. In fact, I can think of at least three things that are typically worse. This has been a long week, literally and figuratively. My boss is on vacation, so I'm racking up the OT. Which will look nice on my paycheck, especially with a cat going to the dentist next week. But I'm exhausted and all-around burned out.

[deer of the dawn]

On the upside, it is now Friday!!

Saturdays we usually travel to one of several towns where churches support our mission work financially and touch base with them via Sunday service/Sunday school. Show slides of orphans getting fed and playing games and learning Bible stuff. I'll sing a song with my guitar, my husband Stag of the dawn will preach, and the church is happy knowing their hard-earned dollars are well-spent. Which they are. If Stag has one characteristic, it's financial integrity.

So weekends aren't really weekends for us while in the States. This week our weekend was Thursday and Friday.

[Avatar]

And...I'm back.

Did I do any of the boringly practical stuff I had planned to do while off like cleaning out my study and organising the kitchen cupboards etc?

Uh, no.

Did I go anywhere fun and exciting?

Uh, no.

Did I just laze about reading and playing computer games?

Yes, yes I did.

I didn't even open my email or visit the Watch or answer the phone.

Av, sometimes I forget you are from another planet...I mean country...so it makes sense that perhaps your view of Christmas would be a tad askew from that of the typical American.

Or maybe, y'know, the typical American view of Christmas could be weird and messed up and crassly consumerist? Crazy I know, but just maybe...

Yeah, but she could come back. I'd forgive her.

*sigh* So would I.

You forfeit your leave?????? Is it not an entitlement??? Take the damn leave!! Take it now!!!!!!

Get to carry it over for 1 year, and I always keep a full year's leave in the bank as it were. So each year I take the previous year's leave, and this year I've been a little slack in terms of taking time off.

--A

[aTOMiC]

I feel truncated. I used to post freely from work during the half hour waiting to clock in every morning and occasionally at lunch time but KW web site was recently blocked by our it department and now its all cell phone for me unless I am at home. It slows me down but I will get used to it.

As I am writing this I am now hearing about the shootings in Las Vegas. My piddly problems are insignificant next to that horror.