The dogs got all excited this afternoon. The UPS man parked in the driveway and they know what that means: their mail-order dog food is here! But, wait. It came last week. So, "what," I asked the UPS guy, "did I forget that I had ordered?" He told me the name and I said, "Nope, not me...unless it's chocolate."
Turns out he had the wrong street. Happens around here with winding, twisty roads that change names constantly and people with mailboxes on streets other than what is indicated by their actual street address. We chatted for a minute ... Yes, I delayed the delivery of your package by treating a delivery man like he was an actual human being, not simply a robo-delivery system. I bitched about something, can't remember what now, and said, "but it's the holidays so I guess I should be happy and thankful."
He told me that all he wants for the holidays is the right to be as grumpy as he wants to be. He's tired of people telling him it's the holidays and he has to be happy.
Here, here! I concur completely. I get so tired of people telling me I can't be negative or whine and complain about all the shit that keeps hitting my fan. Well, fine. If you want to stand in front of my fan for a while and get pummeled by the flying shit, have at it. But do remember to keep a big smile on your face the whole time.
*snort* Yeah, right.
Editor's Note: several paragraphs of whining have been deleted. Along with a threat not to publish any comments telling me that things will get better, I just have to be positive and look at the bright side.
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11 comments:
I support your right to be as grumpy as you choose.
.....and I agree that the request for your social security number sounds fishy.
Thank you! I deleted half the post so the second half of your comment may not make sense to others. But it makes sense to me. :)
this must be a hard time of year to be in the service industries, retail, hotels, UPS etc. they have to be doing their jobs with a jolly smile all the time. That cold be very tiring!
peace, Shamba
"Always look on the bright side of life" Monty Python Life of Brian.
Couldn't resist adding that :)
Civility is fine by me - I don't require hilarity at Christmas,
viv in nz
Go on girl you moan as much as you want, we all need to at times !
My other half MOANS for england, he never stops, but you know what, I dont mind a bit - it means he's ok. When he stops, it means he's ill....and thats when I worry.
Big hugs Babs
If I remember correctly, the author of "Nickled and Dimed" wrote the book "Bright Sided: How optimism is undermining America" because of her journey through cancer and how frustrated she was because people expected her to be so positive about it. Grumpy is a normal response to some circumstances!
Shamba - I can't imagine working in a retail store on Black Friday...or the week after Christmas (with all the returns). I did work retail way back in this life, but it was a niche market so the customers weren't the average people off the street.
Viv - hehe, good movie.
I also don't require piped-in Christmas carols...
Babs - yeah, I don't think my sweetie would know what to do if I wasn't grouchy and pessimistic. ;-)
DMarie - ah, I didn't realize she'd written another book. Her first one completely changed my outlook on the service industry and led to me being a much nicer person (and better tipper).
Credit where credit is due: both books written by Barbara Ehrenreich.
Hmm, new books for my reading list... Thanks!
Be a grouch! This is where I insert my own tales in an attempt to help you by analogy:
About a year and a half ago my little sister gave birth to her daughter, a baby she knew wasn't going to survive the delivery. Her OB really f-ed up the delivery, making a hard situation almost unbearable. My sister was, naturally, grieving the loss of her child AND she was utterly pissed at the doctor for the treatment he gave her. Many people said she needed to drop it and just be happy.
You know what? People need to be sad and angry first before they can be happy, or else all that sad and angry gets suppressed and exits at inopportune times. Thankfully my sister went ahead with her grieving process and is doing much better today. Yes, she was hurt and angry and sad, but those emotions are not "bad". Other people are uncomfortable by them, but they are not "bad".
So, in closing, remember that you have been going through some intense changes and things have not been going the way they needed to. It's okay to be upset about this. If it had happened any other time of the year you would have (most) people's full permission to feel these emotions. Just because it's the holidays doesn't mean you need to "get happy".
Whew. I hoped that helped.
Of course, you can be as grumpy as you want... I usually ask a clerk,who tells me to have a nice day, what if I don't want one?... They never know what to think... But, I don't like carols piped in stores and having to keep a smile on my face, all the time, either... you go, girl!
P.S. Hahahaha! My secret word verification is "splat!"
Got the book from the library and will start reading it as soon as I finish the hilarious book of short stories: These Children Who Come at You with Knives and other fairy tales by Jim Knipfel.
Krista - thanks. Yes, anger, sadness, disbelief ... these are all part of the grieving process and cannot be neglected or rushed.
Sharlene - I tend to say things that startle and confuse clerks, too. ;-)
I love when the word verification words are comment-appropriate!
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