Friends; Thank You

This entry is for each and every one of you who have helped me,whether monetarily, giving of your time, giving of your advice, giving of your home and food, giving of your friendship. Thank you.

Without you my life wouldn't be possible. Life would be yes, but my exciting, adventurous, interesting, crazy, wandering life, would be impossible. The life that gives me life; and that life that gives all of you more life too!

There are few things as wonderful in my life as the friends I make. That's why I try to make sure I spend the time and take the effort to be the best friend I can be to each and every one of you :) You make my life happy, wonderful, great, creamy (I can't justify it, so just go with it), crazy, goofy, amazing, lively, terrific, purposeful, up to heaven ( as opposed to down to earth), and down to earth too or should I say grounded, memorable, worthwhile, and dare I say it? FUN!!!  Many of you that have spent time around me realize that the word "fun" creeps up when things get dangerous, challenging, and heart-pounding. And for those of you who hadn't experienced this phenomenon yet, now you are forewarned!

There have been many changes over the years and changes aren't coming any slower in their advances. And that's ok. In fact, that's welcome. Without change, I would go no where; you would go nowhere. Change is indeed scary sometimes, but that's what makes me and everyone else improve as a person. So bring it on! I can take it! And so can you!

Together, you and I can improve our lives, we can improve others lives.

Okay, I'll stop being so positive and preachy. :-p

This really is just an entry to say thanks. Recently I've really felt the true value of my friends and how much I love each and every one of you and how much I need each and every one of you. And I just want to let each and every one of you know all the afore things mentioned. Should I mention them again?? I don't want to make you gag on the mushiness so I'll let you start at the beginning if you want more mushy sentiments ;-)

My heart is truly touched by all of you.

Thanks to each and every one!

'TIS THE SEASON

YOU'LL HAVE TO FORGIVE MY ALL CAPS POST, BUT THE SHIFT KEYS ON THIS COMPUTER ARE BROKEN AND HITTING CAPS LOCK TWICE IS REALLY ANNOYING AND TIME CONSUMING, SO INSTEAD OF WRITING EVERYTHING IN PHONE TEXT FORMAT, I'M OPTING INSTEAD FOR THE ALL CAPS.

NOW ON TO MY POST TOPIC.

IT IS THE SEASON....FOR GIFT GIVING.

NOW THIS HOLIDAY I'M WORKING FOR SOME EXTRA MONEY AT A RETAIL STORE. IT'S A NICE STORE WITH INTERESTING AND UNIQUE THINGS. THEY'RE ALL HANDMADE IN THE UNITED STATES AND IT REALLY IS A MOM AND POP STORE WHICH I SUPPORT.

HOWEVER, MY ISSUE IS NOT WITH THE STORE, BUT WITH WHAT GOES ON THIS TIME OF YEAR.

THE COUNTLESS TIMES SOMEONE HAS WALKED IN THE STORE, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN ALIKE, AND SAID, 'I NEED TO BUY SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE BUT THEY ALREADY HAVE EVERYTHING AND DON'T REALLY NEED ANYTHING'. WELL, THEN WHY IN THE WORLD ARE YOU BUYING THEM SOMETHING.

WHAT A MATERIALISTIC SOCIETY WE LIVE IN THAT REQUIRES US TO GO SPEND, I MEAN CHARGE, MONEY WE DON'T HAVE, TO BUY GIFTS PEOPLE DON'T WANT, THAT THE RECIPIENTS WON'T USE. SERIOUSLY PEOPLE, WHAT A WASTE. YOU KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO GET A GIFT YOU DON'T WANT AND YOU THEN HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER YOU CAN REGIFT OR IF YOU'LL HAVE TO DONATE, OR MAYBE HANG ON TO IT FOR A WHILE, OR EVEN POSSIBLY DISPLAY IT WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT. WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO INFLICT THIS UPON SOMEONE YOU CALL A FRIEND.

BECAUSE IT'S SOCIETY PRACTICE. BECAUSE IT'S WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING. BECAUSE IT'S WHAT YOU'VE ALWAYS DONE. BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU SOMETHING AND YOU DON'T WANT TO OWE THEM ONE. BECAUSE YOU'RE SO AFRAID OF BEING DIFFERENT. BECAUSE YOU'RE UNABLE TO DEAL WITH AN AWKWARD OR POTENTIALLY HOSTILE SITUATION WHEN THEY DISCOVER YOU DIDN'T BUY THEM SOMETHING ON THAT SPECIFIC DAY. OK, I'LL STOP.

NOW YOU MIGHT BE THINKING AFTER THAT SMALL TIRADE THAT I'M ANTI GIFTING. THIS IS NOT TRUE, AS MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY WILL VOUCH.

BUT I GIFT IN THE WAY I WISH SOCIETY GIFTED...WHEN IT'S NECESSARY OR HELPFUL. FOR INSTANCE, IF I KNOW A FRIEND NEEDS SOMETHING AND I HAPPEN TO COME ACROSS THAT ITEM, WHO CARES WHAT HOLIDAY IT IS; I BUY IT AND GIFT IT. I DON'T BUY KNICK KNACKS THAT SOMEONE HAS TO DUST OR WASH OR ANY OTHER ANNOYING CHORE. SOMETIMES THE BEST THING IS JUST AN OLD FASHIONED HAND WRITTEN CARD AT ANY TIME OF YEAR, NOT ASSOCIATED WITH A HOLIDAY, THAT TELLS THEM YOU'RE GRATEFUL FOR THEIR FRIENDSHIP. YOU KNOW HOW MANY HANDWRITTEN CARDS ARE SENT THESE DAYS. HOW MUCH THOUGHT GOES INTO ANY LETTERS...YEAH, I DON'T THINK I NEED TO ANSWER THAT BECAUSE IT'S RHETORICAL AND YOU GET MY POINT.

AMERICA IS SUCH A MATERIALISTIC SOCIETY THAT WE CONSTANTLY CONTINUE TO AMASS MORE STUFF WHEN WE DON'T USE THE STUFF WE ALREADY HAVE AND WE DON'T HAVE MORE SPACE TO STORE THE STUFF WE'RE GETTING. I RECENTLY SAW A FUNNY THAT HAD PEOPLE TRAMPLING INTO STORES ON BLACK FRIDAY AND IT WAS AN IRONIC FUNNY BECAUSE IT SAID THAT PEOPLE WILL NEARLY KILL EACH OTHER OVER SOMETHING THEY SO DESPERATELY THINK THE NEED WHEN JUST THE DAY BEFORE THEY WERE ALL GIVING THANKS FOR WHAT THEY ALREADY HAVE. MAYBE THE LOGIC IS THE MORE STUFF YOU HAVE THE MORE THANKFUL YOU CAN BE....IS IT IN DIRECT CORRELATION OR AM I MISSING THE POINT...

SINCE MOST OF YOU PROBABLY HAVE YOUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING ALREADY DONE FOR THE SEASON THIS POST WILL MAKE LITTLE OR NO IMPACT ON YOUR HOLIDAY, BUT I WOULD LIKE IT TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON YOUR BRAIN. THINK ABOUT HOW YOU SHOW PEOPLE YOU CARE. DO THEY REALLY FEEL LIKE YOU CARE. CAN THEY TELL OR IS IT JUST A TRADITION.

I CHALLENGE YOU TO FIND A PERSON YOU HAVEN'T BOUGHT SOMETHING FOR THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, AND INSTEAD OF PURCHASING A USELESS GIFT OR A GIFT THEY DON'T REALLY NEED, MAKE SOMETHING WITH YOUR OWN HANDS. WRITE THEM A LONG LETTER, SPEND TIME DOING SOMETHING FOR THEM IF YOU'RE NEARBY LIKE A BIG PROJECT THEY NEED COMPLETED IF YOU'RE HANDY AT THAT SORT OF THING. ASK THEM WHAT THEY REALLY NEED. WOULD THEY RATHER JUST SPEND THE TIME WITH YOU INSTEAD OF HAVING YOUR MONETARY GIFTS. WOULD THEY RATHER YOU DID SOMETHING SEEMINGLY SMALL AND INSIGNIFICANT FOR THEM THAT NO ONE ELSE WOULD SEE. FIND OUT WHO THEY REALLY ARE AND WHAT THEY REALLY NEED; AND DON'T JUST BUY THEIR LOVE THIS CHRISTMAS.

SHORT DISCLAIMER...SOMETIMES GIFTS ARE SUPER DUPER HELPFUL AND WONDERFUL AND AMAZING AND GREAT. I'M NOT CONDEMNING GIFT GIVING, BUT THE CULTISH PRACTICE OF IT DURING THE HOLIDAYS WHERE THE PERSON ON EITHER SIDE IS EXCLUDED FROM THE EQUATION TO THE WHIMS OF SOCIETY. IF YOU HAVE FOUND THE PERFECT GIFT FOR SOMEONE, THEN BY ALL MEANS, GET IT. BUT WHY WAIT FOR CHRISTMAS OR ANY HOLIDAY FOR THAT MATTER. IF THEY CAN USE IT, GIFT IT NOW AND WATCH THE HAPPINESS AND JOY ABOUND.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS