'Out Upon Merry Christmas!'

You know, this year I'm totally oblivious to the Christmas Spirit. Usually about mid-December I start to feel that warm glow of happiness that means Christmas is coming! Yah! I get to give presents to family members and friends! and share warm moments with everyone! and everything is neat! and oh-I-wish-it-would-snow-just-a-little on Christmas morning! and all that crap. This year? Nothing. Not one bit. I can't even bring myself to complain about "A Christmas Carol" this year, because I somehow managed to completely avoid it.

Part of this is due to the extensive teacher strike in Marysville that resulted in us not having enough money to buy any presents. Nothing for any of the nieces and nephews. No gag gifts for any siblings. The refi is going to go through too late (assuming it even goes through) to do any good. The absolute best part of Christmas for me is the giving of gifts. I don't even care if I get anything, but it's so much fun to give, especially to children. It's hard to not be able to this year.

Along with that happening to us, the other events happening to friends of mine made things worse.

If I'd known what some folks would write about my friend when I shared her IRS problems with everyone via my blog I never would have written a word. It was bad enough, what she's gone through in the last ten months, without me making it worse by exposing her to the ridicule of ignorant misogynist jerks. See if I ever try to warn comic book retailers of a possible danger to them again. Yeah, I'm bitter. I was hoping someone had information and could help. I didn't expect the nastiness, though I guess it just shows once again that the comic book community has a long way to go before it grows up.

And she's not the only friend having trouble this season. Once burned, twice shy: I won't share any details of any other problems with the world via this blog, but there is always something horrible happening to someone I know.

And so... merry Christmas. Ho-Ho-Ho. I am completely devoid of joy this season. And here I hoped this year would be better than last. Fat chance. It would take a true miracle in the last week to make 2003 anything more than one of the worst years I've ever had.