Happy Tomorrow!

Tonight at 12:01am the calendar will change from 2011 to 2012 and yet that is all that will happen (unless God has other plans).  As I tour the internet off and on today all I have read is how tough this year has been, and I will agree that there have been things that have happened that my life could have certainly done without from my perspective and I am sure there has been hurt and pain for many, but what I truly do not understand is why people think that just because the numbers change that life will dramatically change with it.  Tomorrow someone will scratch off a lottery ticket and win $1,000, but also tomorrow someone’s heart will be broken and it has nothing to do with flipping a page or buying a new calendar.  Life moves on at the pace that is determined, the only thing that CAN change is how you handle the good with the bad and whether you have chosen to curl up and let life pass you by because it is painful at times, or that you have chosen to milk it for every good moment that comes along.

There have been times in my life that I thought the pain was more than I could bare and I was never going to be the same, and I was right, but the next day came and no miraculous peaceful feeling came to over-ride the pain, serenity did not happen with the snap of my fingers, those things came gradually as I learned to capture them and hold them for when life came at me with both barrels.   Things did not all of a sudden become great, grand and beautiful because I could cross another day off a calendar, the great, grand and beautiful came because I lived my life the best that I could with the things and feelings I was given.

So tonight when you kiss your partner at the stroke of midnight, or bemoan the fact that you are alone with Ryan Seacrest as the ball drops, or snoring under your blankets make the decision to make TOMORROW a great and grand day, not next year, not 2012, but because you were given one more DAY.

Pardon Me Andy Rooney

There have been lost of things going through my head lately and I thought of how Andy Rooney would complain about random things, so I am going to take a page from him.

Did you ever wonder what makes people think that a last ditch effort to make someone else look bad was ever thought to be effective?  The borough council meeting on December 21st was painful to say the least.  It's not as if after the second person got up who lived in the same neighborhood or even the same street that the agenda was not known.  I sat there rather irritated at the childish antics that had emerged, through a poem that had no place in council chambers and questions that the answers had been given over and over again and then even a personal attack on Jamie Bruton.  I thought what do they really think they are going to accomplish other than make themselves look silly and a bit vindictive?  Then those very same people left once they had tried their best to humiliate council members and other issues were discussed which effect their lives just as much, but I will leave their motives to you to figure out as they were quite transparent.

Did you ever wonder why people think that just because they are family of friends that they can take advantage of you?  My husband and I had just that experience.  There was contract in place and what was done is a clear violation of said contract, but to take it to court would cost more than at this point it is worth.  It still makes my blood boil a bit when just because you know people on a personal basis that they feel it's OK to bend the rules or even break the law.

Did you ever wonder why people who meet in a store feel it's their due to stand in the middle of the aisle or in front of merchandise and chat to their hearts content catching up on Aunt June's bunion surgery and then are offended when you say excuse me in a loud voice since they didn't move the first three times?  Why is it that people find it necessary to block aisles and "catch up" when most of us, especially in a grocery store, want to get our stuff and get out?  Do they not own telephones that they can call these people later?  Do they not have their email address so that they can regularly correspond?  In this world of instant communication one would think that, "Hey how are you?  Give me a call later!" would be a great way to get the job done and get out of the way.

Do you ever wonder why people feel that people in the service industry like car salesman don't have families that they would like to go home to, or that they actually do have to make some money on the goods that they are selling?  So many times people walk into a dealership at 8:45pm and wish to go on a test drive and then have the salesperson "run numbers" when the dealership closes at 9pm.  Then the customer promptly tries to guilt the salesperson into it by asking "Well don't you want a sale?"  Yes they want a sale, but the dealership has been open for 12 hours already and some of them have been there all day and want to go home.  Then there is the customer who wants to negotiate because the salesperson "makes so much money on each car."  Want the low down on sales receipts?  A salesperson makes a mini deal on a new car which means maybe $100...now after you get done with taxes and health care there is maybe $50 left.  Yes a salesperson may sell 5 new cars that week, but $250 a week take home does not pay for much.  Then there is the all important customer who thinks that he or she should pay for the sky and get the sun, moon and stars thrown in for free.

Did you ever wonder why at a time in the year when happiness and good will toward man (no offense ladies) should be abundant, it's in such short supply?  Have you said, "Thank you" or "Yes please" or "Thanks for your help" lately?  If not maybe you need to take a personal inventory and clean out the crud.

No matter what 2011 has been an eventful year and I am sure that 2012 shall be just as exciting.  I hope that everyone has a happy and healthy NEW YEAR!

Merry Christmas

Yes, I said it, the politically incorrect holiday moniker for this time of year,  I bet you won't be surprised when I say tough nuggies if you don't like it.  When I was growing up this time of year was filled with Christmas parties and gift exchanges and wait for it..........cheer.  Now it's a time for people to be rude, intolerant, cranky and mean spirited.  It seems that once it was no longer "Merry Christmas", but "Happy Holidays" grinches began appearing more and more frequently.  Let's face it, it is Christmas, it's not "The holidays" we don't exchange holiday presents, kids don't go to see holiday man and we certainly don't celebrate holiday baby.


I have no problem wishing someone a "Happy Hanukkah" or "Happy Kwanza" if that is what they celebrate, so why is it so difficult for others to wish me a Merry Christmas?  If companies, schools and other public entities don't want parties to be Christmas Parties then don't have them before Christmas, have them in between Christmas and New Year.  This way there is no conflict and it most certainly is a holiday party.


The thing that I have the most difficult time understanding is if you don't believe in God and the birth of Jesus why would a person want to celebrate a day that does and why it's ok for you to want to change it to suit you?  I would never think to interfere with Hanukkah, Kwanza, Eid ul-Fitr, Bodhi Day or even Yule.  Why is it ok for those who don't believe to hijack a day that is set aside for those of us who do?  Why is it that those of us who believe have to alter our day to suit your needs and we must be the ones who are tolerant? Don't you think that it is about time that spiritual tolerance goes both ways?  So I will say it again...MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR!