Christmas Edition ... TTOT ... That's Life ... Sometimes!!!

Yes, I've been procrastinating as of late.  Oh, the novel writing is moving on ... slowly ... but
moving forward.

What hasn't been going on has been posting in my blogs.

My apologies!

Please refrain from utilizing your cat-o-nine-tails skills upon my bare backside.  Tempting, I know, but please reserve your skills for those that enjoy them during those S&M sessions.

I dropped by Facebook and saw I'd been tagged by Clark for my misdeeds. Alas, his sharp perception did not allow my hiding to escape. He's aware of all and see's all ... a fact I must remember in the future.

Christmas is upon us!

Ho! Ho! Ho! and a bottle of rum!

No, that's not right ...

Ho! Ho! Ho!  Merry Christmas!

Okay, that's better.

The season of sharing good cheer, joyous blessings, and the giving of gifts has arrived.  Retailers are smiling the world over.  Amazon.com is loving it!

Yet, somehow and some way, we have to pinch ourselves and remember what it's really all about.  As everything in the world seems to be up for debate anymore, I won't say it's the birthday of the baby Jesus. To be politically correct, I will say it's the day we celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus.

If you're still not happy, suck it up!  That's the best you'll get from me.

Other religions have their own values, ways, and dates of celebration. I have no problems accepting those. It is a person's right to believe in what they believe.

However, if you don't believe at all, go to work on Monday and stop mooching off of our holiday. If you're gonna bitch about it, forget it and carry on normally. That's your right!  You'll save your friends a lot of money spent on wasted gifts that you obviously don't want.

'Nuff said.

I won't do a repeat of my Christmas story I did a few years ago.

Some of you really hated it.  lol  Hey, it was supposed to be a satire, not fact!

Where's your sense of humor?

So, instead, let's forego the story this time and get right to what this blogging group is supposed to be about ... Ten Things Of Thankful!

See Other TTOT Posts Here!!!!

This week, I'm thankful for ...

1) A few people that are smart enough to see the hatred of the world.  Yep, just check out Facebook any day of the week. You'll see political posts from both sides that demonstrate nothing but hate. It's to the point of ridiculous.

 I made up a sign and posted it earlier this morning in direct retaliation to their stupidity. The lack of class and respect for others this time of year needs to stop.  I don't care if you love or hate the president and what's being done.  There are 51 other weeks of the year to complain and show how ate up and obsessed you are with hate.  Like others, I've had enough of it. How about a break?

Show some class, concern yourself with your fellow man and his well being, and do your best to spread the good cheer the holiday is meant to express.

Hell, you might even find you like it!

2) Fruitcakes.  I know, many of you despise fruitcakes.

So what?  I love 'em.

Fruitcakes bring back memories of Christmas dinners at my grandparent's home.  All the uncles and aunts, cousins and friends, gathered around the Christmas dinner table, stomachs too full of tremendous offerings to move, and the good feeling of belonging to something bigger than yourself. The gifts would soon be given out and love shared throughout the day.

Yeah, every time I bite into a slice of fruitcake, it takes me back to those days. So, if you don't like 'em, that's fine.  I'll take your slice, sit back, and remember a time when Christmas dinner consisted of good times and conversation, instead of phone checking and texting.

3)  Facebook Scams.  Yep, every once in a while, we need to be reminded that Facebook is filled with unscrupulous individuals and companies that lie to make a living. It keeps us from making too many mistakes and losing too much money.

Last Tuesday, I saw an ad for a Snoopy Coffee Cup that I thought perfect for my wife. Checking the ad, I found that if I paid an extra $4 in shipping fees, I could have the cup by Friday.  So, I eagerly submitted the money through Paypal.  Well, Friday came and went and the tracking showed the cup had yet to be shipped.  The TeeSassy Company will never receive another dollar from me.  I don't imagine they get much repeat business as most people won't put up with their crap. I'm just hoping to spread the word about them.

Nothing like a satisfied customer.

4) Good Cheer ... Cash.  My wife and I were lucky enough to receive a small inheritance from a relative of hers.  We were able to pay off both of our cars and still put back some for a rainy day.  It was a nice change and a good feeling.

However, my heart isn't as hard as I thought. I've had a couple of Facebook friends that are experiencing times that were taking them down. Sending them a little money to help out around the holidays meant a lot to them, but it meant even more to me. I've seen what the heads of various charitable organizations make and hate to contribute to their paychecks.  Yet, when a friend is in trouble, it makes you feel good to be able to help them out.

By the way, I'm tapped out now. If you'd have only let me know earlier ...

5) My wife. Yeah, after 37 years together, she finally admitted she was lucky to have me ... voluntarily.  lol  I've known it for years about her. Not many would put up with all I've put her through over the years. Moving around during my radio career ... my absence at home during my comedy career ... and many other things that usually tear apart households have done nothing but bring us together.

She and I are a lot like the characters in one of my books. To see us together and hear us talk to each other, you would never think we cared about each other. But, to think of life without her ... well, let's not.

Don't give away my secret if you see her around!

6) Good friends. When I was young and in high school, I was a fairly popular person. Yeah, I was class president a couple of years and student body president my senior year. After graduation, I turned my back on the small town I came from and never looked back for over forty years. The web wasn't around back then and I pretty much just made new friends wherever I landed next.

I attended a class reunion during the summer and reacquainted myself with many of those I'd left behind. Since then, several have picked up where we left off as if the years didn't matter at all.  I've been able to be there for a couple of them that were going through tough times and help them through it by many hours of talking in PM's on Messenger. I always try to leave them smiling and feeling better than when we started.

Several of the "friends" I've made since those days proved to not be friends, but backstabbers.  It's nice to know that there still are good folks you can believe in these days, even if they come from way back when.

7) Christmas Music. I really don't like Christmas music. I know that sounds bad, but I spent too many years as a disc jockey in radio playing the stuff day after day during the season.

The only song I hate worse than Christmas music is "American Pie."  I worked at a station that was being purchased and the word was out that the new owners wanted to change the format.  With the staff reduced due to holiday vacations, I went on the air at 8 pm, and didn't get off until 12 noon the next day.  All during that time, it had been decided we'd protest the change by playing "American Pie" and only "American Pie" back to back/over and over again as a tribute to our station's format and music dying. So, if by chance I'm in a store and hear "American Pie" over the speakers, at least this time of year I know I can leave and go to another store that has Christmas music playing instead.

8) Gift Giving.  I know, the "commercial" phase of Christmas.  Still, seeing the smile and the joy in my wife's eyes when she opens her presents makes fighting the crowds worth it!

For the first time ever in our marriage, I was almost done shopping for her a couple of weeks ago. I've purchased a few things online (like the damn cup by the TeeSassy Company that won't make it in time), but I had just about all wrapped a week and a half ago.

I had to do something since Kmart had closed and there was 

no Blue Light flashing on Christmas Eve to tell me what to buy her!

9) Family. As one gets older, the family they grew up with grows smaller. Loved ones pass and are no longer there. Even though the young new additions are there, it's not the same as it once was. Roles change and families tend to be separated by great distances.

I still have my father, but his age group is all gone now. No uncles or aunts or grandparents to tease and joke with. It's different, to say the least.

Several cousins have moved away, some don't talk to each other, and there are only three of us that seem to be attempting to stay in contact with each other. We're there for each other when we need support, love, or just someone to bitch to when things go wrong.

It's nice to have them around.  

Otherwise, you'd have to listen to me bitching all the time!

10) My writing.  I know most of you have yet to purchase one of my books.  No big deal. I haven't purchased yours either.

Yet, writing has been a Godsend to me. It has allowed me to seek sanity in the creation of worlds others have yet to visit. The characters I develop and attempt to bring to life become real people that I control the destiny of and can lead them to happiness and justice. It has been very fulfilling and enjoyable.  (Editing is hell, though.  lol)

Being able to early retire this year has been a blessing. I'm finally able to cast away the life I hated and pursue a life of which I'm truly thankful, and those that read my novels seem to enjoy.

So, that's it!  Another TTOT complete!

I do wish each and every one of you Merry Christmas, 

or whatever the holiday greeting is for your own belief. 

 And, if you're a non-believer, 

"Enjoy the day at work!"

Ciao!

*Btw, since there's been a plague of spammers on Blogger, I've had to turn on the moderation portion of the blog.  If you don't get an immediate response to your comment, please check back.  I'll okay it and answer it as soon as possible!