Tis the Season

You know that the Christmas season has arrived when you enter into the craft haven and store known to the common people as Michaels. All of the obvious clues are out on display. Singing robot Santas greet you at every corner and the line to the checkout extends way back into the unusual button collectors section. On the surface it is a very "merry atmosphere" but spend 4 minutes waiting for the obese cat lady to make her yarn selection so she can unblock the aisle and you will sense that something is very amiss.

I could not help but notice that people at Michaels are angry. The regular crafty people are far by the most disgruntled of all since their store has been overtaken by seasonal hooligans who slowly suck up all the customer service with their large purchases of decorations and seasonal candles. The commonplace Michaels employee is no longer available to spend 45 minutes discussing the merits of different types of felt or to calmly explain that the yarn they want will have to be ordered. The crafters wait impatiently by the checkout yelling complaints to anyone who will listen straining their at risk sedentary lifestyle hearts. The Michaels employees themselves pull by far the shortest end of the stick. While simultaneously trying to heard and check out endless holiday shoppers, they calmly try to placate the yarn lady who sprays spit on their checkout counter while ranting. The holiday shoppers who are lulled to the craft center by discounts and holiday spirit quickly sense the stressful atmosphere and become frantic shoving ornaments and wrapping paper into their carts while knocking over gingerbread house displays in their rush to purchase their items and leave the store.

I personally made my selections quickly and left dodging the evil eye of the homeless man on a bike whom I previously recognized harassing a Michaels manager about the lack of "baggers" at the checkout line.

So to all you San Diegans who are just a string of lights short of reaching the peak of your Christmas tree, be forewarned and think twice before donning your light sweatshirt to brave the temperate environment and holiday shopping season at Michaels.

Emotional Nougat

I try to make coma corner a light happy place full of clouds and amusement with occasional irony riding on unicorns but I think on this grand holiday I will crack open the candy coated shell of amusement to reveal my emotional nougat.

I just want to take a sentimental moment to not complain about anything which is something I should probably do more often than only on major national holidays. Sooooo here it goes, today I am thankful. I am thankful for the friends who I consider to be as close to me as family. The friends who have taken an ice pick to my thick shell and have handled the consequences of opening my damn of my sometimes irrational emotionality. I am grateful for their love, I am grateful for them.

I am thankful for the blue house perched atop the mountain that whistles during winter storms and for my small family who resides within that home. I am grateful that I didn't repeat history by crashing into a stone wall and flipping my car over when driving home after work for Thanksgiving. Thank goodness for the freezing night time air and annoying hip hop songs that allowed me to complete my journey without significant incident. I am thankful for the all of the delicious thanksgiving food in my tummy that is currently chaining me to the couch like an anchor and making think thoughts about obesity.

Lastly, well since I am trying to be completely honest with my emotional nougat I should probably mention a certain boy I that continually step back from to feel grateful for. I have done nothing to deserve his complete and unconditional love that surrounds and supports every aspect of my life.

Although this blog is repetitive and occasionally so incredibly sappy that I want to vomit, I just want to find a honest way to express appreciation to each and every one of you in my life.

Thankyou