Again? Already?

So, another year has came and went, again, and it’s that time of the year once more. Holy crap, what the hell happened? It seems like just last week I was sitting out in the backyard enjoying a cold beverage. Yes, I know, I could do that now but choose not to on account of my ass. It’s treated me well over these many years and does not deserve to be frozen off. Who’s does really? Unless you figuratively are one, then freeze away, you ass you. And stay away too dammit. At least from me anyway. But, in the immortal words of Ed the Sock, “I’d rather be a smart ass than a dumb ass”. Thanks Ed.

Speaking of dumb ass, and swerving off topic just a tad, I realized just how much of one I’ve been. The amount of crap that I had to clear off of my antique roll top desk that I use for such things as scribing this drivel, could choke a goat. So the dumb ass du jour, c’est moi. Funny how fast the crap piles up when you’re not paying attention. Deja vu on the paying attention thing there.

Ok I’m back. Where was I? Oh yeah, the patio. Just kidding.

This is the time of year where everyone, and I mean everyone, bitches about shopping, idiot shoppers, driving, idiot drivers, weather, idiot weather-people, time, crowds, lines, price, out of stock items, fatigue, and other general pain in the ass kind of stuff. And yet still do their best to attempt to portray a minute portion of the true intent of the holiday season, which is “Peace on earth and good will toward men”, yet don’t, until they get home from the mall. Now that was a mouthful.

I’m not sure that I will ever understand the reason for needing an occasion that occurs only once a year for people to be nice to each other. The whole gift giving, celebrating, feasting, storytelling, laughing, and enjoying part should go beyond the confines of your hermetically sealed domicile. The niceties that you feign for curtain family members, should be unleashed tenfold and legitimately on those unsuspecting shoppers that are living the frustrations from the aforementioned paragraph. This is a time of joy, a time of sharing, a time of cheer, and a time of thinking of others, which includes every single one of those other miserable people not having a good fricken time with this.

I know what you’re thinking right now. “It’s a good thing he’s not talking about us”, right? I knew it. My readers are not normal, just like me. So as a random act of kindness I’m asking everyone who reads this to extend a hand and a smile to people you encounter, regardless of their response or lack thereof, over this holiday season. It may very well be the only one that they receive. Nothing huge like donating money, however I could use a coffee right now. Who am I kidding, anyone who knows me, knows I like a good Scotch lol.

Just one quick thought about random acts of kindness. If they have been filmed, especially by someone not performing the kindness act, and then posted on the interweb, then they aren’t “random”. They are staged and scripted because the person being filmed needs attention. Maybe they weren’t held as a child, or some other crap. Either way it’s a “look at me” thing. Definitely not random.

Here is what I ask. Hold the door open, thank people, don’t be in a rush, wish people a Merry Christmas, none of this politically correct Happy Holidays crap either, help push that stroller though the snow, tolerate the screaming kids in Walmart, and if all else fails, just smile and be happy and wish someone “have a nice day”. A positive attitude radiates exponentially. Try it.

That’s it, that’s all. It may very well be contagious. I’m hoping.

Sound corny? Damn right it sounds corny, but it works too.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.