Holiday happennings January 16, 2005
Posted by Aaron in : Life, Play , trackbackFor me the list of holidays made awkward by being single is short. So short in fact that I can only name one: Christmas. I know, I know, I?m suppose to say Valentines Day, but that wouldn?t be true, though I may return to it before I?m done here.
Christmas, the time of peas on earth & good will toward men (and presumably the occasional woman)? it?s just awkward. We aren?t talking about Christmas with the immediate family either (though I was presented with an opportunity to be forgetful and sure enough, Carpe Opportunum, or in this case, forget even the smallest token gifts for the parents). It is the two other Christmases with the extended families. I lucked out for the first one this year, we drew names to assign present giving duties. This weekend we had the second (delayed due to the addition of a cousin), and I completely didn?t even think about it, not even an unopened pack of gum to drop in a stocking. But that isn?t what makes it awkward (surprisingly enough), it?s the vague uncertainty as to how I fit in. I?m living on my own & so I really feel like trying to fit in under my immediate families ?from the Colfleshes to ?? gifts is just a dirty way of avoiding getting gifts because I know my parents have. At the same time, it seems like I don?t quite count as an independent household of my own. That somehow being listed in the phonebook & having my signature on some hefty loans still only grants me that murky ?college student? household classification. Odd in that proving I can feed & cloth myself, by myself seems to label me the oddball in the eyes of the perceived norm. In truth, I am somewhat the elite; I would have probably seemed the ideal victim of the ?ring before spring? that both colleges I?ve attended have jokingly (but with some basis for truth) advocated. But I defied that statistic I think making me the first to do so counting aunts & uncles with only one exception.
Huzza for me, I think.
How could I resist balancing the previous comments by talking about Valentines Day? I think Valentines Day is in February, but don?t ask for a more specific date than that, I haven?t got one (truly I didn?t intend that pun, but having written it, huzza!). Valentines Day announces itself as a disturbance in the force, more accurately color balances. My usual primary color consumer experience is overrun by a gamut of shades of red & pink. For the record it?s less the pastel-ness of it all and more the monotone pastel-ness that irritates my eyes. Oh and I know it is really close to the day when well meaning non-single friends ask how I?m doing more than usual. Perhaps if there had ever been cause for the date to be significant, than it might bother me (wow rereading that sentence, I realize like it sounds horrible, honestly it?s not an attempt at pity, its how I really view it). As it is, I figure I?m not the one shopping for the ?perfect? gift, nor am I planning any special dining experience. Heck if it falls on a Saturday, I can tell you how I?ll ?celebrate? it now. I warn those who are unprepared for a glimpse into the life of a single guy (or at least my brand of it) stop reading now. Around 11:30 I?ll finally get out of bed having already been fully awake for at least 45 minutes. If its cool in the apartment, I?ll put on pants, otherwise I?ll make due in my tighty-whities. I?ll nuke a couple hotdogs while waiting for my computer to boot; I?ll probably eat said hotdogs while watching cartoons. Eventually, I?ll chase Nathan off City Of Heroes, and while I?m connecting have a couple more hotdogs or perhaps a bowl of cereal. I?ll spend most of the afternoon playing, rarely bothering to put on more clothes than I did upon getting up. By evening I?ll be bored & decide its time to make my first departure from the apartment of the day (of course getting dressed before I do). Whatever I end up doing, I?ll probably end the day feeling mildly disappointed. Not because it?s a special day and I did nothing, but because I?m bored with my routine & wish I had something a bit more exciting to do. So that is my take on Valentines Day, oh and you folks better start shopping for your significant others, from where I sit, I see a lot of red. Though that?s probably because the first pen I found in the dark had red ink. Will the ironies never cease? One can hope so because I?ve no desire to dream of irons tonight (or those tasty little candy hearts).
May you find this post in peace and leave you with the proper amount of confusion.
Comments»
Actually I believe you have mispoke on the status in the family. The real indicator is the influx of a steady, to be counted on next month, income. So as you move into that steadiness - anticipate the responsibility of providing gifts for those in your range of age. (Which by the way is presently a range of 24 years-49 days old.) With the occasional gift - if a particularly appropriate one is found within a resonable price range - for the older generation, paying particular attention to the grands. As for the madre and padre the traditional gift of your presence is the favorite gift of choice with an occasional stick of gum thrown in for good measure.
What is this place? I’m assuming it’s a little like xanga only on steroids! I visited Chris’ site and tried to leave a comment but I’m not sure if it worked. It asked me to login or post as annonymos. Anyway, talk to you later.