Thursday, November 20, 2008

The Holidays...and other ramblings

Is it just me, or does mandatory fun seem to increase exponentially the closer we get to Christmas??

If I have to go to one more tea, coffee, lunch, brunch, reception, party, event or bbq (or plan one more!!!) I may scream. It probably just seems worse because not only are there are the various levels of parties to attend for Einstein, but my own obligations are in full swing.

Frankly, I loathe holiday parties. I know, Scrooge-y of me, but I don't care. I love Christmas, but I like staying at home, baking, decorating, etc. I hate buying useless white elephant gifts. It seems so...wasteful.

Why yes, I am that person who opts out of the secret santa/office gift exchange/whatever and makes everyone else feel gluttonous by suggesting we donate to charity instead. Sorry.

I like entertaining...but paying $$ for tickets to the squadron holiday party...not so much. I like going to people's houses for dinners, chill hanging out, etc...but not forced festivity. So sue me.

I swear, my real name is not Ebeneezer!

Thanks for the comments on the last post; I'm feeling much better about it. Mostly because I looked at pay scales for other parts of the country and remembered just how far below average the pay is here, haha. :-D

In happier holiday news, Einstein and I have all of our Advent provisions (ie, wreath and calendar) laid in. I am planning to make Chex mix and put up the tree next weekend (after my second favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, yay!!). Also, I finally managed to order my lefse (Norwegian food, can't have a holiday without it!) and it should be arriving pre-Thanksgiving.

Ooooh! An out-take from my day today!

The setting: Having lunch midday at a (library) conference, sitting with coworker: I peer into my boxed lunch (which was sadly inadequate, btw).

Me: Hmmm...salad, chips, fork...*roots around* WHERE IS THE COOKIE??
Coworker: What? You don't have a cookie?? Wait, *I* don't have a cookie, EITHER!
Me (looking around at other's lunches with a growing sense of foreboding): I don't think anyone has a cookie.
Coworker: No way. Did they not realize this was a library conference??
Me: There had better be cookies during the afternoon breakout, or I am pulling ALA membership cards and taking names.

Thankfully, we emerged at the middle of the afternoon session to find trays of brownies and cookies. It was close, though. Because no way would my boss have given me my professional development credits for a conference without cookies. They are mandatory at any event involving librarians.

6 comments:

Bette said...

Mmm, lefse. It's mandatory Christmas food at our house, too! One of these years I'll get the gumption up to make it...maybe.

loqi said...

Cookies for librarians, eh? Sounds a lot like software engineers, so I guess it will be an easy career switch for me when I get there. :)

I am sooo with you on the mandatory fun. Ditto to everything you said.

The Mrs. said...

I too hate forced fun. I like me some good old fashioned kick back and relax fun.

And by the way I was about to ask for your address so I could send you some cookies.... but thankfully you got some!

The Mrs. said...

and by the way I have finally added you to my blog roll. My apologies for taking so long, my mind is like swiss cheese.

Nomad Librarian said...

Bette- Wow. Making lefse?? Maybe someday, when I inherit my mom's griddle, roller, ricer and turning sticks! It takes a lot of gear...and time! I love making it, but I'm so used to having the right equipment that I would be lost without it!

This year I'm going to try (emphasis on the TRY) to make fattigmand and sannbaklse (sp?). And rommegrat (again, I've no idea if I'm spelling that right).

Bette said...

Your ambition is admirable! I usually make a big batch of kringle for my grandma and call it a day.

Now: Are you a lutefisk family?