Thanks For... Ending?

So, yesterday was Thanksgiving. I doubt anyone is reading this, but just in case they are and they're in a different country (since I'm not sure if people from other countries know anything about U.S Thanksgiving), it's a holiday we celebrate the 4th Thursday of every November and pretty much involves stuffing ourselves with stuff like turkey (maybe ham or roast beef or tofurkey or whatever), mashed potates, stuffing, vegetables, bread and pumpkin pie. Or some other variation.

For me personally, it involves trying to appease my mother and father, who are no longer married. I would like to preface this by saying I know there are people out there who have bigger problems than mine. I've tried to remind myself of this so that I wouldn't feel so crappy... but it didn't work. So while I know things could be worse, they could also be better.

My sister and I are supposed to alternate parents; one year at my mom's and the next at my dad's. My parents split in 2005, so this is only the 4th year of this. This year was my dad's turn and previously, when we've spent the day with him, my mom has been invited to her friend's house, but this year her friend was out of town. So before we went to my dad's, we went to her house. We played a game and ate some snacks and I felt bad... but I am very much in the middle. So that's the first sucky thing.

The second thing is that no matter how much I try to tolerate my dad's wife and her family, I am miserable when I have to be around them. The topic of my dog came up and they got those looks on their faces because she happens to be a pitbull. None of them have ever so much as seen a picture of her, but because she is a pitbull, she must be deadly and vicious. My dog is like a daughter to me, so I take offense to that. Furthermore, I always feel like an interloper when I am around them. I feel like I am my father's niece, rather than his daughter. My father and his wife planned on going shopping this morning and invited her daughter to breakfast, right in front of me... but I wasn't invited. They talk about things in front of us, like they are supposed to be a secret, but we're not significant enough to be included. I've never liked how my father has freely admitted to loving his wife more than us, constantly puts her before everyone, but when he doesn't even treat us as well as her children - whom he doesn't even like, it feels really really crappy.

I just feel like I have to do with my father as I've done with several of my friends lately; they've shown me that when I really need them, they aren't around, even if I have been there for them in the past, so I have taken a step back from them and those relationships. I guess that's what I have to do with him. I know he's my father, and I will always love him, but I don't think it's fair to me to have to go through this.

Potential Devastating News

I had a hair appointment today and my hairdresser was running a few minutes late with the person before me, so I sat and waited for a few minutes. Since I don't do waiting very well, I pulled out my Blackberry and checked out CNN because... I don't really wait. Anyway, I discovered the most disturbing tidbit of information! Apparently the Screen Actor's Guild may be going on strike. Imagine a world with no new episodes of your favorite TV show (maybe even new movies) for months on end. It would be like... last year. I cannot handle two years in a row of indefinite hiatus's of my shows, especially not now. I am rarely anywhere besides work or home. I make my one trip a week to the grocery store, I get my hair done every five weeks and once a month or so I may hit up Target/Kohl's/the mall. My life revolves around Netflix and TV! And I'm not even being dramatic. I have no idea how much time I spend strategizing my queue at Netflix and figuring out which DVD's I want next, factoring in when they will be received (I go for movies during the week and TV shows on DVD for the weekends) and what is on TV the night I get them. Pathetic? Maybe... but I'm a lot happier than when I used to spend time and money (not to mention energy) going out to eat, the movies, clubs, etc...

This strike could endanger my couch potato existance! What am I going to do? Become an avid exerciser? Start gardening? Nature photography?

Please, anyone reading this that might have any influence, please do not let them strike. Or if they have to, can they do it during the time they'd normally be on hiatus anyway?

My Declaration of Independence

I had an epiphany of sorts recently. I am actually really happy with my current relationship status... or lack thereof.

I'm single, and have been for almost three months. I haven't been on any dates, I don't know of anyone I have any interest in dating. If I am not at work, more often than not, I am at home. And I am seriously, 100% fine with it.

I have no desire to be with anyone right now. I don't yearn for a guy of my own when I see a couple holding hands or doing some couply thing. I haven't even pondered how nice it would be to have a boyfriend that I could drag with me to the neighborhood block party I am supposed to go to (where I don't know anyone). I recently was reading about a tango class and I always wanted to take tango (or just about any dance) classes, but you have to have a partner. So I said "Aww, I need a boyfriend," and almost immediately thought... not really.

If I had a boyfriend, I'd have to spend time with him. I'd have to go places with him and do things I'm not really interested in. Like see Hellboy 2. I'd have to go to restaurants and watch everyone else eat yummy stuff and order mashed potatoes.

Part of the reason is my current health problem. I don't feel like doing very much. But also... I'm really content staying home with my dog and more or less staying on top of my housework. Netflix helps... my life pretty much revolves around it.

Anyway... I'm actually really content with this. For reals. Back when "Single" came out (Natasha Bedingfield... quite catchy tune) I was all digging it. It was a couple of years ago, before I met Loser Boy (I'll have to write several blogs on him someday) and totally embraced it, even as I made it my ringtone in hopes that some hot guy would hear it and totally love my confidence and taste in music (because he would see that, to me, a ringtone is never just a ringtone, but actually a meaningful expression of what was in my head and heart) and then I wouldn't be single. And then post-Loser Boy, I always wanted to be happy to be single, but that never quite worked.

But now, I am not looking for anyone. I don't even entertain the idea of a date. And if Loser Boy tried, I wouldn't have a problem staying away.

And it feels SO KICK ASS!

OMG, I AM a Disney Princess!

So I wanted to take Monday off and have a four day weekend. This didn't work for three reasons:

1) My boss told me I could take the day off as long as I was caught up with my work. At 8:00 in the morning, it was no problem. But then she and all my other bosses piled on extra little tasks. I felt like freaking Cinderella, being told I could go to the ball, as long as I had my work done... and then finding my list of chores growing exponentially until it would be impossible for me to go to the ball... or take Monday off. But despite the fact that I do not have a fairy godmother or very productive and vocally talented mice, I was able to get my work done by 5:00 - but it did involve me working through my lunch and breaks.

2) Also during the "Well, you can have the day off IF" speech, I was informed that due the holiday Tuesday, I'd have to be on the phones for at least part of the day on Wednesday. So, it's possible that I won't get to my own work until Thursday. If I don't work Monday... that'll be a lot of work. And I knew I would spend my whole weekend obsessing over it.

3) I've been told all the bosses are going to be working on a project Monday and will be so busy, they might not have time to annoy me with little tasks they don't have time to do because they're so busy doing nothing. I might actually have a productive day!


However, despite my concerns that my 4-day weekend would be somewhat spoiled with concerns that I'd get stuck working 3 hours of overtime Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, I probably should have done it anyway. Now I've spent the whole weekend bummed that I have to go to work Monday.

On a related note, my boss told me she also wants to put me on the phone Monday, December 1st. It's the Monday after Thanksgiving, and also the first day we'll be using a new program to view customer accounts. Our company historically screws up whenever we have a new anything, so there is a 99.9% chance this will be a craptastic day (and a 92% chance the whole week will be a nightmare). However, it was pointed out to me by the person who knows better than anyone that if I give her 7 day's notice, she cannot deny me that day off. Considering how bad that day will be and the fact that I'm not getting my 4 day weekend... I'm going for a 5 day weekend.

Oh, and a little update to my previous post... no gifts. Nobody has even asked if I am registered. And no checks! I'm waiting for my grandmother to ask me about it.