Christmastime in the city

which means i need to bring presents into the office. everyone in my office wanted gift cards. all from different places, which nessicitated running all over creation for them, but that's another story.

so, while everyone wants gift cards, and i got everyone the gift card they wanted, i still have to bring in gifts. it goes against everything in me to just give a gift card. i blame my mother for this. my mom gives great gifts, and lots of them. while she likes that i give her a list of requests, if she doesn't find the requests interesting enough, i get other stuff. something always has to be a surprise, otherwise, what's the fun?

my father sends me a check every year, and has since i was in high school. so, as the only child of divorced parents, i get money *and* presents and the best of both worlds. don't let anyone tell you that divorce or being an only wrecks a kid for life. i'm doing ok. ;->

(well, okay, there's the problem that now that dad's in florida, he really wants me to visit for the holidays, but christmas morning has been mom's my entire life, so... there are some guilt issues. but doesn't everyone have some form of guilt issue at the holidays? isn't someone always getting left out?)

anyhow, i am my mother's daughter, and so today i had my biggest tote bag full of crap. heavy crap. luckily, no one was on the subway with me, because evidently the rest of the city is off. i share my subway stop with the community college, and they're definately on christmas break, because there are no teenagers being loud and pushy in the station.

i was about to close with 'happy holidays,' but i just have to say a word or two about the american 'debate' over 'happy holidays' vs. 'merry christmas'. i've been using 'happy holidays' for years. know why? because there are more holidays than christmas in december. its polite. its being considerate of other people's beliefs. its nice.

am i insulted if someone says 'merry christmas' to me? or 'happy hanukah'? or whatever? no. why should i be? i further don't understand why any sane person should be offended by 'happy holidays'. what's the big freaking deal, bill o'freaking reilly? christmas, holidays, can't we all just be nice to each other?

so, happy freaking holidays.

;->

I have noticed

this weird divide on the subway. this for some reason applies more to going home than coming in, altho it seems like it should be the same both ways.

City Hall is the stop where just about every line that could come into Philadelphia does. I've noticed going home that when I get on the train, there's a wide variety of people there. Then everyone in a suit gets off at City Hall, presumedly to get on the trains that take them to the 'burbs. Then continuing south its the rest of us working stiffs. Not nearly as many suits.

I'm not sure why it doesn't look the same in the morning. Maybe all the suits go to work earlier than I do.

I'm only posting because I don't want to deal with the snow that I hear is happening. I am not a fan of slippery streets.

it's freaking cold

I have made a decision that if it is less than 20 degrees when I leave in the morning, I can take the subway. It means I don't get as much excercise, but it does give me the opportunity to observe my fellow Philadelphians. Since my iPod is currently out of commission (I think my cat ate through the earbud wires, and I haven't had a chance to get new ones), I have to stare at people to pass the time on the subway ride.

Today I saw a kid- maybe 16 or 17- chewing on a coffee stirrer. He had another one tucked in his hat. Reserve, maybe? Gum isn't good enough?

This reminded me of one of my favorite Nick Carter moments. During the press blitz for Black and Blue, Backstreet did one of those things where they sit in a room and reporters come in and interview them. I've got about 15 versions of this interview from different sources, where the boys are all wearing the same thing and looking increasingly more bored.

During all of them, Nick in chewing on a straw. Evidently he has an oral fixation. In one of the later interviews, Nick is sitting back in his chair, not answering questions, probably not even listening. At one point, he takes the straw out of his mouth, considers it intently, then decides there is more chewing to be done there and resumes chewing. Did he not realize he was on camera, or did he just not care?

hey, i actually agree with this one!

Your 2005 Song Is

Since You've Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson "But since you've been gone I can breathe for the first time I'm so moving on" In 2005, you moved on.

What Hit Song of 2005 Are You?

snow day

on the subway, getting on at south street, my stop: woman in a black coat, high black super cool boots, with red and black plaid tights, which were much groovier than that sounds. red scarf, green striped gloves, and an Andy Warhol soup can messenger bag, which was freaking awesome. best of all- she was at least 40. this contrasts with my outfit yesterday which was so frumpy i decided i looked like a grown-up. not that i usually look like a teeny bopper, but i usually just look like me. yesterday i looked old and frumpy. remind me not to wear that outfit again.

i was actually on the subway today because its a snowy sleeting mess out there. schools are closed, but admin offices are open. i find it incredibly unfair that sheri gets a snow day when the schools are closed, but i work for the schools and i have to come in. however, she was a very good friend this morning and made waffles on our new Hello Kitty waffle iron, which was a great $15 investment.