Shoot the Wall (A.K.A. The Rant Thread)

[Pseudonym]

Sorry. I'll try to injure him this year, I promise. 

[Pseudonym]

Feeling really anxious and twitchy and on edge this morning for no apparent reason. My head is pounding, and if anyone tries to talk to me I may well go feral. 

[T.o.b.y]

Feeling really anxious and twitchy and on edge this morning for no apparent reason. My head is pounding, and if anyone tries to talk to me I may well go feral.

Maybe you are getting a cold? I often feel that way before more specific symptoms set in.

 

In any case, poor you.

[Pseudonym]

I don't feel like that when I get a cold. I think it's because I got up later than usual because I'm going to the cinema tonight and wanted to go straight from work, but now everything seems out of whack, it's later than it seems it should be, my brother is hanging about being irritating (he's not talking, but just by being here), I had two work emails from him this morning before I'd even left the house, which always puts me in a foul mood, and I'm just... FED UP. 

And I've just noticed he's put stuff in stock that I haven't even finished making yet. 

[Carol the Dabbler]

The anxious/ twitchy / on edge feeling sounds exactly like the symptoms of one of my allergies. Have you been exposed to unusually high amounts of anything lately? (In my case, the triggers are onions, garlic, and/or the "perfume" that they add to natural gas -- but I suspect that other people might have other symptoms for the same allergy, and/or the same symptoms for other allergies.)

[T.o.b.y]

Cinema sounds nice at least. What movie are you seeing?

[Pseudonym]

Well, I was planning to see Jumanji. But I went from being super antsy, to super depressed, to super exhausted. So I went home and straight to bed instead. But it means I've woken up from my nap at 10pm, which means I won't be sleeping too much tonight. I feel better though, so that's good. 

[SherlockedCAMPer]

The anxious/ twitchy / on edge feeling sounds exactly like the symptoms of one of my allergies. Have you been exposed to unusually high amounts of anything lately? (In my case, the triggers are onions, garlic, and/or the "perfume" that they add to natural gas -- but I suspect that other people might have other symptoms for the same allergy, and/or the same symptoms for other allergies.)

The last I knew the "perfume" added to natural gas is garlic or at least some component of it. That would explain your reaction to it. And don't eat my cooking without me being forewarned first as I tend to put granulated garlic and granulated onion in almost everything I cook.

[Pseudonym]

Me too, I love my garlic and onions!

[Pseudonym]

Came across a lady Scrooge in the post office. 

 

Postman: "All ready for Christmas?"

LS, much too passionately: "No! I don't believe in it!"

Postie: "Oh, okay."

LS: "It's too commercial! It's just commercial! And all the children are spoilt!" 

 

Business continues in an awkward silence. 

[T.o.b.y]

Came across a lady Scrooge in the post office.

 

Postman: "All ready for Christmas?"

LS, much too passionately: "No! I don't believe in it!"

Postie: "Oh, okay."

LS: "It's too commercial! It's just commercial! And all the children are spoilt!"

 

Business continues in an awkward silence.

Aw. Poor woman. She sounds unhappy. So many people associate unpleasantness with the holidays. It's sad.

 

I must say though, the commercialism does grate on me too. While I enjoy exchanging gifts and cards and like to see the decorations downtown, I get the impression that way too much emphasis is being put on the stuff and the bling.

 

And you don't have to be religious to make something more out of Christmas or whatever else you celebrate. I think it can have lots of meanings beyond "eat, drink, spend money and squabble with the relatives".

[Pseudonym]

I agree with the point it can be overly commercial, it gets to me too. And some kids are spoilt. But she was just so passionately vehemently against it.

Lots of sadness for a lot of people this time of year too, but she was just really angry. I think it took everyone aback. 

I'm not religious, but I like having the opportunity to spend some quality time with my family, eat good food, play board games. We do gifts but nothing huge. And I like the pretty lights and funny jumpers you see out and about. I particularly like seeing men in their goofy Christmas jumpers, brings a bit of levity to the day and shows they don't take themselves too seriously. 

[T.o.b.y]

:-) I think that's a British thing... Don't see many German men (or women) running around in silly sweaters any time of the year.

 

I am getting the impression that British Christmas is a jollier affair altogether. Here, I feel like it's rather solemn. Doesn't bother me though. I am not a terribly fun person.

[SherlockedCAMPer]

The US also has people running around in silly jumpers. Some are clueless as to how bad the jumper is. Others know the jumper is bad and wear it with pride, usually for an ugly sweater contest.

[Pseudonym]

I think being a bit hideous is definitely part of the fun. I've got one goofy one, with sparkly pom-poms, and two nice pretty ones that I'd wear to a pub or dinner or something. 

[Artemis]

I do think Christmas has become too commercial, but I also think, why get so upset about it? Don't let that ruin it for you, just enjoy it for whatever it means to you and don't worry about what it means to other people.

[T.o.b.y]

I do think Christmas has become too commercial, but I also think, why get so upset about it? Don't let that ruin it for you, just enjoy it for whatever it means to you and don't worry about what it means to other people.

Hear, hear! I fully agree.

[Hikari]

The US also has people running around in silly jumpers. Some are clueless as to how bad the jumper is. Others know the jumper is bad and wear it with pride, usually for an ugly sweater contest.

 

Yes, indeed.  The applique fairy goes berserk this time of year.

 

You can tell when an American spends a lot of time watching British telly and conversing with British folks, because words like 'jumper' trip easily off our keyboards.  When in Rome!  Until I met Helen, my British pen pal from 5th grade through high school, had you asked me to define 'jumper', I would have come up with two possibilities:

 

1. a suicide who elects to leap off a tall building

2.  a one-piece garment that goes over the head which is a skirt/pinafore combination with straps over the shoulders . .often done in corduroy or denim and favored by very little girls and elementary school teachers.

 

Thanks to Helen, I acquired a basic British vocabulary.  'trainers', 'lift', 'boot', 'lorry', 'jumper', 'crisps', 'boiled sweets' . . these were all new to me. 

 

We have 'Ugly Sweater Parties' here Stateside.  Even 'Ugly Sweater Sugar Cookie' decorating kits.  Holiday fashion can get ghastly, and American pop culture is so tacky and low-brow anyway . . why not send it up on purpose?  :)

[Hikari]

:-) I think that's a British thing... Don't see many German men (or women) running around in silly sweaters any time of the year.

 

I am getting the impression that British Christmas is a jollier affair altogether. Here, I feel like it's rather solemn. Doesn't bother me though. I am not a terribly fun person.

 

T.o.b.y.--

 

Are you Scots, by chance?

 

That sounds exactly what Doctor Watson thinks about English Christmases compared to Christmases at home.  He is a big fan of English Christmases.  His flatmate says 'You can have them, then!  Please!'

[Carol the Dabbler]

The last I knew the "perfume" added to natural gas is garlic or at least some component of it. That would explain your reaction to it. And don't eat my cooking without me being forewarned first as I tend to put granulated garlic and granulated onion in almost everything I cook.

 

You sound like just about everybody I know!  Fortunately, it takes a fair amount to trigger a truly bothersome reaction for me -- like the time I ate an entire order of onion rings.  So as long as I don't eat at your house two days in a row, I'd be fine as long as I passed up the creamed onions.

 

You're right about the "perfume."  When I realized I was getting the same reaction from onions/garlic and from natural gas, and then remembered that a friend who works for the gas company refers to their odorizer as "onion gas," I phoned the gas company chemist, and he told me that, while he's not sure whether that precise gas itself is a component of alliums, it's at least in the same family of chemicals.

[T.o.b.y]

 

 

:-) I think that's a British thing... Don't see many German men (or women) running around in silly sweaters any time of the year.

 

I am getting the impression that British Christmas is a jollier affair altogether. Here, I feel like it's rather solemn. Doesn't bother me though. I am not a terribly fun person.

T.o.b.y.--

 

Are you Scots, by chance?

 

That sounds exactly what Doctor Watson thinks about English Christmases compared to Christmases at home. He is a big fan of English Christmases. His flatmate says 'You can have them, then! Please!'

Nope, I am half American, half German. Never even been to Scottland but I would love to go there some day.

[Hikari]

 

 

:-) I think that's a British thing... Don't see many German men (or women) running around in silly sweaters any time of the year.

 

I am getting the impression that British Christmas is a jollier affair altogether. Here, I feel like it's rather solemn. Doesn't bother me though. I am not a terribly fun person.

T.o.b.y.--

 

Are you Scots, by chance?

 

That sounds exactly what Doctor Watson thinks about English Christmases compared to Christmases at home. He is a big fan of English Christmases. His flatmate says 'You can have them, then! Please!'

Nope, I am half American, half German. Never even been to Scottland but I would love to go there some day.

 

 

So German Christmases are solemn? 

 

I'm Lutheran . . the Christmas tree was Martin Luther's invention, or at least, import to Germany.  I don't think of Martin as a solemn guy, really, despite engravings of him looking rather dour.  The founder of my faith was a closet pyro who encouraged children to play with fire indoors--that's pretty high-spirited.  :)

 

Perhaps German Christmases are, rather than solemn, more dignified/less cheesy affairs than we get over here?  I think the Germans can be plenty jolly if they are well-fed and lubricated mit bier, ja?

[Pseudonym]

Scotland is beautiful. There are so many places I want to see and so little time (and money!).

 

Talking about people in other countries - I was tickled by all the super smart and snazzy business men I saw in Rome one winter, who were wearing very sharp suits and tailored coats, topped with this kind of hat. Though worn properly, not balanced on the top of the head like Sherl's. 

 

[T.o.b.y]

German Christmas is... Well, I don't know if "solemn" is the right word, but it isn't exactly jolly either.

 

The big celebration is on Christmas Eve, not Christmas Day. Lots of families go to church, even those that never set foot in one otherwise. Then they have coffee and Christmas cookies and cakes, light the candles on the tree and exchange presents. Using real candles is still common, though getting rarer. In the more "cultured" households, carols are sung and children may recite poetry or play something on whatever instruments they know before the gifts are opened. Then supper, if you're really religious back to church for the midnight service and then to bed.

 

Dress is traditionally elegant, festive. Getting drunk is not expected (that's for New Years) and most people I think would chose wine over beer for that particular occasion.

 

Of course there are also people who hang around on their sofa in cozy sweaters and watch TV and others who don't celebrate at all.

 

What I like best is to have a quiet, introspective evening with only my closest family on the 24th with lots and lots of candles and singing. We put the presents under the tree but save opening them for the next day, when we do a more American Christmas morning.

[Artemis]

Scotland is beautiful! I've been once but I would love to go back. I've always wanted to see Ireland and England too, I really hope I get to do that someday.

 

I thought that Germans were sort of known for their stoicism, so I'm not really surprised that German Christmases seem more solemn than others. I'm not terribly "jolly" myself so it sounds lovely to me, and more like the kind of Christmas I grew up with. No drinking or silly jumpers in my family.