And I feel fine. So it's Decembeer 26, 2012, and my Mayan calendar is no longer working. That giant round hunk of plaster with the paper clip hanger in the back that I painted gold in second grade is finally out of date. It's a paper weight. Dang. It outlasted every other calendar I've every had. You gotta give it to the Mayans for making a fine product. But now it's done. The whole universe was supposed to implode, I guess, because the Mayans didn't make their calender go past the winter solstice of 2012. Really, people. Personally, I'm impressed that the Mayans got that far. Good for them. So now what? More of the same I guess. Unless there's another Y2K or Mayan calendary fiasco around the next corner, we'll have to wait for the rapture to liven things up a bit.
Where was I? Oh yeah, rainbows and unicorns. Just when I was on the train to Happy Town, we made an unexpected stop at BummerVille. Just before Thanksgiving, while visiting family in the midwest, I got word that my mother, who lived here in Phoenix near me, had passed away. There went my ticket to Happy. I've got some distance now, and it really was a good thing (mom had suffered from Alzheimer's for many years and was literally wasting away in private care). She is truly at peace now, so I'm happy for mom. But man, when you're looking for Happy, Funeral Week is not where you want to be. On the brighter side, these things happen, and without sadness, happiness has to reach pretty lofty heights. So sad balances out the happy -- it's the yin to Happy's yang.
Once I got past the funeral/grieving process, we were already deep into the insanity that has become An American Christmas. Basically, the day after Halloween, you have to start shopping for Christmas decorations and gifts and planning parties and trips. And that shit doesn't end until after New Year's, when you have to pack up all the pointless ornaments, socks etc., recycle (hopefully) all the wrapping and gift boxes, and sweep up all the dead pine needles. Not the greenest holiday there is. So this year, I opted out of some of the cray-cray. I decided to spend some of my shopping money on a good thing for the planet, and let my friends (who really don't need anything) get over it. I considered donating animals to people who need them for the milk or wool, or eggs, etc., but then I decided that was really selling some poor animals into slavery. I thought about animal preserves and legislation to protect animals, but I wanted something with even broader effect. So I went with trees. Yes, oxygen. I figure it's not only good for people and animals, but also for the entire planet and its ecosystems. Deforestation, climate change, it can all be helped by replacing some of the trees that we've been destroying at an alarming pace for the last few centuries. Anyway, that's it -- I planted 1,000 trees in Venezuela. And instead of feeling broke and frazzled, I feel good. Yes, it's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine. Maybe even a little better than fine. I'd like to see world peace, an end to animal cruelty, and no more deforestation or pollution, but baby steps. Right now, I feel like I've done something good with my Christmas cash.
Breathe.
You're welcome!
Once I got past the funeral/grieving process, we were already deep into the insanity that has become An American Christmas. Basically, the day after Halloween, you have to start shopping for Christmas decorations and gifts and planning parties and trips. And that shit doesn't end until after New Year's, when you have to pack up all the pointless ornaments, socks etc., recycle (hopefully) all the wrapping and gift boxes, and sweep up all the dead pine needles. Not the greenest holiday there is. So this year, I opted out of some of the cray-cray. I decided to spend some of my shopping money on a good thing for the planet, and let my friends (who really don't need anything) get over it. I considered donating animals to people who need them for the milk or wool, or eggs, etc., but then I decided that was really selling some poor animals into slavery. I thought about animal preserves and legislation to protect animals, but I wanted something with even broader effect. So I went with trees. Yes, oxygen. I figure it's not only good for people and animals, but also for the entire planet and its ecosystems. Deforestation, climate change, it can all be helped by replacing some of the trees that we've been destroying at an alarming pace for the last few centuries. Anyway, that's it -- I planted 1,000 trees in Venezuela. And instead of feeling broke and frazzled, I feel good. Yes, it's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine. Maybe even a little better than fine. I'd like to see world peace, an end to animal cruelty, and no more deforestation or pollution, but baby steps. Right now, I feel like I've done something good with my Christmas cash.
Breathe.
You're welcome!
