*** Singles' Christmas and Holiday Thread ***

December 6, 2008

[WFTR]

Merry Christmas!
Greetings Singles!

A few months ago, we decided to try to run a monthly thread, but as you can see, we haven't had much luck. Life has been busy for me and I know for at least one other host. We've had the misfortune of seeing the least qualified candidate ever nominated by either party elected to our nation's highest office, and that event has certainly hurt the morale of many of us. By this time next year, Pelosi, Reid, and SOBama may have shut down Free Republic by application of the so-called "fairness doctrine." They're doing their best to make Orwell's predictions come true. However, we still have our freedom and a real American as president for another six weeks, so we can be thankful for this time. None of us wanted to see the singles' thread eliminated completely, and I'd like to kick off a Christmas and holiday thread.

I would call the thread just a holiday thread because I want to be inclusive of Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year. On the other hand, "Holiday Thread" sounds too much like something created by the idiots who want to expunge Christmas from our society in the name of diversity. I'm starting this thread, and I'm determined to put Christmas in the title. The "holiday" part is to keep us from feeling that we've jumped on the Christmas bandwagon too soon and in hopes of hearing about your Thanksgiving celebration and New Year's plans. (If snugs was planning something even better for Christmas, I apologize. We'll let her start a second thread for Christmas alone.)

With these thoughts in mind, please tell us about the fall you've had, the Thanksgiving you've celebrated, and your plans, memories, and thoughts about Christmas. As always, pictures of decorations, pets, your families, and yourselves are welcomed and desired.

[WFTR]

I’m glad that you are doing well and thank you for your efforts to fight illegal immigration. I hope you’re able to find a good turkey dinner soon.

[WFTR]

I’m sorry to see your father struggling so much. I hope life and health for both of you. If you can’t participate now, I understand. We’re here for you if you need us.

[WFTR]

Thank you for the service that your grandson is giving this country. I hope that he will be safe and serve well.

[WFTR]

The reason you do not have a significant other is that you have a snake.

Yeah, but that doesn't explain why I didn't have a significant other for 42 years prior to buying my first pet snake. Actually, buying these pets was in part an admission that I would never find anyone. I had always wanted some, and when I decided that I'd never find a wife, I figured that I might as well build my "family" of reptiles. Strangely enough, many young women are interested in reptiles, and many of them are attractive, intelligent young ladies. If only I were younger, I could be rejected by some neat young ladies.

[WFTR]

PS. Thanks for joining us. You make any thread more interesting than I ever could.

[WFTR]

Good evening! I’m slow, but I’m getting back to this thread. My week has been busy, but I’m slowly making progress towards getting ready for the holidays.

[WFTR]

I’m sorry to hear of you breaking your wrist. I assume that you are okay by now, but if not, I hope you are healing rapidly. Thanks for showing your pictures. You do great photography.

[WFTR]

Thanks for the kind words. I'll post a few more pictures shortly.

Your place sounds great. I see swallows at work occasionally, but I've never seen them come to my house or my folks' house (in Tennessee). I'm sorry for the loss of your kitty. Our animals are precious to us. They give so much, and we miss them horribly when they are gone.

[WFTR]

You’re nice to help your college friend during Thanksgiving. I’ve had to spend only one Thanksgiving away from my family, and I would hate not being able to see family at the holidays. I’m sorry that you won’t get more time off at Christmas. I hope you get at least some kind of break from the normal routine at some point during the year.

[WFTR]

It’s funny that we talked about new jobs last week and this week I thought I had another lead. When I started to investigate, I learned that the job was one that I had already checked. I guess I’ll be sitting tight for a while longer.

[WFTR]

I’m sorry that Christmas isn’t a great time for you. In many ways, I no longer feel that “magic” that I once felt. I’ve often thought that I might feel more if I weren’t single. As you said, I’m reminded of those things that I don’t have. On the other hand, I’m glad for the chance to see my family, and I’m glad for a time of year when being with family is emphasized. My family and I don’t share the stereotypical warm, fuzzy, “Hallmark” kind of relationship, but I don’t wish for anything else. In many ways, I’ll be glad to get back to my house after spending Christmas at home, but I’m also glad to be going home for Christmas.

[WFTR]

I hope we'll continue posting through the holidays as much as our time allows. Of course, I had intended to get back to this thread during the week, but each night was a different issue that kept me from posting here. If folks have time, I'd appreciate their stopping to say a few words.

The big event of my week was the snowfall in Louisiana, or as Louisianans would say, "We had sneaux!" On Thursday morning, I awoke to kids screaming with joy. Snow had been forcast, and I'd had trouble sleeping on Wednesady night. I had dozed fitfully and got up around three in the morning to look. At that time, there was nothing. When I heard the kids a little after seven, I knew that we'd had snow. I didn't have much time to enjoy and would be a little late to work anyway, but I snapped a couple of pictures. Here's the best.

On Sunday, I went out to take more bird pictures, and I had a few successes.

[MHGinTN]

Beautiful! I wonder, will it hurt the azaleas for Spring?

[Hyzenthlay]

Yeah, it’s sort of a tradition for me to invite anyone and everyone who’s stuck on campus during thanksgiving to my place cause we live really close, and I think my siblings are mildly entertained to see what kind of interesting person or persons I might bring home... I’m not normal, and neither are my friends =)

I don’t mind being busy around Christmas, though, as that was sort of a pre-requisite of my job. But, after the holidays, things are going to get really quiet and I won’t have classes for a bit, so I’m trying to make some plans to do something fun and away from here.

[WFTR]

Beautiful! I wonder, will it hurt the azaleas for Spring?

That's a good question. If I had to guess, I'd say that it won't. The temperature didn't drop below freezing for very long, and we get a little freezing weather every year. The snow never stuck on the branches to weight the azaleas down or break any branches. I think we'll be okay, but I guess we'll know in a few months.

[WFTR]

But, after the holidays, things are going to get really quiet and I won’t have classes for a bit, so I’m trying to make some plans to do something fun and away from here.

That would be great.

[rabidralph]

Thank you. No, I didn’t get a deer yesterday. I saw two of them, off in the distance, but with eight inches of snow I wasn’t looking forward to pulling them out of the woods. I enjoyed my time hunting and I’m looking forward to next year.

[Nowhere Man]

It’s funny that we talked about new jobs last week and this week I thought I had another lead. When I started to investigate, I learned that the job was one that I had already checked. I guess I’ll be sitting tight for a while longer.

I hope you get a better position soon but at least you have something now. Right now, the object of the game is to pay the bills and survive to get to the other side, whatever it may be. One good thing where I'm at, even part-timers, which I am officially listed as for now, get benefits but I have to wait until mid February to enroll.

[Nowhere Man]

So—a funeral right before Christmas. NOT exactly what was hoping for.

Some of mom’s friends have been supportive, of course, including her best friend Sylvia, her coworkers and my “sister” Laurie too. Laurie talked to mom Tuesday night, to try and comfort her, and this was BEFORE Marie died. She does know what happened—and said she will send mom a card of sympathy.

I'm sorry for your loss. We lost my grandfather six days before Christmas in 1966 but I was only 5 months old so I don't remember but losing a loved one around Christmas was hard on my family. Foe me, Easter is a tough time, I lost my grandmother during Holy Week in 1997, my aunt close to Easter in 1995 and one of my beloved cats passed away a day before Easter in 2006.

To make matters worse—my boss Patty, whom seems “upset” that I do not consider her “a friend to me like Laurie”,— (Laurie is VERY special to me...and I do not consider ANYONE to be the kind of friend she is...nor have I EVER)— Well Patty WENT OFF on me a couple of days ago like NEVER before,or for that matter, like few people EVER have. Over a misunderstanding regarding the cost of a repair of a tv of a woman who did not want to pay much—she said some VERY cruel things to me, including that “she did not feel we were as good of friends as she wanted to be”, that “I would cut her throat at the first chance” and that “she could not trust me”. Since that time....we have had VERY little to say to each other. Ironic,. as it is usually her husband Ray, who gives me a hard time. but he has been “ok” during this period, and he NEVER said ANY of those things to me before either!!

what brought it on?? I don’t know..I think Satan is VERY upset at me, because a couple of days before—I did some HEAVY DUTY witnessing to Patty, as “the door opened to do so” and I did not miss the chance. She has been hurt VERY badly by a church, basically, one would NOT baptize her grandson(IIRC), because Ray was “not a christian” and that HURT Patty. I let her know of some of the “nice things” that happened to me over the decades in church, such as being labeled a drug pusher, lied about and kicked out of doing sound TWICE in 2 different churches, having parents tell their children that i was a “bad influence on them” and to stay away from them or destroy friendships with me , and so on...BUT I am STILL involved in church, in fact , I am now doing sound AGAIN, at Dayspring, where we are now “firmly grounded”. I tried to convince her to go to some Bible-teaching Church before the end of the year, hopefully for Christmas..and she seemed “open” to the idea. Now..she has said some things that will NOT be easy to “take back”...but I WILL forgive her, if she “comes around”...It is a PATTERN, that when I witness to someone who REALLY needs it...something BAD happens soon after, usually between me and that person.

She must have some issues internally or with family. It's a shame that she is cranky with you. IIRC, you said she voted for Obama, well, tell you the truth, I keep asking the question, "if a person has a business, how in the heck can they vote for him?" I'm just scratching and shaking my head on that one.

Politics aside, I guess you can try saving her but if she turns really nasty, I'd look for another position although that is very tough to do right now. One good thing about Pittsburgh, we are not affect as bad as most of the country although we are hurting here too. I'm working in an auto parts store, very busy, then again people are keeping their old jalopies.

I've had less than stellar experience working for small businesses, my grade school buddy (we've been together since 1976/77), now my boss too, has even worse experience, he prefers to work for big, corporate entities, they have better benefits and ability to stay alive through good and bad times. In the past, we both worked for a small business and let's say we have a lot of war stories and wounds to prove it. I think that would make a good topic to keep this conversation going. In your line of work, I think it would be harder, I don't know of any regional or national appliance/TV repair chains. I'm pretty much going on the experience I've and my buddy had.

I'm glad you have a good friend in Laurie like I do with my buddy, next time, we might take a night and go "cosmic bowling."

[Nowhere Man]

Holiday bump! Merry Christmas and Happy Hannukah to all!