Un-Holidays and Consumerism

Marketing gurus in America perform a neat trick that cleverly links "holidays" with spending hard-earned cash on meaningless crap.  If you are someone (like me) who doesn't buy into the bullshit, then you are a heretic. I can live with that. 

I'm heretical on several levels.

The first and foremost being religion.  I am not a devout follower of any religion.  I see no reason to believe in a higher power other than Mother Nature.  She can wipe my sorry little ass off the planet with one bat of her eyelash if she chooses, and she doesn't require oddities such as human sacrifice, mass, confession, Sundays spent staring at a wall while a man (or woman) drones on about hellfire and damnation, prayer, meditation, or really anything at all. If she wants me to die, then I die. There is absolutely no recourse. I'm fine with that. That's life.   

 I am always startled when religious and non-religious people all rush out on Black Friday for an orgy of spending.  I don't know if this is supposed to appease Jesus, Mother Nature, Buddha, President Obama or some other entity; but the marketing geniuses have cleverly worked guilt into the equation.  You are a bad son/daughter/sister/brother/mother/father if you don't buy many many gifts for the people in your life.  Christmas is the season for giving (with your wallet mainly) and please make it something expensive! 

Then there is Zombie Jesus Day (Easter for the lay-person); a day when kids all over America hunt boiled eggs, open plastic candy-filled eggs, and search a basket for the all mighty toy!  Let's not tell them that Easter is actually an ancient celebration of rebirth and renewal that Christians have twisted into their religion for their own use. But I really fail to see what bunnies, chickens, and zombie Jesus have to do with candy and toys.

There are non-religious examples as well. Mother's Day and Father's Day.  I don't celebrate either day.  Does this mean I don't love my mother and father? No. I love them very much. I even appreciate them.  It just means I don't feel guilty about not buying presents.  I called my mom yesterday and wished her a happy day.  Not because it mattered a damn bit to me (as most socially accepted things do not) but it mattered to HER.  I couldn't talk long because I had a migraine and I was certain I was about to vomit from the pain, but once I told her that, she chatted away and didn't expect me to say much. And didn't object when I said I had to get off the phone because I was going to be sick.  She was just as happy as if I'd bought her flowers or a present.  A gift of time is more important than a gift of money, at least to me.  The marketers would have you believe otherwise. Yes, BRIBE your way into your mother's heart.

Valentine's Day is an abomination. Yep, I think most Americans do wait until that one day in February to tell their wife/husband/boyfriend/girlfriend that they love them. And they don't say it with gestures and words, they say it with money.  "Don't you see I love you? I spent $50 on roses, and we're going to dinner somewhere expensive!"  Is it any wonder half of all marriages end in divorce?  Roses and expensive dinners aren't going to open up any sort of communication. And, since Jon and I often get our wires crossed, communication is the key.

I'm proud to be a heretic.

In Which I think I am Victorious

Today I dog-sit, which is really simple and fun and Sadie has only been checking windows looking for Ruth a few times.  She is more laid back this time than last...I assume because Ruth didn't drop her off and I just took Sadie for a ride.  But I can tell she misses Ruth.  She has discovered how to sit on the folding chair by my table and look out the window; just like a person.  Sadie is such an amazing little black dog.

I called my folks to let them know I mostly likely (unless in the event of horrible natural disaster) will be driving down Christmas Eve to be able to spend Christmas with them.  Mom sounded extremely happy even though she works the day after Christmas.  She talked for an hour and I basically just had to tell her I wanted off the phone.  I got tired of all the depressing stories.  Save those for in person, Mom, please.  I know she is just relaying information that I sometimes do not have access to, but I don't want that to be the crux of the entire conversation. So I didn't tell her I spent tons on my car, or anything of that nature, just that we are doing fine.  I'll talk more when I'm sitting around their house with no internet, no television and not a lot to do besides visit.

Car is doing nicely. Well, that stupid CHECK GAS CAP message came on again last night while I was picking up Sadie and then the CHECK ENGINE LIGHT again...sigh. But I am not going to panic. I just had major engine repair.  The car sounds just fine, the motor is running quite smoothly, the gas mileage went up a half a mile a gallon on my way home last night with all those dummy lights on, and when something is seriously wrong that gas mileage doesn't go up.  So will keep an eye on it. I kind of think perhaps the sensor in the gas thingy is going bad.  Not a big deal.  Just an annoyance.  My dad has a perma check engine light on in his car.  It was just a sensor going out and was going to cost $400 and dad chose not to have it fixed. That was about 7 years ago.  He stuck electrical tape over the light and the car still runs great.

Despite DTE Energy Corp majorly ticking me off, our bank account wasn't down to the last $20 by payday.  I have over a hundred left in there, can finish paying Ruth and Joe for the Jeep, pay off the evil DTE, and pay for my internet and STILL (on Monday when Jon gets paid) have money for gas, food, an inhaler, and maybe even Xmas presents.  And, depending, may even be able to finish paying off the car insurance for the Jeep. 

Guess what a minimum payment for a $1614 balance on a credit card is? It's disgusting and sick.  $32. Wow.  It would take 17 years and $3794 to pay off.   I hope we get that no interest card and can get the balance transferred...and, at any rate, I am always going to send them as much as I can. I was never comfortable covering an emergency on a card. I just didn't have the cash option.  I can't wait until we can save up something like $2000 and just leave it alone for such times.