It's the Holiday Season...?

Mark your calendars. Each year it seems like the Christmas/Holiday season starts earlier and earlier. This year, I'm taking note. On Oct. 15, I heard a Christmas carol on a local radio station. Thus, it has begun.

I agree that the holiday season is "the most wonderful time of the year;" however, I can't help but think that the early sales, mall displays and movie releases are more about earning money that spreading holiday cheer. When Charlie Brown questioned the commercialism of Christmas in the '60's classic "A Charlie Brown Christmas," he was ahead of his time.

However, I still love the Christmas season, and although, I'm irked when I hear Christmas carols in October, I do look forward to hearing them after Thanksgiving and seeing houses decorated with lights, baking, giving gifts and hanging with family and friends.

The holidays can also be a stressful time. When you're busy with day-to-day business, it can be hard to remember to really enjoy Christmas and think of all it stands for.

So, here's a reminder from my friends.

Ode to the Three-Day Weekend

The three-day weekend, an extra day off...
A day without traffic jams, colleagues or the boss

Another day to chill out, relax, catch a movie or read.
An extra day to pamper yourself and focus on your "me".

Spend it staring at the wall, doing laundry or take a trip.
It really doesn't matter how you get your three-day fix.

It's a break from the norm, so no matter what you do...
Be glad you're not at work, and enjoy just doing you.

The possibilities are endless. An extra 24 hours of free.
Will you party hard, visit the folks or sit in front of the TV?

It's a day full of options, and you can make it all your own.
You're the ruler of your three-day. You're the person on the throne.

Do with it what you will. Enjoy it while you can.
The clock is steady ticking. Don't let it slip through your hands.

The calendar offers just a few. This weekend is just one.
Pretend it's the very last, and make sure you make it fun.

Gosh Darn! Who Is She Talking To?

In a high school English class, we had to write a paper about socialects. Those are little phrases, slang, contractions -- just language -- used by certain people who work in the same office, are part of the same fraternities, live in the same geographical area, etc... I found the idea of socialects very interesting, and it's true that every little group has it's own language. It's a way of relating and being comfortable with those in your groups.

So, while I was watching the Vice Presidential debates, I wondered, "To whom is Gov. Palin speaking"? I heard her use phrases like, "gosh darn" and words like "golly," and all I could think was, "She surely isn't speaking to me." She's on a national platform, but speaking to a specific group. The fact that she chooses to speak in vernacular only encourages division; I think. I felt like an outsider.

So, I actually felt a little insulted. I'm a voter. So, why aren't I being addressed? That's not to say that someone has to speak "my language" to communicate with me. I would appreciate it if politicians spoke to all Americans, and that can usually be achieved by following the accepted rules of Standard American English.

I'm sure there are plenty of voters that appreciated her "common folk" approach, but the United States is made up of all types, including those that may have just learned the rules of SAE a year ago. So, do the gosh-darns help them to get her points? I doubt it.

What do you think? Do you like the hometown dialect? Do you think politicians should speak less formally to reach the masses, or is a grasp and use of correct grammar and diction a benefit? Maybe my respect for SAE is making me a stick-in-the-mud. If so, let me know.

So, That's What an Apron's For

I was skeptical that the day would ever come, but it's arrived. Maybe it's a sign of maturity, or just another crazy result of our whacked economy, but whatever the reason, something peculiar is happening in my life ... I've started eating at home.

Crazy. I know.

Admittedly, the food's pretty good, but what's really weird is that moreso than saving money, my motive was just that I no longer enjoy the food I buy from fast food joints and restaurants. As of late, it's been disappointing. Maybe those establishments are secretly cutting down on seasonings to save money. Maybe I've tired of the same ol' entrees. Maybe reports of restaurant uncleanliness have subconsciously affected my appetite. I don't know.

I have noticed a few benefits to eating at home-cooked meals, though. It does indeed save money. (I thought that was just an old wives tale.) It challenges your creativity, and you get home earlier because you're not patrolling the city for vittles. Plus, I think I'm eating healthier, but how can you really tell?

What about you? Do you eat in or go out? Send me your recipes!