I bet that is not the the plural form of neurosis. Surely it is neurosES. Dr Kate? Is that right?
Well one more thing for me to fret about. I cannot even spell the things wrong with me, and spelling is probably my number two skill.
Anyway, that is not the point.
I have started recognizing some even more interesting quirks about myself. I know one of my really absurd things that I fight all the time is an inordinate amount of rage about my schedule getting jacked up. Nothing pisses me off more than someone screwing up my schedule. I can do that, and I do, every day, but no one else can. The holidays are so busy that there is always a schedule jam packed with activities and it totally overwhelms me.
But I noticed something else about me that is utterly insane. When I wrap gifts, I get all wound up about choosing the right kind of paper--for the last few years I have only used metallicy kind of paper. However, I am also cheap as hell, so that makes the whole thing very tense for me. But even worse than only using a certain kind of paper is that I have to wrap the boxes the same direction. This works out fine most of the time. But SOMETIMES the paper is not big enough. This is where the OCD of me breaks down. You would think, being neurotic like I am, that I would start over. Get some different paper. Or turn the box the other direction.
But oh no. This hangup is running smack into another one--my absolute refusal to waste paper. This sets me off into a tailspin. What to do? I have to decide and it is like there is a gun to my head to do it. Terrible. No matter what I decide, I worry about it---this messes up my wrapping skills, and inevitably, I end up messing up the package so it looks like someone's drunk uncle wrapped it then stomped on it. Or even worse, there is a NEKKID spot. Can you imagine? And I give it like that, and cannot even shut my pie hole long enough to hope no one notices--I even point it out to the recipient. What is the matter with me?
I cannot even cut the paper well--the edge will be all jagged and icky and I am too lazy to even fold it over so that you cannot see it.
But I don't care about that for some reason. It must be because my dad was right all these years, when he said I half-ass everything. Does anyone else say "half-ass" like that? He has always said it and now I catch myself doing it too. Not a good sign that I am not actually turning into him.
This is all very strange to be discovering about me at 36. But while we are at it, let's talk about this. We always had those colored lights on our Xmas tree when I was little. When I was in college or later, mom wanted to or actually did use clear lights. I went batshit. It was like I was shot. I do not even know why, I never really liked Xmas at all and sure did not help decorate. Man those clear lights pissed me off. And when she made something besides a turkey for Thanksgiving, I had a similar breakdown, and every year at Xmas, I am afraid she is going to make a damn tenderloin or something equally blasphemous. Who cares? Evidently I do. Because I am nuts.
This year, Edward is cooking Xmas dinner, I guess. At Thanksgiving, I heard him talking under his breath to Mandy about meat, and "Bringing up the meat", while we were at the dinner table. Because I do not have good sense to not touch comments like that, I had to stick my nose in it and ask what they were talking about. I could tell Edward was nervous to raise the issue, but he wanted to know what kind of reaction would occur were he to serve a TERDUCKEN. WTF is a terducken, I ask? Clearly this is just the reaction he anticipated, that is what he was whispering about.
What I came away with is that a terducken is a turkey with a duck shoved up its ass, who then has a chicken shoved up his ass. Is that true, or is he just trying to set me off? I have had much concern about this freak bird like creature--poor mutant thing. I do not think it is necessary that birds (as poorly behaved as most birds are even) be tortured with some other bird shoved up their ass just so we can make up funny words like terducken. It just ain't right. Plus, it reminds me of when my dad said he was painting the bathroom Turkle, which was a cross between turquoise and purple. I should have known he made it up, as dad does not paint. So I wonder if Edward is jacking with me on this deal with the birds up the ass.
Do you see what I mean? This is some anxiety producing bidness for me--I have 50 gifts to wrap for Barry and I cannot even get out of this chair to do it because I don't know if I can find the good tape, and it is all too much for me. That might also be why I will not end this post--cuz then I will have to do something else.
Am I the only one who is this crazy?
Monday, December 22, 2008
Holidays must aggravate my neurosises---err, insanity
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7 comments:
well I am not so crazy about paper and which way a box must be to wrap it but I will NOT use $5 a roll paper. Dear God, it gets ripped off and stuffed in a bag, why waste all the money on paper that is not even noticed?! So usually I find some paper I REALLY like and wait till after Christmas, hoping it will go on sale and I can buy it at a price I can live with.
Now the Turken is a real thing. The turkey keeps the duck from drying out and the same with the chicken. It also helps to blend all the flavors together.
The Christmas lights? I only use the multicolored ones as I like the colors....that is if I even get out my little 3 foot tree and put it up!
This year I have decided the holiday is simply over done. Too many gifts, too much $$ spent, too much travel for all and it's simply exhausting rather than enjoyable.
I have not decided what to do about the travel with the kids next year as they will (or should) all be dispersed to their various first landing spots, but it could involve me going there. We will see. That will relieve me of being responsible for getting the tree down and up.
It's so funny how changing things that were always the normal tradition sends us into a tailspin.
Merry Christmas!
I am crazy. Ask Lorna. All the things you and Holly mention----are true----but look at it as "excitement, anticipation, once-a-year, trying to make family and friends happy, the wonder of the season".
The frustration is the "character building" for ourselves to withstand life when it really gets tough. When life gets tough sometimes the ending is not so good. But the Christmas toughness is the joy we feel when it finally arrives and everyone inlcuding yourself is laughing and being happy.
Wait till you watch your niece this year.
I like the colored lights and put up two big trees and two small ones plus all the other doo-dads and it is only us this year.
And that is why I am crazy. I will do it till- - - - - - - -
Merry Christmas
Carol
I say half-ass. I thought it was a Southern thing. Maybe we're crazy like your family. And you need to buy the scotch paper cutter. No more ripped crooked ass cuts. That thing is awesome! Good luck through the holidays. Oh and A Turducken in exactly what they told you it was. Sorry! LOL
Step away from the turducken and wrapping paper, Paige. Step away. LOL
Hola, I've been lurking for awhile from Fugly but haven't posted.
I just have to ask, are you in treatment? If so, I think I need the name of your doctor. It seems that I'm afflicted with most of the same symptoms you have. Seriously.
My schedule is mine, I can screw with it, but MAN it pisses me off to have someone else do it.
Wrapping paper? My trick has been to buy brown butcher paper. Uck, you might say. But I'll tell you what, there's never any graphics to line up, it holds up great when you're making those really tight corners, and you can really jazz it up with that ribbon that has the wire in it.
Turduckhen, whatever, wtf... Who's bright idea was THAT?
We have prime rib every year, and if ANYONE in my family ever suggests we change it, that will so be NOT cool.
I can't even bring myself to let my kids help me make our "homemade" gifts for close friends and family, because it might not come out the way I have it pictured in my head.
Yup, the name of a good shrink would be great.
Fun blog, thanks!
I am right there with ya on the crazy. I have finally just started using one roll until it's gone, then the next, and so on. I also figure that if it looks like shit, oh well. My kids wanted to help me today, and it was a big step for me to let them wrap things, and not freak out because the ends weren't perfect. I saw Turduchen on the food network, and the other day I saw it at the store. Apparently, they debone the chicken, and the duck, and open the turkey up, lay some stuffing on it, then the flattened duck, some stuffing, then the flattened chicken, then they sew it all up and bake it, then slice it sideways. Weird. Maybe you guys could have tofurky instead...that's what my vegetarian sister in law has. EW.
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