12/24/11

It's Christmas Eve. 2011.
I've been away from the blog for a couple of days. Working. Working like a pig-donkey. Working in retail at Christmas time is nasty. Overwhelming. Exhausting.
I think working booze at Christmas time might be the hardest of all the retail tortures. You sell one thing - BOOZE. And booze is everybody's go to gift. Booze itself makes a wonderful gift, so there is that natural demand. Then, when you are stumped about what the hell to get for Uncle Beelzebub, and you are frazzled and you are up against it, it's "Jesus just get him a bottle of booze" time. These are the worst shoppers because they only have a vague idea of what Uncle B likes, so they ask a lot of stupid questions. "My Uncle likes whiskey - is there really a difference between Canadian Hunter and Crown Royal?" The proper response would be "do you think there is a difference between a Yugo and a Mercedes Benz?" Instead, you take the time to explain the difference and then THEY BUY THE CANADIAN HUNTER ANYWAY.
It was a brutal week for all of us at Store 072 but we survived it because we are one hell of a crew.
I only exercised twice this week, I barely wrote a word. The work schedule was nutsos.
The insanity almost crushed my Christmas spirit. But here I am. And as Bob Cratchit proudly proclaims in A Christmas Carol, "I'm to have the whole day off tomorrow."  A six day work week this week, one day for Christmas, back to work on Monday. Not really in keeping with the Christmas spirit but it is what I have. I will make the most of it.
Got home from work around six and was greeted by Keith, Emily and Carol. Kicked the holiday off in style.
Tomorrow it will be Craig, Karen, Keith, Emily, Eddie, Cooper, and hopefully a mystery guest that I invited. The day will be supreme. I know, I feel it, I anticipate it eagerly.
Meanwhile I have to be honest with you, I am beat down like a dog. Physically and mentally tired.
Carol is working her ass off preparing for tomorrow. I am about to slip into the big fade.
But it's all right. I played my cards beautifully today. Drove The Peacemobile. Listened to "A B.B. King Christmas" on the way to work. Rocking out to Christmas blues. An aural feast. Listened to Dean Martin Christmas tunes on the way home. I was exhausted, and Deano's voice was so smooth and mellow it was exactly what my twisted body needed to prepare to slip into Christmas.
So here we go.
My soul is ready to receive the love, the nourishment, of family love. Laughter. Honest, easy conversation. My bloated belly is ready to receive the magnificent feast prepared by my magnificent wife.
The contrast between the peacefulness of the day and the insanity of the week I just endured, will make Christmas day feel like two weeks on the island of Maui.
Bring it on, Santa. I'm greased up with sun block 223 and ready to roll.