Santa was good to me, was he good to you??

So yesterday, being Christmas Eve, we had our annual "Let's eat perogies until we can't eat any more..." dinner. This Christmas is kinda different than every other year for a few reasons. Brenda had to work today, so we couldn't open gifts on Christmas morning like we always do. Plus, this year, she's going to her boyfriend's family's place for dinner. There was no way we were waiting until she got home today, sometime closer to 5/6ish, so instead we opened everything last night. Not a bad tradition to begin... Opening gifts and seeing what everyone gets is always super-fun, especially when it's not actually Christmas morning :)

Merry Freaking Christmas to you too, buddy!

Yet again, the true spirit of Christmas comes along, just like it does every year, and bites me in the arse.

There was actually a time when people could survive the days leading up to Christmas without having extended shopping hours... go figure. This time, the super-intelligent people who lead everything at the depot decided to keep us open until 10pm tonight. I counted 6 people in the store until 10:50, and then all hell broke loose. Of course, when you tell people the store is closing, they're like, "Already? I just got in here!" WTF?!?!?!?! I'm so sick of this "I'm the customer, cater to my every whim" bullshit that they all pull. GARRRRRRRR! when will my life sentence in the world of retail be over???

Okay, so yet another tale from the back of the bus...

Yesterday night, I'm on the Brant St. bus, heading towards downtown Burlington. This wannabe gangster guy gets on the bus at the go station, and sits right at the back of the bus. I really didn't pay much attention to him since I was reading a copy of the 24 magazine and enjoying my super duper extra large tea. All of a sudden, he starts talking, saying "yo, yo, yo..." I figured he was talking to someone on a cellphone. Nope, I was wrong. He was listening to music, and was "yo-yoing" along with the music. Then, he starts with the rapper style hand movements, and is kicking his feet in the air. For a second there, I actually thought he was having a seizure or something, and I was going to turn around to ask if he was okay, until I saw him dancing (while seated) in the reflection in the window. No, he wasn't having a medical emergency, rather, he thought he was the coolest, most baddest ass on the face of the planet. So, I decided not to turn around, for fear of laughing directly at him. Even now, just thinking about it makes me laugh. I wonder, do I ever look that stupid when I listen to music on the bus???? I try to be careful not to sing or dance along to whatever I'm listening to, but sometimes I catch myself if I'm not concentrating on anything. Nah, I'd never look stupid, I'd fit right in... if I'm on a hamilton bus :D

Busses.... Garrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Okay, so today, I make it to the bus stop early for a change, and the bus never shows up. So I'm thinking, man, I'm early for the bus, but I'm gonna be late for work... go figure! The bus finally arrives, and it's not overly packed, but most people are sitting in the aisle seats, and not moving over or letting anyone sit beside them. This of course is one of my pet peeves. I don't think people realise that their bags or their imaginary friends didn't pay bus fare, and aren't actually entitled to a seat on the bus. I say, move your crap, move over, and make room for someone else to sit down! The bus finally gets downtown, with enough time for me to catch the Burlington bus that'll actually get me to work on time. I take my normal seat at the back of the bus, and this stupid jackass sits in the singular sideways facing seat in front of me. She then plunks down her backpack on the seat next to mine, making me look like an asshole for taking up an empty seat on the bus. Needless to say, I chucked her shit off the seat beside me to make room for someone else. I'm not really sure if she said anything to me, because I had my music on really, really loud. She got the hint though, and for the rest of the trip, she held onto her bag, and glared at me. Too bad lady. Next time, don't be such an asshole and take up the seat beside me on the bus with your parcels and other stuff. The lesson I learned from all this: Sometimes a bad mood is actually a good thing!

Actually having serious thoughts can be very unsettling... After a fun-filled evening with my friend, I come home and start thinking about every single thing that's going on in not only my own life, but in every one elses' lives. I'm at a point where I'm contemplating several options, one of which is quitting my part-time, highly underpaid job at the depot, and not having another job lined up beforehand. Another thing bugging me lately is that I'm not sure if I'll ever actually have the independence I need and the relationship I want. I know I don't need someone else to make me a whole person, but at the same time, I want someone else around to share stuff with. I also want independence in the form of my own place. Living at home is becoming more and more trying. I love my family, but I truly think it's time for me to move away... soon! I want so much to just be a grownup, contributing member of society, who can afford a nice apartment, a nice little compact car, and can afford to pay bills in full every single month. I don't believe I'm asking for too much, but I'm having a difficult time realising these wishes.

Okay, so it's been a few very turbulent days for me... yesterday I find out that my payment I made back in mid-November to Sheridan never made it there, althought the money's out of my account. So, there's a distinct possibility that I may not have a place in the programme. I've also come to the conclusion that working at the Depot is keeping me in complete and total poverty. If I'm stuck there much longer, bankruptcy seems to be the only way to deal with all the bills I can't pay. Most of my money has gone towards bus fare in order to get to and from work. It's quite maddening. On top of that, my boss seems to think that it's appropriate to book me in for 5 hour shifts. Sure, wouldn't be a problem if I didn't commute by bus to work. I spend 4 hours on busses, and waiting for busses every single day I have to work. 2 hours there, 2 hours back. On a good day, an hour and a half is plausible, but that means every single bus has to be on time. I've applied for a part time job in my own city, and I'm just hoping that I get it. That'll cut my travel time to maybe 25 minutes. Today's just one of those days I could call in sick and stay curled up in bed, just so I don't have to waste my day riding the busses.