Ridiculousness - Stop yourself!

So there are several phrases that Jeff uses often that living together in marital bliss I've picked up over the past five years of living together.  One of them is "Stop yourself".  He says it when someone starts getting a little ridiculous.  Example:  If I tell him I'm dying from being tickled, I get this response.   

Well, right now I feel the world is being a little ridiculous.  Sadly, he again got passed over for a well deserved promotion for someone less qualified.  I don't know if it's that he comes off as egotistical in interviews or that since he's doing the work of four people making him too valuable to loose that is behind it. But seriously people - stop yourself.  Realize that my man is the smartest person I've ever frinkin' met.  If sometimes he comes off a little egotistical or smug it's because he's got a right to be.  Because he's amazing!

Then there's my company. Tar.get.  Opening at 9pm on Thanksgiving?!? STOP YOURSELF!  You call yourself a "community focused company"?  Then act like it!  Let families in our community spend the holiday with their family's  not filling their evening either working or standing in the cold to get a deal they could have gotten Friday if you'd opened on Friday like years past.  When did black Friday become Thursday?  (*answer two years ago when other retailers started doing this*)  Don't be a follower.  Be a leader.  Lead the industry back to responsible practices.  Now, thankfully I don't have to work it until noon on Friday, but damnit it's the frickin' principle.  Just because I lucked out on scheduling doesn't mean the 100 workers at my store that will be there at 8pm in prep of doors opening will not be missing out.

And of course, the ridiculousness that is IF.  Causing several of my eFriends heartache from not being able to become parents and making the holiday season filled with tears instead of happiness as the holidays should be.  Stop Yourself!!  Come on Universe, you owe us!  We've been given the shitty hand long enough.  Can you deal us into the game without the loaded deck of crap?  We've been playing at this table long enough that statistically you'd think we'd get a winning hand at some point!  I hate to see my girls (and my heart) breaking for something that is supposed to be so damn simple.

But tomorrow is Thanksgiving...so let me take a few minutes from my rant to remember what I am thankful for.  My husband; as I've already stated is amazing.  I can't begin to describe the wonderfulness of him.  Doing dishes, laundry, etc is sweet - especially when I'm working.  Making me laugh every single day with his jokes and tickle-fests makes me appreciate every day with him.  But how much he cares for me when I'm sick, sad or in pain is what really shows his love for me.  I take for granted the little things sometimes until he does something big...and I try not to do that.  I love every moment with him.

My family.  Even my in laws.  I am lucky to have such a wonderful group to call family.  They truely love me for who I am.  And we have almost no drama.  I am blessed to have such a calm support system and can't explain how much they mean to me in words.

And my close friends.  To me, they are family too.  I have as many (if not more) picture of them in frames around my house because while we may not see each other as much anymore seeing their smiling faces brings me peace.  And I feel loved.  

My eFriends - you girls really are my strength in the world of IF and even just in the arena of being a married woman.  It's amazing how busy life gets that I am happy to connect to the world this way.  Different perspective from around the country, hell around the globe brings me back to remembering that as a human race we have so much more in common that differences.  It may be sappy, but it's strengthens my belief in humanity.  Thank you.

And finally, my health and job.  While I might yell and curse you both sometimes....I am reminded to be thankful for you both.  This past year of learning of friends, eFriends, and family dealing with poor health and job losses has made a lump in my stomach that doesn't ever go away.  I hope that while nothing I do is enough, that the small comforts I can provide them with a hug, words of encouragement, or just being there as someone to listen helps them even a little.  I am so thankful that you're all here, and hope for improvements in the year to come.