November 30th

It's not even December 1st and I'm already sick of Christmas music.  I'm also already sick of Christmas commercials.  We've been bombarded since the day after Halloween with Christmas overexposure and commercialism.  I guess that's capitalism.

We've totally overlooked the meaning of Thanksgiving and jumped immediately into the shopping orgy of black Friday, Black Monday, Black Tuesday, Green Wednesday, Red Thursday, Cyber Monday, the day after Cyber Monday, Cyber Monday II, etc.

Yes, the Thanksgiving meal.  The annual event where family you can't stand congregate to pretend they like each other and that the family is a big, happy unit that belongs on a Norman Rockwell painting.  I guess using the name Norman Rockwell is dated and I should say Facebook or Instagram post.

As much as I love to cook for crowds, Quiet Rage is hanging up her Thanksgiving apron.  I'd much rather cook for total strangers than for impolite family ingrates.  No, my house is not an on-demand restaurant.  Wait.  I take that back.  Even restaurants require reservations so the kitchen can be staffed accordingly.

What pushed me over the edge this year were family members who showed up, ate, and then left without even saying goodbye nor thank you.  Yes, we did have a houseful.  There was an additional table set up outside on the back deck to accommodate the overflow.  I was out there with other guests when I came inside.  I asked, "Where did X and Y go?  They didn't even say goodbye?"

Their mother said, "Oh, they left.  That's what happens when you have to work the next day."

WTF???  This was about 6:30 PM and the mother was making excuses for her kids' lack of manners.  These "kids" are ages 30+.   I guess the rudeness apple didn't fall from the tree and the ensuing denial.

It's already planned out, folks.  The reservations are made for Thanksgiving 2018 for Quiet Rage to be out of town with my immediate family only.  

All of this goes back to a previous post about the holidays.  We all demand world peace from our leaders, but we all can't even get together for a holiday meal without wanting to kill each other.  Think about that.