Monday, January 5, 2009

The Most Un-wonderful time of the year (or how to make January fun!)

The wrapping paper is in the trash, the ornaments are put away and most of us have gained 5-10 lbs from holiday-induced gluttony. Welcome to January---the most depressing, drab and tortuously long month of the year!

Every holiday season we build to the climax of Christmas or Hanukkah with sparkling lights or a well-lit menorah, gifts and family fellowship galore only to fall face first into January, a month void of anything interesting (other than MLK Day). At least the Latin American countries got it right and celebrate thru January 6th, culminating with the Day of the Three Kings.

Today, at my part time job, we took down all the colorful ribbons and bows, garland and snowflakes, allowing the workplace to return to its dull, lackluster dungeon-like ambience. Thankfully, however, this year I’m not playing catch-up with bills after overspending for Christmas…still, it’s just a mind-numbing 31 day stretch that seems to go on forever. And, though February is around the corner (with its celebration of love and commercialism) it just isn’t enough to condone the misery of January’s existence. We also have the dreaded start of tax season this month which is another reason to hate this time of year.

But, for all the gray and bitter cold of the first month, 2009 is a bit different. For the first time in eight horrifying and seemingly unending years, we will be inaugurating a new president and bidding farewell to a monster who has given our country a bad name in the world community and done nothing to justify his robbery of the presidency in the first term or winning it fairly (with the help of the Devil, aka Karl Rove) in the second. After starting an unwarranted war, acting like a bewildered buffoon during the Hurricane Katrina crisis and alienating our allies and strengthening the hatred of our enemies, Bush and his now-hated cronies are on their way out. So, for once, we have a REAL reason to enjoy January. I, for one, will be taking a cake to work (I’m not kidding) and making January 20th a true day of celebration. Sure, we are in a recession and businesses are closing all around us….but perhaps we’ll soon be seeing light at the end of the tunnel. One can only hope that Obama will provide the true change that his campaign promised. Besides, he CAN’T be any worse! At any rate, fear not---the dark days of Dubya are almost behind us!

So, let’s celebrate January 20th and perhaps create a new holiday! If, during this hatefully cold month, you can think of very little reason to smile, remember….we are almost free of Dubya Dumbass! If that doesn’t make you grin, then you just might be hopeless!! The departure of King George II is exactly what dreary ole January needs….so make a cake, put up some balloons and throw some Kool and the Gang in the cd player….it is, indeed, time to “Celebrate”*!

* Yes, the mention of Kool and the Gang dates me and exposes me for the true geezer I am. For you yunguns who haven’t heard of them, bite my butt! ;)

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