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paolo
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23 Dec 2006, 2:38 pm

How people like us react to holidays?
Has always been a difficult period. I presume I am not alone in my loneliness. Same happens in August and at Easter. And for birthdays. Well birthdays are not a great problem for me, given that happily no one knows my birthdate. But these days ! !! Awful, horrible, unbearable. Unfortunately someone puts a phone call to make wishes. Wishes? I might ignore the whole thing, given also that I do not belong to a confession. But the air around you turns thin, and the crowds noisily shopping and wishing each other. Were it a recurrence really felt I would even may be tempted to participate however in a marginal way. Catcher in the rye, old Caulfield.



alex
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23 Dec 2006, 2:42 pm

paolo wrote:
How people like us react to holidays?
Has always been a difficult period. I presume I am not alone in my loneliness. Same happens in August and at Easter. And for birthdays. Well birthdays are not a great problem for me, given that happily no one knows my birthdate. But these days ! !! Awful, horrible, unbearable. Unfortunately someone puts a phone call to make wishes. Wishes? I might ignore the whole thing, given also that I do not belong to a confession. But the air around you turns thin, and the crowds noisily shopping and wishing each other. Were it a recurrence really felt I would even may be tempted to participate however in a marginal way. Catcher in the rye, old Caulfield.


I know what you mean but at least there are people here who can relate, and maybe even make you feel less lonely. :)


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paolo
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23 Dec 2006, 4:43 pm

Thank you, Alex. As a matter of fact WP has been recently my only living intermediary besides the janitor. The only place to put my rant. As strange it might appear.



SteveK
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23 Dec 2006, 5:00 pm

paolo,

HEY, I feel the SAME way. I try to avoid anyone knowing my birthday. I always have. So, like you, I have no problem there. Holidays(outside of getting off work), really mean NOTHING to me.

I flew down to T.O., and it has been a disaster! I guess it wasn't enough for only ME to have problems this Christmas. My father, and step mother got into a major car accident the day before I was to arrive. They are lucky to be alive, but they BOTH have broken ribs, etc... They have to stay home. Oh well, at least I can help them like my father helped me when I had my heart operation. I am getting groceries, and even took my step mother to meet her friends so she can at least do SOMETHING. NOW, if only I can figure out how to repay my father for a senseless act he did when he was with ME!

When he came to my place, he kept trying lightbulbs, which I TOLD him were bad! He left with one broken bulb jammed into a socket! It took me like an hour to remove it without cutting myself, getting electrocuted, or breaking the socket. I'll NEVER know why he ignored me, or even tried the bulbs. Especially since this would stress me out at a time when I was to be resting, and NOTHING was to be gained by it.

Steve



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23 Dec 2006, 5:51 pm

Queueing in the supermarket this morning( you would think they were shutting down for months), i was observing the 'best wishes' passed between people.
I never thought of Caufiled; but i was reminded of the final parts of 'The Remains Of The Day', when he realises that the 'happy party' may not have been long-time aqcuaintances but strangers enjoying and passing time in something which he could not be a part of.
But i think that The Catcher In The Rye anology is 'nearer the mark'.

I don't mind Christmas so much. I am lucky: i have caring parents and sister and it's nice to spend some time with them.

But birthdays i can do without. As for New Year, i would rather stay indoors and watch a movie.
Why i would feel embarassed to admit this, i do not know.

In any case, i'm sorry that i have no words to make you feel less lonely, other than that your 'rants' are always a treat to read.



animallover
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23 Dec 2006, 5:54 pm

I don't like attention - and I'm quickly starting to truly hate the Christmas season and the whole Christmas thing - granted, I do get some cool stuff - but the whole forced social thing BUT if I want to do anything social on my terms (i.e. come over to my house, or lets go to a movie) there 'just isn't time, you know, with all the family stuff I have to do . . .' - it just proves that the whole 'holiday spirit' thing is a farce, as well as what are supposed to be friendships . . .
Please - I'm just not celebrating next year . . . well, ok - I may still take my cats in for their picture with Santa, but that is IT :lol:



CockneyRebel
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23 Dec 2006, 7:09 pm

I feel that December does strange things to me. I was sick, almost every December in my life. The Christmas season is very stressful for me.



Beenthere
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23 Dec 2006, 10:38 pm

Yep...ready to get it over with already so I can breathe normally again. Holidays stress me out.


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CockneyRebel
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23 Dec 2006, 11:28 pm

Christmas isn't really a holiday. It's too stressful to be a holiday.



Lemmiwinks
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24 Dec 2006, 6:00 am

New Year's Eve and Valentines day are the two worst days each year to a lonely, heavy-hearted person like myself.



scrulie
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24 Dec 2006, 7:37 am

Can't wait till it's all over!


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