December 19, 2003 - Holiday Craziness

Somehow, my tape recorder had rewound itself to the front of the tape and then begun recording, effectively obliterating what I'd dictated earlier. But that's OK. It was just today's Musing and I think I remember most of it.

Mainly, I was writing about how I spent this morning shopping in The Gallery in Center City, Philadelphia. This is a little inside mall between 8th and 12th streets. To be honest, I mostly just looked around, making a sparing purchase here or there.

Then I returned home and stopped in the local consignment store. Ostensibly looking for a New Year's Eve outfit, instead I emerged about a half an hour later with several sweater vests and cardigans, along with a vintage wool poncho.

(My father tells me he had a vision of me before I was born. I was an old lady wearing a cardigan. I believe him; I love cardigans.)

I never mean to let my holiday shopping get down to the last minute, but here it happened again. The Gryphon and I will go together this weekend to complete our shopping. We've both had crazy weekend schedules, of late, and he wanted my input on what to get my family, since he'll be spending the holidays with us.

Last year I managed to avoid this crush by ordering many of my gifts online. Of course, this means being considerably more organized than I was this time around.

It's not the shopping I mind; far from it. It is, instead, the crazy traffic, the overcrowded parking lots, the jammed stores. One begins to feel, let's say, far from jolly.

Near the end of the tape, it caught my frustration, voiced in approximately the 45th minute of bumper-to-bumper traffic, all for what was supposed to be a quick trip to drop off a holiday toy donation. I have to say, my language was less than charitable.

As soon as I returned, my editor contacted me with tons of afternoon work. I had barely time to whip up a Musing before turning to it. And then, I turned on the tape recorder. Instead of my dictated words, nothing but radio music and the sounds of gradually growing frustration. I had to laugh. It was so Zen.

Happy holidays, eh?

Musings an Online Journal of Sorts By Alyce Wilson
December 19, 2003 - Holiday Craziness
	Right now I am listening to a tape I accidentally recorded in my pocket, while driving to the local collection point to drop off Tigger and Pooh Bear toys for a children's Christmas toy drive. These toys arrived later than the Piglet toy I'd also donated, which arrived earlier this week. For the past few years, I've ordered these toys as my reward from MyPoints.com, then donated them to toy drives.
Somehow, my tape recorder had rewound itself to the front of the tape and then begun recording, effectively obliterating what I'd dictated earlier. But that's OK. It was just today's Musing and I think I remember most of it. Mainly, I was writing about how I spent this morning shopping in The Gallery in Center City, Philadelphia. This is a little inside mall between 8th and 12th streets. To be honest, I mostly just looked around, making a sparing purchase here or there. Then I returned home and stopped in the local consignment store. Ostensibly looking for a New Year's Eve outfit, instead I emerged about a half an hour later with several sweater vests and cardigans, along with a vintage wool poncho. (My father tells me he had a vision of me before I was born. I was an old lady wearing a cardigan. I believe him; I love cardigans.) I never mean to let my holiday shopping get down to the last minute, but here it happened again. The Gryphon and I will go together this weekend to complete our shopping. We've both had crazy weekend schedules, of late, and he wanted my input on what to get my family, since he'll be spending the holidays with us. Last year I managed to avoid this crush by ordering many of my gifts online. Of course, this means being considerably more organized than I was this time around. It's not the shopping I mind; far from it. It is, instead, the crazy traffic, the overcrowded parking lots, the jammed stores. One begins to feel, let's say, far from jolly. Near the end of the tape, it caught my frustration, voiced in approximately the 45th minute of bumper-to-bumper traffic, all for what was supposed to be a quick trip to drop off a holiday toy donation. I have to say, my language was less than charitable. As soon as I returned, my editor contacted me with tons of afternoon work. I had barely time to whip up a Musing before turning to it. And then, I turned on the tape recorder. Instead of my dictated words, nothing but radio music and the sounds of gradually growing frustration. I had to laugh. It was so Zen. Happy holidays, eh?
Moral: The universe has a twisted sense of humor. Copyright 2003 by Alyce Wilson Musings Index
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