Insanity

can be defined as doing something over and over, and expecting a different result.

Why don't we learn from our mistakes? Why do we put ourselves in the same position, and think its likely or even possible, that it will turn out differently?

We assume that people (both ourselves and others) will grow with knowledge, that we'll benefit from experience, and make smarter/better/more successful decisions based on that previous time going through it.

WE DON'T.

We put ourselves in the same stupid place, feeling the same hurt/shame/frustration/loneliness as we did the last time, and wondering how we could be so obtuse or delusional.

We take body shots and uppercuts and roundhouses that stagger us, knock us down, leave us breathless, and yet rather than throw in the towel, we get back off the mat and charge right back into it.

It's exhausting getting back up. Sometimes a loss just needs to be a loss. Sometimes you need to go home and lick your wounds. Somehow you need to stop the insanity.

I just wish I knew how...

Just Call Me the Grinch

So not to get up on a soapbox, but I need to vent for a minute...

My love/hate history with the #1 shopping holiday of all time is well-documented in my family. Going back to Kindergarten, where I was briefly SUSPENDED for writing in my first journal at school, "I hate Santa Claus", I've always had a tough time accepting our culture's excessive preoccupation with all things Christmas, especially the early start of decorations/music/red&green (usually before Halloween).

But what really sets me off more than anything else about Christmas, is the presumption of my office buildings to set up their festive holiday decorations in our lobbies and common areas. I'm not talking about the generic "winter" decor... snowmen, holly, or poinsettias. Those are all great.

No, specifically I can't stand the 12 foot tall christmas tree and stacks of empty boxes wrapped in Santa paper and bows that I have to pass two to four times a day on my way to/from the parking garage. This isn't even a "bitter Jew" thing either. I don't particularly want them to display a menorah or blue/silver everywhere (for the record, they're not). It's the assumption that everyone celebrates Christmas and therefore wants to see the tree, presents, Santa, etc...

I would never presume that everyone celebrates the same holiday, or even follows a religion that celebrates a holiday at all. So why is it okay to push that decor in common areas that we all have to use? If a coworker wants to decorate her door or office, more power to her, that space is his/hers. But that lobby is used by Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Atheists, and countless other employees. We have 2,000 employees in our HQ building alone. I can't be the only one who feels like a plain "Winter Wonderland" display would be far more appropriate.

So ask you, my readers (if there are any of you left), am I grossly overreacting, or is it fair to assume that my place of employment should be more temperate and moderate in their pageantry?