Saturday, November 30, 2013

Over (Northern) Exposure

How could I possibly not laugh? Heartichoke finds herself in an awkward spot…the Tauren felt oddly cheered up...

Oh, my poor friends and loved ones. 

I am so sorry.

And apologies to my Southern Hemisphere friends: this is completely another Northern-centric concept. As you are all beginning to enjoy spring into summer, we selfish folks up north are behaving badly. I am reflecting on two Novembers, this year's and last, and realizing I need to get help, or at least take some Vitamin D. And when I say November I was thinking about an ugly incident that happened last year around this same time when I had a hissy fit, and frustration and hubris ( not mine, others) got the better of me. This year was no different. My Thanksgiving weekend began with children fighting (and blood, not mine), tears, and yes, perhaps sweat: we warn ourselves every year here in the States that the beginning of the holiday season is stressful, everyone feels it, and though I am actually pretty damn happy and grateful, somehow the Sha of Excess takes us over. We watch angry, trashy mobs hit each other over consumer goods during the Black Friday shopping, and start to get 'wish lists' from relatives. CD Rogue and I even got a request from relatives that, in just the asking, caused no small amount of angst. You think Penn and Teller can do magic? Just try to see behind the curtain on the team of Guilt and Resentment: now that's a show!
See that dark side? Me.

And this is soooo wussy of me - but I also think I may have a small case of S.A.D. To me, it's always been one of those 'made up' maladies, one of those 'get the smelling salts' things. I love autumn, and October is one of my favorite months, so when I finally admitted how damn cranky and teary I realized November is, CD Rogue fairly shouted and said, "SEE! I TOLD YOU FALL SUCKS!" There's not a lot of room for discussion in CD Rogue's world. I can love autumn and still cry big, gloopy tears you know, sheesh!

I get very needy/clingy, too, and then spiral out because I hate myself for being needy/clingy. My poor guildmate Señor got an earful, when after he worked for probably, gee, I don't know, about forty days in a row, and I could just hear the "WTF is wrong with her?" It's okay, my friend. It's not your fault I am a tiny bit crazy, not at all. I mentioned my dear friend had a birthday, and I wrote this short but poignant letter to her. After not hearing from her for a week, I sent her a text asking if the letter upset her, and she said no, she loved it, but was extremely busy, even more so than usual. Mmmkay. Women especially love to play the game of "Queen of the Busy," and I can't tell her, "Well, I have six level 90s, and and and, I need to get some Valor Points, and and and…" No, that won't fly. My brand of busy is very different from everyone else I know. And after posting pics of myself from Blizzcon, not sure what I was expecting there either. That folks would say, "Wow, Matty, you sure don't look like you're (insert age here)! Tome, thanks, cause I needed that compliment. And Navi and Erinys, too - thank you with all my heart. It's awful to say, but sometimes I can't hear it enough, and that makes me feel weak. And this is weird, but for months my Achille's tendons have been in great pain. I can walk, but it hurts. I blame bad shoes, but this is at the point of a doctor visit. My right foot's tendon is inflamed and the left is right behind it. Get it? See what I did there? Never mind. But whatever minor health stuff I have it never compares to what CD Rogue goes through, or others I know of. I just think it's odd that it's the Achille's…the legendary point of weakness for any hero. Pisces are known for their feet woes; we're meant to have mermaid's tails. This land-lubbering hurts.

I always have such good intentions for these breaks, (breaks I am extremely grateful for). Perhaps these high expectations doom me because there is no way to get everything done single-handedly. Everyone in the Matty-shack has his own agenda, and sometimes those are incongruent to mine. For example, young leet druid asked why we don't have these big meals more often, they don't seem like that big of a deal. His timing was a bit off since I was on my 8th dishwasher load in as many hours it seemed. No, it actually isn't a big deal to remember to thaw a turkey, to remember to order the damn thing in the first place, to remember to take out the gizzards and the other junk, and to remember to NOT PUT butter on TOP of the damn thing that will slide off halfway through cooking onto the bottom of the oven and fill the entire house with butter-smoke. (Yes, I put butter under the skin, too, mom…yes, this just seemed like a good idea…no, the butter sliding off onto the bottom of the stove and not into the GIANT roasting pan seems weird…).

Okay, so where am I now? Woke up too early - check. Made hot coffee…check. Wrote a self-indulgent post - cross that one off! Now to do something else. I know! There's a little neglected Death Knight who could use some love - I'll see what I can do.


Postscript: I want to make this a BlogAzeroth topic: What do you do instead of cursing the darkness/light a candle things in Azeroth? How do you chase the blues away?

9 comments:

  1. Anonymous30.11.13

    So many things. First do you know how long it took staring at that screen shot for me to find Heartichoke, lol. I kept thinking, oh, Matty must have race changed her? Is that where ... OH! There she is!

    And he's right, Fall freaking sucks and Winter is even suckier! And stressful!

    My daughter and I decided this Thanksgiving that we've had enough. Next one we're going out to eat or ordering it all cooked. The men aren't fond of it either as they have to do all the cleanup. Having them in charge of cleanup keeps them from asking why we don't do it more often, lol.

    And it wasn't really a compliment, just the truth. You two looked so happy and youthful, probably from the happiness!

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    1. Maybe that screenshot is a metaphor for our autumn/winter mood: it's a big Tauren teleporting on our heads. I just crack up looking at the pic…I know I need to get outside in real light more, and just get more active. Blah blah blah…I think sometimes just putting a name on it helps. That and a Tauren hat.

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  2. Anonymous30.11.13

    I'm sorry to hear about your troubles. We always seem to envision our holidays as some wonderful care-free times spent with family, but all-too-often the reality smacks us upside the head. The Southern Hemisphere has it right by having the big family holidays like Christmas in the summer. When you get fed up with some annoying visitor/family member, you can just throw them out without having to bother with their coats. Problem solved!
    Anyway, I hope you find sources of comfort between bouts of SAD. You got bunches of friends out here that will try to keep your spirits up. Hang in there!

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    1. Well, I do have a lot to be grateful for - it wasn't my cubs who were fighting (they're actually pretty incredible) and the smoking butter turkey was kind of funny. Besides-- how serious can I take things when it turns out gnomes fit precisely under Tauren males? I mean, who knew? Maybe some things aren't meant to be known...in any case, thanks Taik- may your turkeys never smolder, and your gnome-noggins stay Tauren-free...lol!

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  3. Anonymous30.11.13

    Hi Matty, you guys do so well to cope with what seems like two major holidays in such a short time. I only have Christmas to work up to at this end of the year and tbh I'm not going super well with that this year. I can't believe we just ticked into Decmember and Christmas is so soon and I'm am definately not prepared and with 2 of my own young cubs I definately need to think about getting ready for that.
    I'm kicking myself now for not saying anything about your photo because I looked at the one of you and Navi for ages and though omg how absolutely amazing that you too look lovely and so happy and friendly and now I have faces to put to your words and to your names and it's great and I just didn't know how to say that on that post without sounding like an idiot. But I should have and I really thank you for putting up your photo because you look great and happy.
    I hope everything goes smoothly for the rest of the year and beyond and may no huge Taurens land on any of our heads.

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    1. Ah, it's okay Z! All is well --not enough hours in the day, literally and figuratively…who knows? Maybe I'll just come down south next holidays!

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  4. That screenshot! I giggled really hard (once I finally saw the poor little gnome) and the tauren's transmog made it all the funnier to me somehow.
    On a more serious note I tend to get all moody in the fall and winter too and it stinks. I wish I had a magic fix-it trick too because we could both use it.This seems like kind of a rough time of year and I'm sure it's made worse (for me) by the lack of going for as many lovely walks as I went for in the summer.
    I love reading blog, your writing is fun to read and I went back and read all the Mrs. Whitworth because it was awesome. I always look forward to your Fished-Up stories too. And I should probably be better at leaving comments on those to tell you so, but sometimes they leave me sort of speechless so I just enjoy them and then go away all quiet. But I'm grateful for your blog and reading it and I'm so glad I get to have you on my battletag list and join you for the Old Ladies Raiding Guild stuff!
    Hope your fall gets a bit brighter. :D

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    1. Awesome Plaid - that made my day! Those OLRG runs are super fun. I just need to get moving and turn on some lights, dance around the room or something… That Tauren's mog cracked me up too! That is a bold statement my friend! I love to write and am just really grateful some folks like to read it - big hug PE!

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  5. I did giggle at that screenshot :) I also looked at it wondering what the giggle was about at first before I saw her!
    I'm sorry your thanksgiving was a little stressful - you did hint at it - and I am sure there will be a ray of sunshine soon to cheer you up. In fact, I KNOW there will be one soon! /wink wink

    You know you're brilliant and wonderful and clever - I tell you all the time. But you're very forgetful. I might have to write that a little more. And comment more.

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