Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Oddly interesting life circumstances that lead to decisions.

Why is New Year's Day a legal holiday? It's the first day of the year - so what? Who says we're entitled to a day off work? I suppose it's because we'd be hung over or some such thing, so why bother opening the office at all? Wikipedia says it's been celebrated on the Gregorian calendar since 153 B.C., but that didn't answer my question. The explanation lacks sense:
New Year's Day celebrates the beginning of the Gregorian calendar year. Festivities include counting down to midnight (12:00 AM) on the preceding night, New Year's Eve. Traditional end of holiday season.
Those are some heavy festivities. Counting backward. They go on to tell us that when holidays fall on a weekend day, they are celebrated on the closest day. So, in two years when January 1 is Saturday, which day do we get off work? Friday, December 31? That doesn't make sense.
See the things I think about. Try being me for a couple of days. I don't think you could deal with it.
While I was in the grocery store tonight, I made a resolution. I don't make "New Year's Resolutions" because I don't believe in waiting until January to improve myself. I want to do it as soon as possible. The fact that this one occurred on the 30th of December is an awkward coincidence.
The store was crowded, and on more than one occasion (several, actually) there were situations where clueless individuals aimlessly walked toward me. I always feel funny when I'm walking toward someone and the path that the two of us are taking is bound to result in a collision - either an arm bump or some brushing of some sort. I'm always the one who moves to one side, to avoid the collision. Seemingly, if I didn't move, we would touch in some way. I always feel a little weaker for doing that, as though it's implied that I'm going to be the one who moves. I think people should be more in command of their personal space and the both of us should move, but that rarely happens. By the way, I always move to the right because that's what I'd do if I was driving.
The resolution was that I am no longer going to do that. I'm going to continue walking in my path and if I hit the other person, they'll have to deal with it. I'll come up with some crafty remark to make afterward, but for now I've decided that I'm going to be the man.
I'll let you know how that goes.

7 comments:

Kate Michele said...

i hate this as well, and just in case you wanted to know, i am not the one to move (shocker i know)....

however on that rare occasion when I'm feeling a little more nice than usual, and i do take a step to my right they ALWAYS take a step to their left creating this dance of sorts, to which i always say
"one more, than i gots to go" :D

xoxoxoxox

Anthony said...

Well, I hope to bump into you someday.

kimmyk said...

i always move to the side.
only because i dont want to touch anyone or more so anyone to touch me.

i'll stand still as a board...and if my hands are free they automatically go behind my back. i'm not sure why i do it, but i do. i really think it's so that i dont reach out and hi-ya them in the throat or reach through their shirts and grab out their beating heart. cause you know i'm ninja like that.

susan said...

I always move to the side too. Unless he's really cute and I want him to bump into me.

As for New Years Eve- Anthony- did you see the news on Channel 3 about the giant Peep that's going to go down a pole at Midnight in Bethlehem?

Giant Peep. A sign the world is going to come to an end?

Anthony said...

Hmmm ... maybe that's why nobody gets out of my way. :P

A giant Peep? I hope it doesn't rain.

susan said...

I thought you nuked em.....

Anonymous said...

Bumping into people or being bumped into in shopping malls?? Ha! Finally a problem that doesn't exist over here!