Comforts and Adversity: Piddow Pets and Chinese Goods

Okay. I suppose, if one must become an addict, it's better to become addicted to something as ridiculous as a pillow pet than to something as bad as morphine. Right? Right?

I have the dragon pillow pet now. And I bought a giraffe one for Ambrose, so he wouldn't be left out. (I couldn't remember which ones Saige wants, though I do know that one of them is probably a penguin and one she wanted was the dragon, but I got it first.)

Phil, Lincoln Firedancer, and Sir Rufflebottom getting aquainted.

I keep forgetting what I named my pillow pet, but it's something like Lincoln Firebrand. Firedance. Firedancer. Anyway, do you know what's nice about these dang things? Not only are they super soft, but they have just the right amount of stuffing to hold your head as you read or watch tv in bed. It might be silly, but who shares my bed that would care??? The dogs??

"Don't bother me. I'm busy sleeping."

Aside from BDG's pre-neutering time when he had to show dominance and make sweet love to all the pillows in the house, all pillows are safe from the dogs.

So.

Can you tell I have no life whatsoever?

Are you sad? I'm sad.

I have an infected tooth that is causing a sinus infection. This is making me feel rather icky, and I have to be careful, because a slight cold or sinus infection can blow up into pneumonia in seconds due to my issues with having a crappy immune system. (I say to my brother, who probably can't read this anyway, "Right, G-Dawg?" That's not his real name, in case you were confused. He has some immune issues, too.)

I tried to get the pneumonia shot yesterday, but because my body is fighting off an infection right now, I couldn't get it. I have to get it when I'm well.

So now I'm on antibiotics.

I hate being on antibiotics. They might fight off sinus infections and infections from infected teeth, but they wreak havoc upon the rest of my body. I won't go into details.

You're welcome.

Erma and I went to town yesterday so I could get my antibiotics, and we bought a few things (like the pillow pet for Ambrose) and for lunch, guess where we went? You'll be jealous! We went to Panera's. It's another place in D-Town that reminds me of my mom. She and I would go there and get their delicious salads and soups, sometimes. We both liked their Greek salad, but mom would often be more adventurous than me and would try things like "Chicken Cranberry Orange Salad with Red Raspberry Vinegar."

Then Erma got a job there, and it was nice, and all was right with the world, because she had a wonderful discount, and it could be applied to families, too.

Then.

Erma had seizures and was in the hospital and sick, and she had to quit that job.

I told her to go back to work there, but she sighed sadly and said that, no, she couldn't possibly work there again, as it gave her seizures.

(No, it didn't, just for the record. We were being silly.)

So. I keep getting this email from various people who advocate buying only American for Christmas this year. While that sounds nice, this email is couched with vaguely, and not so vague, racist terms against the Chinese. Okay, I'm going to say this once here. Don't send me that kind of stuff. If we do not buy Chinese made products, not only will our economy collapse, but so will the Chinese. It is no longer an us against them world. We have a global economy, folks. And if any of you, I swear to God and all that is holy, think I'm going to respond kindly to a gym membership (What? You're saying I'm fat!?!?!) or a coupon for a maid service (and dirty????) you are so wrong. I will not be happy.

No. Do like we do. If you care that much, stop celebrating Christmas on Christmas. Cut back on what you might spend. Cut down on costs.

Hell, if you really care, go serve food to the homeless, and do it without making snide comments.

Do both.

I loved that in Germany, and yes, things may have changed, but where we lived 20 years ago, the Germans would have one night where the scary Black Peter and his side kick, whatsisname, would show up and threaten to take bad kids away in a big bag, but would leave little gifts and candy instead. On Christmas Eve gifts would be exchanged, and Christmas Day was spent at church and then with spending time with family. I don't know. It just seemed a sweeter way to celebrate to us, and we adopted a lot of those customs into our own celebrations. Though we didn't have Black Peter, the kids would set their shoes outside on that evening so they could get their gifts, and they'd put out straw (grass) for the reindeer.

Do you see that you cannot fit a lot of crap into a kid's shoe? It can't be done.

Oh, and for fun? Try to get rid of everything made in China in your home.

So many emails I am forwarded are sent without a lot of thought and with no research at all.

I am not saying we shouldn't buy American made goods. By all means, go for it. I am saying that this is not 1950, and our fingers are in a lot of pots, and their fingers are in ours.

I will step off my soapbox now.

I'm supposed to be working on my novel. Here's what I have written so far:

Nothing.

Nothing at all.

I can't get motivated!

Maybe if I had some more Panera's, but alas, all my fooling around money and money for my granddaughter, Hope's, birthday, has been spent, and now all that's left is stupid "THIS IS FOR BILLS AND NOTHING ELSE BUT BILLS!" money. I hate that kind of money. It was probably made in China.

Okay, it wasn't. Was it? I'm going to start rumors and say it was. Tee hee!!

Here our my Thanksgiving plans.

1. Eat at Jethro's

Here are my Christmas plans.

1. Not a dang thing

So, there you go.

Go in peace, be warm and filled.

P.S. This country would not be what it is today without the contributions of many Chinese workers who helped to build the transcontinental railroad. It wouldn't be what it is without the work of many slaves who worked on the buildings of "Washington City", as D.C. was called back in the those back then days. Without the migrant workers (many of whom are Hispanic) who pick fruit and vegetables, we wouldn't have the juices and canned veggies on the shelves we've become accustomed (and think we are entitled?) to having. Look into the beginnings of our government and the similarities it has with the Five Nations and their Iroquois Confederacy. THINK. Please, people. Think. Read. Remember this: This is your brain.