Author: The Jody

Well, I guess the temperature did, but it’s winter, so the drop was expected and I didn’t pay attention to the ooze factor. I had to take a different route to work (dropped Junior off at my mom’s for the day) and drove past a Fitchburg Savings Bank branch that had one of those time/temperature thingies. The temperature, according to the sign, was a balmy -92 degrees. How I wish to God I’d taken my camera this morning, but then I’d have had to get out of the car to take the picture, and what if the air temp surrounding the bank actually was -92 degrees because of some supervillan like Mr. Freeze attempting to rob it? Then I would have frozen to death right there in the parking lot while attempting to take a picture. I just can’t risk something like that, so you’ll have to just take my word for it. Or drive down John Fitch Highway on your own today, if you’re local.

So now Christmas is over, and I’m left with that “I have nothing to look forward to” feeling. I hate that. As much as I adore preparations for Christmas, I hate the feeling you get when you realize it’s all over, except for putting everything away. *sigh*

There’s a weather alert out for our area (North Central MA) for tonight, and covers upcoming stormy weather for Sunday/Monday. You can read the details yourself, but I did want to point out the following sentence in the National Weather Service Bulletin:

“THE RAIN MAY CHANGE TO FREEZING RAIN SOMETIME CHRISTMAS NIGHT AS THE COLD AIR OOZES SOUTHWARD.”

Oozes? Does cold air ooze? I had no idea. I have never seen this phraseology before today.

Cold Fear Grips My Soul
A Christmas Story by Jody

It was late. Later than late. The moonless sky held no hope, no light. The smell of fear and despair and car exhaust filled the air. It was the day before Christmas, and the mall parking lot held captive the souls of hundreds of unrepentant shoppers.

“This sucks” exclaimed a small boy, whose mother smacked him on the back of the head.
“Shut the &%#$ up! And don’t use that *#@#^& word!” she chastised, while glaring at him and ramming her cart into a rack of Doritos.

I cowered in the corner, tears stinging my eyes, my nose running until I had to wipe it on my sleeve. I hate crowds. I detest masses of people taking the things I want, and holding up lines while they try to learn how to use the debit card machine. The little child was right. This totally sucks.

I never should have moved my prescriptions to Target.

I wanted to announce that my current favorite Christmas Carol is Carol of the Bells. I know you want to know this. Go write it down somewhere, I’ll wait.

I was trying to think why it’s my favorite. I think it just has to do with the solemnity of it (I guess it depends on the version. The Jingle Cats are right out.) and the fact that it just feel very wintery and holy at the same time. Something like that.

So the cool thing about iPods is listening to songs in alphabetical order. I haven’t loaded anything near my full collection into iTunes, because my iPod only holds 4gig of stuff. But I can currently listen to 6 versions of that song in a row! And yesterday I did!

My current favorite version is actually one with words, I believe by the Memphis Children’s Choir but when I bought it at iTunes it doesn’t actually say who performs the song, it’s just listed under “Children’s Xmas”. For only 99 cents, you can listen to the same song as me!

Gaily they ring
While people sing
songs of good cheer
Christmas is here
Merry merry merry merry Christmas
Merry merry merry merry Christmas
Gladly proclaim
With one accord
The happy tale
Welcome the Lord
Ring Christmas Bells
Ring Christmas Bells
Merrily Ring
Tell all the world

Okay, I’m not as sad as I would be if we were talking Big Papi. I’m not so sad about Johnny “no Arm” leaving as I am that this really just removes the last remaining poster boy of the 2004 team (assuming Manny is going somewhere else). Sure, we still have some of the better guys from that team, but who do I think of from that year, after Papi? Millar and Damon. Cowboy up, and ride off into the sunset, boys. And to the stinkin’ Yankees…man, that’s what really stings, I think.

My normal morning routine is that the radio alarm blares, and I smack it off. It’s a reflex. This morning it went off while Jen from XLO was reading news, and my reflexes turned it off even though I didn’t want to. I heard “Ex-Red Sox centerfielder signed for…” and I knew, but not the details. If the Sox had signed him, it wouldn’t be Ex now, would it?

It certainly woke me up, anyway.