Raining on Santa – Thoughts from January 3 and 4, 2023

January 3, 2023

It’s raining and I’m doing a job today that involves picking things up from one location and taking them to another location in an adorably compact truck. I’m pushing things to and from my truck so I can’t use an umbrella to protect myself. The other option is to use the hood on my work jacket. The problem with this option is the hood hangs too low in front of my face. I can see things that are right in front of me, but I need to see far enough ahead of me to plan my route. Eventually, I let myself get sprinkled on. When I finally looked at myself in a mirror, I looked like a drowned rat. Actually, I looked like a curly-haired dog who hadn’t shaken himself dry yet. Every time I brought things to people, they were extremely thankful because they could see what I went through to get the stuff to them. For someone who likes to make fun of myself, it was the perfect setup for some self-deprecating humorous comments. Looking your worst is the best.

As the rain fell on the outside, I felt drenched in sweat inside my heavy jacket. I have a history of sweating whenever I do physical labor. People have quite often given me a concerned look and said, “Are you alright?” Luckily, the rain is a good excuse to be dripping water from your forehead. During the summer, they know exactly what the water is and they know it’s an excessive amount for someone who has not just stepped out of a pool. I often tell people sweating is my hobby. It lets people know I’m aware of it, but it’s not as life threatening as their concerned looks suggest. I think I sweat so much because I’m usually well hydrated. I get compliments on my hydration, but concerned looks for my sweating.

January 4, 2023

I was listening to a podcast where they were talking about the documentary Santa Camp. It reminded me of my worst experience with Santa as a kid. I left myself a note in the car that said, “Talk about the Santa with a sty on his eyelid when I was a kid.” The only thing I could remember from the experience was the disturbing sty that Santa had on his eyelid. It was so big, I’m sure it blocked part of his vision. It was only when I got older I learned it was a sty. I just thought he had something growing on his eyelid. I don’t know when I stopped believing in Santa Claus, but I know what image made it easy to give up on thinking Santa was magical. If he could go to every house in one night, he could surely remove a growth on his eyelid that was making it hard to see.

Another thing the podcast mentioned about Santa Camp was the horrible side of adults who only accept a Santa who is white and married to a white woman. There was a black Santa, transgender Santa, and a non-verbal Santa in a wheelchair. The only problems came from good Christians who justify their horrible behavior with their beliefs about what Santa is supposed to be. Santa is already a fictional character who they lie to their kids about, but they are unwilling to allow other people who are not white Christians to make their own. It’s not enough that white Christians have ruled most of the world. They don’t want the world to change because it means the end of their reign of terror. I’m just glad I never lied to my fur children about Santa. I’m the only jolly white man they need.

Patti has been watching the news recently because … to be honest, I only know that she is watching to see Republicans shown for the horrible people they are. I try not to look at the screen because they just get me even more angry at rich white Republicans than I already am. My life is truly much better now that I don’t watch the news. I just wish I could convince Patti and other people how much better their lives would be if they stopped watching it as well.