Friday, November 23, 2007

I Am A Grinchologist...

Now that I can breathe a sigh of relief to have Thanksgiving over, it's time to start planning for the NEXT big event...winter holidays. Don't get me wrong...I actually had a very pleasant Thanksgiving at work followed by a most scrumpdilleeishous evening meal, hosted by none other than dear Saint EB. My e-vile plan of playing upon the sympathies of friends to mooch a meal worked like a charm! I made a "buttload" of money working on the holiday, I didn't have to cook ANYTHING, and...I ate a most excellent free meal. Life is good in my world.

I was quickly and painfully reminded of the next approaching winter holiday when I flipped on my boobtube at 6:30-in-the-gawd-awful-morning and began my comatose preparation to return to work (need I mention ONCE AGAIN, I hate working the day shift and I'm in my once every seven week five day stretch of them!)...the "tube" was replaying scenes of midnight mayhem as malls in the Seattle area threw open their doors to greet the insanity of holiday shoppers willing to risk life and limb in the name of a "bargain". Don't worry, dear ones...you will NEVER find me in these crowds...I really don't like people all that much. LOL


And as I watched news reports of paramedics being called in to revive trampled shoppers in other stores across the nation, I began to feel a sudden warm "glow" in my cheeks...I began to feel the ice chunk around my weak but beating heart loosen...there was a bit more of a bounce in my step. Yes! It was now officially GRINCH SEASON!!!


Yup...I'm definitely a Grinchologist. And I look forward to the 3-4 weeks of the year when I can brush up on my Grinch-study. The only time one CAN reasonably fly their Grinch flag is between Thanksgiving and Christmas...it's expected...it's part of our "culture"...and I am what I'd consider an expert in this area.


WAIT! No, I'm not talking about being mean and nasty because it's the holidays. I'm talking about the GRINCH...Dr. Seuss's, "How The Grinch Stole Christmas". It's a classic and the man (Seuss) was, in my opinion, a genius.


For nearly 40 years (or at least as long as I can remember), "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" has replayed during the winter holidays...it STILL gets air time every season. This 30 minute animated film has quietly snuck into our homes year after year and I, for one, LOVE it...and I've never grown tired of it.


I used to watch the cartoon with my eldest sister, Patty, when I was but a tot (she was 8 years older than me). And when I finally got a REAL job and found myself several hundred miles away from her, we used to call each other (we still remained in the same time zone) and watch the "Grinch" on TV together while talking on the phone. This is one of the fondest memories I have of my sister, who died in a car accident 20 years ago this December 14th. She adored this cartoon and message as much as I did/do.


I have Grinch wear...T-shirts, sweatshirts, boxer shorts, slippers. I freely admit this. I own not one, but TWO copies of the original cartoon and I watch them every year. I have the TV version of the story memorized and I can recite most of it on cue. I still get choked up every time I watch the cartoon where, in the end, Seuss eloquently says, "Christmas time will always be as long as we have we." I used to have "Grinch" parties instead of holiday parties complete with "Grinch" door prizes. Yes, I AM a GRINCHOLOGIST. And I am DAYUMED proud of it.


Sure...some people are getting excited to celebrate the birth of Jesus while others are preparing for Hanukkah to begin at sundown on December 4th. And still others are looking forward to Kwanzaa and the Solstice. But me? I'll be anxiously anticipating the network replay of "How The Grinch Stole Christmas"...aaahhhh...that's the spirit of the season...LOL...

12 comments:

mdmhvonpa said...

Need some extra grinch training? Try being a dad to 2 five year old tyrants who are bombarded by "BUY ME NOW!" advertising and then having to stave off their requests no matter how perfect they behave. GHA! I need to move to the back-woods of MN again.

Silverstar said...

When it comes to mass consumer culture and holiday shopping, I am a 'Grinch' as well. Going to malls in late November-December makes me borderline homicidal.That's why I do all my shopping in October.:)

Bubbie said...

It's a classic! Who couldn't love the ever loyal Max, pulling the Grinchy sleigh...and the Who's, oblivious to all his machinizations, singing away.
I also anxiously anticipate it's airing.

Have Myelin? said...

Happy Grinch Day! :)

Have Myelin? said...

Oh wait- I meant to say "Merry Grinchmas!"

Charles-A. Rovira said...

Bah... Humbug! I'm watching The Hodfather right now.

Synchronicity said...

awww i love the grinch too. i love the part with little cindy lou who...no more than two. there is going to be a new christmas show this year based on shrek. i think i will try to watch it.

Miss Chris said...

I watch the Grinch every year! As a kid I always wondered what Roast Beast tasted like, as well as the Three-decker saurkraut and toadstool sandwich with arsenic sauce. Not too good I imagine.

Sharon said...

I have loved the Grinch since I was a kid. My mom and I would watch every year together. She did that with Mitchell when he was old enough to watch with her. He has a stuffed Grinch & Max in his room all year from my mom. Another tradition of the holiday, to watch the Grinch

In The Lab With Doc G said...

Hey, I'm also a grinchologist! Just watch out for the "weregrinches" lol

Anonymous said...

Excellent blog you have here, it's nice to see a fellow grinchologist on here.

My name is Nathan by the way, and have heard all about your work.

Monstermaster13 said...

Greetings fellow grinchologist.