"Come out to the coast, we'll have a few laughs..."

I've posted previously about the best Christmas movies out there...

I neglected two of themanfolk's favorites:

Die Hard

Die Hard 2

They really are Chrismas movies.  We went and saw Die Hard on the big screen the week after Thanksgiving and it was an excellent way to kick off the season!  So if you are looking for something a little different, give them a shot.

Or there is always Gremlins.

What is wrong with people?

What kind of asshole tells his kids that there is no Santa in the middle of a nasty divorce a week and a half before Christmas?

My brother in law.

Drops the bomb on them (they are 8 and 6) while christmas tree shopping and then leaves them at his mother's for the night to be handed off to their mother the next day.

WHAT. THE. FUCK.

Two kids, who have been through a whole lot this year and obviously need to have something good to believe in, completely crushed.

I want to kick him in the nuts.

He says his soon-to-be-ex is no good at being a mother, but this is world class shit parenting on his part.  At least she (who is dealing with the immediate fall out) has been trying to help them and has reached out to me and my husband's mom to help repair what she can.  In my opionin, she has done the best possible things she can for the kiddos (the young one is having a REALLY hard time with it) in the aftermath.

Seriously. Kick. In. Nuts.

The Angel Tree

I used to be a big proponent of the Salvation Army Angel Tree program.

Used to.

My office building is about a quarter of a mile away from the local SALVATION ARMY CHRISTMAS/DISASTER CENTER (doesn't that say something that those two are paired). Anyway, we get involved as a company in both donating and volunteering to help. 

While volunteering a few years ago during family pick-up I was dismayed at what I saw... more than 50% of the people coming to pick up gifts for their "children in need" had cars that were either 1. worth more than mine or 2. the wheels they had on them were worth more than my car.  When a mom with three "needy" kids gets out of her Escalade with her iPhone stuck to her ear and sparkly gold grille - you loose some faith.

The parents aren't needy... they fulfill their own needs first and then expect charity to take care of their kids.  As a mom I just don't get it.

Or maybe the system is broken and it's too simple to get labeled as "needy"?

I dunno.  I've stopped supporting the program until I figure it out.  I'm not a Grinch, I'm just disappointed.

Knock it off!!

No one wants to have a Monday morning meeting at 9am... SO QUIT PUTTING THEM ON MY CALENDAR AND THEN CANCELLING THEM!

Idiots.

Overpaid internal consultants who are assisting the unions in driving this place into the ground.