Bah, Humbug!; Classic Christmas Tales re-told

I love Christmas stories that are about redemption. Stories like A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and I love them even more when they're re-told in a way that everyone can enjoy. The Muppets Christmas Carol is one such re-telling. I watch this everyone year and I'm desperately looking forward to watching it with my little girl on Christmas Eve. The story and subsequent redemption of Scrooge had always been a favorite and it always reminds me that no matter how bitter and angry a person seems, it most likely because they regret their choices but just don't realise it yet. If you were in Scrooges position, of seeing the things people would say about you after you died? Would it be kind? Generic? Nasty? It's a hard question and I dread the answer. I'm hoping that people will remember me for my... uhh... enthusiasm when I die, because if I do have one vaguely positive quality and it would definitely be enthusiasm. 

The other story I love is The Nightmare Before Christmas. This is a dark, slightly warped, story about a Halloween town citizen (a skeleton, no less) who wants a change of lifestyle and seems to think that kidnapping Santa is the way to go about it. I really love t his story, mostly because the general moral seems to be "what you're looking for is right in front of you"

Both of the things above are important messages, especially at Christmas when we're thrown into a festive world of baubles and carols and expected to be cheery and good-willed to everyone despite the fact that someone is elbowing you to get the last, slightly squashed, carton of pre-made brandy custard. (this *actually* happened to me at the supermarket yesterday).To sound slightly cliched, we forget what Christmas is really about.

But you know what really bothers me about Christmas? Besides to gaudiness, the fake family solidarity, the madness at trying to juggle not one, but two "different" families which include 4 grandparents, 2 great-grandparents, 4 half-step grandparent thingies, 5 Aunts, 5 Cousins and 1 small, toddling child who really just wants everyone to leave her alone so she can play with the wrapping paper and boxes. It's this ridiculous way people try and dictate how you should celebrate it. Every time I turn around the T.V, radio, billboards and catalogues are screaming at me the remember what the holiday is all about. Funny.. I thought it was about presents and too much brandy custard (sans custard), but no, apparently it's about power tools,toys, donating time, donating money and Jesus (mostly like in that order). I want to celebrate Christmas my way which means too much food, too much booze and watching the inevitable melt down as my family tries to deal with having to spend more than 1 hour all packed into the same room.


So, this year, my Christmas is going to be about redemption. I'm *not* going to get involved when my Nanny start spouting racist hate, I'm *not* going to roll my eyes when mum burst into tears and tells me all the ways she screwed up in raising me (yes, I'm *that* fucked up, my mother thinks it's her fault!) but I AM going to smile and give her a hug and tell her that I'm fine and I'm happy and that she has always done the right thing by me. After all, isn't lying what Christmas is all about?

A new journey, new beginnings and a little bit of housekeeping!

I'm starting this blog for a number of reasons, some of them superficial and some of them more practical but mostly because I need somewhere to write and collect my thoughts.

I'm not aiming for massive amounts of followers or recognition, I just need somewhere to write where I'm not wife, mother, aunt, lover, sister, student, worker etc etc. I need to just be a writer (and I use that term fairly loosely). Just for a few hours a week.

So, to start with and to keep it light and not too long, I'm going to use this post to outline some of the things I would like to achieve and also a bit about me, all the boring shit.

So, me.. Iggy (obviously *not* my real name, but I kinda wish it was) I'm 24, female and I live in Tasmania. Out ultimate goal is self-sufficiency, eventually. Realistically that goal is about 10 - 20 years away from being achieved, but we're working towards it every day. I want to have a country house with chickens and cows and homemade butter. I want to write. I want so much and I want it all so badly that sometimes none of it seems achievable.

I love social media, particularly twitter and you can find me under the same name I post by, but be warned I'm crude and swear a lot and I'm usually pretty offensive to most people.

My boyfriend (who will, from now on, be referred to as The Boy.) works for a large company close to where we live and he hates it, much like I hate the 2 day admin job I have, but working towards a goal which makes it a bit easier knowing that our current employment is nothing but a means to an end.We have a daughter who is the absolute light of our life, we were "unexpected" parents (take from that what you will) but we're fuddling through it like two blind deaf mutes learning to dance.

I'm also a part-time student at UTAS, which I love. I'm doing my bachelor and I'm planning to major in Ancient Civilisations. I have an unmatched obsession and reverence for all things historical. The past holds my attention much better than the present does and if you knew me in real life you'd understand what The Boy has to deal with as my mind if often a year years away.I have no idea what I want to be when I grow-up. I'm still waiting to decide.

So... the point of this whole blog has been posted. This entry is pretty boring so feel free not to comment or even read it, I'll keep loving you anyway (I promise)

Merry Christmas.

Iggy. x