It's That Time Again!

Yup. Just sent off my first Scrooge-like letter of the year. I'm startin' early!

Before I get into the specifics, let's take a little trip down memory lane, shall we? Do you all remember last year, when I was all pissed off about demands for new and unwrapped toys? (It's the second half of that post that's relevant here.) And how, even after I'd thought about it, I still didn't entirely buy the argument? (And for the record, the really cool Tasmanian-devil-playing-golf shirt I found at Goodwill is STILL one of N's favorite pieces of clothing. So screw you all. And I say that with love.)

So, guess how I greeted the flyer that came home with the kids from school today...the one that read, in part:

Your donations of new toys and books will let these children and their families know that our community cares about them.

The flyer goes on to mention how the toys AND BOOKS have to be new at least four more times. Each time with the word in bold, and sometimes underlined.

And so, just moments ago, I emailed the woman on the PTA board with me who is in charge of this program for our school:

Hi, Woman On PTA Board With Me:

I was wondering if you perhaps had a contact at Our District's Healthy Start regarding the holiday book and toy drive. I wanted to pass along my disappointment at the idea that we're only allowed to give to our community if we're willing to spend money--the implication that only people who have extra money these days care about their community. I sort of understand why they care so much that toys be new...but books? Does a crease in the spine of a book really devalue it so much? Why would you turn away used books?

Maybe I'm just touchy on this subject because those tough economic times are pretty much everywhere, and it's been ages since I have bought my kids a book that wasn't used (from Local Kids' Consignment Store, or the library, or Goodwill)...and I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

Anyway, I shouldn't be dumping this on you, and I doubt that one cranky, stressed-out parent's opinion is really going to make a difference to the folks down at the district office, but I feel like I need to share it with them. So, if you could point me in the right direction...

Thanks!
TC

When I indicated, just a few days ago, that I wasn't planning on rejoining the PTA board next year, that I feel like I need to step back a bit, take a break after SIX YEARS of doing this, one or two people told me how disappointed they were. I didn't buy it; I'm pretty sure they're secretly planning a We're Rid of TC party. But after this? I'm thinking there's going to be an open bar.

WHAT is up everyone's butt today?

I swear that I have spent at least four hours today dealing with a series of completely unrelated nasty email exchanges, and I am just FED UP with everyone. Done. Finis.

Let's see: There's been a chain of trying-to-apportion-blame emails going around about a temple-related thing. On it's own, that would only be mildly annoying. But there's also been a particularly ugly and ongoing PTA board dustup at the elementary school--and tonight is a big event that the board put together and we all have to stand together and try to stop girl-on-girl fistfights from breaking out during the telescope-gazing and whole-school viewing of The Cat From Outer Space. (I was really looking forward to this event, too. Now, not so much.) And, of course, I had to throw my two cents into this dustup, after swearing I'd keep quiet. Yeah, I was quiet all right...unless you count an email of approximately 4 bajillion words, during which I think I managed to insult people on both sides of the issue, one of whom is actually one of my favorite parents at the school. But I just couldn't let it go. Just. Couldn't. Good times!

And, finally, there was what seemed to me to be an especially nasty note on one of my supposed 'support' groups for writers in which it was suggested that if we really cared about putting food on our family's tables, we could always go work at McDonalds. I'm certain it was meant as a semi-joke, but...It just hit me the wrong way at the end of a long day, and so before doing what I should have done in the first place--quietly just hit unsubscribe and let it go--I wrote what was probably an inappropriately vehement note to the list. And THEN I hit unsubscribe. And I'm pissed at myself, because I actually HATE people who do that...lob a nasty-bomb into an already contentious conversation, and then scamper away. It's so much more dignified to just remove yourself from the situation. But also so much less satisfying. (Plus, by immediately unsubbing, I'll never know if everyone just thinks I'm an ass or if there were any of those ever-so-gratifying "you said it, sister!" types of responses. I know that one of the ladies from this list actually reads here sometimes, but since she's the one I threw the bomb at, I'm guessing she won't...Oh, hi...[Waves weakly]...Sorry 'bout that. I get a little testy sometimes, and...Oh, never mind.)

Hey, good thing I'm so CALM and CLEAR-HEADED, eh? And that whole standing up for what I believe in is especially effective when I run away afterward. I don't back down...I unsubscribe!

Ech. That's all. Just...ech.

EDITED TO ADD: Yeah. Nevermind that last bit. I've asked Heather to resub me (now who didn't see THAT coming?), and I intend to apologize for flying off the handle like that. Forty-three is way too old to be throwing online temper tantrums. God, I feel like a first-class idiot tonight.