A Christmas Story

Santa Claus, Old St. Nick, Chris Cringle – no matter how you say it, we all know who he is. He’s one of the main images you think of not only during the Christmas season, but your childhood in general. He’s the jolly fat man in a red suit with a bowl full of jelly and a bag full of toys that lightened up every December 25^th you can remember. To children, he’s the one they write letters to in hopes of getting the ultimate gift. To adults, he’s the one they secretly become every year and have to protect the image of. But how did this man, who started out as a simple religious Saint, become our seasonal cultural obsession, and what effect does it have?

Think about the moment you discovered Santa Claus wasn’t real. I didn’t react like most children – I was six and straight up told my mom that it all didn’t make sense, and she told me I was right. My reaction was calm and collected and I didn’t really care. My sister on the other hand, didn’t find out until she was almost ten and cried hysterically for hours. So is it somewhat deceitful for parents to do this, and do they just go along with it for the sake of tradition? Can we mark the finding out that Santa doesn’t exist as a monumental moment in life? It appears that’s what it’s become. And all that hard work the parents did comes crashing down. Although the fact the children had fun believing in magic all those years seems to definitely makes up for it.

So we come to the question, is Santa more of a cultural icon, or a loveable image created for our children’s happiness? There’s no doubt in my mind the parents love reciting the whole “naughty or nice list” spiel – that’s sure a way to get your kid to behave better. But what about the future effect on finding out Old St. Nick isn’t really there? Do some children never really recover, and never want to believe in anything again, even if it’s only subconscious? Does the message of what Christmas really is change once they find out their Christmas idol is a phony? And where do the fantasy and reality elements of this timeless and classic icon intersect? Although Santa Claus effects everyone differently, and we may never know how future and current generations will handle his presence (or lack thereof), it’s safe to say that he’s here to stay in our minds, our society, and our culture.

Learning by Doing

“Okay, now the key is to always smile and never lose your cool. And as wrong as they may be, you have to remember the customer is always right,” Ashley said. It was my first day of server training at my new job, and I was terrified. I was personable and outgoing and everything, but Ashley, my trainer who’d worked at the restaurant six years, had the job down to a science. “If you don’t know the answer to something a guest asks you, don’t make something up. Say you’ll be right back with the answer and come ask one of us for help.” Ashley would definitely be the one I was going to for help.

“Hi folks, how are you tonight? I’m Ashley and I’ll be your server. This is Jamie, she’s training and helping me out tonight.” She continued with her spiel for a couple minutes, got their drink orders, and we walked away towards the bar. “These are the main drinks you need to know,” Ashley said pointing at the liquor list. “The top selling wines, their descriptions, and then the main kinds of liquor we carry, and the beers we have on tap.” She saw the bewilderment on my face. “Don’t worry! You’ll get it, I promise. Practice makes perfect. I’ll write all the main points down for you later. But for now, we’re learning by doing.”

I followed and observed Ashley all night. I couldn’t have asked for a nicer and more knowledgeable trainer. At the end of the night, we sat down to review. “You did good, girl,” she said with a smile. “All it really takes is time to come into your own. People like people who are nice. People like people who are open and want to help. You seem to have those things down pretty well, just study the menu for your test next week.” She took a sip of water. “I’ve been doing this a while. I’ve spilled too many drinks and food to count, broken too many dishes to keep track of, messed up people’s bills, orders, the works. And I still do those things sometimes. A positive attitude is key. Just remember, the night can’t last forever.” She smiled again. I think I’m going to like working here.

Week 11 Peer Review

John:

You’re definitely good at picking out topics that people are going to be interested in while reading. Your “Unusual Place” post was pretty fascinating. At first I expected it to be about all of the horrible things that happen in prison. Instead, you pointed out how some things about this particular institution weren’t so bad. It was an unexpected and enthralling twist. Your first and third person variations were good as well; it was easy for me to switch from one point of view to another in my head as I read them. One thing I might have suggested with this post is getting a little more in depth on the emotions and describe not only what’s going on physically, but also in the head of the person’s point of view.

Kayla:
I really enjoyed your posts this week. You have a gift for being very descriptive in a way that doesn’t bore the reader; on the contrary, it adds so much to your stories. “Lunch Time and the Anxious Consumer” was interesting for me to read; I’ve never thought of walking into a restaurant or ordering food to be stressful. But after reading this post, I can see how it would be, and totally understand the situation for a different point of view. I really liked the reference to being a fish in a fish tank, also. Both of the “A Thousand Words” posts were very artistic and delicate, making them a unique read. I really like how you focused a lot on the intensity of that one moment of connection with the painting. Something I might suggest for these pieces though is to switch up the middle a little more with the dialogue, instead have keeping it the same.

Kimberly:

You have a very intriguing way of presenting your stories to readers – always giving a little back story and then developing it from there. This is an organized and helpful way to start out your posts, I enjoy it. “The No Man’s Land Mine” exhibited a good topic and ended up being a well executed story. I can imagine how it would have been scary to be alone with just a stranger in the middle of nowhere – and you make a good point to always let someone know where you’re going. “After the Sun Disappears Over the Western Horizon” was a post I could relate to – I’m also extremely night blind. It was neat how you pointed out that it was a special experience, because you’re usually the one driving during the day and didn’t get to experience the beauty until that day. One thing I might suggest with this post would be to switch up the first and third person point of views a bit more, just for a little more variety.

Resting in Peace

It was an eerie place; not necessarily uncomfortable, but a place you’d go crazy if you thought about your surroundings too much. I didn’t mind it though. Along with all of the sadness, there was sort of a comfort that came with it. Jake felt the same way I did. That’s why he came with me to the graveyard.

 We sat there, staring at my grandmother’s grave for a while. I didn’t know if it was disrespectful, but after I thought about her for a while, I thought about the other people that were there with her. I didn’t want to know how they got there. That would just be upsetting. I like to tell myself they all went peacefully and that it was their time. I know it isn’t true, but I still tell myself that. That’s where the comfort comes from; thinking everyone’s at peace.

Jake and I are just lying on the grass, watching the sun set. It’s nice to not be alone here, it would make it a little creepier to be alone. My thoughts would be too loud for the people underneath. All of a sudden we here a noise: nothing ominous though, just a group of teenagers. They start laughing and horseplay as they walk through the aisles of graves, and I suddenly get very upset. I not only found it disrespectful, but just offensive in general.

Jake saw the look on my face as my eyes followed the teenagers. He gave me a sly smile, and pushed me down so I was flat on my back and the kids couldn’t see us. All of a sudden these ghostly and haunting noises start coming out of Jake’s mouth, directed straight towards the group of teenagers. In an instant they’re running towards their car, not eager to find out what spirits they disrupted.

We had a good laugh about it, and then I started to think. Would the spirits be offended, thinking we mocked them? I hope not. It was more just to protect them from people who didn’t understand the purpose of a place like this. People can have a little piece of the one they love forever by coming here, it gives them something tangible to hold onto. Although I still think of it as eerie, it’s more of in a fond way. I may be naïve, but all I want is the term Rest In Peace to really mean something.

A Bus Ride: Part Two

I stepped on the bus and immediately could feel people looking at me. They were wondering why I was there, what I was doing, and if I was lost. No, I wasn’t lost. But this still wasn’t necessarily my scene. I could tell my face gave off intimidation at first – like I was afraid of my new surroundings. But I wasn’t going to let myself give off that impression, not even to a bus full of strangers. I quickly got myself together and changed the look to show I was certain. Certain, that is, about the bus ride. They could probably tell I wasn’t too certain about myself.

Was it strange if I sat right next to a stranger with all of these open seats? Or was it even stranger if I sat with no one surrounding me, as if I had distaste for them? I didn’t have much time to mull over my options, so I sat in a seat that was empty on either side. I guess this way at least I wouldn’t invade any personal space. I took out my sleeveless book and began to read. Or more like, tried to read. It was more like I was trying to look enthralled with something, busy with what I was doing perhaps. Maybe then I’d be able to keep my mind off things, just by pretending. If you pretend hard enough, anything might be able to happen.

The book wasn’t distracting enough; maybe this neighborhood would be. I directed my attention out to the passing scenery. The streets were familiar; I’d just been used to seeing them out of a convertible, not a bus window. I wondered how I looked to the people on the bus, or if any of them even noticed. Was I out of place? Did I seem confused or frightened? Or maybe just lost in thought? I think I was a little bit of all those things. But not because of the neighborhood. I knew the neighborhood. What I didn’t know was why I forced myself to get somewhere that I didn’t even want to go in the first place.

A Bus Ride: Part One

There was a girl who got on the bus that no one had ever seen before. This route was mostly for regulars, the ones who take it to work and back, to school and back, who all live in this neighborhood. Nobody recognized her though, and it was unusual to see anybody visiting these parts. There really wasn’t much of a reason to visit. The girl looked a little frightened at first, but then put on a face that showed she was confident. An unknown situation wasn’t going to get the best of her, no it sure wasn’t.

She had taken a seat in the middle of three open ones, as not to have anyone on either side of her. A few people glanced, looked her up and down, and then turned their heads again. She looked around a little bit, as to take in her surroundings, and then pulled out a book. The jacket had been taken off the cover, so there was no title on the front. A couple people glanced, perhaps wondering what this book was she reading. It’s just common curiosity to look at what people read in public. If you looked at her eyes, it didn’t even look like she was reading. She was either a speed reader, or staring at one spot on the page.

After a few minutes the girl put aside her book and began to look out the window at her surroundings. She wasn’t searching frantically for where her stop was going to be, she was just observing. It was impossible to tell what she was thinking as images of scenery flashed before her eyes, and it appeared she wanted it that way. And then it became rather apparent that the girl wasn’t unsure about the area and situation she was in; she knew exactly where she was going. But even sometimes when you know where you’re going, there’s an uncertainty of where you’ll really end up.

Week 10 Peer Review

John:

The honesty in your reading makes it really funny. I enjoy the fact that you don’t sugar coat things; we’re all adults taking this class and I think everyone should be able to handle a little foul language, in my opinion. Being  blunt and straightforward is the best way to get through to people sometimes, and you accomplish it. Your “Dialogue” post was very entertaining and I could easily see myself observing the situation, and feeling the annoyance you felt at that time. I just noticed a couple of spelling and simple grammatical errors, like run on sentences. Of course these don’t take away from the essence of the story, but just something to look out for.

Kayla:

I can tell you’re very creative by the subjects you choose to write about. They’re situations you’ve obviously thought about and care a lot about, which really comes through in your writing.  Your posts “Mother Knows Best” and “Internet ‘Love’” were not only honest, but very relatable. Sometimes it’s hard to use dialogue in a way that makes it realistic, but you did just that. “Procrastination: The Art for You” was also very interesting, I would have never thought to explain procrastination the way you did, and it was very eye opening. The only little criticism I would have for your pieces is maybe the endings; they tie things up well but somehow don’t resolve the subjects completely. Great work though, I love readying your stuff!

Kimberly:

You’re a very passionate writer, and that’s something I really admire. Every subject you choose is something you really want to talk about and spread the word about, and this is a great way to do it. You’re posts really touch the reader’s, especially last weeks about MS. Your descriptions are amazing, and suck the reader in from the moment they see the first word. I also admired your bluntness in the post about voting, it was honest and sincere. The post about your video game addiction was intriguing,  for the sole fact of the confidence you write with. That’s something to keep a hold of: confidence. It will never fail to make your writing shine. Good job this week!