Christmas Whine is Here (With Apologies to Vince Guaraldi)

      At first it was just a notification that arrived in the mail.  Three weeks later we received another one.  Then they called and left a message to call back.  When we didn't return the call, they called again.  And again.  Steve actually answered that one.  The person on the line wanted to have a discussion with him over the phone, but he was on his way to a gig.  He promised to send the desired response in the next day's mail.  He forgot.  I forgot.  This week the phone calls started coming again, every day, two or three a day.  So who is harassing us?  Creditor?  Mortgage holder?  Collection agency?  Guido the Killer Pimp?  No, worse than any of the above . . . THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU!  Dun-dun-DUNNNN!

     Yes, dear friends, we are one of the lucky families to be "chosen to participate" in the end-of-decade census-taking.  This is, of course, a great honor as well as our civic duty.  And in case that's not a good enough reason to participate, the outside of the mailer is printed with the following warning:  Your Response Is Required By Law.  Okay, okay.  Yes, I understand how important the census is, and yes, I want to be a good citizen and participate in this very, very important gathering of personal information -- including, but not restricted to: names, ages, addresses, employment, income, education (including degrees and specific majors), marital status, military service, and any disabilities of each and every person in the household.  The 28-page survey only provides enough space for five family  members . . . how do you suppose the Octo-Mom managed hers?   But does the U.S. Census Bureau have to send out the survey during the busiest time of the year?  Why couldn't they have sent us the questionnaire in August, when we had nothing else to do?

     The past few weeks have been jam-packed with rehearsals, performances, and all the "extra" stuff musicians end up doing during the holiday season, not to mention Christmas shopping, baking, writing Christmas cards, etc. -- who has time to fill out the #$%^&  Census???  But you know, phone calls can be persuasive, so last Wednesday night I sat down and filled out the survey;  I mailed it the next day.  Today we received one last call, and we assured the caller that the census was "in the mail."  Honest! Yes, really.  We wouldn't lie . . .
     Welcome to my annual "Christmas Whine."  Every year -- usually somewhere in the week before Christmas -- I get frustrated by all the seasonal obligations piled on top of my everyday obligations, and there's always something that pushes me over the edge and makes me want to scream.  This year, the census survey was that something.  So, now that the census has been dealt with, and I've blogged about it (my new way of screaming), I can relax and enjoy the rest of the holiday season.  Just as soon as I finish my shopping.  And baking.  Oh yeah -- and writing the annual Christmas newsletter . . . which goes in the Christmas cards I need to mail out some time before the end of the year . . . ARRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!   

    

Stay tuned . . .