Christmas Cheer...

So people ask me about my holiday.

I tell them the truth. It was a mixed bag.

My mom was in Alabama visiting relatives, but my work schedule prevented me from going. So that kind of sucked. I did go to my dad's though.

I had fun with my family, I ate a grand traditional Christmas dinner, I got good gifts, I got to bake cookies, I got to watch my nephews have Christmas morning. And on the other end of the spectrum, I was constantly cajoled as to the whereabouts of my older brother.

Some of you may recall that my brother and I have a strange relationship... Though the more I hear about other people's siblings, I'm beginning to think it's not as strange as I originally thought. Basically, I talk to my family. I attend family events, I enjoy being around most of them most of the time. I see my brother on the rare occasion that my father comes into town and wants to take us out for beers on a night that my brother doesn't work. In the last 12 months, I'd say this has happened roughly two or three times. This is the ONLY time I see him. EVER. And for as much as he has a phone, he does not use it. He does not call me, or my mom, or anyone else in the family for that matter.

This is fine by me. Really, I am ok with not hanging out with my brother. I mean he's a funny guy and all, but we've had our rifts in the past, and he's not really got a good record of apologizing when he's in the wrong, or keeping promises to people whom should matter most.

Despite the fact that I'm ok with not seeing my brother most of the time, there are a few times when it becomes a problem. Take, for example, the holidays.

I show up.
I engage in hugs, kisses, normal familial greetings.
We sit to chat shortly after my arrival.
"So have you heard from your brother?"
"UMM, NO."
"Oh. He never calls. We just didn't know if he was coming."
"Well, he doesn't call me either. I don't ever see him, so I don't know any more than you do."
"Oh. So what's his problem?"
"I don't know. If I knew how to miraculously get people to return phone calls and show up when they were supposed to, my job would be a cake walk, and I'd be billing well above where I am currently."

As much as this seems trivial, when you take it, and then repeat it like a thousand times over the course of three days, not only does it downgrade the effort you take to show up for events, because you get to take a backseat to the person who didn't show up, it also just grates on your nerves because you're the responsible one and you're being held accountable for the fuck up, even though the fuck up is not under your watch or realm of responsibility. You are essentially being asked to answer for something over which you lack any kind of control or influence. It's bogus.

I hope your holiday was good though!