Annabelle Speaks

If You Can't Beat 'em, Join 'em

So, there is this show on the tee-vee called Glee?  You might have heard of it?

 

Earlier this week I saw someone refer to Glee fans as "Gleeks" and my reaction was something along the lines of "OMFG I think I just died a little. Are people really calling themselves that?"  This was followed immediately by a repressed memory of an ex of mine who used to do this bizarre projectile saliva shooting from under her tongue thing to gross me out and said it was called "gleeking".  Urban Dictionary agrees with me so clearly it MUST be true, and now you will all think of that every time you see a mention of Glee.  You're welcome.

 

What was I talking about?  Right - Glee.  I really, really...want to like the show.  Granted, I've only half-seen a few episodes that my wife, the projectile-saliva "Gleek", got me to watch with her.  But I was in theatre and choir (and *cough*cheerleading*cough*) in high school and these were my people!  I should be able to watch this show and re-experience that and laugh at it (and the memories of myself) and generally enjoy the hell out of it.  I want to!  I remember doing choir versions of pop songs and crying with my friends over the power of the feelings it brought on for us (Green Day "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" I'm looking at you!) (I know.) (Don't judge.)  I also have many, many memories of creating mix-tapes with elaborately arranged plot-lines weaving their way through the songs.  You would weep with terror joy if you could hear the passion I put into singing along with Tiffany and All 4 One.  Really!

 

I copied the soundtracks from my wife's computer to listen to and I felt like I was listening to a Kidz Bop album.  I just don't get it!  So many people with seemingly great taste LOVE this show.  I want to be part of that club - I want to love the show, too!  But...I don't.

 

Maybe I just need to sit down and watch it from the beginning to get more invested in the characters.  I have proven time and time again that I have an ability to get crazily invested in particular characters and thus cling to a particular show for dear life.  Maybe that will help.

 

It's either that or I'm going to break out my high school diaries to remember just how it felt to fall, like, totally in love with a boy because we sang Grease songs together and, like, totally bonded and stuff.  TRU LUV 4-EVA.

*tap* *tap* *tap* Is this thing on?

So!  Tax season, as it always does, ripped me away from all the fun parts of my life, the Internet included.  It's really a shame that I couldn't make more time to write, because now I won't have a record of all the exciting things that happen between February first and April fifteenth - like playing interstate boardgames (IL vs MN) via Skype, baking dozens of new recipes, various clumsy/falling into walls events, and probably a bunch of other things I don't remember.  Oh!  There was that one night that my wife and I were playing chicken and she lit my ponytail on fire.  That was fun.  Pro tip:  if a blind woman is coming at you with a lighter, do not ignore her and assume she will stop before she starts a fire on top of your head.

 

Tonight I will partake in the annual shenanigans of April fifteenth parties, after-parties, and after-after-parties, which will be followed by a three day weekend of non-stop sleeping.  Bliss!

 

But then...what's next?  This was my seventh tax season, and I know much like every other year I'm going to be sort of lost for a while.  After a few months of working very, very long hours six days a week (followed by a day of running errands, cleaning, and laundry), it is strange to have free time.  Leaving work at 5:30 feels like I've only worked a half day.  Being outside during daylight hours at all feels strange.  I always bumble around for a few weeks trying to figure out a direction, a goal; something to DO with myself and my time that doesn't make me feel useless and unneeded.

 

So this year I'm going to set some goals.  I won't list them out here (they are stupidly detailed because I am an accountant and like anal-retentive tasks), but the gist of it is that I am going to try and be a physically healthier person.  Last year post-tax season I expended a huge amount of effort, time, and money on my mental health.  And I'm in a much, much better place than I was then.  I'm (obviously) continuing on that journey, but I also need a new focus.  So I'm going to get more exercise than just the walking in my commute.  I'm going to eat more fruits and vegetables.  I'm going to return to cooking more and consuming less convenience food.

 

It's not going to be perfect.  I'm still totally going to eat onion rings and frozen pizza from time to time.  (Note to self: create an onion-ring pizza and die of happiness.)  I'm going to have lazy days on the couch and spend hours playing Paper Mario.  But I'm going to try to change what I can, at a reasonable pace.  Hell, I may even start flossing again.

 

Here's to a new year.  Happy tax day, everyone!