BAH HUMBUG!
It is November 16. Five and a half weeks before Christmas.

On the Third Avenue sidewalk outside my office window, a volunteer for the Salvation Army has claimed her post outside the subway entrance. For the past four hours, she has been ringing her bell and, in a sing-song voice, chanting, "Chriiiiistmas. Time for giving, it's Chriiiiiistmas. Time for shaaaaaring..."

Over and over and over. Without a break. Without a pause. Without even the slightest variation in her inflection.

In about five minutes I am going downstairs to rip her larynx out. There is no way I can take another five and a half weeks of this. It's her or me.

Happy Holidays.


UPDATE: Just before I hit the publish button, she stopped. The people from WaMu or the Courtyard by Marriott must have gotten to her first.


UPDATE #2: Oh shit. Now not only is she back, she's preaching! This is going to be a long fucking holiday season...