Holiday Tips

Holy holiday exhaustion. I always forget what this week is like until the end of it.  

Been working a lot and the town is very packed which is good... to a point. Everyone who works in the industry down here hits that wall and when it happens, it happens HARD. Mine was last night. 

Funny how you want people to come down here for business but the holidays tends to bring the worst out of people and it only takes a few bad apples to spoil the bunch. 

All kinds of issues bubble up for people in the week between Christmas and New Years even when they are supposed to be happily on vacation. So here's a few tourist tips to help you out:

Tourist Tip #1:

Keep your homegrown holiday issues to yourself.

I don't know if it's crappy memories of holidays past or high expectations that are impossible to meet, but the craziness starts up the week before Christmas and no one seems to acknowledge it even though it happens, EVERY SINGLE YEAR. 

So let's be blunt. Just because you have unresolved issues with: your spouse, your family, your kids, your dog, your age, your allergies, or your overall choices in life. It doesn't mean you get to be an asshole to people you don't know.

Maybe it's hard to realize that another year has gone by and nothing has changed. Or that you find yourself trapped in a hell of your own making. That's all you buddy and I'd appreciate you keeping it there.

This week I actually watched a vacationing lady yell at a Walgreens cashier because the batteries she herself had picked out and purchased were more expensive than the ones sitting right next to them at the counter where she plucked the purchase from. She yelled at her basically accusing the cashier of pulling a fast one on her. Merry F@#king Christmas!

Bottom line: Being mean to people is like a virus, once it starts it's contagious and spreads quickly. So please keep your nastiness to yourself. 

Tourist Tip #2:

Know your surroundings.

You supposedly know your kids, friends, spouse or traveling partner, right? Well don't choose places that have everything except what you want and then expect people to cater your every whim just cause you want what you can't have. You are not the "King" or "Queen" of England while you are on vacation, even though I secretly know you want to be. 

Tourism is a service industry, yes, but when you purposely set yourself up to explode into anger, disappointment and self loathing what you're really looking for is a therapist or a good S&M club. 

Bottom line: Go somewhere that will make you happy and you get what you want. We ALL want this. If you don't know what makes you happy, that's a much bigger issue (see above paragraph for suggestions).

Tourist Tip #3

Give your locals a break.

While you are having fun exploring our little island, we locals give up our beaches, favorite places and spaces so you can enjoy. This also extends to the basic daily routines like picking up coffee cream at the grocery store except you manuver around a hundred extra people only to find it's sold out. It can be frustrating.

If you still can't understand why your locals have a case of the cranky kringleberries, I'll explain it a different way. 

Imagine being locked in a room with a whiny, needy, person that you don't really hate, but your nerves get grated with each unreasonable request. I imagine it's the reason you decided to go away for the holidays and not celebrate it with your extended family back home. 

Well, now you know why - except we're not related.

Many of us are working hard to make sure you have a good time. We are exhausted but very grateful you are here. Treat people like human beings and they will do the same for you in return. Didn't little baby Jesus say "Do unto others..." or some shit like that? Ok, try it. It works wonders.

Bottom line: All of us need a break over the holidays. These aren't just tourist tips, they can be used in Anytown USA and beyond. Ease up a bit on people and you will be greatly appreciated.

So that's it. I'll post more pics when I get a chance to revisit my favorite places.