Wednesday Open Letters: Halloween Hangover Edition

[dglvrk2]

What do we have to say?

[dglvrk2]

Dear Halloween,
You're like the cute, charismatic, well dressed but overly drunk chick at the college party. You're fun for a moment. Really, you are. However, the stuff that goes with the fun is such a headache.
I know it's an impossible ask....and here it is: could you take it down a notch?
Right on....
The quiet, underdressed girl at said college party

Dear November 1,
I've had mixed emotions about you being my birthday for 40 or so years. Sometimes I was miffed that you were overshadowed by Halloween. They other times, I was like, "yeah!! Halloween AND my birthday all in 48 hours!!!"
I've decided it's a perfect day to celebrate me. I celebrate making it through Halloween and, despite its seemingly unnecessary build-up, everyone in my family having fun in the end. I celebrate by doing nothing I don't have to do. I'll get myself a non-sandwich lunch, be productive at work since it's a relatively quiet day at the office, take the dog on a good run while DD1 is at gymnastics and maybe catch a drink with a coworker at our local watering hole before gymnastics pick up. Yep. You did well...or rather I did by staying in my mom until 2 am so I wasn't born on Halloween! (My mom would say it's not worth it, but I beg to differ.)
Love,
dglvrk2

[macmars45]

Dear Halloween,

It was fun! I dressed up because I'm an employee at an elementary school. We did a parade and I got to lead and/or take part in fun Halloween activities all day.

The evening was a good mix of a quick Trunk or Treat for DS and answering the door to many of the kids who attend the school I work at! And I got to meet my new neighbor who came over with her adorable toddler daughter who thanked me in sign and with words just like my DS used to do. The cherry on top of a great night that the last group of ToT cleaned me out of candy so I don't have any extra.

Happy at the end of a fun day,
macmars

[waverly]

Dear neighbors,
Not only did you exclude us from trick or treating this year, but you also didn't include us in the carpool for all the neighbor boys that were going to the same place for a party. Noted.  FWIW, DS did not do anything to that other boy for him to declare they were not friends, and other boy was warming back up to him.  They don't chat or hang out one on one, that's OK, and no reason to exclude from carpool.  

Dear friend,
Thank you so much for coming to our rescue and trick or treating with us, and for being inclusive with our other neighbor. They really appreciated it. You are a class act. Thanks again,

And there it is, my friends, the difference between being inclusive and exclusive.  And yes, I know not everyone will be invited to everything and kids friendships change, but the difference between those 2 people last night was very clear.  

Signed,
Friend

[twinmomma]

Dear DH,
I'm assuming you're fighting an actual hangover today since you made yourself the jolly dinosaur that handed out nips to parents along the trick or treat route last night. I'm pretty glad I'm in the office today and not listening to your moaning and groaning at home. Love you, but you're too old for this.
Love,
Unsympathetic wife

Dear laundry,
Why are you always there?! How have I not created any kind of routine or system to deal with you? I'm determined to tackle you tonight and get to inbox zero in the laundry room and then come up with some kind of plan to avoid this mess going forward.
Signed,
Surrounded by piles of clothes

[waverly]

Dear DD,

I'm sorry that your baby tooth is essentially broken into pieces, and I was unable to get you in today. Tomorrow, we have an emergency dentist appointment. Hang in there.

Love,

Mom

[186momx]

dglvrk2, Happy Birthday!

Dear Me
You didn't drink anything other than detox tea last night. Why do I feel like I'm hung over? I didn't even eat any candy!
Me who feels like a migraine is coming on

Dear Work Clients
Can you please send me payroll timely. All of you who get paid on the 5th will be paid on the 3rd this week. I need the work earlier than later because I can't do 30+ clients in 1 day especially since I have a stupid workers comp audit going on in the office tomorrow.
Tax lady who is running the office on her own

[mae0111]

dglvrk2, happy birthday!!

Dear Soccer Mom Village -

Thank you for coming to my rescue yesterday! It was really nice that I was able to get to my uncle's funeral and not worry about being late getting back. Especially since it took me over 2 hours to make the 32 mile drive. You all are the best!

Mae

[rere]

dglvrk2 happy birthday!

Dear ds,

It is nice you want to be involved on the putting up of the Christmas tree tradition. I'm happy you want to be a part of it. But now I have to wait until Thanksgiving. Everyone will be home in 2 weeks, but we are booked the weekend. And your assertion that it is too early then is the wrongest of wrongs.

Signed, your sister and I would put it up THIS weekend if we could.

[supertrooper1]

Happy birthday dglvrk2!

186momx, feel better! Could it be the expected change in the weather? We're supposed to go from cold 30's to rain later today or tomorrow.

Dear coworker/friend,
I'm so sorry you're having complications from your chemo and picc line. I can't believe they nicked something that caused a collapsed lung. It's bad enough you have to suffer from the side effects of chemo, but now to be in the hospital for days for a collapsed lung. At least they'll be able to keep you hydrated and somewhat pain free.
Signed,
Don't think about work, we've got it all taken care of

Dear ex-H,
You're the one that had all kinds of stupid minor schedule change requests in our parenting plan. And now you can't remember what it says? You blame me for confusing DS, but it's you.
Signed,
Please figure out co-parenting or parallel parenting.

[k3am]

dglvrk2, happy birthday! FWIW, I sometimes complain/sometimes enjoy that my birthday is right around Thanksgiving (and occasionally *is* Thanksgiving, like this year). My sister is on Christmas, so I don't have much room to complain.

Dear Halloween Decorations,

Please take yourself down.

Signed,
I wish I had magical powers to do make it happen.

[sdlaura]

dglvrk2 happy birthday! Today's is my sister's 40th birthday! And DD's BFF's 12th birthday. I hope you have a great day!

k3am I will send you my 6-year-old to take down your Halloween decorations. He is like a border collie and loves to have a job, and is also an excellent climber/enjoys ladders This year I handed him my Halloween bin and he decorated. It may have looked a little better if I did it, but oh well.

Dear DS3, how is it possible that we lost your shoes in the time between taking off your costume last night and going to preschool today? Our house is not that large or disorganized. Also, how is it possible that there was only one extra shoe in your preschool bin, instead of the full pair that I put there?

Signed, SO glad preschool just happened to have a few extra pairs of shoes, and one fit you, so I wasn't even later to work

[186momx]

supertrooper1, I think you are right. It is just now starting to rain. I talked to my work neighbor and she has the worst headache today to. We went from clear and cold so high pressure to a good size low coming in last night.

Dear Sis
I'm glad the ortho said no surgery, but I also don't get how PT can fix your torn ligament. You need 8 weeks of PT and if it isn't better to go back to ortho. Workers comp sucks. You've fell down the stairs on 7/31, occupational help has been no help. I also thought it was funny that the ortho didn't want you to go to the SAM because they take too long to get back to people and your response was I work there so it is easier for me.
American Healthcare sucks

Dear Health insurance open enrollment
I enrolled in a new plan today to start in January. I'm sorry I don't have an extra $700 to pay my January bill today. I just paid my $700 November bill. Open enrollment goes until 12/15 which is when I will pay you my January payment.
proactive independent health care buyer

[mommyatty]

Dear Gallbladder,

So, it appears you and I might be parting ways. If there’s something wrong with you, please show up in my labs and tomorrow morning’s ultrasound.

Signed,
Ouch

Dear Imaging place,

What part of a “stat” order do you not understand? No, this could not wait until Friday.

Signed,
Annoyed

Dear Recruiter,

Of the three jobs I applied to yesterday, yours is the one of least interest to me, but I’m still glad you got back to me.

Signed,
Reluctant Job Searcher

[supertrooper1]

Dear programming director for parallel office,

The software has a major broken piece and your side of the house, the enforcement division, is calling my clients and telling them they are filing their data incorrectly. No, the software is yet again broken (although it never works 100% anyway). Why was it so difficult to get an internal message out to your side? One of my division supervisors finally had to send the internal message because apparently you didn't understand what was broken? I'm glad the programmers know how urgent the issue is, even if they don't know how to fix it yet.

Signed,
Frustrated employee.

[twinmomma]

Dear daughters,
Yes, it's cold out in the morning when you wait for the bus. It's NH. And it's only November. It's going to get much, much worse. You could try wearing a winter coat and zipping it up? Maybe some gloves? A hat? Jus spit balling here.
Signed,
Mother who literally shoved you out the door this morning

[dglvrk2]

Nov 1, 2023 9:30:40 GMT -5 waverly said:

Dear neighbors,
Not only did you exclude us from trick or treating this year, but you also didn't include us in the carpool for all the neighbor boys that were going to the same place for a party. Noted.  FWIW, DS did not do anything to that other boy for him to declare they were not friends, and other boy was warming back up to him.  They don't chat or hang out one on one, that's OK, and no reason to exclude from carpool.  

Dear friend,
Thank you so much for coming to our rescue and trick or treating with us, and for being inclusive with our other neighbor. They really appreciated it. You are a class act. Thanks again,

And there it is, my friends, the difference between being inclusive and exclusive.  And yes, I know not everyone will be invited to everything and kids friendships change, but the difference between those 2 people last night was very clear.  

Signed,
Friend

Dear waverly's neighbors,
I don't get it.  We're grown ups. Can't we be inclusive ONE night of the year? It's not like our kids will have to go to Senior Prom together if they TOT in October of 7th grade together.  Seriously, shouldn't Halloween be one night where you think of all kids?  What's with you?
You very likely are missing out on being with one of your coolest neighbors (waverly,) because of your pettiness. That's your loss.  She and her kids will move on and find better people.  But, still, this can hurt.  
Grow up? No?
dglvrk2

[mustardseed2007]

Dear Counselor,

So for the Halloween costume contest you want everyone who wants to compete to submit their names ahead of time. Fine, we did that. DS made sure you got the form and spoke to you multiple times. Then you accidentally (by your own admission) leave his name off the ballot. Then they don't call his name to compete. He's quietly sitting on the side in tears the whole party. And you admit its your mistake but say there is nothing you could have done?

Um, I can think of 10 solutions that don't involve leaving him out. I understand you just made up a prize of "best overall" and gave it to him but he knows and I know you just gave him the prize. It's better than nothing but not the best you could have done.

He worked really really really hard on his costume and was really really really looking forward to showcasing it in the contest.

You suck.

Really irritated mom

[waverly]

Nov 2, 2023 7:25:15 GMT -5 dglvrk2 said:

Nov 1, 2023 9:30:40 GMT -5 waverly said:

Dear neighbors,
Not only did you exclude us from trick or treating this year, but you also didn't include us in the carpool for all the neighbor boys that were going to the same place for a party. Noted.  FWIW, DS did not do anything to that other boy for him to declare they were not friends, and other boy was warming back up to him.  They don't chat or hang out one on one, that's OK, and no reason to exclude from carpool.  

Dear friend,
Thank you so much for coming to our rescue and trick or treating with us, and for being inclusive with our other neighbor. They really appreciated it. You are a class act. Thanks again,

And there it is, my friends, the difference between being inclusive and exclusive.  And yes, I know not everyone will be invited to everything and kids friendships change, but the difference between those 2 people last night was very clear.  

Signed,
Friend

Dear waverly 's neighbors,
I don't get it.  We're grown ups. Can't we be inclusive ONE night of the year? It's not like our kids will have to go to Senior Prom together if they TOT in October of 7th grade together.  Seriously, shouldn't Halloween be one night where you think of all kids?  What's with you?
You very likely are missing out on being with one of your coolest neighbors (waverly ,) because of your pettiness. That's your loss.  She and her kids will move on and find better people.  But, still, this can hurt.  
Grow up? No?
dglvrk2

First, happy belated birthday.  Second, thank you!  I am slowly getting over it, but this person just usually ends up hitting a lot of my triggers one of which is ending traditions.  The other is exclusion and the third weirdly is them bragging about sleepovers because my kid doesn't go on any.  I went on way too many, so I am ambivalent about my kids going on them, plus they usually are just on devices the whole time.  I like the social style of being able to leave instead of being trapped somewhere, so I don't push it.  I will keep the relationship based on the business of carpooling and have fun seeking out other friends.  But I know we weren't included in the carpooling because of the boys tiff and the fact the her daughter was going elsewhere so they didn't want to deal with it.  Funny that the one boy came back and sat at the lunch table again following the party, so while they aren't "friends" it seems like the tiff is over with anyway.  

[waverly]

Nov 2, 2023 8:50:06 GMT -5 mustardseed2007 said:

Dear Counselor,

So for the Halloween costume contest you want everyone who wants to compete to submit their names ahead of time. Fine, we did that. DS made sure you got the form and spoke to you multiple times. Then you accidentally (by your own admission) leave his name off the ballot. Then they don't call his name to compete. He's quietly sitting on the side in tears the whole party. And you admit its your mistake but say there is nothing you could have done?

Um, I can think of 10 solutions that don't involve leaving him out. I understand you just made up a prize of "best overall" and gave it to him but he knows and I know you just gave him the prize. It's better than nothing but not the best you could have done.

He worked really really really hard on his costume and was really really really looking forward to showcasing it in the contest.

You suck.

Really irritated mom

This is unbelievably terrible.  I'm so sorry.  

[mustardseed2007]

Yeah I am glad I was actually there throwing the middle school halloween party at the time. At first I thought he was crying because he didn't win, which, I would tell him that is a disappointment but it's life. But to not be able to compete when HE did everything right is totally not right. And then after checking on him 3 times he finally told me what was going on and I turned around and immediately had words with the counselor who was running the contest. Again, I'm so glad I was there because I was calm but very angry and he did get something out of it.

If they had voted on it, I truly think his costume would have won some category because everyone thought he was so funny. He dressed up like a grandma in a night gown and cane and a wig, and he was handing out hard candies from his purse all day. When they called his name as a surprise winner everyone was chanting his name and talking about how much he deserved it, and it lifted his spirits. But truly...10 other ways that could have been handled that all would have been better. Obviously I'm still mad at this.

[supertrooper1]

mustardseed2007, I'm heartbroken for your son. How sad.

twinmomma, DS was the opposite this morning. Pouring down rain and he wanted to go to the bus stop 10 minutes early and it was still pretty dark. I offered to drive him to school but he just kept telling me it was only rain.

[waverly]

mustardseed2007, I feel you. I remember at one of my dance recitals they called everyone's name at the end for what was essentially a participation trophy. They never called my name and I was all alone on stage after everyone else had been called and exited. So basically, I just wandered offstage when I realized I was all alone, and it was never going to happen.

[mustardseed2007]

waverly, wtf. And wtf with adults who don't see a thing going wrong in what you personally are in charge of who don't take action.

[waverly]

mustardseed2007, yup everyone just stood there- I actually think they had run out of trophies too, so I'm not sure if I ever got one. And it sounds like with your son too nothing would have happened unless you had been there to talk to them.

[mommyatty]

Dear Recruiter,

OMG, I still have a job. I can understand your wanting me to make my resume more tailored to this job, but the list of a gazillion paragraphs you want on my experience and why I’m interested in this job generally is a pain in the ass. The company already told you to set up an interview. How important is this statement?

Signed,
Even More Reluctant Job Seeker