Nice Guys Finish Awesomest

So a few nights ago, I was being that emotional girlfriend. Where I really just have to give Javier credit. I was crying. SO sentimental and sad about the fact that this year was my first Christmas without my family.

It didn't help that I re-found my Christmas stocking. Oh, man.

I literally do not remember a time in my life without this stocking. It was small, red and white felt, faded at the top. And in glitter script, "Judith."

My mom's handwriting. My parents were poor back in the day when I was a kid. Beautiful red, green, and silver glitter glue mixed together to form my one stocking that back when I believed in Santa, was the gateway Christmas tradition to my true love and loyalty.

This year, I stared at that stocking. I wept and clutched it to my chest, this symbol of my 2008 loss.

Javier saw I was red-faced, and never made me feel like That Crying Girl In The Room.

"Baby!" he said as he rushed to me and held me in my angst. "What's wrong?"

I apologized profusely for being ridiculous, and he told me to let it out.

So I cried about my Christmas stocking.

"There has not been one Christmas of my life where this stocking was not full. Nuts…oranges….oh my God, the cereal!"

I burst into tears.

I don't know how you guys feel about the cereal variety packs, but to my brother and me, they ruled the world. When you're not spoiled, how magical are the tiny cereal boxes?

My mom was awesome and realized that tiny cereal boxes were important to her kids. So she started putting one in each of her two kids' stockings; then Eric was born and he got one; then Sasha and Luda came to our family, and they each got one.

Javier comes from one of the most generous families I've ever known. His Christmas fun had nothing to do with little boxes of cereal. But I wept, and he nodded, and was the best boyfriend in the world.

Fast forward to his family's Christmas celebration, and the exchanging of presents. There was a surprise present from Javier, though we'd already exchanged presents.

I ripped off the wrapping paper, and there was a variety pack of cereal. And not even the usual run-of-the-mill variety pack. Honey Smacks, Cocoa Krispies…top of the line.

Javier gave me cereal.

Already, he'd given me beautiful jewelry, but the cereal was my favorite present in many Christmases.

To have a guy who not only doesn't run for the hills when I cried, but went and found the one little thing that made me weep for my childhood Christmas stocking?

Wow. That is an amazing guy. One of my top Christmas presents, of my life.

You don't need a lot of money to make someone's Christmas. You don't need to be a stud or a millionaire to rock a girl's world. You just need to love someone, and pay attention. It's amazing, how far a dollar can stretch, when love is involved.












© 2008

Shut up, Ryan(s).

Last night Javier and I were watching Season Three "Office" episodes that he'd DVRed for us to watch. And during one of the eps, he blurts out, "Ryan's a DICK!" And seriously, I was like, thank GOD someone else said that, because I was worried that I was being all project-y and bitter due to past woes.

But seriously, I hate Ryan.

Don't get me wrong. I think B.J. Novak is brilliant and I love him. And Ryan cracks me up on a regular basis, and I very much enjoy watching Ryan the character.

But as a heterosexual woman, I hate Ryan the guy.

See, I can understand Ryan's bitterness about becoming full-time. It's hard to find a job, and he did sort of fall into the dysfunctional vortex that is Dunder-Mifflin. But he is such a jerk to Kelly, seriously. He is like the worst specimen of dating guy out there, IMO. I mean, I have no love lost for the misogynistic dude who goes out and has sex with everything in sight with a "Hey, baby, I'm a player" mentality. But at least that guy is simple and up front and if you fall for him, it's kind of your fault. Ryan, though, he is the worst. From the get-go, he's behaved like Michael Mancini on "Melrose Place" when Sydney blackmails Michael into marrying her. And I don't remember what Sydney had on Michael, but it was pretty big, I think. THAT is the only excuse for behaving the way Ryan does -- if a crazy hooker cum blackmailer can ruin your life.

Ryan? Like, maybe he made a mistake, hooking up with Kelly while drinking. But from the second that happened, she's been nothing but honest with him, and he's been nothing but dishonest with her. And worst of all, he stays with her! And acts in every scene with or about her like he is some poor victim, and it is so very, very annoying.

Ryan always knew what Kelly was. She was always outwardly desperate; it isn't like she was all cool and chill and once she roped him in, freaked out and tried to keep him with her. She's a celebrity-obsessed, baby-wanting bubbly chick, but she has a good heart. She doesn't deserve the pained looks, and the broken dates, and the unreturned phone calls. Yes, she should break up with HIM, but I can also see why she'd be confused. When the Scranton branch was supposed to be closing, he didn't tell Kelly that they should probably just break up. He took the complete coward's way out, and said that he thought they could have a future together, if only. Then when the "if only" came true, he just kind of acted all victimized again, instead of acknowledging his own screw-up.

Kelly is annoying and pretty dumb, and I wouldn't want to date her, myself. But I'm not. Dating her. Ryan is. And he needs to man up. And if you are a guy out there who totally empathizes with Ryan and thinks he's a victim, chances are that you need to grow a set of balls. If you are a girl out there who is with someone like Ryan, then chances are that you should dump him for a guy with some balls. And also probably grow some figurative ones yourself.

Charm and wit and intelligence are great, but when they are paired with a lack of compassion for people who treat you well, they are a dangerous combination, and lead to being a Plainview husband. Don't do it. Just say no to being a Ryan!



©2006