Don't "Scrooge the day!"

Sometimes I feel as though I am in the Twilight Zone. I have been known to be a "space cadet" to coin a phrase from the 80's. Although, usually I am pretty sane and level headed. Let's just say I don't get called a "ditz" very often.

But, sometimes I wonder where I come up with stuff. I am sensitive to the fact that I don't want to steal somebody else's' thunder.

There came a time when my sister showed me a poem. I read it and said "Wow. That is nice." She looked at me and said "You wrote it." I re-read it. It did sound familiar. I could recall trying to rhyme certain words in the poem, but actually writing it? I didn't really remember. Reading that poem inspired me to write more and thus began a few years of much poetry writing. Like my paintings they are very personal and very private and I don't like to share them. They are my "pain" and I am embarrassed by my pain. Uncomfortable with others seeing my pain.

So, that is what I mean by sometimes I question myself as to whether I coined the phrase or not. There is a phrase that comes to mind around Christmas that I use and I "googled" it to see if it was a common phrase out there. I couldn't find where anybody else has used it.

One time I was getting ready for a company holiday lunch. I am the type of person who likes to get little puzzles, quizzes and games together (especially trivia) to lighten up the get-togethers. One of the office managers came over to me while I was making copies of the puzzles. He never said "Merry Christmas" or anything festive. He started right in telling me about a client who was dropping us. I could see he was troubled and I sympathized by letting him rant on and on. When he was finished he walked away. I continued making my copies, but I was spent. My holiday spirit was gone. He had " scrooged my day."

Now, this is where I am wondering. Did I hear this phrase somewhere before? Say it as you would say "Seize the day."

So, in a manner of speaking he had "ruined my day" but since it was close to Christmas and it was a "Bah humbug!" feeling, I instantly thought to myself 'he scrooged my day.'

Well, I can't find any other reference to it, so it may have popped into my head on it's own. Sometimes I just don't know and I don't like saying I came up with an expression if I didn't.

It reminds me of a story I read about Sarah Ferguson. She wrote a children's book with a helicopter in it and it was claimed to be very similar to a book that had already been written. Maybe she didn't mean to copy, but the idea had remained in her head and when she wrote one - out it came. This story tells about Sarah and the book.

So, that is why when I write a poem or something similar, I want to make sure I didn't steal the idea from somebody else. It would really "scrooge my day!" And if it isn't really "my" expression, I apologize most sincerely for even thinking that it was.

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I found out this evening via e-mail that the hospitals didn't want the toys we wrapped up for the children at the get together on the tenth of this month. They try really hard to send the kids home for the occasion (and rightfully so).

My friends found a policeman who handed the gifts out to families in need. His co-workers came up with a list of families. It just warmed my heart. I thought "How very nice. Who would know better than the city policemen as to who is really in need." I hope we can continue this event every year.