I AM NOT THE SORT OF PERSON WHO CRAVES GREEN SMOOTHIES WHAT THE HELL.

What are you putting in them? SOYLENT GREEN???

I am pro-hug. That will be tested this weekend most likely, but not necessarily in a bad way. The memorial for my sister is Sunday.

Oh man. Hugs indeed.

I'm glad your DH wasn't hurt too badly, Scrappy.

I'm fairly pro-hug with people I know. But I also know that quite a few people aren't comfortable with them, or not always. And I suck at reading body language. So I generally wait and just participate if the other person initiates.

I'm so against extra big tips at the holidays/once a year tips.

Some things get so ingrained that they're part of the landscape. Like, people shouldn't need tips period, right? But most of us work with that. Is the tip idea so precisely logical that it doesn't allow for seasonal variation without throwing the whole thing into disarray? Or is a token of the season to people who work for you who are now generations into factoring that into their budget just another cost of doing business?

I'm mostly with the latter.

Now that the nipple hug thing is in my head, I might die laughing next hug time.

OH MY GOD I JUST SNARKED AT SOMEONE TAKING A CIGARETTE BREAK. I need to apologise so profusely when he comes back. That was so out of line. Shit. I feel awful.

I feel like a seasonal "happy holidays!" extra $1 to the barista is one thing. Or if you're in a New York building where the tradition is "yearly we tip the doorman/super" kind of thing which is totally expected. But I think if I tip my hairdresser 20% throughout the year, I do not see why I should tip her the price of an extra haircut (which is what I've often seen recommended) at Christmas just because it's Christmas. I don't get paid extra at Christmas! All it does is make me not want to make a hair appointment in December, then.

I still maintain that if I am paying someone directly for a service, that's what they get, whether they're my dentist or mechanic or what have you. If they want more money they should charge more for the service they offer.

In a restaurant I'm paying for the food, and the service that brings it to my table, refills my drink, and checks on me periodically rather than me just ordering it at a counter is worth extra. Likewise, in a hotel I'm paying for the use of the room; the people who clean up after me, make the bed, put in new rolls of bath tissue, etc. are enhancing that baseline experience and warrant a gratuity.

FINALLY the power is back, along with the internet.

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/shoot_for_the_moon.png

Everyone act casual.

What are you putting in them? SOYLENT GREEN???

Well, I am in the Hannibal fandom ...

All it does is make me not want to make a hair appointment in December, then.

I was just going to say that's exactly what I do, but then I realized I have an appointment on the 22nd.

My stylist is the salon owner, who I've heard you're not supposed to tip in the first place, but that makes even less sense to me.

I'll throw in an extra $10 and call it a day.

I give my massage therapist a big tip at Christmas time, but that's mostly because it's when I'm getting my half-price birthday massage. I do kind of avoid getting a haircut around The Holidays.