I know better than to try to pretend Christmas isn’t happening. I’ve tried to avoid it and act like it’s just another day, but there’s a buzz in the air that gets under my skin. I know everyone else is opening gifts and munching on candy canes while I’m flipping channels and listening to music and playing chess online, all at the same time. The worst part of the whole deal is that everyone thinks that because I’m alone, I’m lonely. No, the worst part is feeling so alone. And insignificant. I watched the tail end of It’s a Wonderful Life, which used to bring me to tears because I could identify with the James Stewart character. Now I realize that we have nothing in common. If an angel showed me the alternate reality in which I was never born, I’m pretty sure he would be grasping at straws to find any differences. “Look, someone else is living in your condo. Oh, and look! Someone else is in your cubicle!” Big deal. Let’s face it, the world would be the same exact place if I didn’t exist. But I don’t want to be a downer. I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.