Open Thread -- Boxing Day


Welcome all to another attempt to cobble together a deeply engaging commentary on our present state of affairs, otherwise known as Open Thread! Today's goofy idea is sponsored by some ancient wealthy elites whose idea of sharing is sending the serfs a box of leftovers. So let's play "What's in the Box?"

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This custom is linked to an older British tradition: since they would have to wait on their masters on Christmas Day, the servants of the wealthy were allowed the next day to visit their families. The employers would give each servant a box to take home containing gifts, bonuses, and sometimes leftover food.

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mystery-boxes_29708.jpg

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And what I love about this box, and what I realize I sort of do in whatever it is that I do, is I find myself drawn to infinite possibility, that sense of potential. And I realize that mystery is the catalyst for imagination. J.J. Abrams

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My best guess is there is either a Rock-em-Sock-em Robot boxing toy, maybe a half chewed hamburger or nothing at all. What do you think? About anything...

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mimi's picture

for us here in Germany Christmas drags on for a second day. I think no other country has two legal Christmas Days off. What to do on this day? I have no clue. I never liked the second Christmas Day. It forced us to try to think "out of the box" to find something to do. It was hard. Can't even go shopping.

If you had another day off and needed some Christmas-like activity, what would you do? As children we tried to go to see a musical or opera or theater. I wouldn't be able to afford that today easily. And doing that by yourself is ... not my idea of fun.

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QMS's picture

@mimi What a concept. Keeping the bah-humbug at bay would be a challenge on the second day. Low energy tasks with some spiritual salve may help box-out the Stollen blues... Smile

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enhydra lutris's picture

@mimi
and let the mind roam. Idle reading or experimenting with a new recipe. Make polyrhythms with the nodebeat app for android or browse the music on the internet archive. Practice knots I've rarely used or make oddball things just for grins. Stare at clouds. Nap and drink tea.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Arrow's picture

@enhydra lutris I like that idea. While it was much easier at the 'Peruvian Beach Shack' (TM - no rights reserved)), I'll try real hard to do just that.

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I want a Pony!

QMS's picture

@Arrow diverting the Qi energy to the foot is doing (in a not-doing sorta way). Smile

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enhydra lutris's picture

@Arrow
healing, especially if it includes periods of focusing on feeling the healing going on. Good to see you.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

mimi's picture

@enhydra lutris
but it's gone.

So this is what I did. Got all nostalgic. Why not? I like her singing.Cesaria Evora.

Enjoy: It's music that makes you close your eyes:
Cesaria Evora Live D'amor 2004 (Complete Concert).

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enhydra lutris's picture

@mimi

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

lotlizard's picture

@mimi  
I take this passage in Wikipedia re “Boxing Day” to mean that it’s a legal holiday in Poland and Scandinavia as well:

In some European countries, such as Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia, 26 December is celebrated as a Second Christmas Day.

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mimi's picture

@lotlizard
for always watching out for me and correcting my mistakes. I imagine you being my teacher. That would be just fantastic. I need to get more serious. May be a pledge for 2018. Smile

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lotlizard's picture

@mimi  

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Raggedy Ann's picture

I'm taking my box to San Diego ~ sitting at the terminal waiting to board. Fog in San Diego so we are delayed, wouldn't you know it?!? Oh well ~ I'll get there sometime today!

Have a beautiful day, folks! Pleasantry

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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

QMS's picture

@Raggedy Ann I find air travel to require large boxes of patience. Good luck!

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enhydra lutris's picture

@Raggedy Ann
there.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Raggedy Ann's picture

@enhydra lutris
it was a beautiful day. We went to Balboa Park and it was perfect!

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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

QMS's picture

love this image of Ahed Tamimi

59EOHAjz.jpeg

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enhydra lutris's picture

hosting a dinner party tomorrow and the place is post-xmas chaos, so we go into "no rest for the wicked" mode, and the cats woke us up at 4am. This stretch of "holidays" from Tanksgibbons through solstice/yule/xmas and new years can get to be a bear. Being retired, instead of a bunch of days off we get a bunch of commitments and chores. But, we do get a big long holiday when it's done. Wink

Found a bunch of .eps graphics, but can't figure out how to dump them here. That is, no doubt, a good thing. Some .bmps too. (Of course, direct paste from flickr won't preview in chrome and might not work either).

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

QMS's picture

@enhydra lutris Good luck with the entertainment business. Somehow I picture a dog sled mushing thru a blizzard with lots of boxes heading to your igloo thru the drifts...whoosh!

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lotlizard's picture

One of those sentences containing all 26 letters of the alphabet that a person may come across when learning to touch-type.

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QMS's picture

@lotlizard that's a box I could get into!

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enhydra lutris's picture

bombed, but slow & steady

3-10-12Tortoise2

is flickr

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Arrow's picture

I have two boxes and have to choose one. One is marked 'S@#t sandwich with Mayo' the other with 'mustard'. However shall I choose?

Have a great day all!

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I want a Pony!

QMS's picture

of African Heritage. Each of the 7 days has a principle. Today is unity.

A Kwanzaa ceremony may include drumming and musical selections, libations...

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QMS's picture

If we use the recently exposed example of the cosmic turd hurtling our way by the sordid scientist Hecate, the visuals would be better with yellow glitter blending into the after taste, whereas perhaps the mayo would help it go faster?

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Lookout's picture

Have you heard of this geocaching type activity? It also began in the UK...

Letterboxing is an outdoor hobby that combines elements of orienteering, art, and puzzle solving. Letterboxers hide small, weatherproof boxes in publicly accessible places (like parks) and distribute clues to finding the box in printed catalogs, on one of several web sites, or by word of mouth. Individual letterboxes contain a notebook and a rubber stamp, preferably hand carved or custom made.[1] Finders make an imprint of the letterbox's stamp in their personal notebook, and leave an impression of their personal signature stamp on the letterbox's "visitors' book" or "logbook" — as proof of having found the box and letting other letterboxers know who has visited. Many letterboxers keep careful track of their "find count".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letterboxing_%28hobby%29

Letterboxing is catching on in the US especially on the left coast.
http://www.oregonlive.com/outdoors/index.ssf/2010/07/letterboxing_its_li...

If you are interested in letterboxing, here's the North American site
http://www.letterboxing.org/

I hope you all had a nice Christmas day. Our trip to Birmingham yesterday involved visiting with both of our families. It is a chilly end of the year here in our corner of Alabama. Wishing you all warmth and cheer!

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

QMS's picture

@Lookout we used to have scavenger hunts in the wilds of the mitten state. Teams would be given a list of hidden objects and clues to find them. The games became more interesting as we matured...

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gulfgal98's picture

about neoliberalism. Be sure to expand it by clicking on or below the blue arrow to read the entire thread.

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Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

travelerxxx's picture

@gulfgal98

Don't usually do a "me, too" reply, but this deserves one. People, DO click on the tweet in GG's post to go see the entire neoliberalism thread. It's fantastic! I personally don't do Twitter, so have no account with them, but nothing was blocked and I was able to read it all.

Thanks, gg.

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Deja's picture

@travelerxxx
Now many hours later due to Twitter being a giant time suck Sad I bring you an interview takedown of a RussiaRussiaRussia peddler in all its beauty:

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travelerxxx's picture

@Deja

If Caity skips a day, I feel as though something's missing ... cause it is!

She's rocking once again!

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enhydra lutris's picture

@gulfgal98

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Oh I get it now, this must also be where the idea of trickle down economics comes from. Giving the serfs a few crumbs to eat and maybe even some new tools to work the land, what a concept !

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lotlizard's picture

The tendentious parts are why I don’t think people get their money’s worth from the $250/year German state TV tax.

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Shahryar's picture

our most local store is selling 5 CDs for $3. What's in the bag? You don't know until you buy and open it! So I think I'll skip it.

We had a wonderful mystery book store, "Murder by the Book", which did something like that. I think I'd have enjoyed that more. I never did take advantage and then they closed down. We miss that store!

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janis b's picture

I think that's you in the box!

For a long time I thought you were that little electric-haired boy, but now I see that you are just a sweet curly ginger-head ; ).

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QMS's picture

@janis b that's what happened when I pulled my finger out of the socket!

Cheers to you

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janis b's picture

@QMS

when I want to straighten my hair.

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smiley7's picture

worth repeating: "And what I love about this box, and what I realize I sort of do in whatever it is that I do, is I find myself drawn to infinite possibility, that sense of potential. And I realize that mystery is the catalyst for imagination." ~ J.J. Abrams

So this old brain may retain a little; loved boxing day when in England.

Thanks for the OT and being here!

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