Emotions are high. I detest the season for that reason. I'm already experiencing residual hatred-of-the-season at home. My spouse suffers from PTSD due to a horrific childhood and this time of year brings out the worst in him. We've been apologizing to each other for two days because he's reacting which makes me react which results in an endless circle until we realize the trap has caught us again. If only I could chew off that leg. Rambling again.....
This is happening here, too. The season triggers people in all sorts of ways and presents itself in all sorts of ways and, well, here we are - a community suffering.
I love you all and hope we can continue to resolve our issues in respectful ways.
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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
I remember watching that movie when I used to go to Germany for Christmas after my mother passed away to spend time with my cousins. For some reason, German television in Berlin had this movie, as well as Gone With The Wind, on a 24 hour loop Christmas Day.
I remember watching that movie when I used to go to Germany for Christmas after my mother passed away to spend time with my cousins. For some reason, German television in Berlin had this movie, as well as Gone With The Wind, on a 24 hour loop Christmas Day.
My German is not good enough to remember what the names of the movies were in German. This was over 15 years ago. I just remember being cuddled up in bed Christmas day with my cousins watching GWTW and drinking hot chocolate spiked with a little schnapps while it snowed outside!
My German is not good enough to remember what the names of the movies were in German. This was over 15 years ago. I just remember being cuddled up in bed Christmas day with my cousins watching GWTW and drinking hot chocolate spiked with a little schnapps while it snowed outside!
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
One is the freelance work I do from home and the other is in retail. For anyone who has never worked in retail at this time of year, you can't imagine the hard work it entails. I kid around with fellow colleagues about how it feels like being a gladiator the minute we get on the sales floor. Yesterday our store did over $150,000 in sales. And you better believe we worked for that.
Meanwhile, I'm also trying to find time to do my own shopping and preparing for the holidays. There just isn't enough time or energy in the day to do everything that needs to be done. I like to be a positive person in general but I really haven't been feeling like this is "the most wonderful time of the year!"
January can't come soon enough.
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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
@Anja Geitz
for twenty years. About 15 too many. Sucks the life out of you both physically and mentally. I know the job market sucks and only going to get worse, but try to get out of there as fast as you can.
One is the freelance work I do from home and the other is in retail. For anyone who has never worked in retail at this time of year, you can't imagine the hard work it entails. I kid around with fellow colleagues about how it feels like being a gladiator the minute we get on the sales floor. Yesterday our store did over $150,000 in sales. And you better believe we worked for that.
Meanwhile, I'm also trying to find time to do my own shopping and preparing for the holidays. There just isn't enough time or energy in the day to do everything that needs to be done. I like to be a positive person in general but I really haven't been feeling like this is "the most wonderful time of the year!"
January can't come soon enough.
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the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
The freelance work I do is very solitary, so the work I do at the store is a lot of fun, holidays notwithstanding. I work with a great group of people, the benefits are above the average, as is the pay scale, and I'm only a 10 minute commute away from home. I am also working with food and cooking which is a great interest of mine and an area I'd like to pursue with my writing.
#4
for twenty years. About 15 too many. Sucks the life out of you both physically and mentally. I know the job market sucks and only going to get worse, but try to get out of there as fast as you can.
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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
The freelance work I do is very solitary, so the work I do at the store is a lot of fun, holidays notwithstanding. I work with a great group of people, the benefits are above the average, as is the pay scale, and I'm only a 10 minute commute away from home. I am also working with food and cooking which is a great interest of mine and an area I'd like to pursue with my writing.
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the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
@Anja Geitz
if I may ask? You can PM me. Lots of places constantly advertising 'now hiring' around here but I wonder if they ever even hire anyone; seems like it's always the same people I see in there.
I have to wonder how my former workplace is getting along without us; probably a mess.
The freelance work I do is very solitary, so the work I do at the store is a lot of fun, holidays notwithstanding. I work with a great group of people, the benefits are above the average, as is the pay scale, and I'm only a 10 minute commute away from home. I am also working with food and cooking which is a great interest of mine and an area I'd like to pursue with my writing.
She is the epitome of dumb and dumber. Sucks the oxygen right out. So, yes, a bad season, falala. Will life improve in January? I am hoping... Merry Christmas to all who do something. Belated Happy Hannukah to others. Belated Eid to some as well.
Think of the meerkats!
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@JtC
I have zero decorations up becuz circumstances, but next year I'm going for the one light.
#6
by hanging just one tiny little LED light outside. Of course I was outvoted 1-0 (my vote didn't count).
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the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
As a student of the history of religion I’ve come to understand that major holidays begin as a celebration of a culture’s economy.
Example: Agricultural communities celebrate fertility. At this time of year, the days begin to grow longer as the earth becomes ready for spring planting, & that’s some significant shit!
(I’ve seen this stated simplistically that the nativity of the sun became the nativity of the son.)
While modern xmas does have roots in pagan religions & there’s a connection to a dead guy called christ, what we experience is full blown orgasmic worship of capitalism.
So, please to excuse my non-participation.
There are, however, 2 things about xmas that do me in – 1. the annual whining of the merchants that not enough money was spent, & 2. the sub-category of consumer goods called “stocking stuffers.” Those things never fail to make me laugh.
@smallaxe
as stocking stuffers. Make everyone else haul agates around. Fossils work, too. Or just pretty rocks.
As a student of the history of religion I’ve come to understand that major holidays begin as a celebration of a culture’s economy.
Example: Agricultural communities celebrate fertility. At this time of year, the days begin to grow longer as the earth becomes ready for spring planting, & that’s some significant shit!
(I’ve seen this stated simplistically that the nativity of the sun became the nativity of the son.)
While modern xmas does have roots in pagan religions & there’s a connection to a dead guy called christ, what we experience is full blown orgasmic worship of capitalism.
So, please to excuse my non-participation.
There are, however, 2 things about xmas that do me in – 1. the annual whining of the merchants that not enough money was spent, & 2. the sub-category of consumer goods called “stocking stuffers.” Those things never fail to make me laugh.
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@smallaxe
I have no idea what a rock should be worth. I have self-found fossils that are not museum-quality but not from the geologic era found here.
#7.1
What a wonderful idea! And totally unqualified as consumer goods.
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Do you have a theory about your geologically misplaced fossils? That sounds interesting.
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@smallaxe
unfortunately I'm surrounded by family that hasn't come around to see it my way yet ( yes I know I am fortunate to be surrounded by family though ), So I kinda go along with some of the b.s. for family peace. I have been telling them for years to stop wasting their money on gifts for me, and I do enjoy spending the day with my kids and grandkids.
As a student of the history of religion I’ve come to understand that major holidays begin as a celebration of a culture’s economy.
Example: Agricultural communities celebrate fertility. At this time of year, the days begin to grow longer as the earth becomes ready for spring planting, & that’s some significant shit!
(I’ve seen this stated simplistically that the nativity of the sun became the nativity of the son.)
While modern xmas does have roots in pagan religions & there’s a connection to a dead guy called christ, what we experience is full blown orgasmic worship of capitalism.
So, please to excuse my non-participation.
There are, however, 2 things about xmas that do me in – 1. the annual whining of the merchants that not enough money was spent, & 2. the sub-category of consumer goods called “stocking stuffers.” Those things never fail to make me laugh.
I'll confess that being raised by atheists has much to do w/ my outsider approach. But really, xmas had nothing on easter when it came to childhood astonishment. It seemed so unhygienic to have folks rising from the dead & then to sugarcoat it all w/ pastel colors & candy, total gross-out. The egg bit, tho, is pure paganism
#7 unfortunately I'm surrounded by family that hasn't come around to see it my way yet ( yes I know I am fortunate to be surrounded by family though ), So I kinda go along with some of the b.s. for family peace. I have been telling them for years to stop wasting their money on gifts for me, and I do enjoy spending the day with my kids and grandkids.
I'll confess that being raised by atheists has much to do w/ my outsider approach. But really, xmas had nothing on easter when it came to childhood astonishment. It seemed so unhygienic to have folks rising from the dead & then to sugarcoat it all w/ pastel colors & candy, total gross-out. The egg bit, tho, is pure paganism
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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
...fun facts about celebrating Christmas. We all probably know by now that Christ, our first Democratic Socialist Activist, was likely born in April. But it didn't really matter when he was born because his birth was never celebrated — for about the first 500 years! Everybody kept thinking he was going to be right back, and that it would be awkward if he showed up for his own birthday party. But after a few centuries had passed, People of Faith accepted that he had been unavoidably delayed, so they decided to celebrate the fact that he came at all. Winter solstice seemed a quiet and solemn time for a birthday tribute (if you ignore the pagans with their New Age carrying on). And, thus, the time of Christmas came to be.
As a student of the history of religion I’ve come to understand that major holidays begin as a celebration of a culture’s economy.
Example: Agricultural communities celebrate fertility. At this time of year, the days begin to grow longer as the earth becomes ready for spring planting, & that’s some significant shit!
(I’ve seen this stated simplistically that the nativity of the sun became the nativity of the son.)
While modern xmas does have roots in pagan religions & there’s a connection to a dead guy called christ, what we experience is full blown orgasmic worship of capitalism.
So, please to excuse my non-participation.
There are, however, 2 things about xmas that do me in – 1. the annual whining of the merchants that not enough money was spent, & 2. the sub-category of consumer goods called “stocking stuffers.” Those things never fail to make me laugh.
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The political system is what it is because the People are who they are. — Plato
It was always easier to get people to go along w/ that which they already knew & were familiar with. Northern hemisphere religions before xtianity were nature-based & that calendar of hols was adapted by the proponents of christ.
That xtianity was/is always looking for converts meant that it incorporated bits of local religion as it spread. It was from the Celts that the concept of the tripartite god (father, son, holy ghost) was taken. Never mind that the Celtic originals were goddesses.
...fun facts about celebrating Christmas. We all probably know by now that Christ, our first Democratic Socialist Activist, was likely born in April. But it didn't really matter when he was born because his birth was never celebrated — for about the first 500 years! Everybody kept thinking he was going to be right back, and that it would be awkward if he showed up for his own birthday party. But after a few centuries had passed, People of Faith accepted that he had been unavoidably delayed, so they decided to celebrate the fact that he came at all. Winter solstice seemed a quiet and solemn time for a birthday tribute (if you ignore the pagans with their New Age carrying on). And, thus, the time of Christmas came to be.
Ah, yes, the old 'this isn't referring to that which you've always known, but to this' switcheroo, endlessly repeated and re-enforced by those worshiping a jealous god.
And I suppose that the NeoLibs picked it up from there - they do provide a nasty present always, though, don't they?
It was always easier to get people to go along w/ that which they already knew & were familiar with. Northern hemisphere religions before xtianity were nature-based & that calendar of hols was adapted by the proponents of christ.
That xtianity was/is always looking for converts meant that it incorporated bits of local religion as it spread. It was from the Celts that the concept of the tripartite god (father, son, holy ghost) was taken. Never mind that the Celtic originals were goddesses.
OK, I'll stop now.
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A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
the less love I have for the holiday.
The weatherman gave us 4-5 hours of freezing rain earlier today, followed by snow as I bang this out. Nuthin' like driving on snow covered sleet. Gawd I love December.
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@Wink
But Christmas Day here looks questionable now. Temps dropping, 4 deg in the past hour. Changeover to snow soon.
the less love I have for the holiday.
The weatherman gave us 4-5 hours of freezing rain earlier today, followed by snow as I bang this out. Nuthin' like driving on snow covered sleet. Gawd I love December.
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@riverlover
I hate about the holidays is the damn weather.
#8 But Christmas Day here looks questionable now. Temps dropping, 4 deg in the past hour. Changeover to snow soon.
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the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
is that it doesn't last forever. I have seasonal affective disorder, and the short days are like being trapped in a deep well and trying to climb out by my fingernails. All while people are like "Merry merry happy happy".
Solstice is behind us and the new year has started. The weather has cooperated, we haven't had more than three or four cloudy days all fall. No decent precipitation in four months. I'm starting to think the Southwest won't see any rain until the next El Nino, give or take the odd 30 inch flash flood.
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"A species that is hurtling toward extinction has no business promoting slow incremental change." -- Caitlin Johnstone
A number of years ago, we told family that we no longer wished to exchange gifts. I was the bad guy in this decision, but it has made things much less stressful. Then about eight years ago, we started staying in NC for Christmas, away from family. All of this has led to a far more peaceful and sane holiday season for us.
We are not grinches. We have lots of friends here and have attended several holiday parties. I also love to decorate. Decorating my Christmas trees is my big indulgence. So I put up two artificial trees with lots of lights in our front windows and we light our fence out front.
Two days after Christmas, we will head south for a couple of months. The day after Christmas is very hectic, taking every thing down, packing it up and putting it in the attic until next year. I also pack for the trip south, hauling several plants in my car along with any leftover food in the fridge. The pipes are drained the night before we leave. Then on the 28th, it will be an 8.5 hour drive for me and a much longer one for hub who has to detour to the Atlanta to pick up his mother.
I firmly believe that relatives, other than my own awesome mother, are who bring so much stress during the holidays. Everyone sets their expectations far too high which often leads to conflicts and disappointment. We decided to avoid that by staying put far away.
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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
@gulfgal98
My mother has been Grinching all over the place, and my niece threw a monkey wrench into family plans by deciding to arrive this morning instead of last night. My poor brother has to deal with both of these prima donnas (I live across town so am spared the worst of it). Bah humbug!
A number of years ago, we told family that we no longer wished to exchange gifts. I was the bad guy in this decision, but it has made things much less stressful. Then about eight years ago, we started staying in NC for Christmas, away from family. All of this has led to a far more peaceful and sane holiday season for us.
We are not grinches. We have lots of friends here and have attended several holiday parties. I also love to decorate. Decorating my Christmas trees is my big indulgence. So I put up two artificial trees with lots of lights in our front windows and we light our fence out front.
Two days after Christmas, we will head south for a couple of months. The day after Christmas is very hectic, taking every thing down, packing it up and putting it in the attic until next year. I also pack for the trip south, hauling several plants in my car along with any leftover food in the fridge. The pipes are drained the night before we leave. Then on the 28th, it will be an 8.5 hour drive for me and a much longer one for hub who has to detour to the Atlanta to pick up his mother.
I firmly believe that relatives, other than my own awesome mother, are who bring so much stress during the holidays. Everyone sets their expectations far too high which often leads to conflicts and disappointment. We decided to avoid that by staying put far away.
@gulfgal98
PITA. Safe travels. Sun just appeared behind the clouds here. But Red Sky at dawn. Snow by midnight. MC.
A number of years ago, we told family that we no longer wished to exchange gifts. I was the bad guy in this decision, but it has made things much less stressful. Then about eight years ago, we started staying in NC for Christmas, away from family. All of this has led to a far more peaceful and sane holiday season for us.
We are not grinches. We have lots of friends here and have attended several holiday parties. I also love to decorate. Decorating my Christmas trees is my big indulgence. So I put up two artificial trees with lots of lights in our front windows and we light our fence out front.
Two days after Christmas, we will head south for a couple of months. The day after Christmas is very hectic, taking every thing down, packing it up and putting it in the attic until next year. I also pack for the trip south, hauling several plants in my car along with any leftover food in the fridge. The pipes are drained the night before we leave. Then on the 28th, it will be an 8.5 hour drive for me and a much longer one for hub who has to detour to the Atlanta to pick up his mother.
I firmly believe that relatives, other than my own awesome mother, are who bring so much stress during the holidays. Everyone sets their expectations far too high which often leads to conflicts and disappointment. We decided to avoid that by staying put far away.
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We started doing a white elephant gift exchange years ago, so it's way more fun, and much less stressful. I'm going to try and convince them to try out a game my co-worker plays with her family. It involves a huge tightly wrapped and taped box filled with multiple wrapped and taped gifts, all of which must be unwrapped while wearing socks on your hands, taking turns while someone else rolls a couple of die (dice?) until a certain number is rolled. We'll discuss it this year and will hopefully give it a try next year.
Plus, my mom announced years ago that she refused to slave/cook the huge traditional feast for Christmas, merely weeks after the other huge traditional feast for Thanksgiving. Thank the gods!
Now we have spaghetti. My stepdad gets his own bland Ragu sauce, and the rest of us have a big pot of homemade sauce.
For new years, we'll have traditional black eyed peas for luck, and cabbage for money. Both, complete, with southern, savory as opposed to sweet, warm, buttered cornbread. Second only to Thanksgiving, in my book.
Comments
It's actually a season full of contention.
Emotions are high. I detest the season for that reason. I'm already experiencing residual hatred-of-the-season at home. My spouse suffers from PTSD due to a horrific childhood and this time of year brings out the worst in him. We've been apologizing to each other for two days because he's reacting which makes me react which results in an endless circle until we realize the trap has caught us again. If only I could chew off that leg. Rambling again.....
This is happening here, too. The season triggers people in all sorts of ways and presents itself in all sorts of ways and, well, here we are - a community suffering.
I love you all and hope we can continue to resolve our issues in respectful ways.
"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
Bah humbug.
Haven't celebrated any of the horridays for years.
Much improved mental health.
Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.
Here's a poll...
which should I do to make the season more festive:
A - Go outside and lick a frozen flag pole.
-OR-
B - Shoot my eye out with a BB gun.
Hmmmmmmm...............
Just kidding.......
"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
"I triple dog dare you"...
LOL!
I give myself a little more credit than that! Tread softly, JtC, but keep your big stick handy.
"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
Why limit yourself?
Indulge in the holiday festivities and do both!
P.s. Im Kidding of course. One should never ever shoot a BB gun in their eye.
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
"You'll shoot your eye out"...
Ha ha ha!
I remember watching that movie when I used to go to Germany for Christmas after my mother passed away to spend time with my cousins. For some reason, German television in Berlin had this movie, as well as Gone With The Wind, on a 24 hour loop Christmas Day.
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Really? When was that? 24 h loop? Which Channel?
What's the movie's title in German? in Berlin?
Jeesh ... I don't know anything about Germany anymore. What the heck. That's not jolly.
Oh Gosh Mimi
My German is not good enough to remember what the names of the movies were in German. This was over 15 years ago. I just remember being cuddled up in bed Christmas day with my cousins watching GWTW and drinking hot chocolate spiked with a little schnapps while it snowed outside!
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
With a little Schnaps?
aaah, now I understand.
Lucky you. Have a jolly good time.
“Gone with the Wind” = „Vom Winde verweht“
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=vom+winde+verweht+film&t=ffsb&ia=videos
That movie nails it.
Coal furnaces, blown fuses and wearing snowsuits to school?
yep. did that.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
JtC it's
all fun and games til' someone puts an eye out...
I want a Pony!
I have two jobs
One is the freelance work I do from home and the other is in retail. For anyone who has never worked in retail at this time of year, you can't imagine the hard work it entails. I kid around with fellow colleagues about how it feels like being a gladiator the minute we get on the sales floor. Yesterday our store did over $150,000 in sales. And you better believe we worked for that.
Meanwhile, I'm also trying to find time to do my own shopping and preparing for the holidays. There just isn't enough time or energy in the day to do everything that needs to be done. I like to be a positive person in general but I really haven't been feeling like this is "the most wonderful time of the year!"
January can't come soon enough.
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Yeah, I did that
for twenty years. About 15 too many. Sucks the life out of you both physically and mentally. I know the job market sucks and only going to get worse, but try to get out of there as fast as you can.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
Actually, I enjoy it
The freelance work I do is very solitary, so the work I do at the store is a lot of fun, holidays notwithstanding. I work with a great group of people, the benefits are above the average, as is the pay scale, and I'm only a 10 minute commute away from home. I am also working with food and cooking which is a great interest of mine and an area I'd like to pursue with my writing.
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Ahh, if I had only
worked there instead. (sigh) If you still have some energy left at the end of your shift you're in a good spot.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
Where do you work
if I may ask? You can PM me. Lots of places constantly advertising 'now hiring' around here but I wonder if they ever even hire anyone; seems like it's always the same people I see in there.
I have to wonder how my former workplace is getting along without us; probably a mess.
This shit is bananas.
I finally hung up on Trump-supporting SIL (racist bitch)
She is the epitome of dumb and dumber. Sucks the oxygen right out. So, yes, a bad season, falala. Will life improve in January? I am hoping... Merry Christmas to all who do something. Belated Happy Hannukah to others. Belated Eid to some as well.
Think of the meerkats!
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
Rather than lick the flag pole
I'm using ours to fly a flag: the standard of the Grand Duchy of Hesse.
All part of the ongoing mission to confuse the neighbours.
Happy Christmas!
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.
I was going to make a statement...
by hanging just one tiny little LED light outside. Of course I was outvoted 1-0 (my vote didn't count).
I Love that idea!
I have zero decorations up becuz circumstances, but next year I'm going for the one light.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
I put this up every year
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
Voting is like driving with a toy steering wheel.
That's a lovely
minimalist tree.
Surely you remember this tree?
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
Voting is like driving with a toy steering wheel.
Oh yeah...
there's that lovely minimalist tree, but he overdid the lights on the house you're sleeping on, no?
Actually I put the lights up myself
I've always been a materialistic little shit.
I really do have this tree and the one ornament.
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
Voting is like driving with a toy steering wheel.
@snoopydawg
That's actually quite tasteful! Does it go on the roof or inside WW2 Ace's hut? And is that one of the Red Baron's balls?
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
Long ago there was the solstice
As a student of the history of religion I’ve come to understand that major holidays begin as a celebration of a culture’s economy.
Example: Agricultural communities celebrate fertility. At this time of year, the days begin to grow longer as the earth becomes ready for spring planting, & that’s some significant shit!
(I’ve seen this stated simplistically that the nativity of the sun became the nativity of the son.)
While modern xmas does have roots in pagan religions & there’s a connection to a dead guy called christ, what we experience is full blown orgasmic worship of capitalism.
So, please to excuse my non-participation.
There are, however, 2 things about xmas that do me in – 1. the annual whining of the merchants that not enough money was spent, & 2. the sub-category of consumer goods called “stocking stuffers.” Those things never fail to make me laugh.
I have stones (when I find them)
as stocking stuffers. Make everyone else haul agates around. Fossils work, too. Or just pretty rocks.
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@riverlover
What a wonderful idea! And totally unqualified as consumer goods.
You would be surprised at what's on FB
I have no idea what a rock should be worth. I have self-found fossils that are not museum-quality but not from the geologic era found here.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
Don't do FB
Do you have a theory about your geologically misplaced fossils? That sounds interesting.
Glaciers?
Or humans moving rocks? I have moved rocks and plants for decades.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
I'd rather celebrate the sun
unfortunately I'm surrounded by family that hasn't come around to see it my way yet ( yes I know I am fortunate to be surrounded by family though ), So I kinda go along with some of the b.s. for family peace. I have been telling them for years to stop wasting their money on gifts for me, and I do enjoy spending the day with my kids and grandkids.
To be surrounded by loved ones
is a gift! Enjoy it as much as you can, pro left!
I'll confess that being raised by atheists has much to do w/ my outsider approach. But really, xmas had nothing on easter when it came to childhood astonishment. It seemed so unhygienic to have folks rising from the dead & then to sugarcoat it all w/ pastel colors & candy, total gross-out. The egg bit, tho, is pure paganism
@smallaxe
Personally, I always felt that the chocolate bunnies made it all worthwhile.
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
I heard today, as I was driving, one of those historic
...fun facts about celebrating Christmas. We all probably know by now that Christ, our first Democratic Socialist Activist, was likely born in April. But it didn't really matter when he was born because his birth was never celebrated — for about the first 500 years! Everybody kept thinking he was going to be right back, and that it would be awkward if he showed up for his own birthday party. But after a few centuries had passed, People of Faith accepted that he had been unavoidably delayed, so they decided to celebrate the fact that he came at all. Winter solstice seemed a quiet and solemn time for a birthday tribute (if you ignore the pagans with their New Age carrying on). And, thus, the time of Christmas came to be.
____________________
The political system is what it is because the People are who they are. — Plato
Religions are syncretic
It was always easier to get people to go along w/ that which they already knew & were familiar with. Northern hemisphere religions before xtianity were nature-based & that calendar of hols was adapted by the proponents of christ.
That xtianity was/is always looking for converts meant that it incorporated bits of local religion as it spread. It was from the Celts that the concept of the tripartite god (father, son, holy ghost) was taken. Never mind that the Celtic originals were goddesses.
OK, I'll stop now.
@smallaxe
Ah, yes, the old 'this isn't referring to that which you've always known, but to this' switcheroo, endlessly repeated and re-enforced by those worshiping a jealous god.
And I suppose that the NeoLibs picked it up from there - they do provide a nasty present always, though, don't they?
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
The older I get
the less love I have for the holiday.
The weatherman gave us 4-5 hours of freezing rain earlier today, followed by snow as I bang this out. Nuthin' like driving on snow covered sleet. Gawd I love December.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
It gets worse.
But Christmas Day here looks questionable now. Temps dropping, 4 deg in the past hour. Changeover to snow soon.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
yeah, another thing
I hate about the holidays is the damn weather.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
The only good thing about this time of year
is that it doesn't last forever. I have seasonal affective disorder, and the short days are like being trapped in a deep well and trying to climb out by my fingernails. All while people are like "Merry merry happy happy".
Solstice is behind us and the new year has started. The weather has cooperated, we haven't had more than three or four cloudy days all fall. No decent precipitation in four months. I'm starting to think the Southwest won't see any rain until the next El Nino, give or take the odd 30 inch flash flood.
"The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function." -- Albert Bartlett
"A species that is hurtling toward extinction has no business promoting slow incremental change." -- Caitlin Johnstone
Keeping our sanity during this season
A number of years ago, we told family that we no longer wished to exchange gifts. I was the bad guy in this decision, but it has made things much less stressful. Then about eight years ago, we started staying in NC for Christmas, away from family. All of this has led to a far more peaceful and sane holiday season for us.
We are not grinches. We have lots of friends here and have attended several holiday parties. I also love to decorate. Decorating my Christmas trees is my big indulgence. So I put up two artificial trees with lots of lights in our front windows and we light our fence out front.
Two days after Christmas, we will head south for a couple of months. The day after Christmas is very hectic, taking every thing down, packing it up and putting it in the attic until next year. I also pack for the trip south, hauling several plants in my car along with any leftover food in the fridge. The pipes are drained the night before we leave. Then on the 28th, it will be an 8.5 hour drive for me and a much longer one for hub who has to detour to the Atlanta to pick up his mother.
I firmly believe that relatives, other than my own awesome mother, are who bring so much stress during the holidays. Everyone sets their expectations far too high which often leads to conflicts and disappointment. We decided to avoid that by staying put far away.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Wow yes relatives!
My mother has been Grinching all over the place, and my niece threw a monkey wrench into family plans by deciding to arrive this morning instead of last night. My poor brother has to deal with both of these prima donnas (I live across town so am spared the worst of it). Bah humbug!
There is no justice. There can be no peace.
OMG, pipe draining and blowing! And antifreeze in U-joints?
PITA. Safe travels. Sun just appeared behind the clouds here. But Red Sky at dawn. Snow by midnight. MC.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
Less stressful than Thanksgiving
We started doing a white elephant gift exchange years ago, so it's way more fun, and much less stressful. I'm going to try and convince them to try out a game my co-worker plays with her family. It involves a huge tightly wrapped and taped box filled with multiple wrapped and taped gifts, all of which must be unwrapped while wearing socks on your hands, taking turns while someone else rolls a couple of die (dice?) until a certain number is rolled. We'll discuss it this year and will hopefully give it a try next year.
Plus, my mom announced years ago that she refused to slave/cook the huge traditional feast for Christmas, merely weeks after the other huge traditional feast for Thanksgiving. Thank the gods!
Now we have spaghetti. My stepdad gets his own bland Ragu sauce, and the rest of us have a big pot of homemade sauce.
For new years, we'll have traditional black eyed peas for luck, and cabbage for money. Both, complete, with southern, savory as opposed to sweet, warm, buttered cornbread. Second only to Thanksgiving, in my book.