Christms, Xmas, Saturnalia, Winter Solstice, & other Holiday Issues...

First off, I want to say that I don't want to make it a habit of mine to post political or religious material on a regular basis. I want those posting to only be a rare occurrence. This is because there are so many other blogs dealing with those issues, and I doubt that I have any more insight than others out there. That being said, here is my take on this holiday season & the controversies that seem to come up more frequently each year.

I totally enjoy Christmas. That may surprise many who know that I'm very agnostic in my religious views. In many ways, I'm probably an atheist; however, considering that I don't know everything, I think it's safer (and more accurate) to say that I don't think there is a God (or higher power) rather than say, "There is no God."

I enjoy the Holiday or Christmas season because it's meant to be an inclusive time for everyone. Even from it's pagan beginnings in the Scandinavian/German areas, it was meant to be a time to gather with friend & family. A time to look forward to better, warmer times that were on the horizon. In the Norse traditions, strangers would be given refuge from the bitter cold at this time. This kind of tradition was eventually adopted by Christians when they came later.

However, there is one part of the Holidays that I've come to loathe within the last 15 years or so. That is all the harping, groaning, & bitching about "The salesclerk said, 'Happy Holidays' to me instead of 'Merry Christmas.'; 'The liberals are waging war on Christmas!'; 'Remember that Jesus is the reason for the season.'" I just don't get why this is suddenly an issue as of 1990 when I didn't remember it being a big deal in the years before that.

Back when I lived in Alabama, I could always count on several Letters to the Editor of newspapers, from people who are 'insulted' that someone dared say, "Happy Holidays" to them instead of "Merry Christmas." They act like this is a new thing. They act like this is some liberal atheistic plot to diminish or banish Christmas. It's none of that. Just watch the old Warner Bros. cartoons from the '40s. Happy Holidays, Xmas, & Merry Christmas are used fairly equally throughout them. It's been that way since before I was born.

As to sales clerks using Happy Holidays, I'm all for that. I was a sales clerk at one time. I also remember that I started using Happy Holidays exclusively after wishing a customer Merry Christmas. The customer was a bit put-off, and she informed me that she was, "Jehovah's Witness and [did] not celebrate or believe in Christmas" (her words to me). I then realized that this time was also Hanukkah, so Happy Holidays would be more appropriate & more inclusive of everyone.

When it comes to "Jesus is the reason for the season," nothing can be further from the truth. The time of year was used, as I mentioned before, by the Scandinavians for their Winter Solstice celebrations. This was done thousands of years before Jesus was born. Also, the Romans celebrated a festival around the same time called Saturnalia to celebrate the Roman god Saturn. Again, the Roman festival was a regular event long before Jesus was born. However, there's another reason why that adage isn't correct. That's because, if you go by the Biblical account, Jesus was born in a time of warmer temperatures. This is born out by passage stating shepherds were with their flocks at night, outside. This is a practice done during the 'lambing' season in which lambs are born. The shepherds used to (and still do in some cases today) to protect the new lambs from predators at night. Lambs are normally born in the spring, which is a much better climate to sleep outside at night than in December.

The December 25th celebration date for Jesus' birth was taken by early Christians from these pagan holidays. That's because the pagans were not about to give up their celebrations that had been going on for centuries. The Christians wanted their holiday celebrated too, so a white lie was done in order to put the birthday celebration in the forefront to those they wanted to convert.

Okay, now that I've raked the Christians over the coals, it's time for equal treatment. Another thing I dislike seeing at this time of year is the humbugging of the holiday by non-Christians. I'm a non-Christian myself, and I think this is a time of year to come together, not tear apart.

Here in Washington, a group of atheists posted a placard in the statehouse next to the state Christmas tree, Menorah, and other symbols of the season. I don't have a problem with this. I think everyone should be represented at this time as I've already stated. What I didn't agree with was the language that was used on the atheist plaque. It brutally said something like, "There is no God, angels, Jesus, or such. Religion is a myth. Celebrate the holiday with reason." I can get behind the last part; it's always best, in my opinion, to use reason in all things. I do take exception to how they worded the rest of their plaque. I think they could've stated their beliefs without ripping apart or insulting the beliefs of others. If nothing else, it's just not polite, and it's certainly not a reasoned approach. Had they used more reason, maybe they would've gotten the message across without so much acrimony.

By the way, Xmas is not an atheistic attempt to get Christ out of Christmas. It's a legitimate short-hand for Christmas. The early Christians were Jewish & Greeks. In the Greek alphabet the C equivalent is X, and the Greek Christians used X as a short-hand for themselves. So they would refer to themselves as Xians. It's not a giant leap to then get Xmas using this rational.

The bottom line is that this time of year is one of forgiveness & inclusion. We shouldn't worry about what others are doing, and just try to make the world a better place.

I hope you all have a Great Holiday or Non-Holiday whichever you prefer. :)

Auto Bail-out...

Though I do have strong political beliefs, I want to keep my political posts to a very minimum. This is because 1) there are already TONS of political blogs everywhere, 2) I'm not really out to influence anyone else. However, there may be things happening that I think I have a decent idea/solution for. This is one of those cases.

We all know that here in the USA, the big three auto makers (GM, Ford, Chrysler) are petitioning our government for a bail-out. They say if they don't receive one, they'll go out of business. It's probably true.

Another thing that is true is this. If one, two, or all of the "big three" go under, potentially millions will lose their jobs. It's also true that having no job means, in the short term, that those folks will be on unemployment. And that may/will put another strain on our already faltering economy.

I say, the big three got themselves into this mess, let them dig their own way out. I also feel that way about the bail-out of the banking/lending/mortgage industry. They caused their own failure. It was due to simple greed, and I think it should be allowed to rectify itself.

Now you might be asking, "but what about those folks who'll lose their jobs? Why should they suffer for someone else's mistake?" The thing is, they already are/will suffering for someone else's mistake. We all are. If the government bails-out the big three, the banks/investors, & whoever else, where exactly do you think that money comes from? Taxes that we all pay. By that, I mean those of us who make less than $250,000/year. We are the ones who actually pay taxes. Most people & business making more than that figure always weasel out of paying the bulk of their fair share. Even when their taxes are raised, they find loopholes that let them pay less than most of us.

So let the auto makers fail. Let the investors fail. Let the capitalistic "free market" system sort itself out. It will, and only the businesses that have a sound business plan & foresight will prevail. Maybe it will impart a lesson to those who's greed distracted them from making sound business choices.

As to those folks who would be laid-off, I have a solution for that too. Like I said before, those folks will be getting unemployment, so they'll effectively be paid by the government for not working anyway. The financial strain would already be there if there's a bail-out, or if there's no bail-out. The solution to those unemployed can be found in the past. They can be put to work for the government. There are plenty of infrastructure projects that need the manpower to be completed. There have also been plenty of cut-backs in government offices, so there are positions there too. Simply put those folks to work.

It may not be as simple as it sounds, but I think it can work. It did before, back in the '30s. I think that would go further in making people feel better if they had something to do.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents.

Arnin'....

Today was just a day spent inside. Just a lazy Sunday of watching the Seahawks lose (sucks) & doin' laundry. I wasn't blue or bored or staying out of the rain; I just think it's important to have some good time with yourself... and I had a ton of laundry to do. :)

In truth I had ALL the laundry to do. I've collected enough clothes over the years that I can actually go 2 weeks without doing laundry, though I don't normally do that. I usually do the wash on Sundays or Saturdays.

That's a habit that's so ingrained that I've not had much success breaking it. You see, for a long time I didn't have a washer/dryer in the house. So it was wait the entire week & take the clothes, (usually) Sunday morning, to the laundry-mat and do laundry. I did this so long that even when I actually owned a washer/dryer (as now) I still wait until the weekend to do laundry. If I ever get in the habit, I could knock out a load or two during the week & have the whole weekend free for once. Maybe some day. :)

One aspect of the laundry that I do most times is ironing; in the south it's pronounced "arnin'." Most folks are surprised when I tell them I iron my clothes; actually I really only iron my button-down shirts (no need to iron my jeans or dockers). I was taught to iron by my Mom, but I really learned ironing while in the military.

It is kind of a chore, but to me there's a zen-like quality do it. You can do it with little or no thought, and it has a repetitive motion that kind of eases tension. I also find vacuuming to have the same quality, back & forth, no real effort or thought needed. These two activities are so zen-like for me that I can actually sort out a lot of things that tend to be jumbled. Matter-of-fact, I've gotten some of my best ideas for the programs I write while vacuuming (none while ironing... yet).

The nicest two things I get out of ironing is a) the satisfaction when it's over. It always feels like I've done something. & b) the nice creases on the sleeves of my shirts. I don't like them starched or anything like that, but I do like to have creases. It must come from the military days.

Well, time to put the board away. :)

Star Trek's World Is Not So Cool...

I'll start by saying I'm a big Star Trek fan. With the exception of the Deep Space 9 series & the Enterprise series, I've watched them all & enjoyed them all. I also like the films that have come out so far. However, there's one aspect of the society depicted in Star Trek that bugs me to no end. The snobbery of music genres.

If you've watched any of the Star Trek fair, and paid attention, you might have noticed something missing in their version of the future. Rock/Pop music. With the exception of the First Contact film, the only music that anyone seems to listen for pleasure is either classical or jazz. Now I'm not knocking either. I really enjoy a lot of classical music, and I've found some jazz I like as well (who can't like Miles Davis), but what about other forms? I know I'm focusing on Rock & Pop, but there also isn't any Country/Bluegrass (which doesn't bother me so much) and no folk music (not that I've heard anyway).

Considering that as of now, Rock music's been around for 50+ years, it just makes sense that it would still be around in some form in the future, especially amoung young people. I also can't beleive that Klingons would not be listening to some Thrash Metal & Punk (Metallica, Slayer, Sex Pistols, Clash, The Stooges, etc.). Those guys would go nuts over it, & the mosh pit would become the new social center of the Klingon Empire. I see the Romulans as more fans of Industrial/Techno (Nine Inch Nails, Venus Hum, Kraftwerk); and I think the Vulcans would be prone to Progressive Rock (Pink Floyd, ELP, Genesis (with Peter Gabriel), Yes).

As I mentioned before, Rock was heard in the "First Contact" film. So you might say, "See, it's still around." But that's not correct; if you remember in that film, none of the Enterprise's crew acted like they'd ever heard it before. Also, Deanna Troi kept calling it "RockaRoll." So that proves that rock music is not around at all in the world of Star Fleet.

I also have earlier proof. Go back to the original series (with Kirk & Spock et al). There was an episode in which the Enterprise encountered a group of space-age "hippies" who were trying to get to a planet they called Eden. They said it was a paradise. Even those young counter-culturists played music that was more on a line with jazz or standards that any real pop music. It was nothing close to the Grateful Dead.

So in conclusion, the future represented in Star Trek seems great (no pollution, no poverty), but if they aren't going to have good music, then I'd just as soon continue with the chaos we enjoy today. I'll still watch the shows & films though. :) Live long & prosper! \\//

Ear Infections Suck....

In the last post I explained about how I have an ear infection. I have to say that of all these I've had previously, this is the worst one ever!

With previous infections, I've been able to carry on and work. I've had some pain, but not too much; at least not to the point where I felt incapacitated by it. That is not true this time.

Sunday, when it was first manifested, there was the "normal" pain I expect from an ear infection. Monday turned into a pain I've never remembered experiencing before. I've had fingers mashed, my right thumb broken, various scrapes from bicycle accidents, and wisdom teeth surgically removed. None of them compare with the pain I've endured with this.

Thankfully, the doctor prescribed Vicodin for the pain. However, at times even that didn't have much affect. I've had to double the dosage a couple times in order to sleep. It's been hell. I've not been able to work since Monday. This really bothers me since we have a ton of stuff going on & I know I'm really needed.

Another thing that I've had with this ear infection that I've not had with the others is nausea. I've been on the verge of throwing up (and beyond a couple of times) since the Ear, Nose, & Throat (ENT) appointment. The thing is, I can't tell if it's from the infection or the stronger antibiotics he gave me. Initially, I was thinking the antibiotics, but I'm now leaning toward the infection itself. This is because I've noticed being pretty wobbly just when walking around the apartment.

Well, I went to the ENT appointment, and he confirmed that it's probably the infection itself that's causing the nausea. He said that even though he felt that the infection was exterior, that he strongly doubted that any of the meds I've be taking would cause the nausea. He also said that though the swelling has gone down quite a bit, he still can't be sure what's up since he still can't see very far into the ear itself. So, he gave me more meds (antibiotics, ear drops) & another appointment for the 12th of next month.

He's also scheduled me for a hearing test on the day after that. I'm glad about that because I've not been able to hear out of that ear since Monday. I'm a bit worried about how this will effect my hearing. Luckily, I have two ears; so if I have a loss in the left, I'll still have the right ear. :)

I've gotta go lie down now before I hurl. :oP

Pain, suffering, and a new friend....

It all started Sunday morning. I woke up, and my jaw was sore on the left side at the hinge point. I just assumed I slept with my mouth in some strange position, and that caused it. However, there was more.

I took a shower, and as I was washing my face I noticed a tenderness just in front of my left ear. It was fairly painful when touched. That's when I knew what I was in for; and ear infection.

For a little back history, I've been pretty susceptible to ear infections since I had a really bad one when I was 18. Since then I try to be diligent about keeping my ear free of moisture. I swab with Q-tips after every shower and whenever I feel a tickle in my ear. I always have Q-tips close by, both at home & at the office.

Normally, I get a bit of a precursor in the form of slight pain when swabbing my ear (it's always the left one by the way). When that happens, I take a cold/sinus pill & try to lay on my left side as much as possible the rest of the day. That will avert a full-blown infection about 90% of the time. However, there was none of that this time. Friday & Saturday I felt fine. Sunday I woke up in pain. Of course I had to wait until Monday to make a doctor's appointment since the offices aren't open on Sunday. Well, by Monday things got much worse.

When I looked in the mirror Monday morning I could see the entire side of my face in front of my left ear was swollen. There was pain even when not being touched, and pain when chewing or yawning. I went on into work, took Alleve for pain (which had no affect), made the appointment as soon as the office opened, and tried to work the rest of the day. That didn't go so well. By the time I left for my appointment at 3pm, the pain was constant & throbbing. I also could no longer hear out of the ear at all.

I saw the doctor, and he was worried. He said it was so swollen inside that he couldn't see into the ear canal. He consulted with a Ear, Nose, & Throat guy (ENT) who told him to give me antibiotics, & drops. He also wanted to see me the next day (today). Luckily, the doctor introduced me to my newest & bestest friend, Vicodin.

Though there's still some pain after taking the Vicodin, it's not nearly like without it. I was able to sleep pretty well... until it wore off about 2am. I woke up in a whole new level of pain. Of course it took about 30 minutes for the Vicodin to kick in, but at least I was able to get back to sleep.

I went to ENT, and he also said there was too much swelling to see anything. He also didn't think the drops I had were making it inside the ear. So he put a wick in my ear and gave me stronger drops & stronger antibiotics. He also made a follow-up for Friday. He said the swelling should be down enough by then to allow him to make a diagnosis.

Now I think it's time to converse with my new friend again. ;}

A Little Sump'n Missin'....

I want to start off by saying that I am truly head-over-heels in love with Seattle. I so wish that I'd moved here long ago. That being said, there are still some things that my love can't seem to supply to me.
Today I had lunch at a place called Bayou on First. It's billed as Cajun/Creole food, and the food is good, but it's lacking a major ingredient.... Okra. Any true recipe for either gumbo or jambalaya is supposed to have okra. At least they always do in the south. This lack of okra is not just a phenomenon at this eatery, I've had either gumbo or jambalaya at 3 other restaurants in town, and they all have this same omission.
I also noticed that Bayou on First didn't offer Fried Okra as a side dish. However, in one of their veggie dishes, I did see okra as an ingredient. So this confuses me. Why omit a key ingredient in one dish, then offer it as a meat substitute in another? I don't know. I do have to admit that their corn muffins were passable. They didn't taste like Momma's, but they didn't taste like the "cake" flavored corn muffins I got at Ivar's. :)
I've also noticed that I haven't seen okra available in Safeway or QFC either. I need to do some checking at the vegetable stands at Pike Place Market. I think I might be able to find some there. At least I hope that I can. If not, I might be forced to bootleg okra up from Alabama. I might have to get Mom to Next-Day some to me. :)