An X-Mas Eve Ramble

So, once again, it’s Christmas Eve. This will be my 22nd, well, 23rd if you count the one I spent in my own personal “pool”. I’ve spent Christmas Eves and Days in many places with many people. New York, Massachusetts, Florida, California and everywhere in between. With family, immediate, extended and step. Even with friends. I’ve had my ups and my downs, I’ve had plenty of snow, plenty of heat and rain.

For me, Christmas isn’t about the presents anymore. Sure, it’s nice getting stuff, for free, from people, but, I’m not little kid anymore. And maybe that’s why I don’t understand this nonsense about “Happy Holidays” and “Merry Christmas” and which one people want to hear when buying their love. I think people forget what this time of the year is all about. It’s about spending time with family, whether you want to or not, whether you like them or not. It’s about spending time with friends, which most of us would rather do instead of spending countless hours with their family.

That’s why this time of the year is quite important. Our lives get busier and busier and
more complicated as the years tick by and the world becomes more complicated with us. We don’t spend much time sitting back and enjoying the simple pleasures of our lives, which include the people in it. We seem to take for granted our families and our friends, maybe assuming they’ll always be there. Because of that, we don’t spend the time with them because we have better things to do, or because we’ve gotten mad at them for something stupid and trivial, in the grand scheme of things.

We’ve all done it, I think, I certainly know I have. Rolling our eyes when we’re told we “have to” spend Christmas with Grandma and Grandpa. Whine when we have to leave our new toys we just unwrapped when we have to go out and spend the day with the parents. Complain when we think we have better things to do when we’re told we’re spending Christmas dinner over at our Aunt’s and Uncle’s. Little do we truly realize that we will miss these opportunities when they’re gone.

So, this is the time of year for love, for forgiveness, for renewal. Take advantage of those that are around you, that care about you, that love you, regardless of whatever is going on in your life, whatever is going on between you and someone else and whatever else might be getting in your way.

Because, family can never be replaced. Because true friends are hard to come by. Because both have always been there for you, between thick and thin, anger and love and will continue to be there for you once all else has failed you. I for one wish I could take back everything I’ve done and said in anger to the people I love, it served no purpose other to waste precious time with them. And it hurts when the ripples of my actions are still affecting my relationships with some people.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to take my own advice and make a phone call, write some letters, write some messages. Just think about it, and have a happy whatever you celebrate.

——–

Compromising on our principals

I can’t understand this whole fight over banning torture and inhumane treatment by any U.S. citizen. What is there to compromise about? Didn’t Bush just say not too long ago (while pounding his fist on the podium) that we do not torture? I coulda sworn he did, since I remember watching the Daily Show discuss this and myself writing a blog about it. So, Bush wants to “compromise” on something that 90% of the U.S. Senate agreed on. Ok, when was the last time that the U.S. Senate agreed that much on something (other than the Patriot Act since, you know, hardly anyone who voted on it actually read the damned thing)? We finally see a major issue with bipartisan agreement, and the Bushies want to go and fuck it up. Bring the divided nation together, my ass cheeks.

If we don’t torture, why do we need to exempt the CIA from being held to this law? I mean, since we’ve already managed to piss off the world and turn 9/11 goodwill into contempt and hatred, shouldn’t we be allaying our allies’, and even non-allies’, fear about our actions? Besides the fact that in the history of torture, it has never been shown, or proven, to actually be effective, why not back up words with action? Put it on the books, I say, tell the world we don’t stoop down to third-world tactics when the tough gets going. There are plenty of Americans who have gone through torture themselves, and I don’t think that it’s something they’d like to put other people through. They know what it’s like, and I’m sure they’ll tell you it doesn’t do a damned thing.

Take Senator John McCain, for instance. One of the more notable Republicans (not to mention any other politician in Washington) who seems to have his head on straight and I actually like. He was held captive during the Veitnam war after being shot down, and he was tortured. Shouldn’t a man of his standing be given the courtesy, respect and the benefit of the doubt and believe him when he says it’s a bad thing and we shouldn’t do it?

So I say to you, Senator McCain, keep it up, don’t bend to the big boss’ pressure, stick to your guns and American principles. Same goes for all of you.

The new battle: Xmas, without the “Christ”

Well, we have another brain fart among Americans about something stupid and, bluntly, moronic. You have the psychotic “PC” (or for those of you out there who might be suffering in the IQ department: “Political Correctness”) people in this country who seem to think that everything is offensive, so nothing religious allowed in the way of Christmas displays (except Santa, apparently he’s “kosher”). Then you have the psycho religious fanatics who seem to think that their religion and way of life is under siege. Before I go on with this, anyone else feel like hitting these people upside the head with a large, heavy and blunt object? I know I do.

Obviously, you see a trend in businesses, public/governmental places turning more towards the “Happy Holidays” message rather than the usual “Merry Christmas” we’re all accustomed to seeing. To tell you the truth, this doesn’t bother me, if places of business feel they want to avoid potentially insulting or making their non-Christmas celebrating customers feel uncomfortable, well, grand. That’s their priority, I couldn’t care less if I get told “Happy Holidays” when I leave Target or wherever else these next few weeks leading up to Christmas. For one thing, I’m not religious, I celebrate Christmas’ overall message: peace and goodwill to all in this world. I mean, honestly, isn’t that what it’s all about? Being with family, having to be drunk 24/7 to get through it all, loving the people in your lives, etc etc etc? If the religious folk of this country want to celebrate it as the birth of Christ and whatnot, that’s their prerogative, right?

Of course, you have the people who take it a step or two too far when it comes to the PC aspect of it (not the computer, moron). Just saw a news story about some family told to take their nativity scene down that was on their own private property. Why? I for one don’t normally like the whole “look at me, I’m religious so join us or burn in hell” mentality (you know, those people who come on campus and “preach” to us and those people who stop you and ask “Have you found Jesus?”). But, people have a right to display their religious beliefs on their own private property, just don’t push it on everyone else. Which, by the way, this family wasn’t doing. Of course, they were apologized to and didn’t have to take the scene down. But, still, c’mon, those of us who aren’t all that religious bitch n’ moan when religion is crammed down our throats, so why cram our non-beliefs and our PC down theirs? Live and let live, I say.

Ok, now on the religious folks with the persecution complex. We got the super-religious folk who think the whole “let’s be PC and say Happy Holidays” crowd is hell-bent on taking over the world, stamping out religion, selling all our souls to the devil, yadda yadda yadda. To those people I say: would you shut the hell up? Honestly, it’s tiring hearing this crap from BOTH sides. I just want to get drunk, wallow in my own misery about being single, once again (I know, I know, not like there’s an obvious reason for that now is there?) without hearing how the non-believers are trying to rid the world of Christmas and how we need rid the world of all the crap that may offend someone.

Would you please find that middle ground and just stay there? Seriously, it’s people like this who get into these “battles” that keep this country all nice and divided (which reminds me, someone remind me to talk about Ann Coulter sometime) and give me a headache while blowing my buzz.