Let’s Talk Turkey – Christmas Reflections

Ok, one holiday down, one more to go.  How are you doing so far?  How was your Christmas?  Were you overwhelmed by everything around you?  Did you stop and consider the real reason for the season?  So many questions.  It is so easy to get lost in all the hoopla surrounding Christmas.  So easy to forget what Christmas really means.

Christmas is almost synonymous with gift giving.  We sometimes feel inadequate if we cannot get a gift for a loved one.  On the flip side, we also feel hard done by if a loved one does not give us a gift.  I am not sure why the gift giving, especially when it’s between people who can afford their own gifts but you know what? I am not knocking it.  I have gotten some darn good items, thanks to this tradition.  It would seem weird if my friends exchanged presents with each other at my birthday party, wouldn’t it?

Shopping is another activity that goes hand in hand with Christmas. Shop till you drop seems to be the acceptable mantra.  Gifts, food for the parties, clothes, boxing day sales, buy buy buy!  Again, I am not sure how this ties in with Christmas but someone is making a killing, don’t look at me.

Even though I partake in all the above mentioned Christmas activities and delight in them, I would have no problem with Christmas being more of a time to focus than to stress out over who gets what and who gives what.  I would enjoy the old-fashioned style of Christmas that you see depicted in stories of old.  Where parents tell their kids stories while they listen in rapture.  I would enjoy a Christmas where we the fortunate ones take the opportunity to get ‘gifts’ for the less fortunate.  I know some of us do include this in our list of ‘things we do at Christmas’ but I would like to see the stress placed on it.  We say ‘Christmas is for children’,  I couldn’t disagree more.  It’s not for Children.  It’s for all of us.  If we consider all of us God’s children, then yes, it is for children.

In case you are wondering, “If you like it that way why don’t you celebrate it that way then?” Well I do.  Kinda.  As a team effort it would be even more special and far reaching.  Just imagine it.

Have a Happy New Year!  And remember, it’s all my takes.

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Don’t be a Christmas grump

This morning, I woke up early.  Too early for a Saturday morning but it wasn’t your ordinary Saturday morning.  This was the last Saturday before Christmas and with only 3 more days to go, I had to make every shopping chance count.  So I went to Costco tire shop to have tires installed on our van and wandered into the store to pick up a few things.  While inside, I was jostled and pushed in every direction but guess what, I didn’t lose my cool.  I kept a positive air about me and went about my business as though I was alone in the store.  I watched and listened to my fellow shoppers as they swore and stalked around the store as if someone was trespassing on their personal property.

Now if you are one of those people who get annoyed and stress out over things they cannot control, please don’t go out to the malls.  You should have made your shopping earlier anyways.  It’s Christmas if you didn’t notice and that means chaos at the stores.  With a capital C.  You do not own the store.  You do not have VIP status.  You are not a star.  Grin and bear it or stay in the safe confines of your home.  Sorry.

Oh, and do not be like that rude woman who saw it fit to cut off everyone in line.  If you cannot stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen, plain and simple.

And it’s not just my take.

Anti-Christ But Pro-Christmas

Is it possible to be an atheist but take part in the Christmas celebrations?  The reason I asked is that I see and hear of people who are outspoken in their beliefs, or disbelief.  They professed to be atheists but when it comes to Christmas and other Christian-related holidays, they are all over it like a cheap suit.

I am not passing judgement on who should and should not attend their work Christmas parties, accept presents and enjoy the Christmas experience.  What’s not to enjoy about Christmas?  We celebrate the birth the most high while engaging in fun activities.   So like I said, what’s not to celebrate?   But if the Klu Klux Klan had a holiday that was widely celebrated by people of like thoughts and beliefs, would I feel inclined to be a part of the festivities just because it seemed like a fun time?  I think not.  I don’t like parties that much

So now, does this mean that such a person is either a hypocrite or confused?  Or maybe just loves a good party?  You tell me.  I do think that most people who professed to be atheists are usually just confused or feeling their need to be radical.

Just my opinion, everyone has one.  What’s yours?

Merry Christmas to all!

Related articles

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Not Another Christmas Album!

Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I love Christmas music.  Give it to me in reggae, pop, celtic, rock, whatever, I love it!  The fact that I am a Christmas freak may have something to do with that.  While YouTubing for some classics recently, I found out something really strange.  Just about every man, woman and their dog had a Christmas album!  It didn’t matter if they were new on the music scene, they had a Christmas album.

It seems as soon as a new artiste comes out, their manager goes to them, “Ok, here’s the dealio. We have to, I mean we NEED to, release a Christmas album like ASAP!”  “But it’s only July…” “Nevermind that. We need a Christmas album.  It’s what makes you bonafide.  You feeling me?”

Luckily for me, I rather the Christmas classics. I like the old stuff, they make me feel warm and fuzzy inside and go better with everything.  Putting up the tree, decorating the house, having a Christmas dinner, or just sipping on some accidentally-laced egg nog.  It just goes together, you feeling me?  Many years ago, I would actually go out and buy the latest  Christmas album every year, before I realized that I couldn’t keep up.  How many times can one sing ‘Silent Night’?  And really, how many versions of the ‘Little Drummer Boy’ can you make?

Saying this, I must say I really enjoyed the Biebs’ Christmas album ‘Under The Mistletoe’.  It’s actually a good listen and one of the better albums out there.  It sort of reminds me of another of my oldie favorites, The Jackson 5 Christmas album, especially the way he did, ‘Some day at Christmas’, a very poignant holiday song that predicts a Christmas in the future where wars and pain etc. will be non-existent.  Too bad we won’t be around to see that…

Hmm…I wonder if Rebecca Black has a Christmas album?  ‘It’s Christmas, Christmas, gotta get down on Christmas…’

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Gangnam Style Can Cause Death!

Gangnam_Style_PSY_31logo (Photo credit: KOREA.NET – Official page of the Republic of Korea)

 

Told you there was something I didn’t like about this song.  Turns out that it is a killer!   You can read my blog about it here.

 

A man in England died Saturday after an office party performance of “Gangnam Style” led to chest pains and an eventual failure of the heart.

Eamonn Kilbride, 46, had just finished dancing to Korean pop star Psy’s wildly popular “Gangnam Style” at his company’s office party when he noticed chest pains around his heart and passed out onto the floor of Lancashire’s Whitehall Country Club.

Paramedics tried to revive the man, but their efforts proved unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at the Royal Blackburn Hospital a few minutes after 11:30pm.

A spokesman for Blackburn coroner’s office told Britain’s Daily Telegraph that Kilbride died from acute heart failure caused by coronary artery atheroma, which can often derive from vigorous exercise.

According to Kilbride’s wife Julie, the former IT manager was a “loving husband” and avid golfer who “was always the life of the party and loved dancing.”

“We were having a fantastic time at the Christmas party and Eamonn had just finished dancing to ‘Gangnam Style,’” she told the Telegraph.

“He was up on stage and entertaining everybody. He said he had a bit of a pain and just collapsed.”

 

 

 

 

 

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• A Man Dies Doing the “Gangnam Style” Dance at His Office Christmas Party (ksfm.cbslocal.com)
• dad of three dies gangnam (thesun.co.uk)

 

12.12.12 and its meaning

Today is the last of triple date you and I will ever see.  Sad eh?  Not really.  What does it mean?  Nothing.   Just another date that looks nice and will look even nicer at 12:12pm.   A palindrome as it is called.

Now consider 08.08.08.  That was four years ago and was the last time I would ever have a birthday in that sequence.  Ever!   Sad eh? Yeah, I’ll really miss those numbers.  Oh, consider this also, my birthday is August 8th, 08.08, multiply them by each other and you get 64 which coincidentally, is my birth year. Freaky!

So as you go about your day, try not to pay too much attention to the fact that it is 12.12.12.  It’s hard to ignore as it is on every media and your friends won’t let you forget it.   As I blog,  an ad on the radio beckons me to come on down and purchase a vehicle as today is a monumental day.   Sure, I’ll get right on that.  There are also quite a few weddings today.  Unusual for a Wednesday but it’s not a usual Wednesday, right?  Wrong!  Tell that to your boss.   The good thing about this though is the husbands would never again forget their anniversary, or would they?  So if you can’t escape it the 12.12.12 hype,  then have yourself a Happy 12.12.12, enjoy the palindrome.

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• 12/12/12: The last sequential date in our lifetimes (wjla.com)
• 12/12/12 – What Will You Do today? (kathryneriksen.wordpress.com)
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• What It Really Means
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My Take On Royal Hoax Gone Bad

Punk’d (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Sometimes a joke can have tragic or devastating effects when taken too far or when done without a thought.  Last week’s hoax by two Australian DJ’s were one such joke.   Without the grim results, it could very well have been a classic joke to be remembered and laughed about for a long time to come, garnering hits on YouTube and maybe upstaging Gangnam Style.

This morning, I was listening to a call-in debate on the radio on whether the DJ’s, or hoaxers, should be punished for what they did.  The legal ramifications were discussed.  It is illegal to impersonate the Royals, illegal to air a taped recording without the parties’ consent, etc.  So it seems like this has the potential to be remembered but not laughed about for some time to come.

One caller to the radio station was adamant in her stance that the announcers should not be punished.  She saw it as just a prank, not worthy of sentencing.  The female co-jockey was also adamant in her stance that of course they should be fined to the extent of their crime.  She felt laws were broken and therefore, a price should be paid.  Now I had mixed feelings listening to this.  I am not sure if these announcers should be punished.  I think the fallout is mostly because it was done to the Royal Family.  Would it have been some lesser person, I am sure the views would have been less inclined to heap coals on the heads on their heads.

I readily admit that I’m not exactly warm on Royalty.  I couldn’t care less about the sweet Kate and her Royal husband but that’s another blog for another time.  I do think everyone is entitled to some form of privacy but in the same breath, everyone is fair game for a little prank now and again.  (Seen Punk’d?).   Now, it is a sad thing that someone died because of this prank but the nurse, God bless her soul, did not follow hospital protocol.  It was her fault that pertinent information was released, not the fault of the DJ’s. Sorry.  Yes, they probably should not have aired it but that’s the whole point of the hoax.  They just couldn’t keep a copy for private viewing, doesn’t work the same way.  They probably should not have crossed the line and impersonate the ‘Untouchables’, but that’s also the fun of it.  Think of the Salahis, the couple who crashed a White House dinner.  Read it here.  It would not have carried the same punch had it been your dinner that they had crashed, would it?

So my take?  This is a hard one.  I am straddling the line a bit here.  You have to admit that our society thrive on shock value and sensationalism.    We can’t get enough of it, even with so much Reality TV.   YouTube and other media are forever trying to come up with ‘The Big One’.  The hoax or prank that would be the next big YouTube thing.  Get used to it.  On the flip side, I can sympathize a bit with The Family as it was a sensitive time for them and yes, someone did lose their life because of it, unfortunately.  I am sure it was not the intention of the DJ’s to hurt anyone.  Should they go to jail for impersonation?  Well only if Kim Kardashian also goes to jail for impersonating a real actress.

Just my take, nothing else.

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• Watch: Royal Hoax Tragedy: Could DJs Be Charged? (abcnews.go.com)
• DJs Behind ‘Royal Prank’ the Real Victims in Kate Middleton Hoax (celebs.gather.com)
• Royal hoax DJs’ first interview: The full transcript (itv.com)
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Beware Of Those Darn Upsellers And Their Lost Leaders

You know what I’m talking about, right?  You hurry to the store to get your hands on an advertised item.  Just when you are about to get it off the shelf, a voice goes, “I wouldn’t buy that if I were you.”  You look around expecting a customer who wants to duel for the item but no, it’s a sales clerk.

“Say what?”  ”I said I wouldn’t buy that if I were you.  That’s no good.  I had one and it worked for a month.”  You are confused.  ”But, but…why do you guys  carry it then?  You are selling something that’s useless?”  This is messed up. “Don’t worry, sir.  Come let me show you a better product.  It might cost you a bit more but it lasts forever.”

Your scenario might be a bit different but the same ending.  The conspiratorial sales clerk who just met you but willing to go against his boss to get you the best product.

I took my car to get an oil change the other day, using a coupon that offered a discount on the price of the oil.  It didn’t stop the mechanic from trying to upsell me.   “This one keeps your engine running smoother and is better for gas mileage.”  Yes, of course it was a bit more.  It’s usually is a ‘bit more’.  ”No, I’ll stick with the one on sale.  ”Ok sir, no problem.   For a bit more though, would you like us to flush the engine, check your tires, change your oil, check your lights, toot your horn etc.?”  And I thought all that was included…How much is the etc.?

Here’s a classic example and one that I will never forget because I was the victim.  I went to buy some speakers for my karaoke system, nothing expensive.  A store in town had some for $100 that I was interested in, so off I went to pick them up.  I was ready to buy them when a clerk came up to me.  He asked what I wanted the speakers for and I told him.  ”Before you buy, come with me for a sec.”  I had time to burn so I followed him like the Pied Piper.  He took me too a  room and made me listen to a demo from some Nuance speakers.  They were impressive!  The price was more than a ‘bit more’, like $5000 more.  I bought them and less than a year later, I bought the karaoke speakers that I really needed.  Totally fleeced!

How about that car dealer? I have had more than my share of them.  I would see a car that I was interested in, only to be told that it was a lemon, it needed brakes, it wouldn’t work for me.  The Salesman seemed to always know what was right for me.  ”Don’t worry, we have just the car for you.  I know what you will look good in.”  Maybe another dealer?  In their best I-am-your-body voice, they would say stuff like, “This one costs $14000 but between us, I could swing it for $13000.  Just between us, the boss doesn’t have to know.”  Really! I am so excited! You are willing to screw your boss over  for me even though we just met?  Is it my tight ass and ruggedly handsome looks?

(The scantily clad female bartenders work the same way.  Why do you think your man always come home drunk?  And he’s not even a drinker).

This holiday season, look out for those upsellers.  Don’t fall for the ‘Lost Leaders’.  These are the products they mark down ridiculously to get you into the store, then when you arrive, they try their shtick on you.  Usually, these items are already gone because supply was limited but don’t worry, they can sell you something that’s the same but better, and cost ‘a bit more.’

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Do you help or take a photo?

With the digital age, there’s a camera installed on almost every device.  Pens, ties, phones, you name it.  Photos tell a story and there are a lot of stories out there to be told.  There are also a lot of would-be-story tellers out there who have dreams of being the next Pulitzer prize winner.  Because of this, people are apt to take a photo rather than assist someone in need.  This was evident again this week when a freelance photographer took out his camera and took a photo of a man who was pushed off the subway platform and into the path of an oncoming train.  The photo showed the hapless man struggling to climb back unto the platform mere seconds before the train got him.  

Now the million dollar question is, ‘Could he have helped or at least offered help?’  Apparently, the victim was struggling to pull himself up but it was too little too late.  In his defense, Umar Abbasi claimed that he shot the picture in the hope that the flash would have alerted the driver of the impending danger.  Sounds kind of farfetched but that’s my opinion.  Maybe he was giving in to his instincts as a freelance photographer to shoot first then ask questions after.  Again, my opinion.

This not the first time a camera-happy photographer has ignored the plight of a victim to get his glory shot.   I once saw an award-winning photo of a starving child in Sudan crawling to reach a feeding center while a vulture hovered close.  He apparently owned up to taking the picture then leaving as ‘that what he was trained to do.’  How cold is that?  The photographer, Kevin Carter, committed suicide some years later at the age of 33.  His suicide note read:  “I am depressed … without phone … money for rent … money for child support … money for debts … money!!! … I am haunted by the vivid memories of killings and corpses and anger and pain … of starving or wounded children, of trigger-happy madmen, often police, of killer executioners … I have gone to join Ken [recently deceased colleague] if I am that lucky.”

We can’t stop at just blaming the photographers.  As a society, we too have the moral responsibility to come to the aid of our fellowmen.  After all, what award can be greater than the personal satisfaction we would feel for potentially saving someone’s life?   Don’t listen to the saying  ‘Take a photo, it lasts longer.’  The feeling of being a hero lasts way longer.  A photo is worth a thousand words but…it’s only words.

Just my take.

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• 
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