Merry Christmas: e-card

... because Kodak messed up the real one. :)

Not like I'm well known for my cards. I'm not very good that way--haven't sent any out in years, but that'd another blog. I was gonna break with my evil ways and actually send Christmas cards this year. But alas it was not meant to be. Here is what it would've looked like if Kodak hadn't given me a black eye and black bangs:
Look for it next year. :) Yes, I returned them asking for a new set, even though I knew they would never arrive in time.

On a funny note, I'm about to begin my Christmas pies, and I thought I wanted some Christmas music to put me in the mood. So, I go to iTunes radio and pick religious category and "Abiding Radio," which dubs itself, "Conservative, Sacred, and Traditional Christian Music." So far, so good: the first song was partway through--a kinda obscure but nice Christmas song (not what I would've classified as sacred, though). Would you believe the next song was JINGLE BELLS??? I had to laugh. Hope you got a chuckle, too.

Merry Christmas!

Controversial post--read at your own risk

Well, I'm kinda bored. Having to literally sit down by Ri to make sure she does her homework (that's another fulmination in the making), so, why not blog? Something that's been bothering me and I've been considering blogging about it, but now, well, boredom has forced me to it. Enjoy (or not).

Allright, no one (well, Christians in particular) don't like the secularization of Christmas. I'm right there, brother. But recently, it's gotten almost nasty. If anyone doesn't say "Merry Christmas," or says "Happy Holidays" it's like they're God-hating pagans or something. Well, I'm sorry, but I sometimes like to say "Happy Holidays." So sue me. It acknowledges that there's a season, not just a day, and it includes New Years. That's all. I'm not slighting Christians (since I am one); I'm not anti-God; I'm not part of the problem. Well, this one anyway. And I don't like having to feel guilty about using a shortcut for the long name "Christmas" either. And you know the one I'm talking about. I occasionally use it--on a list or secret file--where no one can see how heathen I've become.

Well, now that I've got that off my chest, let me say that I love my Christian brothers, but sometimes, well, they can be difficult to get along with. And if I get perturbed about some of this stuff, how about those that don't give a hoot about Christ or Christians. In standing up for our rights, let's not stand on someone else's. Can't we all just get along? :)

"Jingle Bells" and other inane things

Have you ever really listened to the words to some of the secular Christmas songs? Now, don't jump to any conclusions about them having some sort of satanic message. They actually have no message at all. Inanity, inanity, all is inanity. Take, for example, my anti-favorite that is always requested by children: "Jingle Bells." Just go through the lyrics in your head. Go on. I'll wait.

Have you ever ridden in a one-horse open sleigh? Most of you have not, I'll wager. Well, I have ridden in a one-horse open carriage. And it's really not all that fun. It's pretty cold. Maybe a closed carriage would be better, but I digress.

I guess the reason this bothers me is that, in working with children, I bristle a bit when this song is requested over and over again by church kids who don't even know all the words to just the first verse of some of the traditional Christmas songs. What are we teaching kids when that is the song they want to sing most, and they have no desire for the substance and beauty of the old Christmas carols about, oh, I don't know ... Christ??

Regarding the inanity of my anti-favorite Christmas song (which I refuse to sing, btw), in a way, I'm glad. If that's the best the world can come up with as a substitute for the real reason we celebrate Christmas, then that only points to the bankruptcy of the alternate.

As the song says: good Christian men, rejoice!

December miscellany ... and, yes, snow

OK, as you can see ... not much snow, but snow nonetheless. :) Enough for a 2-hour school delay anyway.

And finally got our Christmas tree up and some gifts wrapped:

And to top it all, here's the funniest Christmas thing online, imo. :)
http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1249591262

Enjoy!

Lots to fulminate about, but it'll have to wait. I hope your December is coming along nicely.

OH, one more thing ... Ri is the top speller in her class and will be put in the school spelling bee. I'll keep you posted as to how she does.

Green Santa

So, do you know your carbon footprint? Mine is around 21 tons of CO2/year. Guess I should pay some group $117.32 to "offset" it. Umm, yeah. Is it just me, or does this sound ridiculous? Allstate Green, carbonfund.org, "Green Santa" ... OK, haven't we taken this green thing far enough? Now, not like I've got anything for Santa or anything, but I liked him a lot better red. And maybe he wouldn't have to have such a thick layer of fat if the north pole ice cap began to melt. Maybe he could have a paved runway ... wouldn't that be less hazardous? I mean, if iced wings are dangerous on a plane, I hate to think of the hazards when we bring reindeer into the picture .

Let's be sensible people ... be good stewards, but keep a good head on your shoulders, too. Reduce, recycle, reuse when you can ... but pay carbonfund credits? I don't think so.

Addendum (12/3/07): SIL Ruth sent me the following news article that just shows the illogical conclusion this kinda thinking can take one to. I couldn't have imagined. Truth really is stranger than fiction.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2007/11/survival_of_the_stupidest.html

A bit late for Thanksgiving, but too cute!

lol a bit late, but this is cute for next year
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CndP1fYC0M&NR=1

The dog keeps coming in when the turkeys gobble. :)

“Good night, trees” and other Mariah-isms

This is a place I plan to just post cute comments from Mariah as they come. Check this one out regularly--she's always saying something noteworthy! :)

• 11/18/07 Upon looking at the trees in their waning Autumn beauty, and our discussion of how they were going dormant, she said, “Good night, trees.” Good night, indeed. We'll miss you until March.
• 11/29/07 At a restaurant the other night, looking into the candle flame, Mariah relayed how one of her grandmas said that when people look at fire they don't think. I didn't notice she'd been looking at the candle, so I asked, "What brought that up?" To which she replied, of course: "Well, I'm looking at the fire and I'm thinking." Bravo! Now maybe we can get working on improving that multi-tasking. :)
• 12/03/07 When discussing the lyrics to "Down to the River to Pray," Mariah asked me about robes and crowns. I explained to her that, when we get to heaven, we all get a robe and a crown, and others may get other types of robes and crowns. She then asked, "Is it gonna be like a carnival?"
• 2/2/08 When shopping for a friend's birthday party, we were picking out webkinz. Littlekinz are less expensive. Asking which we should get for her friend, she asked: "Who's buying?"
• 2/14/08 When discussing family relationships, Mariah was saying how much she loved me and her daddy. Somehow we got from there onto the topic of enjoying each other's company and I was told that although I was dearly loved and my company was enjoyed; however, I wasn't cool and I sometimes could be known to "cramp her style."
• 10/30/09 "[My friend] is in some ways more mature than me and in some ways less. She's kinda like a stupid adult."
  

Let's get started!

Well, by now some of you are beginning to wonder “Is she ever going to fulminate?” “What is this fulmination anyway, and how can it be fruitful?”

Well, I'll start gradually. The whole fulmination thing is kinda something we started at work ... to be alliterative and to make a joke of my occasional soapboxing/rants. Now, I must admit, I have not always fulminated fruitfully, but there is a time and a place for that, and that's what this blog is for. If you have an “issue” with something and you think it would be good to bring it to others’ attention, this is the place. Let’s just keep it nice and, well, fruitful/helpful.

I'll start with the whole narcissism thing. Advertisers have certainly picked up on it. And I think it might be something we need to be wary of come Christmas-shopping time. The most inane things are subjected to indulge our self-love. Even a TimeWarner van slogan illustrates this nicely: “TimeWarner Cable: The Power of You.”

I saw the van and had to look again--what the heck are they talking about?? What does the cable have to do with me? I plug it in and receive service. Oh, I know, the argument that this very blog is TimeWarner empowering me. Well, whatever. I pay for it and I use it--hopefully to do good. :)

Now, here's where this fits in with your Christmas shopping. Some things are blatantly narcissistic (such as Bratz) and others are more subtly so. The advertisements are what really gets me--they're on childrens' channels and targeted at them. Take, for example, Barbie. A “Shopping Barbie” commercial has Barbie looking at shoes. Barbie says something like “Oh, pretty shoes” (not “boy, do I need shoes--mine are falling apart” ;)) and a chorus in the background sings “Buy it, buy it, buy it!” to which Barbie says, “they're only $75” or some other ridiculous price--at least for girls’ shoes. ONLY $75? Then the girls holding the dolls say, “And you never run out of money” after using a charge card. Wow--lots to fulminate about there, eh?

Well, I could go on and on (you know I can), but my take-home lesson is this: whether in what you buy or what you let your kids watch (even commercials) this Christmas season, seize the opportunity to point out to your child how this sort of mindset is unrealistic at best, unChristian at worst. You won't have to look hard for these opportunities. Perhaps, may I suggest, if you are making out your Christmas list or having your children do so, divide it into "practical wants," "needs," and "indulgences," perhaps with dollar amounts, and then be sure to look at your charitable giving as well--perhaps right alongside. Maybe this will help us focus on what it means to be reasonable and content, yet generous with others.

Call me old-fashioned, but I still kinda liked Christmas the old way . . . where you got a few modest gifts--some things you never really necessarily wanted or needed, but they were things that the person who bought them for you thought you would like nonetheless. Let's bring some sanity back. Your thoughts?

More pics

Regarding the last post, it's come to my attention that for some--particularly those with PC's (now I could start a whole fulmination on that, but I'll refrain)--that Ri sounded like a chipmunk. The sound was too high. Just out of curiosity, let me know if that's the case--comment or drop me an email if you get the chance.

What a busy week (not a lot of time to blog!)! And a fun one. Lotsa birthdays to celebrate: Trent, Roger, Trevor, and Troy ... all within a week (well, not all the actual birthdays but the celebrations of them). Here are some pics of our festivities to enjoy. And, finally, a family portait--I've been wanting one for a few years now (the last one was when Ri was 1!!).

Let the fulmination begin!

OK, I realize this may come across wrong, but I plan for this blog to serve a purpose (unlike many). After all, I have to justify even doing this, given my, well, fulminations about other blogs. Then there is the need to post pics and videos for others to see, which is the primary reason for my entry today. I do plan to commence fulminating soon. Feel free to join in.

For now, here's some video of Ri's recital last weekend. Keep in mind, she's 9 and had a cough/sore throat. Enjoy!