beterwas
honestly misbehaving
Archive for December, 2006
December 31, 2006 at 2:03 am · Filed under Musings
We spent Christmas with relatives in Muncie, IN, my wife’s hometown. We had a great time and enjoyed seeing friends and family.
My mother-in-law’s house had no internet, though, and a flu bug kept me confined to the couch (with no remote!) for much of the trip, so I didn’t get much writing (or anything else) done.
Nevertheless, I was able to watch a lot of CNN. Here are some thoughts I had on some of the events that came to pass:
- James Brown, RIP - So long, Soul Brother Number One! We’ll miss you.
- Gerald R. Ford, RIP - History will be kind to you, Gerry, and rightly so. Everyone wanted to ask you about the Nixon Pardon, but personally, I’m curious if you regretted furthering the careers of Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld.
- Tiawanese Earthquake & Tsunami - It was nothing like the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake, but no one knew that at the time. I can only imagine how terrifying that must have been to feel the ground shake while remembering what happened two years ago. These people still need your help, BTW.
- Saddam Hussein, RIP - Like with Pinochet, I’m afraid I have no tears for you. But you were a human being and, as such, deserved a little more dignity than this. Personally, I would have liked to see a trial for the Al-Anfal Kurdish Massacre in which witnesses like Bush 41, Cheney and Rumsfeld should have been called to explain our actions.
- 3,000 Soldiers, RIP - I make a point to read the names aloud, whenever I come across them in the paper. So many, so young and so sad to think of the fathers, mothers, sons and daughters that have their worst fears realized. Especially when I hear people comparing to previous wars, and saying that it “isn’t so bad.” It is both fallacious and heartless.
Despite being a downer week for news, though, I am hopeful for 2007. I’m looking forward to the 100 days between January 4th and the State of the Union, and the changes that our new Congress will bring. I’m excited that bloggers are taking the lead in the information revolution. And Battlestar Galactica comes back on in two weeks, when I’ll be on my own couch – and with a remote!
December 15, 2006 at 12:23 pm · Filed under Live & Let Live
Americans have a problem.
We have lots, really, but if I had to pick the single-most detrimental one, it’s this: Identifying the enemy.
The evidence is all around us.
Think about it:
“A bunch of privileged Saudis with U.S. Embassy ties led by a stripper-loving hard-partying Egyptian playboy bought first-class plane tickets with money from Pakistan’s secret service and crashed passenger jets into the WTC, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania.
In retaliation, the Bush Administration attacked some fanatic goat herders in Afghanistan and then began an occupation of Iraq that’s already lasted four bloody years.” (Excellent summary by Wonkette)
But that was yestrerday’s war. I’m talking about today’s war – the War on Christmas.
Oh yes, it’s real enough. All over the country, people are revolting against the only religious holiday that’s also a federal holiday. And who’s to blame? Liberals? The Media? Montgomery Ward?
Nope, it’s the Christians. That’s right, the Christians.
Not all of the Christians, mind you, just the loony ones, like this one. And this one. And of, course, this one.
For decades, Americans were able to stroll down the avenues of their bustling downtowns and wish one another a hearty “Merry Christmas,” without offending anyone. If you were Jewish, Muslim, Buudhist, Hindu or Atheist, it didn’t really matter – it was an expression of peace and goodwill.
Then the religious right came along and ruined everything.
The 70’s brought Pat Robertson and the Bakkers into the public eye, trying to cram Jesus down everyone’s throats: “This is a Christian country, it’s founded by Christians.” Sound familiar?
As part of that, the wrestled Christmas away from the world to hog it for themselves. To be fair, it is their holiday. But if there was ever a universal time of peace and goodwill, it was Christmas. But the tight right wouldn’t stand for that, and like everything else, they’ve turned something that brought the world together into a divisive issue with “Merry Christmas” as its battle cry.
Since Christmas is “for Christians only,” the rest of us, sadly, have only two options: Abandon the holiday season altogether or adapt, by adopting a more universal approach. And, as such, we are the ones viewed as the enemy.
Wrong again.
December 12, 2006 at 12:34 pm · Filed under Confound Authority
The war in Iraq has been a war of words:
Insurgents. Enemy Combatants. Sectarian Violence. Civil War.
It’s as if calling it something else will make it something else.
The latest from the Pentagon Lexicon: The War in Baghdad.
In a statement to the press earlier this year, the President claimed that the violence was really limited to Baghdad, and the rest of the country was “relatively peaceful.”
That’s not setting the bar very high. The inner city streets of Baltimore are relatively peaceful, compared to Baghdad. But that isn’t the point.
The point is that Mr. Bush would like us to believe that instead of an entire country in turmoil, it’s only a city. And cities in turmoil are much easier to dismiss – just ask the folks down in New Orleans.
For all of the bluster the Bush administration delivers over publicly supporting the troops, it is unconscionable to demean their sacrifices by trying to downplay the conflict in which they gave their last full measure of devotion.
Don’t let him get away with it! But what can you do? Plenty, I say; and in less than an hour.
First, call your Congressperson, Senator and the White House (in that order). It’s easy to do, and while you won’t actually get to speak with your representative, your concern will be noted.
Second, call your local news media outlets. Tell the news desk editors not to give the President a pass on this issue.
Finally, write a letter to the editor of your paper. Also post it on blogs, news websites and email it to your friends, family and colleagues (especially those that voted for him).
It’s clear now that nothing will change the way this President handles or discusses the war, but at least our soldiers – as well as the rest of the world – will know that he doesn’t speak for you.
December 12, 2006 at 11:30 am · Filed under Finish Ahead
Work is love made visible.
Khalil Gibran wrote that in 1923 in The Prophet (makes a lovely gift).
He also wrote:
And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy.
For if you bake bread with indifference, you bake a bitter bread that feeds but half man’s hunger.
And if you grudge the crushing of the grapes, your grudge distils a poison in the wine.
I thought about this on Friday, when were at Downtown Disney for an elementary school chorus performance. Actually, every field trip I go on as a chaperone, I am astounded at how poorly the destination staff performs when it comes to managing groups of children.
Moreover, it seems that the more likely they are to host school groups, the worse they are it. The prize for Worst-Ever has to go to the Orlando Science Center. But I digress…
I suppose what really bothers me is the apathy. Many times, a teacher, chaperone or myself will approach one of the staff and ask how much later will we be starting, if we could go ahead and move the kids into their seats, if we could open up another line, or something. The response we get runs the gamut between “don’t care” and “can’t be bothered.”
I thought on this and realized that it isn’t limited to people that work with kids. I see it everywhere. Instead of doing the best they can, most people seem to do the least they must.
I never understood this, personally. I don’t have a particularly strong work ethic, personally; and it was even worse when I was younger. I do try to do my best, though, at every job that I am given.
The irony is that it makes your job both eaiser and more enjoyable. Your customers appreciate it. Your bosses are happier. It almost seems like a no-brainer.
I know it’s hard to be excited about working at WacArnold’s, but the next time you’re feeling down or lackadaisacal about your employment, try this:
Make someone’s day.
First of all, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is. Give your customer the cup holder without asking (and put the cups in it for them). When someone calls in to your 1-800 service number, rather than try to get them off of the phone, really try to solve their problem.
Secondly, you’ll be surprised by how warm appreciation feels. When’s the last time someone went out of their way to help you? How did that feel? That feeling is contagious.
Finally, you’ll go further. Promotions and raises will come faster. You’ll move on to bigger and better things more easily. You’ll earn more of both money and respect.
And as a bonus, you’ll bring more love into the world.
December 10, 2006 at 10:36 am · Filed under Musings
We drove out to Titusville, Saturday, to see the night launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery.
It was amazing.
I’ve posted some photos and a video, but no images will do justice to the experience. In fact, the audio is more telling than the images on the video.
If you ever get a chance to do this, do it. Watching night become day, hearing the distant roar, feeling the ground shake – you will truly appreciate what an achievement the space program is.
December 9, 2006 at 12:22 am · Filed under Musings
We read Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus together recently, in the wake of last week’s Santa-slaying. If you haven’t read it, you should It’s five minutes of your life well-spent.
It’s been a hard season, this year. There have been a lot of “wait a minute! I remember…” moments, always followed by the realization of some lie we told.
The worst for me, though, was today. We passed the Meet Santa booth at Downtown Disney, and for the first time ever, he didn’t ask if he could go visit the big guy. There was this sense of vacancy, and in that moment, I looked over at the man playing Santa and felt sad for him. I wondered if he had done this job for many years, and looked forward to seeing some of the kids return, only to watch them walk by and avoid eye contact.
Nevertheless, Santa would be glad to know that we’ve had lots of conversations about him in our house recently. We have talked about how we celebrate Santa’s caring and generosity by giving children what they want for Christmas, and doing it in a way that leaves them feeling beholden to no one. How he teaches us what the spirit of Christmas is really about.
At ten years old, William already thinks about things like cost and affordability. He doesn’t ask for, say, a PlayStation3 because he knows that even if we could find one, we really couldn’t afford it.
But he knows he can ask Santa for anything. No wish is too big or too small.
We’ve been fortunate in that William is very down to earth in his requests. They are always frivolous, but also always reasonable. And he’s come to count on Santa, even for the hard to find items – which has meant some early mornings at Toys ‘R Us for me.
We’ve also talked about how the real Christmas magic comes later, when you get to be Santa. If you think coming out to find a bike next to the tree on Christmas morning is exciting, wait until you get to be the one to put the bike there and watch what happens.
Finally, we’ve talked about how Santa’s likeness has been abused used in advertising so much, that the fat man in the red suit has come to symbolize the materialist focus that dominates Christmas in America. But we can’t allow that unfortunate, unavoidable side-effect of gift-giving to dilute the message: Christmas is a time of love and generosity. It’s not about religion, despite its roots in the Christian celebration of the birth of Christ. It’s about humanity.
And Santa, it turns out, is quite real. I never really thought about it this way before, but it’s true.
Santa is in the love that makes me want to sit in the parking lot and wait for the mall to open. Santa is what keeps me up until 2:00am on the 24th, putting a bike together. Santa makes me eat the cookies (it’s true!) and drink the milk, to keep the magic going. All of those feelings, all of that love, is real. Therefore, Santa is undeniably real.
Yes, Virginia – and yes, William – there is a Santa Claus!
December 7, 2006 at 9:28 am · Filed under Live & Let Live
Carrie Gordon Earll seems to think so.
The policy analyst for the conservative Christian ministry Focus on the Family said “Just because you can conceive a child outside a one-woman, one-man marriage doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.”
Alright, I have to admit that she wasn’t talking about that Mary. She was actually talking about Mary Cheney. But the mentality is disturbingly similar to some of the attitudes behind Mosaic law at the dawn of year one (or year zero, for you accuracy nuts).
I’ve never understood all of the fuss over the homos. The Gay Agenda that the religious right wants us all to be so afraid of was totally made up by them.
Furthermore, the idea that marriage needs to be protected from gay couples – not so unlike similar laws that restricted black marriage – is ridiculous.
But most heinous of all is the idea that children are better off with no parents than with gay ones. How tragically absurd.
If this is where Christianity takes us as a society, then maybe Carrie Gordon Earll was onto something. Maybe just because the baby Jesus was conceived outside of a one-woman, one-man marriage, that doesn’t mean it was a good idea.
Prove her wrong. Please. For Christ’s sake.
