Termyn8or
Posts: 18681
Joined: 11/12/2005 Status: offline
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Don't get me wrong, I am thankful for many things. Good family, good friends and a good job. But I was thankful for that yesterday as I will be tomorrow, and every day. And as far as Christmans goes, my people know I do not do Christmans, but that doesn't mean we don't give each other things. It just happens when it happens. Usually goes like "Check this out" and later "It's your's". My buddy, comes around for the Friday night bashes and at those times, the music does quiet down and we have discussions, or actually pick up an instrument and play, or attempt to play, depending on who it is. But we talk alot. Well we are kinda forming a band. Everybody is learning, and that is going well actually. So a few months ago this guy walks in with a Tascam four track recorder. That is pretty much how it went - "Check this out, it is your's". It doesn't matter that he picked it up at a thrift store for $10, it matters that he kept his eyes open and snatched it up while the getting was good. In turn anything I see that depicts a human skull I must ante up and get it for him. This guy is a skull afficianado in spades. This could happen in June, August or February, doesn't matter. Christmas has become a time when big money counts on the sheeple to buy a bunch of shit they do not need, and most of the time do it with money they do not have. If you went to all the second hand stores and pawn shops in the area all year and saved up all the cool things you found, you would have one hell of a bunch of gifts to give out. But I see no reason to wait until their birthday or Christmas before giving it to them. Sure you could do that, but if you had the thing since February........ what is the point of that ? You wouldn't be fueling the rampant consumerism no matter what. In the family we used to have "after". This is when we go to all the post Christmas sales and see what kind of deals we can get. I might get a call on January fifth from Mom, "______, I buyed you something", to which I reply "Oh, no". Money is an important commodity in today's world. I would rather get something for someone that they really want or need, rather than conform to some marketing plan. There is really no way to express my thoughts without coming off with some negativity, but believe me it is not intentional. Truth is truth though, so it comes out how it comes out. As far as I am concerned the original spirit of Thanksgiving is dead. It used to be that we were thankful to be welcomed into this land and have this bounty, or it could've been a fast. But from what I understood I thought, it was symbolic of the friendship between the Natives and the settlers. Well if that's the way we treat our friends I don't want to be my friend. So celebrate it anyway you want, give thanks for the blessings you have, which mainly include people. Spend that precious time with them. Just don't pretend that it is based on some old tradition of mutual friendship and respect, because it is not. Nowadays, it is merely a day that is agreed upon for gatherings. And really that is not a bad thing. You might get a chance to sit with someone you know but have very little time to talk to because of work schedules and so forth. You might see relatives you haven't seen in a year. If you still have old folk in the family you might learn some real history. You might meet nieces and nephews, or cousins for the first time. Many good things can happen. Taken in that context I have nothing against it. But many think of this day as the date they have to start thinking up a list of people for whom they must buy a bunch of unneeded or unwanted junk. Think about it, if they needed it or wanted it they would have already bought it. And if they can't afford it you have removed their incentive to excel if you simply gave it to them. And many people do this with money they do not have. So as you can see, it is hard not to sound negative. But I really am not negative about it, if people get together, that is good. Do something, don't just stare at the game. Enjoy each other, that is what a holiday is for, regardless of it's original meaning. Just forget the meaning and enjoy. Bon apetite. T
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