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12/20/2004
X-Mas!
First, let me express my disappointment at Time Magazine for naming Dubya as Person of the Year, even though I’m not entirely surprised. James Kelly, the Managing Editor, states “For sticking to his guns (literally and figuratively), for reshaping the rules of politics to fit his ten-gallon hat leadership style and for persuading a majority of voters this time around that he deserved to be in the White House for another four years, George W. Bush is Time’s Person of the Year for 2004.”
From what I heard, people didn’t really want Bush to be president, they just didn’t think that Kerry could do a good job either. Better to go with the devil you know that the devil you don’t know. But hey, I voted for Kerry anyway, or maybe I voted against Bush. Howard Dean where are you?
Okay, got that off my chest. Now for the real reason why I’m here today. My least favorite month of the year is December. It’s not the bitter cold temperatures, although that definitely plays a part. In fact, I always look forward to Dec 21st, the Winter Solstice, because the days can only get longer from then on. And this year’s been pretty warm, except for the last couple of days. No, I don’t like (or is it hate) December beacuse of X-mas. Not Christmas, the religious holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus, but X-mas, the capitalistic commercialism that gets everyone stressed when they should be celebrating.
Why do I hate X-mas? First, in an effort to include people of other religions, it has been secularized to the point where some kids don’t even know that “Christmas” is supposed to be a religious holiday. Isn’t it convenient that a school’s Winter Holiday always surrounds Christmas? Yes, it is easier to schedule because it doesn’t depend on the sighting of the moon, like Ramadan, or the Hebrew calendar, like Chanukah. What about Kwanzaa? That’s at the same time every year. Do you know when any of these holidays are? I’d give you the answers, but then you wouldn’t get the satisfaction of looking it up for yourself. When I see only X-mas decorations in the stores, I have to wonder why people put up decorations in the first place, which brings me to…
Point B: People feel there are certain things they have to do during X-mas. Putting up decorations, for one thing. If I don’t feel like putting up anything, it’s because I don’t feel that they express how I feel about the holidays. Don’t think I’m a curmudgeon because of that. I choose to celebrate in my own way. The end of December is a stressful time for me at work, and pretending like I care about your silly decorations is a waste of my time. Wow, I’m sorry, let me clean up that venom before it burns a hole in the floor. Anyway, last year, my company put up X-mas decorations and, it seemed as an afterthought, some Chanukah decorations. I was waiting for the X-mas decorations to go up because the Chanukah things would have been put up the last day of the celebration. That’s what I would call putting it up because you feel like you have to put it up. (BTW, only X-mas things were put up, and it was tastefully done this year.) Along with decorations is the famous X-mas tree, which was a pagan symbol long before it was appropriated for X-mas. Read this story about how that law explicitly separating church and state in France could have backfired. It didn’t, but I almost wish it had. But that’s for another post. Now I’m not angry at people who truly want to put up decorations and shop for people and put up a tree. If you want to do all that, go for it! It’s when you’re complaining about it or doing it to “look good” that bothers me. And speaking of shopping…
Thirdly (I put that in for you, Mom) I hate it when people ask me if I’m done with my Christmas shopping. In this paragraph I’m going to be high and mighty because it’s my post and I can boast if I want to, you would boast to if it happened to you…
You want to know the gifts I gave and am giving this year? I gave to The Brearley School, my high school, and Pomona College because both gave me scholarships to be able to learn at excellent institutions. Some money went to the Make A Wish Foundation as a Secret Santa present. I gave to the Coalition for the Homeless, and Adam and I donated to Heifer International, a group that gives animals to third world countries. The Rattlestick Theatre got a donation, because I believe in the arts and the fostering of new artists. I will donate money to The Young New Yorker’s Chorus as well as WNYC as soon as I get paid. And I just dropped off a jacket I’m not using anymore to the New York Cares Coat Drive. For all of you who enjoy giving, how about giving to people who really don’t have anything?
I’ll step off my pedestal, since I really don’t belong there. But the next time someone asks me about my Christmas shopping, I might just get right back on. That also goes for people who ask me what I want for Christmas. I know that you mean well, but the coolest gift I’ve gotten in recent memory was when my mom donated money to charities in everyone’s name - a different charity depending on your personality. Thank you again! If you don’t know what someone wants, donate to a charity in his or her name. Unless that person is greedy, I guarantee the gift will be cherished.
I just heard that Bill O’Reilly and others on the far right have railed against the use of “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.” I’m not condoning that. That’s forcing your idea on everyone else. And remember, Mr. O’Reilly, that the tree you so lovingly consider yours started out as a pagan symbol. There are too many people who don’t celebrate Christmas that it’s just rude to assume that people want to hear that. What I’m saying is don’t say “Merry Christmas” when you really mean “Merry X-mas.” If you don’t celebrate Christmas, don’t be afraid to say Happy Holidays or nothing at all. I don’t say “Merry Christmas” unless I really mean it, which makes some people think I’m being rude, but I don’t care.
12/18/2004
Is Rants & Raves still up?
So why has this site been so neglected as of late?
Well, I’ve been lazy. I found it was easier to watch the world go by me instead of doing something about it in my own special way. Thanks to those who have expressed concern about me and have, in their own unique ways, prodded me to get back into the swing of things. And thanks to Adam who helped me finally get this new, easier format together. As much as I profess to know enough about software to get by, I’d rather let someone else deal with it if I don’t have to!
On a loftier but still quite cowardly level, there has been so much going on that it was difficult to get into any one thing. I could have risen to the challenge, but my brain has been fried one too many times this past year and a half by all the information available, whether it be sensational, outlandish or “hard-hitting”, whatever that means. What I’m trying to say is that we all have been bombarded with so much stuff that I didn’t want to add to the noise.
And what noise it was (you knew that was coming!) The Daily Show became an instant sucess because of all the stupidity of our sadly re-elected President and his Administration. Blogs like Daily Kos have had a field day. Suddenly, people know what Aljazeera is and that it’s not a platform for pro-terrorist beliefs.
If you want a break from all the deregulated American chatter, check out the Aljazeera web page, and while you’re at it, visit the BBC World Edition site. Both are informative in that they give a world view instead of just an American point of view. And if you can, watch the BBC World News, either on BBC America (if you have cable) or, in New York, Channel 21, which is a public television channel. It’s only a half-hour, and you can usually turn it off when they get to the sports, unless you want to know about the latest rugby or football (sorry, soccer) match.
Next question, what’s been going on with my life to fill up the copious amounts of time?
Adam and I moved to a wonderful apartment on the Upper East Side in NYC. I hope to stay here for longer than the two year record we previously held. We like it so much that we painted the place and I bought stuff to organize the closet. We don’t have our things in the boxes we used to move them anymore! I’ve also been volunteering at the 4th Street Food Co-op as one of their Accounts Payable personnel. That sounds more “resume padding” than it is, or maybe it doesn’t, but I’ve had some fun working there, even if I’ve had to go there every day after my day job in the summer. If you’re in the East Village and looking for cheap healthful food, check it out. It’s a wonderful store thats open to the public, unlike some other food co-ops.
Next and final question: what’s going to prod you to continue your fantastic site this time?
Short answer - Four More Years! Four More Years! More involved answer - I’m tired of sitting on my ass doing nothing. It was taking a lot of my time to do any one post because I believe in getting all the facts I can before giving an opinion. Therefore, my posts tend to be very long and involved. Consequently, I’m going to do one post a month, while striving for one a week. I figure that’s an easy enough goal (watch it, Alex, you’re being too easy on yourself again.) Time will tell. If you find something socially wrong, drop me an e-mail at leshka@alexdorival.com and I’ll look into it. Again, I’m looking for things that affect us socially. There are enough political websites out there and I don’t like politics, although political decisions can bring about social change. It’s a fine line. Also, If you haven’t seen a post for a while, it means I’m getting lazy again and need some coaxing. I’d make a very lousy reporter…
So here it is, hope you like it!