Procrastinating On A Sunny Day (Again)

Yes, it finally snowed. They say it was a blizzard, but at least it was a snow storm. It was a wonderful excuse for me to stay home, hang-out with Edgar, and read a book. I thought about going jogging for a minute or two, but decided it was in my best interest to stay indoors. The wind was howling so loud I thought the roof might come off. Edgar slept through most of it.
So, now that the sun is out, I am trying to gather some energy to do some cleaning. The dust is thick on everything, and the floor is covered in Edgar's bird seed. He's a very messy eater.
I'm currently making my second cup of tea, which I will drink while reading the paper. Hopefully, I will be able to motivate myself to start dusting after that. I know the world will not end if I don't, but I will feel better if at least some of the debris (look that one up) is tidied up.
And as for you, whatever you do today, do it well, and enjoy being alive. I command it.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas represents the birth of Jesus Christ, who in the Christian religion is believed to be the son of God made flesh to save the souls of the human race. Many of us have different religious beliefs, which is why I usually shy away from talking about religion.
But regardless of beliefs, regardless of your religion, the story of Jesus Christ is a wonderful one. And, it is a shining example of what is really important in life. His story is one of love, and not a select love for a few, but a love for everyone, most especially those who are poor, low-born, abused and neglected, and those who are looked down upon. To me, he represents how important community is, but not an exclusive community, but one that includes everyone.
Going by how difficult He said it would be for a rich man to get into heaven, it's easy to see how unmaterialistic He was. I have a feeling He would be quite upset with all the money spent, and the expensive gifts given on this holiday. The gifts themselves are of no importance. What is important are the feelings behind the giving.
So, no matter what you believe, the story of Jesus Christ is a most excellent example to live a life by. Being only human, none of us are capable of perfection. But striving for perfection in how we live our lives is indeed a worthy lifetime goal.
Merry Christmas all! This is a good day to remember how fortunate we are, and to remember all those who are not so fortunate.

Is It Snowing, Yet?

Well, Winter officially starts this evening at 6:38 pm. Although we did have maybe an inch of snow a couple weeks ago, we haven't had a snowstorm to speak of as of yet. That might change this weekend, the weathermen say. But as all native New Englanders know, the weather can be quite fickle, and always difficult to predict with any reasonable accuracy. This is New England, and with the weather, almost anything is possible here.
It would be nice to have snow for Christmas, but I do understand the great dread many of us have for driving, and traveling in general, in the snow. It really doesn't bother me much. In fact, I feel quite at home in snow and ice. Probably because of my two years of living with the penguins in the Antarctic. It was two of the most wonderful years of my life. They accepted me as one of their own. They taught me how to swim in the cold polar water, and how to catch fish with my mouth. They also taught me to detect and escape from sharks in the water. It was an incredible two years. I learned so much from my penguin friends. Of course, when I came back, it took me weeks to stop walking like a penguin. It was a bit embarassing.
I also caused a scene when I was visiting the Aquarium in Boston, when, without thinking, I dove into a water tank in order to catch a very tasty looking fish. I managed to talk them out of having the police arrest me. But I did have to pay for the fish.

Journey Into The Earth

A while back, I got lost while I was spelunking (underground, exploring caves) in Kentucky. I was with a small tour group, and somehow I got separated from the rest of the group. I had a flashlight with me, but after a few hours the batteries died. I remember being scared, and wandering for hours. I also remember something chasing me in the dark. Whatever it was, I don't think it was friendly. But that's about all I remember.
They found me 3 weeks later. They say I was eating insects, and sucking on cave moss for moisture. I'm afraid I have no memory of any of that. But since I survived underground for so long, it must be true.
Anyway, I have never been back to Kentucky, although it is a beautiful state. And I have never been tempted to go spelunking again. In fact, the idea of being underground is so repellant (I can't get far enough away from the thought alone) to me, that when I die, I wish to be launched into space. Or at least into orbit. In other words, I want to be buried up, not down. So bury me not on the lone prairie (an old cowboy song), but send me out to the stars. Thank you.

Circus, or French Foreign Legion?

When life gets a bit frantic (flat-out crazy; flat-out is a term for as fast as possible, or as much as possible), there's an old song that I always think of that starts with, Goodbye Cruel World, I'm off to join the Circus...
But then I always get confused as to whether it's supposed to be Circus, or Army.
I never liked the idea of running away to join the Army very much. It just didn't have enough pizazz (kick; danger; excitement). I always thought that if I really wanted to run away from life into extreme danger, it should be the French Foreign Legion. Not only does it sound highly dangerous, but I would have to go to far away lands that I probably would never come back from. At least, probably not alive. The idea has quite a romantic appeal for a young boy, or, for that matter, a young man. Like me.
So although every young American boy, at one unhappy time or another, thought of running away to join a circus, and never going home again, I always thought that joining the French Foreign Legion would be a far cooler, and much more adventurous, thing to do. And of course, totally insane.
Luckily it's too late for me think about it now. Besides, Edgar would never let me.

Holiday Blues

Christmas is a very interesting time of year, and culturally, it can be a confusing holiday. It is a religious, as well as a commercial holiday. Christmas advertising starts, in some cases, well before Halloween, and most other commercial holiday advertising starts well before Thanksgiving. The retail industry depends on the holiday season to bring them the profits they need for the entire year.
For all Christians, Christmas represents the birthday of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came to Earth to save mankind. Maybe more importantly, at least to me, is the life he led in example of how people should try to live, even if humanly impossible.
Culturally, it is the big holiday for many Americans, and all Christians. It is a holiday to share and spend time with family. But to me it is a season when we should try to be concerned with all those not only in our lives, but those in our world. Particularly those who are not as fortunate as we are. There are a lot of unfortunate people in the world, and you don't have to look very far to find them. And yes, we should help others all year 'round. But if there is a season when we should especially feel the need help our fellow humans, this is it.
I, like many other people, always feel a bit blue at this time of year. Not just because of family and friends that I have lost over the years, but also because I cannot do all the things I would like to be able to do, not just for the people in need around me, but also for all the people I know and love, both to show them how much I care, and to make their lives easier.
I know I am only human, and I am all too aware of my limitations.
But if I were Superman, Oh! the things I would do.