happy birthday Strega

Hey! People are slacking off with the posting! Just because you think you're off work and headed off on a holiday adventure and/or shopping death match doesn't mean you get to stop posting.

Happy Birthday, Strega!

Happy Baby Gestating, Corwood family!

MERRY CEPHALOPODMAS, EVERYONE!

Am I the only Buffista who saw life cephalopods, in person, today? Because I totally did. I chaperoned a field trip to the New England Aquarium. We also saw the Sharks 3-D film, at the Aquarium's IMAX. I hate 3-D. It gives me a headache/eyeache sort of thing, but the film was cool.

The teacher put all boys in my group, though. All. Boys. All 10 and 11 year old boys. I told her colleague that the (group assigning) teacher was, "On the list." She laughed. The colleague is a total Buffista spirit baby though, anyhow.

I ended up calling two of the boys in my group "Ping" and "Pong" all day, because the experience of watching them was akin to watching two ping pong balls bounce around (and of course, in opposite directions, except for when they were pushing and punching each other). I ended up buying a few kids stuff in the gift shop, because the teachers told them they weren't going to be visiting the gift shop, but then put it on the itinerary for the day, and some kids had money, because their parents know how these things go, and some

I dismissed Ben from school when we got back, because there was only about 45 minutes left, and I wasn't sitting around for that time, and I wasn't overjoyed at the prospect of driving home, then turning around and driving back to get him.

We then went to Target, and I was so tired, I forgot to have an anxiety attack.

It was the best cephalopodmas, ever.

Hey! People are slacking off with the posting! Just because you think you're off work and headed off on a holiday adventure and/or shopping death match doesn't mean you get to stop posting.

I'm still at work. We just watched the Space Shuttle land.

I'll stop slacking. I'm not kerfuffling, mind you, but I am being a cranky pants.

NEWS ITEM: Officials at the Sea-Tac Airport in Seattle took down all the Christmas trees in the facility after a local rabbi asked the airport to erect a menorah to mark Hanukkah. The trees were returned after a national furor which, in the eyes of conservative talk show hosts, made the airport the central front in the mythical war on Christmas.

To be fair to the "warriors" -- that whole situation was stupid and Sea-Tac's fault. The rabbi never asked that trees be removed (nor, in fact, did he want that, and he spoke up, when that was Sea-Tac's response). He wanted a menorah included, and instead of including a menorah, they removed the trees.

Today, before the field trip, Ben's class did a word scramble paper to keep busy. The words were: carols, merry, sleigh, elves, holly, wreath, snowman, rudolph, December, vacation, reindeer, dreidel, tree, Hanukkah.

I couldn't help but wonder why the word Christmas was not on there.

The other day, Julia's class did a Hanukkah paper. It tells the story of King Antiochus, and Judah Maccabee, the Temple, the oil, etc. It then explains how the candles are lit to remember the miracle (uses the word 'miracle'), and explains that the word Hanukkah means rededication, because the Temple was cleansed and rededicated after the battle. Here's an excerpt from the Hanukkah paper (please excuse my typos in the Hebrew transliteration, I'm tired):

Here are the blessings we recite over the Hanukkah Menorha: Baruch Alah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech HaOlam, asher Kidshanu beMitazvotav, VeTzivanu LeHadlik Ner Shel Hanukah.

Blessed are You, O Lord Our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us through your commandments and commanded us to light the Hanukah lights.

Baruch Atah Adonai,Eloheinu Melech HaOlam, she'asha Nisim La'avoteinu, Bayamim HaHem Bazeman Hazeh.

Blessed are You, O Lord Our God, King of the Universe, who did wonders for our ancestors in former times at this season.

(On the first night only) Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech HaOlam, She'hecheyanu V'Kiyemanu V'higiyanu Lazeman Hazeh.

Blessed are You, O Lord Our God, King of the Universe, who has kept us in life, sustained us, and brought us to this time.

I'm not sure Julia's class did one Christmas paper with the word "Christmas" anywhere on the page. I Know they did no Christmas papers with the words to carols or prayers, or the religious meaning of the holiday.

I love that they're getting the education on the actual meaning of Hanukkah. I resent, though, that the school will teach the religious meaning behind one holiday, and pretend the other holiday is all about a fictional fat guy in a red suit, and mystical reindeer.

But... I know if I complain, the school will show no more sense than Sea-Tac did, with those Christmas trees.

I can see why the frezy-able people get in a frenzy about the perceived attacks on Christmas, because I know what I see at our public school.

But... I know if I complain, the school will show no more sense than Sea-Tac did, with those Christmas trees.

It may be unfair, but I expect the presumption is (a) kids already learn about Christmas at their Christian homes and (b) the variant Christmas traditions are an invitation to say, "Nuh, uh! that ain't right."

If you're the dominant cultural mode, then there's probably not going to be as much emphasis on consciousness raising or education.

signed,

Still Waiting For Vaguely Germanic WASPy White American Male Day

Of course, every day is Vaguely Germanic WASPy White American Male Day!

Speaking of webcomics (we are now!) I really like Wondermark which I found (and I presume most of you see) in The Onion.

Oooh, an even better Wondermark

But... I know if I complain, the school will show no more sense than Sea-Tac did, with those Christmas trees.

It may be unfair, but I expect the presumption is (a) kids already learn about Christmas at their Christian homes and (b) the variant Christmas traditions are an invitation to say, "Nuh, uh! that ain't right."

It's not even a fair/unfair thing. It's a they're-scared thing. They do cover Christmas in their unit on holidays but it's all Coca Cola looking Santa Clauses, and snowmen.

Do you see what I mean? It's not that they do a special unit on Hanukkah. It's that what they do on Hanukkah marks the origins of that holiday, but what they do on Christmas is totally divorced from its origins.

but what they do on Christmas is totally divorced from its origins.

Too much litigation, too many factions. Besides, Christmas is kind of divorced from its origins for much of the country. I'm not sure of the numbers, but for a lot of people it's more of a cultural than religious event. It is for me anyway.

In case anyone was waiting for a passport . . .

(KSL News) Government officials say a bag of nearly 700 passport applications, including some from Utah, is missing.

Officials say the bag was reported missing December first, and no one has been able to find it.

State department officials say most of the applications were from California and Texas. However, an unknown number were from Utah.

So far, officials say no incidents of identity theft have been reported