[geeks] Halloween

[Mike Hebel]

On Sunday, November 2, 2003, at 12:45 PM, Mike Nicewonger wrote:

>> Retail establishments go almost exclusively from Halloween to 
>> Christmas.
>> Little or no Thanksgiving in between.
>
> Of course there is no money in it for them.

Which is part of the focus problem. Stores used to make plenty of money 
around Thanksgiving but now they don't because the holiday is 
celebrated less.

>> I'm not a Christian but I do find it annoying that the trend is to go
>> from gift giving holiday to gift giving holiday and skip one that 
>> makes
>> you reflect on how thankful you are for things.
>
> I was brought up Catholic [0], but I am better now :)

Now now Mike.  ;-)

Seriously my mother still hounds me about leaving the Roman Catholic 
Church but she's slowly learning thankfully.

> The 3 biggies were Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Halloween was 
> just
> fun (at least when I was a kid).

*nod* On my mother's side this was the typical Italian family get 
together.  A metric ton of food producing a metric buttload of sleepy 
people on couches and if you didn't exercise a metric buttload 
of..well..butt.  ;-)

That all changed about the time my one uncle died.  He held everything 
together.

> To me Thanksgiving is still a time of reflection. I oft wonder why my 
> life
> sucks so much but them I am reminded there are loads of folks worst 
> off [1]
> and I need to just shut the fuck up and deal with life as my ass is 
> not on
> fire and I am still breathing.

<Dave>
My ass is on fire!
</Dave>

;-)

Truly though there are a lot worse places I could be and I hope that 
this new year brings better things for everyone.  We could all use a 
boost...

> I never used to think about political or social activism but I sure 
> have
> been a lot of late.

I'd produce anti-politcal videos but I honestly fear for my family in 
this atmosphere.

> [0] I saw the light and ran away from the church more or less 
> screaming.

Mine was more I knew the religion didn't feel right from the start and 
I eventually moved to what felt right for me.  That turned out to be 
Wicca.

> [1] This would be the subject of a long unpleasant rant I do not wish 
> to
> engage in presently.

VI vs EMACS!

*ducks*

;-)

Mike Hebel