Episode 212: Shout-outs, coming in 2011: The Hucklebug Interview, New Favorites, What’s Up With That – Chaplains in the Army and People who drop in, Fuck Offs and You Rules, Top Five Best/Worst Things About the Holidays. We ran out of time for Duke’s topic of our own made-up holidays, so we will be back with those next week.
Music: “The Hucklebuck,” performed by Sierra Rein, Lee Rocker, and Frank Sinatra.
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It’s Friday morning and no commnents? Bah humbug. Merry Christmas, a belated Happy Hannukah, and happy-anything-else -you-celebrate to all. I hope to get around to listening to the podcast this afternoon (day off! with NTCNTC still in daycare!) to find out exactly how many errors I made in the preceding sentence.
Okay, I’m dealing with the best and worst of Christmas now.
Best part of Christmas — having a two-year-old who loves all this stuff. He thinks Rudolph is great, likes Santa and trees.
Worst part of Christmas — having a two-year-old who loves all this stuff. I can’t just get a couple of gift cards and call it a holiday. His first two Christmases were great — he didn’t know from nothing, so the output was very minimal. His first Christmas, I got him exactly one rubber bathtub duck. That’s it. He didn’t notice. I don’t really get the people who buy a million things for their six-month-old. Take the breather for the first year or so, because in a few years you will have to pay more attention.
Worst part of Christmas — wrapping the damn gifts (see above). I always think I can knock this out in an hour. Hahahahaha. I shall probably wind up putting most of this stuff back in the closet and trying again tomorrow.
I only experience the drop-in guest thing with close relatives like sisters and brothers. Friends always call first. In years past, dropping in made a little sense because you might be driving by and just want to say hi. You weren’t at home or near a phone. Those days are long gone. Everyone has a cell phone now but the old pattern of “it’s just bro, let’s see how he’s doing” still remains. I’m used to it and it doesn’t bother me but it also doesn’t happen often. In general, dropping by unannounced is simply inconsiderate and shows a lack of respect for privacy or the plans of others.
Years ago I decided to de-thorn Christmas. There’s nothing actually wrong with the holiday except what people do to it. I simply went cold turkey in ignoring the social pressures. I only do what I want to do and nothing more. If I want to buy someone a present, I buy it. If I don’t, I don’t, and it doesn’t matter if they get me one or not. I send cards to people I choose without any expectations (or desire) for getting them in return. I do it because I want to.
You’d think people might get upset at my leaving them out or failure to return presents but that hasn’t been the case. Once they understand I’m ignoring the Madison Ave. bull of buying needless crap just because you THINK you should, others feel relieved. It lets them off the hook for being pressured to buy me stuff. I’m no longer a ‘Christmas Problem’ but rather someone they can freely visit during the holidays without any pressure. If I give them a present it’s because I ran across something neat I thought they might like and I have no desire, or expectation, that they return the present. If I didn’t find anything neat, I give them nothing. In other words, I refuse to buy crap just to be doing it.
So now Christmas is great. I don’t worry who’s buying me stuff or how much they spend. I’m not buying things that immediately go to Good-will or the attic. I have friends over for fun and celebration without either of us expecting anything. We just enjoy each other’s company. It’s amazing how nice the holidays can be without the self-inflicted pressure that ruins it. I actually buy more things now than ever but I’m doing it for the right reasons and the gifts are thoughtful and appreciated because they aren’t given because I have to, but because I thought of them.
I can highly recommend it.
I got my Kazee! Thankyouthankyouthankyou!!! Although, maybe I’m an idiot, but it doesn’t make any sounds. It’s been awhile since I used one, so maybe I’m doing it wrong? I need an “Idiot’s Guide to Hucklebug Kazeeing.”
Happy Holidays to everyone!
And Heidi, let’s hit Michael’s when I get back from PA. How about Dec. 29th? May as well finish off the holiday calorie consumption with some beignets!
So, uh, what more do I have to do to be considered part of the Latino and/or Asian demographic? Topknot? Zarape?
Merry Happy everybody!
Stennie, I did indeed get the Bringing Up Baby reference, that’s why it cracked me up. Also, only the true Messiah denies his (her) divinity! I say you are Lord, and I should know – I’ve followed a few!
I hope this doesn’t result in a conflict of interest, but Les and I have been working up a little something for the New Favorites section. Just a little bumper or intro or tag or whatever you call it. But we’ll worry about that if we ever finish it.
And Bet rules, by the way. And here’s why: I put my Christmas tree up today. This is the first Christmas I’ve had a tree since Andy and I broke up, and so first thing I see when I open the ornaments box is the tree topper that Andy made. Pbbbbbttt. Can’t use that. What will I do? I know! I put the little polka dotted elephant from the Rudolph special that Bet sent me this week on top of my tree! And he looks great!!! Thank you so much Bet for being so thoughtful and for giving my tree a wonderful topper with happy associations. Rapid hearty applause!!
Also, I hung out with Lyndie this week and she still listens to the Hucklebug, although she is often a few episodes behind. She just doesn’t comment because she’s doesn’t feel witty enough. I told her she has to start commenting if she wants to come to Huckle-Con!
Merry Christmas ladies! Looking forward to your big year-end wrap up!!
“Comment of the year” and a You Rule? Stop, you’re embarrassing me! *Blush*
Seriously, much as I appreciate the kudos and accolades regarding my Bristol Palin screed, I have to tell you, it’s left me feeling a little gun-shy. Like, how am I ever going to top that? What’s funny/ironic is that I almost didn’t post it, thinking you all were kind of over the whole thing, and who wants to hear more of someone’s discontent about the outcome of a reality show featuring B-list celebrities. I know “Dancing with the Has-Beens and Wannabes” is a bit unwieldy, but it’s less of a strain on credulity.
As for the chaplains issue, I think Stennie is right on. Whatever their particular dogmatic or doctrinal slant in civilian life might be, their role while in uniform is to serve the spiritual needs of Soldiers–ecumenically and without prosthelytising.
The “free exercise of religion” argument doesn’t (or shouldn’t) apply to a military chaplain. Their role, as I mentioned above, is to facilitate Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines in the free exercise of their (the service-members’) religion. A chaplain’s “free exercise” protection should not extend to “counseling” a service member being gay or lesbian makes him or her a sinner. And certainly a chaplain would bound by a duty of confidentiality not to out a gay or lesbian service member, no matter how “against his religion” homosexuality might be. Moreover, once DADT is repealed, a chaplain who opposes homosexuality on religious grounds would be duty bound to STFU.
You see a similar (if equally groundless) approach used by opponents of same-sex marriage whenever a state grants marriage or civil union/domestic partnership rights to gay couples. They argue that state recognition and validation of same-sex marriage, including teaching such heresy in schools, denies them the right to bring their children up according to their beliefs, which infringes their free-exercise right. Which is, to use a term of art, utter bullshit. They’re free to teach their kids to be little homophobic bigots all they want at home or in church without any government interference. Of course, any church that gets too political from the pulpit stands to have its tax-exempt status revoked, which also serves to enforce the STFU rule.