de Paul Warren » thoughts

Happy Humbuggery

Foobar — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 17:24:15 +0000

Humbug… it’s been 2 years now. This being my third year as a humbugger. I don’t think I’ll return to Christmas as I had it previously. I think people understand that I will not return the favour and give them a gift if they get me one. The past 2 Christmas’ have been fairly stress free. I have to admit, I rather enjoy it.

I wrote a post about 2 years ago as to why I became a scrooge / grinch. Not much has changed. Although I’m less offended when people spread Christmas Cheer. I mentioned before that I would hold my tongue, well now I shrug it aside like they just insulted my lawn… It’s my lawn, I couldn’t care less. In fact, I feel a little pity for them:

having to stand in lines buying gifts that are
often likely to get the response of “Oh…. thanks…. it’s .. great.”
stressing out when they are not sure what to get someone, but the they have to get the other(s) something
because they know the other(s) got them something and feel they have to return the favour.
as a few have to endure the last minute shopping because they waited until today (Christmas Eve) to shop.
as a few of them are getting the latest in popular items that have caused wide spread chaos as parents fight to the death to get a $20 gift that the kid will have forget about in 2 months.

I do not miss that at all.

The only thing I’m a little peeved about still is how Christmas is viewed by Christians and non-Christians. Christians are upset that Jesus is being removed from anything related to Christmas and the non-Christians are upset that Jesus is still in Christmas. Granted there is a group that doesn’t care either way, but this is not about them. I get annoyed when I see Christians putting up a fight or protesting to have Jesus returned to Christmas. If someone wants to celebrate with Santa Claus, let them. It’s not our place to impose Jesus on anyone. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. As ambassadors, we are to abide by the rules of the foreign country we live in and at the same time, live as an example (and a good one at that) of who we really are. Throwing a hissy fit because Santa is more popular than Jesus just shows you’re not being a good enough example of Jesus in the first place…. and the hissy fit adds to that.

Either I’m numbed by what goes on now, or things are not as bad as they used to be. Not with the whole X-mas fiasco. If things are not as bad now, then that’s a good thing. It’s just something I’ve seen before and I haven’t vented about for a while, even if that whole thing is now stale.

Anyway… if the traditional gift giving is for anyone, it’s children. I’m still on the fence as to how I want my children to experience Christmas. However, anyone who tries to make that decision for me can stuff it.

The Frequent, The Fun, The Frustrating

Foobar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:13:04 +0000

Fx3. I think I’m writing in my blog more. Before it was a once a year, almost, kind of thing. I just have more to ponder lately (frequent). I recently read an article talking about the memorable moments from video games. I have a bunch too. I plan to post them here, sometime in the near future. I’ve written up a few drafts so I won’t forget (fun). But that is definitely on hold until what has been happening lately blows over (frustrating). I’ll elaborate more as I can figure out where I stand in this all. It’s like a dust cloud and I’m unsure of everything around me but if I’m only to stand my ground that I’ll emerge victorious…. or sandblasted or buried. A brief glimpse of what is frustrating as of late is the current state of our unborn child; there are complications.

Heeded Haste

antihero — Wed, 23 May 2007 01:55:19 +0000

I played a game a long, long time ago. The name has since been lost to me but I remember one of the phrases used within the game. “Make Haste but take heed.” They sounded like funny Old English words to me at the time but for some reason they always stuck to me. The irony of it all is that while I often ponder those words, I’ve never managed to abide by them.

I’ve often jumped in without checking what I was jumping into. I thought I had it all covered. I do the once over on the situation, sometimes I also go over and over, but I miss one crucial point. I can only see from my own eyes. I’ve done that at work, I’ve done that with friends. One time in Carleton Place… (Ah hahaha…. um, It’s not funny…joke’s over.) Anyway.

When I was younger, I would often misinterpret something as meaningless as friends talking to each other and leaving me out of it at hockey to be something much larger than it was. I would begin to scheme of ways to respond when we would next meet and when they shun me, only to find out they wouldn’t. The haziness of it all is partially due to it was so long ago, and partially because I felt like such a tool afterwards.

I’ve told people things ~~that I intended~~ in which the intention was to be clever, wise, or they needed to know., only to regret it afterwards. Like saying, “I’m glad your leaving,” to someone when I should have said something along the lines of, “you’ve answered God’s call.” The original intention was the latter, but my brain could only come up with the former. Obviously, I had to explain it later.

Writing a letter, or calling, or that one step farther: meeting them in person; requires much more commitment to see your “message” through to the end than a simple email or post on some site. I can just imagine what would have happened if I had the internet when I was young. It’s a good thing it wasn’t. I just have to train myself that when I think I’m wise, I’m not.

It still hasn’t changed; I do it less often, thankfully.

I bet that even this was rushed a little too much. Oh well, the title then suits it then.