I resolve to....

Well, Santa Claus has come and gone, and it's time to look forward to a turning of the calendar.  With that, it's also that time of year when people make resolutions they never keep.  But some of these resolutions, people do keep.

It's less about the actual resolution, really, and more about the spirit of resolve. People are dynamic; they change daily.  And while they might not keep their resolution, they do keep resolve in regard to other issues they must deal with.

So in the spirit of resolve, the following are some things people should resolve to do on a day other than New Years:

1. Go on a diet
2. Quit Smoking
3. Quit Drinking
4. Quit Gambling
5. Quit swearing
6. Go to church more often
7. Find a sense of peace within themselves.
8. Save money
9. Quit using credit cards.
10. Work on marital problems.

If someone wants to do any of the above, they would have more success if they made their resolution on another day, say, May 3. Or June 16. Any day but New Years.

My New Years Resolution:

To not make one.  I never could abide by promises I couldn't keep, so if I don't make any, I'm not obligated.

There.  My New Year's Resolution problem is hereby solved.

Winter Solstice

Storms can have such an awesome effect on people.  And not awesome as in the totally uber-cool sense either.  Awesome as grand, intense, extreme, etc. All over the eastern seaboard snow hit; North Carolina saw snow in places that hadn't seen it in quite some time.  West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and several New England states were blanketed, blanketed, blanketed, blanketed, blanketed--or rather, um, smothered--in it.

Electricity took a haitus (much to the dismay of the power companies because not only did they not get all that money from all those non-essential but totally necessary running gadgets, but they had to spend money getting their crews out to repair the lines--where the snow plows would allow them to go), roads were impassible, work was cancelled for some, and the grocery stores had a run on bread, milk, and batteries.

What a way to greet Old Man Winter.  Which brings us back around to the winter solstice.  December 21 is the day the calendar printers earmarked on their calendars we all flock to the store to buy to rush in the New Year.  And the winter solstice is traditionally known as "the shortest day of the year", or more specifically, the day when the north pole is at its farthest point from the sun.  How about that?--The shortest day of the year, or the day of the long night.  Yet, somewhere around the 16th or 17th, it was pointed out that the days were already getting longer, because sunset was happening noticeably later--by around 15 minutes.  Some may say: "what difference does 15 minutes make?"  To answer:  when it comes to our planet's rotation on its axis, 15 minutes means a LOT of difference.  So this makes me curious:  We have leap year because some scientists figured out a long time ago that the earth's revolution around the sun was actually 365 and 1/4 days as opposed to the traditional 365 days we hear about.  However, IF it really takes 365 1/4 days and we have an extra day in the year every 4 years to make up for that, why was the daylight time on the calendar-marked day of the winter solstice longer than 6 hours and 15 minutes?

Which brings about another theory-able question:  Why does the winter solstice mark the beginning of the winter season?  Has it always marked the beginning of the season?  Or was the winter solstice traditionally in the middle of the winter season before leap year began to be celebrated?  Which still doesn't explain the  weather patterns:  since the 1900's, snow has been seen as early as late September and as late as early June.  So then, when really is the winter solstice, and how do we relate it to the winter season?

Four-Letter Words

In my previous post, I pointed out a handful of weather-related words that were of the 4-letter variety and mused about their relevance--or irrelevance to profanity.  To expand on the idea, here are a few more 4-letter words that should present a relevance to prfanity:

1. Nosy
2. Rude
3. Mean
4. Talk (when used as a synonym for gossip)
5. Chat (same as above)
6. Text (when driving or other activity that requires UNDIVIDED attention)
7 Cell (phones)
8. Mail (when it's LATE or delivered to the wrong address)
9. Diet
10. Work (sometimes)
11. Cash (The love of money is often blamed as the root of all evil)
12. Card (credit--the companies that issue these are all inherently evil)
 
These are just a few words that would definitely qualify as profanity. Others may think of other words that would qualify.  Anyone want to add to the list?

The Weather is Profanity

The weather is profanity.  If not, then why are so many weather conditions 4-letter words?

For example:

1.  SNOW
2. Rain
3. Wind
4. HAIL
5. Heat
6. Zero (degrees)
7. COLD
8. Arid

There are others that aren't 4-letter words, but are just as colorful.

1. Sleet
2. Frost
3. Flood
4. Hurricane
5. Tornado
6. Tsunami
8. Blustery

Guess they ran out of 4-letter words for those weather conditions.  Hmmm....

Mental Note #1

A clear sky at night during the "winter months" results in colder temperatures--usually below freezing.

All-inclusive? Or Specifically exclusive?

It's probably going to take a fair amount of time and effort before my posts become regular on Blogger.  But then again, maybe all I need is a good dose of mental fiber.  I wonder, do they make that?  Maybe I should market it:  Fiber-All Brain Fiber - for those desperate moments when you have mental constipation.  It could work.  Really.

And there's nothing like housework to help you lose a day.  I thought today was yesterday, until someone set me straight. Oh, wait.  That's not what they did.  They set me on the right path.  There, that's better.  A little mental clarification.  Put your heels back in the the closet, woMen! No need to beat me with a stiletto for a little Freudian slip.

And what's the big deal with retailers shying away from Christmas?  This is one of the most ridiculous notions the marketing industry has had in ages.  For generations, the retailers have gone out of their way to include other ethnic holidays in the mix.  After all, the USA is considered the melting pot of the world.  Now, to be politically correct, major retailers are avoiding the word "Christmas" like the plague.  SHAME ON YOU!  If you can post banners that say "Happy Hannukah", "Happy Kwanzaa" and "Happy Ramadan", then no one should be offended if you also post a banner that says "Merry Christmas".  If someone complains, simply explain to them that you are making an effort to be all-inclusive and embrace all ethnic religions and holidays; if they persist, ask them to leave.

Problem solved.

Unthinkable

The Inhumanity Continues

While the rest of the world observed World AIDS Day, Uganda apparently didn't.  Worse, they plan to jail all gays and lesbians and put anyone who tests positive for HIV/AIDS to death, regardless of whether they are gay or straight.

The link is to a French website one of my friends sent me, and I don't read French, but she took the time to explain the details to me.  I'm thankful that I live in a country that at least tolerates gays and lesbians--for the most part, anyway.  And I feel helpless in regard to those who endure much worse circumstances than I could imagine.

A Token of Remembrance

December 1, 2009 -- World AIDS Day