argumentative

I think I must be an antiestablishmentarian at heart. It was probably passed down to me from my parents... who, as they age are less rebellious in action, but still 70's children, free-thinkers at heart. Which leads to this discussion.

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Holidays are just a date, unless meaning is applied to them. Ceremony, remembrance and dedication are made on certain days to commemorate something important in life or history.
Birthdays for example are slightly ridiculous. You didn't choose to be born on that day, but as children you are bamboozled by society into believing you should be rewarded on this day for just living (no designation on how or to what purpose you live, you just didn't die this year... go you!). I have nothing against celebrating birthdays. Unless you decide to turn your child into a greedy self-centered monster, by inviting everyone he knows to some outlandish party. Therefore asking each of these children to cater to your monster with gifts... I could go on but you see where I'm headed. You told your child that on this one day of the year you can be a selfish greedy little wildebeest and everybody else has to be okay with this and pay him homage. So when these little dears grow up they are either A) selfcentered big wildebeests or B) self pitying people who don't understand why the world doesn't spoil them like mommy and daddy did.
I'm sure there's a middle ground between not celebrating it (which makes your child feel left out when compared to his fellows) and the spoilt-y adult failure scenario. Please find it, for the sanity of the rest of us!

So... when traditional holidays come around I tend to want to be with my family, but generally Holiday's are just that... excuses to see family. Some holidays I like better than others & some have more value to me than others. For instance: Easter... without the bunnies and baskets, and Christmas, but Santa's not on my good list.
I love the fall and the family time of Thanksgiving. However I can't get behind the ridiculous story of the pilgrims and the Indians sitting down together to enjoy the fruits of their combined labor, because my friends (historically speaking) that is not at all the way it happened. Even with this bogus legend surrounding this holiday I still appreciate that Thanksgiving was declared a national holiday by President Lincoln in an effort to bring together a torn nation during the civil war. That's admirable. However, it was originally supposed to be a day that we give thanks for the "union" or government. Not a day set aside to give thanks to God and remember his many gifts to us alone. This doesn't mean that I don't do that... but I'd rather do that every week, not just during the third one in November.
I also really like St. Patrick's day. A) Of all the St.'s Patrick is one of my faves (and no I'm not catholic, but I do have a healthy respect for the saints that have come before me). B) The holiday was declared in an effort to stop prejudice against the huge influx of Irish immigrants that came to the US in the 1840's. C) I'm a sliver Irish. So it's in my blood. And frivolously D) I love green!
So earlier this month when I made a comment on a networking site about St. Patrick's Day being more legitimate than say Thanksgiving, I caught some flack about it. People commenting that St. Patrick's Day was just an excuse to get drunk and wear green. Or saying that evidently I'm not walking with my savior by stating that the historical legitimacy of Thanksgiving is bogus (not verbatim). I decided not to be argumentative on the site, and instead state my side here.

A holiday may have spiritual validity because you, as someone of faith gives it such. Just as a person without said faith base will give a different meaning to the same holiday i.e. Christmas, Easter, St. Patrick's Day, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, etc. We live in a society where the world is the way you see it (another rant is gurgling forth, but I'll save it for another day). However, the historical basis for the creation of said holiday is not relative. This day was set aside as a holiday for a specific reason years ago. And so to say that some holiday's have more historical legitimacy than others does not mean that they have more or less spiritual validity. In other words, back off my Christian brothers and sisters! Read the actual words that are written, without the connotation gleaned looking down from your high horse.

That's all for now folks!

Today

I just finished an extra long day at the hospital and my feet hurt. Though this day's patient was a complicated post-op case and I'm tired, I'm also blissfully content. I gave the best care I could today. I was on my toes, caught a few things and learned a whole lot. I was no super-nurse but the 87 year old Italian man in my care did ask me out to dinner when he gets better. Also at the end of the day his family affirmed and encouraged me in my call as a nurse. So yes, I may be busy, hard to get in touch with, and tired alot these days... but I'm also happy.

Random

Do you ever feel like the word scramble comment verification is more like an IQ test? I'm always baffled. I get a touch nervous. How can typing recognized letters of the English alphabet be done incorrectly. And yet it happens. I think I'm developing "verify comment" anxiety.

NEWS!!

So good news, Mom got a job yesterday!! She is now a special-ed teacher for pre-k. She had her first day today! She was tuckered out by the little 3-5 year olds. The kids are an integrated mix of high functioning special ed. (like autism, mild retardation, or learning disabled) and your average little munchkins. She taught middle school before, so this is very different. Mom thinks it's refreshing, teaching them before they start to believe that they are stupid, or dumb. A lot less baggage with the little ones. She really enjoys it, and the kids really liked her today. So awesome!
I've been praying that she would want to work again. She needed to recuperate after her back surgery last summer and all the drama from her last teaching assignment. Since she finished her masters I just hoped she find direction. Thanks G!
More good news I start my clinicals next week. School has started and I've had seminar and some training, but the actual in-hospital stuff happens soon. It is so cool! I feel like a dork, but I love reading all this stuff and learning! It's just so exciting.
Probably won't get around to updating much, but will try! No promises.
Still trying to do what my hands find to do with all my might. Not always successful, sometimes the lazyness just creeps in. But better. Still pray alot about my attitude. Instead of whistling while I work, I catch myself grumbling. So I pray, and it works. Can't let a seed of bitterness take root. So... all is well.

A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a
life spent doing nothing. George Bernard Shaw

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I like this one from Shaw too!

I often quote myself. It adds spice to my conversation.

Recently

Next week I start my in-hospital semester in nursing (the first of four). Over the last couple of months I have realized some good things. A person can change. I am not sure I allow change in others that often. And I have trouble finding the faith to believe that change can happen in me. About a month ago I started praying. I don't actually remember what the prayer was about or how God and I ended up where we did. But I left that tête-à-tête with the thought that God can in fact move me to change. These changes are not monumental, though at times, I feel like they make all the difference.
Small things, like doing the tasks that are set before me, getting to bed earlier, being more consistent in my daily life. Struggles that I thought were just part of me, part of my nature. And while none of these previous characteristics are bad, they don’t allow me to feel like the person I know I am.
I didn’t feel bad per-se, but I feel better now. I’m also learning to stop speaking. Well to stop speaking without thinking. To just shut-up and wait. Lo and behold better responses are put forth. Maybe it’s age, or having lived, seen, and loved. Then again, I think it’s just learning to trust God again. To trust him in a way that I’m not sure I ever have. Not blindly, with the naïve hope of an idealist. Although there is some of that perspective present. Not fortified, with hardness around the hope, guarding my heart from the one who formed it. No, instead I find myself wanting to live a life that is full. Not a life that is just lived. Everyone lives their lives. What’s so special about that, where is the beauty in that? If I can live my life full of love, passion, pursuit, and joy… If I can trust God with my life, then I will live a life that is not mine at all. And that life will be full, hopeful and determinedly lived. Doing with joy all that my hand finds to do, and doing only for God. That will be a life that is a gift, to the Giver and to me.

Christian the Lion

Soon, I will catch up with my summer blogging. But for the moment, I can't seem to get up the verve to write anything of any length.
I did come across this in an email, and it was so sweet, it made me laugh.


To read more about Christian the Lion

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Batman!

I just saw my first in-cinema preview for The Dark Knight!! I got goosebumps.

I was with Nic and Krystal, we were seeing Get Smart. Which was actually pretty decent. I laughed long and hard a couple of times, and chuckled a dozen or so more.

http://thedarkknight.warnerbros.com/
Someone asked me once why Batman was my favorite male superhero, and my answer was the following.
a) He's just a guy. He doesn't have superpowers. He's just a guy who saw a need and filled it. And his reluctance and confliction over this choice is the essence of being human.
b) He's dark. We all have darkness within us. Its the distance and the hurdles we overcome to find our way into the light that's the beauty of humanity.

I know you say, this is Batman! Come on! But, seriously that's why I love comic book movies, the hero's are just men or women (ok sometimes with superpowers), and the battles are universal. We all fight against evil, either in ourselves or in our world; or we let it take over. Granted real life is not generally as black and white as heroes and villains, but the fight is real. You are either on one side or the other; in little decisions, in big decisions, all day long.