Category Archives: General

Christmas Music Tyranny

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I like a lot of Christmas music. I think it is best enjoyed a week before Christmas. In my area there are several radio stations that start playing Christmas music 24/7, at Thanksgiving. A full month before Christmas.

I wrote to one station I had on the presets in my car radio.

They told me that it was a money maker for them. Many area stores set their stereos to play their station exclusively during the Christmas shopping season.

Okay, that is bad enough, but now there are some radio stations in my area still playing Christmas music, though Christmas has ended. I’m guessing it will run through New Years Day.

Ironically, the content of those songs often have nothing do with commemorating Christ or Christianity. The bulk of the songs are about the trappings of Yule, an ancient European pagan holiday. “Christmas trees”, misletoe, etc.

Next year, when someone complains about the “war on Christmas” that person, IMHO, should be asked:

  1. Do you plan to spend Christmas day in church?
  2. Do you plan to join the crowds on Black Friday, shoving other people for a piece of plastic crap from China, in the spirit of Christ?
  3. Have you read the entire Bible? If not, do you plan to start on Christmas?

Okay, I am ranting, but *ENOUGH* with the Christmas music already. Christmas is over.

Buddhist Grammar Nazis?

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I recently came across a Facebook page devoted toward being a “grammar nazi” ( my term, not the author’s ).

I tend not to care for such things, but I subscribed anyway. The author, after making fun of other people’s mistakes posts an explanation of why the writing was wrong. I tend to be in the middle on the grammar proficiency scale, so I thought I could learn a few things.

I did.

Then for the holidays the author posted a little bit about her background. It turns out she was raised a “secular Buddhist”. Translation: her parents liked the down to Earth teachings of Buddhism, but decided to ditch the religious trappings, superstitions and the parts of Asian Buddhism they did not care for. I have no problem with that.

However, I was a bit disturbed. My opinion of “grammar nazism” is that it is a mean spirited cheap shot 99% of the time. People criticize grammar, when they can’t answer a point made in the content of what a person had to write.

One thing I always liked about Asian and some Western Buddhism, is the subculture of respect, kindness and using speech constructively. I have to say I was a bit disturbed that someone calling herself a “secular Buddhist” would have a “grammar nazi” page. The focus of her page was making mean jokes at other people’s expense – at their writing mistakes, which we ALL make.

Not my cup of tea.

Just saying ….