Christmas holiday among different religions

Right now, my partner is currently in the other room wrapping my pressies. When she’s finished, I’ll go and help her wrap pressies for the rest of her family. Christmas music will be played, our Christmas tree will be lit, and as much as I can, I will try to get into the holiday spirit. Last night, we went to a major shopping center that was open 24 hours till Christmas Eve for all the later shoppers. Every store we went to was packed with people, and Christmas music was playing every where you went. This Christmas festive atmosphere was filled with not only happy and joy, but irritation and annoyance.

As I walked around with my partner and looked at all the people, I stopped to think and wonder. Because I grew up knowing what Christmas was, and being from a Catholic family, the religious aspect of Christmas was always emphasized. Every year we had Christmas, and every year it was the day I always looked forward to. The older I got, the more I found out things, the more I realized that we live in a society that is predominately run by the Christian based faith. I believe the Christian based faiths are the most common in the western world, but what about those people who don’t celebrate Christmas. The purpose of Christmas, to many, is to celebrate the birth of Jesus. But what about people who don’t believe in Jesus, or believe in another faith or entitity. How do these people handle it? How do they feel, every where they go, Christmas is flashed in their faces. You can’t go somewhere, during the holidays and not know it’s Christmas.

I think about some of the folks I worked with back in the states. A number of people I worked with were Jewish. And through them, I learned a lot more than I started off with, about the Jewish faith. Even though I took a religious course in college about the Islamic faith, along with Judaism and Christianity, it must have gone in one ear and out the other. So immersing myself with other faiths, I got to see and experience faith in their eyes. There wasn’t hostility toward Christmas, but you could tell that when one would talk about Christmas, certain people would sort of roll their eyes. So it made me wonder just what people of other faiths do on Christmas. Everyone has the day off, so nothing is going to be open (well maybe some petrol stations), so to them, is it just a rest day off?

Over the years, the spirit of Christmas has dissipated for me. In college I stopped going to mass all together. I can’t think of the last time we went to Christmas mass. My mum always goes, but I’d always pass up the offer. Even though I wasn’t religious then, I loved going to Christmas mass. Loved going for the music, more than anything else. We’d always go to 11 o’clock mass, or sometimes even the children’s mass. But it was a time where I reflected on the true meaning of the holiday. But what IS the true meaning? Is it about santa and all the reindeer, or is it about the birth of Jesus? Depending on who you ask, you’ll get a different response. And since being with my partner, Christmas has just felt so weird. So unusual, and something I’m not used to. I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to it.

But recently, Australia has been in qualms because some people don’t want society to push the holiday of Christmas so much, (to respect other religious faiths) while others still want people to be able to celebrate openly. Celebrating is a big thing, especially in the schools. My step-niece had a Christmas concert this past week. This past weekend, she was busy singing the songs she was to sing. One of the songs, had the word Jesus and a reference to his birth in a manger. I was a bit shocked when I heard her singing it. Shocked, because my mum is a teacher in the states..and they can’t sing or make any reference to Christmas or the religious aspect of the holiday. Of course kids know it’s Christmas, but usually now if they make pressies for their parents, it’s “holiday pressies” instead of “Christmas pressies.”

Some people don’t like the holiday thrown in their face, which I respect. But there are people who are Islamic, and still have a Christmas lunch. They just have a different meaning what Christmas means to them. So it makes me question whether people of other faiths, that don’t normally celebrate Christmas could do the same. Or if they think that if they did this, then they’d be conforming to society and Christianity. Society (for the most part) respects difference, but yet at the same time, it pressures you to conform to the norm (i.e. Christianity, heterosexuality). And instead just make Christmas another “regular” day to them. I’m definitely not saying other religions should celebrate Christmas the way many people of the Western world do, but I do wonder how those who do not celebrate the holiday, what they do, and how they feel about the holiday itself.

-current mood-SAD, reminiscing about past holidays for me.

Prussian Blue singers (Ideas and thoughts taken from the Herald Sun newspaper)

In yesterday’s newspaper, there was an article about the Prussian Blue singers. Most of what I am writing here, is taken from this article. I thought I would share their points of view, and just let people marinade in their ideas. But trust me, I was in shock after reading each sentence. When I first glanced at the picture of the girls, I didn’t take much notice of it. But when I started reading the article, I couldn’t believe what I was reading. These singers are twin sisters, aged 13, from the states. There is a picture of them, they’re blonde haired, and blue eyed. They are both wearing a shirt, of an animated like face of Adolf Hitler. A Hitler happy face, as they say.

These girls, during their concerts, give heil Hitler salutes and sing pop songs about Nazis. The band’s name is “a nod to the girls blue eyes and German heritage.” There is also speculation that the name is reference to the residue left by Zyklon B, used in the Nazi gas chambers. The girls both deny this speculation. But these girls have been “performing” since the age of 9. They have headlined Holocaust denial events, and in their free time, they like to play a video game called “Ethnic cleansing.” This game’s aim is to kill off as many black people as possible. They also have a website with a blog and forums, as well as links to other white supremacist sites. For being only 13, they are surprising very articulate, and claim that Adolf Hitler and his deputy Rudolf Hess are to be considered heros. They also believe that the amount of Jews executed was an exaggeration. They believed in the conentration camps, but also said that there were tennis courts and swimming pools.

The two girls were asked what they thought the most important social issue facing America was. Their retort was “that there were not enough white babies born to replace ourselves.” The girls, during the recent Hurricane Katrina incident, said that they’d be willing to help out with the victims. But they DEMANDED that the money they were contributing was to only go to white people.

One may wonder where these two girls got their influence from. The article stated that it was learned primarly from their monther and grandfather. Their mother home schools them also helps write some of their lyrics. And the mother’s views were shaped by her father…who wears a swastika on his belt and has a swastika on the side of his truck, as well has having the swastika as his cattle brand.

By the end of the article, I had a sick feeling in my stomach. I understand people have the right to their own opinions and views, but OMG, at 13 years and they’ve already got this “idea” in their head. I don’t understand how people can say that the Holocaust didn’t actually happen…and how Adolf Hitler can be seen as a hero. What he did was an atrocity, and I can’t fathom the idea. Looking at picutres, and going to an actual concentration camp (I went to Dachau when I was 16), it just leaves an eerie feeling. Actually standing next to a stove where they burnt people’s bodies, and standing IN a shower cell where many people took their last breath. It’s something people can say is so “surreal” or “movie like.” But in truth, it happened, happened to many innocent people. All because of one man’s hatred for a certain group. Racism is a touchy subject for me, but nonetheless, it needs to be talked about and discussed. Blind hatred is not going to be beneficial in any way, and we as people need to teach others about respecting people’s backgrounds, in all aspects.

-current mood-CRANKY, because of all the last minute Xmas shoppers...

Feeds and html

So someone suggested, that people who are still “connected” to me on yahoo 360 to set up the “feeds” section. So I’ve done that..and now people are able to be kept up to date with my original blog. So thank you to “hot sour soup” for the suggestion. Let’s hope my blog will still get as many comments and traffic as with yahoo 360. I will have my link always available on yahoo 360..that way new and old contacts will still be able to access my blog if they don’t see it in the feed.

I’ve heard about feeds, and rrs feeds but I wasn’t quite sure what it was all about. I’m still very new to blogging, and the more blogs I read, the more I learn. But I have yet still so much to learn with html. I will admit, I’m learning a few things here and there, but I’m definitely NOT an expert. I’d still like to learn how to fiddle around with the actual layout of my blog, but I’m too afraid of messing things up. And knowing me, that wouldn’t be very hard. I’ve done homepages before, that have html, but after awhile, I just got so messed up with my html, that I ended up closing the sites. I like the sites that already have a layout all set up and all you have to do is upload. But one can do so much more with html.

I’d like to figure out just how some people are able to get thousands of people visiting their site. I don’t even have 2000 yet. It’s an uphill journey for me ::smirks:: I guess I shouldn’t be complaining, but I want to be popular too. Maybe my blog is just not as interesting. But it has to get noticed for people to realize it’s not interesting. I originally made the blog for my own benefit…something to keep my mind busy. And for the few loyal readers I’ve accumulated throughout the months. But now it’s really become an interest. Oh well, I’m still having a good time with it all. Maybe when I figure out what full time job I will have, if I have time, I’ll see about taking a course on basic html.

-current mood-FULL from a nice dinner my partner cooked me.

Transition to my blog site.

I have an actual blog site. This website, is exactly the same as yahoo 360, except I don’t have as many readers. Well, maybe I do, but you can’t tell. Soo, I’m just going to try something. I’m HOPING that my loyal readers on yahoo 360 will bookmark my blog website, and maybe try to read my blog from that website, instead of yahoo 360. I’m only doing this, because I want to get more traffic and comments on my actual blog website. If all goes well, and people are “cool” with reading and leaving comments on my actual blog website, I will probably fade away on yahoo 360. I’ll still very much keep the friends, and have no problems adding friends, it’ll just be, that my blog won’t be there anymore. I hope I don't lose friends or my readers by doing this. It wouldn't be serving it's purpose would it???

I don’t have a problem with using yahoo 360 as well as this blog site…but I started the blog site first, and then found yahoo 360. I prefer my actual website because 1) it’s an actual website, 2) it has a site counter, 3) I don’t have to html every entry, and 4) I can do so much more with the website than I can with yahoo 360. I want people to migrate to my blog site. I want to look at my site meter and see that a lot of people are reading it. I want to receive comments…I see how many comments people have left me on yahoo 360, and then see how many comments are on my blog site, and the blog site pales in comparison…lol. So I do hope the transition goes well. I’d appreciate any advice or comments about which people prefer, if they think going to my blog is a hassle, instead of just using yahoo 360. I know yahoo 360 is so much easier, because you’re connected already…but I want more people to come to my actual blog site. I’ve put more effort into the blog site, than yahoo 360.

Here is the link; http://gayliciousmusing.blogspot.com

For those already reading my actual blogsite, thank you for stumbling across it ::smiles::

-current mood-Sweaty, it's muggy out at the moment.

Ghost Whisperer

Are there any fans of the Ghost Whisperer with Jennifer Love Hewitt out there? The show started in September in the states, and started I think sometime this month, maybe even in November. I had heard great reviews about it on Entertainment Tonight, and often see them talking about the show. I started watching the show, and every single episode, I’ve cried. It’s a great show, a show that really makes me think. I’m a fan of Medium and this show is, in a way, like it. I’ve never had great faith in mediums or anything of that nature. And I’m not sure if those thoughts and opinions have changed. But watching the Ghost Whisperer, it really has made me think about just what happens when someone passes away. Are there really spirits that roam around Earth after they pass? Are there really people who are able to contact these spirits and help them “find their way?” I read stories about people getting in contact with famous people’s family members who have passed. And I get an eerie feeling when I read about the situations.

In one way or another, I’d be interested in seeing a medium. I say this for the simple fact, that I don’t know much about my family history. Well, in truth, I don’t know anything. And I don’t even know if a medium would be the right person to contact. But I wish there was a way I’d be able to find out more about my personal history. But I wonder if the medium would have to have knowledge of family members before they’d be able to do anything. But it would be great if I was able to get someone to contact people from my past. I think I would be able to feel at ease with a lot of “issues” I have. I have a sense of animosity toward my past and even though I know there is absolutely nothing I can do about it, just having some knowledge, or even a sign of my past, I know I would feel better about a lot of things.

-current mood-TIRED

Anniversary

Today is the 6 year anniversary that my partner and I have been together. 6 LONG years, I would think. But at the same time, the 6 years have flown by so quickly. Maybe it seems like it’s been a long time because we’ve been through so much. But even though it’s been 6 years since we decided to give the relationship a go, I can still remember so clearly the moment my partner asked me if I’d be her girlfriend. The whole experience was mind blogging, and as I sit here and reminisce about it, I can’t help but smile. Smile and be proud of how much has been achieved by the both of us, during the past 6 years.

We were on our way to Silver Creek Falls the day my partner “asked.”. I was driving, and thinking about the morning that I had just been through. LONG story short, I ended up breaking up with my online girlfriend, to be with my partner. Wasn’t the most kosher way to break up, but I had to take a leap of faith with my partner. And I wasn’t going to do that, until I was “free” to do so. But we were driving and she looked over at me and said “I don’t know what the future holds, but I know what my feelings are for you. I know that I love you, and I want to be with you. How would you feel about having a go at a long distance relationship?” I said that I had some hesitations, just for the fact that I was in Oregon, she was in Australia. But I agreed to it happily. We even talked about having an open relationship, just because we didn’t know what how things would eventuate. We of course ended the open relationship as soon as it started pretty much. We knew that we wanted to only be with each other and we’d wait as long as we had to.

I think what made the day even more special, was the actual date of the day. My partner, way before I came into the picture, met a wonderful man, and was engaged to him. The date that they got engaged, was the 19th of December. Of course, it was a different year, but it had a special meaning then, and it did again in 1999. They got engaged December of 1993 I believe. Then in March of 1994, her fiance suddenly passed away. He died in his sleep, and fortunately for her, she was not in the same bed, or the same house. I think that would have been far more scarring for my partner, had she been around. She doesn’t talk much about him, for he’s in the past. But I take the fact that my partner asked me to be her girlfriend on the same day he asked her to be his lifelong partner..I take that as a good omen. As an omen that this kind man is watching her, and puts trust in me to make her happy.

I often wonder, and ask my partner how she would have thought her life would have panned out, had her fiance not have died. She doesn’t know, and she doesn’t like think about it. She does know that she’s happy now. And in a twisted sort of way, she secretly is thankful that things happened the way they did. She’d had “tendencies” before she got involved with any women, but societal pressures, had her leaning toward marrying a guy. Doesn’t mean she didn’t love him, but she always knew that deep inside, she wanted to be with women. But like I said, she’s happy.

Every anniversary that goes by, I stop and ponder upon the idea of whether her fiance is looking over us and is pleased with how things turned out. But I know how happy my partner has made me. I think about all the ups and downs we have been through. I think about all the people in my past who told me “your relationship isn’t going to work out.” Or even “how can you call this a relationship?” But look at us now, 6 years on, and my partner and I are finally able to be where we’ve wanted to be.

I hear about other gay couples who have been together longer and I can’t help but feel a sense of happiness for them. That isn’t to discredit people who haven’t been together a long time. Some may say that 6 years isn’t a long time, but some may say 3 years is a long time. To me, anything after 5 years is a long time to be with someone. And I so praise and commend people who have been together longer than that. But sometimes I worry. I hear about people who have been together for 10 years, 15 years, and they end up breaking up. It breaks my heart, and worries me at times. But I know that I can’t compare my relationship and my happiness to those other people. There may well have been mitigating circumstances that I don’t know about to have caused the breakup. But I get a big sense of pride and joy when I tell others how long I’ve been with my partner. We’ve endured so much, and the way that we met…it’s just such a wonderful thing, when I think about it. I don’t know what the future holds for me, but I know, right now..in this time and place, there isn’t anyone I’d rather be with.

-current mood-ITCHY, I was outside and bugs were at me..yuck

Christmas tree

Last night my partner and I put up the tree. We don’t have a real tree, but a fake one. It’s about 6 feet tall, and I think it’s seen better days. We decided that we’d invest in a new one next year. It’s got silver and blue balls, as well as some really small blue lights. We have a few other ornaments that we’ve gotten from my parents added there. The tree is simple, but it looks nice.

But putting up the tree, and just the whole process, it isn’t anything compared to how we trimmed the tree growing up. I remember growing up, my sister and my dad would always go out in the woods somewhere (my dad had all the spots) and he’d chop a huge tree. While they were doing that, the rest of us at home would bring out the decorations and lights and get them all organized. They’d come home, we’d put on Christmas music, and we’d trim the tree in the living room. Our living room have 25 foot ceilings, so we’d get a tree that was at between 15-20 feet high. I think our tallest one was 22 feet. We were able to reach the top, because the family room had a balconcy like area, that would overlook the living room. This tree would have all of the “kids” ornaments, and my mum would give us a new one each year. This tree was for all the pressies that we’d exchange with the relatives. It was the “in-laws” tree. And it always looked so beautiful.

After that tree was up, my parents would go out and get a smaller (still pretty good sized) tree within the next few days. This tree was for my parents’ bedroom, and they would put OUR pressies under this tree. They usually used the more delicate decorations and ornaments that they had. So usually on Christmas morning, we’d go into my parents’ bedroom to open our pressies, while all the other pressies were under the other tree. My parents did this, so that we couldn’t peek at anything before Christmas. Their room would be off limits, and any chance we got to go into the bedroom, we’d try to sneak a peek.

But I sure miss those days. I miss the days of a REAL tree. Even when I wasn’t living with my parents, we’d always find a weekend before Christmas to come together to trim the tree. It’s a tradition that I miss immensly while being here in Australia. SURE, they have “real” trees, but they’re nothing like the pine or douglas firs you get back in Oregon. Oregon is FILLED with trees, and it just really gets people into the spirit of things, when they can smell a real tree permeating throughout the house. I miss the smells of Christmas, the crisp evenings where our noses get cherry red. I miss having homemade apple cider, or egg nog, while listening to Christmas music.

It’s amazing at how much one’s “perspective” on a holiday can change, based on where you are. Since being with my partner, and having spent 3 Christmas’ with her family already..it’s so different. And I think this year is going to be even more different because it’s going to be the last Christmas in the house my partner grew up in. Her mum is selling the house after the holidays. There are a lot of extended family and broken familes, with new partners..and it just makes for a complicated day. But my partner has told me she prefers our holiday traditions than her own. Still doesn’t like the cold, but she likes the traditions that my family does.

I’m definitely looking forward to next Christmas. We’re going to be back home, in the states, in the blistering cold, and back again with my family. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy Christmas here. But it’s just not the same without my own family and my own “touch” of what I’ve been so used to. It makes it hard for me to even get into the spirit of Christmas because it’s so warm and it’s well, SUMMER. Christmas to be is always associated with the cold, and winter..having a Christmas bbq and then going to the beach, that’s NOT what it’s about to me . But many parts of the world celebrates Christmas in the heat. I will just have to make due eh??

-current mood-MY NOSE HURTS, I have a pimple right where my glasses sit..grrr LOL.