Courage My Love!!

I am of the belief that the Protestant Work Ethic has been transferred to the third world. We are fat and lazy and stupid in North America, we hardly appreciate the glut of wealth that we have, and we have not shared it very well with the world. The third world is ready, willing and able to work hard, for long hours and for little pay - just like our great grandparents did. They are willing to sacrifice everything so their children can have a roof over their head and food, just like our grandparents did.

We have become complacent, we have over indulged ourselves and our children. We take, take and take some more, and in all honesty we have given little back to the world we live in. Jobs are not our right, responsibility is. We need to look after the poor and disenfranchised in our country and others. Many children in North America go to bed hungry and wake up hungry, they don't have decent medical care and they don't have much of a future.

I still puke at the gluttony on parade in the malls of North America. It is time to slow down, whoa down and get back to basics. Lets learn to take care of each other again, to make sure children are taken care of, to put standards in place and a sense of moral responsibilty for others.

Sorry to climb up on the soap box, but I've been there (far too wealthy and far too unappreciative) and then I have seen more of the world and the dichotomy that exists between rich and poor in North America and the world.

I believe that governments have a responsibility to do many things, but the one thing I do not believe they should muck about in, is the market (of any kind).

What it comes down to in the end is you. Just you. The rest is fluff. Some fluff more important than others. The end of a year signifies death and the ending of things as we know, the new year signifies rebirth. The slate is wiped clean and you get to reinvent yourself. Use the power and strength and knowledge and experience that you have to make yourself better and stronger and wiser than you are now. I believe the New Year brings us an opportunity to start over, in our lives, our relationships, our work. It is like we step over a threshold into a whole new world, and the world is of our making.

You don't need any more support than that of those closest to you, and you quickly find out who they are! Welcome your new life and get on with living. Wish you all the best and all the luck you need to kick ass in 2009.

Khaki is what we used to say when we stepped in dog doo! And the evil cyberbaron Billigates thanks you everytime you buy one of his products. Windows is evil, Microsoft is evil and in case you missed my point, MSN, Word, etc are evil. Open a window and you will get a glimpse of hell.

I suffered for many years with computers, working my way up from the first lame-o pacman games to pathetic little spreadsheets and all the way up to the top of the line, aerospace worthy, huge number crunching monolithic Microsoft Godzillas. It was a terrible and soul sucking journey, far too often I ran into that Black Screen of Death, that little flashing note that would send its subliminal message "you're ######" and I would lose months of work. And it was important work, at some times, the future of the free world depended on it. Now you understand why there is no peace in the world. It's all Microsofts fault.

Then one day, after many years of resistance, I went out and bought an Apple. Expensive? Yes, pretty much. Worth it? YOU ARE FREAKING RIGHT IT IS WORTH IT!!!!!!!!! No black screen of death, no crash and burn, no lost files, no important work fading into the ethernet. It did take some readjusting after 25 years of MS brainwashing on how to use the little sucker, but everyday I bless the soul of apple.... I am in love again.

So sell your first born child, hock granny's jewels, win the lottery, the bingo or the jackpot, but dear god - invest some it in an Apple. You will kiss your keyboard every day.

Does this make you a new Waterford girl? Hey, consider yourself lucky, the only boxing day sale worth going to for me, at least for undies.... is Omar the tent maker. Between my ass spreading like a Saskatchewan sunset and my boobs turning into Granny sacks, let me tell you, aging sucks, like a vacuum. like a hooker that could suck the chrome off a bumper hitch - you get my drift.

Malls and shopping is probably tops on my list of 100 things not to do before I die. And have you noticed (yeah you did notice) what absolute crap Walmart has. Crap, crap and a side order of crapola.

Is this our version of urban survival? Cheese or Cheese Whiz - for the crackers??

ahhh! thus the name "solitaire". We also (twisted sister and I) had a quiet holiday - we were snowed in - and that is the truth! We had a tonne of snow out here on the usually wet coast and nothing, truly nothing was stirring on Christmas. We only got out today, hit the library and the drug store and quickly retreated. Roads are passable, but just. The snow has turned to rain and major slush. Here's hoping the temps remain above zero.

Amazing isn't it? How you get to pick your friends and not your family? My family is not close, for good reason (keeping us apart has contributed to a low murder rate in this country).

Glad to hear that other than the screaming banshees that it was a great dinner. Hope the rest of your holidays are good and quiet.

Cheer up - at least you are living inside and eating warm food, lots of people are living in their cars. I hope it works out for you. I am good with change, so while I want to understand the dilema, I am at a loss. Every year I ask myself - "Self, where will you be and what will you be doing a year from now?" and every year has proved to be interesting, and as they say, what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger.

Toss the dunder head, take the kiddie, pets and bunk with auntie. Life has a way of working out, exactly the way it should. Next year will be your turn around year, the best is yet to come! Good luck to you, really hope it's all good and your fears are for naught.

Merry Christmas Sarah! That sounds like my kind of fruit cake. It leaves only 98 bottles of rum on the wall....

I love Christmas music, I just hate it piped over the speakers of a mall - degrades it somehow. I totally agree with the blessed thing - you are blessed but the guy next to you isn't - give your head a shake folks, what kind of god is that? I am so lucky I can't move for the horseshoes up my butt. I live indoors, eat warm food and know people who like me and won't shoot me on sight. Who can be luckier than that??

Have a wonderful visit with your family over the hols Randy. Here's wishing you all the best for the New Year.

see ... some things don't change. You are still making presents for your parents! You could be six again! Seriously, I am 57 and still making Christmas gifts, it helps me keep in touch with the real reason for the season ... family. I am no Christian but I so love the rituals and the family centered gatherings. Mind you, I prefer that it's not my family but someone elses. One too many years of Cousin Bobbie and Uncle Bill wanting all the little girls to "sit" on Santas lap if you get my drift.

try some redbull tink -at least for Rudy - cause RedBull gives you "wings" like the ad says!

I wish the whole world would get a booster shot of common sense over the holidays. Maybe next year we can end war, world hunger and child poverty.

I have a spot under the Patullo bridge all picked out, I'll be wearing camo and have a cross bow. I may be trying to set the bridge on fire, so give me a signal so I know it is you and you don't end up with a carbon fibre shaft through your heart.

After there, we are heading for the hills, I have a cabin, completely self sustaining up in the backwoods of theBritish Columbia interior. Bring a few rifles for hunting, no automatics and no handguns please. The cabins (there are two, sleep about 12 people) Water is clean, outhouse (sorry about the cold winters and all). Both have wood stoves which keep you snug as a bug (providing you brought a down sleeping bag good to minus 45 celcius because that's what it will drop to). If you can scam up a generator, that would be ever so cool. Food is okay, mostly game, deer,moose, rabbit, beaver, duck, salmon, speckled trout - we would safe and very very very off the beaten track.

They are free to change their names, I doubt a judge would not let them. Yeah, Moon Unit would be a tough one. I knew a couple of kids with the last names of Fitzpacktrick and Fitzwilliam, and first names of Patrick and William. So it turns out William Fitzpatrick and Patrick Fitzwilliam. Sorry, I couldn't resist.

I am good, I am very very good, in fact a couple of guys said I was fantastic - does that count?