Merry Chirstmas

Just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.

When I was in London, one of the firms told me that there was a move there to not put up Christmas decorations in the office in order not to offend other people. The person told me this found it rather comical that this was going on inLondon while when she had recently been in Dubai Christmas decorations were everywhere.

While I can understand religious tolerance, is there any holiday that is basically devoid of religious sentiment like Christmas is. Yes, it began as a religious observance but it is pretty secular nowadays.

And many of hte things that we celebrate were once religious in nature but have been absorbed into our culture. Think of Hallowe'en's pagan origins or Valentine's Day as a catholic event.

If we can no longer think of spreading good cheer because we think this could offend someone, there is something truly wrong here.

Wicked

Sorry, I have been just absolutely crazy at work since returning from London. Everyone wants to get everything done before the end of the year.

Work-wise London was very successful – think I have made my decision.

Loved London. Didn’t have lots of time to look around, but glanced by some of the sights and managed to go see the play “Wicked”. I read the book a number of years ago (it’s the tale of the Wizard of Oz from the Wicked Witch of the West’s point of view) and the play was even better. Outstanding singing and mesmerizing staging. A real treat.

Had Stuart’s 30th birthday on Saturday with a dinner at his place for 25 people. Had far too much champagne which made the flight home on Sunday quite deadly.

UK Bound

SO I am off to London for a few days tomorrow. Meeting up with places that have offered me a job already and interviewing with others. Love having choices.

And then luckily it is Stuart's 30th birthday on Saturday night. Timing worked out well.

Will report on my return.

But I am very excited as I have never been to London before. Hope I like it enough to move.

Bud is staying at home with our very pregnant Jack Russell. She has gotten absolutely huge and her nipples are big enough to dial a phone (think Lisa Bonet in "Angel Heart")!

On a lighter note...

TOP 10 CHRISTMAS CAROLS FOR THE DISTURBED

1. Schizophrenia -- Do You Hear What I Hear?

2. Multiple Personality Disorder --- We Three Kings Disoriented Are

3. Dementia --- I Think I'll be Home for Christmas

4. Narcissistic --- Hark the Herald Angels Sing About Me

5. Manic -- Deck the Halls and Walls and House and Lawn and Streets> and Stores and Office and Town and Cars and Buses and Trucks and Trees> and.....

6. Paranoid --- Santa Claus is Coming to Town to Get Me

7. Borderline Personality Disorder --- Thoughts of Roasting on anOpen> Fire

8. Personality Disorder --- You Better Watch Out, I'm Gonna Cry, I'm> Gonna Pout, Maybe I'll Tell You Why

9. Attention Deficit Disorder --- Silent night, Holy oooh look atthe> Froggy - can I have a chocolate, why is France so far away?

10. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder --- Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,> Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,> Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,> Jingle Bells, JingleBells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,> Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,> Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells

...

It was seventeen years ago today that a man walked into a college in Montreal with guns in tow, separated the men and the women and proceeded to murder 14 women and injuring numerous others while yelling “I hate feminists.”

And then, like the dog he was, this man shot himself.

The anniversary of this event is always hard – especially in this city where the blood was shed.

And it serves to remind me of the devastating destructive power of hate. Hate not just in its form of slaughter but in its every expression. And perhaps it is appropriate that today the Canadian conservatives in power are trying to take away gay marriage. Hate whether exercised through violence or through politics is still the scourge that we seem to never be able to defeat.

Salt

For those of you who happen to not live in a frozen wasteland that can be Canada, you may not know about the absolutely terrible practice of battling the freeze on streets and sidewalks.

Out here in Eastern Canada, the people in power seem obsessed about spreading salt all over every piece of horizontal space imaginable. The thing is salt reduces the freezing point of water so that even if it is below zero, some of the snow and ice will melt.

While this undoubtedly makes everything much less slippery, it is devastating on my dogs. The poor little guys get salt rocks trapped in their paws, which then burns the hell out of their feet. Watching them squeal in adject pain and then hobble around trying not to touch the ground is horendous.

For a little easier time for us, we put these animals in pain. Sounds very human doesn't it?