Xmas versus Christmas

The exchange below took place between me and the writers of an article at work. I wanted to share the exchange as a demonstration of the kind of things we can do to proclaim our Christianity without coming across as a zealot. As my wife said… “at the very least, it got them thinking about Christ.”

Subject: Xmas versus Christmas

Hello S-

Regarding the “The 12 Scams of X-mas” article…

The information contained in the article was helpful, as I expect from the Digital Edge. However, I wanted to mention that I think the word Christmas should be spelled out.

You would not call other religious observances C-kah, R-dan, K-zaa, etc. While “X-mas” may be considered socially acceptable, I believe it disrespects the day and those that believe in the meaning behind it.

I’m not trying to be a pain and I’m not a religious zealot, I just think that the word should be spelled out and due respect given to all holidays and observances (I even say “Happy Independence Day” instead of “Happy July 4^th”). I realize it may be too late for this particular article but I think it’s worth mentioning for next time.

Thanks for your time.

-John

Subject: RE: Xmas versus Christmas

John-

Thanks for the note… we went around and around on this one. And landed on X-mas. Copying A from our team on this as I think she should hear your inputs and also might have some more insight on why X-Mas!

S

Subject: RE: Xmas versus Christmas

Thanks S. I’d be happy to have A’s input.

Subject: RE: Xmas versus Christmas

Thanks for your response, John. Certainly, no disrespect was meant.

We actually “borrowed” the title from the “M” article referenced in our DE article. We thought of substituting “the holidays” for “X-mas” to broaden the scope beyond one religious group, but “The 12 scams of the holidays” does not resonate with our intent to reference to the well-known song lyrics: “On the first day of Christmas,” etc.

Another employee initially sent us the same feedback as you did on using “X-mas,” but later followed up with this reference, which explains why Xmas can actually be considered an acceptable abbreviation for Christmas:

“The X in Xmas is shorthand for Christ because the X recalls the Greek letter chi, the first Greek letter in the word Christos or "Christ." Chi is also the X in the chi-rho symbol for Christ, the P representing the Greek letter rho that is the second Greek letter in Christ’s name. Understood in this way, there is nothing wrong with abbreviating the word Christmas to Xmas.” From: http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2005/0507qq.asp

I hope this helps.

A

Subject: RE: Xmas versus Christmas

Hi A-

I understand it is often a challenge to find an approach that will cater to a large group of people. I never felt there was any intentional disrespect. I also completely get the need for the tie-in with the 12 days of Christmas.

I looked at the website you sent (thank you) and did a little research on my own. I can accept that “X” is used as an abbreviation for Christ and I see that the etymology goes clear back to c. 1100 (http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=Xmas) but I guess my main point is that I, personally, prefer not to use any abbreviations, regardless of historical use.

This site (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Xmas) shows mid-16^th century for usage but implies that the meaning has become less religious and is not “…used in formal writing.”

I guess the good news is that it can’t be shortened much more than this version.

I appreciate your time and consideration of my concerns. Again, I know it is difficult to find a universal approach but I am glad you and the team looked at the options and put some discussion into the topic instead of simply using what was easy.

Do we coddle too much?

As a child (and more so as an adult) I was always heavy. It was always hard to hear people’s comments about my weight and particularly difficult when family (usually an uncle, niece/nephew, or cousin) would comment on it so I began to crack jokes and intercept other’s comments with my own:

-      “I’ll just sit on you; that’ll shut you up!”

-      “I don’t need a coat, I have natural insulation.”

The simple and (sometimes) funny comments would often disarm the people in the room. Sometimes I would even get people disagreeing with me and trying to bolster me up, though this made me feel awkward. Sure, once in a while I would get someone that wanted to jump on the bandwagon and join me in degrading myself… That was always fun…

As I grew older I knew that my self-esteem was low but few people were aware of my feelings about myself. I felt very introverted but was often the life of the party. I wrote a poem in my 20’s where the opening line was “Surrounded by people, yet totally alone”. I bought books on self-esteem and tried to feel better about myself. I learned that I’m capable of doing a lot of things; I’m intelligent; I have gained the trust and respect of people that I trust and respect (the only ones that really count); and I am proud of the man I have become.

No, I’m not looking for pity or sympathy. I’ll get to my point in a second…

Over the course of several years there has been a surge in public opinion regarding bullying. We have kids doing terrible things to themselves and others because they were made fun of, or bullied, or laughed at, so the public has responded: Don’t tease! Granted, there were times in my life that would have been easier if I had not been teased, however, would I have become the man I am today if I had not had those experiences and overcome them? I don’t think so.

My parents were very supportive. I was built for football and wrestling but decided to go into music. They came to my concerts and supported my efforts. I tried the sports and quit… frequently. That was okay. When I made decisions that were different from those my parents would prefer I make, they let me know they thought I should choose differently but didn’t harp on it. I can’t remember ever getting a “we told you so” from my parents.

Now, to my point (I know… “Finally”!).

I think society has gone too far in “protecting” our children. Many are coddled to the point that they no longer have the skills or desire to overcome adversity or strive for excellence. They’ve become accustomed to believing that mediocrity is “wonderful” and “a great job” and the best they are able to give. Who cares about giving 110% when showing up seems to get the same accolades?

My supportive parents didn’t let me get away with being lazy or stupid. Common sense was taught to me by my parents pointing out when I had come to a conclusion using faulty logic. They didn’t say “oh my God! You’re so stupid!”, but they also didn’t say “that’s close enough! You’re a wonderful person for trying and don’t you worry about anyone telling you the answer is wrong… they just don’t love you like we do.”

I remember once, when I was about 15, my dad talking about the tan on his arms. His job required him to drive all the time. He almost always drove with the window down and his arm on the window. With short-sleeved shirts, he would have a tanned left arm and a mostly un-tanned right arm. I jumped into the conversation and asked him why it didn’t balance out when he drove the other direction. He looked at me and smiled. He waited for me to figure it out for myself and laughed when he saw it dawn on me that the same arm is out the window regardless of which direction he is driving. I’m 46 years old and I still remember that experience as a reminder to think things through a little better before I blurt out a statement. I didn’t feel stupid and I didn’t go off and cry. I learned a lesson that continues to help me 31 years later.

I would like to see a push to teach our children to be confident in themselves. We need to give them the tools, experiences, and confidence they need to face life’s challenges head-on. They need to shore up their defenses and grow that skin that is just thick enough to feel a sting but not so thin that a criticism cripples their ability to function. Children also need to be taught to respect others and their abilities and appreciate the diversity in the world. Everyone serves a purpose in this world, even if that purpose is to be an example of how not to behave. There will always be bullies and there will always be self-doubt in life. The best defense against these is the ability to believe in yourself, pick yourself up, and continue on.

Confidence in self is a great weapon against teasing, and respecting others can eliminate bullying by defusing it and ceasing to give the bully’s a forum and audience.

What to say…

I find myself unsure of what to write about… I have been focused on my new hobby of winemaking and have started a blog about it so I am spending more time on that blog than on this one. Granted, I don’t want to have a separate blog for every interest so I will likely post information here on my garden boxes, meat smoking, and Dutch-oven cooking, etc.

I’m also wondering if I can bring myself to be less serious. In real life, I’m a solid smart-ass. The problem is, I tend to write very formally. Whether it is due to work or school, or the combination of the two, I don’t know. It’s actually difficult for me to write informally or to use slang. I guess we’ll see how it goes.

Courageous? Are you kidding me?

This last weekend I missed most of the college football games. I am trying to catch up when I can and was able to watch a little of the Auburn/Ole Miss game today. I can’t believe what I heard.

First, a little background: Some of you may be aware that Jeremiah Masoli, former Oregon Duck Quarterback, is now QB at Ole Miss. The circumstances of his transfer were discussed but I didn’t pay that much attention because I’m not a Duck fan.

During the Auburn/Ole Miss game ESPN put up a brief history for Masoli… it looked something like this:

• Starting QB at Oregon 2008-2009 year
• Suspended after Arrest for Burglary in 2010
• Kicked off the team after drug arrest
• Started grad school at Ole Miss
• Found loophole that let him play football as a Grad Student

Now... I’m appalled that the NCAA let Ole Miss declare Masoli as eligible but I’m even more appalled by the way the ESPN commentators spoke with humbled awe about him!

To paraphrase a couple of comments:
- This guy has something to prove.
- I have a lot of respect for this guy.
- This young man is very courageous!

Courageous? Really?

Where was I when it became cool and awe inspiring to be a criminal and then find ways around the system that keep good, responsible people from doing the same thing?

Facebook is quiet today...

As if I needed another reason...


Facebook is conspicuously quiet today. I wonder why? Ha!

It probably doesn't matter where you get your news from, you've probably heard that Facebook and its owner are coming under fire for the recent finding that Facebook Apps provide personal information to 3rd Parties... who knew! Wait... I did! In fact, many people did. The problem is, a lot more people didn't know and shared everything about their lives on Facebook. This causes me to bring up the question, how much information is too much?

I have seen people post intimate details about their lives on Facebook. Sometimes it is to get sympathy or to share some news. At other times it is as though I am reading a personal entry in someone’s diary! I think that if it makes someone uncomfortable to read it... don't post it! Who’s the judge though?

Now on to the problem...

Facebook is leaking information.

I have to say... I have tried to severely limit the apps that I use on Facebook. If someone sends me a hug or a kiss, or a heart, or a request for ammunition, or anything else, I usually ignore it! If I'm feeling like a warm and fuzzy moment I will sometimes click to "accept" the sent item, however, as soon as the system tells me that the application requires access to my page and information, I usually remember why I don't always accept the item and back out of the system. Knowing my luck, the one application that I usually accept (Family Tree or something like that) will be the biggest hole in security and all my family contacts and information will be happily flitting through the web waiting to be snapped up by some marketing firm, or worse… a political calling service!

I guess we sometimes need these little reminders of how vulnerable we can become if we stop paying attention and let our guard down. Will I still use Facebook? Probably. Will I accept ANY invitations or application requests? Nope! I guess my best bet is to use it as a brief communication tool to say hi or something and I can use my blog(s) for providing deeper thoughts, just nothing too personal, unless it's a credit card number because someone asked really nice, or my bank account and routing information so I can get that long lost inheritance...

Yum!

Bottling went great! No surprises and a great tasting product! Judy made some great/fun labels and we will deliver the bulk to the other participants in the group (four batches, each split four ways).

Here are the bottles filled but not yet labeled:

And here are two of the labels we used on some of the bottles:

We had a lot of fun and we're looking forward to making the next (much smaller) batch!

First bottling!

Well, tomorrow is the first bottling for the first batch of wine! Judy is putting together some labels and we're very excited about getting this first batch done. It was started on August 28th and has been clarifying for an extra week so I'm hoping it will go well. Given that this "kit" takes less than 2 months complete allows for several batches per year, however, each batch makes 30 bottles and thats a lot of wine!

For my next batch I will be trying some one gallon batches and I will be going from scratch. This should take anywhere from 4 to 6 months per batch so there will be more lag time. I'm hoping to come up with a really good apple wine for next year.

I'll try to remember to update after the bottling, but anyone following this blog knows that I'm not that good at keeping it current. :o)

Bands at Football games

In 5th grade I started band. I began on the clarinet and in 7th grade I moved to the Tuba. I loved it so much that I wanted to teach music when I got older. I started my college career as a music major back in 1985. I was in, and loved, marching band from 7th grade through college.


For those that don’t know, there are certain rules and etiquettes that should be followed when playing in a band at a football game. First and foremost, people go to football games to watch the game, not to be entertained by the band. Other rules include:
- If there are two school bands, the home band gets to play first, then the bands alternate when playing for time-outs and between plays.
- The scoring team’s band gets to play their school fight song
This next one is huge…
- He band only plays between plays if there is no penalty and/or only until the offense breaks huddle and moves to the line of scrimmage.


Why the lesson in band etiquette? My wife and I went to a local college football game tonight and were appalled by the actions of the band. The school does not have their own band and uses a local “One More Time Around” band made up of people that were part of a band in past years and still love to play. The director had the band playing every time the play stopped on the field and kept them playing until the ball snapped. Because the band was playing, both the away AND home teams could not hear audible calls on the field and the play was delayed multiple times because of the inability to hear. The band played during penalty calls and we couldn’t hear the referee… it was extremely irritating!


I plan on contacting both the school and the band and discussing the normal etiquettes of bands at football games. I hope that they will be amiable to the idea of cutting back on the music so that the game can be better enjoyed.

Brief update... more later

So my Masters diploma just arrived in the mail. I finally feel like I'm done!

In the past few weeks I've camped at Fort Stevens on the Oregon coast, been to Yellowstone, been camping in central Oregon, started my first batch of homemade wine, and planned a camping trip to Prineville.

I've gathered information about making planting boxes for next spring as I plan on having a garden next year. We're also going to do some serious work on the planting areas around the house and are looking at different methods and amendments to add.

Another new thing; I'm getting a new charcoal grill (courtesy of Intel and my 20 year gift) and am looking forward to trying out methods for real BBQ and smoking instead of just grilling. We're also interested in trying out some dutch oven cooking next summer. My thoughts are along the lines of BBQ/Smoked meat with some fresh vegetables and a nice dutch oven bread accompanied by a fresh homemade wine. :o) That will be a nice dinner!

More later, as I continue to explore my new school-free life.

I keep thinking about it...

It seems that I keep thinking about making entries here and that I want to make them more "A little about John" instead of the usual rants, yet I never seem to get around to it...

I'm hoping that when I finish school (August 1st is my last day!!) I will be able to spend more time making entries about what I like, instead of what bugs me.

For now, I did want to mention that we're doing a lot of work around the house. We have run electricity to the shed (woohoo!), put in an attic fan, bid a revamp of the crawl space, replaced the gates on the side of the house, had all the duct work cleaned, and cleaned up the yard.

Next on the list is removing the deck (I bought a chainsaw for this {grunt, grunt}) and having a patio put in to replace it. This will drop us down a way and give us and our neighbors a bit more privacy. We are also having the trim repainted on the house and having the gravel/dirt in the back replaced with pavers.

When all is said and done, we hope to get even more enjoyment out of our house.

Well... back to it!

Toyota: What would you suggest?

My wife, this morning, sent me this article (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/evan-handler/if-my-car-is-being-recall_b_441370.html) regarding the Toyota Recall for the faulty accelerator pedal. The writer, Evan Handler, compares the Toyota issue to the Tylenol recall in 1982. She asked my opinion. Below is my response to her…

Two days after the guy wrote this article Toyota announced they had a repair and is shipping it out to dealers. They should be able to start fixing cars today or tomorrow. Part of the delay was the government wanted to validate the fix before it could go out.

This has already impacted Toyota. The company has lost more than 18% of its value and estimates have losses in car sales at more than 18,000 per week.

I think the comparison the guy makes with Tylenol is weak. It’s an “apples to oranges” thing. Throwing out a bottle of Tylenol is different from asking someone to give up their car. Even if Toyota did a forced recall of the cars, where would they store them all? How many people would be demanding a rental car while Toyota fixed their car? It would take longer to get everything else in place than it did to find the fix. As soon as dealers get the parts to repair the vehicles it takes about 30 minutes per car. They are funding overtime to allow dealerships to stay open 24/7, if they have to, in order to get the fixes done quickly. The cost factor that the guy brings up is a valid one. In 1982 a bottle of Tylenol cost what… $1.50? These cars cost tens of thousands of dollars. Toyota couldn’t just give people a new car to replace the faulty one.

There could be long-lasting effects of this for Toyota and it is a big deal but, they’re on the right track and working as fast as they can. I think anytime someone is reminded of the actuary tables it pisses them off a little and they get indignant. I agree that a single life is not worth the risk, which is why I will likely never be a CEO where I have to make that kind of decision. I do, however, also understand the financial side of things. Seven people dying from the Tylenol and nineteen from the Toyota likely fell close to the same margin in the tables. It’s sad but true.

I’m trying to be dispassionate about this thing. Like I said, I don’t agree that any life is worth the risk but looking at it from the standpoint of a business; I think Toyota is handling it pretty well.