We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
Readers know that, at Maggie's Farm, we delight in both the religious and the secular hedonistic aspects of Advent and Christmas.
The hedonistic, fun aspects of the season are residues of the Roman Saturnalia. At Maggie's, we love our invitations to Christmas cocktail parties. The fathers of the church were clever to recycle popular pagan feast days by pinning Christian feast days on top of them (eg Easter, Christmas).
Our Puritan New England ancestors hated Christmas and banned its celebration for many years. Pagan and Papist.
The best Advent sermon I ever heard was preached by a lady pastor. She used the metaphor of pregnancy - "expecting" - for the possibility of Christ's spirit growing in our hearts and the expectation of that miracle.
On the topic of birth and re-birth, I still feel that A Christmas Carol combines the religious joy and the secular pleasures of Christmas better than anything else. Scrooge becomes a re-born Christian and experiences all of the emotional turmoil and joys of it. Psychoanalysis before it existed.
Of course Dickens' short novel is worth reading, but the only version worth watching is the 1951 Alastair Sim version. It is better than the Dickens.
Whether Jewish, Moslem, Christian, Hindu, atheist, or whatever, if it doesn't bring a tear to your eye you are probably subhuman.
We should air-drop dvds of it across Islam, including Euroland. Might do them some good.
Time to plan 2016 adventures. I have not used this division of American Express, Cruise Planners, but it looks like they offer good deals and know what they are talking about. The era of local travel agents is past.
Call me an effete snob, but I'd stay away from those lower-cost mega-ships but Holland-America is always excellent. I have enjoyed their ships since I was a kid.
3:7 John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
3:8 Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
3:9 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."
3:10 And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?"
3:11 In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise."
3:12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?"
3:13 He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you."
3:14 Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what should we do?" He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages."
3:15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah,
3:16 John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
3:17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
3:18 So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.
- My fairly large extended (sibs and their kids) agreed years ago on a no-presents policy. That makes a family gathering more like Thanksgiving. Good. You can only bring wine or homemade cookies.
- Once kids reach 18, minimal presents. A winter coat, or boots, a book, or a framed photo, or similar. Presents are for kids. Youth will always appreciate money. though.
- I refuse to throw a Christmas party. It's just too much. Thus the Marital Veto is exercised. I am usually happy to throw a party, but not now.
- Christmas cards? They can go out late - or wait until next year. Who cares? We do not have a good family photo to use this year.
- Mrs. BD and I like to give each other a thing to do, to share, like a trip, a long-weekend away someplace nice, or an exercise program. My kids give me a stinky cheese. Perfect. When they get rich, they can give me caviar and rare stinky cheeses.
- The Tree. Mine keeps getting smaller despite protestations from the youth. Too bad. To keep it simple, I keep all of the tree ornaments in a chest in the living room, and I throw the lights in the trash every year. CVS has new.
- One party per night. Party-hopping wearies me.
- Church. We get there. It makes all the difference.
We have seen the Screwtape, and saw The Great Divorce last Sunday. On Sunday afternoon, the Divorce sold out.
After the matinee, I strolled around a festive 10th Ave (photo) and met a daughter at Marseille for cocktails and supper.
In that area, we are partial to the cozy (but loud) West Bank Cafe but Marseille was excellent.
After early supper, said daughter and I took a long walk around midtown. Not shopping, just walking around and discussing film scripts - and whether a good plot can be dumped into any setting, in any point in time - past, present, or future.
We agreed that it can. Plot first, setting second. The story is the meat, the setting is the flavoring. That might be wrong in many cases, though. Star Wars, for example, and other spectacle-centered productions don't need interesting plots.
Manhattan at Christmastime is festive, jammed, and merry. Just plain wonderful. That's the setting: the plot is the birth of Jesus.
I am 'very lucky'. I'm 53 years old and both my parents are still alive. When my parents were 53, they had either lost one or both of their parents. Only my maternal grandmother made it to 90. My other grandparents reached their late 70's. Both of my parents turned 80 this year.
I spent last weekend with my family celebrating my father's 80th birthday. My sister and one of her sons flew in from their home in Vienna, Austria as a surprise. My other sisters picked her up to join us, as did my brother, his wife and one of his sons. We all traveled to Connecticut to see my niece play in her first two high school hockey games. She played well, picking up 2 assists and her team won both games, beating one of their rivals for only the second time in history. She is a freshman, excellent on defense, and has the Olympics in her future. My father loves watching her games, so we turned it into a celebration.
As my wife and I traveled home, I reflected on the conversations that weekend, as well as the many I've had with my father over the course of my life. Obviously, my personal points of view were influenced by my parents. But rather than simply adopting their views, both taught me (and my brother and sisters) to think critically. Like most families, our views on life, politics, and economics vary greatly not only from our parents', but from each other.
Growing up, heated discussions took place during meals. We covered all kinds of topics from art, history, literature to politics and music. On Maggie's there is plenty to remind me of those conversations, even some of the heated comments down below. My father's birthday, realizing his parents didn't even reach the age of 80, caused me to think long and hard about the positions I take in these discussions.
After some reflection, I began to realize most of the opinions I fight against are related to envy and desire...
I have argued for years that "reality-testing," which is the measure of psychosis from any cause, is a spectrum and not binary. Reality-testing has many grey areas. I have even argued that imperfect reality-testing in some areas is a normal part of human mental life.
Most areas of mental life are far too complex to be reduced to black-and-white distinctions. I am pleased to see that others are talking about it. For example, Viewing Psychosis as a Spectrum.
As I have said, heavy calisthenics is about cardio and general conditioning - stressing and pushing whatever you have under the hood. It's always a different set of routines for me so it's always a surprise. Keeps it interesting, like Crossfit. Here's what he put me through this morning - minimal rests to catch breath:
Four reps of this set:
- high step with heavy ball lift (sheesh, that is a bitch) - kettle ball swing-walk - heavy ball smashes - kettle ball swing-walks again
Then three reps of this set:
- jump rope (he's perfecting my technique - wrist only, snapping the rope down. Difficult to do it correctly when you've done it wrong all your life. Have you jump-roped lately?) - heavy rope slamming in squat position - burpees
Such a relief when the clock strikes 6 am and the hour is over. Drenched with sweat and half-crippled
I view fitness training as having four fundamental components or targets: strength building and maintenance, cardio, general "functional" conditioning/endurance, and weight control. I don't have much fat because I usually don't like eating much and am rarely hungry, so that's not an issue for me. I force-feed myself protein to keep up. Every activity has some of each category, but most activities are mostly one of those categories.
I am now told I will need to up the intensity of my cardio days with jump rope and stairs. I'll give it the olde college try. It might kill me. My boss tells me to eat more food and protein, but i don't really want it no matter how tasty. Hard exercise reduces appetite.
Come on, you mostly-sedentary middle-aged reader guys and gals, and join me in this challenging journey. We can share notes. All it takes is Advil or Alleve, and self-discipline. Progress is slow, but at 7 months now of a 6-day/wk program (2 days heavy resistance, 3 days cardio intervals, 1 day heavy calisthenics), I can do things I had never dreamed of doing, like dead-lifting those railroad wheel things and almost benching my weight. Getting fit for a full life if not a long one.
No, I'm not a member. Can't say I've ever come close. Not even first base. The closest I've ever come was, while sitting in a bulkhead seat with the flight attendant in a jump seat across from me, hearing her stories of people she'd caught while joining. She informed my seatmate and I that it was illegal (apparently it's not) and you can get in quite a bit of trouble if caught (you can).
This isn't the kind of thing I normally spend time thinking about, but this morning I saw this article. In addition, my best friend is, at the moment I'm writing, somewhere over the North Pole on his way back from Hong Kong. As a result, the concept piqued my interest.
Aside from my wife, I can't say I've ever been remotely interested in any of my seatmates.
I've had plenty of good (and bad) interactions with women on a plane. I had a woman yell at me for wearing a Fox News shirt (I used to work there). I calmly explained to her that it's based in New York, so it's chock full of Democrats, which got a smattering of applause. I helped a girl returning from college, who'd never flown before, find her luggage and reunite with her family. I also had a very cute woman grab my arm, to the point of pain, as she chanted something in Spanish and grasped her Bible during takeoff. I'm guessing she was saying the Hail Mary, but I'll never know. I didn't feel like I should pry her loose, her fear was palpable and the flight was a red-eye. I just wanted her to calm down so I could go to sleep.
Trump's proposal for a pause in Muslim immigration "until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on" strikes this columnist as entirely reasonable. That's not to say it's necessarily a good idea.
I have noticed the same tendency in myself on occasion, and hated myself for it. Some self-loathing can be the price of self-knowledge. It is easier to forgive the faults and flaws of others than one's own.
Offshore, blustery, big swells, very bumpy ride to make it fun, headed towards the Canaries on a close reach - just as Columbus used to do on the trip west. Sea legs. I love the days at sea when you can feel the power of nature. All wonderful, exhilarating. Hold on to your hat - and your wine glass.
Mrs. BD and I traveled from the port of Agadir up into the Atlas Mountains, took a 6-hour mountain hike, had a very late lunch/early supper, then headed back to port to sail out into the Atlantic towards the Canary Islands at dusk. That's what I call a full day.
People say we're adventurous, but we just want to live life abundantly, with variety.
The kasbah that Mrs. BD discovered, in the mountains (those are all Argan trees):
More photo travelogue below the fold - lots of interesting photos for those who have never been in the Atlas Mountains -
In a weird way, Trump is doing to the ruling class what Progressives have done to traditional Americans for fifty years. He swings the wrecking ball and says, “Tell me why I shouldn’t do it.”
There is nothing gender biased about this, it is what it is. You will never see a female Quarterback in the NFL, there will never be a female center on any NHL team and you will never see a female batting in the number 4 spot for the New York Yankees. It is what it is.
Readers know that, at Maggie's Farm, we delight in both the religious and the secular hedonistic aspects of Advent and Christmas. 
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As I have said, heavy calisthenics is about cardio and general conditioning - stressing and pushing whatever you have under the hood. It's always a different set of routines for me so it's always a surprise. Keeps it interesting, like Crossfit. Here's what he put me through this morning - minimal rests to catch breath:
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