Thanksgiving musings
Nov. 28th, 2003 09:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
deoridheThanksgiving was delicious, as always, though for once I escaped without eating dessert! We're going back tonight, though, so I don't think I can hold out against the lure of buttermilk pie. Mmmmm.
I slept in yesterday; I was such a slug! All of my idealistic plans of getting up early, cleaning my room, changing my betta tank water, and generally being an upstanding human being were undermind by the softness and warmth of the flannel sheets. I lazed for about an hour and a half, then got up to make green bean casserole! Yum! I made it with and without cheesy Frenches Fried Onions (tm), and both seemed to be a total hit. We had enough this year, too.
We had a total of nine people at dinner, including my mom, her Mr. Wolf,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
s1ncer1ty, shingan, learan, the crazy couple across the hallway, Roomie2, and a Reverend from mom's school. The reverend was pushy and invited herself to say grace, so I warned the troops. We all managed to keep our expressions reasonably tolerable for most of it; it was one of those generic Ecumenical Christian 'mother-father god' sort of graces. The only thing that really ticked me off was the requirement to say something we're thankful for.
I hate that one.
I'm perfectly fine sharing some of that with people if I feel like it, but bring in any sort of requirement and I dig my heels in. My think I'm thankful for, I'm alive. The thing all of my friends are thankful for, their friends. I guess I'm the ungrateful one, huh? ;)
I think we ticked off Rev. Z. That's just fine by me; she ticked me off so I'll return the favor. Childish, yes, but there you go. ;) I may or may not hear about it later; I'll probably pick my mom's brain (and let her know that any other reverends she invites might want to be briefed on the fact that most of us aren't Christian and few of us enjoy being scolded to say something we're thankful for 'even if it's just that you're alive.'). Of course, one could argue that I'm well nigh elderly now, so I might as well just accept that people are going to be firm and make demands, but seeing as I didn't check 'yes' under 'you can tell me what to do' with this particular individual, I think I'll pass. The thing that bugged me the most was that I always feel semi-hostessish at Thanksgiving when my friends are there, and some of them felt very uncomfortable during the prayer; I don't like people feeling uncomfortable in 'my' house, even if it's not really mine anymore. I particularly don't like it when said Rev. Z. stares at Roomie2 for some reason to make sure he agrees with her. Maybe she sense one of the only (the only?) Christian in the room beside herself.
Our group went from those busily stuffing their faces, to the Bodlily Orifice Band, to Online Loafers (ahhh, Furuba!), to the Solmnents in record time. I was in a decidedly Tohru-ish mood last night; it's a pity it didn't carry over to waking the dragon this morning. ;)
I slept in yesterday; I was such a slug! All of my idealistic plans of getting up early, cleaning my room, changing my betta tank water, and generally being an upstanding human being were undermind by the softness and warmth of the flannel sheets. I lazed for about an hour and a half, then got up to make green bean casserole! Yum! I made it with and without cheesy Frenches Fried Onions (tm), and both seemed to be a total hit. We had enough this year, too.
We had a total of nine people at dinner, including my mom, her Mr. Wolf,
s1ncer1ty, shingan, learan, the crazy couple across the hallway, Roomie2, and a Reverend from mom's school. The reverend was pushy and invited herself to say grace, so I warned the troops. We all managed to keep our expressions reasonably tolerable for most of it; it was one of those generic Ecumenical Christian 'mother-father god' sort of graces. The only thing that really ticked me off was the requirement to say something we're thankful for.I hate that one.
I'm perfectly fine sharing some of that with people if I feel like it, but bring in any sort of requirement and I dig my heels in. My think I'm thankful for, I'm alive. The thing all of my friends are thankful for, their friends. I guess I'm the ungrateful one, huh? ;)
I think we ticked off Rev. Z. That's just fine by me; she ticked me off so I'll return the favor. Childish, yes, but there you go. ;) I may or may not hear about it later; I'll probably pick my mom's brain (and let her know that any other reverends she invites might want to be briefed on the fact that most of us aren't Christian and few of us enjoy being scolded to say something we're thankful for 'even if it's just that you're alive.'). Of course, one could argue that I'm well nigh elderly now, so I might as well just accept that people are going to be firm and make demands, but seeing as I didn't check 'yes' under 'you can tell me what to do' with this particular individual, I think I'll pass. The thing that bugged me the most was that I always feel semi-hostessish at Thanksgiving when my friends are there, and some of them felt very uncomfortable during the prayer; I don't like people feeling uncomfortable in 'my' house, even if it's not really mine anymore. I particularly don't like it when said Rev. Z. stares at Roomie2 for some reason to make sure he agrees with her. Maybe she sense one of the only (the only?) Christian in the room beside herself.
Our group went from those busily stuffing their faces, to the Bodlily Orifice Band, to Online Loafers (ahhh, Furuba!), to the Solmnents in record time. I was in a decidedly Tohru-ish mood last night; it's a pity it didn't carry over to waking the dragon this morning. ;)
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no subject
Date: 2003-11-28 03:02 pm (UTC)Luckily, having dinner with JJ's parents isn't that bad. They always say a prayer, but, knowing I'm not a praticer, they let me kinda do or not do as I please (and in return I respect that they do say a prayer over dinner). Makes me feel comfortable enough to just appreciate and be thankful on my own.. including being thankful for understanding, non-religiously-pushy company. ;)
Reverend in da House
Date: 2003-11-28 04:03 pm (UTC)In the kitchen, after Rev. Z. said something about the dinner prayer, mom made the comment that Rev. Z. was the only reverend, so would she please grace us with her words. (*feh*) I made the off-hand comment that technically I'm a priestess (with my oh-so-impressive congregation of two) and so of course she said I could pray too. The only difference is... I don't pray to other peoples' gods for them, and I thought that an Asatru prayer, such as we have them, would be inappropriate given I'm the only AsatruaR there.
The assumption difference is interesting, though; I have to dwell further on this and pick apart the roots of my thoughts and feelings.
no subject
Date: 2003-11-28 03:50 pm (UTC)Oooh. Me too. I am so very glad that I arranged to work this Thanksgiving. I'm working Christmas, too, and I'm going to volunteer to work on New Years. (My job loves me. I like the overtime.) I hate hate hate that forced socialization happy-making expectational vibe that is peculiarly associated with large family-centered holidays. Maybe this comes from having parents that got divorced right after I moved out of the house, and then spent the next 10 years yelling about whose house you were going to for $winter_holiday. I don't know. But I want nothing to do with it any more.
I'm perfectly fine sharing some of that with people if I feel like it, but bring in any sort of requirement and I dig my heels in.
Again, I am in perfect agreement. I try really hard when I write ritual and such to not have expectations of participation from everyone/anyone. People can volunteer if they want to. I don't want to make anyone.
Happy-Happy family vibe
Date: 2003-11-28 04:07 pm (UTC)It's good I didn't think of the whole hermaphroditic god until now, though, or I would have been snickering through the whole thing. Does Loki count as a hermaphrodite because he had a child, or is that null and void since he was a horse at the time? Ahh... the things I am left to ponder at work.
no subject
Date: 2003-11-28 03:51 pm (UTC)Your beany casseroles were /awesome/!
I absolutely agree that it would've been more tolerable if she'd not commented, and in /such/ a tone, that nobody could pass on saying what they were thankful for. Eh.. if she needs to excersize her 'reverand-powers' to make herself feel better on Thanksgiving, so be it. It was uncomfortable, but it is absolutely not your fault, and you should not feel bad about it.
I am wondering how visible it was that I was, literally, biting a hole in my lower lip to keep from snickering. I am all for freedom of religion, don't get me wrong, go ahead and believe what you want to believe, to each his own, live and let live (within reason >;-) ).. but when a person is effectively forcing me to take part in their prayer and/or way of praying to whomever, it becomes free-game.
I reeeeaaally don't believe that you commented on the Bodily Orifice Band, hon.. wow..
WaY tO gO! ;-)
*smirk*
Date: 2003-11-28 04:15 pm (UTC)I'm fine with people praying around me as long as they either a) let me do my own silent prayer (though I'm still drawing a blank on who would be appropriate for Thanksgiving - maybe Frey? It is a harvest festival...) or b) don't expect me to participate. The hand holding is ...eh... but I usually cope. I tend to bow out of any experiential things, though, especially gratitude stuff. I find it all so... maudlin. Yes, I am grateful for things, but I tend to be very private about a lot of stuff. I'm probably being overly antagonistic about it, though... dunno. I'm still in the thinking stage.
Re: *smirk*
Date: 2003-11-28 04:25 pm (UTC)Do you think Mom sensed that it made anyone uncomfortable?
Re: *smirk*
Date: 2003-11-28 04:42 pm (UTC)Re: *smirk*
Date: 2003-11-28 05:12 pm (UTC)Re: *smirk*
Date: 2003-11-28 05:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-28 04:55 pm (UTC)===I personally would have helped them be thankfull for insight,,,,
==="I am thankful that I am not like those who make people say thanks."
no subject
Date: 2003-11-28 05:31 pm (UTC)*laugh*
Date: 2003-11-28 05:33 pm (UTC)She's a sideline to the New Age movement, which I have issues with even though I enjoy a section or the population. There's this full disclosure thing they're all so hyped on; I once got glared at in a workshop when I didn't want to share my artwork; oh, the horrors! I think people get into groups like that and forget all about the little things, like privacy or reticence or the fact that some people don't like to vomit their thoughts out on demand.
Re: *laugh*
Date: 2003-11-28 05:49 pm (UTC)===I like the New Agers that "get it"....and as with any group, so few of them do. (lol)
===I have no problem with full disclosure, as long as it is not forced on everyone else. I tedn to be very open about things...more out of my own very practical mindset than I am with "oh, I must have a PUBLIC HEALING SESSION! LET US ALL HAVE ONE TOGETHER!!!!!!!". As I see it, it is a lot harder to actually harm me if information is open and public. You have a harder time planting rumors about someone that really does not give a damn, as they live their lives to their honor.
===I try to live my life as if it is being watched by someone that is out to get me....and I get to laugh at them because I am indeed better than them. It is a bit of that elitist mindset I have.
===However, there are indeed times to not share things.....and no one should be forced to do so unless there is actually a good reason.
===Of course, in my world if I were the main power over all, everyone would be an honorable elitist, who respected their equals to have their privacy.
Re: *laugh*
Date: 2003-11-28 05:58 pm (UTC)I'd like to see a world with you in control. It would be interesting.
no subject
Date: 2003-11-28 05:26 pm (UTC)*sobs*
Date: 2003-11-28 05:31 pm (UTC)*sobs* Can you ever forgive me?????
Re: *sobs*
Date: 2003-11-28 05:33 pm (UTC)Re: *sobs*
Date: 2003-11-28 05:41 pm (UTC)Re: *sobs*
Date: 2003-11-28 05:52 pm (UTC)Re: *sobs*
Date: 2003-11-28 05:59 pm (UTC)Re: *sobs*
Date: 2003-11-28 06:00 pm (UTC)Re: *sobs*
Date: 2003-11-28 05:52 pm (UTC)*lusts after your peppermint ice cream*
Re: *sobs*
Date: 2003-11-28 06:00 pm (UTC)C'mon over this weekend and have some, silly goose. They're like klondike bars only with peppermint instead of vanilla ice cream. They RULE.
Re: *sobs*
Date: 2003-11-28 06:03 pm (UTC)Re: *sobs*
Date: 2003-11-28 10:01 pm (UTC)(besides, it'd be really bad if I did eat it. *suffering minty deliciousness cravings* ;)
Re: *sobs*
Date: 2003-11-28 10:14 pm (UTC)Re: *sobs*
Date: 2003-11-28 10:41 pm (UTC)Re: *sobs*
Date: 2003-11-28 06:56 pm (UTC)Re: *sobs*
Date: 2003-11-28 08:51 pm (UTC)Re: *sobs*
Date: 2003-11-28 09:08 pm (UTC)Good taste, a snappy dresser, and the best Gundam pilot in the known universe. I'm glad you noticed. ;)
Re: Excellence is spelled 'd' 'u' 'o'
Date: 2003-11-28 09:16 pm (UTC)Re: Excellence is spelled 'd' 'u' 'o'
Date: 2003-11-29 02:31 am (UTC)