The Last Day of School Before Christmas Break

Today was fun . . . probably because I didn't have to do anything.

Before school, I drove Alice to school in my ghetto car and picked up Model UN permission slips. Then Nichole, Kristina, Amanda, and I had a gift exchange that had to be unfortunately fast. I got Misfortune Cookies (lol, from Happy Bunny), some kitty tissues, a HUGE freaking bottle of root beer, a random Asian Homie (you know, those little people you get in the vending machines?), a thing of over-the-open-fire popcorn (which I'm excited to do ^_^), a 2005 Asian Wisdom desk calendar, and a cute little kitty beanie baby named Heiress that everyone loves to stroke. I gave Nik and Xtina their scarves and CDs (Kristina's didn't die on the computer this time ^_^), and I'll have stuff for them post-Switzerland. Amanda said she had a Harry Potter calendar for me (yes!), and I said I'd knit her a scarf (I just wish I was able to do that on the plane . . . that'd be the perfect place to knit . . . ).

In Computer Applications, I just finished up the work for the chapter and then sat and journaled. I've got a good piece going right now . . . but I don't want her to read it. Last time she didn't, so I'm hoping it goes like that again.

In Creative Writing, we finished watching "Miracle on 34th Street." I read some article on how Christmas movies this year are being taken very politically, and, well, it's rubbed off on me. The article suggested that movies like "The Polar Express," with their focus on "believing" . . . believing blindly in something not proven . . . is what it's all about. It even accused it of being conservative propaganda, lol . . . which I sort of understand, seeing as how there's a lot of pressure out there from the Right to simply follow the President and have faith in him, like God. Now, I'm all for having faith in God, but I just can't place THAT much faith in a person. People are all fallible, you know? Also, I have to call my own right-or-wrong judgements; just because God is calling someone to go one way doesn't mean that God can't be telling me to go another. He doesn't have the same route for everybody; this is quite clear to me. Otherwise, how could one person's conscience ever tell them one thing while another said something different?

In the case of Santa Claus, yes, it's harmless . . . but the idea of believing without reason, or just because you're told to (and kids do, when their parents tell them), isn't . . . well, to be that respected.

Personally, I think Santa Claus is real in the sense of the human capacity for charity and generosity. He's not really a real guy who flies around, etc, etc . . . but he is REAL in the sense that as he is respected by children who then hopefully grow up to 1) emulate his morals and 2) deliver to other children the Christmas they enjoyed, as we all love sharing memories. It's like the way I see Jesus as the Messiah . . . not necessarily as divine from birth, but still the Messiah in that he brought, through his life, millions of people to God.

So there still is the connection between Santa and God . . . just not really in the same way . . .

I fear I'm getting too ranty, and controversial, lol . . .

Speaking of ranty, check out the editorial section in the Truth today . . . someone was feeling a little PMS-y . . . They went off about how this country is going to the dogs, and that "a darkness is descending over our land" and that the atheists (who, oddly enough, sound remarkably like the '50s Communists or the '40s Nazis or the [16]20's witches, or whatever other group we'd like to label the enemy) are manipulating the government for their dark purposes, that the evils of interracial marriage and gay marriage are coming into society, and that, heaven forbid, there is even talk of us teaching evolution again in schools!!!

I don't know where he/she was when I learned about evolution . . . because, well, hate to break it to y'all, but it's being taught, lol. Our teacher had a brief talk about how there is a conflicting theory of creationism, and that it's perfectly valid, too, in a sort of "I'm going to dance around this so you don't all go home and tell your parents I said something wrong and get me fired," and all of us were perfectly fine and just like, "Pssh, we know; just tell us and let us call our own judgement" and we watched a video on it and that was that. I see no trouble at all with teaching the concept as long as both sides of the story are mentioned-- just as I see no trouble with singing Christmas songs as long as there's the Driedl song or a simple secular piece in there to keep from offense.

Yet, alas, people seem to enjoy looking for ways to be offended . . .

The point of the story is . . . some people are crazy and scare me and I wish they'd calm down, because I could totally go off on a rant about them, but then I'd feel mean. Do they ever feel mean? Maybe they feel righteous. *Shrugs* I don't know . . .

I think I need to channel their spirit for the debate.

Oops . . . I got ranty again there, didn't I?

In AP US Government we watched 10-6 of the Top Ten Most Influential People of 2004, according to Biography. Paris Hilton, Lance Armstrong, Donald Trump, Christopher Reeve . . . at least it didn't have Usher on it like the countdown on one of the other channels did.

Economics was game day. Alice, Robert, and I played Life. Alice won but this time Robert stole my dreams. He had three kids and I had none (and that's all I wanted!), and he was an artist and published a bestselling novel and won two Pulitzer Prizes. I did win the Nobel Peace Prize, but Alice wouldn't even let me pretend I had 15 cats.

Then we played at the mayor's office. It was kind of hot, but we got some food at the end and my violin didn't go out of tune this time.

I feel pretty today; I have my hair pulled back with a green plaid and a red ribbon, and I wore that black sweater I like that Tiffany gave me, a below-knee-length black skirt that reminds me of the 1940s or 1950s, and tights that are very pale and match my skin when it's contrasted with black. The tights ripped on the feet, though, and so I'm sad.

Sorry this was so freaking long.

The Last Day of School Before Christmas Break

Today was fun . . . probably because I didn't have to do anything.

Before school, I drove Alice to school in my ghetto car and picked up Model UN permission slips. Then Nichole, Kristina, Amanda, and I had a gift exchange that had to be unfortunately fast. I got Misfortune Cookies (lol, from Happy Bunny), some kitty tissues, a HUGE freaking bottle of root beer, a random Asian Homie (you know, those little people you get in the vending machines?), a thing of over-the-open-fire popcorn (which I'm excited to do ^_^), a 2005 Asian Wisdom desk calendar, and a cute little kitty beanie baby named Heiress that everyone loves to stroke. I gave Nik and Xtina their scarves and CDs (Kristina's didn't die on the computer this time ^_^), and I'll have stuff for them post-Switzerland. Amanda said she had a Harry Potter calendar for me (yes!), and I said I'd knit her a scarf (I just wish I was able to do that on the plane . . . that'd be the perfect place to knit . . . ).

In Computer Applications, I just finished up the work for the chapter and then sat and journaled. I've got a good piece going right now . . . but I don't want her to read it. Last time she didn't, so I'm hoping it goes like that again.

In Creative Writing, we finished watching "Miracle on 34th Street." I read some article on how Christmas movies this year are being taken very politically, and, well, it's rubbed off on me. The article suggested that movies like "The Polar Express," with their focus on "believing" . . . believing blindly in something not proven . . . is what it's all about. It even accused it of being conservative propaganda, lol . . . which I sort of understand, seeing as how there's a lot of pressure out there from the Right to simply follow the President and have faith in him, like God. Now, I'm all for having faith in God, but I just can't place THAT much faith in a person. People are all fallible, you know? Also, I have to call my own right-or-wrong judgements; just because God is calling someone to go one way doesn't mean that God can't be telling me to go another. He doesn't have the same route for everybody; this is quite clear to me. Otherwise, how could one person's conscience ever tell them one thing while another said something different?

In the case of Santa Claus, yes, it's harmless . . . but the idea of believing without reason, or just because you're told to (and kids do, when their parents tell them), isn't . . . well, to be that respected.

Personally, I think Santa Claus is real in the sense of the human capacity for charity and generosity. He's not really a real guy who flies around, etc, etc . . . but he is REAL in the sense that as he is respected by children who then hopefully grow up to 1) emulate his morals and 2) deliver to other children the Christmas they enjoyed, as we all love sharing memories. It's like the way I see Jesus as the Messiah . . . not necessarily as divine from birth, but still the Messiah in that he brought, through his life, millions of people to God.

So there still is the connection between Santa and God . . . just not really in the same way . . .

I fear I'm getting too ranty, and controversial, lol . . .

Speaking of ranty, check out the editorial section in the Truth today . . . someone was feeling a little PMS-y . . . They went off about how this country is going to the dogs, and that "a darkness is descending over our land" and that the atheists (who, oddly enough, sound remarkably like the '50s Communists or the '40s Nazis or the [16]20's witches, or whatever other group we'd like to label the enemy) are manipulating the government for their dark purposes, that the evils of interracial marriage and gay marriage are coming into society, and that, heaven forbid, there is even talk of us teaching evolution again in schools!!!

I don't know where he/she was when I learned about evolution . . . because, well, hate to break it to y'all, but it's being taught, lol. Our teacher had a brief talk about how there is a conflicting theory of creationism, and that it's perfectly valid, too, in a sort of "I'm going to dance around this so you don't all go home and tell your parents I said something wrong and get me fired," and all of us were perfectly fine and just like, "Pssh, we know; just tell us and let us call our own judgement" and we watched a video on it and that was that. I see no trouble at all with teaching the concept as long as both sides of the story are mentioned-- just as I see no trouble with singing Christmas songs as long as there's the Driedl song or a simple secular piece in there to keep from offense.

Yet, alas, people seem to enjoy looking for ways to be offended . . .

The point of the story is . . . some people are crazy and scare me and I wish they'd calm down, because I could totally go off on a rant about them, but then I'd feel mean. Do they ever feel mean? Maybe they feel righteous. *Shrugs* I don't know . . .

I think I need to channel their spirit for the debate.

Oops . . . I got ranty again there, didn't I?

In AP US Government we watched 10-6 of the Top Ten Most Influential People of 2004, according to Biography. Paris Hilton, Lance Armstrong, Donald Trump, Christopher Reeve . . . at least it didn't have Usher on it like the countdown on one of the other channels did.

Economics was game day. Alice, Robert, and I played Life. Alice won but this time Robert stole my dreams. He had three kids and I had none (and that's all I wanted!), and he was an artist and published a bestselling novel and won two Pulitzer Prizes. I did win the Nobel Peace Prize, but Alice wouldn't even let me pretend I had 15 cats.

Then we played at the mayor's office. It was kind of hot, but we got some food at the end and my violin didn't go out of tune this time.

I feel pretty today; I have my hair pulled back with a green plaid and a red ribbon, and I wore that black sweater I like that Tiffany gave me, a below-knee-length black skirt that reminds me of the 1940s or 1950s, and tights that are very pale and match my skin when it's contrasted with black. The tights ripped on the feet, though, and so I'm sad.

Sorry this was so freaking long.