November 8

Quite cold this morning--in the teens. The weather reporter on the morning news said the temps were quite normal----for January. The plants that survived the last cold snap are pretty much gone now. Time to start planning for next season. I just ordered the new Baker Creek catalog. Should be getting several more soon. 'Tis the season.

Speaking of seasons is anyone else bummed out with the Christmas themed commercials that have sprouted like mushrooms? We hadn't even said goodbye to Halloween and the "Black Friday" ads popped up. Are we even having Thanksgiving this year? Can't tell by the ads.

I have become increasingly curmudgeonly (Scrooge like?) about our so-called holidays which our commercialized society has turned into buying orgies. I think Tom Lehrer said it well in this parody of Christmas carol.

Christmas time is here, by golly,

Disapproval would be folly,

Deck the halls with hunks of holly,

Fill the cup and don't say "when."

Kill the turkeys, ducks and chickens,

Mix the punch, drag out the dickens,

Even though the prospect sickens,

Brother, here we go again.

On christmas day you can't get sore,

Your fellow man you must adore,

There's time to rob him all the more

The other three hundred and sixty-four.

Relations, sparing no expense'll

Send some useless old utensil,

Or a matching pen and pencil.

"just the thing I need! how nice!"

It doesn't matter how sincere it

Is, nor how heartfelt the spirit,

Sentiment will not endear it,

What's important is the price.

Hark the herald tribune sings,

Advertising wondrous things.

God rest ye merry, merchants,

May you make the yuletide pay.

Angels we have heard on high

Tell us to go out and buy!

So let the raucous sleigh bells jingle,

Hail our dear old friend kris kringle,

Driving his reindeer across the sky.

Don't stand underneath when they fly by.

Source: LyricFind

We aren't exactly non-participants but we don't use it as an excuse for a buying binge. Especially not for stuff we don't need and (usually) don't want. For Mother's Day and Mom's birthday I usually treat her to a dinner at one of her favorite restaurants. When it comes to other family we opt for modest amounts of cash so they can get what they really want or use it in whatever way they see fit. 

On to other things. This year is the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. David Kaiser has a good take on the event and its aftermath. Morning Joe had Tom Brokaw on for his reminiscences as the only reporter for a major news outlet on the scene. It was a interesting discussion.