BS: Bah Humbug

Subject: RE: BS: Bah Humbug
From: Alice
Date: 16 Dec 00 - 12:00 AM

can anyone teach me how to hibernate? If I put off bringing out decorations long enough, then I won't have to pack them away, either.

I need to keep in mind the one thing I've done so far for Christmas. I went with a couple of friends (one on fiddle, one on bodhran) to the mentally disabled class at the high school and accompanied the fiddle player on Source of Spey, Patterson's, Farewell to Erin, Star of Munster, Sleep Soond in the Morning, Bus Stop Reel, and Christmas Day In Da Morning. The biggest smile and laugh came from the girl who could only speak with voice synthesizer on her lap. Her drool was a constant companion for her, you could see that none of the teachers would wipe it away, it was just a part of who she is. She grinned and squealed in delight from the time we entered the room until we left. As we went out, the teacher said, "This is the only thing our class has had for Christmas this year." The teens really enjoyed it and wanted us to come back again and play some Backstreet Boys.

Subject: RE: BS: Bah Humbug
From: GUEST, Blackcatter
Date: 16 Dec 00 - 01:04 AM

Hi all,

All I want for Xmas is for the general public to accept me and my Autistic excentricities. I just "lost" another job, three weeks before Christmas, because I couldn't "read" the boss well enough. If people would only be clear with what they expect of me, I would be so happy and do exactly that. I don't get "body language", "vocal tones" or other non-direct forms of comunication very well and it has put me into a place where I tend to fear anyone in authority - because I know if I screw up - I will be punished, and I know that I will screw up because I don't always "get it".

On the other hand, Autism is nice around the holidays because it is very easy to let myself focus on only the stuff I like and pretty much ignore the rest - for example, advertising works on me in only notifing me of new products - it really has no impact on whether I buy something or not. It is nearly impossible to entice me - I either want something or I could care less. I would go weeks without eating chocolate if friends weren't offering it to me fairly often - yet I love it when I eat it.

Pax yall

Subject: RE: BS: Bah Humbug
From: Margo
Date: 16 Dec 00 - 01:39 AM

Blackcatter, I know what you mean. But I don't have autism, I have two kids with autism. It's kind of a cruel twist of fate: My 8 year old is very detached in a social way, but her 5 year old brother has asperger's syndrome, and he wants to play with her. He doesn't yet understand her preference to be alone.

How unfair you would lose your job! You could fight it, you know. After all, it is due to a disability... are you in the USA?

Margo

Subject: RE: BS: Bah Humbug
From: Extra Stout
Date: 16 Dec 00 - 02:13 AM

Bah Humbug is an appropriate response way too often, but don't let the merchants spoil the season for you. I read "A Christmas Carol" for the first time just a couple of years ago, and found it to be powerful stuff after years of cartoons and Muppets and whatnot. Scrooge's attitude at the beginning is easy and, to some extent, justified, but his attitude at the end is justified too, and is available to us as it was to him. Try to remember whats really going on. Let me close by wishing you all a merry (sorry, Greyeyes) 365 days of Christmas.

Subject: RE: BS: Bah Humbug
From: Greyeyes
Date: 16 Dec 00 - 03:30 AM

reading "A Christmas Carol" is the beginning of christmas for me. I read it every Christmas Eve before I go to sleep. Really gets me in the mood for the next 12 days.

Subject: RE: BS: Bah Humbug
From: Penny S.
Date: 16 Dec 00 - 05:28 AM

Blackcatter - I think the problem with your boss is probably not just yours, but other employees as well, though in your case it was exacerbated by your autism. Nobody should have to be constantly alert to subtle non-verbal cues to what is intended in that relationship. Bosses should be clear to all their employees.

I'm learning to teach my Asperger's friend - I forget things at times, but as I read what I should be doing, I realise that if I get it right for him, it will probably be better for all the others as well.

And there's one characteristic of autistic spectrum conditions I could really do with - being able to do things in a rigid and repetive way - I am completely chaotic (positive version, spontaneously reacting to the needs of the moment), and admire teachers who can work in a programmed way.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Bah Humbug
From: Terry K
Date: 17 Dec 00 - 04:25 AM

I think everyone would enjoy Christmas much more if we all remembered the true meaning, that it's to celebrate the birth of Santa.

Subject: RE: BS: Bah Humbug
From: Megan L
Date: 17 Dec 00 - 03:23 PM

All this talk about Christmas Carol made me think of the welcome page I wrote for this years Shining Light (news letter)

Whether you celebrated the millennium last year or think it is only happening this year you are wished the best and most joyous celebration ever.

It is often easy in our commercial world to think that the meaning of Christmas is lost amid the tinsel and glitter, somewhere between Yo Ho Ho and oh my head. We all moan about it getting earlier every year and the ever rising cost of presents like some modern day Ebeneezers. Yet surely the lesson we learn from Scrooge is that he wasn't always like that, he had hopes and dreams. How many like him have over the years piled their hurts and fears around themselves like a wall because they lost the gift of love. For some they may never have been given the gift, others have robbed them of it's joy and softening warmth.

This year when you meet an Ebeneezer don't add another brick to their wall. Bite back the sharp or grumpy retort and instead show them the love of God, you may never see the wall crumble but you will have removed one brick from their burden, it may just be the one that lets in the light.

So I will wish you all Christmas full of love, joy and peace.

Subject: RE: BS: Bah Humbug
From: Melodeon
Date: 17 Dec 00 - 04:39 PM

Well Dick, My sources all show 'Humbug' as 18c origin unknown. The definitions are interesting:- Deceptive or false talk or behaviour. An imposter. British hard boiled sweet usually flavoured with peppermint To deceive or hoax.

All of these - with the excption of the sweet, apply to the modern commercialised Christmas.

However, I do wish you all a happy and peaceful Christmas, whatever it means to each of you.

Subject: RE: BS: Bah Humbug
From: Ella who is Sooze
Date: 17 Dec 00 - 07:35 PM

Bah Humbug....=

talk a load of rubbish... which is all pretty irrelavent stuff... to talk a load of humbug = rubbish... and the saying used to be.... instead of our saying now... you're talking a load of Cr**... Used to be Bah... HUMBUG...

:)

Subject: RE: BS: Bah Humbug
From: Troll
Date: 17 Dec 00 - 09:35 PM

To "Jingle Bell Rock" add "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" to the list of songs that should rightly be consigned to the archives at the Library of Congress. Every other copy should then be rounded up, stacked in a pile, soaked with diesel fuel, and BURNED!
These two are regurlarly requested this time of year of the band Stardust in which I am the vocalist(but not the boss) and the boss (a trumpet playing lawyer, what can I say) always says, "Sure! We know that one!"
AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHH!!!!!!

troll