I became insane with long intervals of horrible sanity.
Edgar Allen Poe

The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all.
- H. L. Mencken

Many people would sooner die than think; In fact, they do so
-Bertrand Russell

What I have been telling you, from alpha to omega, what is the one great thing the sigil taught me — that everything in life is miraculous. For the sigil taught me that it rests within the power of each of us to awaken at will from a dragging nightmare of life made up of unimportant tasks and tedious useless little habits, to see life as it really is, and to rejoice in its exquisite wonderfulness. If the sigil were proved to be the top of a tomato-can, it would not alter that big fact, nor my fixed faith. No Harrowby, the common names we call things by do not matter — except to show how very dull we are ...
-James Branch Cabell

November 28, 2008 - 12:43 a.m.

Whee Festivus

This is the first time that I spent Thanksgiving at home, alone. It really wasn't bad. It was a pretty nice relaxing day. I certainly can't complain about my dinner, I enjoyed that more than I ever do turkey. I had Cajun steak and a potato with peanut butter. I know you are saying, "Yuck!" but I loved it.

There were some great things on TV today. Right now I'm watching a documentary about two modern men recreating Marco Polo's travels. OK I was watching it. It's been over for some time now. I got distracted. I hate when that happens.

OK so where was I? Right, Thanksgiving alone was not really a big deal. I didn't leave the apartment and I didn't talk to anyone on the phone. I spent it in splendid isolation.

Tomorrow I'm going to play a rare afternoon game of bridge with Roy. After not playing for four months we are playing twice in the same week. That 60% game went to our heads.

Oh, now I remember. I was talking about what was on TV. The highlight was Fiddler on the Roof. It hit on a theme I've been thinking about quite a bit lately. When his first two daughters broke tradition and chose their own husband Tevye was very understanding. He chose doing what he knew was right even though it violated what he thought of as the rules. Many people think like that. I have a friend who is an evangelical Christian. She thinks that belief in Jesus is the only road to salvation. She also thinks that I'm going to heaven. When push comes to shove she feels that god does not follow the letter of the law.

When Tevye's third daughter wants to marry a gentile that's where he draws the line. In his mind it was between giving up everything he believes in and giving up his daughter. He gives up his daughter. That is the core of so much of what is wrong with religion. It is how it leads good people to do evil things. Things aren't right or wrong on their own merits but based on a set of rules.

It is after midnight now. It is officially Festivus! Should I transform this into my annual Festivus Encyclical? I think I should.

I like to think of Festivus as being the opposite of Tevye's way of thinking. A number of my friends that I have invited to Festivus on facebook have refused. I think some of them on religious grounds. That's fine with me. In my mind no matter what they say they are attending Festivus if they celebrate Christmas, or Chanukah, or in any way acknowledge the season in anything but the strictest religious sense. If they celebrate the holidays in any of the ways shown in A Christmas Story or It's A Wonderful Life or any secular holiday story, if they act kind or generous, they are celebrating Festivus no matter what they call it.

I found that line of reasoning in of all places, The Last Battle the last, most religious, and worst book of the Chronicles of Narnia. It is filled with questionable theology but it has one part that I always appreciated. After he dies a worshiper of Tash, a demon, is afraid of what Aslan will do to him. Aslan tells him that every time he took a vow in Tash's name and took it, it was really in Aslan's name and every time someone took a vow in Aslan's and broke it, it was really in Tash's. I like the idea of a god that isn't jealous, that isn't obsessed with people honoring him but only cares about how they treat each other. That's how Festiva, the Goddess of Festivus is.

154 people have said that they are attending Festivus. Things have slowed down a bit. It might be because of the holiday. In any event it has spread far past my circle of friends. I only know about a quarter of the people that said they are attending.

I found one of the best things I ever wrote about Festivus, The Festivus Edition of the Horvendile Inquirer. I won't repeat it but go back and read it.

I will repeat the Principles of Festivus

  • Peace, love, and understanding
  • Freedom
  • The never ending fight for truth and justice
  • Appreciating nature
  • Caritas
  • Accepting that others will balance the competing principles differently
  • The only orthodoxy is that there is no orthodoxy
  • Chocolate (If you don�t think chocolate is a principle you don�t understand chocolate)

I don't think I'll add a principle this year. If I keep adding a new one every year the list will get too long and lose its focus.

I have to set up pole up. I'll do that tomorrow when I get back from bridge. In the mean time: I'll say once again; So as Tiny Tim observed in the intended edition of A Festivus Carol: �The Flying Spaghetti Monster bless Us, Every One!�

Whee Festivus


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Memories: Not that Horrid Song - May 29, 2018
Wise Madness is Now In Session - May 28, 2018
The NFL and the First Amendment - May 27, 2018
On The Road Again - May 26, 2018
Oliver the Three-Eyed Crow - May 25, 2018



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Horvendile November 28, 2008
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