I'm told that I like hot and hyperflavorable spices because I have a relatively small amount of taste buds and that people like you have a more subtle sense of taste (thus not needing spices) because they have an abundance of buds. I am left without satisfaction when I eat plain mid-western American dishes and delight in southern Chinese, Indian and Mexican dishes. I would die in Norway.
I also love certain spicy foods when we eat out. Mexican, spicy chicken -
For the last two years I've been able to resolve the conflict I have between my desire to observe the holidays and my desire to avoid all the ostentatious chaos of those same days.
Cheryl and I cook ourselves a nice dinner, rent movies and try to be extra nice to each other. We do traditional foods, but really concede nothing much else to the "traditional" ways.
They have been the two nicest Thanksgivings and Chrismases ever.
That makes sense to me, Snood.
Sounds very pleasant, snood.
My wife and I target the kids and grandkids for most of the activity any more. I content myself with that, nice food and watching movies, such as the Alistair Sim film of Scrooge, John Payne and Maureen O'Hara in Miracle on 42nd Street and James Stewart, It's a Wonderful life.
Not holiday related but my ex ( A jewish lady from Brooklyn ) Thought that Taco Smell was exotic spicy food too hot to be eaten.
My wife gets that way about spicey,particularly chili. She will eat fairly spicy dishes, love them, and the refuse a similar dish of the same spiciness.
Re: One Atheist's Holiday Season
edgarblythe wrote:Yes, I deny all possibility that there may be gods or God. Yet, the season is sacred to me. It harbors nostalgia for the past, when I felt a bit of special favor for and from people around me. An island of humanity in an otherwise too cruel world.
Then, there is my belief that humanity must have tradition to reenforce our best values. There is much to be gained from a day in which we take stock of ourselves for the past year, whatever our inclination regarding religion. The notion of Peace On Earth, Good Will To Men is universal in its scope and should be embraced by all. In my humble estimation, "A Christmas Carol" is the greatest story any person has written.
And, so, as we approach these days, this atheist at least wishes you one and all:
Happy Thanksgiving! and: Merry Christmas!
Very nicely put edgar. Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas to you and everyone else as well.
Thank you, hephzibah. Glad to see no one actually shot you.
Shhh... don't say that too loud. Setanta thinks he did. Heh... Thanks though. I'm glad too.
It's that time of the year again! I'm going to shoot something, then set a hannukah bush on fire and blacken the sucker. I'll serve it with a little mango salsa and pita bread.
Don't forget the wine, cjhsa.
Edgar, your reverence for the holiday season shows you to be a cornball (at least in that respect), but I'm so glad that that is so. Your childhood makes your orientation to the Season SO UNDERSTANDABLE.
Enjoy it with my (cornball) appreciation.
Edgar, your reverence for the holiday season shows you to be a cornball (at least in that respect), and I'm so glad that that is so. Your childhood makes your orientation to the Season SO UNDERSTANDABLE.
Enjoy it with my (cornball) appreciation.
Cornball is in the eyes of the beholder. I like to think that, Wherever a little kid's in danger of losing his childhood, I'll be there. Wherever a person's grown over cynical, I'll be there. Where a poor man's looking to get enough food to feed his kids, I'll be there. Wherever you look in the day or night, I'll be there. These holidays are one ideal chance to work on that. I think Woody Guthrie and John Steinbeck said that. I'll let you be in my world if I can be in yours, and B Dylan said that.
My neighbor across the street spend most of yesterday morning raking leaves in his front yard. He raked them into a huge pile under the tree. In the afternoon he goes and gets his 4 yr old grandson from day care and brings him home as he usually does and turns him loose to jump in the pile of leaves. I walked across the street and he and I sat watching his grandson cavorting in the huge pile of leaves scattering them about, we talked about the old days of just letting children play. It was a good day.
Dys: An excellent day, indeed.
As some of you already know I was growed up in Saudi Arabia. In the "compound" where we lived was about 500 various families from china, UK, old europe, usa, india et cetera. Many of them were christians. One xmas the christians decided to have a pageant of sorts to celebrate. the local arabs (muslims) offered to help by bringing camels/sheep and construct a "manger"
which they did. the savages (islamofacists) were most helpful to the christians but then the savages were just being human and respectful in spite of their barbaric ways.
