This winter has has amazingly sunny weather. Yes, there was a couple of weeks of freezing weather and the night time temperatures are still cold, but every day has been sunny and bright. And not so surprisingly, lack of rain has led to a severe drought (worst in the history, someone said). But Davis is still green, lawns get watered to muddy pits and water gets wasted... because water is still ridiculously cheap (at least compared to countries where I've lived before) and for instance, in the apartment complex where we live, water is included in our rent. So far the impact of the drought on our lives has been not going skiing in Tahoe due to lack of snow but I'm really dreading next summer and the real trouble; crop losses, water use limitations and increased cost of living.
Also, we've managed to get outside Davis a few times in the past weeks, and I've been baffled by the billboards around Sacramento. Firstly, it seems weird to me that atheism is something that needs advertising. Do people pick their religious beliefs from billboards? I guess using real people and their lack of belief expands the understanding that there are everyday people who do not have religion... something that is blatantly obvious to me.
Secondly, would you shop at a grocery store that advertises themselves only with a phrase "Where else can you have marshmallows for dinner?" Is advertising towards kids not restricted here? Are there adults that would choose that store because of them suggesting marshmallows for dinner? Does that not scream "this not the place where you should be shopping for food!" I just do not understand.
Monday, 20 January 2014
Wednesday, 1 January 2014
Happy Holidays and Season's Greetings!
The autumn has gone by in a blink with a lot of work done and many great evenings of fun with friends old and new. We had a great Christmas break, involving too much good food and a lot of board games, and on my part, some pondering about how Christmas can be politically incorrect in such a Christian country.
For me Christmas weather is definitely cold, maybe even white, so once again, it's been difficult understanding that it's Christmas when it's 20C and sunny. Also, I've found that Christmas decorations in public places are much more minimal here. I don't know if it's Davis or America in general, but the first Christmas songs I heard whilst shopping were in mid-December. Not September like in the Philippines, not October or November like in Europe, but so late in the season that I actually considered finding some Christmas music from the internet to fill the void in my life!
Christmas has been always close to my heart even though I'm not religious in any sense of the word. I love all the candles and fairy lights, the smell of the tree, amazing home-cooked food, the family getting together, spending a couple of days just with the family and enjoying each other's company, and there is still something elating about Santa's visit and all the thought that loved ones have put in preparing a celebration together. I guess that Thanksgiving plays that role in America's hearts, so there hasn't been a fusion of all cultures and religions to celebrate Yuletide together in the same extent as in Europe.
I started writing this post thinking that I'd comment on certain points, but after attempting to write about them I changed my mind about them. It's ok for me if people want to be considerate and call the vacation day on 25th Dec the Winter Holiday, because not everyone approaches Christmas in the same non-religious way that I do. It's ok that Americans don't get the Christian holidays off from work automatically, because they're Americans and work-crazy anyway (and politically correct to top it off). I appreciate the US trying to separate the Church and the State, but for me it would not start by making Christmas politically incorrect - I would rather see religion not interfering with e.g. holding a public office. In the same vein, here's an interesting story about non-Christian groups fighting for equal rights in this country.
However, it's the New Year now and I wish all my readers great adventures!
For me Christmas weather is definitely cold, maybe even white, so once again, it's been difficult understanding that it's Christmas when it's 20C and sunny. Also, I've found that Christmas decorations in public places are much more minimal here. I don't know if it's Davis or America in general, but the first Christmas songs I heard whilst shopping were in mid-December. Not September like in the Philippines, not October or November like in Europe, but so late in the season that I actually considered finding some Christmas music from the internet to fill the void in my life!
Christmas has been always close to my heart even though I'm not religious in any sense of the word. I love all the candles and fairy lights, the smell of the tree, amazing home-cooked food, the family getting together, spending a couple of days just with the family and enjoying each other's company, and there is still something elating about Santa's visit and all the thought that loved ones have put in preparing a celebration together. I guess that Thanksgiving plays that role in America's hearts, so there hasn't been a fusion of all cultures and religions to celebrate Yuletide together in the same extent as in Europe.
I started writing this post thinking that I'd comment on certain points, but after attempting to write about them I changed my mind about them. It's ok for me if people want to be considerate and call the vacation day on 25th Dec the Winter Holiday, because not everyone approaches Christmas in the same non-religious way that I do. It's ok that Americans don't get the Christian holidays off from work automatically, because they're Americans and work-crazy anyway (and politically correct to top it off). I appreciate the US trying to separate the Church and the State, but for me it would not start by making Christmas politically incorrect - I would rather see religion not interfering with e.g. holding a public office. In the same vein, here's an interesting story about non-Christian groups fighting for equal rights in this country.
However, it's the New Year now and I wish all my readers great adventures!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)