Happy Holidays (is that so bad?)

I haven't blogged in a loooooong time. But this has been on my mind lately and it's a little too much for a Facebook post.

As a practicing Catholic, I’d like to offer my thoughts on the so-called “War on Christmas.” To all who would offer criticism to those who say “happy holidays” instead of “merry Christmas,” I would like to say  -- chill out!

Even many hardcore atheists still celebrate the Christmas holiday (a note on the word “holiday” -- it literally comes from the words “holy day”). They’re still celebrating a season that promotes peace on Earth and goodwill toward men. They mark the occasion by doing good things for their family, friends and in some cases complete strangers.

Whether they realize it or not, they’re following Christ’s teachings by doing these things and celebrating peace and joy -- even if they’re not saying his name out loud.

Jesus is hailed as the King of Kings, but that’s not a title he gave himself. We bestowed that upon him. He didn’t live in a palace or dress in fancy robes. Some people bowed to him, but he didn’t insist upon it.

If there was a fundamental shift in humanity and everyone learned Christ’s lessons and started being the kind of people he wants us to be -- and yet for some reason forgot his name or never mentioned it -- I think he’d be okay with that. I think he’d sit back and say, “Well, okay. Mission accomplished.” His primary concern is what’s best for us.

We choose to glorify Jesus, but I don’t think he’s in it for the glory.  At least not for himself. He wants us to experience God's glory by being the best we can be.

So despite the insistence that we must “keep Christ in Christmas,” I would suggest that it’s harder than most realize to separate Christ from Christmas. I believe many are celebrating Christ whether they realize it or not. Even if his name isn’t being spoken out loud, he’s in our deeds.

A little perspective

I spotted this diagram over the weekend and thought it provided some much-needed perspective...

Here's a snippet of the writeup that went along with it...

It's easy as pie to generalize to millions of people the crimes of a few. We Catholics have had it done to us. And we can have it done to us again. So we should be bloody cautious about insane schemes to do it to 18 million fellow citizens.

Signs of the season

I know that fall starts in a couple of days, but I was taken by surprise when I spotted this tree on my way to work today.

The leaves are just about the brightest orange I've ever seen -- and there were already several of them on the ground beneath the tree.

I'm always kind of bummed to see summer slip away.  But I must admit, this tree is a beautiful sight.

Android vs. iPhone

I love my HTC Droid Eris (except for a few nitpicks -- that password protected lock screen is annoying).  But every now and then I've gone searching for an app, but can't find one that does quite what I'm looking for.

With that in mind, I stumbled on these cartoons that compare Android and iPhone. Thought I'd share...

For the love of the game

If there is a TV turned on the house, these days it seems Nolan will have tuned to the Little League World Series.

I think he really enjoys watching kids close to his age playing ball on TV. Right now I think he's predicting Texas will go all the way.

The fact that Little League World Series 2009 on Wii is one of his favorite video games probably doesn't hurt either.

I find I kind of enjoy watching it too. It's a nice change of pace -- no egos, no giant paychecks, no steroids. Just the game.  There's something pure about it that a baseball fan can't deny.

The other day I was watching a game during my lunch break. The young third baseman playing for Connecticut, I think, snagged a ball that was lined like a shot down the third base line.  It would have been an amazing grab for any major leaguer.  And as I watched the huge smile on the 12-year-old ballplayer's face, I couldn't help but smile myself.

It's a terrific reminder of everything that's great about America's pastime.

Gotcha Day 2010

It's been seven years since we made the trip to New York City to pick up 4-month-old Thomas at JFK and bring him home. We lovingly refer to each August 19th as "Gotcha Day."

Flash forward to 2010...Thomas and Nolan are much bigger and about to enter into 2nd and 5th grades. They are brothers through-and-through.  Best friends -- except for the times when they want to kill each other, as siblings are also prone to want to do now and then!

I try to snap a photo of the boys every Gotcha day.  Here's this year's before and after...

'An elegant weapon for a more civilized age'

This has been floating around on YouTube for a week or so.  For everyone who ever wished to have a lightsaber, here's every lightsaber ignition and retraction from all of the Star Wars movies...

Doctor D'oh!

Ever wonder what "Doctor Who" would be like in the hands of Matt Groening and the creators of "The Simpsons?"

Thanks to co-worker Pat Skerry for finding this and passing it along...