Happy Holy Days!

Another link for your enjoyement, courtesy of Peter Graening.
http://thinkprogress.org/2005/12/14/silent-night-fraud/

My meditation on the meaning of Christmas comes in response to the thoughts of Bill O'Reilly and a gentlemen I overheard at in the Kmart parking lot who said to his friend "A happy Hanukkah to you, because you know we're not allowed to say Merry Christmas!"

My first response was to feel sorry that this poor man is going through life without the knowledge that he is a jackass. Until I remembered something an intelligent woman told me recently. She said Christians can celebrate Hanukkah if they want to because the Old Testament is part of Christian tradition.

She also told me why she feels "Happy Holidays" is the most appropriate thing to say at this time of year; because Advent is the season of waiting. Insteading of rushing through Advent, happy holidays refers to Advent, Christmas and Epiphany (and/or anything else you want it to refer to).

In other news, I'm saddened by the recent death of actor John Spencer, who played Leo McGarry on The West Wing. Leo was a sexist, homophobic, millionare white man in power, and my favorite character. That should speak a lot for the many endearing traits John Spencer brought to the role. I admired him as an actor for his honesty about his alcoholism and recovery one of the things actor and character shared in real life. In a way, I feel as though I've lost a friend. I believe he, like his character, was a good man and too often I feel that those words are oxymoronic. Leo was going to be a great Vice President! John Spencer will be missed!

That's all for now! Shalom!

(p.s. Last week I was too upset about not seeing Brokeback Mountain to include a recipe-of-the-weeekend, and indeed I was too out of it for that very reason to eat last weekend or even clean myself. This week the recipe is on of my favorites: Red Lentil Curry. If I haven't given it to you yet, ask for it. Plus I've got to boost my iron levels so I can donate blood. Figs and red lentils all around! PEACE!)