March 25, 2005
Good Friday Rant
I do have a cat picture to post but I had to get this off my chest first.
What's so great about the Easter bunny? When I was a little kid, I loved the Easter bunny -- what child wouldn't? I'd get a basket (a small one!) with a chocolate bunny and lots of jelly beans hidden in the green grass. I would get a stuffed animal. My Easter baskets were nothing like those of today. Not only that, but nowadays you can start celebrating in February and gain a great deal of weight eating Cadbury eggs all during the Lenten season.
Once again, we have a Christian holiday celebrated around a pagan one. I begin to understand why these dates coincide, though -- the early Christians were persecuted for their beliefs and this was one way to celebrate without being too obvious about it. I always thought the Easter bunny was an invention by the candy companies and I was feeling really annoyed about how it's usurped the real meaning of Easter. Except ... now I find out that the Easter bunny was around before Jesus! Eastre was an Anglo-Saxon goddess worshipped through her earthly symbol ... the rabbit. Read more here.
Okay, so Russell Stover and Mary Sue didn't invent the Easter bunny. Still ... all the celebration seems to center around him and the jelly beans and the candy. I guess there are still plenty of people who still color eggs and then hide them for the kids, but do they know what the meaning is behind all of that?
You might be able to tell that I'm not a fan of the Easter bunny anymore. Good Friday is one of the most important days in history for Christians but I look around and it seems like no one remembers what it's all about--and I mean amongst Christians, not amongst people of other faiths. For the kids, Good Friday is the first day of spring break. Linda didn't realize it was Good Friday. Hmmm...Easter is Sunday and the girls want chocolate and Tomas is going to have a basket, yadda yadda, and Good Friday -- that's the Friday right before Easter, riiiight?
One candy company, Russell Stover, would like to market chocolate crosses to Christians. They knew enough to know that a chocolate Jesus or Jesus on the cross would be offensive but apparently it didn't occur to them that eating a plain cross might also be ... unnerving? I mean Jesus was nailed to a cross and crucified. I think I would have a lot of trouble biting into it, even if it is chocolate. And now, for the really busy Christians who don't have time to reflect on what the holiday really means and also don't have time to make baskets for their kids, there is a new variation on the prepackaged Easter basket. You can get them in themes! They don't have to have a thing to do with bunnies, Peeps, or jelly beans. You can get a Nascar basket! And you can get a Sponge Bob or a Scooby Doo basket! Whoop-de-doo!
I think it would be really ironic to totally lose the Easter bunny in all this commercialism. :P I wouldn't mind seeing an Easter Amber -- here she is in her 'bonnet'.
QOTD 3/25/05
What flowers are blooming now where you live?
I honestly haven't seen any flowers yet! I keep looking for the daffodils!
What is your favorite fresh flower?
Roses
QOTD 3/24/05
What 3 things top your "To Do List" today?
Grocery shopping for the things I need for dinner today
Vacuum the carpet in my bedroom
Laundry
Which one will you be most likely to accomplish first, and why?
Probably the laundry because it's the easiest to start
::Wine, women and song::
Onesome: Wine- or beer? Or do you prefer your beverages non-alcoholic?
I haven't drunk alcohol in about 20 years. I prefer ice cold water and, after that, diet Pepsi vanilla
Twosome: Women- and men. We're entirely different creatures. What do you think makes the opposite sex tick? Or do you consider their behaviour a complete mystery?
I have to admit that I am mostly mystified. I do get it that guys are in a "solve the problem" mindset rather than a whine & bitch about it mode. So when I complain about something, TB tries to figure out how to fix it. It can't always be fixed though. Now why they never want to ask for directions is something I'll never understand.
Threesome: and Song- What's your favorite song? Your favorite band/ musician?
I have so many favorite songs, it's hard to single out just one. My most favorite musician is Billy Joel -- at least, that's how I feel today. I enjoy listening to lots of bands and musicians.