As we approach Christmas, we're all reminded that heavy consumerism can lead to despair, not to mention large amounts of unnecessary debt. And in this particular time, it must be stressed all the more.
My inner struggle today however doesn't deal with those issues.
This is first Christmas I have spent with my family since being baptized Orthodox.
Therefore, the traditions I have grown up with are in conflict with those I am embracing now, and it is hard to explain to others who are not Orthodox. (I.e. Christmas Eve feasts vs fasting, blessing of the waters, long liturgical services on Christmas Eve, etc. etc.)
Here's some information I pulled off a BBC website in regards to the Orthodox calendar:
Christmas is celebrated by Orthodox Christians in Central and Eastern Europe and throughout the world on the 7th of January in the Gregorian Calendar - 13 days after other Christians.
In the East, Christmas is preceded by a 40 day fast beginning on November 15th. This is a time of reflection, self-restraint and inner healing in the sacrament of confession.
Usually, on Christmas Eve, observant Orthodox Christians fast till late evening, until the first star appears. When the star is seen, people lay the table ready for the Christmas supper.
On Christmas Day people takes part in divine liturgy after which many walk in procession to seas, rivers and lakes. Everyone gathers around in the snow for outdoor ceremonies to bless the water. Sometimes rivers are frozen, so people make holes in the ice to bless the water. Some take water home to bless their houses. Then a great feast is held indoors where everyone joins in to eat, drink and enjoy themselves.
A Orthodox Russian custom is to serve Christmas cakes and to sing songs. The tradition is mixed with other pagan traditions of ancient Russia such that people may visit their neighbours in disguises, dance, sing and ask for presents, similar to trick-or-treating.
There are similarities, as well as differences, between the Eastern and Western celebration of Christmas. The Eastern Christmas has a very strong family and social appeal just as it does in the West. It brings people of all generations together to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Unlike the West, where Christmas ranks supreme, in the East it is Easter, centred on the cross and the resurrection of Christ, which is the supreme festival of the year. Also, Eastern Orthodox Christmas lacks the commercial side that is so typical to the West.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
A legend in your own mind
This post is dedicated to Wayne Coon Sr., my highschool band director. I got most of my values from my mother, but I got a lot from Mr. Coon. During my formative years he provided a stern leadership I really needed, to help me set goals for the future. After my mother passed away when I was 15, I did get a lot of strength from being in band and having him as a mentor. Many other kids my age that weren't interested in band hated him because of his discipline. He was hard on us. But when he gave praise it was because you knew you had done something extraordinary.
Reminds me of the uncle of William Wallace in Braveheart when he explains to the young warrior, "I will teach you to use this..." (tapping his finger against his skull) "before this..."(tapping the sword hanging on his waist)
Mr. Coon was a phenomenal teacher and also fought in the Korean War. He had the ability to take a kid that was lost and straying, to being a disciplined and fantastic musician.
I remember my senior year, he moved me from 2nd chair trombone to bass in the jazz band. I looked at that thing and I said, "You expect me to play that?"
(The whole idea of being a bass bone player was very intimidating. It was huge and I weighed 100 lbs wet back then)
With a stern look, and without batting an eye he said, "Yes I do. And you will. You have the ability, you just don't know it."
I took it home and started toying with it, thinking, "This man is totally crazy," because I knew what challenges it would bring and what he would expect from me.
After a few weeks, I started kind of getting the hang of it, but balancing the rest of the section was really tough. When the word got out what I was doing, more than just a few eyebrows went up.
I spent countless hours learning more scales, etudes, ballads, and more practice combinations than I care to remember. It was like picking up the horn and learning to play it all over again.
But somehow, after a few months, I began to see a development in myself and a newfound confidence I hadn't had with my playing up to that point. The work paid off because when we started going to contest I just did my thing, and many educators came up to Mr. Coon and asked him where he got his bass bone player.
I made the All State jazz band 5A the following summer just before I packed up to go to college.
Basically, the point of my post is that I was forced to draw upon something within myself that I hadn't before, either because I was too scared or just didn't think I could do it. And that is what's wrong with society today. We don't have enough Mr. Coon's anymore to help us overcome our closet skeletons.
He had a lot of profound sayings too full of life lessons. Some of my favorites were:
1) Never say "I heard." (Meaning don't listen to idle gossip and give in to it.)
2) "You are a legend in your own mind." (Referring to people that had such big heads and egos that they couldn't fit through the door. Gee, how many of those have we all run across in our lives?)
3) If someone walks up to you and insults your clothing, appearance or values, simply walk away.
We as a society, because we're so obsessed with American Idol, Hollywood, pop culture, our possessions, and the haves and the have nots, we've forgotten the fundamentals that define our characters and identity as Americans. We've forgotten what freedom is and how hard it is to keep it. We've forgotten what personal responsibility and integrity are.
We are throwing in the towel, giving in to the criticisms, and not walking away to stand up for this world. We say "I heard" more than "no."
We're becoming legends in our own minds, with no respect for those that would guide us to be something better than ourselves. And we're teaching our youth to do the same.
What will our country be like in 20 years? I don't know if I want to hear the answer to that.
Reminds me of the uncle of William Wallace in Braveheart when he explains to the young warrior, "I will teach you to use this..." (tapping his finger against his skull) "before this..."(tapping the sword hanging on his waist)
Mr. Coon was a phenomenal teacher and also fought in the Korean War. He had the ability to take a kid that was lost and straying, to being a disciplined and fantastic musician.
I remember my senior year, he moved me from 2nd chair trombone to bass in the jazz band. I looked at that thing and I said, "You expect me to play that?"
(The whole idea of being a bass bone player was very intimidating. It was huge and I weighed 100 lbs wet back then)
With a stern look, and without batting an eye he said, "Yes I do. And you will. You have the ability, you just don't know it."
I took it home and started toying with it, thinking, "This man is totally crazy," because I knew what challenges it would bring and what he would expect from me.
After a few weeks, I started kind of getting the hang of it, but balancing the rest of the section was really tough. When the word got out what I was doing, more than just a few eyebrows went up.
I spent countless hours learning more scales, etudes, ballads, and more practice combinations than I care to remember. It was like picking up the horn and learning to play it all over again.
But somehow, after a few months, I began to see a development in myself and a newfound confidence I hadn't had with my playing up to that point. The work paid off because when we started going to contest I just did my thing, and many educators came up to Mr. Coon and asked him where he got his bass bone player.
I made the All State jazz band 5A the following summer just before I packed up to go to college.
Basically, the point of my post is that I was forced to draw upon something within myself that I hadn't before, either because I was too scared or just didn't think I could do it. And that is what's wrong with society today. We don't have enough Mr. Coon's anymore to help us overcome our closet skeletons.
He had a lot of profound sayings too full of life lessons. Some of my favorites were:
1) Never say "I heard." (Meaning don't listen to idle gossip and give in to it.)
2) "You are a legend in your own mind." (Referring to people that had such big heads and egos that they couldn't fit through the door. Gee, how many of those have we all run across in our lives?)
3) If someone walks up to you and insults your clothing, appearance or values, simply walk away.
We as a society, because we're so obsessed with American Idol, Hollywood, pop culture, our possessions, and the haves and the have nots, we've forgotten the fundamentals that define our characters and identity as Americans. We've forgotten what freedom is and how hard it is to keep it. We've forgotten what personal responsibility and integrity are.
We are throwing in the towel, giving in to the criticisms, and not walking away to stand up for this world. We say "I heard" more than "no."
We're becoming legends in our own minds, with no respect for those that would guide us to be something better than ourselves. And we're teaching our youth to do the same.
What will our country be like in 20 years? I don't know if I want to hear the answer to that.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Migraines
I have to write something today about migraines. I suffer from them on a pretty frequent basis, almost twice as much since I moved to Ohio. Today I felt like a mannequin spread out on a bad B movie scientist's table. He began by wiring blood vessels onto my body like rusty Christmas ornament hangers.
One by one, bending them painfully around my plastic lifeless body.
Then came the super glue to hold everything in along with my eyes and extremeties. The smell sent me into a tilt-a-whirl state of nauseadom.
Other times, I'm like the guy in the movie "Poltergeist" standing in front of the mirror tearing his whole face apart. Then out of the corner of his eye he spots the steak crawling across the kitchen cabinet and it explodes into maggots.
Instead of steak though, for me, I see my brains. And they're full of foetid squid-like creatures just like the maggots.
You ever see close up microscopic images of jellyfish????
These are just a few of the delightful experiences I have when I experience these mind altering headaches. At least they seem mind altering. When the dizziness comes and I can't feel my fingers and mouth, life gets pretty interesting.
Well at least I'm actually up and typing this today instead of lying in a pool of drool in a mental house.
Ahhh, the joys of PTSD.
One by one, bending them painfully around my plastic lifeless body.
Then came the super glue to hold everything in along with my eyes and extremeties. The smell sent me into a tilt-a-whirl state of nauseadom.
Other times, I'm like the guy in the movie "Poltergeist" standing in front of the mirror tearing his whole face apart. Then out of the corner of his eye he spots the steak crawling across the kitchen cabinet and it explodes into maggots.
Instead of steak though, for me, I see my brains. And they're full of foetid squid-like creatures just like the maggots.
You ever see close up microscopic images of jellyfish????
These are just a few of the delightful experiences I have when I experience these mind altering headaches. At least they seem mind altering. When the dizziness comes and I can't feel my fingers and mouth, life gets pretty interesting.
Well at least I'm actually up and typing this today instead of lying in a pool of drool in a mental house.
Ahhh, the joys of PTSD.
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