The Bah Humbug Thread

[Tevot]

As a Jew in a Christian World, I've had a different experience with Christmas than any other posters here...
My second wife is from a large Irish Catholic (actually, half Irish, half German--my standard line is that after consuming a few Guinness they get an irrisistable urge to invade Poland) ...

Any way, Merry Christmas to all you on your Splendid Island. Late this afternoon we are going to a great Choral Christmas Concert at Concordia Church-we are great friends with the Music Director and join him and some of the Musicians at his house for egg nog and Holiday cookies. Now that's a tradition I can get into!

Oh heck Richard.... Thanks for that post... It didn't half raise a titter (you may need to consult your American - English Dictionary at this point)

All the very best to you and yours this Christmas

Tevot

[Bryn]

You don't happen, Bryn, to work in China by any chance ? ...

Come now. If I was, do you really think I would choose to work on the birthday of 毛主席? No. I will be traversing between Heathrow and Kingston Upon Thames several times, driving a large hybrid-powered vehicle.

[Tevot]

Christmas is exactly what you want it to be yourself, that's the beauty of it. Celebrate it in whatever way you wish or ignore it completely, the choice is yours. Me, I'm with Scrooge's nephew:

"There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, I dare say," returned the nephew. "Christmas among the rest. But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round -- apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and origin, if anything belonging to it can be apart from that -- as a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore, uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!"

And one more time

Fully agree with Petrushka here - and what a lovely quote too. I've never read any Dickens and tbh I need to make amends. Also share the sentiments expressed earlier by Mary Chambers and AjAjAjH.

Best Wishes,

Tevot

[vinteuil]

"Christmas, that irritating inconvenience between the Michaelmas and Hilary terms", as a former colleague would say.

It is a minor irritation, but it's quite nice to see various friendsandrelations not seen earlier in the year, and some of the winter foods are quite cheering. It's not that difficult to steer clear of the shopping crowds, and while the radio and tv offering tends to become pretty dire there are enough books and CDs to keep us going.

Just waiting for the days to get longer and lighter, really...






.

[Stillhomewardbound]

Happy this Christmas not to be 'Homo Alone' as has been the case in recent Christmas. It's not that I've felt sorry for myself, but just that I'm not partnered and not being a driver I get marooned in South East London by the obligatory two day shutdown of the rail network (what an absurdity that is when the Underground is down for just the one day).

The odd time I seek out a Midnight Mass, not entirely for my sustenance, but in memory of my late mother. Having said that, the last one I went to at the CofE church opposite was pretty dire, all multi-media with the hymns up on a power point presentation (did I imagine the bouncing ball?!) and the most vacuous homily delivered by the deaconess in that dread, lifeless, one-size-fits all style of delivery that we have to endure on choral evensong these days.

On the plus side of things ... there isn't a television spewing out inanity in the corner of the room; I'm not forced to be 'yo-ho-ho' jolly, nor I'm obliged to wear a kitsch jumper and, if I feel like, I can be at my desk working, just like any other kind of day.

Forgive me If I'm a terrible curmudgeon but the longer the Christmas Season runs ('The 36 Days of Christmas') it becomes a nightmare obligation and I think even the biggest evangelist or party animal would have to agree that we really could do with winding back the clock three decades or so to return to something sensible and proportional.

[Petrushka]

One dread happening of the festive season viz: the office party, is very much a thing of the past. I used to deeply loathe the forced obligation to turn up at one of these as if being with your awful work colleagues from Monday to Friday wasn't punishment enough. No-one had much in common with anyone else so it wasn't long before people started talking shop. The earth-shaking disco 'music' soon put a stop to conversation anyway. That gorgeous girl you quietly fancied in the Computer Department turned up with some specimen of male handsomeness that you couldn't possibly compete with and everybody got blind drunk.

Nowadays I just say no.

[pastoralguy]

One dread happening of the festive season viz: the office party, is very much a thing of the past. I used to deeply loathe the forced obligation to turn up at one of these as if being with your awful work colleagues from Monday to Friday wasn't punishment enough. No-one had much in common with anyone else so it wasn't long before people started talking shop. The earth-shaking disco 'music' soon put a stop to conversation anyway. That gorgeous girl you quietly fancied in the Computer Department turned up with some specimen of male handsomeness that you couldn't possibly compete with and everybody got blind drunk.

Nowadays I just say no.

For years now, I've refused to go to work nights out. I'm always afraid I'll have too much to drink to blot out the awfulness of the proceedings and end up saying things that someone may film on a mobile 'phone! As you say Pet, the awfulness of being in the company of some of these people without being paid makes it a horrible experience.

[Serial_Apologist]

For years now, I've refused to go to work nights out. I'm always afraid I'll have too much to drink to blot out the awfulness of the proceedings and end up saying things that someone may film on a mobile 'phone! As you say Pet, the awfulness of being in the company of some of these people without being paid makes it a horrible experience.

It's a big part of what Karl Marx called "capitalist relations of production", I guess.

[MrGongGong]

Why do so many people seem to persist with working at jobs they obviously hate and with people they don't like?
Some folks really don't have control or choice in their lives BUT many do and seem to simply carry on making themselves miserable while moaning about how horrible it all is.

[P. G. Tipps]

Nowadays I just say no.

Exactly what I used to say to the gorgeous girl in the computer department, Petrushka ...

[teamsaint]

talking of jobs, I had a meeting with the big boss the other day, and he told me with a straight face
" I enjoyed reading your appraisal report".


I'm really, really worried now.

we don't have a computer department.

and almost everybody is younger than me.

[Beef Oven!]

Why do so many people seem to persist with working at jobs they obviously hate and with people they don't like?
Some folks really don't have control or choice in their lives BUT many do and seem to simply carry on making themselves miserable while moaning about how horrible it all is.

Applying this principle generally to you, why haven't you emigrated?

[MrGongGong]

Applying this to you, why haven't you emigrated?

I like the people I work with
some are in the UK
some not
I don't find them hideously unpleasant and avoid them as some seem to

Having always been self-employed I sometimes find people's attitudes to "work" puzzling.

[Serial_Apologist]

I like the people I work with
some are in the UK
some not
I don't find them hideously unpleasant and avoid them as some seem to

Having always been self-employed I sometimes find people's attitudes to "work" puzzling.

But the job niche you are fortunate to occupy does not offer a great deal of employment to others.

[Petrushka]

Why do so many people seem to persist with working at jobs they obviously hate and with people they don't like?
Some folks really don't have control or choice in their lives BUT many do and seem to simply carry on making themselves miserable while moaning about how horrible it all is.

You are, I think, self-employed and your hobby is your work and that's as about as ideal a situation as you can get. Many of us were stereotyped in our schooldays and just ended up in jobs that brought in a bit of money to enable us to buy the LPs we wanted. It took me many years to realize that I could have done so much better but by then it was too late. It hasn't been all misery by any means, had some good times and worked with some really superb people. With retirement looming I'm just marking time right now.

Anyway. we've strayed too far from topic. Can we get back on it please?