I was awake far too early again this morning, and used the time to watch another episode of "Squid Game", then sparked up the internet and had a look at Facebook. One or two people have been posting rather nasty memes about being proud to say “Merry Christmas” and not wanting to have to say “Happy Holidays”, and telling anyone taking offence to leave and offering help with their packing….
Now let’s give that some thought… has anyone *ever* actually personally known of anyone who has taken offence at Christmas? No? I suspect the whole thing is a fabrication by those trying to stir hate but on reflection I suppose I might well be one of the supposed offended as I really am an accredited minister of the Church of the Apathetic Agnostic, and my winter holidays are nothing at all to do with anything religious. But I’m not offended enough to do anything about it (that’s what apathetic agnosticism is all about).
As for my leaving… anyone posting these memes is welcome to help me pack, but where am I supposed to go? I’ve lived here Ashford for over half of my life. Originally I came from Hastings but I can trace my paternal line back to 1760 when my family were brickmakers in Essex. I suppose either of those would do?.
However I suspect I’m not the target of those memes. I suspect this is just more factually incorrect racially motivated hatred. Those posting it are those that don’t to go to church from one year to the next.
I must admit I was rather surprised to see that sort of thing on my Facebook feed; I thought I’d purged my Facebook list of these sort of people ages ago. Obviously not…
I quickly capped a Munzee from the sofa then set off to work. As I drove the farming program was on the radio. There was a load of talk about how gene technology was creating new strains of tomato plants. This was being done pretty much in the same way that nature breeds new strains, but in a fraction of the time. But the phrase "gene "technology" had frightened those who didn't understand it, and some of the crackpot questions being asked on the radio were frankly laughable to anyone who has spent more than five minutes reading up on the subject. Of course gene technology and tomato plants is just a microcosm of the whole world. Incredibly few people spend more than five minutes reading up on anything any more. Everyone seems to prefer to continue spreading lies and misinformation that they read on-line. Fear of tomato plants, finding Christmas offensive... it's all a sign of our times.
There was also talk about Sir David Amess; the Essex MP who was stabbed in his constituency yesterday. This is now being seen as an act of terrorism, and there were other MPs on the radio this morning saying that now is the time to stop the general public having direct access to their MPs. I can't pretend that I'm an ardent supporter of democracy but this is perhaps a step too far.
I got to work and had a surprisingly busy day. As I worked “Daddy’s Little Angel TM” phoned. She's been looking to move from her attic flat for some time, and she'd found an ideal basement flat just down the road from where she lives. All she needs now is a team of mugs to fetch and carry all her stuff from one flat to the other for her. If any of my loyal readers find themselves at a loose end over the next couple of weeks and don't mind humping all of her tat up and down the road... please contact her directly. Leave me out of it.
With work worked I came home to an empty house. “er indoors TM” and “Daddy’s Little Angel TM” had gone down to Hastings for the bonfire procession. I gave it a miss; what with having been at work today, by the time I would have got there I wouldn’t have been able to park within an hour’s drive of where it would all be happening. Instead I took the dogs to the co-op field (where we had a good game) then came home where I set about more ironing. “Daddy’s Little Angel TM” had left cold KFC in the microwave. The chicken warmed up OK, but chips don’t re-heat any sense.
As I ironed and scoffed I binge-watched the last three episodes of “Squid Game”. Now I’ve seen it all… it started rather slowly, get very good in the middle, and ended with very much a feeling of WTF was that all about with quite a few unanswered questions. I suspect it lost an awful lot in translation.
I hope “er indoors TM” and “Daddy’s Little Angel TM” are quiet when they come home. “Daddy’s Little Angel TM” left her phone here by mistake and I can’t see them getting home much before midnight… and I’m worn out.
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