The Big 30 (And I've got an awesome wife)

Thanks to my beautiful wife and some old friends I had a great 30th B-day. Katy had been cooking up something since Thanksgiving in preperation for my birthday.

K kept on asking what I would like for my birthday, and I said that I would just like to spend it with friends, and I haven't really had time to make any here. Little did I know she had already booked a flight for JR (the best man at my wedding) and I didn't know about it until I announced our departure and she confessed that JR was at the airport.

JR's flight was delayed and so the elaborate scheme worked out with another old friend, Kristen, fell through, but it was a great surprise (more like shock) anyway. K and I had been trying to get together with Kristen and her husband Joshua for a while- little did I know that they were cooking up this scheme to have JR just walk into a restuarant where we were eating. Well, JR's flight got delayed, so (despite the best efforts of Katy, Kristen, and Joshua) we just went and picked JR up from the airport.

We played a little Halo the next day, then got some clam chowder while K picked up Brayden, then we all went out to Napa Valley and had a great time. We went to three vineyards while we were there. One that K and I like in particular is Van der Hayden. If you ever get a chance go there - it lacks some of the polish of the bigger vineyards, but it has great wine. JR (who knows a lot more about wine than K or I) liked the wine there as well, so we feel somewhat justified in our taste. Brayden flirted shamelessly with some college age young ladies who were there, and chased a "doggie" relentlessly.

Then next day we went back down into the city to see Kristen and Joshua and their two kids. Kristen had known JR from college, so we thought it would be nice to get everyone together. We ate lunch at a great mexican food place, then went to a great park (Delores Park) that overlooks downtown San Francisco. From the park we went to the Mission and took a self guided tour. I hope that Kristen will post some of the pictures she took. On our way back to Kristen and Joshua's place we stopped by and picked up some dessert from a great bakery close to their casa. Finally, we ate some pizza from another local resturant. Many thanks to Kristen and Joshua for their hospitality. I had a great time, I hope everyone else did.

We are looking forward to going to Aspermont this upcoming weekend, so I'm sure we'll be posting some picts from that adventure.

The one about Christmas

Check this story out - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16150563/ . I couldn't believe it. No, wait a minute, I guess I could.

Why has Christmas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas) become so divisive? Last year it was the decision to omit "Merry Christmas" from stores in favor, exclusively, of the more inclusive "Happy Holidays". This trend, however, does not seem to hedge on Christmas, it is everyone being so concerned about being politically correct - about everything.

I will always say Merry Christmas. The reason I celebrate Christmas is because it is a time that has been traditionally set aside to recognize the Birth of Christ - but I also celebrate time together with family and friends, the sharing of gifts, and generally a couple of days off of work. I will also say that I am not the least bit offended when people say "Happy Holidays" to me, just as I would not expect to get a sour face from someone to whom I say "Merry Christmas". As for the Christmas tree article - there is not one religious aspect to a Christmas tree. You can make things up (and many have) but, other than the name, the Christmas tree has no Christian "roots". People are not bothered at all by Santa Clause (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas), but he has more Christian background than a Christmas Tree - Saint Nicholas was a real person - and devoted his life to Christianity and doing good works and giving gifts, and this is the character that gets the most attacked by Christians! All the stories about him may not be true (especially about elves and the North Pole -which they say is going to melt away by 2034), but I have no doubt that the person that inspired all these legends of generosity must have been very kind hearted and generous.

In the days after the Revolutionary War, Christmas was not celebrated in many homes in the United States because it was "too English". That sounds almost like what we have come to today.

So to the rabid (what is a politically correct term for someone who is over politically correct?) I say, please just let it go. Celebrate the holiday you want to celebrate - I won't stop you and I won't support anyone who does. To the easily offended Christians, if a store wants to call it "Happy Holidays" or "Happy Hanukkah" instead of "Merry Christmas", then, if you feel led, don't shop there, but don't call a boycott or threaten a lawsuit. The best way for you to ensure that the tradition you hold to is continued, is to let those that are close to you (your friends and family) know why you celebrate it as you are showing them the warmth and love that Christmas, at its best, is supposed to communicate.