Altered States, no thanks

With no apologies to Paddy Chayefsky, I hate altered states. The state, that is, not the book or the movie, although Ken Russell might be an altered state all to himself.

While studying Psychology at University, I discovered the book by Chayefsky and I also studied many different types of altered states in numerous classes and courses. I did not participate in studies like the Leary stuff, although I have had some voluntary altered states when I was much younger.

No, the state that I refer to is the state I have found myself in due to the need for analgesics following my recent surgery. I hate having to read and re-read a paragraph. Just thinking that this post just might make sense actually humours me. To add to this altered state I have just watched the first part of "Woodstock" yes the original and only "Woodstock" with my son. The numerous depictions of altered states was mind bending, sorry I had to put that in. The state was not just due to drugs, but also due to meditation (looked like tantric at some point), Tai Chi, dance and then there was Joe Cocker, who had his own "altered state" when he "got by with a little help from his friends". I just love watching his "air guitar".

I want to have a clear head, to think, to recall, to be able to come up with the correct word when speaking with family and visitors. The likelihood is that I either get used to the stuff, or I get off them. That's my master plan, to get off all of this stuff, I want to be free of the affect and effect of the chemicals on my brain, my mind, my state of being and my life. That's not too much to ask, is it?

Aah patience, yes I know it's a virtue, my Mom always said that and a few others too, some were clearly from Solomon, but this one is not. The only kind of altered state I want right now is to sleep, perchance to dream.

51 days to Christmas

51 days to Christmas. Yup, that's what the little app on my ipod says.

51 days to go. I just booked my son's flight to come home and looked at the app and there it was in all of it's Dick Butkus glory, 51.

As much as I have begun to dread (or even hate) winter, snow, ice, slush, and all the wet stuff, I love Christmas. And in my world, it is not "the holidays" I am so sick of the homogenization of so many things, especially those that in some way reflect on the Christian experience. call it Kwanzaa for all persons of African origins sake and the rest of us. Call it Hanukkah for all my Jewish friends and family and for Christians sake call it Christmas. that's what we celebrate and if you celebrate something else, then I wish you the best in whatever it is that makes your heart and the rest of you glow.

Don't try to take away my enjoyment by wishing me a happy holidays so as not to insult someone else, what a load of crap. Most normal people really don't care if you celebrate or not, and if you do, they don't care what it is that you celebrate. It is some close minded persons who think they can think for everyone else by saying Christmas is not acceptable because it excludes. If anything Christmas includes and welcomes all to worship the new born King. the next time He comes it's gonna be different and just as Dr. John says there;'s gonna be a reckoning.

One last thing, if you don't like Christmas, let's see you go to work on the afternoon of the 24 and all day on the 25th. Never mind easter weekend, oh no I am entitled to those stats. Give me a break. Hmm why do they take those days off anyway?