I promised . . .

. . . to talk about my holiday. It's been a month now and things have finally settled down. I got exactly two gifts and I like both of them. I spent time with my relatives and we got along really nice. And the most positive of all is, that my sister managed to derail me only once.

All in all - I don't like Christmas . . . It's Christ's birthday - I don't believe in Christ. Why do I need to celebrate it? Why is it that people need an excuse to buy things . . . People spend money on worthless and pointless crap all year long and when Christmas arrives . . . well, people shop even more - but this time without feeling guilty . . . because "they are experiencing the joy of giving". What rubbish. Yeah, the joy of giving, the joy of giving idiotic things to idiots. I never ask anything for Christmas (because I don't want to celebrate it) and when my mom forces me to, I ask for something useful - something that I really need (not just want). I'd like to have an iPod Touch, iMac computer and my own flat and a car . . . but I don't need those objects - I got a sportsbag, which I needed, because I didn't have one . . . I got a book, because I like reading books. That's all I needed at the time. Whenever I need something else, I will go and buy that something. End of mystery . . . No, not really - people can't be reasonable . . . sadly . . .

An American supermarket had a Christmas sell - all the prices in half and 70% off and crap like that . . . (I know, I know: "but many people just wait till Christmas season and then purchase something they need (not as a present) at half a price. Ok, fair enough - though, do these people realize that they know there a sale and they buy shit without looking at the pricetag? No, they don't . . . the fact of the matter is - all the "70% off" bullshit is . . . well, bullshit. They have invented new, higher prices before the large sale to still rip you off. There might be some discount but mostly there is none.) And the first day, when people all tried to get into the supermarket at the same time to be the first to buy all the stupid shit they don't need, they trampled the young smiling lady, who opened the door to them, to death. Now that, I can tell you, is madness.

As human beings, we are sad, lonely and mad. Love doesn't exist, soulmates are non-existant and success is just an imagi converted in our mind by our subconscious need to better your mate.

"People spend money they don't have on things they don't need" - George Carlin. Never more so true than now - in the time of the so-called "credit-crunch". Everyone has a credit card which represents money they don't have . . . Everyone's house/apartment is filled with stuff they didn't need, want or like when they got home. "Consumption is the number one pastime in America. Forget baseball!" - again, Carlin... If you need refrigerator, go and buy a fridge . . . you need a stationary cupboard - go get one then. But I . . . I have slept on a mattress for two years now - everybody keeps telling me how I need a bed. You see - I don't even want a thing I need. (even though I might have the resources needed to buy what I need). I'm not a cheap-skape, but I know that I can get on without . . . pretty much everything. I don't like spending money (especially on clothes). The only things I do believe that money is worth spending on are books and love. Books contain vital pieces of information needed to survive in this wacky world of ours. And love - well, you need some way of reproducing, don't you? Family is always an important area of money-spending - the more you pour in, the more comes out of it. The future is in the hands of our children - let's create the means to capitalise on that chance. (even though I never plan on having any children - I'm controversial and a hypocrite, I know).

Last, but not least - what's so special about the changing of a number? If the numbers make out 12:00 am it's midnight - they were just a second ago 11:59(:59) . . . they changed into 12:00 . . . Nothing special - happens every day. But if 1999 turns into 2000 there are billions of people partying their asses off and drinking - just because they are able to buy a new calendar. (Nobody seems bothered by the fact that every year within the confines of the New Years celebrations many people die in the same way the poor girl did, who tried to be nice and open the door to let in thousands of people who didn't have anything of their own, so they needed to buy somehing because things were running out very quickly (it doesn't matter to them that if they bought the toaster a week before, they might have gotten it cheaper and the selection would have been a lot bigger and better).).

Why is the number so important? Cause many people still truly believe that a new year is going to change the way they act - new beginning, new opportunity. "I'm gonna be nicer to people and finally ask my girlfriend to marry me and stop smoking" is just one of cliché's you'll hear every first of January. The fact of the matter is - nothing is going to change, just because the number of the year changed. It's all down to human emotions - new gives hope, newer is better, newer is always much more in. In truth, the only things that a new year provides, are a new calendar, a new fashion-trend and a bunch of year-related accsessories (comp.games, note-pads, mobiles, all kind of other "hobnob"). Of course you cannot continue with your daily-planner if the year is 2009 and your planner is according to the 2008 calendar - that's normal. But pretending that the changing of the year can change you - is utter idiocracy. "I'm gonna quit smoking!" Very noble of you. How about making the decision when you first came to think it? I have made promises like that - I have quit smoking for about a million times . . . Some times were even related to the New Year. No, I couldn't do it. It's not because the year just wasn't good for me . . . It was because the promise was made in an euphoric state related to New Years' celebrations - but the next day I saw that the grass was still as green on 1st of January as it was on the 31st of December. And it was because I'm a spineless worm . . . New year did not make me any stronger in that matter.

Wow - this post really sucks. I hope you all (all 4 yes) comment on it and disagree it in every way - I know I left tons of places that are open for discussion).

Fire away.