liquid yellow

Just because it feels nice to have this date above my thoughts I am writing. A brief moment of a symbolic nod to the ending of one, the start of another. Year and decade. But I don't really have anything else to say - nothing at least that doesn't require a longer treatise on the state of society and the adoration of idiocy, the madness of consumerism and its contribution to idiocy(idiocy obviously being a heavy burden on my every day life), not to even start with environmental destruction, the joy of a deep breath, the smile at the sight of the ocean or the sun over the desert mountains, the satisfaction after a good class of yoga, the search for meaning and the truth of existentialism, the miracle of the transcendental power of art and music, the joy and pain of meeting others attempting to find their way through this complete absurd concoction of existence we all came here to try. Too much work. Liquid yellow. On we go. twenny-ten.

a tree question

It’s that time of year again, where all around it’s about that time of year, the jolliest, happiest - and about the time that has passed yet again, so fast, to end another year. I as always have no emotions in this one. Just made it into home # 6 in my trek through LA. Six addresses in ten years, I do feel like I did accomplish some sort of Americanization. In 12 Berlin years I only called 2 addresses my home. But here it is part of being a true denizen of LA, a city so spread out you can only understand it truly by moving around in her and experiencing her from all different angles.
Even though to me this "fifth season" holds no enticement (and the added nuisance of being tortured by Christmas songs for weeks every time you enter a store) this year I am curious about a vocal part of this society that feels the need to defend Christmas. I stumbled across them through e-mail lists I landed on by handing my address to people I interview as a tv producer. They just make me part of their address book and hence I am connected to a viral world I have no personal stake in.
“There is a Christ in Christmas. Fight for the Christmas tree.“ Read one of those e-mails encouraging its recipients to inundate the ACLU with CHRISTMAS cards so their mailing center would become overloaded as a punishment. The ACLU is one of those groups that fight to call those trees "holiday trees" in public displays as to respect all religions. I am not sure those who don’t believe in the Christian savior are offended when you call those trees that. It seems a minor point to me, except for a few very delicate souls who are adamant about the separation of church and state or about the dissing of their religion.
I actually like to call them holiday trees. It reminds me of the multitudes of spiritual ways. I love that thought. Even though where I am from there was never a need to defend Christmas because until not too long ago being a Muslim or a Buddhist or a Jew wasn’t really a prevalent idea and hence there was never anything wrong with a Christmas tree. The thought of offending someone by assuming everyone celebrates the birth of Christ was truly foreign because by unspoken definition being German meant being Christian. Being American is not so simple. So I enjoy that there is a desire to respect other religions by acknowledging their lack of Christ and hence their lack of joy over a tree that celebrates the birth of the particular savior. There isn't only just one way and that is a thought I forever find consoling.
Not coincidentally in those e-mails this whole “they are taking our Christmas away from us” means to say “they” are a certain man in the White House and the D-party that can only do wrong. Funny that from that end of the political spectrum it is always about emotions and personal decisions that become the public and political. A point I truly am stuck on to ponder because it is against my sensibilities. But it being December I’ll rest my case. As far as I remember the point of celebrating the birth of the savior was that there is hope for humanity in all its colors to get along (and eventually all follow the one savior which over millennia has led to tremendous bloodshed, but that is a future development from the birth itself and an all too human interpretation of that birth). To me all religions have the same root, distinguished as they are by history and mentality and geography, they are all united by a yearning for peace and a longing to find meaning in the human condition. That if anything is the point of these year end celebrations, to rest your case, put aside the differences and see the human being on the other side. Call it holidays, call it Christmas - just stick with the essence.