Flat screens project a new reality

I read the news this week from Best Buy about their decreased profits and their CEO saying that it’s a changed reality.  From what I read I concluded that Best Buy has determined that people aren’t going to be able or willing to buy the big flat screen for quite awhile.

I got the sense that he maybe was saying that the economic growth and apparent propersity over the last several years was fueled in part by people spending a lot of money they didn’t have and those days are gone forever (or at least a long time).   Many have lost the means to buy a flat screen and others with the means are maybe looking at their retirement, nest egg, college savings plan statements and concluding that they will have to put more money in these places because it’s 35% less than it was a few months back.

I wonder too if there aren’t a few people that have started to rethink what’s truly important and what isn’t.  There’s quite a few out there, I suspect that maybe thought a flat screen wasn’t such a bad idea and but then saw the all the turmoil caused by greed and modified their perspective.  Maybe they now thinking – I really don’t want to be grouped with this large group of people who were blinded by the belief that they can have it all now.  

The banks went for high returns because the bankers were going for big bonuses and the people were going for big houses and big toys and the government overseers were too busy playing solitaire and didn’t want to do anything to dampen the pre-election economy especially when we got a war on.  

Maybe Brad Anderson, the Best Buy CEO, has realized some people have seen what has transpired and the overwhelming greed and self-interest that fabricated the house of cards economy we had and have concluded there is a lot to be said for a simpler lifestyle.  He knows maybe quite a few people out there aren’t going to be as tempted as they once were with his adult toy store.  Many have concluded that a flat screen might add some minor value to their life but it isn’t important to them.

Seems the Pope has also concluded that times are a changing.   He was hoping that this economic downturn will be an opportunity to get reacquinted with the fundament joy that Christmas offers that has nothing to do with the material.   I think he’s right.  I think people are modifying there perspectives.  It’s a probably going to be a bummer for the flat screen and electronic retailors, but realizing Christ is the reason for Christmas and every other day, is worth the cost.

 

Diagnosis: broken tailbone (pending)

 

I have found myself increasingly looking toward special events in my life and am concerned about it.  In addition to looking forward to things I perceive as pleasant, I also seem to view other things as things to get through with.  I map out my week between things I will likely enjoy and things that I’ve deemed to be some flavor of burden and along I plod through my existence.

 

Is this the way everyone goes (gets?) through the week?  Do you map out your week by assessing the events as easy/pleasant hard/less pleasant?  Surely there must be more to our existence than this?

 

I think it’s unrealistic to expect that we can make a pleasant experience of everything but I guess deep down there’s got to be more potential to enjoy things more than I seem to be able to do.  On the other hand, I have encountered people who have twisted the sense for what is enjoyable and not enjoyable to the extent to where they seek to create some sore of unpleasant situation.  They like to argue or be confrontational or make a scene because they derive some sort of pleasure from it.  And I don’t want to go there.

 

I really have so much I should be grateful for including the fact that things I perceive as unpleasant would be openly welcomed by many because their unpleasant realities are so much worse than mine.  I heard a guy on the radio talking about GM bailout and he said something like, “We economists tend to think the autoworkers are inefficient at our two hour lunches.” I am not wishing ill on anyone (including/especially myself) but that’s the sort of thing that would certainly change my perspective in a hurry.  

 

If I think attending ____________is a drag, wait until I slip on the ice and break my tailbone.  After the tailbone breakage attending ____________will seem like a damned picnic what with the constant pain in my butt.  

 

Okay – I don’t want to break my tailbone or have any other bad experience to put things into a healthier perspective (although I secretly feel as though I’ve imposed a curse on myself by blogging this blog – it’s a lot like dropping comprehensive coverage on your car; it’s a sure way to get into a accident that’s totally your fault).  So maybe I need to pretend I broke my tailbone or create some other misfortune so I can begin to see all things as good things – they are opportunities to be a better person.

 

Let’s see – what sort of misfortune can I pretend has befallen me?  It’s an exercise that reminds me of how many coaches try to convince their teams that no one gives them a chance.  “No one thought we would win one game, let alone make it to the state championship game…” Coach X from the six time state champions Y.  

 

Okay think, Dan…I got it.  I went out and got a Christmas tree today and the needles scrapped the crap out of my wrists and legs – the needles were unfortunately poisonous and the poison is very slowly making me look older, slower and stupider each and every day; it’s probably fatal at some future point.  

 

What a huge misfortune this is, I had better approach every event from now on with a positive outlook and stop being a whining little baby that’s needs its diaper changed.

Conflict of Interest

I feel more conflicted this year about Christmas than ever before.  It used to be a high point in the year for me and I’d spend a lot of time and energy preparing for it.  Back in the day, I would dwell on some unique lighting scenario for my house.  I’d spend a day or two outside making whatever scheme I dreamt a reality.  I also used to make Christmas gifts.  Typically I would piece together some fantastic but practical wood sculpture.  Not this year though – I’ve been lying low, real low.

 

In part I attribute my celebration to time.  Time is moving faster now (yah, I know it’s impossible, but it is).  It used to take forever it seemed to get from Thanksgiving to Christmas but now it seems like a couple of weeks at most.  I think my kids activity and homework assistance has definitely cut into some of the time and energy I used to apply to Christmas preparation endeavors.  This makes time go faster.

 

I also think there is a societal/theological conflict within me.  On the one side you got society saying Christmas is a time of plenty – load up on gifts – buy other crap – put up decorations and copious amounts of cheap Chinese Christmas lights inside and outside of your home.  On the other side I guess I’d have to think on balance Christ would completely disagree with many things we do at Christmas.  Spending money we may have or not have on things we may on things we or others may or may not need all the while slowly heating up the earth by stringing up Christmas lights made by impoverished laborers somewhere.  

 

Well I’ll admit that last scenario does not exactly put me (or anyone else who happens to read it) into good cheer.  I am still looking forward to getting together with family and friends and being in good cheer.  I guess that should count for something.  But I think my Santa and the Reindeer figures will stay in hibernation this year.  Maybe I’ll see if I can put up a simple star at a high point in my tree and that will represent a compromise between with the conflict.  Not too much electricity and an appropriate symbol for why we should be celebrating.