Friday, December 27, 2013

Celebrities -- their behaviour and lives

Sleaze is the new black -- at least in the celebrity world.  It is totally mind-boggling and beyond normality that nudity, sleaze, offensive sordid trashy behaviour are now the norm, and are in the news.  

Miley, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Bieber, and so many others need the attention and the money that attention brings.  At what price?  What happened to self-respect and dignity?  There are many performers and actors out there who still rake in the dollars, but are dignified and normal.   Ah, yes, "what is normal"?   No splitting hairs here, most of us know the difference between letting it all (and more) hang out for the world to see -- and not doing so.

Don't they have children, parents, relatives?  

Young and not so young women exposing themselves to the world - as if no one else has boobs and cleavage.  At least, if them boobs were real!   But no, she's showing off to the world that the two half-canteloupes attached to her chest are so fake, and she paid a lot for them, so here they are, with the outline so clearly visible.  Yes, mind-boggling.   

And the media eats it up.  Sleaze sells.  But after you've exposed all to the world, what's left to do?   Aha, twerking and sticking out your dirty tongue?  Showing that you don't wear underwear?  Performing bodily functions in public?   Ah, yes, contemporary Western culture....


Sunday, December 22, 2013

UKRAINIAN CHRISTMAS GREETING




To all my friends and readers who are celebrating the "first" (Gregorian) Christmas.   For a number of my articles on Ukrainian Christmas traditions, you can scroll through my articles on this blog, and also Google my name and "Ukrainian Christmas" or similar topics.  And a note:  hopefully, by this time next year, my book on Ukrainian Christmas traditions will be out.   Working title:   "First Star I See Tonight:  Ukrainian Christmas Traditions."     [applying for grants right now, but if there is a generous philanthropist out there to help with the publication, will be grateful!  The lottery numbers ain't working....]
 


Traditional Ukrainian Christmas Greetings
(Vinchuvannia)


На щастя, на здоровя з колядою,
Щоб Ви тішилися як пташка весною,
Як пташка на калині,
Дай, Боже, щастя Вашій родині!

Доброго здоровя, багато щастя,
Чистої води в криниці,
У полі ярої пшениці,
Хліба й солі на столі,
І погоди на душі!

Христос ся Раждає!

May you find peace, joy, and health for yourself, your family, your children, and your farm animals;
May you be as healthy as the spring waters,
May you be as cheerful as the swallows in the sky,
May your home never be hungry,
And may it be as prosperous as the fields of grain at harvest time,
And as full as the beehives are with honey,
And the orchards are ripe with fruit.
We wish you all this, and may we come together next year to greet and wish each other again.
Khrystos Rodyvsia!  Christ is Born!
Slavimo Yoho!  Let us praise Him!