What's happening in your world?

[Valarya]

...but it is usually just far too hot for those mid-summer.

So strange to think about Christmas in summer!!! The reason our tables are filled with so much heavy food is b/c we're packing on pounds for the winter.

I know I've asked my friend in New Zealand this years ago.. but I wanted to ask you, too.

A lot of christmas carols have to do with snow and sledding and sleigh bells, etc etc. Seems totally in the right place for a winter Christmas. Do you guys sing the same carols? Do you have any Christmas songs that are... summer-related?

['thul]

These beings will not hide that the reason they asked is partially to figure out what you eat for christmas, farseer...

[Farseer]

I know I've asked my friend in New Zealand this years ago.. but I wanted to ask you, too.

A lot of christmas carols have to do with snow and sledding and sleigh bells, etc etc. Seems totally in the right place for a winter Christmas. Do you guys sing the same carols? Do you have any Christmas songs that are... summer-related?

Not sure about my Kiwi brethren but we tend to adapt a lot of songs to make them 'Australian' eg Santa arrives wearing an Akubra, a Jackie Howe singlet, boardshorts and thongs, in a Holden ute pulled by six white boomers (kangaroos) etc. Of course, the traditional songs are still very popular and we sing them with as much gusto as the rest of the world..."I'm dreaming of a White Christmas" is something I've always done so am happy to croon along with Bing in that case! I love Christmas carols, be they about snow or beaches, and have been known to play them the whole year through... ...and have even won a radio competition when I was able to guess the carols from snippets of music or one, vague line.

[mmmmmmm]

When I was in New Zealand I was amused to hear carol singers performing White Christmas etc in glorious summer weather. If they adapt them I never heard it...

[Narya]

I grew up in sunny California, near the coast, where it never snowed. Singing about white Christmases was a tradition that never bothered me, though when I thought about it, I did have a hard time fitting snow, sleighs, and reindeer in with the rather arid setting of the original Christmas.

And as for the title of this thread, I've been hiking in Yosemite (a glorious 11 day trip, including one 12 hour hike up to the rim and back), staging a birthday for my 90 year old dad, re-learning how to swim, winning medals at the dragon boat festival, reading voraciously, and, sadly, working full time.

['thul]

The tradition of "christmas" is a mish-mash of different festivities... A lot of the "white" element comes from the heathen "Yule", a mid-winter celebration from northern Europe. Christianity has a history of "adopting" celebrations and symbols from other faiths, so that part is hardly surprising...

['thul]

these beings have now(ish) started playing an older computer game again... the kind that takes all day yet doesn't require constant attention to play. (named "virtual villagers)

'thul also just got back from a series of first aid practice sessions, where they acted out three out of six scenarioes. (overly drunk on friday, epileptic on saturday and a slashed artery in the wrist today. Lots of fun. (and today, lots of blood...)

[joost]

Again a week Zonnebloem next week. And then, a week later, 3 days of industrial mayhem at Maschinenfest.

['thul]

Here's an image of the injury 'thul constructed today...

Spoiler

turning into a human-shaped being to do it was a bother.

[fool-ish]

these beings have now(ish) started playing an older computer game again... the kind that takes all day yet doesn't require constant attention to play. (named "virtual villagers)

'thul also just got back from a series of first aid practice sessions, where they acted out three out of six scenarioes. (overly drunk on friday, epileptic on saturday and a slashed artery in the wrist today. Lots of fun. (and today, lots of blood...)

Sounds just like a week at work..and that's a fine wrist wound!

---

Again a week Zonnebloem next week. And then, a week later, 3 days of industrial mayhem at Maschinenfest.

Because I didn't know much about it, I watched a youtube video the other day showing cyber/industrial dancing. It was..different but at the same time quite fascinating and far too energetic for me! I'm more the 'swaying' type

Less than 5 weeks 'til Whitby Gothic Weekend and it can't come soon enough...all work and no play etc.