Christmas is coming, Christmas is coming, What are your plans?

[PatanjaliTwist]

Originally Posted by varmintblaster

I walked away...

I still go to church every Sunday morning - but it's located on a wooded path or the middle of a stream. I feel closer to the Big Guy there.

Same here VB. Left at 16, but still remember many of the rituals/customs through shear fear & rote. I've been inside a church only for a couple of funerals since then, but respect anyone's right to practice whichever religion they feel. Still love Christmas or any day people take time to be thankful & happy.

RR... not sure if that was a joke, but, enjoy your Christmas.

[Summering]

Originally Posted by RestonRunner86

Thanks for the insight about mass/worship services. I've decided to go onto CraigsList to try to secure a "date" (of some sort) for the evening instead. It will beat loneliness.

That idea scares me to death.......Craigslist is so crazy lately.......
I'd rather think of you walking in the park in the snow then to trust someone from that list.....Have a Merry Christmas, stay safe.

[varmintblaster]

I sold my pontoon boat last week via Craigslist - guy showed up with cash in hand.

Maybe Reston will make a few bucks..

[frank754]

There don't seem to be that many computer savvy folks around here as where we lived in the past. I had a beautiful Pittston stove for sale, and only got rid of it when I offered it for free. At least we sold our nice dining room chair set rather quickly. But having lived in other places, the folks around here don't seem to be as internet savvy as most.

[coalboy]

Originally Posted by varmintblaster

I recall the nuns trying to extort mine (and the other kids) candy money for their mission fund.

Sorry, but I was evidently baptised and confirmed in the wrong Roman Catholic Church where $ was the prime motivator to keep up the maintenance on the new Caddy's parked behind the rectory.

I walked away from the organized money-grubbers.

I still go to church every Sunday morning - but it's located on a wooded path or the middle of a stream. I feel closer to the Big Guy there.

well, John Wayne, Thank ya, for your 'country 'bumpkinish' guy from the wilderness' reply'...and wish to be with 'the Big Guy' in the middle of some bucolic stream in Nepa....but for what it is worth, notwithstanding all the vagaries of the Catholic 'Enterprise' i.e. allegations of Altar Boy Buggering, extortion of your candy money, and other more serious malfeasance both Civil and Criminal,....

My guess is that when you take the final 'dirt nap' you are not going to be buried in in a unmarked grave in the middle of he wilderness...but be buried by your family in an actual plot, in a real cemetery.

Me, my will is explicit...ashes strewn between 3 separate beaches...Island Beach State Park NJ, Boqueron Bay, Puerto Rico, and Sandy Beach, Hawaii....Services under the direction of my wife, daughters, nephews, former comrades in arms, military and law enforcement, and current and former rock band members...

Sh#t my man, I'm going out with a band playin' and at least a cupla 9mm's shot into the sky!

[varmintblaster]

Well, after a 3-hour power nap, my short-term memory is refreshed and I can easily tell that I am not replying to Coalman – he does not use words like “bucolic”. J

First off, I spent my first 15 years tied to the Roman Catholic church and was baptized and confirmed. Even served as an altar buy during Sunday masses.

I always thought my church was too motivated by money – whether it be the nuns trying to rob candy money from grade school kids, or the new Buicks and Caddy’s driven by the priests as they cried poverty and asked the flock to stuff their donation envelopes a bit thicker with each new model year.

The clincher was the Agnes Flood of 1972 – which devastated much of the Wyoming Valley and left tens of thousands of people helpless & homeless. All the area churches had food & clothing drives, allowed folks to sleep in their basements and rectory buildings, and did as much as possible to help people – regardless of their religious devotion.

I stand corrected, all churches except mine. Apparently, they did not want to get any foul-smelling Susquehanna River mud smeared on their fancy floor tiles from Italy. They kept their doors locked, no food drives, nada, zip, and zilch.

I recall the Times Leader newspaper even did an expose type story about it.

I turned my alter boy uniform in, called the priests a bunch of hypocrites, and walked away, never to look back.

As far as the final dirt nap, I won’t be going in a hole. I already have made it clear in writing that I am to be cremated (as well as my parents), no fanfare via a wake, and my ashes will be dumped into the Lehigh River (those that will most likely be doing the dumping know the exact rock, seam, and flow levels at which to do so.
No funerals for me, I went through the funeral home director scam process once as an executor of an estate. (What a way to pee away $10,000 to $15,000 so they can pocket 8 or 9 grand clear). Yeah right!!!!


p.s. – btw – the church I quit and have never returned to, is located at the top of William Street in Pittston, Pa. I’m pretty sure they are still passing out envelopes, or perhaps it is ATM cards to swipe as the flock approaches the alter for their wafer.

I don’t begrudge other folks that seek religion and believe in it.

It simply is not my cup of tea, I’m not interested in finding a different house of worship, and yes – I would be perfectly happy if I died in the woods and the “worms ate into my brain “ (credit to Pink Floyd).

It’s 4:15 am.
Merry Christmas Coal boy.

Time for me to take my scheduled pre-dawn walk in the woods. I’ll say a quick prayer to the Big Guy for both you and me, and I will also ask him to steady my grip on the Savage Model 10 223cal Varmint Rifle when I red-light up a set of yotes eyes and send him off to meet his maker.

Afterwards, I will thank the Big Guy upstairs for giving the Pa Game Commission the insight for making yote season 365/24/7 – no breaks for the dogs – even on Christmas.

Later.

p.s.s. - I doubt that I will run into John Wayne.- his specialty was hootin Injuns

Maybe Robert Redford will pop out from behind a hemlock, dressed as Jerimiah Johnson - that would be cool !!!!

[coalboy]

Damn, VB as much as we try to deny it, we are both on the same page.
You're an intersting guy and like I said before, a pleasure to to chat with.... Merry Christmas.

p.s. loved that remake about RR and Craigslist

Gotta get ready for the reeanctmnent of 'General George' crossing the Delaware at One o'clock today...It's about three miles North of where I live, parking is hard to find even though both parks on the PA and 'Joisey' side are quite large,

We usually ride our MT. Bikes down the Canal Path and get there in a few minutes