Christmas is coming...

OK, well, although technically true, it's not going to be here for a while. But I'm already looking forward to it. It's not because I've seen something in the shops or on TV (although I did get Grumpy Old Men series 1 on DVD and it has the 2003 Christmas Special on it). It's just I've been making plans.

Last year was the best Christmas I've had in a long time. When I was younger it was great. It would be me, my Mum and Dad, and my sister Susan. Susan and I would come down probably appallingly early to have a look. We would each have an armchair in the lounge on which would be stacked presents upon presents. Mostly they would be board games which we would play for the rest of the day. Always a chocolate selection box and a stocking. There would be a Bond movie on, a Morecomb and Wise Christmas Special and probably Noel's Christmas Presents. There would be a big lunch and lots of fizzy drinks (Cherryade, Orangeade, Lemonade), lots of chocolate and lots of nuts. Boxing Day would be just like a continuation of Christmas Day. More games, more TV, more fizzy drink. It would be great.

Then I had the misfortune of losing my Christmas Spirit. It was a mixture of things. We already had too many board games. The news agents where we got the drinks closed. I got more in touch with the grumpiness within. I got more difficult to buy for. My sister went to college. I had a girlfriend who was hugely bad for me. By Christmas 2000 I hated it. I hated the commercialism, the falseness, the hypocrisy. I got to hate the TV and the nuts. The fizzy drinks became just the usual Coke I had all year round. The presents weren't a surprise because I'd chosen them for myself. In some cases I'd got them myself, and my parents gave me the money. This is not to say I blame my parents in any way for my lack of Christmas Spirit. They did everything they could. I was just a grumpy youth. Few real friends to speak of. No social life outside of school, which turned into no social life outside of University, and then no social life outside of work. A few Christmases there really sucked. I got through the day easily enough. Still did the presents thing with Mum and Dad. Then the lunch. But then disappeared up to my room for the rest of the day. Boxing Day as far as I was concerned was just another day off and couldn't be over soon enough.

But then last year, I got it back. They say a change is as good as a rest. Maybe that's true. Last year I spent Christmas with friends and their family in Vancouver. It was great. It was a Christmas unlike any I had had before, and the first I'd spent away from home. I didn't know what to expect of the day itself. Or the day before (my friends spent Christmas Eve evening with his Mum, and Christmas Day with her's. This year it's the other way around). I wasn't expecting presents, but got a bounty of thoughtful and welcome gifts. I was made to feel like family, and part of a larger family than I was used to even when I was younger. It was the best Christmas of my adult life.

And this year I'm going back. My girlfriend is coming with me. I can't tell you how good it is to feel optimistic about Christmas again after so long. Even this early in the year. My life has changed a lot in the last 8 months. I had a great Christmas. I quit my job. I found the girl I'm going to spend the rest of my life with. I moved out of my parental home. I basically found things to live for again, and that there is much more to life than work. I feel incredibly blessed now to know that the few very close friends I have are friends I'll keep with me for the rest of my life, despite the fact that I don't talk to them as often as I should. I feel humbled by the acceptance I have found in my second family - the one in Vancouver that isn't actually blood related, but the families of two of my closest friends.

Life is good (despite my moans about cold-callers and terrorism). I hope it is for you too. And just in case I forget to say it when the time comes, I hope everyone out there has as good a Christmas as I know I'm going to have.

On A Brighter Note...

It seems the IRA is giving up violence. Again. This time for good. I hope it works out this time. I've not really been influenced by terrorism to a greater extent than anyone else who hasn't been directly involved, for which I am very grateful. But I am affected by the same cynicism. I heard a former Northern Ireland Secretary (to the British Government) say that he thought one of the reasons the IRA could now be moving towards political change rather than violent change was that al-qaeda had given terrorism a bad name. Classic. I don't really know as much about the history of Northern Island as maybe I should, so I cannot say which cause is the more just. But terrorism seems to have done nothing to make the UK government allow re-unification, or even allow steps towards it.

So has it been self-defeating? I can't answer that. I can't say for sure that terrorist activities have had no impact on the political landscape. Maybe it makes both sides more willing to negotiate. But I can say as long as there is even a minority who don't like the outcome, there is a potential for trouble, not just in this situation, but in any dispute people feel strongly about. It's the difference between supporting the idea of democracy and majority rule, and actually living by it when you don't get the outcome you are after.

Terrorism doesn't seem to have a very good success rate. The IRA have been unable to force the re-unification of Ireland by violent means. Al-Qaeda have so far been unable to force the withdrawal of all Western troops from Iraq, let alone other Islamic nations. Neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians seem to have managed to further their causes in the 'disputed territories' with violence. The phrase "This Government does not negotiate with terrorists" is banded about a lot. And although it might not be entirely true, it does show the entrenchment that sets in when any group or individual feels the need to resort to terrorism.

So why do it? Why resort to terrorism? I'm not an expert. But it seems that terrorism is a way for a minority to try and affect change that either they cannot obtain (or change that is not happening fast enough) through political means. Or as a recruiting drive or demonstration for a minority that feels they serve a silent majority. I have to say (and I'm more than willing to admit that I might be talking rubbish) but it seems more than a little naive to believe that taking on the United States is a good way to get what you want. It seems a little like going up to the strongest kid at school, stamping on his foot and expecting him not to punch your lights out, but to suddenly see the error of his ways as you see them.

Can terrorism succeed? What outcome makes terrorism effective? If the terrorist group becomes the majority, or makes the majority bend to it's will. How often does that actually happen? How often to plane hijackers actually succeed in getting what they want? How often does the plane actually get to Acapulco?

Eventually all empires fall, the political landscape never stays the same and the balance of power is never stable for long. If politics doesn't evolve, the planet usually has a way of nudging things along (think earthquakes and the like). If we are to believe the changes that are occurring on the planet (in terms of global warming and our impact on the environment) it is the nations that are most technologically advanced that will suffer the most if fossil fuels run out and there are no viable alternatives. Then the societies less reliant on technology may be the new powerful.

There's a change coming. There's always a change coming. There will never be a time when there isn't a change coming. But odds are it won't happen through terrorism. It will happen despite it.

I wonder if I could interest you in...

Over the last few days I seem to have had a number of unsolicited sales phone calls. I had hoped that being a British Telecom Ex-Directory customer would allow me not to be disturbed by people wanting just a few minutes of my time to sell me something I have absolutely no interest in. And up until a few days ago it seemed to be working. But then it happened.

Is that Mr X?
I'm sorry who?
Mr X?
I'm afraid there's no-one of that name here.
Is that (telephone number)?
Yes, but there's no-one of that name here.
Well maybe you can help. I work for Inconsequential Sales Inc. Could you spare a few minutes to answer some questions?
No. I'm just walking out the door.
It will just take a few minutes.
No, I really have to go.
Thank you.

Then there was another one this morning that my girlfriend dealt with. Then I got another one this evening. I'm afraid I got a bit annoyed. I was polite, but told the guy I wasn't interested in buying anything over the phone and would they please remove my number from their database. It was one of the reasons I went Ex-Directory I said. To which the smart-ass decided to ask "What makes you think going Ex-Directory will reduce your sales calls"? Not really what I wanted to hear. So he got a brusque "Please don't call here again" at which point I put the phone down. Unfortunately he's right. Being Ex-Directory doesn't protect you against unwanted sales calls. BT have launched a new 'privacy' service allowing sales companies access to a database of the numbers of people who don't want sales calls. And caller display. I registered right after I put the phone down.

Now I have two questions. The first is this. Why aren't all forms of communication protected from the parasites of cold-calling from the start. Spam emails. Junk mail. People lying in wait on the pavements with their clipboards. Unsolicited sales calls. It shouldn't be a case of opting out. It should be a case of opting in. The second is why do sales companies think they have the right to disturb me at home? What indication have I given them that I will in any way welcome their call?

Phones, like any means of labour-saving communication, do not save labour. They add to it. "Be in contact with whoever you like, whenever you like" they say. What they never advertise is "Be available to anyone else whenever they like".

Now I realise that I'm not the most tolerant man alive in certain circumstances, although I tend to hide that fact quite well. But there are certain groups of people who I really don't see a valid purpose for (just read my last blog). You can add cold-callers to the list. They are not providing me with a service I want. They are not providing a service I am willing to tolerate. So let me serve fair warning here and now. I don't like cold-callers. And if they phone me again, they'll find out for themselves.