Sunday’s soapbox is yours to use as you will – within the bounds of decency and absence of defamation. You’re welcome to look back or forward, discuss issues of the moment, to pontificate, ponder or point us to something of interest, to educate, elucidate or entertain, amuse, bemuse or simply muse but not to abuse.
It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters. –Epictetus .
| Family failures | Th… on Family failures | |
 | Heather Adam on Family failures |
 | kevn on Taxing talk |
| Taxing talk | The In… on Taxing talk | |
 | pdm1946 on Taxing talk |
| Guinness goes well w… on Guinness goes well with l… |
Kiwi Blog Inquiring Mind No Minister PointOfOrderNZ Lindsay Mitchell Cactus Kate Valerie Davies Oamaru Life Karl du Fresne Stephen Franks Bassett Brash & Hide Not PC WHatSheSaidNZ No Punches Pulled Croaking Cassandra Barbar’s meaty issues Rivetting Kate Taylor Uptown Farm Barrie Saunders Quoteunquotenz Blog the Globe Armstrong on Politics Breaking Views Agrarian Offsetting Behaviour Autism & Oughtimsms visible hand Stats Chat Macdoctor NZ’s Got Talent interest.co.nz Bowalleyroad Dim Post Election results Story People Liberty Scott Open Parachute Sciblogs Liberation YourNZ Imperator Fish Life Behind the Iron Drape PM of NZ Something Should Go Here Pundit kiwipolitico Watching Brief Stellar Cafe Oamaru Opera House Keeping Stock Dave Gee life from right field Latitude 44
Homepaddock 
List of people with whom you should never try and engage in conversation because they have one tracked, closed minds and the conversation always comes back to their obsession
(1) Jehovah’s Witnesses
(2) Apostles of Global Warming
(3) Atheists
LikeLike
Ha, a little more self-awareness would lengthen that list a bit Andrei.
Merry Christmas.
LikeLike
Although engaging the Jehovahs witnesses can be engaging. They came back regularly when I mentioned we were devil worshippers (although my mother was scandalised). What finally made them stop coming was a comment about being Catholic (again my mother was scandalised).
Greens can also be entertaining, but less so than JW’s. The Greens are just too full of missionary zeal…
LikeLike
Paranormal,
You have Greens visit you? That happens up there?
LikeLike
Admittedly Mr E that was when we lived in Auckland. Greens wouldn’t visit us now, we live in the country…
LikeLike
I think that you are too cynical Andre. My parents were Jehova’s Witnesses for a time when I was young and I have fond memories of some of the experiences. But when they decided to leave my parents were told that bad thing would happen to their four children. I have had some bad things happen in my life but I wouldn’t think they are any worse than what most people have experienced. I would bend over backwards for my siblings and fortunately they have largely escape trouble in their lives too.
Despite the omen when Jehovah’s Witnesses come to my door I show them the good grace that I would show anyone who came knocking. A closed mind is only a problem when it meets with another closed mind.
Merry Christmas Andrei and I wish you a little less bitterness in 2016.
LikeLike
I’m not bitter Tracey – the comment above is my odd sense of humour at play and follows on from another thread (actually two threads but one in particular) where I was expressing joy in humanities creativity and derailments were attempted.
We all have troubles in our lives, it is the human condition.
Perhaps the pain we experience is the driver for our art – do you know the libretto for Madam Butterfly? It is not exactly “and they all lived happily ever after”
Anyway a Merry Christmas to you
LikeLike
Paranormal, let me know your address and I’ll make sure that you won’t miss out on a visit from a Green. We have a strong Rural Green network and I’m sure we will have members near you. 😉
We are having our family Christmas Gathering at our place this year so we are looking forward to that, however it is the first Christmas for 22 years that we will be missing our son, he is currently seeking his fortune in the UK.
After Christmas I am looking forward to a trip to Christchurch for a wedding and on the way we will be spending time in the Mount Cook area. Over 30 years ago I spent much of my spare time climbing as many peaks as I could but haven’t visited since.
Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year everyone, and I look forward to clashing keyboards with you all again in 2016.
Here is a historical link that may be of interest:
http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz/2013/12/merry-christmas.html
LikeLike
Merry Christmas to all – I dedicate Will, Mr Ed, and Tracy in particular 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnUFHMx2jgk
LikeLike
Merry Xmas to you too Andrei,
LikeLike
Not sharing your personal family Christmas arrangements, advising us of familial dispersal, or furnishing your full holiday travel itinerary, including past mountaineering triumphs then, Mr E?
LikeLike
NW, a Merry Christmas to you too. I often have my history and how I pass my time described to me in detail here by others (who presume to know) and thought I would share the reality.
Just so that you know that Water Melons, Stalinists and the Green Taliban celebrate Christmas and time with families too 😉
LikeLike
Thanks for your kind offer DK, but we’re probably too far out of town to save the world. 🇳🇿
Merry Christmas everyone
LikeLike
Milking on Xmas morning is very peaceful , mainly because I can’t hear the nearby city. That is not too grinch , is it.
Anyway . . . . gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar.
Calving starts in early January -the best time of the year.
FB
LikeLike