Monday, September 3, 2007

Happy Marxism Day

Apart from being a school boy with a three day weekend (my school year always started in mid-August), I never much cared for this holiday. It sounds Marxist. It's basically our softer and older version of the International May Labor Day (which incidentally commemorates events that took place in the U.S., but I suppose we didn't need two labor days in this country)

It really doesn't affect my life too much now that automatic and internet banking are so pervasive and I often forget to get my snail-mail for days. Also many, if not most, retail stores still open their doors, and even have sales. As a student I can still do my work on Federal holidays (and often have to). When I graduate, I can bill for work on weekends and holidays just the same as work done on other days. So all in all, my only complaint is that it just leaves a bad ideological taste in my mouth.

Tangent: the discussion Matt had about capitalism with some Yugoslavian youths made me sad inside.

In other news: time to put away those white dinner jackets and linen suits. I don't care who says the rules have changed.

4 comments:

Tim in the South said...

You've been awfully doctrinare lately, Pink. If I didn't know better, I'd say you let yourself fall for a cute liberal and he broke your heart... your hard-bitten conservative act doesn't play me for a second. Soft gooey center is closer to the truth, I think.

Regarding Matt's discussion, well, God knows you have to love Matt, but knowing his inclinations, and the age of consent in Slovenia, we have to assume that these boys were, what, 18? 20? Hardly a suitable cross-section. My own experiences working in the old East Germany were much more encouraging. My good friend Volker owned 3 companies at age 34 and thought capitalism was the greatest thing since sliced bread... to borrow a Matt-ism. He said capitalism was taken for granted in the west and that it was perfect for a young East German boy, because they knew how to work, but the Western boys were lazy and soft, because they had everything handed to them. This was usually true, in my experience.

In the summer, Volker swam the Danube near Dresden every day... in the nude. Watching him come out of the water was like watching a young river god. I know that's totally off-topic, but I thought I'd share.

Tim in the South said...

By the way, I agree with you about the white dinner jackets and linen suits. Elegance and bearing never goes out of style.

Anonymous said...

The weather is more important than the date. I'll wear my linen gauze drawstring pants and (Jesus) sandals (never flump flomps) as long as the weather is suitable.

Anonymous said...

What are the rule regarding khaki pants and navy blazers? Is there a time when one MUST switch over to gray pants? Or are khakis so pervasive that it doesn't matter?

Or: am I delusional and this was never a rule to begin with?