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Speaking before one person, or a thousand (I've done both) doesn't matter a wit to me. I just pop me one of them orange pills and it's on!
Oh the ORANGE pill... I've always used that blue pill. No wonder why I get all the awkward looks. At least I was always happy to see them though. :rolleyes:
 
Yeah, Christmas is not what it used to be... not sure I'd call that "ceremony" tho.

One of the Barbershop Quartets I was in auditioned for and was awarded the gig to perform the National Anthem (barbershop style) at the opening of the semi-pro basketball games in Bend OR. It was very rewarding. At my old bozzes Kajakembo tournament I was tasked with having the audience stand for the Pledge and the Anthem, and then requested a moment of silence for our fallen soldiers... it was good.

Anyway, I absolutely, positively, LOVE to recite the Pledge of Allegiance!!! We do so at the beginning of every IDPA tourney here. And also at just before lunch is served at the Senior Center. While the others are kinda dazedly "reciting" the way we were taught in grade school, I am pledging loud and proud! I say it the way it was written, as punctuated:

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands; One Nation under God. Indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Admittedly there are those that say we don't live up to those words, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try!!!
 
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"Ceremony is garbage"...

Agreed!

For reasons beyond my ken some apparently need it.

Those of us who either detest it or simply don't need it, I fully understand.

Those of us who embrace life straight on without ceremony are probably in the minority or as mentioned previously...don't dare say so...

I equate ceremony to politicians and their pomposity...am I in the wrong?

Remember there's no right or wrong in this equation...if you will.

I don't care for other minor ceremony either - like birthday or anniversary crapola, etc.

Do I think this way so I don't have to buy someone a gift?

Nope, as I buy gifts throughout the year for loved ones and friends simply because it delights me to do so. Or give away pricey stuff I own.

I just gave my neighbor a $1000.00 29er bicycle (can't ride anymore) with many goodies attached worth another $200.00, lights and carrier stuff.
 
I equate ceremony to politicians and their pomposity...am I in the wrong?

I think some of it is... but certainly that is only a very small portion of the totality of "ceremony", of which some I like, some I don't, some I think are unnecessary, and some are unbearable. Just like life.. it's a mix and we can't rid ourselves of everything we don't like.
 
Never liked Ceremony, however there have been a couple of times I was glad I was there. Both times in the Army at Fort Campbell, KY. 1966 a Division parade minus the 1st Brigade who was in Vietnam. The mayors of the two local towns, Hopkinsville, KY and Clarksburg, TN were on the stage giving speeches to the troops. Since Ft Campbell was in both KY and TN the two mayors got into an argument about why it was called KY and not TN. The argument went from arguing to shoving and shoving to throwing punches. The General and his aides broke it up and cancelled the rest of the parade. The second time was also 1966 Ft Campbell where the division mascot, Sgt Strike Eagle was always on display. Someone was giving a speech when Sgt Strike slipped his tether and flew off. His handlers and roughly 50 other guys were running around trying to catch the eagle. They finally caught it and as a result the eagle was busted to Corporal for going AWOL. Funny story about that eagle. He made Sgt again in about three months. He lived in a big enclosure and was always on display. His handler would throw a chicken in the enclosure and that was how Sgt Strike would eat. Someone screwed up and threw a rooster in and when Sgt Strike went in for the kill, the rooster proceeded to kick his a$$. I went by there the next day and saw Sgt Strike cowering on a perch at the top corner of the enclosure. Someone had managed to put Staff Sgt stripes on the back of the rooster. Sgt Strike was demoted again for cowardice in the face of the enemy.
 
I dislike ceremonies.
My official opinion is that they suck.
I have no desire to listen to someone who is in love
with the sound of their voice prattle on for hours
while somehow managing to say absolutely nothing.
It is boredom to the point of self mutilation.
 
I don't mind it for others. Kinda the same way I feel about most holidays. If it's your thing...ceremony or holiday...more power to ya. And especially if it makes YOU happy in some manner. Go crazy and I would never ask anyone not to celebrate.

All I ask is for the same consideration and respect in return when I choose not to partake in these things for myself.

Ahhh...but the world does not easily tolerate those that would choose not to participate in such things as ceremony and holidays...and particularly for the granddaddy of them all...Christmas. You would have thought I kicked somebody's puppy by the way some people react.

Oh and look! We are right around the corner from my absolute LEAST favorite time of year. After Halloween I'm just praying for January 2nd to get here as quickly as possible. :rolleyes:
 
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I dislike being disrespectful of others.

Point of note:
Last night we had a birthday gathering at a local pizza place. I loathe these because I have some relatives who don't know how to act in public and I'm on the side of "Why don't we be freaking respectful of other people in this establishment who maybe came here to have a relaxing evening and not listen to my nieces and nephew scream and shout with their grandfather instigating it"

The 'ceremony' of simply having a birthday gathering was enough to make me uncomfortable. Now, I can go out with my family and my parents and it's just fine, no issues. Calm, relaxed and I don't feel like I have to apologize to anyone there. Add the in-laws and anything mild goes wild. Then throw in the brother in law's family and all bets are off. Give me a corner to sit in and disassociate from everyone. It's embarrassing.

So when it comes to these ceremonies, I have one or two I have to sit through unwillingly soon enough. Just keep me near an exit so when people start being disrespectful I can either bark at them and tell them to STFU or I can leave.

I was at my oldest son's HS graduation in Fresno. An entire basketball stadium full of people. It's noisy granted and people cheering etc for this miraculous achievement of nothing but then they start to discuss a girl who died in a car wreck through no fault of her own, she was an A student etc. These two people behind me kept talking up through the moment of silence. I lost my bubblegum and looked back and asked if they had any respect and they should shut their fkng mouths. They got the point and I didn't hear a word from them the rest of the ceremony.

I guess it's not the event but the asses that populate the event. You know, the ones who have to stand up and take photos with their flip phone cameras and block your shot with your $2000 lens that's counting the pimples on the kids face....

Lack of respect disturbs me more than anything else.
 
Only like them in certain small, meaningful occasions. Don't like big flashy ones full of BS and speeches.

An example of a ceremony I liked...

My wife & kiddo started doing martial arts with me this year. As one of the black belts, I'm up front during testing, and after the test concludes and new ranks are awarded, the students have to go down the line of all assembled black belts and shake hands. Normally the head instructor is the one that presents students w/ their new ranks. I got the honor of awarding the kiddo w/ his. When he earned his yellow belt (2nd promotion) I passed along mine to him - I was a year older than he was when I started, but he's damn near the size I was back then now. It was pretty cool being able to pass that along to him, and I enjoyed that.

An example of ceremony I don't like - weddings. I relented to wifey when we got married - we compromised on a "small" outdoor wedding, we still had something like 30 people there between both our families. I don't like being the center of attention there, and I personally think wedding ceremonies are stupid and pointless, and the receptions are expensive parties the bride & groom don't get to enjoy. I'd rather had spent the cash on the honeymoon or put it in savings...
 
Ceremony? HAH. Trust me, you aren't even on the first rung of a VERY tall ladder. Take a look at the British State Opening of Parliament, and the Queen's Speech thereafter.


THAT is ceremony.

Couldn't watch past a couple of minutes. Made me want to throw up.

The extent I cared about ceremonies was don't lock your knees and pass out in formation.
 
I'm not sure it's that I hate ceremony but that I find many of them utterly pointless.

I've been to so many weddings where the marriage didn't last.

My marriage has outlasted most of them now, we got married in a courthouse in front of a judge. (the same as my parents who are still married) Interesting story there the judge used to work with the same judge that married my parents.

The tradition is meant to solidify some sense of unity in the couple and communities mind.... It's not working.

Now I think it's more for making the lady feel like a princess or establishing some sort of BS fairy tale that they dreamed up as a kid. Thank God my wife didn't insist on it but she still misses the spending huge loads of money for no reason aspect a little bit.

Anyway, that's just one example of a traditional ceremony that I feel has lost its power.

If the ceremony is centered in the value society places on it and society doesn't keep the emphasis on its power, it becomes pointless and powerless.

I feel like most ceremonies have gone the way of losing their efficacy.
 
I've known only one other person besides me who admits to disliking ceremony of any kind, be it a wedding or graduation ceremony or ...?

Ceremony embarrasses me.

I find it hokey to the max.

Badly done amateur acting makes me want to either laugh out loud or scream, 'stop it', you're making an bubblegum of yourself or selves.

Why ceremony is insisted upon makes me wonder...why?

What's the motivation?

No doubt, I'm in a very small minority of folks who think this perspective or are there others who think this way regarding ceremony, but simply don't speak up for fear of being thought odd?

You?

I dislike celebrating expected outcomes, like "graduating" kindergarten and "graduating" 5th grade and going to middle school, and 8th grade and going to high school. I believe that celebrating these types of events doesn't benefit students and instead (for some families) harms them, causing them to think they have actually achieved something worthwhile when they haven't. Celebrating a high school graduation and entering the adult world is a large threshold for students and I agree should be celebrated, but not the others.

I also find some ceremonies to be a waste of time. I didn't attend my graduation ceremony for my masters degree.

1) I got my diploma in the mail regardless
2) I'm not going to pay another $100 on top of the $40K I already paid for a stupid gown
3) I don't care to see my classmates who were total social justice whack jobs ever again
4) I can think of more than a million other things to spend my time doing than sitting for a few hours listening to some academic shill talk.

Although I could have done without the wedding ceremony, it was important to my wife, she's awesome, and if I have to stand and look good in an outfit for part of a day, there are worse things in life. Plus getting all the family I appreciate into the same area to hang out isn't a bad deal.
 
My wife and I were married by a JP.

Before he got started I asked "what the least that can be said to accomplish your mission of marrying us"?

He replied: "I now pronounce you man and wife"

My wife and I looked at each other and agreed that's what we wanted and that's what he/we did.

No muss - No fuss

The JP looked a little bewildered by our request and a little hurt that he didn't get to go through his routine.

Worked for us.

We've been married 40 or so years.
 
Nope, don't give a rip about ceremonies, secular or sacred. And the holidays suck; always loathed them, always will. (But go through the motions for wife and wee ones, who do enjoy immensely.) For that matter, there are quite a few norms, mores, and societal conventions I find inexplicable, though so some are unintentionally hilarious. But all that is another topic. :s0112:
 
It's why I haven't had a wedding, my partner nor I have a taste for such extravagance. We much prefer the luxury of a vacation someplace exotic where we can enjoy ourselves.
 
I like certain ceremonies, such as marriage at its core. (An oath in front of witnesses.) I can see value in that. Oaths of citizenship. Oaths of the military, oaths of codes of ethics. I like those things that publicly tie ones honor to ones word. Then again, I also hold myself and others to their oaths.
 

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