Happy Holidays!

I'm not one of those. You will not hear me complain when someone, with the best of intentions wishes me, "Happy Holidays."

It's time we got over this idea that to wish someone, "Happy Holidays," is somehow disrespecting Jesus Christ.

Happy Holidays.

Holidays is the way we now say, "holy days."

So to wish someone, Happy Holidays," is to recognize that indeed Christmas, December 25th is a Holy Day when we celebrate the birth of a Savior.  And so is January 1st, when Catholics celebrate the Solemnity of Mary.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year!

Seasons Greetings!

Have a Cool Yule!

Happy Hanukkah! I'm not Jewish, but right back at ya!

Happy Kwanzaa. I'm not an African-American, but the same to you.

If someone you know, or even someone you don't know, goes out of his or her way to send you a  holiday wish consider yourself truly lucky and if you believe, give it right back.

So from me and mine to you and yours, have a Merry, Blessed and Joyous Christmas surrounded by family and friends and a healthy and prosperous New Year.

Time for a Change

The Luzerne County Commissioners have approved a measure that will mean county employees will now "clock-in." A biometric system that will rely on palm recognition will be used.

I was fortunate to have (for the most part) wonderful employees when I worked for the county Board of Election. 99.99% of the time, employees were on time. Most arrived early. Workers were required to sign their name to a daily attendance sheet with the time of their arrival.

And because they were early, they served citizens who came to the office before the "official" start of the day at 9:00 AM. I was never asked to compensate employees who found themselves working before the work day began. Please note that legally some business could not be transacted before 9:00 o'clock but that didn't mean employees couldn't get much of the preliminary work accomplished and then time stamp documents once the day began.

The vast majority of Luzerne County workers are dedicated public servants who take their jobs very seriously.

I cannot wait for the first complaint brought by a citizen who is unhappy because workers would not serve them before 9:00.

Be careful for what you wish.

Passings

Rev. Daniel D. Hitchko has died. Father was the Principal at Central Catholic High School from 1968-1974. He was particularly close to my graduating class, the Class of '74. He was beloved and admired  In our last year at "Central" the name of our high school was changed to Bishop O'Reilly. We all hated the name and some of us got in big trouble after we complained in writing to then Bishop J. Carroll McCormick. 

At our graduation dinner, Father Hitchko gave each of us a special gift. It was a small snifter. On it were the words, "Central Catholic High School, Class of 1974." It's the only thing I have from my graduation that says, "Central Catholic."

Requiescat in pace, Father.

Several weeks ago, I wrote about Kaiden Abul-Ela and his courageous battle against a rare form of brain cancer. Kaiden passed away this morning in the arms of his parents. There is a group on Facebook that was dedicated to following his story. (Let's Help Kaiden) His father writes poignantly of his son's death.

Kaiden was just two years old.

Rest in Peace.