Thursday Reads
Posted: December 23, 2010 | Author: bostonboomer | Filed under: Barack Obama, legalizaton of drugs, morning reads, U.S. Politics | Tags: Christmas, Festivus, George W. Bush, John Boehner, Laura Bush, Marijuana, North Korea, Pat Robertson, Seinfeld, South Korea |96 CommentsHappy Festivus Everyone!!!
A little more about the Festivus tradition from Wikipedia:
Festivus is a secular holiday celebrated on December 23 as “another way” to celebrate the holiday season without participating in its pressures and commercialism[1]. It was created by writer Dan O’Keefe and introduced into popular culture by his son Daniel, a screenwriter for the TV show Seinfeld,[2][1] as part of a comical storyline on the show. The holiday’s celebration, as shown on Seinfeld, includes an unadorned aluminum “Festivus pole,” practices such as the “Airing of Grievances” and “Feats of Strength,” and the labelling of easily explainable events as “Festivus miracles”.
Celebrants of the holiday sometimes refer to it as “Festivus for the rest of us,” a saying taken from the O’Keefe family traditions and popularized in the Seinfeld episode to describe Festivus’ non-commerical aspect.
[….]
The holiday, as portrayed in the Seinfeld episode and now celebrated by many,[1][5] includes practices such as the “Airing of Grievances,” which occurs during the Festivus meal and in which each person tells everyone else all the ways they have disappointed him or her over the past year. After the meal the “Feats of Strength” are performed, involving wrestling the head of the household to the floor, with the holiday ending only if the head of the household is actually pinned.
The original holiday featured more peculiar practices, as detailed in the younger Daniel O’Keefe’s book The Real Festivus. The book provides a first-person account of an early version of the Festivus holiday as celebrated by the O’Keefe family, and how O’Keefe amended or replaced details of his father’s invention to create the Seinfeld episode.
We’re getting really close to that other holiday, Christmas. Through most of my adult years, I found the Christmas season extremely stressful. Frankly some of my happiest Christmases have been years when I spent the day alone. In recent years, I’ve gotten quite a bit closer to my siblings and I’ve enjoyed some family Christmases; but when all of us get together it can still be pretty crazymaking.
This year I’ll be going to my sister’s house with my mom. I’m hoping it will be quiet and peaceful, and I’m hoping the snowstorm we’re expecting won’t be too bad. We lost my dad in March, so this will be the family’s first Christmas without him. I know that will be really hard for all of us, especially my mom.
I’m not going to go through all the legislation that passed yesterday or write about President Obama’s self-congratulatory press conference. I think we should keep it light today. I’m just going to throw out a few links that I found interesting and let you all do the same in the comments.
I really got a kick out this article at Buzzflash by Peter Michaelson, a psychotherapist from Ann Arbor, MI: The Tracks of John Boehner’s Tears.
According to Michaelson, Boehner’s frequent “crying jags” stem from his troubled childhood.
Boehner cries a lot in public, even when debating bills in the House. He cries when he talks about his humble past. Son of a bar owner, he grew up with 11 siblings in a two-bedroom house with a single bathroom. He said recently on “60 Minutes” that he no longer visits schools or even looks at kids playing outside because he immediately starts crying.
[….]
Boehner had a scrappy upbringing, running cases of beer and mopping the floor in his father’s bar. He put himself through school, “working every rotten job there was.” The circumstances of his childhood, along with his manner of describing it, strongly suggest that, at times, he felt unappreciated, disrespected, and lacking in value.
Since Boehner rarely does anything to help deprived children, why does he burst into tears when he sees them? Michaelson see this as a form of projection.
When Boehner cries around kids, he’s not necessarily feeling their pain. He’s not seeing the world through their eyes. Rather, he’s imagining that they’re seeing the world through his eyes, through the self-doubt and pain with which he saw the world as a child. Unconsciously, he experiences himself and his political life in ways that are under the influence of these unresolved negative feelings.
He sees the children through what is unresolved in himself, through the pain he has repressed from his childhood. He’s also likely crying with relief because, unconsciously, he believes that, through his elevation to fame and power, he has liberated himself from those haunting feelings.
It’s an interesting hypothesis. We’ll probably learn a lot more about Boehner when he becomes Speaker of the House–probably a lot more than we ever wanted to to know. I wonder if he’ll cry frequently while going about his Speaker duties? I’ll bet he cries during the swearing in anyway.
Last night some moron drove his Plymouth Barracuda onto the North Dallas lawn of Mr. and Mrs. George W. Bush.
A suspect accused of driving a muscle car erratically onto the lawn at former President George W. Bush’s north Dallas home Wednesday night was detained by the Secret Service.
The former president and former first lady Laura Bush were in the Preston Hollow neighborhood home at the time but were unharmed and never in danger, officials told NBC station KXAS.
That must have been exciting.
Have you heard about the new Broadway sensation, “Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark?” There have been so many mishaps with this production that they had to call off Wednesday’s scheduled performances.
The Broadway musical “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark” canceled its two Wednesday performances to test a new safety plan for the show’s 38 aerial and stage maneuvers, which involve actors hoisted or tethered in harnesses, including the maneuver that failed at Monday night’s performance when a stunt actor fell more than 20 feet and broke his ribs.
By canceling the performances at a cost of roughly $400,000 in ticket sales, and by adopting safety measures recommended by state and federal officials, the producers of “Spider-Man” sought to project a sense of urgency and understanding that action was needed to make the show safer. While the producers said that Thursday night’s performance would go on, they also committed, according to state safety officials, not to hold performances until the new measures were in place. The state officials said the plan could be tested successfully by Thursday night.
Under the plan, one offstage crew member will attach the harness and related cables, wires or tethers to the actors, and a second stagehand will verify that the attachments are made. That second stagehand will then verbally notify a stage manager that they are safely connected. The actor will also verify that the attachment is made. Previously, there was no second stagehand to verify or communicate with the stage manager, and the actor was not required to check his harness.
Well I sure hope everything works out okay…
Did you know that “Rev.” Pat Robertson supports legalization of marijuana?
“We’re locking up people that have taken a couple puffs of marijuana and next thing you know they’ve got 10 years with mandatory sentences,” Robertson continued. “These judges just say, they throw up their hands and say nothing we can do with these mandatory sentences. We’ve got to take a look at what we’re considering crimes and that’s one of ’em.
“I’m … I’m not exactly for the use of drugs, don’t get me wrong, but I just believe that criminalizing marijuana, criminalizing the possession of a few ounces of pot, that kinda thing it’s just, it’s costing us a fortune and it’s ruining young people. Young people go into prisons, they go in as youths and come out as hardened criminals. That’s not a good thing.”
Hmmm….could this explain where Robertson gets his wacky ideas about the causes of hurricanes and terrorist attacks?
Here’s one more goofy story, and then I’ll let you guys take over. From The Independent UK: North Korea threatens to attack South over Christmas lights
Seasonal goodwill is in short supply on the divided Korean peninsula, where both sides are again at potentially deadly loggerheads – over a Christmas tree.
North Korea’s military is reportedly preparing to shoot down a floodlit tower decorated with Christmas lights which overlooks the border near the South’s capital, Seoul – home to millions of Christians.
The provincial governor, Kim Moon-soo, has warned that firing at the tree would be a reckless and “provocative” act. The South’s Defence Minister was more blunt. “We’ll retaliate decisively to take out the source of any shelling,” Kim Kwan-jin told parliament yesterday. South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said fighter jets were on standby, ready to strike back.
OK, that’s it for me, except for this gratuitous kitty picture.
What are you reading this morning? Feel free to post links to serious stories, if you must.
I am certain George W Bush understood about the car driving on his lawn. That is something he or his daughters would do when they were young. I got a kick on his mothers comment regarding his out of control daughters years ago: she said George was getting his just due.
Just due: I said the same thing about my brother when his daughters lived out their teenage years…
Nice avatar, fiscalliberal!
The world is turned completely upside down when I agree with Pat Robertson about something…
And Joe Lieberman and Susan Collins are the ones who introduce the DADT repeal that passes.
I mean after all theses years I have to be grateful to Joe Lieberman??
I know. I never thought the day would come when I’d have to give Lieberman a break.
We always got mad at Joe Lieberman over “national security” issues, especially during the Bush years. But on social, he’s always been with us, the Left flank of the party.
I know. He’s a strong supporter of reproductive rights.
He is? Why do they call him “Rape Gurney” Lieberman then?
Joe Lieberman had to do some thing as he is being historically archived as the ‘Kill Switch’ author of censorship of the internet and so he moved quickly and well I am thankful for him moving things on DADT. I thought it was rather funny that Obama said he didn’t give up, yet I don’t recall him moving on DADT too much there…, but he signed it and that is a good thing.
@ Teresa, Next thing you know, Pat Robertson will be throwing back a few beer bongs, while listening to Led Zeppelin’s Kashmir, and afterwards pig out on Funions and Little Debbie “Devil Squares.”
LOL
Happy Festivus everyone! So Pat Robertson is coming out in favor of the legalization of pot? Looks like the Republicans are queueing this up so they can trade pot legalization for another extension of the Bush tax cuts when the time comes.
Now that is a logical explanation! I never thought of that.
Nah, I’ll bet someone in Pat’s family got busted…
Well at least with that trade-off we could get toasted and not notice how screwed we are.
Ha Ha!
Also, it was The Log Cabin Republicans who brought DADT before the courts and have led the way pressuring Congress to pass the repeal. The Congress of the Democratic Party and Obama had to hurry up and get this through or really look like the weaklings they are. In the meantime, nothing about jobs, foreclosures, rise of gas prices. We’re gonna take a bigger hit when the new Tea Party Congress and State Legislatures start cutting the deficit on the backs of those who need help the most. Obama celebrates wealth. He said it.
and the hints that in the State of the Union Address that Obama will embrace the cat food commission report and go after social security
From the link: “The Bushes live on Daria Place, a public street that is gated and protected by the Secret Service detail assigned to the former president.”
I just love (snark) the idea of gated “public” streets.
Daylight could just possibly be a little longer today than yesterday – Happy Happy
That’s funny.
The two Korea’s are giving me agita.
I’d be very nervous if I lived in Japan.
North Korea ‘ready for sacred war’ with the South
What is ‘sacred’ about a WAR? (((scratching head)))
Got me. What’s a communist state doing calling anything sacred?
I looking at a spread of advertizing from WWII from field and stream. Nostalgia and all that. What I noticed was that it made me very uncomfortable because the propaganda and subtle manipulation is so visible now. And that was perhaps the closest to a ‘sacred’ war that we’ve gotten recently.
Modern commercials do the same to me. I’ve not had TV for so long now that the manipulation is really, really obvious.
I wish you could have seen that documentary I saw yesterday.
TheDocumentaryChannel
it looks like it will be on again Sat 1/1 at 9:30 if anyone can see it, please do.
This is what it is about and what it is called:
I would like to see it. I’m going to look for it at the library. That’s often a good place to find good movies and such. (I can’t see it on TV, obviously, not having one 🙂 )
Edited to add:
I found it at the library, straight off! I’m going to put a hold on it and get it after Christmas. Man, I love my local library.
Sima, it is something else. There is a trailer below that I posted.
I hope everyone has a safe and magical holiday! For me nothing beats a good Nutcracker Ballet to make the season bright…
Enjoy the Waltz of the Snowflakes from The Nutcracker (Mariinsky Ballet)
Performed by Mariinsky Ballet (Kirov Ballet) in October 1993 at Mariinsky Theater in St Petersburg.
Larisa Lezhnina – Clara
Viktor Baranov – the Prince
Irina Zhelonkina
Elvira Tarassova
My FDL | Blog | Bradley Manning Speaks About His Conditions
Just in case anyone wants to read some updated news about Manning. I don’t think I am the only one with a case of the news burnout blues.
I had a Barracuda. My brother souped up the slant six engine and made bets I could beat his friends at drag racing. We dragged raced from The Light To The Pole on a certain public, but quiet stretch. My brother would lean into the window and say, “Don’t let me see your tail lights go on”.
Boy did I ever learn to drive.
I forgot about that memory. You gave it back to me. But unlike John Boehner, I don’t feel like crying–I feel like smiling. There must be something wrong with me.
Uppity, this explains alot lol!…and I mean that in a good way 😉
LOL paper doll. Somehow I knew exactly what you mean.
I was thinking the same thing!
I used to have a 1969 Cougar. What a car! Too bad I totalled it.
You guys are so cool with your flashy cars. My first car was a hand-me-down from my brother, a 1972 Chevy Vega. When that car fell apart (literally) I bought myself a 1980 Chevy Chevette. Being that it was my first loan, and the only credit record I had was a very small student loan (which I paid faithfully but the bank dude said student loans didn’t count because everybody defaulted on them at the time. It didn’t matter that I didn’t), the interest rate I got on my $4,500.00 car, with my $700.00 downpayment was, brace yourselves, 14%!! I’m so glad those days are behind me, but I was pretty proud of being able to buy my own car!
I can top that. My first car was a 1952 Buick. It was like driving a boat. You could easily get four people into the back seat. The windshield wipers didn’t work, but other than that it ran pretty well. This was in the mid-’60s. I didn’t get the Cougar until the ’80s.
I can top that. I was given a 1948 Bel Air by my Aunt in 1969. It was in perfect condition, but it was what I imagine driving a tank would be. I loved that car, however when it finally broke down, it was going to require a new engine (or so I was told, and I was too green and ignorant to dispute it). I imagine that it is still around, being driven in those classic car rallies today.
My next car was a 1971 Datsun B210 – a different kettle of fish – great car, but the body was not built for winter conditions where salt was the primary de-icer.
That’s funny. When I was a kid, my dad bought his first car for $100.00, a 1939 Ford. I have lots of memories of having to get out while my dad pushed and my mom popped the clutch. It would stall on big hills and then we’d have to roll back down.
Ah, memories of my poverty-stricken childhood.
My dad made my aunt’s old 1964 1/2 289 red convertible mustang with black leather interior cherry for me. By that time, every one was driving those little rice burners. All I would have to do was to put my little toe on the accelerator and they’d be toast. My dad was a Ford Dealer and I had grown up around mechanics so, the guys in his shop always kept it in top shape for me. It was such an easy car to work on too. I could take it there and put it up on the rack and do all kinds of things without any problem. I used to drive a demonstrator Bronco during the winter and I pulled stupid people out of snow banks for like $10. (The minimum wage at the time was like $1.10 a hour so that was great money). When I was driving that mustang around during the 1970s and 1980s, you would not believe the attention I got from boys.
One of my first boy friends did stock car racing and drove an old souped up Pontiac GTO. He basically taught me how to drive on the race track.
I still drive souped up mustangs and the mechanics I use now call me Mustang Sally because I’m known to drive the things hard.
1964 Mustang? That’s the car I dreamed of when I was in high school. One of my friend’s older brother had a red one and he let us drive it sometimes.
OMG, mustangs, I recall when they were first introduced. I had a fella who wanted to date me, back in ye ancient times – I was at college, so it would have been 1978. He had this tricked out mustang – with all the bells and whistles that had been added because of the James Bond Flicks. I remember him stopping at a traffic light and using his external PA system to shock people crossing the intersection. I sort of knew then that a realtionship was not to be, however, the evening at his very wealthy parent’s home, when his aunt grabbed my cards out of my hand and played my turn during a Bridge game, solidified my feelings about the possibility of a relationship. Funny, I haven’t gotten into a Mustang nor played Bridge since then, and I don’t miss either.
correction to my previous comment, I went to college in 1967 so the fella with the mustang was in 1968, not 1978. Geez, I’m really getting to the stage where I forget the years, but then again, I never paid attention to them. Every year, every encounter is what makes us who we are, good and/or bad. I don’t have Alzheimers (yet), just a tendency to type too fast and a problem with my keying ability and releasing comments before I check. Mavis Beacon time – Mavis, where are you – i NEED refresher training.
I’m just trying to learn to embrace my senior moments.
Oy, I also had a 69 Cougar, Eliminator!
Bright orange.
Brand new! One hot car. Too bad the salt on the PA roads rusted it out
in just 3 years.
Hi!!!! Welcome to our little corner of left blogistan!!! good to read you!!!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!
Here’s a present from the west coast: http://www.allclassical.org one of the few 100% classical radio stations still operating….on air knowledgeable announcers, both men and women….some volunteers.
This non-profit 24/7 classical music station now broadcasting the annual “Festival of Carols” from Dec 22-25th. Includes several live performances of seasonal music.
It’s beautiful music, Sal. Thank you for the link!
Thank you for the link!
oh, thank you so much!!! I’m such a nut for good music!!
Salmon, thanks! I didn’t know about this before, and I love most classical music.
Just heard that our Seattle classical music station will go listener-supported next year. Wonderful; I hate commercials.
http://www.king.org/
So sorry about your dad, bb. The first Christmas is the hardest.
I’m just like you about the stress of Xmas. The last few years the extended merrymaking has shifted around a lot in my family, so now it’s usually just me and my mom by mid-afternoon Christmas day, and we decided a few years ago to skip out on any big cooking or non-essential visiting and just hang around the house. Really, it’s the best part! Not that I don’t love seeing my other family and watching the kids open presents, but it’s heaven when all the hubub is over.
Agree about bb’s dad. Definitely hard.
Regarding stress: One year we were snowed in at Christmas, so it was just DH and I. I made a turkey we’d stashed in the freezer, with easy side dishes. Christmas afternoon I actually took a nap. It was the first restful Christmas I remember in my adult years.
My DH’s family partakes in a great deal of complicated stuff around the holidays. For about 20 years, I reluctantly participated. Now, I just don’t. I do my own thing and it’s a whole lot less stressful. If they don’t like it, that’s fine. I don’t like their traditions either.
I would be delighted if Christmas came only once every 5 years.
I stopped thinking of Christmas as a holiday years ago. It’s just a time when lots of people go insane for awhile. I try to stay out of the way and let them do it. I do enjoy the opportunitie to reconnect with family, but none of us is religious anymore, so we don’t have to deal with that.
My husband and I go to my Mom’s retirement home on Xmas…cause that is Xmas imo….making sure someone is not alone. It’s no fun at the home on Xmas…so we bring some ho ho ho . We get as much or more than we receive out of it btw
That is brilliant. When my Aunt was alive, we went to see her. Amazing to me is how many people totally abandon their elderly relatives. Actually it’s not amazing, it’s disgraceful. Saturnalia, Solistice, Yule, Xmas are supposed to be about family. I wish I had learned that lesson when I was a child.
Thanks, Valhalla. I know what you mean. It’s nice that my sister is making the dinner so my mom doesn’t have to do anything. Plus we can come home anytime we want to.
What I’m really looking forward to now is getting back to Boston. I need some alone time, and I want to get back to doing some academic work.
The defense authorization bill prevents any Gitmo detainees from being brought to the U.S. for trial. Isn’t that just ducky?
The Congress has always sabotaged the closing of Guantanamo Bay. I can’t believe Dems went along with this.
I can.
Honk
Honk
Honk.
Happy Holidays and Gesundheit to all.
Wow, talk about lame duck, all these honks…
I never knew that Honk is related to the following words.
http://www.onelook.com/?w=*:honk&loc=cb
1. spew
2. toot
3. vomit
4. barf
5. be sick
6. beep
7. blare
8. cast
9. cat
10. chuck
11. claxon
12. cronk
13. disgorge
14. goose
15. honked
16. honker
17. honking
18. puke
19. regorge
20. regurgitate
21. retch
22. sick
23. spue
24. throw up
25. upchuck
26. vomit up
27. tootle
28. gag
29. heave
30. yang
31. padiddle
32. throw
33. discard
34. exfoliate
35. fling
36. ingot
37. jettison
38. junk
39. mew
40. poll
41. recast
42. scrap
43. shadow
44. shed
45. slough
46. trash
47. tabby
48. anserine
49. nurse
With the new year and all, I think that we should try and find a more agreeable term…what do you all think? Lets give Sky Dancing its own sort of style…
wow, we do need something new!!!!
Yayyy!
So, it finally takes MM – me and my little “funnies” about the word, started on TC, never got anywhere.
yup!!!
Well I am glad that we can move on from the duck calls…that sounds good to me!
I thought they were goose calls.
Ok, leave it to me to puzzle on the small pieces but… how’s it related to ingot? Hehe.
Anyway, hear hear! Or here here! Both kind of make sense.
Gross!
There’s the Peace prez for ya.
Did you know that “Rev.” Pat Robertson supports legalization of marijuana?
The economics of marijuana as it currently stands is interesting. It’s keeping several areas afloat….Legalization would be a economic disaster for large swaths of rural America ….Legalizing it would take money out of these hands …it’s a matter of where they want the money to be made. In the courts and by regular folks…or over the counter by corporations …I’m not against legalizing it of course…cause I don’t grow it lol! But it would defund law enforcement as well…I’m wondering about the coming push to privatize the police…. I mean why stop at schools? The powers that be never do something cause it makes sense and is right . There’s always another reason. As I say, it’s interesting.
Bank of America is preparing for the Wikileaks release by buying up hundreds of web addresses that might be used to attack them.
I guess this is why they need to charge all the frigging fees : buying up hundreds of web addresses in a preemptive PR move.
I intend to spend a lot of time here on Sky Dancing on those things. Believe me. I’m going to be looking for publications (journal) and freelance writing money on those things.
Wishing you all the quiet beauty of a peaceful Christmas here and around the world.
Peace to you too, Fannie. And may it stretch into the New Year.
Same to you!!!
It seems to me that it’s all part of an unstated plan – don’t teach critical thinking, engineering, economics, history (real history, not revisionist garbage), agriculture, animal husbandry etc and in order to stop it, budget cut the programs – get rid of all those pesky people who object to stuff. Tailor the sciences curricula to fit a certain mold, so one has yes people, but forget about those guys like Sagan, Hawkins – it’s cheaper to buy it overseas. Manual labor is good but better if no one is educated so have no idea about what unions actually achieved, so make unions the center of all the problems known to man. Treat the people like the serfs they are about to become. I know I’m being alarmist, but what else is one to think?
Whoops, sorry, this was meant to rest under Dak’s comment @ 7.36PM. My apologies, and happy holidays.
have you read Chris Hedges new book? He says it is part of a plan to undermine democracy.
from Democracy Now Interview: Obama is a “Poster Child for the Death of the Liberal Class”
I haven’t read it, but from your excerpts, it is worth a look. It doesn’t surprise me – this has been going on for years, but has definitely accelerated during the last 12 years. I agree that the Universities are becoming vocational schools, especially the MBA programs. Unfortunately it’s those idiots who are in positions of influence today, put there by the very people who want to destroy democracy and replace it with a global hegemoney, and the MBA’s are perpetuating and carrying on the program without recognizing what it is they are actually doing. I’m wondering what the Oligarchs will do when they finally realize their fondest dreams and have an entire global population of indentured and improverished serfs at their beck and call. Who will they go after to get more when there is no more to be bled from the masses. There will be no one else other than each other, and pirhannas that they are, they will turn on one another. I hope they do it sooner rather than later so at least some of the intellectually curious population will survive and flourish.
As Rock says,
ASSHATS.
This is exactly what Jindal’s doing to us. He wants all higher education to be basically tech school or community colleges so that you leave with a ‘marketable’ skill. He absolutely does not want any critical thinkers. That’s for sure.
They’re doomed to failure. Critical thinkers will emerge anyway, from the most intelligent of their intended serfs.
I got my PhD from Penn. I actively attended school there from the mid-80s to early 90s then took a hiatus of about 8 (mumble, mumble stupid move on my part!) years. I went back from time to time during the 00s and was last there in 2008-2009.
The changes between then and now are amazing, and most of them don’t seem to be for the better. More commercialization, more stupid rich students (grandfathered in?), the old venerable book store gone and replaced by a Barnes and Noble, the food courts turned over to fast food, the museums on short days and closed oftentimes…
The only good thing, there seemed to be more people of color actually attending, instead of working at, the University.
I was wondering where you went Dak!
I was over at Joe’s place (CannonFire) and saw the link. Glad to have found you again. 🙂
**WAVES Madly*** Good to see you!!!
Red,{{{{ Waving madly and throwing hugs}}}} I’ve not seen you at Widdershins for while, and you haven’t updated your own site, so I thought you had decided to take the Cinie route. I’m so glad you haven’t.
How are ya big guy? HOpe your family is thriving.
I’ve been trying to keep my head above water Ht. It’s been one heck of a year as I am sure many of you can attest to.
I have updated my blog. Not as frequent but I am still blogging.
{{{Waving back at ya Dak!!!!}}}}
I’m sure with you on that ‘one heck of a year’ boat. Is side of the boat as leaky as mine?
Both Red and Dak, If I win a lottery, you two will definitely on my list.
I think some of my issues would go away with a new governor! He seems to be doing more than just starving the beast! He’s starving the state and any teacher that doesn’t teach something that isn’t a specific job skill for a peasant!!!
Luv the gratuitous kitty picture! One of my cats plays/hides in my bookcases just like that.