Opinion: Celebrity is confusing

On a random post on Facebook the author stated that “Keeping Up With The Kardashians,” was celebrating its 20 seasons on television. The creator challenged fellow Facebookers to say they had never watched even one episode. I am one of those people.

The idea of being famous for being famous is appalling. When you add in the Kardashian step-father transitioning from famous Olympian Bruce Jenner to social media influencer Kaitlyn Jenner is just too weird for words. God bless the USA where not only is free speech protected but so are most lifestyles no matter how unconventional.

Celebrity seems to be worshiped in this era of 24-Hour news and instant communication. Pop Culture has invaded just about every aspect of day-to-day life. What we wear, where we shop and what we eat are all influenced by the marketing department on Madison Avenue.

There was a time not that long ago when a cup of coffee was just a hot beverage not some sort of status symbol sold in overpriced cubby holes or kiosks.

When I was in my early 20s, I worked in the food service industry. Coffee at the Sno White Drive-In was 10 cents a cup. At Berenda Ranch Restaurant it was 25 cents with free refills.

I remember a story my mom told of my grandparents. The Kirk family came to California in 1935 with the great Okie migration. She said we were considered rich because her grandpa had two mattresses on top of his truck. We were dirt poor. If the houses they rented had electrical hook-ups the family managed to have the power turned on. Many of the shacks were not yet connected to the electrical grid. I can’t imagine trying to raise six kids in a house without electricity and running water. People were a lot tougher then.

Money for luxuries was all but non-existent. When there was a little extra, my grandparents were at odds with one another on how to spend it. My grandmother, Lillie Mae Kirk, wanted to buy a little bit of coffee and my grandfather, Joseph William Barry Kirk wanted to buy a plug of chewing tobacco. They were both devoted Church of Christ members. The debate was both financial as well as religious with each believing the other’s indulgence to be a sin. I’m sure my grandparents would both be stunned at the cost of coffee and tobacco today.

My grandpa helped build the Church of Christ building at Central and B streets. My grandmother served as custodian at the church. She and I spent long hours vacuuming and dusting the pews, worship hall and Sunday school classrooms. She died when I was in the third grade, but I still have fond memories of tidying up the hymnals and washing the little communion cups and plates. On Sunday the parishioners would take a sip of grape juice and a bite of unleavened bread representing the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

The congregational singing was always my favorite part of church services. The Church of Christ doesn’t allow musical instruments to accompany the singing of hymns. I don’t really understand why except “raising one’s voice in praise,” is a passage from the Bible that they prescribe to. Since it says nothing about musical instruments, they take that to mean just the voices should be used to honor God. Our church had some beautiful singing voices as all hymns were sung a cappella.

Long days and pleasant nights, have a blessed weekend.

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Readers may contact Tami Jo Nix by emailing tamijonix@gmail.com or following @TamiJoNix on Twitter.