“God Bless Us Everyone.”

I’m a gadget guy. I would love to have all the new stuff that’s out. I want an iPhone, the latest iMac, even a MacBook Pro just for kicks, a sweet slr digital camera, a flat-panel HDTV. Luckily, I can’t afford that stuff or I’d be consumed by my consumerism. Instead I have exactly what I need: snuggles from my five-year-old and six-day-old daughters and my beautiful bride on a cold night, a big ole dog in my lap on the couch, and family (blood, married-into and adopted friends who are now family) near and far who I love and love me. You can’t get that kind of warmth from the glow of a 60″ LCDTV (even though I would probably try).

Merry Christmas everyone!

Top 10 Christmas Songs (at least for now)

h/t: brc for the inspiration from his post Bruce’s Top 10 Essential Christmas Albums

I’ve been meaning to post this for awhile but now that I’m in my advent time (waiting for both my new baby and the,”Dear 8 pounds 6 ounces baby Jesus, new born, not even spoken a word yet.”) I have some slightly anxious time to post about Christmas Tunes. There is no particular order. This is how they popped into my head.

  • “Linus & Lucy” by the Vince Guaraldi Trio, but I also have a sweet version from moe.
  • “The Twelve Days of Christmas” by Bob and Doug McKenzie from their Great White North album.
  • “The Spirit of Christmas” by Ray Charles off of the National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Soundtrack
  • “Merry Christmas, Baby” by Otis Redding
  • “Christmastime is Here” by Richard Cheese which is on his Silent Nightclub album. The way that the Young Extroverted One times the ‘Yowza’ perfectly is what makes it the best for me.
  • “Must Be Santa” by Brave Combo on the Must Be Santa! The Rounder Christmas Album. I’m a little bit of a sucker for some polka.
  • “Mele Kalikimaka” by either Bing Crosby or Jimmy Buffett. I just love listening to the YEO try to sing this one. It makes me smile.
  • “This Time of Year” by the Mighty Mighty Bosstones from A Santa Cause – It’s a Punk Rock Christmas. I have no reason other than I dig the Bosstones and it’s a Christmas tune.
  • “Hey, Santa Claus” by The Moonglows. I found this one on the National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Soundtrack. The YEO has this song down, also.
  • “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” as recorded by John Denver & the Muppets’ on their Christmas Together album. As a whole I don’t really like this album. Maybe, it’s John Denver, I’m not sure. However, this song has the great “Bring me some figgy pudding” line that Miss Piggy has an issue with. I love that part!

The Reality of Santa Claus and Parenthood

My wife, the Elder Extroverted Holy One, pointed out a realization she made last night with some friends. WE are the parents! WE have to do all that Santa Claus stuff! ZOINKS!

Geez, I thought all that stuff was going to end up under the tree by the time we all wake up on Christmas morning. What? I have to put a bike together at 3:00 in the morning!?! Huh? Presents have to remain hidden until Christmas eve? I understand that the unreality of the St. Nick has been my reality for a long time now. But it just occurred to us that now the Young Extroverted One is at that age of Christmas magic. And that WE are the ones who have to perpetuate that magic. Which is cool and fine with me but that should have been on the parenting syllabus. Now I feel so overwhelmed and not quite ready for this Christmas magic to happen.

I suppose as long as the YEO experiences this holidy magic it’ll be just fine. Just can’t let her see us sweatin’ it!

We Celebrate Whose Birthday?

Just a quick observation to ponder . . . What is the connection between some churches and Santa Claus? I’ve seen several Baptist churches advertising breakfast with Santa?!? And then I read some blogs about the same here, here, here and here. The last three describing a breakfast with Santa accompanied by photos that occurred at the Otter Creek Church.

I don’t have a problem with the jolly, old elf. Nor do I have problems with pictures of kids and the guy. They’re kind of funny. But this whole blending of Santa with the birth of Jesus. What are we REALLY celebrating here? I don’t get it.

Any thoughts?

Christmas has been Ruined

Well, not really. It’s just that Pam Tillis (or her people) and the Gaylord Opryland people have just been added to the top of my Fecal Roster.

The Pam Tillis dinner show started in one smaller ballroom (that was the first all-nighter) right around Thanksgiving. Yesterday they packed up everything and reset it in the biggest ballroom. So, from 2PM on Wednesday to about 8:30AM on Thursday I was doing some form or wrapping GAC-flex around truss, powering up chainmotors, running cable in the catwalk and ceiling and hanging Christmas ornaments from the ballroom ceiling.

In small doses? Like a regular 8 or 9 hour day? Not so bad. But 18 and half hours?!?!? Ugh. At the moment I’m a little brain dead. So, it makes sense that I should be trying to write something that makes sense to others here.

I’m happy for the new experiences of the rigging world but the hours can suck sometimes. At least I get paid a little more.

The Magic of Christmas Television

My wife was right (once again, sigh). There is just something magical about watching those Christmas specials on regular commercial TV. I received from Netflix the other day three movies. A Charlie Brown Christmas, Frosty the Snowman and Jack Frost (there are more in my queue) arrived in the mail yesterday with all of their holiday splendor. The envelopes even had the Young Extroverted One’s name on them! So, we watched a couple of them last night and it just didn’t seem the same.

There were no cheesey commercial breaks to go refill your hot chocolate or to get more popcorn. Nobody telling me that I need the clapper or a chia pet. (Have you seen the new chia head line? Disturbing.) Or even worse, finding out that I’m not a good husband if I don’t get my lovely wife some sort of ugly diamond pendant. I absolutely hate commercials and I really don’t want to subject YEO to commercials. But, there is something different about putting up with the commercials during the special Christmas shows. Especially as you’re cuddled up with the family on the couch (YEO calls it ‘FAMILY SNUGGLE!’). I guess it just wouldn’t be Christmas without those pesky commercials.

. . . we’ll be right back after these messages . . .