Perspective

This year I will ring in the New Year by attending a funeral. I got word this morning that the director from the preschool I used to teach at was killed in a car accident on Friday evening. While Cynthia and I were not what I would call close friends, I am forever indebted to her for her kindness and generosity. In a time that I would call the darkest for my family, one filled with the stress of my husband's unemployment for seven months and the grief of watching my mom decline in health as she struggled with cancer, Cynthia was not just my boss. She went out of her way to support our family. She approached the board of the preschool to have Bink's tuition completely waived while my husband was unemployed. She gave me preference for picking up extra hours, as she knew we needed it. Most importantly, she was always there with a word of encouragement, a hug and a smile. She was a very warm hearted person. Cynthia leaves behind three beautiful girls in their late teens and early twenties and her husband.

So, as a new year begins, I am reminded yet again of the things that are truly important. We hear over and over again to not take life for granted and to enjoy each moment of our lives and those we love. We all go through moments when life can be less than enjoyable, when the world seems like it has been turned on its ear. Existence is frequently harsh and filled with pain. It is, however, in these moments that we learn what we are made of. There were times when I thought I would crumble into a million pieces and be blown away by the breeze, when I could barely stand under all of it, but this is when I learned that I was much stronger than I thought I could ever be. This is when I learned to lean on those who loved me, that it's OK to ask when you need help. This is when I learned that the most important aspect of life is the friends and family you travel with through life. Not that I took them for granted before, but it gave me a whole new appreciation for them. Cynthia was one of those people. May she rest in peace and may her family find comfort from loved ones as they go through this difficult time.

Digging Deep

In an effort to bring you more variety in the new year (well, almost new year), I dug into the depths of my record collection to find this gem. I actually had forgotten about its existence. Who couldn't love a French 80's group? OK, don't answer that. Rita Mitsuoko were doing the new wave thing French-style. So, for your visual and auditory pleasure, or not............

Bye-Bye PC.....Hello Mac Book......Thank You, Santa!

Apparently Santa heard me threatening to throw my PC out of the window. He brought me a shiny new Mac Book. It was a total surprise, and a great one at that. With school being the main reason I use a computer, my frustrations with my PC were increasing by the day. I cursed it often and not so secretly wished for a hammer to smash it into little bits. So, ding dong, my PC's dead. Thank you, Santa!

Happy Festivus one and all. Hope Santa was good to each and every one of you. Hope to see some of you GEWS this Friday!

Progressive Rock Hangover

Long ago and not so far away, progressive rock ruled the radio waves. Overblown and full of itself, it eventually became extinct like the dinosaurs. As I was driving the kids to school this morning, however, a howl from the past came through my speakers and reminded me that sometimes there were some redeemable moments from that era.

One of my good friends and my then boyfriend were in a band in high school that wished they were Emerson, Lake and Palmer. One of the songs that she loved the most was "I Believe in Father Christmas." Maybe it's the memory of that time in my life, or maybe it's actually the song, but this song is part of my mortal fabric. I felt some sort of old sense of Christmas swell inside of me, much like a bombastic ELP song, as I listened to it this morning. So, hallelujah, noel, be it heaven or hell, the Christmas we get we deserve. Have an existential Christmas.

Bing 'n Bowie

There aren't many more unlikely combinations of characters, but they did a lovely job with Lulu's favorite Christmas song. For a Bowie nutjob like me, it doesn't get much better than this.

I've finally finished the Christmas tree and will polish off the rest of the shopping tomorrow in a frantic flurry of economy stimulating spending. Bink is counting down the days to wrapping paper ripping euphoria. I am counting down the days to a blissful week off of work. We have no exotic plans and I am happy about that.

I was reminded this week by two tragic events that life is precious. Not that I had forgotten, but it made me hug my kids a little tighter. For them, this is still a magic season. I wish for them and for all of us, peace and happiness.

Addicted

TV ON THE RADIO-Wolf Like Me

Can't get enough of these guys right now. Now that I've come up for air, I have time to catch up on some of what I've been missing lately. TV on the Radio definitely fills my requirement for good buzz. One week of school vacation down and three to go. Oh, and I got another A. Pass the Christmas Ale.

Friends Call Me Heatmiser...

Echo, I am in 100% agreement with the Year Without a Santa Claus pick. Of all those old Rankin/Bass puppet clay movie things, that one is a standout. I dig that Big Bad Voodoo Daddy did such a nice job covering this. Personally, I have felt like the Heatmiser the last couple of days as I have "taken ill" with the flu. At least I made it to El Vez. Anyone can ask Lulu, I could not stop laughing when the big blow up Santa and Snowman came out. It was like some sort of freakish silly mosh pit. I really want to make people mosh with Santa and Frosty before they enter my house. Now that would be fun.

We finally have our tree, although it was a somewhat pathetic trip as Sweetness had a fever and I had to run out of the store to get fresh air before I hurled. Not very ho-ho-hoey. The tree made it home and we managed to get it in the stand and then I collapsed into bed. I'm feeling much better today, so I think Christmas is officially underway again. This is one weird Christmas so far.

Yes, Lulu, there is a Santa Claus

Finally! Actual El Vez footage! I am so very excited. I am one annotated bibliography and homework assignment away from Christmas break. I actually got to press the "print" button for the paper yesterday evening.

As we get older, the holidays aren't always what we wish they would be. Life is messy and busy. The best we can do is find the moments of joy when we can. Merry Mex-mas, everybody!