Silver and Gold II

Saturday I made the annual trek to the attic to retrieve the Christmas decorations. We do not have inside access to our attic so I have to get the extension ladder out of the shed and take the side attic cover down. That sucker is heavy, but I have a system in which I slide it down the ladder. It was pretty cold this morning which made this task even less appealing. I told the boys to come out and help me get the stuff. After an obligatory head slam into a rafter and a few curse words, I located the general area for the Christmas decorations. The antifreeze box contains the nativity set my mother made in ceramics. The Bose speaker box from the home theater system I got a couple of years ago holds the garland we put on the front porch. All of the satin balls are in an Oster bread maker box. The boxes are covered with duct tape and masking tape, remnants of more ambitious packing from years past. The artificial tree was in a long box reinforced with rope which served as a good handle to hand the box down from the attic to John on the ground. Once all the decorations were inside it looked like a chaotic mess. I immediately set up the tree and realized it was too big for where we wanted to put it this year. After some discussion, we decided to purchase another tree, smaller this time. I took the tree apart and put it back in the long box and retied it.



Speaking of trees, Barbara and I had an annual Christmas tree argument we reenacted each year. The first few years we were pretty passionate in our arguments, but as time passed we only mouthed the words out of obligation to Venus and Mars. Here is how it went. We either drove to a Christmas tree lot or a farm where we could cut one down. This task was reserved for a weekend and around important football games. Once at the lot or the Christmas tree farm, we demonstrated drastically different tree selection styles. I was less discriminating than Barbara. She thought my standards were too low, while I thought she was much too picky. We were probably both right.



I was the one to find the tree. "Hey Barb," I would yell across two or three rows of trees. She would look up, "come here and look at this one." Once on site, Barbara would find a flaw in it, "it's got a hole in it on this side." I would lobby for the tree's selection, "they all have holes, all we do is make the hole face the back." Unimpressed, Barbara would not declare the search over, "let's keep looking." I would say something sarcastic, "you ain't gonna find a perfect tree." She would respond, "well there has to be one better than that last one you showed me." This was the argument in a nut shell. We would get up in arms, bitch a little bit, then laugh at the irony of fighting when we were supposed to be building Norman Rockwell moments for "the beast" (John). We always found a tree though and it always did a great job.



This year we decided to get a new tree already with the lights. Things just get better and better. Long story short, we bought one at Wal-Mart and brought it home. Ever since I can remember, seeing that tree all lit up for the first time gave me a thrill. It still does. So many memories. Looking at the ornaments also rustles up the recollections. The elf painting the ribbon candy, the snowman, the Santa Claus, the kansas City Chiefs ornament - all trigger memories. Opening the ornament boxes is like opening a time capsule. What we have is a collection of our purchases and hand me downs from our families. We still have our first tree, a $5.00 special from Walgreens complete with a dozen lights and a few ornaments. I bought the tree for Barbara when we were in school in New Orleans for her dorm room.



Christmas is coming and with it comes a flood of memories from childhood right up to the present. Christmas is magic and electric. Christmas is a birthday party. Christmas reminds me about priorities in life. I hope the memories Christmas wells up in you are lovely and cherished. And remember, the things you do this Christmas will be memories next Christmas.



Until the next time

John Strain

The Best Laid Plans. . .

My chores ran into more than I had planned. I will not have time to write the post I wanted to because I am still living it. I will write it this evening and have it ready for tomorrow. I feel obligated to keep my readers informed.



On a funny note, I am following LSU football. They are ranked number 3 presently so the way the BCS is it would help LSU for certain teams to win. One such team is the Georgia Bulldogs. I flipped the TV on this morning while going about my tasks and tuned to the Georgia v. Georgia Tech game. It was 48 to 48 in OT. Man, I thought, I missed a real classic. John and I finished watching the game screaming and yelling as usual. The game did not turn out the way I wanted. Georgia Tech intercepted the ball in the end zone. Then they got into field goal position and kicked, but the kick was blocked. Georgia Tech got another chance because they recovered the ball and they had kicked on 3rd down for just such a happening. The next kick split the uprights and Georgia lost. Damn, when I pull for a team it is the kiss of death for them. Then the game cut away and the announcer said, "you just saw a classic battle between the Georgia Bulldgs and Georgia Tech, thanks for tuning into ESPN Classic. The frigging game happened a few years ago. I was yelling at a tape. What a laugh we all had. Turns out Georgia beat Georgia Tech today 34 - 17. Maybe I am not the jinx I thought I was.



Until the next time

John Strain

Silver and Gold

I have a few chores to do this AM and will not get to write my post until this afternoon. I plan to write about Christmas decorations. Until then, I will share an interesting fact with you:



Have you ever noticed ducks flying in a V pattern? Have you also noticed one line is always longer than the other? Do you know why that is? The one line is longer because there are more ducks in it. Oh stop groaning and use this on one of your friends.

Just A Thought

The joy of giving may not seem like joy when fighting the crowds today on the busiest shopping day of the year. Some love the challenge and competition of this day. Me? I would rather take a hot poker in the eye than have to go to the mall today. When it comes to shopping, the internet is for me. I can get EXACTLY what I want. I do not have to settle for blue when I really want green. I am aware of all available options and usually get the best price. Still, zillions of people take to the malls and stores. They start early too. My son works at Circuit City and their store opens at 6:00 AM. I often hear the complaints about the commercialism tied to the holidays and the expectations. If that is to change, it must change in our own behavior. I am not envisioning a complete reversal of our culture, but I do have a few suggestions.



Find a way to make your giving personal. The best gifts I have ever received were from someone's heart. Anyone can buy an item, wrap it beautifully, and put it under a tree, but giving something meaningful requires a bit of intimacy. My suggestion is to figure out who on your list is more of an obligation and who are your intimates. For the latter group spend some time thinking about them. What do they like to do? What is your connection with them? What are your private events, moments, and experiences? Give them something that makes them think of you. Think tickets to a play or a concert. Buy two and go with them. Think restaurant gift certificates. Purchase a day of beauty at a local spa. Give the gift of lawn service or maid service for a month or two. The key is to think about them. Write them a special Christmas note telling them what they mean to you. If you make things or do crafts, make something for them. This is the kind of thing they will like and in turn will warm your heart.



Do something for someone less fortunate. Buy a toy for Toys for Tots and take it to the drop center yourself. Give some of your time somehow. Help someone shovel their walk or bring some fresh baked cookies or candy to a friend or someone you know to be lonely. Go caroling with a church group. The key is to give some of yourself, not just your money.



Attend some holiday functions. I am talking about going to see Christmas light displays or going to the hotel that is always decorated so beautifully. Find out when the local schools and churches are doing their Christmas programs. You do not have to have a third grader to attend the third grade play. You will find innocence and enthusiasm there - two ingredients of the Christmas spirit.



Remember those who have gone on. Depression is lurking around the holidays. Loved ones have died and the holidays conjures sweet memories followed by feelings of profound loss. Instead of waiting for the depression to get you, go on the offensive. Actively remember and memorialize them. Give a gift in their name. Purchase a poinsettia in their name and give it to a nursing home or a church. Prepare the foods they liked or cooked and tell stories about them as you eat. The key is to flood the depressive thoughts with good memories. Celebrate their life more than mourn their absence.



Have fun for crying out loud. The obligations and duties are always there. Christmas will come and go whether you get them all done or not. If you are in the unenviable position of making everything happen, decide now you are not going to work yourself to death to do everything. Instead decide to do what you can and be willing to direct others if they want to help. If they do not, then let it go. So what if there are only two kinds of fudge and no homemade eggnog. Pour rum in anything, it will taste fine. Now, by letting go of the impossible work load, you have more time for fun. Watch Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase and do not miss Rudolph, Charlie Brown, and Frosty. Set up an Advent Calendar, have a snowball fight, build a snowman, visit friends, have friends over for a Christmas drink. These are the things that make the season joyous. When things get out of balance, folks get resentful, bitter, and do not enjoy themselves. It is not too late to have a wonderful Christmas.



Let the rest of the world do the same old stuff. Let them work themselves to death. Let them wake up on December 26 and say, "why did I work so hard? It's over, I feel empty." You instead will be saying, "I am so glad I took John's advice - I feel great - I enjoyed myself this year for a change."



It is your choice.



Until the next time

John Strain

Happy Thanksgiving

I awoke to the distant rumble of thunder. Pretty soon the rumble was accompanied by the pink flashes of lightening. Hobo, my old lab, nervous in storms, stirred about the room. The sound of flopping ears and tinkling dog tags brought me closer to consciousness as he nervously shook his head. I reached out my hand to pet him and to pat him giving him some assurance. I won't be running this morning, the rain has already started. I flipped on the television to catch the local weather and noticed the color green covering the whole region around New Orleans. Today we are headed north to Vicksburg, MS for Thanksgiving dinner with Barbara's family. It will be a stormy drive. I woke her up and she stirred, but snuggled back into the covers. Giving her a minute or two longer I shook her with more purpose. This time she sat up on the pillows and the process of waking began to work as the sleep slowly drained from her body. She crawled off to the shower, I made the coffee while watching the storm outside the window. Another Thanksgiving. All is well. It is storming outside, but I am safe and warm inside. I have so much for which to be thankful. All week fellow bloggers have detailed such things, family, friends, and other relationships top the list. Health is at or near the top. Other items are our freedoms, our things, and our open ended opportunities. I too am thankful for these things.



I am thankful men and women this day stand for me in Iraq. Whatever your politics; whatever theirs; they stand and fight to protect me and you and our way of life.



I am thankful for technology and this thing we now call blogging. Because of it, I now have friends in Canada, California, Georgia, Arkansas, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Texas, and other places in the world I did not have before July 19, 2003.



I am aware of other lives and am concerned and pull for you folks. I know you do the same for me. This brings me full circle. Relationships are what I am most thankful for. My relationship with God, my relationship with others, and my relationship with myself.



I am blessed and I know it. The resulting feelings are humility, undeservingness, thankfulness, gratitude, and joy.



Happy Thanksgiving my friends

Until the next time

John Strain