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Christmas is about being with the people you love. It is about appreciating the others you have in your life and taking a moment out of your busy life to acknowledge the value of living.
I am spending the day with family. On my mother’s side, I am lucky to still have my ninety-eight year old great grandma and my grandma and grandpa, who bring me great joy. I also have my parents, brother and other family, who I spent time with on Christmas Eve and will see today. And there’s that special someone in my life, a girlfriend who keeps me from burning out and puts a smile on my face three hundred and sixty-five days a year. She’ll be by my side keeping me warm.
Most of the time, I am checking up on some fresh assault on civil liberties, reading up on the most recent travesty or farce being committed by the United States or reacting to the latest atrocity, which the so-called beacon of freedom and democracy committed or is likely involved. I do this not only because it is my job to write about all this but also because I have a passion and interest for following and commenting on current events.
Sometimes one can follow what is happening in the world so intensely that they lose sight of what is happening to the very friends and family, who could be with them talking and reminding them why it is worth it to keep prospering and/or struggling in this world.
To those who regularly read my writing, I wish you the best this Christmas. I hope you are with people you enjoy spending time with or that you are doing something that makes you feel happy or at peace with yourself today. And, if you’re feeling blue, I hope you at least have some Christmas blues music to get you through the holiday.
Speaking of music, here are some music selections for you to enjoy.
“Merry Christmas Baby” – Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers
“Sound the Trumpet” – The Wailers
“Santa’s Messin’ With the Kid” – Eddie C. Campbell
“O Holy Night” – Mahalia Jackson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNY0DBlYnZc
“Christmas in New Orleans” – Louis Armstrong
“All I Want for Christmas is You” – Carla Thomas
“Carol of the Bells” – The Four Seasons
“Sound the Trumpet” – The Wailers
…And a contemporary selection:
“All I Need is Love” – Cee-Lo Green & The Muppets
Merry Christmas.
15 Comments
Merry Christmas Kevin !
bless you for all that you do (lord knows this hippy doesn’t have the stomach for it) enjoy and re charge
beautiful tunes -
am playing Ray Charles this morning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfLmpKTqugM
i lurvs me some mahalia. that woman’s voice puts me this close to reconsidering my atheism in a way no one else could do.
almost my exact, verbatim response to Mahalia
always good to see you here – joy of the season to you
so this year i’m cooking the holiday meal for our wonderful ruth. she went over to her mom’s house just now and i’ll be heading into her adorably antique kitchen soon to get started. this year, it’s just the two of us, so it’s a four course meal, rather than my usual 7 course culinary blow out. it’s appropriate, i think, given all the people who are suffering in this depression. anyone in N TX who needs a meal may join us, there will be plenty.
we’re having:
a compote of grape tomatoes, broccoli, white onion, baby carrots, rosemary, thyme, parsley and walnuts in blue cheese dressing
a stuffing of seven grain bread, herbed butter sauteed onion, celery raisins, cran raisins, baby carrots, walnuts, sausage tossed in evoo and baked in a convection oven
chowder peas and chopped spinach cooked in a homemade stock of ham hocks, chicken livers, celery, onion, garlic cloves, carrots and “italian” dried herbs with parmesan cheese
rotisserie broiled cornish game hens, stuffed with lemon wedges, garlic cloves and herbs that have marinated overnight in garlic infused orange juice and a gravy made from the above stock and the pan drippings from the birds with heavy cream, port. mushrooms and onions.
i think she’ll like it.
and to you, cbl.
Thank you for the tunes, and for a glimpse of the personal Kevin. Can’t take family time for granted, glad you don’t. Have a great visit with all of yours.
Your voice of compassion is always appreciated, even during the outrages of our circumstances. Thank you for keeping that in the forefront so often. It matters, a lot.
Enjoy the day.
Merry Christmas Kevin! Thanks for all you do to enlighten us.
Holiday wishes to you, cbl and chicago.
Wow! i’m stuffed just reading the menu, chicago, and it was delicious ;o)
Happy holidays to you and yours, Kevin! I so,so,so appreciate the work you do!
Merry Christmas Kevin, and to your family. Thanks for all you do, you are a shining light here!
merry christmas kevin!
Mmmmmm some good food cooking in N TX!
Thanks to Kevin and all of us here at FDL! It is our sharing of information, analysis, viewpoints, activism, and companionship that will help us create a better world. Nice being part of this great family!
Happy Holidays and Bright Blessing to All!
Merry Christmas Kevin! And thanks to Kevin’s family and friends for losing so much time with him so he can write up the nooze for all of us.
Thanks for everything you do, Kevin! and Happy Holidays!!! I am glad you are taking a bit of time off. Much Love, Much Peace, Sandy xoxoxo
…easily gets a X 2… best wishes always KG…thank you
I don’t especially feel like listening to Christmas music at the moment, but thank you for your diary.
May 2013 be a good year for you and for us all.