You may have come here looking for either music or poetry, today being Sunday, but such is the 2023 calendar that today is not just any Sunday, but Christmas Eve, to which I traditionally dedicate a post of its own. Poetry Sunday will return one week from today on December 31st, the last day of 2023, giving us an opportunity to mark the end of a year which I doubt many of us will miss.
But enough of all that.
Today is Sunday, December 24th, the day of Christmas Eve, when millions of people across the nation and the world frantically await the arrival of the elves from FedEx and UPS and Amazon with gifts bought online that were "guaranteed" to arrive by Christmas. Tonight, children will set out milk and cookies for Santa and desperately try to stay up late in hopes of seeing him, parents will use salty language as they try to deal with the toy for which "some assembly (is) required*," and stores will sell out of the batteries they didn't realize they needed for that toy they had to assemble.
Here's a timely quote from Dave Barry:
"Once again we find ourselves enmeshed in the Holiday Season, that very special time of year when we join with our loved ones in sharing centuries-old traditions such as trying to find a parking space at the mall. We traditionally do this in my family by driving around the parking lot until we see a shopper emerge from the mall, then we follow her, in very much the same spirit as the Three Wise Men, who 2,000 years ago followed a star, week after week, until it led them to a parking space**"
Ah, the holidays!
No peace on earth, though.
Today's commentary is fairly short ... I'll have more to say tomorrow in my traditional, somewhat updated, Christmas Day post. I'll just warn you to be careful if you plan to go out today - not just because the stores will all be madhouses (despite online shopping), parking lots will look like the beaches of 1944 Normandy, and drivers will be more distracted than usual, but because all too many of your fellow Christmas shoppers will arrogantly and petulantly engage in behavior*** that will mean some families next Christmas will have fewer people around the tree and the table.
And I want to see you all safe and happy tomorrow.
Have a good day. More thoughts coming.
Bilbo
* "Some assembly required" is the shortened version of the statement, "Assistance by credentialed mechanical or electrical engineers is required."
** This was one of my mother's favorite cartoons.
*** For example, refusal to vaccinate and insistence on packing maximum iron at all times.
P.S. - Meaning no offense to the general thoughtfulness and quite contemplation of Christmas Eve, we nevertheless need to present our usual update of the voting for Ass Clown of the Year. Here are the standings as of the time of today's publication:
Rudi Giuliani - 205
Moms for Liberty - 156
Jim Jordan - 72
Empty G - 59
Kevin McCarthy - 53
Kari Lake and The Republican Party/GOP (tie) - 50
James Comer - 46
George Santos - 18
You have until midnight on December 31st to cast your votes, so get cracking! Vote early, vote often. If you have any questions about the rules, or want to review this year's previous Right-Cheek, Left-Cheek, On-Crack, and Special Award winners, check this post.
B.
Empty G - 14 votes
ReplyDeleteMy daughter, granddaughter, and son-in-law went to his family's Christmas get-together last weekend. He has covid now as does his mother. Luckily daughter and granddaughter didn't get it. He's vaccinated but his side of the family are mostly anti-vaxxers. And they love to shake hands. The minute they see you, out comes their hand. I try and head to the nearest bar of soap or bottle of hand sanitizer after the encounter. But then they come after you when you're leaving too.
I vote for Kanye West. Allegedly, he’s seen the evil of his Nazi anti Semitic ways, and apologized. “ I didn’t mean to hurt anyone.”
ReplyDeleteWords spoken cannot be taken back.