This year, Christmas seems excessively not so merry. If you have been reading any posts here, you will understand, i’m not particularly happy with this pandemic thing halting my travels. We cancelled our October trip to Austin to see daughter Blythe, grandson Sam, and son-in-law Jason in Austin. We won’t see them at Christmas. Nor will we get to go back to my hometown or Nashville. And the tradition of Christmas on top of Signal Mountain is down the tubes. Even worse, there is a slight possibility of a white Christmas up that mountain outside of Chattanooga, making the non-travel even worse.
Then, my iPhone started dying. Obsolescence is built into these products so obsolescent folks can curse and wish for the good ole days when the phones were on the wall with a live operator and a party line.
My supposedly wonderful brand new, gadget rigged for Star Wars Mac Air laptop does not like me, and apparently doesn’t care for “Apple Care” reps or the folks at their stores. It refuses to do what they keep trying to fix and is annoying as hell. Not to mention, the fixes those folks have induced, has wiped out my system and passwords and re-implementing programs has been one giant continuing headache. Worse, i can’t get to the next level and have to go through the same routine with no solution each time i contact those Apple folks.
My “NOEL” sign had some problems and i have tried to improve with a new sign. It sucks, in my opinion, and i will explain that in a later post.
Now, there is thing about presents. i’m never very good at it. Seems like everyone else is generous, inventive, and giving me things i really appreciate. i just don’t seem to have that knack, so even if i am going overboard in some respects, i just don’t seem to measure up to people i care about and their gifts.
And my golf game suggests i should just give it up. It’s that bad.
So this afternoon, i said screw it (after hanging and looking at the disastrous “NOEL” sign), sat down to this infernal machine, and put on some music while trying to get some other million things intended done. i put on some music.
Thank you, Ike. And thank you, Blythe. You see, more years than i can count ago, Blythe sent me this CD as a gift. It was a studio album, “Here and Now” created by Ike Turner (no, not Eisenhower, but i still like Ike). If you like Blues or old style Rhythm and Blues (and i’m sure there are other genres associated, which are beyond my ken), this is an incredible album. It is the blues, Ike Turner style. And it’s real.
i started listening as i began to fool with this machine. Then, the third cut, “You Can’t Winnum All” came on. i stopped and just listened. In all of his and our dark times, we just get caught up in the negative. Bad happens. It’s life. We need to accept that and move on.
i feel much better now. My feet have been tapping. i have a smile. Perhaps if you listen, you will feel better also.
Thank you, Ike, and thank you, Blythe.
And to all, a Merry Christmas:
I remember this song. My sister Margaret could play piano just like this. She could also play like Del Wood. Lots of entertainment back in the 50’s.