So, here it is. We're getting down to crunch time. The big jolly guy takes to the stage Sunday night. And, we're all suppose to have that Christmas spirit, right? I'm sorry, but sometimes it doesn't quite hit me. I suppose, the fact that I don't have to get into buying too many presents anymore takes me out of the game a little. I haven't rubbed elbows with the anxious crowds at Macy's for a few years. So no, sometimes it takes a while for that holiday feeling to grab me.
The wife and I never had children, so we have not had to go through the toy purchasing frenzy that many parents find themselves in at Christmas time. We've had small hints of it back when the nephews were young. Having them over to help decorate the tree always brought that Christmas spirit to the front. Wrapping up presents for the other nieces and nephews when they were kids was always fun. They're all in their thirties now and probably buy they're own toys.
No, these days I have to dig a little deeper to bring out that Christmas spirit. I've tried the Christmas music and not right after the turkey dinner on Thanksgiving. I waited until the first week of December. Then, after a few days of Bing and Nat it just wasn't doing it for me. So, I had to turn to my old stand by - Christmas movies!
Now, I'm not one to sit and watch hours of the Hallmark Channel. Did they start playing Christmas movies Labor Day weekend? I know some people like it but I really can't watch much of that kind of thing. That would get me in the spirit of canceling cable.
So, I'm more of a Christmas classics type. The first one out of the gate was "Holiday Inn". I actually put that one on the weekend after Thanksgiving which is fine, it has a lot of holidays not just Christmas. I played with the idea of watching "It's a Wonderful Life" but I've gone through George Bailey's life so many times that it's not quite as wonderful as it once was.
What I decided was I had to go with a trump card, appropriate this year I suppose. Scrooge that's the ticket! "A Christmas Carol"! But, which version? There's a lot to choose from. Dickens little tale been box office gold over the years. I've always been partial to the Reginald Owens version, although the Cratchit kids are a bit annoying in that one. In 1979, there was a made for TV version called "An American Christmas Carol" with Henry Winkler playing a Scrooge like character set in the Depression. It's worth watching. I also recommend a British made version with Alistair Sims. They skipped the real title and called it "Scrooge".
Of course, there are animated versions. Disney came out with one in 2009 with Jim Carrey. That one might be geared towards the kids a little, but it's done well. I have a real soft spot for the 1962 cartoon version, "Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol". That might just be the one that will do it for me.
Since I picked a few versions on DVD in the past couple of years, I think that's what I need to do to get the yuletide juices flowing. I'm sure Mr. Magoo and Reginald Owens could make the spirits bright. Then, I'll be ready to welcome Christmas and get myself comfortable that night to witness a true holiday classic, the annual Dr. Who Christmas Special. God bless us, everyone!
Tuesday, December 19, 2017
Tuesday, December 5, 2017
Plenty of Time to Read
So, I've been retired for just about two months now and I'm getting quite used to living without an alarm clock. I come and go as I please, as they say. It's kind of amazing how you can fill your days with things that aren't work or actually job related. You can really start to forget a lot of the trappings of what was once your work life. I don't know how others make this transition to the retired life but for me, I sometimes wonder how I found the time to go to work.
I've been filling my days with a lot of different activities. A lot of things are getting done around the house. A lot of long walks have taken place, a lot of them. I've even tried a little hiking in New Hampshire's White Mountains without a huge amount of success, a story for another time maybe. I have gotten reacquainted with old friends, other retirees who also have the time to do as they please. One thing I haven't been doing is keeping myself as informed as probably should.
Way back when I was a working man, the department I worked in had someone who always picked up a copy of the local newspaper. Break time was my time to sit down with a cup of coffee and catch up. Police logs are always interesting in local newspapers. You get a good appreciation for the many calls the local police departments deal with on a regular basis. The number of calls they get from people who can't find their keys, for instance. Or, the lady who often sees men on boats, in the harbor. Or, the crime wave in one township of a number of houses having cook books being thrown onto a porch or deck.
The other pastime the papers were good for was obituaries. I had one lady in the department who would check the obits, make sure she wasn't in there and declare, "Well, I guess I have to go back to work". However, it was useful in the event that you did see someone you knew and find out if you had to prepare for wake later that night.
And, that leads me to the purpose of this essay. Since retiring I have been remiss in keeping abreast of the local news. I've not read a local newspaper for two months. I get a Boston Globe each Sunday, I glance at the headlines, I check the sports page and then look at the TV listings to plan my evening, but that's it. So, I've missed reports of car keys that may have been found or of any new recipes have caught on locally. I have also missed out seeing the obituaries which can be a bad thing.
Recently, a friend whom I've known since childhood lost his remaining parent. Years ago, we lived across the street from each other. We played the neighborhood together, went to school together, we were close back then. My parents were friends with his parents and even when my family left the neighborhood we all remained friendly over the years. I didn't see the obituary for his father and I missed a chance to go and pay my respects. I feel bad about that.
Coincidently, last week I ended up having breakfast with my friend just days after his father's funeral. Oddly enough, nothing was said about his loss and I still had no idea. We parted and planned to get together again. It was later that day that I found out about his father's passing.
I have since called my friend and gave him my condolences and apologies. Of course, he said there were no apologies needed but, I knew there were. I recalled how he was present when I lost each of my parents.
So, now I've added checking local newspapers to my routine in retirement. Believe me, those police logs are worth it.
I've been filling my days with a lot of different activities. A lot of things are getting done around the house. A lot of long walks have taken place, a lot of them. I've even tried a little hiking in New Hampshire's White Mountains without a huge amount of success, a story for another time maybe. I have gotten reacquainted with old friends, other retirees who also have the time to do as they please. One thing I haven't been doing is keeping myself as informed as probably should.
Way back when I was a working man, the department I worked in had someone who always picked up a copy of the local newspaper. Break time was my time to sit down with a cup of coffee and catch up. Police logs are always interesting in local newspapers. You get a good appreciation for the many calls the local police departments deal with on a regular basis. The number of calls they get from people who can't find their keys, for instance. Or, the lady who often sees men on boats, in the harbor. Or, the crime wave in one township of a number of houses having cook books being thrown onto a porch or deck.
The other pastime the papers were good for was obituaries. I had one lady in the department who would check the obits, make sure she wasn't in there and declare, "Well, I guess I have to go back to work". However, it was useful in the event that you did see someone you knew and find out if you had to prepare for wake later that night.
And, that leads me to the purpose of this essay. Since retiring I have been remiss in keeping abreast of the local news. I've not read a local newspaper for two months. I get a Boston Globe each Sunday, I glance at the headlines, I check the sports page and then look at the TV listings to plan my evening, but that's it. So, I've missed reports of car keys that may have been found or of any new recipes have caught on locally. I have also missed out seeing the obituaries which can be a bad thing.
Recently, a friend whom I've known since childhood lost his remaining parent. Years ago, we lived across the street from each other. We played the neighborhood together, went to school together, we were close back then. My parents were friends with his parents and even when my family left the neighborhood we all remained friendly over the years. I didn't see the obituary for his father and I missed a chance to go and pay my respects. I feel bad about that.
Coincidently, last week I ended up having breakfast with my friend just days after his father's funeral. Oddly enough, nothing was said about his loss and I still had no idea. We parted and planned to get together again. It was later that day that I found out about his father's passing.
I have since called my friend and gave him my condolences and apologies. Of course, he said there were no apologies needed but, I knew there were. I recalled how he was present when I lost each of my parents.
So, now I've added checking local newspapers to my routine in retirement. Believe me, those police logs are worth it.
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