Christmas...the Best Time of the Year?

It's no secret that people are getting a little tired of the hoopla that surrounds Christmas. No sooner are the Halloween decorations down in the stores, but they're replaced with tinsel and glitter in anticipation of the hoards of shoppers that will push and shove their way through the endless aisles of "stuff-that-nobody-needs-but-I-gotta-buy-them-something".

Christmas, though, really has nothing to do with shopping malls. The goodwill of man towards men at this time of year is unprecedented. The traditions that have survived decades and centuries - like "Handel's Messiah," "A Christmas Carol," "The Nutcracker" and hanging stockings "by the chimney with care..." - bring a charm to the season that is undeniable.

Charity gets a shot in the arm at this time of year, too. For a time, we all become keenly aware of the homeless, the hungry, the helpless. We give more freely, generously and happily at this time of year than at any other. Perhaps it is because we are truly philanthropic at heart...or perhaps, our charity is the license that allows our Christmas mania to continue guilt-free.

Don't get me wrong. I love Christmas. Like most of us, I've fully immersed myself in the trappings of the season. The house is "Christmas-ized" and my credit card is maxxed. I've made my donations and spent hours finding the perfect "stuff-that-nobody-needs-but-I-gotta-buy-them-something." By all accounts, Christmas 2009 was a success.

Our Jewish friends spent Christmas Day serving Christmas dinner to the homeless at the Drop-In Centre. On the news, I learned of a family that opted to forgo giving gifts to one another in order to buy necessities for a family that had nothing. I watched "A Christmas Carol" on t.v. and was reminded of how Ebenezer Scrooge was transformed after being dramatically reminded of his capitalistic selfishness. That story - first published in 1843 - still rings true today.

And so it is not Christmas that ought to be on trial, or the stores that tempt us with their "stuff-that-nobody-needs-but-I-gotta-buy-them-something". The only way, I think, to make Christmas meaningful is to do something to make Christmas meaningful. Come to think of it, I don't have to wait until next Christmas.

Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa

Once in a while, someone comes along that really makes you laugh.  Not the polite kind of laugh that we use to suggest we're good-natured or that we "get" the joke...but the kind of laugh that hits you right between the eyes.  A one-two punch.

A friend of mine introduced me to Ennio Marchetto a while ago, and I have to admit that I've been hoarding him -- something this good you want to keep to yourself, at least for a little while!  Well, I'm over it and prepared to unleash to the world this incredible talent.

You may not find this funny.  It doesn't matter, because I do and this is MY blog!  I can't imagine how anyone could come up with this particular shtick, but I suspect it has something to do with being locked in a room at a young age with a pair of scissors and some glue.

Out of respect, I ask that you find some undisturbed time with a glass of wine when watching this video.  And remember -- never underestimate the power of cardboard and a little imagination!

The Dash

Life is fleeting, they say.  I came across a photo of this tombstone recently, prompting a little introspection and pondering of the meaning of life.  Hey, let's face it -- sooner or later, we're all going to be "six feet under" and I'm no exception.  While my namesake, memorialized on this gravestone, tragically lived only four short years, I hope to live to be -- well, let's just say a long time.

I decided to undertake a bit of an experiment, and Halloween gave me the perfect excuse.  I purchased some old clothes at Value Village and contacted an Emmy-Award winning make-up artist to transform me into myself as an 80 year old man.  A cane and some bad teeth helped to complete the makeover.  I shuffled my way onto the SAIT campus, where I work, and began my experiment.

Friday October 30th also happened to be SAIT's fall Open House, so young people were in abundance.  To most I met, I was just an old man with bad teeth.  Some were so affected at the sight of me they had to look away.  I was one of the "undesirables" of society -- to be avoided, shunned, ignored.  Others, however, politely held doors open, offered an arm or gave up a seat.

My 85 year-old neighbor, still living in her own home, suffers from scoliosis of the spine.  Over the last few years, we've watched as her spine curves increasingly to the left.  There is no known treatment, except to increase the dosage of painkillers.  The resolve and stamina of this woman, however, are remarkable.  She shops for groceries on foot, carrying her purchases home one slow step after the other.  And sometimes, remarkably, strangers offer assistance -- some going far out of their way to do so.  A few weeks ago, a construction worker clad in overalls drove her home and even helped her unpack her groceries.

The kindness of strangers.  We are a self-absorbed society for the most part, but there are those among us who do go out of their way to be kind.  Like my neighbor, I was heartened by the generosity of some toward me.  A single random act of kindness can truly make a difference.

As I look at the tombstone of young Brian Bowman, I am reminded of the Linda Ellis poem "The Dash" -- I know of at least one person who has the poem posted on his fridge.  It has profoundly affected the lives of thousands, and I hope it makes an impression on you too! Spend a couple of minutes of your dash and watch this video.

I Love A Piano

Don't you sometimes think that the world is a little dull?  Our days are filled with traffic jams, line ups at the grocery store and a million trivial things that need to be done.  Ahhh...but imagine if we made these tedious tasks a little more tantalizing and less trivial.  What if instead of dreading your commute, you were excited about a traffic jam because you had a great new CD to listen to?  What if the line-up at the grocery store became an opportunity to meet a stranger?

I found this video on YouTube and thought to myself "BRILLIANT!"  This is what we need more of!  The imagination is limitless!  What would you do to make the dull delightful, the dreary delicious?  Would you take the stairs or the escalator?

All Fer Me Blog

Is anybody out there?  My Blog has been an utter failure thusfar.  I've been thinking about it and have decided that there needs to be a reason to have a Blog in the first place.  A Blog without a purpose is like a stray dog.  So I've decided to give my Blog a reason for being.

Let me know what you think.  I often receive links and e-mails from people suggesting great books to read, music to listen to, videos to watch, profound observations of life...and other things that I can't repeat here.  I don't like to clog up people's e-mails with all this stuff, but perhaps a blog is the perfect place to publish them.

For example, my Blog's newfound purpose in life might be to:

1. Share a great book I've just read, or suggest one that someone else has recommended;
2. Let you know about a great upcoming event or concert;
3. Post links to videos or music that I, or someone else, thinks is worth watching
4. Sharing favorite recipes with the hope that someone will feed me
5. Offer some links to choral resources and music sites that might be of interest to you

For example, many of you sent me a link to the remarkable performance of "Africa" by a Slovenian jazz choir called "Perpetuum Jazzile".  It's definitely worth sharing, and so here it is.  It's definitely worth the 6 minutes and 18 seconds it takes to watch -- and demonstrates the remarkable things that can be done with the human voice.  Have a look:



So what do you think?  Let me know, otherwise I'll pack up my Blog and go home.

Wicked

Well, at long last, I've seen it! While here in San Francisco for a conference of the Centre for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), I had the opportunity to see "Wicked" at the beautiful Orpheum Theatre. I was not disappointed!

Of course, I know the music -- expertly crafted by Stephen Schwartz -- and could have sung along with just about any of the tunes. And, I've read the book (along with others in Gregory Maguire's collection) so, while not a raging fan, I'm impressed with the creativity and "magic" that this musical exudes. Schwartz has crafted a clever and often hilarious world of bizarre, whimsical and occasionally deep characters in the Land of Oz. What a treat to hear expertly rendered versions of "One Short Day" and "For Good".

Theatre is so much the experience...great music, great voices, great acting help, but they can't displace the importance of drawing the audience in with a story, a world, a spectacle that becomes their own. We all have the frame of reference of Dorothy and the "Wizard of Oz"...that story needn't be retold. In "Wicked", the audience is assumed to know the history (actually, the future) on which the plot is based, and that in and of itself unifies the audience and creates a sense of community. Who knew that the "Wicked Witch of the West" had such a challenging childhood, so much potential for doing good, so hard a time fitting in?

"Wicked" debuted at the San Francisco Curran Theatre in 2003 in a pre-Broadway trial run. While panned by critics, it has understandably become a phenomenon since. Kristin Chenoweth (one of my favorites) and Idina Menzel starred as Glinda and Elpaba. In the version I saw, Glinda was performed by a sensational Natalie Daradich -- a Canadian from Toronto -- who was stand-in for Kendra Kassebaum on the night I attended. She had the voice, poise and comedic wit to really pull of the role. Elphaba was performed by Teal Wicks, a talented young lady with a voice that nailed every number, and acting skills to boot.

You might remember Patty Duke -- star of "The Patty Duke Show" and "Valley of the Dolls". It was my good fortune to see her in the role of Madame Morrible. Despite a few awkward memory slips and obvious challenges at her age with a role of this physicality, she was endearing nonetheless and received one of the night's biggest ovations.

Well, I can now stop fantasizing about seeing my latest favorite musical. I'll now need to find another to occupy me, but like anticipating a good meal, I was fully satisfied and rapt with pleasure at having seen "Wicked" in one of my favorite cities - San Francisco.

The King of Pop

What a tragic end to a tragic life. Brilliant in so many respects, Michael Jackson left us at the age of 50 years yesterday...sad, broke, the butt of jokes. Embroiled in legal battles, struggling to keep his finances afloat, reclusive, on the fringe of society...

If you listen to Jackson's music -- Thriller, Billy Jean, Man in the Mirror, Beat It -- you can't help but know this is a great talent. When you listen to his music AND watch him perform, you know you're witnessing one of the greatest performers of all time. But Michael got more and more bizarre, altering his appearance, increasingly eccentric, and eerily "unhuman". As the song goes..."What's behind the facade?"

I feel sorry for Michael. His celebrity lasted almost his entire lifetime, devoid of any normalcy. Like so many before him with great talent and celebrity -- Mozart, Monroe, Cobain, Garland, Presley -- fame and fortune become too much to handle. The dark side of the music business is dark indeed and a public persona as big as Michael's is a difficult thing to sustain when you're simply human.

None of us can imagine living a life like his. Rather than being judgmental, I'm just going to admire the man for his contribution to the arts, to the evolution of popular music, and for persevering despite near impossible odds. While his death is sadly predictable, it is no less tragic.