Blogs Are Stupid

Doesn't anyone believe in Dear Diary anymore? What happened to the joy of putting actual pen to paper? And why does every ordinary Jane and John think they can write well enough to burden the world with their scribblings? It’s a mystery that badly needs solving. My first entry contains my thoughts about blogging and will set your expectations. The rest will probably be stream of consciousness garbage, much like you’ll find on any other blog. Perhaps we will both come away enlightened.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Leave It To Jimmy Stewart

As previously established, I am not a lover of Christmas.

To add to that, some personal issues, which I can't really discuss because there are people involved who did not sign up for having their dirty laundry aired on the internet...have been making me particularly melancholy of late.

I've been doing a lot of pissing and moaning. Maybe not so much here (does one post about how much I hate Christmas count as pissing and moaning?) but my poor husband has had to bear the brunt of my irascibility. And, as he does every year, he endures it with remarkable equanimity.

To be quite honest, he is the harbinger of Christmas cheer in our household. Without judgement or criticism, he somehow manages to facilitate an enormous amount of guilt on my part. He does this by simply possessing a hell of a lot of Christmas Spirit.

The bastard.

His love and enjoyment of Christmas shames me. This of course, is the catalyst for the great yuletide charade that is perpetrated by me each and every year in the name of love.

SIGH.

Anyway...despite being a self confessed humbug, I possess a ridiculous and dichotomous fondess for Christmas movies and programming.

My indisputable favorite is "The Year Without A Santa Clause". You know...the one with the Miser Brothers?

Sing it with me...

"He's Mister Green Christmas, He's Mister Sun. Christmas, He's Mister Heat Blister, He's Mister One Hundred and One." la la la la la la la la "Starts to melt in my clutch. I'm too much!"



I can't help myself. My husband laughs to see me..,green with Grinchitude...tapping my toes and singing "I'm too Much!" at the top of my lungs.

It's a little discomfitting, to tell the truth. But I can't seem to help myself.

I suppose it's the same phenomena that is responsible for the fact that despite being an avowed agnostic with strong anti-theist tendencies, not to mention the aformentioned Grinchitude, I go all moist in the ocular area when I hear this song...



(And what happened then? Well...in Who-ville they say, that the Grinch's small heart grew three sizes that day!)

Pshaw.

Anyway, The Miser Brothers are in very close competition with Jimmy Stewart for my heart.

Yes, I am one of those schlubs who actually watches "It's A Wonderful Life". All the way through. Every year. And likes it.

The very first scene makes me cry. You know, where all the characters are praying for George, because he's in trouble and he never has a thought for himself?



Sniffle.

From there it's just non-stop sniveling.

This movie is old. Sappy. Sentimental. But you know...the message never gets old. It never becomes obsolete or outdated. It still prompts people to realize that...

George Bailey isn't the only one with a wondeful life, populated by wonderful people.

I've been privileged to know a few pretty wonderful folks over the years. They touch me, bouy me, give me hope.

Miss Jimmy
The Lesbian Moms
An Old Acquaintance
A New Acquaintance
A Teacher
A Lost Soul
A Hero
A Dad
A Woman Of Faith
Beautiful Children
A Humanitarian

Unfortunately, sometimes, when I'm immersed in self-pity and if only's, I forget them, and I forget my own good fortune.

Shame on me.

That's why I write. So I don't forget them, and I don't forget the moments of humble perfection in my own life. So I don't forget all the many ways in which I am truly, sincerely, profoundly fortunate. I want to write about them with all the vividness they possessed in that moment. I want to make pictures with my words and then store them away in the gallery of my mind.

I write to remind myself that it really is a wonderful life.

But occasionally, I need reminding to remind myself. Sometimes, I forget to visit the gallery. Sometimes I forget to read my own story.

And that is where Jimmy comes in.

Thanks Dude.

10 Comments:

  • At 7:49 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I love It's a Wonderful Life.

    No matter what sort of mood I'm in it always makes me happy.

    It's hard not to get annoyed at Christmas time. There is so much crap to worry about. I try to bring cheer home the for the little guy, but sometimes I have to fake it.

     
  • At 10:26 AM, Blogger Foofa said…

    I really love that movie although I hear they made a color version and I find that somewhat disturbing

     
  • At 1:50 PM, Blogger Middle Girl said…

    Me too, from the beginning and more than once a season.

    In fact, I channel daddy Bailey often when I remind my son, you were born older...

     
  • At 4:52 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I'm not a huge fan of Christmas anymore. My mom died shortly after Christmas almost 9 years ago. I seem to just go through the motions for my children. However, I love John Berry's version of Oh Holy Night, and I have loved the Miser Brothers since I was a kid. And, well, It's a Wonderful Life always makes me cry.

     
  • At 7:27 PM, Blogger Middle Girl said…

  • At 10:01 PM, Blogger Angela said…

    I am with you on the year without a santa clause and It's a wonderful life.

     
  • At 10:56 AM, Blogger Crazed Nitwit said…

    Very nicely written adn very sweet as well. :)

     
  • At 2:13 AM, Blogger Major Bedhead said…

    I love It's A Wonderful Life. I own it on DVD, but I must, must, must watch it on TV every year or it's just not Christmas.


    However, my favourite Christmas song is Fairytale of New York, so there you go....

     
  • At 2:35 AM, Blogger flutter said…

    You have good perspective, and an even better pen.

     
  • At 11:18 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I admit it. I really like "It's a Wonderful Life."

     

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