Well, I'm back. After my holiday marathon I really had nothing left to say, so I took a few weeks off to recharge and look for new trivialities to explore. I want to thank all of those who looked in during the 24 days of blogging, particularly those who took the time to comment. Despite using a captcha, a large number of spam replies get into my box for approval, and it is such a joy (bordering on shock) to see a real person amid the knock-off Louis Vuitton ads. But now it's 2014, and time to get back to work.

Starting with something small today. Every so often I come up against new realities that bump up against the old, a new wine that doesn't fit into old wineskins. We see this in our language all the time…I wonder what kids think when they are asked to dial someone's number on a phone, or type a paper, or roll down the car window. The realities of my childhood carry forward in language after the physical realities have changed. Most of these, like the ones I have mentioned, are primarily quaint, and humorous. However, some of these clashes actually can cause confusion and probably need redefinition.

I joined Goodreads during the break as part of my resolution to read more during 2014. Goodreads is a great way to organize my own reading and a good source of new books. I can keep a record of progress in my own books while reading reviews and recommendations of others. Given my obsession with listing all the books I read (someday I'll write about books and the heavenly pool hall), this seems to be an enjoyable, non-intrusive addition to my digital footprint.

One of the areas of this site allows me to update my progress in books that I am currently reading. Taking a few minutes, I can enter what page I'm on and give a quick update of my thoughts so far. As I started to update this page, I paused at page number as I realized that the number I was entering was higher than the total pages listed. Clearly I have the font on my iPad larger than the text of the printed book. Suddenly it hit me as it hadn't before that page numbers in an era of digital readers are completely irrelevant. The page number is changed by the font size, the formatting of the digital text, or the characteristics of a particular reading program. We can be reading the same book and be in the same place and be on different pages.

The reality behind this, of course, is that in the digital world the word page has no meaning. A page is a physical reality which reflected the limitations of print distribution. In a seamless, endless world of digital text, we talk of pages only as convention or to represent sections. A page is not a page, and frankly a book is not a book.

In most cases this dichotomy has little impact. It doesn't matter to me what page I'm on as long as I can find my place when I return. Should anyone read my Goodreads entry, I doubt they will think me a liar because my pages don't fit within the site guidelines. Frankly the same difference has always existed between reading the hardcover and paperback versions of a book.

However, there are times when this is important. In a social sense, when I attend my book club, it is very difficult to point out a section or quote for discussion when we all have different books in front of us. Similarly, in the classroom it will become more difficult for teachers to highlight things for students (or give reading assignments). In academic writing, notation of sources will become close to impossible. This is not a quaint anachonism that can carry on as long as we dial our touch phones.

I'm not certain what the resolution is, but I think it will have to do with absolute position. Digital readers should adopt a standard of absolute position, so a bit of text can be found easily no matter the font or the source. Probably for the time being this should be tied to the pages of the paper book. Ultimately, however, this standard could allow pinpointing of not only general area, but the exact sentence or word of interest. By establishing these standards, digital readers can improve, rather than confuse, literary scholarship and discussions.

I think I've reached the bottom of the page, so I should stop.

As always, I welcome your comments.

Image: 'Parole perdute' http://www.flickr.com/photos/8418112@N04/3526002850 Found on flickrcc.net

 

In the Gospel infancy narratives, angels appear to Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds. Though the overall message is slightly different, the greeting is the same for all three. “Fear not,” says the angel. Of all the things angels have to say, “fear not,” seems the most important, and is a core message of Christmas that is too often forgotten.

As we begin our celebration. Of Christmas today (and the celebration of the end of 24 days of blogging) many of us will feel a rush of emotions: joy, anxiety, peace, irritation, love, solemnity; but do we feel any less fearful? I don't think so. One could argue between money stresses, family stresses, and time stresses that Christmas time is one of the most fearful time of year, and we as a generation are the most fearful in history.

In his Nobel Prize acceptance speech, William Faulkner (in one of the most gorgeous pieces of writing ever set to paper) captured this well:

Our tragedy today is a general and universal physical fear so long sustained by now that we can even bear it. There are no longer problems of the spirit. There is only the question: When will I be blown up? Because of this, the young man or woman writing today has forgotten the problems of the human heart in conflict with itself which alone can make good writing because only that is worth writing about, worth the agony and the sweat.

What I like about this observation is the line “so long sustained that we can even bear it.” Fear is not something we try to overcome through faith and action, it overwhelms us and paralyzes us. In the Cold War context of these comments, Faulkner talks about the fear of being blown up. This is less a present fear today, but this Cold War anxiety has carried on to our times in more insidious and destructive ways. Today we are not so afraid of a faceless enemy. Today we are afraid of each other, and it doesn't show itself in cowering, it shows itself in anger. In fear we lob preemptive missiles, hoping to destroy the frightening threat.

I've talked about several instances of this during these past days. We are afraid of changes in the education process. Whether it be technology integration or Common Core Standards, there is an underlying suspicion that these cannot lead to anything but a distruction of society, of religion, of our future. There is fear that educational changes will make older methods and techniques obsolete (they will), will make children approach learning differently (they will), will lose the essential values of our existence (they won't). How would these critics react to a message from an angel to fear not? We so need voices to say, “It's going to be all right.”

I'm not saying this from a smug distance, for I know that I fall into fear more than most. My wife has often suggested that I wear a constant “We're Doomed!” button. I think that Christmas is a challenge to me to stop fretting about ultimate ends and to have faith (in every sense of the word) that directions are being drawn by a hand larger than my own.

I hope, as I finish this 24 day (highly uneven) blogging caravan, that you may have the gift of fear not, this Christmas. Whatever your religious background, I hope we can join together in celebrating this good life we have and continue to work to make it better for others.

Don't be afraid, it's Christmas.

As always, I welcome your comments.

Image: 'Happy Christmas!'

http://www.flickr.com/photos/56052306@N06/11474818373 found on Flikrcc.net

 

When I first moved out, my mother gave me a plant and a copy of the Better Homes and Gradens New Cookbook. The plant has long since died, but the cookbook has become part of my life. In the thirty plus years since, I have taken my plaid bound friend from place to place, and it was my regular reference as I tried to navigate my way around the kitchen. My life and cooking changed in many ways, but BH&G always had a recipe or tip to help me through disaster. I knew if I followed directions, My friend would see me through.

As I worked on the menu for Christmas dinner in two days, I thought it might be nice to have Yorkshire pudding popovers to go with the roast beef. By habit I switched over to Youtube and watched three videos, comparing the recipes and looking for the easiest. Today I did a run through to see how much time it took and figure out where I should fit it in to the other cooking. Only as I bit into prototype A did it occur to me that I hadn't thought to look in my old companion.

Actually, it has been a long time since I've dug out BH&G, or any other cookbook for that matter. When I want a recipe, I look online, and I usually look for a video. As I realized this, I felt a pang of nostalgia and perhaps a little regret. My daughter, should she want to cook, will not need or want an all-in-one cookbook, she has a far larger cookbook at her fingertips.

I can't argue for traditional cookbooks (any more than I can argue for traditional textbooks). Online recipe collections, coupled with demonstration videos give one a portable cooking school. I know that just as anyone can post bad ideas, people can (and do) post bad recipes, but there are plenty of dependable sites. I've often been amazed to find a recipe for something that I thought I made up in my head.

Even my old tried and true recipes, which still live in my recipe box, are also on my iPad, and it is easier for me to have this out when I'm cooking (even though I sometimes get doughy or eggy hands on the screen). The cards I copied from books or magazines, or gifts from my mom, are still cooked, but untouched.

I'm sure someone could give a reason why the cookbooks are still good. Someone will probably suggest that cookbooks still work when the power goes out…though I would suggest that my oven would also not work.

So what does this mean? Well, it shows that I have the same nostalgic regret for some of the older technologies that I see in other people. I understand the regret of those who feel the loss of paper books, newspapers and magazines. As comfort of the familiar is lost, it is easy to feel that the new is wrong. Life is becoming different, and things are being left behind.

Like my friend the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook.

As always, I welcome your comments

 

By the way, I just checked and the BH&G doesn't have a recipe for Yorkshire pudding popovers.

 

I have to admit it, I'm pretty much written out. Yesterday I took the easy way out. Tuesday I have something planned, and I there is a good chance that running tomorrow doing last minute chores will supply ample fodder. Today…I got nothing…so I asked my wife what she thought, and she suggested that I write about the concert we attended tonight. A good idea, and so I shall.

This evening we attended the yearly holiday concert of the Pacific Chorale. We've had tickets for this for months, but only yesterday we remembered. Toni spent a good part of the afternoon looking for the tickets (one thing about the carpeting, nothing is where it is supposed to be). Frankly, I was hoping that the tickets wouldn't be found, as I looked forward to a night staying at home, but she located them and off we went.

The Segerstrom Concert Hall is a very beautiful building. It is designed primarily for choral performances, with tiered choral seats behind the orchestra and a massive organ acting as backdrop. Our seats were very close, and we were a bit afraid that the sound wouldn't be good, going over us, but it was great. This evening there was an orchestra, an inevitable guest children's choir (the director talked about how important it was to have children there, but a children's choir also increases the crowd with parents and relatives), and the Pacific Chorale, a semi professional group.

The concert was wonderful. There is nothing like choral music during the holidays, and the selections they chose included the familiar and some new to me. The kids were integrated well into the evening, and soloists were all good. The did sing “I Saw Three Ships” and the version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” I don't like, but everything was wonderful, most of all the audience. Strangers is all versions of Christmas finery greeted each other and shared in the musical celebration. Santa Claus arrived to share a few somewhat tired puns and some candy canes (we didn't get one). At one point the director displayed his light up tie and glasses, which seemed to particularly amuse the choir who had probably seen his Scroogey side during rehearsals.

The evening culminated with the Hallelujah Chorus at which point the entire audience rose and most sang along.

Again, no point or lesson, just a wonderful evening full of warmth, music and Christmas spirit.

More tomorrow.

Image: 'Dickens Village 2010'

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12836528@N00/5270600203 Found on flickrcc.net

 

Since this is the shortest day of the year, it seems only fitting that this be the shortest blogpo…

As always, I welcome you comments.

Image: 'The core'

http://www.flickr.com/photos/53601471@N08/10823897423 Found on flickrcc.net

 

I saw three ships come sailing in

I saw three ships come sailing in

On Christmas Day in the morning.

You've probably heard it as many times as I. The bouncy joyful melody, originally from the eighteenth century, is sung by choirs, soloists, and instrumentalists. Though seldom sung as a church carol, it is familiar to all and in the regular rotation of all classical and semi-classical Christmas stations. I heard it twice this morning.

But why ships?

According to the story of the song, three ships carrying Mary and the Christ child sailed into Bethlehem. But how did this image every come into the mind of the lyricist? Of course there is no mention of ships in the Infancy Narratives. Though there is no mention of transport, all tradition suggests that Mary and Joseph would have walked or taken a beast of burden. Even if a ship were available, the closest body of water to Bethlehem is 20 miles away, so “sailing in” wouldn't be possible.

Obviously I don't mind dramatic developments to the Christmas story, but most of the stories and songs build on the scriptural base. How ships became intertwined is a mystery to me, and online explanations don't help much. There is a suggestions the lyric was tied to ships taking the relics of the three magi to Cologne Cathedral in the thirteenth century. Since it is a traditional hymn, there is no one to authoritatively give any information. Somehow this song sprang up among the English country folk, but how and why is anything but intuitive.

There are so many traditions and stories and songs surrounding the holiday. Many of them awaken nostalgia, or joy, or religious feeling.

But “I Saw Three Ships” remains a nautical conundrum. Anchors aweigh, my Lord Fa la la la la la la la la

As always, I welcome your comments.

Image: 'View from Big Brother, Egypt 2008'

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16903262@N02/2471594862. Found on flickrcc.net

 

Today was an amazing day. Since the day we moved into our house 10 years ago, we've been saying that we need to change the carpet. The house had lovely white carpet that was installed shortly before we bought it. I understand that white carpeting helps the house look clean and large. However, with a preteen child and three dogs, we knew that this white carpet would be an unforgiving record of every spill mess or domestic disaster. In the early days we tried using carpet runners and shampooing the carpet weekly, but after a very short time it was clear that white carpet and we were completely incompatible,

And so we lived for over ten years, each year vowing to do something about the carpet, now stained with various puppy and other household accidents. The shampoo machine had little effect, and even professional cleanings didn't last very long. So we talked often about the need to change the carpet, and nothing happened. Between finances, time, and initiative, something always got in the way.

Until this year. At the end of the summer we finally had three rooms converted to laminate wood floors. Very nice, but the carpet still remained through most of the house. And then on Tuesday of this week I received a text from my wife, “new carpet being installed on Thursday and Friday.”

For the next 48 hours my wife and I ran helter skelter, trying to prepare for this. My main observation is that no one knows how many things are on a floor until preparing for new carpet. Everywhere we turned, there was another pile of stuff, boxes that hadn't been touched since our last move. Exacerbating this were the Christmas decorations that had to be carefully taken down. Probably the worst were the floors of the closets. I found Jimmy Hoffa in the back of mine. Luckily we had a very wonderful team of installers who were willing to move almost everything, so no furniture had to be carried.

This morning before they started I took apart my computer setup. In my haste, I pulled wires and cords without any thought of putting it back together. My wife asked if I took pictures of the setup so I would know where everything went, and I had to admit that was a really good idea…if I had done it.

Anyway, I am happy to announce that the carpet is laid. In fact, they finished the entire job in one day. It looks even better than I had hoped, and feels wonderful underfoot. We have an enormous job to put everything back together prior to having the family over for Christmas, but it was worth it: crazy, stressful, impossible, but definitely worth it.

As always, I welcome your comments.

Image: Carpet

 

I had to go back and check the last two years to see if I had written about this before, but I couldn't find anything, so here goes.

Among the many bizarre traditions associated with the Christmas celebration around the world, one of my favorite is a little-known figure named Krampus. The tradition is most likely of Germanic origin, though it spread through the entire region. Krampus is a horned, beast-like creature who is the counterpart to St. Nicholas. As St. Nicholas would reward good children, Krampus would punish the naughty (a much more frightening embodiment of coal in the stocking). In many countries the eve of the feast of St. Nicholas is called Krampusnacht as the beast would come to town and either frighten naughty children or (in some tellings) put them in a sack and take them away.

Of course this tradition has led to many celebrations involving costumes and, of course, alcohol. Sometimes the figure of Krampis accompanies St, Nicholas, doling out punishment while the Saint focuses only on the good children. In some German communities, the tradition of exchanging greeting cards with the image of Krampus Krampuskarten continues to this day.

I have just been informed by my wife who was walking by while I'm writing that Krampus was featured on a recent episode of Grimm, so the legend lives on.

The thing I find interesting about Krampus is this human need to capture the duality of existence. St. Nicholas represents generosity, good will, and joy, so there must be a second figure to reflect the darker angels of our own nature (my wife describes Krampus and Santa's evil twin). We do not believe in the possibility of reward without the threat of punishment.

When I was in the classroom, I had my students pick term paper topics from a hat. I loved the lifelike randomness of the process. Once I suggested to the students that I should put in a slip of paper that would excuse the chooser from writing the paper while giving him or her an A on the assignment. The students obviously liked this idea. However, I continued that if I did that, I would need to also put in a slip that said the chooser would get an F. In saying this, I was giving voice to Krampus, not evil, but an equalizer. I never did this for various ethical and professional reasons, but it was an interesting discussion.

I'm not saying whether this is good or bad, but it certainly is human. You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout I'm telling you why…Krampus will come and put you in his bag to take you away where you will never be seen again!

As alway, I welcome your comments.

Image: 'Vintage Christmas Krampus Postcard'

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66974474@N00/327822121 Found on flickrcc.net

In a few of these entries, I've talked about my love of Christmas songs and carols, and by some of the analysis of lyrics it should be clear that I spend way too much time thinking about this. Today is my opportunity to explore the other side of this topic and mention the songs I hate, songs that my life would be infinitely better if I never heard again.

Although the list trends toward pop songs, I don't dislike pop Christmas songs as a rule. “Christmas, Baby, Please Come Home” by Darlene Love ranks at the very top of my like list. Likewise, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” is a great pop song (there is a wonderful version of this song on YouTube with Miriah Carey joined by Jimmy Fallon and the Roots playing classroom instruments).

There are also some songs that are beneath contempt and therefore not included. This would include novelty songs like “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” or the barking dogs “Jingle Bells.” I don't understand why anyone would listen to these more than once (although I understand that they do). I have to include (the word treacly doesn't say enough) “The Christmas Shoes” here, though I understand that some people like it; they shouldn't.

So here is my top 7 list, and yes, I am aware I just spoke about lists yesterday:

“Rocking Around the Christmas Tree” Brenda Lee: The idea of a rock beat to a Christmas song is OK, but I've yet to see a Christamas party hop.

“Jingle Bells Rock” Bobby Helms: Everything that is bad about “Rocking” is bad about this x10

“Feliz Navidad” Jose Feliciano: If I didn't hear this song so often, I might not hate it so much, but “from the bottom of my heart,” is very hard to take.

These three have the further distinction of being virtually the entire playlist of most radio stations. Please, stop already!

“Blue Christmas” Elvis Presely: Can someone tell me what is Christmasy about this song?

“The Little Drummer Boy” Boring, pa rum-pa-pa-pum

“Mary Don't You Know?” Somehow this has become the go-to song for earnest young people. Stop

“Last Christmas” Wham: This will become the Jingle Bells Rock of our era.

I would love for people to add Yule songs that they hate. I would also love for someone to explain why the radio continues to play the big three

Image: 'Singin Bells'

http://www.flickr.com/photos/32093606@N08/3127408381 Found on flickrcc.net

Confession time.

In the last few months I've fallen into a distressing Internet addiction. I regularly swear that I will stay away from these pages, but I get a little bored or tired and suddenly I'm there again. I know I should be reading or writing blogposts, something productive, but again and again I give into my dark compulsion. Afterward when I'm depressed and filled with self-loathing, I make the same promises, knowing that my will isn't strong enough to keep them.

I read lists on the Internet

Probably I see this most on Buzzfeed, but I've noticed them on any other of dozens of “news” sites. I've even started to see lists on mainstream sites like the Los Angeles or New York Times. No matter where, as soon as I see the words “top ten..,” “15 things you don't know about..,” or any number followed by a noun; click, I'm hooked. It is particularly a problem at this time of year, as I can resist finding out little know facts about Christmas, Christmas carols, Christmas movies, Christmas specials, etc.

Here is a list of lists you can find on Buzzfeed right now:

• 21 Bachelor Pad Tricks that Will up Your Game
• 15 Things Every Kick-Ass Uncle Knows To Be True, As Told By Jesse And Joey
• 12 Things All Stage Managers Understand
• 16 Disney Holiday Specials to Warm Your Heart
• 27 Versions Of Wham!’s “Last Christmas” Sung By Artists Around The World
• 14 Books From 2013 Every Music Lover Should Read
• 17 Miley Cyrus “Wrecking Ball” Ornaments That Are Works Of Christmas Tree Art

OK, you get the point

I tried to figure out why I (and so many others by the look of it) am so attracted to lists. To organize my thoughts I (of course) made a list:

• A list gives the reader the feeling of learning without the effort of heavy reading.
• A list helps provide order to a chaotic world.
• A list provides opportunities for surprise, recognition, and argument, particularly when ratings are involved.
• A list gives the reader tidbits to share.

Do you like lists? Any idea why?

As always, I welcome your comments

Image: 'January first'

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10953991@N00/2162700587 Found on flickrcc.net

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