Bischoff has since retired from wrestling but in a recent TEDx talk, he points out some similarities between the world of pro wrestling and today’s media/political landscape, a topic I’ve touched on before and which I don’t think gets enough analysis as a way to provide insight into how Trump won the Presidency and how he continues to carry himself.
My son has been a Flames fan since his first Christmas in 2007.
I’ve been a fan a bit longer – I’m not sure when I switched from the Islanders being my favourite team to the Flames (mid-90’s?) but my fandom definitely clicked into overdrive in 2001 when Shea and I moved to Calgary and has only grown since then.
Here’s a pic of the matching jerseys of our favourite team that Pace and I got for Christmas 2007.
I was fortunate to grow up in Western Canada during the heyday of Stampede Wrestling and I remember coming across this strange “ring-a-ding-dong dandy” spectacle on the TV when I was 7 or 8 years old.
Many of the wrestlers had interesting names and personas – “Bad News Allen”. “The Cuban Assassin”. “The Great Gama”. “The Stomper”. “Loch Ness Monster”. “Hercules Ayala”.
The power was out from around 9am until early afternoon or even later across most of the southern half of the province. Most businesses, schools and other organizations (including the library) closed down (except for a couple branches that had power) for the day.
Makes you appreciate that this is not a regular occurance and how important something we take for granted like reliable power is!
The phrase “hard candy Christmas” refers to a time in American history when many families who did not have much money could only afford to give penny candy to their children at Christmas…The hard candy metaphor suggests that life can be hard and sweet at the same time.
I’ve posted a lot of Christmas songs over the years, mostly as Music Monday posts, but I don’t think I’ve ever tried to make a list of my favourite Xmas songs, at least until now.
So what makes a great Christmas song in my mind?
Weirdly with how joyful the season is, my favourites mostly seem to all have a touch of melancholy or outright sadness – being alone, being down on your luck, feeling time passing you by.
“Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis” – Tom Waits
– People in the drunk tank and lying hookers and arguably two songs that don’t even have anything directly to do with Christmas except in passing, I may have missed the point of this list completely!
“White Wine in the Sun” – Tim Minchin
A perfect song about being an atheist at Christmas – clever, funny and heartwarming all at once.
“I Wish It Could Be Christmas (Everyday)” – Roy Wood and Wizzard
– I don’t think this song is as well known on this side of the pond but this is a song that will always remind me of my semester exchange to England in 1995 which ended just before Christmas.
“It’s Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home” – Darlene Love
David Letterman was a curmudgeon but he still got Darlene to come on his show every year, from his earliest days until the end of his career, to perform this song. And with good reason – what a great song!
“Merry Christmas From The Family” – Robert Earl Keen
A hilarious song about the importance of family, RV parking and Marlboro Lights during the holidays.
“White Christmas” – Otis Redding
I cannot listen to this song without seeing snow falling.
“I’ll Be Home For Christmas” – Elvis Presley
The thought of a soldier remembering all the good things about Christmas and wishing he was home is topped by the kicker of a line “…if only in my dreams.”
“Merry Christmas Everybody” – Slade
It feels like cheating to put two songs on the list that are so much a part of my semester in England but
“Last Christmas” – Wham!
I know many find this song too poppy and/or formulaic but I still love it.
Anyhow, not a lot of “classics” on my list but I truly love them all.
Took Sasha to the local community association’s Santa Breakfast this morning. (Shea had already eaten by the time we remembered it was on and Pace, being the typical pre-teen he is, said he didn’t want to come.)
Walked Sasha to a birthday party at one of her kindergarten classmate’s houses in the neighbourhood.
On the way home, managed to be one of the first in line for a horse-drawn sleigh ride put on by a nearby church whose route happened to pass right in front of our house.
After my ride, went a bit out of my comfort zone to knock on the door of a local home that puts up an amazing light and music display every year to suggest he might want to turn on his lights since sleighs would be passing by all afternoon and people on my ride were talking about how amazing his house was. Happily, he said he’d be glad to turn on his lights and music even though it was daytime and people wouldn’t get the full effect. (This is a pic of the kids after we walked over last night for a close-up view.)
Did a huge amount of housecleaning while Sasha was gone and not able to “help” us.
Picked her up from her birthday party early so we could run to be on the last horse ride of the afternoon.
Stopped in the church for hot chocolate and cookies then stood by the fire pit they had outside. (“It smells like camping!” Sasha said excitedly.)
Stopped at a Christmas Craft show in a nearby apartment complex.
Finished the night out for an annual Xmas supper with a few high school friends.
