2013-12-25: Christmas musings

(Originally posted on mofembot.com)

The pumpkin pie is out of the oven and the turkey is in, the latter destined to stew in its own juices until hopefully the meat will of its own cooked volition fall off the bones… and here I am again at this same general time of year. Usually it takes New Year’s to bring me to this point, replete as it is with Good Intentions and Resolutions about blogging more regularly, blogging more devotedly, blogging-blog-blog-bla-bla-bla.

But I am here, compelled by having renewed my hosting contract with gandi, but more compelled, perhaps, by listening to hours of non-stop mostly new-to-me Christmas songs or puzzling arrangements of old songs on the radio, brought to me by “Einundneunzig vier” — FM 94.1 Berlin.† Many of the new songs have a liberal bent with which I completely agree — the “grown-up Christmas list” for Santa asking for peace on Earth and an end to poverty and loneliness. Poor troubled world, what with ice caps a-melting on the one hand and the lords (in Utah) a-leaping in their discomfort and outrage at their ban on gay marriage deemed unconstitutional on the other. (I am beyond words about my disquiet re: the former and simply basking in the irony re: the latter.)

Hearing (repeatedly) various renditions of “I'll Be Home for Christmas” has contributed to my thoughtful mood. I don’t like that two out of three children (and their SOs) are not here with us, nor we with them. Skype calls later will help, but don’t make up for the lack. (After one of the more poisonously political meals with nearly all of my conservative siblings — liberal brother & wife were not there — it is certainly just as well that I am/we are not having Christmas breakfast at so-and-so’s before decamping to another sib’s house for Christmas dinner. Sigh.)

Aside: I read Pope Francis’ Christmas address. I like this guy a lot. Assuming all of the enemies he’s making don't send him the way of John-Paul I in the too-near future, he may yet breathe new life into an old and corrupt institution that still has potential to do some good in the world. (Yes, I am all too aware that he hasn’t quite figured out women & priesthood, married priests, etc., etc., etc., but his focus on the poor and his criticism of unfettered capitalism is very refreshing indeed. Would that LDS, Inc., were humble enough to take a leaf from him… yeah, right.) I wonder how well-received he’d be among the conservatives in my family with such a “Marxist” message were his name Monson.—But I digress.

But Christmas. We’re in rather straitened circumstances this year, and gift-giving was at a solar minimum, so to speak (living in a dark northern land deserves a little credit for the metaphor). It was obviously more important to be present at The Ner’s wedding, a joyous and fun event, but one which left the coffers as dry as nearly they can be. Still, we are all in tolerably decent health at present, the wolf is still a ways away from the door and hopefully will turn full tail shortly, and I cannot really complain too much about much of anything (may it be ever so). Our extended families are in largely good shape as well, including the one SIL who nearly died at Thanksgiving from choking on turkey.

2014 will be better financially, looks like, even if that means a stint working in Grenoble for me. (Haven't heard yet, but the latest signs seemed indicative of a “go” in this regard.) Mixed feelings about it, to say the least. The older I get, the less I like routine travel, the less I like living apart from Mr Mo, the less I like dealing with new and uncertain situations, even though I have reasonable confidence in my abilities and charm. —And with respect to the latter, this “charm” with which I have had the good fortune to be blessed for pretty much my entire life — once in a while I find my impatience “almost” overriding my willing friendliness toward new acquaintances. Hmm.

Well. No promises for regular blogging, worthy goal though it is. My ambitions today (and perhaps only for today, as in December 25, 2013) are largely confined to the wish for seeing my offspring all moving through their respective stages of life with health and happiness… and Mr Mo and all other loved ones as well.

† The oddest “Christmas” selection was Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” (which I know from the movie ˆ); maybe some non-English-speaking someone at the radio station mistook all the hallelujahs for caroling? Bizarre.