Christmas Blog 2012

I am hoping that you are safe and warm, snuggled by some source of heat. We know there are many who because of a gal named Sandy are not able to be in their own homes this year.

My stepmom Alice was fond of reflecting about the time (or times) when “the ocean met the bay;” a story of some long forgotten storm(s) that many years ago had drowned Breezy Point. Few current Rockaway Peninsula residents ever thought that kind of event would happen again, but indeed it has.

Sadly, brothers Kevin and Dickey and their wives experienced significant damage to their Breezy Point homes and will not be spending Christmas at the beach this year. The clean-up and re-building plans are moving forward, but it remains a stressful and challenging experience for all. Living 400 miles away, where Sandy was nothing but a breezy rain storm, I feel like I should be doing more but am too far to help.

This was again a year for some family becoming grandparents as more of the younger relatives acquired new additions to their families. Facebook continues to become the way we learn of these events – sometimes almost instantaneously – and always accompanied by photographs and sometimes videos. As much as I dislike Facebook, it is an amazing way for friends and families to stay connected. In the past year I have learned more about folks whom I have known for 50 years than I had in the previous 49.

I continue my design and consulting business - jebswebs.com - and have been paying attention to costs and political debates. Again, it’s been an okay business year that “could have been better.” Need a web presence? – give me a shout jeb@jebswebs.com

Let us be thankful that the presidential election season is finally over, albeit temporarily, and that we can now once again enjoy the endless ads for unnecessary medical procedures and medications broadcast during the evening news.

 I close by wishing you a Merry Christmases and a safe, happy and healthy New Year. May you and yours be filled with the Spirit of the Season!

Christmas Blog 2011

It has been a rollercoaster of “weather events” this year: our first northeast hurricane in many years, the Boxing Day Blizzard, the April Fools’ snowstorm, the Halloween snowstorm, the Thanksgiving snowstorm, and even an earthquake. Following the Halloween storm, the temps shot back up and I got to play one more round of golf with and among some piles of the white stuff. One more of the many interesting “hazards” my ball seemed to find this year.

Facebook and the web continue to provide some interesting connections with things and people from the past. Digging through elementary school memorabilia has been “interesting.” It is fascinating to see what our in common Catholic School educational experience has wrought.

This has been a year which brought more in the way of family reunions: a wonderful wedding in Vermont (which occurred in synch with that April snowstorm), and a wild birthday/anniversary party in Connecticut that reconnected distant cousins. This was a year for some family becoming first-time grandparents as more of the younger relatives acquired new additions to their families. I even attended my first Mets game in 40 years. This was in honor of sister Sigrid’s 60th b-day; and the Mets won.

The year 2011 also included loss and hardship. My prayers are with those in need and those closest to the departed, may they live with only cherished memories.

I continue to be gainfully self-employed (jebswebs.com) but understand more and more what that healthcare insurance thing is all about. Again, it’s been an okay business year; “could have been better.” Need a web presence? – give me a shout jeb@jebswebs.com

Finally, the container garden on my porch produced mixed results this summer. The green peppers and the basil were rather blah, but the tomatoes were grand. We are trying to grow indoor basil this winter; we’ll see.

I close by wishing you the Merriest of Christmases and Happiest of New Year’s. May you and yours be filled with the Spirit of the Season!

~john

Occupy iTunes

I made a quick perusal of the "holiday" apps available in the Apple iTunes App Store today. Over the past few years I have downloaded a few of the free holiday apps to amuse my family on the holidays. My sister got a particular kick out of one that made my iPod sound like jingle bells when I shook it.

I am always interested in the free apps since most of the ones I have accumulated over the past few years remain unused on my various i-devices.

So what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a list of 50 apps listed under "holidays" with only eleven of which were free. Most of the free ones were pretty simple but one of them just seems so wrong. You be the judge - here's the description:

Welcome to Millionaire City, where you can become a powerhouse CEO and watch the money roll in all from the convenience of your iPad.

Build your monopoly from the ground up by creating luxurious houses, crowded commercial skyscrapers, gorgeous decorations and unique world wonders. Use Facebook Connect to start playing with ease. The more friends you have playing the more money you will get! Make smart investments, take risks, care for your properties, and watch your company grow!

Features:

• Earn your riches as you build your company from the ground up as the CEO
• Purchase property, build houses, and sign contracts to help your company grow
• Complete missions to earn more and get hours of entertainment
• Discover a wide range of luxurious items in the marketplace
• Fun and easy iPad controls
• Count your money as you listen to golden music

Here is the link if you absolutely need to have this app!

The weather outside is frightful

Each year at this time I swear I am going to get a smaller tree next year. I’m not young and spry anymore and hoisting the critter onto the top of the car, wrestling with the saw to clean-cut the bottom and then staggering up the stairs to my second floor apartment with the tree grabbing at every step to prevent me from keeping forward momentum is truly exhausting. So, with JT’s Christmas album on the CD player and the tree now sitting comfortably in its green plastic stand, happily nursing up copious amounts of warm water, I am at rest in my recliner and making these few notes.

It really is a nice little tree, Charlie Brown. I tell the poor, toothless young man who sold me this baby for $28 (I gave him $35) that he could sell this same tree in New York City for a hundred bucks. He gasps in disbelief and I see the remains of his rotten teeth; I’m hoping the takes the extra few bucks and finds a dentist.

I buy my tree from the same place each year, from the same kid, and I tell him the same thing. Fifteen, no make that sixteen years ago that young man was a boy of about 12 years and was shocked when I gave him a tip to carry the tree to the car. He had a full set of teeth then. Years of candy bars and soda pop no doubt. He tells me this year he will use the money to buy something for his unborn baby who will be arriving in the spring. What can you say to that?

I recall the scene in Jean Shepherd’s A Christmas Story when the family goes down to the local Xmas Tree emporium to haggle with a savvy and feisty salesman. The Old Man thinks he’s getting the better deal, but we know better.

I will have none of that. This tree really is worth a lot more than what I pay for it; maybe not a hundred bucks, but at least $60 - $70. It’s just that we live here in Maine among forest of trees and this baby probably spent its life growing just a few miles down the road.

We had about three inches of fluffy white snow today. Two days ago it rained three inches and yesterday – the transition day back to winter – I was walking around in sneakers. It’s boots and scarves today, the air a frigid 17 and everything white.

My tree was completely covered with the white stuff at the Christmas tree lot so I have it standing in the window with a couple of sheets of black plastic underneath. The sound of the dripping has slowed and the fragrance of pine has now joyfully filled the room.

I am not sure if I will decorate the tree tonight. I may want to let it dry out more before crawling around with electric wires and such. We’ll see.

Well, JT is done and I have to go back out in the arctic freeze to get stuff for supper. Keep warm. I’ll post a photo of the tree when it’s all decorated.

_____

Image credit: Licensed by Creative Commons by Hiking Artist

Christmas has gone back to Banada

"Christmas has gone back to Banada" at my house.

This was an expression used in our family when I was a child. The reference relates to the day when the Christmas tree, and associated Christmas decoration are taken down indicating the official end of the Christmas season. As you can imagine, this was not a happy experience for me as a young child who, like all kids, wanted to have Christmas last all year long. Fortunately, in my family, we were usually often late in this tradition. We would always delay this date until after "Little Christmas" - January 6th - the Feast of the Epiphany, the day Christmas is celebrated in the Greek Orthodox Church. Depending on the timing, this meant that the tree may stay up until 12-13th of January. This year, the trip to Banada was January 10th.

The best I can tell from a Google search, Banada refers to the ruins of an ancient abbey dating back to the 15th Century located in County Sligo, Ireland. This figures since my maternal grandparents were all born in Sligo. But other than that, I am not sure of the true meaning of this expression.

But, unlike the days of my youth, I don't take all of the Christmas decorations down at the same time. In fact, I usually leave the window decorations and the ones on the porch up until....Lent? Easter? In any case, it will be months.

I guess I've never really grown up...

Christmas Blog 2009

When I wrote this missive a year ago, I was in the last stages of planning a trip out West to visit friends and family for the holidays. In fact, I was away almost the entire month of December and the trip was a real odyssey. While I was there, the folks from California to Washington were experiencing some of the toughest winter weather in many years and the cities of Portland and Seattle were basically closed. After spending a delightful 2½ weeks visiting friends in the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area, my path led me north up I-5 through snow-packed mountain passes and into the fog-shrouded and ice-covered roads of northern Oregon. Apparently, the locals don't know much about snow plows and road salt and even less about winter driving. The last leg of my trip from Redding, CA to Portland, OR, which should have only taken 6½ hours, took nearly 12 hours. Thankfully, Mr. Hertz who rented me my transportation, knew better and put me into a Ford Escape instead of the tiny, economy car I had ordered. Driving the last 30 miles into Portland at 15 mph on 3-inches of ice made me thankful for that decision.

Having the Christmas holidays in completely different surroundings was rewarding and delightful. Sister Mary, who was my reason for traveling to Portland, was a wonderful host and we had a great week of visiting and sightseeing. Although the weather could have been better, we did enjoy having a White Christmas, although many Oregonians told me I should take my snow and...leave immediately.

I returned to a very cold and snowy Northeast, but spring eventually arrived on time. Summer on the East Coast was almost non-existent this year and we had enough rain for five summers. Needless to say, there was not much outdoor summer activity until the mid August when the weather changed. Gratefully, we've had one of the best falls of recent memory. I was playing golf up until the middle of November, and although we've had more rain, the temperature the other day, December 3rd broke a record of 65º here in Augusta.

It is snowing as I post this on Saturday night. Ah, New England!

This was a tough year for a lot of folks. Between economic failings, job losses and that H1N1 thing, there has certainly been enough suffering. Fortunately, everyone in my circle of friends and family have remained healthy and getting by. I hope it has been the same for you and yours.

As we approach this special season - the Season of Light - and look into the new year, I am hoping that things improve for everyone and that we have left the darkest days behind us.

I pray that your Christmas season is blessed and equally hopeful. May you find peace and happiness in the New Year.

John Eric Brandt

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Image licensed through Creative Commons - Tochis/Flickr

Black Friday

I braved the cold rainy weather to head out to a couple of the local stores this afternoon to observe the Black Friday activities and to pick up a few things. I headed to the newest shopping center in the city which just happens to be around the corner from my house. The "mall" has a Target as the flagship and also sports a Lowes (home center), Best Buy, Staples, PetSmart and a Moores craft and art supply store. This shopping center opened a little more than two years ago, just months before the economy tanked. Needless to say, it has been a pretty sad place most times.

Fortunately, things looked pretty good today. The parking lots were about half-full; the most I've ever seen in the place. Target and Best Buy seemed to be doing the most business. Staples had the least number of customers, but still not bad...usually I am the only one in the place and all of the sales people descend on me like sea gulls on fresh catch when I walk in the place.

But what struck me the most as I darted from car to store to car, in the driving November rain, was that the stores looked essentially the way they had a week ago, or a month ago. Except for Target, which had some snowflakes pasted on their windows and a few hanging from the ceiling throughout the store, nearly all of the stores were devoid of any Christmas decorations.

I started to think about Christmas shopping in Brooklyn in my youth. Many neighborhood shopping areas would not only decorate the store windows, and throughout the store, they would decorate the street with decorations hanging from the street lights or, in a few instances, with special strings of lights that would be hung across the streets from tall temporary wooden posts, all affixed to guide wires anchored to hooks in the sides of the buildings. For the 4-5 weeks before Christmas, it was like carne-vale.

Then there were the large department stores with their amazing window decorations and lifelike displays. People would come downtown just to see the window displays. If you have seen the movie A Christmas Story - and who hasn't - you'll remember the opening scene in the movie when the family goes downtown to see the parade and window displays. Brooklyn in the 1950s and 60s was just like that.

But Augusta, Maine of the 2000s is far from it. Just a couple of lousy snowflakes.

Not sure how well Black Friday was monetarily, but the stores were apparently saving money on decorations this year.

~j