There are no reins on the chariot of life.

(Seriously, I've seen it. I can show you a picture.)

 

Well it is the time of year when even Coca Cola ads seem a little more special. A time that reminds me of how grateful I am for the people I've got. Like my parents. There are so many holiday movies about little kids waiting up for Santa, and stories of how they first hear that grown-ups don't really believe in him. There are enough rude awakenings to the realities of life without finding out that the people you rely on completely and trust the most have been lying to you at the most special time of year. But when we asked about Santa, I remember my mom saying, "Whenever you give someone a gift, you're being Santa." Simple and beautiful. There is a Santa, and it's all of us. So when we left out milk and cookies, or Santa left us notes in our stockings, it wasn't shocking that his writing looked suspiciously like Mom's writing. So did the Easter Bunny's, and the Tooth Cat's (Tooth Fairy's competitor). It's a good reminder that the spirit of the season is best lived by doing nice things, instead of sitting back and waiting for a fat guy in a red suit to fulfill your wishes.

 

Last Saturday could have very well been a perfect Saturday. I started out with a general intent of finding the big park in town, but got to wander around in no particular hurry, accidentally finding what could be my favorite bookstore ever, and a great little coffee shop. The park turned out to be as huge as everyone said it was, and I walked down the middle & back for a couple of hours. I thought it was really appropriate to name a city park Phoenix Park. After too much time in a city I start to feel like a lifeless pile of ashes, but one walk in the park puts purpose in my breath and a spring back in my step like a phoenix coming back to life.

 

It was dark by the time I turned around to come back into the city (winter days have a way of sneaking off when you're not looking). There were cranes around with Christmas lights on them - whoever decided to decorate such a utilitarian thing is brilliant in my opinion - and one of them even had a lit-up figure with a hard hat with 2-step animation of hammering something. Really festive, I dug it. Thanks to my wonderful brother I've been gulping down spoonfuls of new music over the last week; this walk was enriched by the amazing sounds of Calexico.

 

Back at the hostel one night I met a Lithuanian rapper, who tried to impress me by pulling a little box out of his pocket and showing me its contents. "What's that?" I asked. "My grill," he replied, showing me how the feaux-jewels fit onto his teeth like a blingy retainer. "Is that cool?" I asked. His reply, "Yeah."

 

Aside from new music I've been listening to some oldies-but-goodies, which have made me realize that a big part of me is still stuck in the 90s. It's like a person inside that wakes up when I hear certain things, some hidden energy, a little anxt and passion for life and the day at hand. Maybe it's that part that gets forgotten when we start to 'grow up'. The part we desperately need to hang onto.

 

Speaking of getting older and colder, my yearly involuntary tradition of getting a birthday cold snuk up on me again this year, at the very last minute!! Tomorrow I fly to Norway, hoping that somehow between tonight's sleep and the plane ride I'll be up & ready to face the northern cold!

 

Just got my 5-minute warning, the i-net place is closing down. Happy Christmas & a beautiful New Year to everyone!!!