A Seasonal Passage From Chapter Seven
12-02-2017, 08:27 PM (This post was last modified: 12-02-2017, 08:27 PM by Bob Schroeck.)
12-02-2017, 08:27 PM (This post was last modified: 12-02-2017, 08:27 PM by Bob Schroeck.)
In some of my more maudlin and melancholy moments, I might allow
as how I don't like Christmas music. Strictly speaking, that's
not entirely true.
Strictly speaking, when I'm in better moods I call bullshit on
myself.
I don't like *religious* Christmas music because, well, if you've
been reading these journals of mine for any length of time you
know how I feel about most gods.
And you'd be surprised how religious some of the pop stuff can
get. There's the "peace on earth, goodwill toward men" stuff, of
course, but beyond that, you might still be caught unawares. For
example, there's one version of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town"
that I know of -- sung by Gene Autry, if I recall correctly, who
wrote it, so it might actually be the original version -- which
ends with a verse I've never heard anywhere else about embracing
the Light and thanking the Lord that "Santy Claus is comin'
tonight". As though Santa was a direct agent of God.
Then again, he *is* based on a mangled memory of a bishop from
somewhere in Asia Minor, so maybe he is.
Anyway, even though I'm on much better terms with a certain few
select gods than I was at the start of my exile, I still stay
away from *all* music with religious elements. I don't want to
risk getting the attention of Anyone, *especially* Someone I'm
not expecting.
But that doesn't mean I can't use (carefully vetted) secular --
*genuinely* secular -- holiday music every now and then.
Carefully vetted not just to screen out unwanted Celestial
side-effects, but also because a depressing number of secular
Christmas songs are about being separated from the one or ones
the singer loves.
I am *intensely* aware that I've been separated from my wife
Maggie for three-quarters of a century now, thank you. I don't
need some sweet-voiced ingenue or famous tenor to remind me in no
uncertain terms just how much *more* that little fact sucks
around Christmastime.
Of course, once you work around those two tiny little
restrictions, there are a surprising number of things I can
accomplish. And me being me -- which is to say, a guy who could
give Peter Pan a run for his money at the not-growing-up bit -- I
intended to have fun with those things.
Have fun, and maybe brighten up Christmas for a schoolful of
children.
as how I don't like Christmas music. Strictly speaking, that's
not entirely true.
Strictly speaking, when I'm in better moods I call bullshit on
myself.
I don't like *religious* Christmas music because, well, if you've
been reading these journals of mine for any length of time you
know how I feel about most gods.
And you'd be surprised how religious some of the pop stuff can
get. There's the "peace on earth, goodwill toward men" stuff, of
course, but beyond that, you might still be caught unawares. For
example, there's one version of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town"
that I know of -- sung by Gene Autry, if I recall correctly, who
wrote it, so it might actually be the original version -- which
ends with a verse I've never heard anywhere else about embracing
the Light and thanking the Lord that "Santy Claus is comin'
tonight". As though Santa was a direct agent of God.
Then again, he *is* based on a mangled memory of a bishop from
somewhere in Asia Minor, so maybe he is.
Anyway, even though I'm on much better terms with a certain few
select gods than I was at the start of my exile, I still stay
away from *all* music with religious elements. I don't want to
risk getting the attention of Anyone, *especially* Someone I'm
not expecting.
But that doesn't mean I can't use (carefully vetted) secular --
*genuinely* secular -- holiday music every now and then.
Carefully vetted not just to screen out unwanted Celestial
side-effects, but also because a depressing number of secular
Christmas songs are about being separated from the one or ones
the singer loves.
I am *intensely* aware that I've been separated from my wife
Maggie for three-quarters of a century now, thank you. I don't
need some sweet-voiced ingenue or famous tenor to remind me in no
uncertain terms just how much *more* that little fact sucks
around Christmastime.
Of course, once you work around those two tiny little
restrictions, there are a surprising number of things I can
accomplish. And me being me -- which is to say, a guy who could
give Peter Pan a run for his money at the not-growing-up bit -- I
intended to have fun with those things.
Have fun, and maybe brighten up Christmas for a schoolful of
children.
-- Bob
I have been Roland, Beowulf, Achilles, Gilgamesh, Clark Kent, Mary Sue, DJ Croft, Skysaber. I have been
called a hundred names and will be called a thousand more before the sun grows dim and cold....
I have been Roland, Beowulf, Achilles, Gilgamesh, Clark Kent, Mary Sue, DJ Croft, Skysaber. I have been
called a hundred names and will be called a thousand more before the sun grows dim and cold....
