Xmas from the Kays - 2013

It’s easier to say than do…

You gotta be good. Perhaps that is the trues expression of this season regardless of your religious persuasion, regardless of your philosophical underpinnings this time of year is based upon the magic of goodness. Magic is misdirected science – miracles are misunderstood magic – and goodness is a panthea.  In no small means we honor Jesus, Mohammed, Moses, Buddha, Krishna, Prometheus, Odin, the Tao or the Te and many others as the bringer of miracles to promote goodness amongst us mere humans. No matter what we celebrate we celebrate that magic feeling of goodness and this feeling is something we want to share. So we created Santa, Rudolph and Hermey, and Frosty as allegories of the magic of goodness. Spread the wealth so that all may be enlightened. 

This year found us a little subdued and melancholic: for the times sitting around the stereo console in Lakeland listening to Barbara, huddled about the Philco to watch those stop motion animations of our favorite stories that came on only once a year, or those games we played with the dictionary, broom, and innuendos with a house full of friends… how do we reconcile this into the modern world? How do we translate the nostalgia into edginess? We tend to forget those things that came before us the edginess of times passed. The edginess embedded in Beat poetry, interpretive jazz, the be bop sounds of Xmas. Perhaps it is as my friend Chip intimates and we have to celebrate our favorite things. 

2013 comes to a close not with a bang but with a lazy stretch and a stifled yawn. John is becoming deeper engrossed in his brewmaster fidelities: gardening, chemistry, biology and patience. And still he can remain engrossed with the lovely Valerie = not an easy feat to accomplish that balance of girlfriend with endeavors. Pat and Jenna despite their aversion and denials have become akin to little Bay View Bohemians. Jenna too shares in Pat’s endeavors supporting his talents and promoting the experiences. Speaking of Pat he and his band Stereoactive are doing pretty well in the Milwaukee area and they are looking to expand to more regional adventures. A heartfelt thank you to Ryan and Matt for their addition to this year’s CD.  Míchel and Shelby are back to keeping house and finding where they fit in in their own edginess. Jo is feeling the effects of her daily commute and is finally getting happy with her home decorating bug. Slowly, and too slowly for my tastes, I have been bringing the house up to where we would like it to be. It would have been so much easier had we bought this place 20 years ago when I could go all week on a couple of hours sleep as opposed to a nap every couple of hours. How’s that for edgy?

Speaking of edginess, as Josie puts it: it just ain’t Christmas until we hear John Prine sing…

Vex not thy soul with dead philosophy,
Have we not lips to kiss with, hearts to love and eyes to see!

Happy Xmas

Khristian ‘13