Holiday gifts have been trickling in. Because I’m a Jew, friends send me gifts throughout December, hoping to catch Hanukkah. If they’re late, they can say it’s an early birthday gift (my birthday’s in January).
I love my friends dearly, and tend to give them gifts throughout the year, when the mood and the opportunity strike, but I’m trying to be more like normal people this year, and concentrate my gift-giving at the end of the year. Unfortunately, I’ve been too busy to mail my stuff out, so some of my friends and loved ones will have to wait a little while. I really did get some neat stuff for them this year. I did a lot of traveling, and picked up some things on the road.
Dad came through kinda early with a Sony video camera, which I still need to sit down and play around with, so I can start posting video to this blog.
My buddy Tom has sent me the wonderful Locas anthology, collecting about 700 pages of comics by the ever-amazing Jaime Hernandez.
My girlfriend has replaced the lucky mug that she accidentally busted, and gave me the 8-part New York documentary by Ric Burns.
My friends Paul & Deb graced me with this calendar of photography by Mick Payton. I’d been procrastinating on getting a 2005 calendar, so it’s quite fortunate that they came through with this sorta thing. Even if it does show black-and-white bondage-ish erotica photography. It’s certainly a change-of-pace from the Edward Hopper calendar I used last year.
I’m going to spend the holidays with my girlfriend’s family in Louisiana. In the process, I’ll be completing my 26th and 27th flights of 2005. Last week, I finally reached Elite status with Continental, which is nice. I mean, I reached Elite status with some of my friends a long time ago, but it’s cool when a major airline tells you you’re special. Even though they did mess up my special meal (I eat kosher on long flights, because you get better food that way) during the trip back from Amsterdam last week (which seems like it was 3 months ago).
The year, I’m trying to say, has hurtled by, whether I mark the months with realist paintings or beautiful women in handcuffs. The days are filled with joy and love, along with a ton of work. Here’s a song I listened to this morning. It’s by Massive Attack, and Sinead O’Connor sings it:
What Your Soul Sings
Don’t be afraid
Open your mouth and say
Say what your soul sings to you
Your mind can never change
Unless you ask it to
Lovingly re-arrange
The thoughts that make you blue
The things that bring you down
Can only do harm to you
So make your choice joy
The joy belongs to you
And when you do
You’ll find the one you love is you
You’ll find you love you
Don’t be ashamed
To open your heart and pray
Say what your soul sings
To you
So no longer pretend
That you can’t feel it near
That tickle in your head
That tingle in your ear
Oh ask it anything
It loves you dear
It’s your most precious king
If only you can hear
And when you do
You’ll find the one you need is you
You’ll find you love you