"A man must stand erect, not be kept erect by others." - Marcus Aurelius
Like many others, I find myself working on Christmas Eve. I don't mind working on a high holiday, because what I do matters to society. I play a minor part in supplying electricity to people's homes, to hospitals, to traffic signals and municipal waste treatment plants, etc. Likewise first responders, hospital staff and care facilities that attend to the lives of the sick and elderly - those are important things too.
So with that in mind, I'm OK foregoing spending the day with those I love, and instead spending it somewhere I'd rather not be.
However... If you find yourself working a high holiday in consumer retail - Well then, you work for a greedy bastard who is screwing you for a buck. That person is willing to make you serve complete strangers that may very well make you sick and kill you.
I can see the owner of a supermarket trying to balance the needs of the community (food availability) with his employees desire to be home with their family for one very important day out of the year. If find yourself working Christmas for Wal-Mart, Amazon, Target or Best Buy, well fuck them. The management team with the MBAs from the main office ought to be right there next to you, doing that work - but they don't. Kinda like governors who tell us to stay locked down, and then attend birthday parties or travel. Fuck them, too.
That's not very Christmas-like thinking, is it? Sorry. I feel better after getting that off my chest though.
What I *really* wanted to discuss is music. Christmas music.
Jimmy Smith - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (1964) - A master of the Hammond B3 organ and incredible improvisor. Jimmy joins in at about the 0:45 mark.
David Benoit - Linus and Lucy (1987) Piano Jazz
Glenn Miller Band - In The Christmas Mood (1991) - Big Band. This is not just a favorite Christmas album, it's one of my favorite albums - period.
The Lettermen - O Holy Night (1966)
The Wissman Family - Good Christian Men Rejoice. Side note: This carol was originally named "In Dulci Jubilo" and dates to approximately 1328 AD.
Amy Grant and Vince Gill - Christmas Waltz (2001). This song has some of the most amazing harmonization!
The next song is politically incorrect, according to feminists. Maybe "Woke Google" will cancel me and my blog for this. Fuck all of them as well.
Vanessa Williams and Bobby Caldwell - Baby, It's Cold Outside (1996)
And now for a politically incorrect but humorous Christmas Song.
Blink-182 - I Won't Be Home For Christmas (1997)
I don't want to end this post on a sour or snarky note. After all, this is the season of hope and triumph of God's love and power over great evil and darkness.
Nat King Cole - O Little Town of Bethlehem (1966)
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Hymnal lyrics to the above music:
- Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee,
God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flow’rs before Thee,
Op’ning to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
Drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness,
Fill us with the light of day! - All Thy works with joy surround Thee,
Earth and heav’n reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee,
Center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
Flow’ry meadow, flashing sea,
Singing bird and flowing fountain
Call us to rejoice in Thee. - Thou art giving and forgiving,
Ever blessing, ever blest,
Wellspring of the joy of living,
Ocean depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our Brother,
All who live in love are Thine;
Teach us how to love each other,
Lift us to the joy divine. - Mortals, join the happy chorus,
Which the morning stars began;
Father love is reigning o’er us,
Brother love binds man to man.
Ever singing, march we onward,
Victors in the midst of strife,
Joyful music leads us Sunward
In the triumph song of life.
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