Chrisstmas 2022

 

A CHRISTMAS PLAYLIST 

 (Note: this was published in segmented form on Facebook Christmas Eve)

 

 

CALL THIS PRELUDE: In each of the past three or four Christmases I've come across Christmas carols performed in unique ways. Now, I am talking about traditional religious carols. I don't care for the popular type music context. No "Rocking around the Christmas tree; " or "Silver Bells" and especially not "Feliz Navidad." This year I went looking for them and I found seven or eight that I liked. So, with apologies to Ma Belle Michele, I have organized the special ones I found into a playlist  But for starters here are two from the past couple of years.

The first I have posted before, and I still like it. The second is just because it's funny. I hope some folks will join me. In the meantime enjoy "The Little Drummer Boy" like you may have never heard it before — with drums. 

And here is the second: The second is for comic relief. Last year I saw a list of someone's favorites. Something looked a little off in the presentation so I checked it. I deon't think this is the "Joy to the World" he thought it was. "Jeremiah was a bullfrog …" "Joy to the World" 

 

 

 

And now for this year's play list

 

 

I've searched the interweb over the past month or so looking for that one Christmas carol done differently but respectfully that impresses. I've found one by accident the past couple of Christmases but this year I went looking for that one. Instead I found several I liked. So I made a playlist. These first two came out at the top of the pile. I couldn't make a choice between them, I am only putting the one first because it is a new, original song and produced with children. The first few bars of solos are a little rough, but when the chorus gets fired up it's an experience. And deserving equal billing: this is the second one, second only because of the originality and children in the first. This is six sisters ranging in age from 19 to 29 singing a carol in (get this) six-part harmony. And then on to the best of the rest.Meet the Cimorelli sisters.

 THE BEST OF THE REST

Billed as the best Christmas song ever heard. 1,000 participants. Over A Thousand People Came Together To Break a Record And Bring This Moving Christmas Hymn To Life. The Piano Guys, Peter Hollens, David Archuleta, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir get together to sing "Angels We Have Heard On High." 

 

 

 O Come O Come Emmanuel - New City Sessions

New City Church, Macon, Georgia If this doesn't play, here is the link.

Hark the Herald angels Sing: Junior Garr & The Spirituals perform reimagined traditional Christmas carols! Originally performed in St. Paul’s Cathedral, this London-based choir bring exciting and rhythmic re-arrangements that go beyond the season.

 

 

Hallelujah Chorus is done in many versions; I particularly liked this one. Just like many who starred in shows such as American Idol, America's Got Talent, and The Voice,

Lucy Thomas also got her start on a show called The Voice Kids.

In December 2020 Lucy Thomas released Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and it quickly became her most popular video on YouTube.

 

 

 

The final best of all the rest. It seems every year somebody does a new version of Drummer Boy. I'll leave Joan Jett's version to your imagination. But, how about with African rhythm. This is

Little Drummer Boy (African Tribal Version) - Alex Boye' ft. Genesis Choir.

 

And that's it for Christmas 2022. 

 

 

 

 

 

Psasing along some early Christmas cheer

Christmas keeps arriving early this year: Here's how it happened. I ordered a gift for my grandson off an ad on facebook. After they had my money I was informed it was coming from Italy. That was three weeks ago. The last I heard it was being examined by Italian customs — Dec. 16. Faced with no gift for my grandson I searched yesterday for an interim gift. I found a cool colorful toboggan sled. I drove it to their house today hoping to hide it, but I pulled up only to find him at the top of a snow berm in front of their house. So much for hiding. I snatched the sled from the truck, passed it up to him and said let's see you come down with that. Big grin, several more slides and several "this is fun" exclamations. I am guessing a couple days early is OK. Merry Christmas to all!

Hello Orion my old friend …

With apologies to Paul Simon. This striking photo showed up on facebook Dec. 4, 2022. Credit deserved is credit given: it was credited to David Jeřábek but I could find little confirmed information  about him, so that will have to do for now.

The image led me to recall a moment on the big ocean, or rather a series of moments on a southwesterly course across the Pacific Ocean from Cape Flattery on the coast of Washington State to Honolulu, Hawaii.

Over the almost month-long voyage on a 44-foot sailboat I stood several night watches and in the course of them had the opportunity to observe the night sky without the mask of polluting artificial lighting associated with larger populations. Orion became my traveling companion, first observed off the port side as we sailed through the night. Those three stars on Orion’s belt so visible in the photograph rode my shoulder most of the way, at least in the early parts of the evenings and I made sure of where they were the minute I took over the helm I became so accustomed to Orion over my left shoulder  that one night when we were hove to and riding out a storm with the bow pointed in the opposite direction from our course, the belt rose off to starboard  and I swear I was disoriented for at least a day afterward.

There was another realization that seemed so obvious once I recognized it. You see, most of us who lead relatively stationary lives (as opposed to ocean voyagers) when we see the stars at night it is usually close to the same place and relatively close to the same time of day. As a result we unconsciously place them permanently at one particular spot in the night sky. There's something you're barely aware of, but have never observed. OMG the stars move too (or at least seem to as the Earth spins). Spend a couple of night watches and you realize the stars seem to take the same path as the sun and the moon, while the earth spins underneath them. Some nights at particular points I recognized Orion seemed to pass across in front of the mast and begin to dip toward the horizon on the starboard side. Because of positioning and distances I never saw it set as it more dissolved into the haze of dawn. 

I’d like to say that was the beginning of a search for a broader understanding of space, but it wasn't. I was pleased with my discovery that the stars rose and set just like the sun and the moon and sailed on with Orion on the port side (for the most part). But every time I see it in the sky or in a photo, I feel a bit of the confidence and assurance of understanding I felt the night I realized its path across the canopy and the comfort of familiarity it affords all who travel under it.

The log of the Midnight Sun, Part 2
Messing around in boats

 

Twas the week before Thanksgiving

    Praise be when praise is deserved. Anyone who’s been single for any length of time will understand.
    Have you ever tried to find a SMALL turkey? I start looking around the first of November. This year I found one in the first week. (9 pounds) I also found my favorite stuffing mix early. Then all it came down to was the fixin’s so to speak. First praise goes to whoever figured out the best and worst times to go shopping in the week before the Thursday. I read it somewhere online. Tuesday morning was deemed best and sure enough when I arrived at the supermarket only about a dozen vehicles dotted the parking lot. I was able to race through my list at a leisurely pace. The next praise goes to whoever manages the produce department at the Fred Meyer in Eagle River, Alaska. I use celery and broccoli in dressing and I’ve always had to buy huge bunches that I end throwing half of away. (Small turkey, remember). So, I am browsing my way through the vegetables and in a small bin at the end of the celery display there are several individual celery stalks. I took three. Next I came upon a bin full of individual broccoli trees. I took two of those, picked up a huge white onion and I was done. Pleased to find these and, too, that there would be little waste. Even the leaves had been clipped from the celery. More praise. Plus, I was in and out of the store in about half an hour and with Thanksgiving shopping done. Only disappointment of the day was the liquor store didn’t open until almost an hour later so I wasn’t able to get my holiday adult juice box yet. Praise be.

2024 prediction

High heels and all.

 Because I constantly complain about news talkers predicting or anticipating news events rather than reporting on them when they actually happen, I am posting this here without fanfare. Today the former #fakepresident filed to run for president in 2024 so it's a good time to do it.

I predict he will be rejected by the Republican party and so not receive the nomination. However his ego is too big for that and he will launch an expensive but eventually unsuccessful third  party run, which will split the Republican party and give the whole government to the Democrats.

Of course, this all goes away if he is indicted and (one can only hope) convicted, or at least is somehow disqualified from even being allowed to run for president.

So, now let's see what happens.

Stepping out beyond 80

October 13, 2022 Age, health and celebration: I haven’t smoked anything since January 2004; I can count my yearly intake of alcoholic drinks in single digits; I haven’t even been near a woman who wasn’t a nurse in about five years; my doctor calls me a fine specimen (but warns about a little too much sugar); I really can’t tolerate loud music; and today I am going to celebrate my 80th birthday — if only I can figure out how.

 Fortieth Birthday, exactly 40 years ago today, flying my Orca flag 1,000 miles off Cape Mendocino, California. I had finished a watch at 8 a.m.; slept until 11; and woke up to a cabin filled with balloons, a half rack of beer and a can of tomato juice (I went on a red beer kick for a while in those days.); and 24 hours off watch. Drank more beer that day than I have in the past five years.  To read more about that birthday follow this link and scroll down to October 13: Log of the Midnight Sun Part 2/

• Jerrianne Lowther

  Tim Jones Still have that photo on my bulletin board. Unlike the rest of us, it never gets older! And even though the Orca flag wanted to fly upside down, it never seemed to matter. IIRC the Orca flag flew whenever your cruise passengers saw whales fro…

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  • Tim Jones

    Jerrianne Lowther And every time I see it I remember and thank you for giving it to me.
• Samuel Sly

  Tim Jones I couldn't help but think about how I'm the same age as you were in that picture.

  

  
  
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  Tim Jones

  Samuel Sly See what you have to look forward to?

  

  
  
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Bonnie Moore

Happy birthday Tim

 

Louis Tex Edwards

And many, many more!

 

Paula Ann McCann

Happy birthday Tim!

 

Betty Sederquist

Happy birthday, friend. Lots of good memories.

 

Mary Fairley

Happy birthday Tim!

 

Mark Fuerstenau

And a very happy birthday to my old friend! May your next trip around the sun be your best bet!! 

Jeanne Passin

That’s awesome! Happy birthday!

 

Carrie Ann Nash

Hope you have a good day!

 

Eric Lopez

Happy birthday old friend. That’s a milestone!

 

Linda G Robinson

Happy day tim

 

Kristin Thoresen

Happy birthday, Tim!

 

Samuel Sly

Happy Birthday!

 

Marian Nattrass

Happy Birthday Tim! You will come up with a way to celebrate. I’m sure friends will remember. You have friends In Buffalo too!

 

Sharon Wright

Happy Birthday, Tim! Pleased to have met you 45 years ago. Wishing you a fine and lively milestone birthday year!

 

Joe May

Have a good one, Tim. It can be a little lonely out here beyond 80. I know I do. But you can feel a little uppity about managing the karma it took to get you here today.

 

Tim Jones

Joe May Love that phrase "out here beyond 80"

 

Patty Friend

Happy Birthday Tim . . .have a grand day!!

 

Emma Silver

Happy birthday Tim!

 

Drina Guest

Gefeliciteerd !! Congratulationsand Happy Birthday!! 

 

Carole Trombetta Thoresen

Happy birthday, Tim. I’m sure you’ll figure something out! Go find some delicious cake!

Tim Jones

Carole Trombetta Thoresen Settled for a Marie Callender mud pie.

 

Janine Oros Amon

Oh heavens, make me feel old! We were children when we met!

Tim Jones

Janine Oros Amon That's part of the secret, face the world with childish wonder.

 

Helen Haseley

Happy Happy Birthday Tim!

 

Karen Lachance

Happy Birthday Tim!!

 

Jim Swaney

Happy birthday mate

 

Rosemary Bassett

Happy Birthday Tim...Have a Great day celebrating YOU !!!

 

Stacey Smith Mitchell

Happy Birthday Orca!

Tim Jones

Stacey Smith Mitchell Thank you KBPB

 

Stacey Smith Mitchell

It’s hard to believe I met you 43 years ago!

 

Judy Youngquist

Happy Birthday!

 

Donna Fischer Happy birthday

Nikki Klinger >Tim Jones

  · 

Hope you had the best birthday ever! Wishing you many more years of peace, happiness and good health. You continue to bring love, laughter and joy to the world. Rock on, keep writing and live every day to the fullest, no matter where you are!

Tim Jones

Nikki Klinger I don't think anything can top that one 40 years ago as it marked achievement of three of my life goals, one of which was writing a book: I picked up the first copy of "Last Great Race" when we went through Seattle and I had just finished my third year as a professional boat operator, not to mention I was sailing the big ocean from Alaska to Hawaii. I had only one more of those idealistic goals to reach and I did that three years later when I built that cabin at the East Pole. But this birthday turned out to be pretty darned good, frankly I was overwhelmed by the well wishes, so, thank you.

Thank you, all the people who took the time to wish me well on this monument of a birthday. I was looking for a way to celebrate it and you all gave me one for which I will always be grateful. We too often use superlatives but this one truly fits: I am overwhelmed. My wish for you is that you can experience the same as life goes on. Again, Thank you all. And, onward …

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COMMENTS

Libby Riddles Happy Birthday, village time!  all the Best!

Tammie Stoops  Happy birthday 

Louis Tex EdwardsGreat photo (and smile)!

Tim Jones It seemed like the right one for looking forward and racing headlong into your ninth decade.

Louis Tex Edwards Fair winds and following seas!

Tim Jones Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

Louis Tex Edwards Amen!

Tim Hale Happy birthday!

Cheryl FairHappy birthday, Tim!

Timothy Turner  Happy Birthday old friend, still cheating death I see.

Rebecca Johnson Nice picture

Michele Longenbach Happy Birthday Tim!

Joe May Did my annual VA physical last week. Was weighed, measured, (and maybe found wanting). Measured only 5' 7 1/2 " where before turning 80 I measured 5' 9" SO, if it seems you must reach "up" for your coffee now, that's it, you're probably condensing a little.

            Tim Jones Yeah, I'm down about three inches.

Steve Lindbeck  I love that photo, Tim. Happy birthday!