(New England) Patriot's Day

 

Patriot's Day is a holiday only celebrated in Massachusetts and Maine.  I grew up in MA and just knew we had a day off in April, often times it would coincide with the kick off of April Vacation.  I never knew it was to commemorate the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which were the first battles of the American Revolutionary War.  At times, I also thought we had the day off, because The Boston Marathon is run every year on this day and the Boston Red Sox play at 11AM.  Take the day off just in case you want to run this year.

I guess it's like VJ Day (Victory Over Japan) in RI, where I live now.  I had no clue what that was about until I moved here.  It's a state holiday in RI, but nowhere else.  Its very interesting to learn about state holidays that are individual to that area of the country.  

So, Patriot's Day has nothing to do with the New England Patriots American football team, but then again, it has everything to do with it...if you think about it.

X-Mas 2010 Recap

The staff (me) of For Lack Of A Better Title is back from their Holiday break.  I'll be recapping my X-Mas 2010 for you.  I know technically, it's not correct to call Christmas, X-Mas, but I like my Christmases, straight edge.  I know Ian MacKaye would be proud.

12/23/2010:  I'm puttering around the house when my phone rings.  It's my Mom and all she says to me is, "Guess what's baking in the oven?"  To anyone else, it's an impossible question, but for me...it's really quite easy.  For her to ask me this, means she's baking something special.  So I say, "Cherry Squares."  Which is the correct answer.  I'm the only one in my family that eats them and my Mom bakes them on special occasions for me.  Although, she doesn't do them every Christmas, only when she's inspired.  My dad used to eat them as well, but since he's gone, it's just me.  So, I like to think that she's baking them for both of us.  Although, she's only making me the fat tub of lard.  By the way if you've never heard of them, A cherry square is a blonde brownie with cherry pie filling mixed in.  Quite tasty.

12/24/2010:  The wife is home and we have plans to go out and do our X-Mas shopping.  When you only shop for three people, you can wait until the last minute.  Neither of us have shopped for each other this year.  Sure, we like gifts like everyone else, but we have other priorities to spend money on.  First, on the agenda is stopping by the Warden's jail house to see Brains and Viper.  You may remember them from their first appearance.  We get there and the inmates are bouncing off the walls helping the Warden bake X-Mas cookies.  After all that, it's lunch time at the cafeteria.  The Warden isn't happy unless everyone gets something.  She yelled at me to eat lunch.  Lunch varies from grilled cheeses (Viper and myself) to PB&J's (Brains/Warden) to Chef Boyardee (the wife).  We get ready to leave, because lockdown is coming soon and Viper has already beaten me black and blue, in front of the Warden (actually, she took me in the back and beat me out of the sight of the guards).  Still, the cries and threats of I'm calling Santa do nothing (I have a red cell phone and I call Santa every year near X-Mas, when I see them).  Viper tells me, "It's too late, he's already left, you can't get a hold of him."  Smart kid, but I tell her, "I have a direct line to the sleigh."  Eyes grow large.  We leave the jail house.  Santa should still arrive on time.

We're off to pick up some coffee for my Mom and a restaurant gift certificate for my brother and his girlfriend.  Then, it's home for the rest of the day.  I get a call later in the day from my Mom, asking when we'd be there on X-Mas day.  I say between 12 and 1pm.  Normally, we're really good with time, but since the wife is pregnant, it's a little slower these days.  This time range is usually for my brother.  A notoriously late person.  If you say dinner is at 5pm, he'll show around 6pm.  So you need to compensate for him.  He's gotten better, but only because, he lives with my Mom.  If he had to physically drive himself, who knows when he'd show up?  The over/under would be 12/26/2010 at 4pm.  Only because, he'd be watching the Patriots game earlier than that.

12/25/2010:  The wife is actually awake early.  Color me surprised.  My phone rings, It's my Mom, "See if you can find a store that's open.  I'm out of Crisco.  Without that, NO Apple Pie."  She had been baking two days before, but just now figures out, she's out of Crisco.  Hmmm...conspiracy anyone?  Don't forget, my brother lives with my Mom, but it's up to me to find the Crisco.  Fine, it's up to the wife and I to save X-Mas.  It's just not a major holiday without my mother's apple pie.  It's that good.  We usually have it instead of birthday cake, that should tell you something.  Our first stop is Walgreens, which is down the street from my house.  Nothing.  We jump back in the car and head to the Hess gas station, because you just never know.  Strike two.

We finally start heading north.  We live in Providence, RI and my Mom lives about half an hour away in MA.  We get off the exit and I head away from my Mom's house, because I have an idea.  There's a small independent grocery store in the town next to hers.  They might be open.  We drive by and they aren't open either.  I say to my wife, "that we're going to stop at CVS and if it's not there, we're done."  My mother had called when we were in route earlier and told my wife, "not to go to CVS."  I'm telling you, it's a conspiracy, she doesn't want to bake the pie.  Once in CVS, we find it.  Pay for it and head to my Mom's.  I call my mother and tell her, "That we we're at our wits end, but since it's X-Mas, we decided to knock on random houses, looking for Crisco."  She's laughing hysterically.  I then tell her, "That the wonderful family known as CVS, provided us with it and X-Mas is saved."  I tell her before hanging up, "that next year she should have us find something easier, like frankincense or myrrh." 

We exchange gifts, have a great meal, with apple pie.  Then watch, The Town.  Although, not an X-Mas movie, it was pretty good.  A little predictable, but just about everything is these days.  Like clockwork, my brother starts to fall asleep and it's time for us to head out.  One way to keep every family visit great is knowing when it's time to leave.  My wife and I have mastered it.  All and all, another good holiday.  We enjoy spending time with all of our family, but there is a time limit.  Some have longer ones than others.

Nine By Design 15 aka The List For Santa

Santa...I've been very good this year...as far as you know.  My special equipment has kept me off your radar, so I should come up in the good list.  Even if I've had to throw some people under the bus to keep me out of the spotlight.  Sorry, Lindsey Lohan and Charlie Sheen, but you're great targets.  Everyone expects you to fail, so it makes the cover up that much easier.  On with our list...

Santa's List:

A Job is really all I want for Christmas.  No joke or pun at all.  All the others might be humorous or funny, but this is a very serious request.

A Skateboard would be cool again.  The one pictured in the link was the skateboard I had when I was 14.  I always wanted to skate like this guy.  I was never that good and my knees would never allow me to get back on a board now, but it would still be nice to have one around.  The artwork is always amazing.

A Fender Telecaster was the guitar I should've purchased when I started playing, because it would have fit my hands better.  I didn't, of course...I needed an electric guitar with a whammy bar, so I could (pretend to) shred.  What did I know?  Stupid kid.

Cool concert tours.  I've established how obsessed with music I am, at least it should be apparent by now.  I put together tours all the time.  Tours that I wish would happen:

The Minnesota Trifecta of Soul Asylum, Bob Mould and Paul Westerberg.  That tour would be amazing, the guys from Asylum could back up Westerberg for some classic Replacements songs.

Since, the original Cars are currently recording and hopefully touring, how about, Dinosaur Jr., The Pixies and The Cars. This show would be historic, if everyone could get along.

Bands that I think should tour together, just because I think they fit well, The Black Crowes and Wilco, Sonic Youth and The Smashing Pumpkins and the topper, David Bowie and Iggy Pop, they wrote a bunch of songs together...

Disclaimer: This list is really very difficult for me, because I'd rather be the one purchasing gifts for people.  I never ask for anything.  So, we may not make it to nine.

One of my wishes, is something I'm already getting later in 2011 and that's a baby.  My wife and I have had some trouble conceiving and it took us 2 years, but now we're counting the days and getting ready for the life changing event.  You can see why a job is so important to me.

The last thing I'll post, because I just can't think of anything else, would be more time with my Dad.  No matter what the amount would be, of course, it would never be enough and I understand that, all too well.  He's missed so much since he's been gone and there's so much I never asked him, because I didn't have the ability or experience to form the questions yet.  I'm not trying to bum you out.  The holiday season gets hard sometimes, I know I'm not the only one.

I'll leave you with this:  When you've had about as much as you can stand from whomever on Christmas day or when the kids wake you up 2 hours after you've gone to bed, just be glad you have them.  You just never know when things will change.  That's as preachy and sappy as I'll get.  Merry Christmas everyone, I hope everyone gets what they want, no matter what it may be.

Nine By Design 14

 

Today will be the sing-a-long portion for our weekly list.  We'll be focusing on Holiday Songs and like most of the things I like, non-traditional.  Although, I think I'm actually pretty traditional most of the time.  I just like creativity.  The classics are fantastic.  There's a reason why they are classics, but I do like good variations on themes or even new original songs.  So, without much further ado about nothing...our songs.

Holiday Songs:

The Snow Miser/Heat Miser Song is probably my wife's favorite Christmasy song.  She actually checked to make sure it was on my list when I was making it.  She generally doesn't read my blog (she's heard it all before), but still wanted to make sure her song made it.  You can see where her priorities are.

Reggae Christmas took place in the Golden Age of MTV, when they didn't take themselves too seriously, had actual personalities hosting and played music.  Plus, Pee Wee Herman is in the video and he's had a good comeback year.  So it felt appropriate.

Snoopy vs The Red Baron is by The Royal Guardsmen.  It's just one of those songs that you might not remember right away, but once you hear it again...you love it.  They are still around and playing.

I Wish It Was Christmas Today is one of my favorite SNL moments.  It's a strangely catchy song that will be stuck in your head for a while.  I apologize, but it's also one of the few times when Horatio Sanz and Chris Kattan were funny.  Tracey Morgan is hilarious just for his dancing.  

Bob and Doug Sing 12 Days of Christmas is a classic around my parts.  The entire album is genius.  Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas before they were stars.  Were they ever stars?  Well, kinda I suppose...they do make a living out of playing other people.

Little St. Nick definitely has the best singing of any of the songs on the list.  The sweet harmonies of the Beach Boys.  It's basically "Little Deuce Coupe" with Christmas lyrics, but don't tell anyone.  It's a secret.  For as crazy as Brian Wilson is supposed to be, take a look at a Mike Love interview.  You tell me who the crazy one is.  Have you figured out that I don't care for Mike Love?

Christmas At Ground Zero by the genius that is "Weird Al" Yankovic.  He's made parodying songs famous, most bands don't feel like they have really made it until, "Weird Al" parodies one of their songs.  His originals are quite clever as well.  The best selling comedy musician of all-time.

Misty Mountain Winter Wonderland is by Fleming and John and a great take on two classics.  I really love Fleming's voice.  Her voice works well in the song.  I wish they would do more Christmas mash-ups.  this is extremely clever.

Fairytale of New York is quite possibly in the top 25 of personal favorite songs.  Not just Christmas songs either, it's that good.  Not that I keep a list of these things or anything.  The list changes far too much, but The Pogues and the late, Kristy MacColl just work and will always be there, somewhere.  It really is the Holidays when you hear this on the radio.

I'll be back next week, Same Bat Time, Same Bat Channel, with the last Holiday Nine of the year.  Happy Weekend...Cheers!

Odds And Sods - Holidazed Edition

 

I really love the holidays.  I don't mind driving to the different sides of the family, because I haven't had to do both sides in one day yet.  Normally, my wife and I would go to my Mom's for Thanksgiving and have Christmas a week early with her.  Then we'd do Christmas day at my in-laws house.  It's always worked out well.  Things will be changing, since next year we'll have a baby and I'm sure both sets of soon-to-be Grandparents will want their time on the holidays.  Thankfully, they don't live to far apart currently.  Things could change on that front...stay tuned.

I'll admit, I do watch some reality television, but I try not to watch too much of it.  I tend to watch more educational shows.  I know technically a show like American Pickers is reality, but you learn a lot about history as well.  I do like the reality shows that have a competition aspect to them.  Survivor has been decent this season.  No one is really controlling it this year, so it could be anyone's to win.  There just hasn't been a person that you can see coming back as an all-star.  Naonka would have been that one, but she quit, which was just dumb.  The other show that is like a white-trash Olympics is, The Road Rules/Real World Challenge.  If you've never seen it, check it out.  Steroid amped guys and prima donna girls, go against each other in battle.  It's basically Survivor, but you don't have to worry about being liked.  Being good in challenges is the main goal.  Plus, it's the only watchable thing on MTV, since there are no more videos.  They have shows called: 16 and Pregnant.  Sure, let's promote that...

Honor Roll:

I just want to send out my congratulations to my friend, Harris and his wife, Amy.  They just had their first child.  I'm happy everything went well and everyone involved came out healthy.

Expulsions:

We all know that commercials are for the most part dumb and holiday ones, even more so.  I don't know if any commercial is dumber than this one.

They are looking for the car and they brush off a black one first, but no that's not the right one.  They hit the button on the phone and find the car.  Of course, the first car isn't yours.  Your car is WHITE...not BLACK.  A little snow isn't going to hide that important fact.  Also, "Our House" by Madness has been ruined for me.  Thanks Verizon...

HallowGivingMas

They should just combine all the holidays.  I don't even know what month it is half the time.  You can't tell by what decorations are up in stores anymore.  It's not a simple thing like having your clock set 15 minutes fast, so you're never late.  It's like setting your calender 2 months ahead. 

I purchased a birthday card for my brother this past Saturday, Oct. 30th.  We were getting together for our birthdays.  He was born 4 years and 6 days after me, so we've always combined them, usually on the closest weekend.  So, what were the first holiday cards I saw?  Thanksgiving?  No, I'm not sure they actually have cards for that holiday, although they have cards for everything else...so why not?  I saw Christmas cards.  I know the stores get the stuff out early, but it bugs me.

It brings back the horrible realization of when I was a kid on vacation in NH.  We go every year, still to this day.  It's the middle of August, sunny and warm, not a cloud in the sky, swimming in the lake with family and friends and then...the dream ends.  You see for the first time, the Back To School Sales.  It was always depressing.  When vacation is over, you're going to school.  Everyday it's a little closer, the dread grows more and more each day, as the hours tick by.

My wife and I went trick or treating with our nieces.  The kids just got the yearly toy catalogs for Christmas.  They had already circled everything in the book that they want from Santa.  So for them, Christmas is next week or next month.  Two answers I received when I asked them when Santa was coming.  So according to them, Santa will be at your house for Thanksgiving.  Get the extra-large turkey, because he's bringing a hearty appetite.