Holiday Bis es from around the world

Ah, so nice to see a friendly face from the other side of the globe.
Dear Sal saved me from my self Christmas of 2004. It was one of those dark winters when everything seemed to be going wrong with the technology in my life - starting winter solstice, as a matter of fact. She was there for me sharing her holy water and digital media until I could return home and visit the genius bar in the Apple Store.

Even more interesting than her willingness to help a new friend in need is Sally's performance work which can be viewed here . Her blog is linked in the title bar above and it includes links to many of the inspiring Australian's and Canadians whose paths mr. dd and I have crossed during the past two years. One thing I am still laughing about is how we image things based on our own experiences. I remember Sal being very homesick that Dec. We were both far from our homes and partners and it was dark and cold in Paris. She made arrangements to leave her residency early to be with her friends and family. She spent her last night in Paris on my floor and we talked about what we were missing. I remember picturing Sal with her rabbits, hubby, etc on Boxing Day, by the fire with a hot toddy. What I didn't envision was the hot sun of summer in Tasmania - which is what Christmas is for most of my Aussie friends. I can't imagine it, really. The "sanity clause" Marx brother's joke really hits home!

Anyway....Merry Christmas to all... and to all a good... (is it Christmas there already? Here we have one more shopping day!)

We won't get to celebrate with her or the other amazing Australians we know but we will be enjoying Australian leg of lamb tomorrow. I am sure I'll enjoy it but someone please tell me why we have to import our lamb all the way of Australia. Is is cheaper because of currency differences? It is probably more organic... has the beef lobby just elbowed out any other options here? Sorry if I've offended my vegan friends with all this but it is the season of carving turkey, et all. And to all a good night.

Christmas Carols for the holiday blues

I found this on Sir Bennie's blog and had to save it for posterity...
it comes much closer to our holiday hysteria in our house than those sappy specials on the Hallmark channel...

Christmas Carols for...

To go with the psychiatric hotline help service comes


CHRISTMAS CAROLS FOR .....

* 1. Schizophrenia --- Do You Hear What I Hear?

* 2. Multiple Personality Disorder --- We Three Kings Disoriented Are

* 3. Dementia --- I Think I'll be Home for Christmas

* 4. Narcissistic --- Hark the Herald Angels Sing About Me

* 5. Manic --- Deck the Halls and Walls and House and Lawn and Streets
and Stores and Office and Town and Cars and Buses and Trucks and Trees
and.....

* 6. Paranoid --- Santa Claus is Coming to Get Me

* 7. Borderline Personality Disorder --- Thoughts of Roasting on an Open
Fire

* 8. Personality Disorder --- You Better Watch Out, I'm Gonna Cry, I'm
Gonna Pout, Maybe I'll Tell You Why

* 9. Attention Deficit Disorder --- Silent night, Holy oooh look at the
Froggy - can I have a chocolate, why is France so far away?

* 10. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder --- Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,
Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,
Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,
Jingle Bells, Jingle,Bells, Jingle Bells,

The Fog of Memory

Post #101

I've been participating in an art project with some artists I don't know. Their project sounded interesting and now that I am in the thick of it I have some real memory work to do.

I've been asked to answer one or both of the following questions:

Please tell us about a happy childhood memory

and/or
Please tell us about a traumatic scene from your past.


It's a lot to think about... so I don't know what stories I'll choose to tell.

My siblings and I fought a great deal... There were a few run-ins with glass doors and such... my sister threw a hammer at me once - with great force! Luckily she was a terrible shot. I fell out of a tree sneaking out the window one July 4 or 5. There was the time the ladder collapsed with Mom on it and my Dad, who is handicapped was trapped holding the lapper up with spilled paint over his head.

Of course none of that compared to the stigma of being the weirdo arty kid in the public school system. The traumas of junior high and highschool scar some people for life: friends betraying friends, bullys making fun of others... being picked last for any team sport... even my beloved husband suffered as a boy when a young black kid threw rocks at him (and he was a very good shot).

Weirdly enough the traumatic memories flow like a river but I have to dig deeper for the happy ones. My siblings and I loved the Beverly Hillbillies. We were somewhere between toddlers and preschool in age range when this program was broadcast weekly. My mom would use it as a reward for good behavior. As soon as the Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs theme song started playing we all three would go beserk! We would wiggle all over the floor and do belly rolls... jump up and down... it must have been something to see - and this was when the world of television was black and white! Oh, there are more but few are as sweet and pure as that one. I do remember being so excited about Christmas that I literally couldn't sleep the night before.

Addendum:
Its hard for me to think of anything in my life as traumatic compared to the horrors I read about in the paper. The Harvey's, Katrina's wrath, the tsunami... one thing I wish the news could do is make people realize how friggin lucky they are to have food, shelter and the freedom to do whatever they want in their lives instead of blaming "the man" for their lack of happiness or success.