A few notes about Christmas here at the Post house.
First of all, I’m Jewish — so Christmas is a cultural event that includes some awesome parties, visits with old friends, a few too many perhaps (a few nights too many), and a stint volunteering at the homeless shelter.
We send cards but I’m not much of a gift exchanger and certainly don’t have a religious connection to the holiday.
We also keep Hanukah in perspective. I guess I’m sort of a secular humanist/Taoist/Jew.
My wife’s parents always send gifts, though. And my friend Robert Jones always makes merry with gifts. When the kids were young we had some fun playing Santa.
This year is very quiet. Our children are far away. Sarah is in Alaska, where she lives. Aaron is with his girlfriend’s family, in Atlanta. Emma is with her aunt and uncle, on a cruise in Mexico.
Normally, I don’t eat meat, but had some turkey on Thanksgiving and rather enjoyed it. Thus, my wife, Alicia, is baking a small turkey today, with stuffing — and I’ll eat some of it.
I’ll also take some of this feast to my Mom. She’s not doing well. The Alzheimer’s has progressed and she’s also having some physical problems. She’s fallen down a couple of times in the past two weeks. I’ll visit her in a few minutes — as soon as I post this blog — and then spend some more time with her tonight, for dinner.
Sometime today, I’ll schedule in some yoga, meditation, and some walking.
Because it’s raining — hard — I may be walking here in the house, around the coffee table. Normally, in weather like this, I would go to the mall, or even Walmart. But it’s Christmas and they’re closed.
I’ve also got a couple of movies I want to see over the next couple of days, while things are quiet and peace reigns.
Like most Americans, I’m a big movie watcher, and even a sort of filmmaker. But it’s been such a full year and months since I’ve seen any movie at all. I’m going to watch Sean Penn’s ‘Milk,’ and Wayne Dyer’s ‘The Shift,” (a birthday present from daughter Sarah).
The usual traditions: Last night, a few drinks at Robert’s house. Tonight, a party and Darryl and Tammie’s house. Tomorrow night, working at the homeless shelter, followed by a party at Lee’s house. Sunday night, party at Robert’s house. For me, these parties special. I’ve had a busy year and I love the chance to relax and party and visit with friends.
Yesterday, I had a hankering for bar-b-cue. I got some sauce (they call it “dip”) at Richard’s Bar-B-Cue. Got some red slaw at McComb’s in Faith, NC. Substituted white albacore tuna for the pork — and made a modified Salisbury style bar-b-cue sandwich, with sourdough bread. It was excellent.
I’m working on some exciting New Year’s resolutions. Last year, I made a resolutions to walk 10k steps per day in 2009. I’ll probably keep this one and add to it. My resolutions will be health related. I’ll make a yoga goal because I was so inconsistent this year. And I might make a diet goal. Not to lose weight. I never keep those. But to eat a three servings of vegetables a day, take some vitamins, eat more and better salads — something like that. Just trying to stay alive and healthy another year.
So there’s a bit of navel gazing for this Christmas.
