But, as if solely to assuage my grief, the internet has come to my rescue. In my thoughtless internet ramblings, I've come across Mary Ann Muglia, a singer and arranger. She arranges Christmas songs, and songs from the Great American Songbook, in wonderful close harmonies of a type that's somewhat out-of-style. They're wonderful, nonetheless.
But better than that: she also posts "harmony breakdowns", where she sings the accompaniment parts first, allowing you to guess where the actual key is going to be. I can't usually get it on the first part, but I can usually get it by halfway through the second.
I'm pretty sure I'm not making any sense. Here are a couple of examples:
Back when the world made sense, over two decades ago, the cassette machine and the speakers for my home stereo system (remember those?) died at about the same time. The Excellent Wife (TEW) and I moved to a new home in North Brunswick, and I never set up the stereo system. When we moved to this home about a year ago, we moved in the LP's and cassettes, even though we had no hardware on which to play them.
We plan to stay here as close to forever as possible, and, finding myself with a little unallocated time and money, I got some speakers, and assembled what I could of the stereo system. With a bit of finagling, I found it worked. I had a caucus with TEW, and we came up with a stand that was agreeable to both of us. It arrived; I assembled it today, and set up the system.
I don't have the cassette player yet, but I've been playing some of the neglected records. And there's something telling me that the records feel like they've been freed from prison, or resurrected after a coma, or something, and are relieved and delighted to be able to sing freely again.
I know I'm out of my mind. But I've got a cassette deck on my Amazon list, for purchase after the next set of checks comes in. The cassettes are jealous now, and complaining.
Why not? It's been too long since I posted: I haven't done a ride in forever, and I'm still recovering from COVID (I'm weak and out of condition, and afraid I'll never be able to ride with my friends again), and there's been lots of other unpleasantness*. But last year, I posted about some personal Christmas traditions, so lets do another post about that stuff, and maybe I'll start posting generally again.
Every year, I re-read Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol; I often see one of the movie adaptations, but that hasn't worked out for this year (largely because I've been too lazy to seek one). I didn't see that the Princeton Library was doing the read-along (and I couldn't get through that anyway; my declining mental health found me weeping uncontrollably about halfway through Stave Three, the Ghost of Christmas Present, the last time I went). Still, I read it myself. Since I've been through it so frequently, I find I have memorized some parts - I've been able to rattle off Scrooge's dismissal of Christmas celebrants for years:
"If I could work my will,” said Scrooge indignantly, “every idiot who goes about with ‘Merry Christmas’ on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart. He should!”
This time I found myself taken by Marley's Ghost's description of his business:
“Business!” cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. “Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!”
I may need to make a point of memorizing that one, as well.
Another one of my traditions is looking up singer-songwriter Dodie's "Christmas Songs in a Minor Key". I think she's stopped doing them (I don't see any later than two years ago), but I haven't stopped loving them. I'll post a couple of links: you'll either love them or hate them, but I'm sure you'll find 'em memorable:
*Death of a nephew, death of my brother-in-law, illness, weakness. Accepting the loss of some capabilities I once had. Some stuff that's none of your business. Drifting away from some old friends. Having some pleasant illusions sadly broken.
Still: there are blessings in life. It will not always be cold and dark; light and warmth will return. There are people who care about me. There is possibility of new opportunities and friendships. I'm not giving up yet.
