Shinybass journal entry 11-26-12

Cyber Monday, Take it all back Tuesday, We could have saved for college Wednesday…

Well howdy, my friends!  Did we all help China break out of their recession this past weekend?  Good to hear.  That’s all I am going to say about shopping.  I promise.  Except that the only purchase I made this weekend was Virginia Wine.  Luckily the rest of the shoppers were distracted by the Gangster Ken dolls and I was able to make my purchase rather quickly and without incident.  Just like many of you predicted, I am against cutting into Thanksgiving time to open the doors for shopping.  I would like to think that we have cut the margin for shopping as close as we can as not to interfere with Thanksgiving dinner, but mark my words – one major retailer will open at noon on Thanksgiving next year, practically giving away TV’s, and screw up the whole system.  You have been warned. Don’t give in to the dark side.

I trust your Thanksgiving was a good one, and full of blessings and things for which to be thankful.  My Thanksgiving was like most traditional ones – full of family, turkey, football, and alcohol.  My life has been a whirlwind this past year, and I have had a lot to think about.  I am not going to rehash my year, you can go back and read some posts here and see the things I have been able to get into.  I hope more than taking stock in my life, you are taking stock in your own, and realizing how great things really are, even in the face of all the ‘bad’ that is going on around the globe and at home.

Before the holiday break, Phil and company played a quick set at the Ryman as part of the ‘Christmas for Kids’ charity event, which purchases toys for needy children in the Nashville area.  The event is hosted by Charlie Daniels, and in 2 years playing this event, this picture of his fiddle is the closest I am able to get to him.  I love the people that work the Ryman, and catering for this event is amazing.  Yeah, me and food get along.  The cause is a good one, and I am happy to be involved, and thankful every time I hit the Ryman stage.

For Thanksgiving, we spent a little time in Charlottesville, which is a great little/big city that was home to three presidents, and is an interesting mix of old money and young hippies.  The downtown mall is home to $15 hamburgers and $100 salt and pepper shakers, as well as college kids drinking late night specials and patchouli freaks busking for quarters.  The area is steeped in history, which I dig, and with the right amount of cash, you can find a really, really good steak (try C&O, if you have a ‘treat yourself’ meal planned), or just take in a salad in the outdoor dining area in the mall.  People watching is the best here. And if you walk around a little, you will find some spots that look like you stepped back in time.

After a great couple of days back in Virginia, we headed to NC for a quick overnight with my Dad.  His Mom passed away a few years ago, and on this trip, I went through a bunch of old pictures from our family, some 100 years old, and all of them fun.  The real gem, however, was not a picture, but a letter nestled in the box.  It was written in 1943 to my Dad by his great-grandfather.  The letter is almost 70 years old, and my Dad had never read it.  I got chills as I handed it to him.  I thought it amazing that I was hearing my great great grandfather ‘talk’ to my Dad.  Pretty incredible.

My Mother’s Mom passed away a few years back, but before her health started slowing her down, my mother had the forethought to ‘interview’ her, and from there she was able to preserve the stories of our family.  I appreciate the effort my Mom put into that so that one day our kids will know about their great grandma.  I don’t like to get too terribly personal here, but I am sharing this in hopes that it inspires you to do something similar and preserve the precious ties that you have to your relatives.

With the holiday of food over and my gym calling me, I shall sign off.  Please remember to be nice to everyone for the rest of this year.  The whole world is going to be in a big damn hurry this shopping season.  Do yourself a favor and take it slow – relax and laugh at the rude people who will surround you at the mall.

See you on the road!