The Telepathic Unicycle

Tonight we had our annual company Christmas Dinner.

Each year we all go out to a nice restaurant and talk. We talk about work things and we talk about things unrelated to work. I think we’re all glad when it is more of the latter. Inevitably, we end up hearing the same stories that someone told the year before, or the week before for that matter…but it always ends up being a nice evening. That’s right, no typical office Christmas party for us. Nobody having too much to drink and faxing a copy of their ass to our clients. (That happens in the wee hours of each weekday morning.) In past years, we have run out of things to talk about, or because of the choice of restaurant, we can not hear ourselves talk. But it usually ends up just being great conversation over good food, and tonight was no different. We have been this same small group of folks for a few years now and each time we go out we learn new things about eachother.

Anyway, not much else to say. It was a great night out.

Good Night and Seasons Greetings.

I was home alone (with our sleeping son) and had quite a profound observation…I wouldn’t call it an epiphany or anything like that, but…It certainly qualified as an important observation.I came home from work and was quite tired…And my wife and sister-in-law needed to go out to Christmas-shop for their Mother. (You must know that I and our 4-year-old-son have been accompanying them as they have “shopped” for their Mother for several Friday nights now.) So, as you might expect, if you know me…I elected to stay home. (I was given the option, after all. Well, I after I put our son to bed, I decided to sit by the Christmas Tree, light a fire in the fireplace, and watch “The Concert For George.” I have the DVD and have watched it before…quite a while ago…and at the time I loved it so much I bought it for a dear friend…but Time has PASSED and my memory of it has gone soft. So I watched it again…

My wife is Indian and I have been to India 8 or 9 times at this point in my life. I have a TEN-yea visa…for crying out loud…(that expires soon, I think.) And I have seen what I am about to describe to you a thousand times…BUT…

It hit me hard tonight or some reason.

I am amazed at how the Indian people respect the dead.

It is common practice to have a picture of a person who has passed–up on the wall, or on a prominent shelf, or somewhere “in clear view” of your everyday life. If the cobbler’s father dies, he will have a very large, framed photograph hanging on a wall in his shoe shop…if the tailor’s grandfather passes, he will have a very impressive representation of him hanging within site of his fitting room.

Those of you who know me, know that several years ago, I survived car accident that unfortunately took my wife’s father from this world. Since then, I have learned first-hand how important it is to remember the ones who have passed…We have a picture of him in our dining room…we don’t go one day without seeing his face and remembering him and appreciating him and realizing what amazing things he did for his family…

So, I couldn’t help but notice…with all this experience within me…that in this “Concert For George”…there was a giant (and I mean GIANT) framed photograph of George Harrison high above the stage. When I saw it the first time I watched it - years ago - I must not have had such a meaningful opinion of it…but for whatever reason, this time, it was quite thought-provoking and humbling, actually…at least for me.

Seeing a photograph of someone after they have died, brings a lot of thoughts to mind…especially if the photograph displayed is not a “recent” one. The one of George was from the 70’s maybe?…Certainly not from that last years of his life…That alone really calls to mind a deep consideration about what constitutes LIFE.

Someone’s life is not determined by how the last moments of that life is spent…why not have a photograph of one of the most productive periods of his life…

Anyway, this is a lot of words to say a simple thing…we need to remember. We need to acknowledge. We need to wake up and be as we want to be remembered…we need to be good people.

It’s a great concert, by the way. For those of you who haven’t seen it, it is worth the rent for sure, if not a purchase. It made me pick up my sitar again…and tune my acoustic guitar to an open D.

More later…

-TU

So I used to think these things were relegated to Christmas Tree lots and crazy old ladys, but now we have one. That’s right, we went to tar-zhay and purchased this…this glowing, gyrating thing. Yes, it gyrates. Actually, it moves it’s head from side to side as if it is looking both ways before it crosses the street. Except, you know that if it actually were to cross the street, it will just get stuck in the middle of the road starring at someone’s headlights. Or maybe not…maybe someone will get caught staring at its brilliant lights. After all, it is pretty brilliant. My wife wanted it…our son wanted it…so we got it. And you know what? I like it.

There is something about cheesy, gaudy Christmas stuff that really appeals to me now. Maybe it is because we have a 4 year-old son now and he likes all of it…maybe it is because I am done being the “beer-snob” of seasonal decor. Whatever it is, I like my illuminated animated pulsating deer-frame. It makes me happy…Except for when the little gear in it’s neck skips and it starts having a mechanical seizure or something. Also, it falls over if the wind blows.

Oh, by the way, we have a snowman, too.

Happy Holideers.

So my son had his first skill test today in his Tae Kwon Do class, and boy oh boy he did great! It was such a joy to see him do so well. I mean, I knew he could do it. I’ve been to almost every class and I’ve obviously seen him practice at home, but I was a little worried when he ended up being the only kid to be testing to receive his white belt. You see, they do the belt tests only once in a 3-month period or something like that so by the time that day comes, multiple kids from multiple skill levels are ready to show off their skills. Most of the time, I would imagine that there is a good representation of all belts: white belts testing to get their yellow belts, green belts testing to get their red belts, etc. All the kids in one belt group stand up and perform and test together. For whatever reason today, my son was the only “no-belt” testing for a white belt, so he had to stand up and do it alone. And he was excellent! It really made our day!

FYI…If you look it up, you’ll see that tae (跆) means to destroy with the feet; kwon (拳) means t0 strike or smash with the hand; and do (道) means “path” or “way”. Hence, tae kwon do is loosely translated as “the way of the destroying foot and smashing fist”. Cool.

Some other stuff happened today, too. Got some Christmas shopping done. Got some really good recording done with the band. But seeing my son get the big plastic trophy and long white belt was the highlight to a great day.