January Blues!

The Big Christmas Letdown has begun. . .

"Holiday Inn" has been shown on television several times. What difference does that make, since you own it on DVD - in glorious black and white. It's now put away with the rest of the Christmas stuff, and you probably jammed it in the box with the decorations, burned out mini-lights you know will not work when you take them out of the box just after Thanksgiving in November later this year. Trust me, that time will be here before you know it. In the meantime, there seems to be an eternity of time between now and then.

If you're like me, you find a certain respite from all society has to offer during the holidays - it's a time to throw off the burden of routine and live a little - you look forward to giving and receiving presents, raising a cup of Christmas cheer (responsibily, I trust). But when the Season passes, it passes and there's more than a little letdown. Routine resumes, the weather continues to be frightful and fires and still delightful if a little lonely. Looking out the window you realize you have at least two months of cabin reclusiveness to deal with. Not a good prospect, I know. If you head out to the mall, you might be tempted to kill that melancholy with purchases you really don't need - things to make you feel better that are only going to make everything a lot worse when the bill arrives - it's over 20% on the unpaid balance, you know.

I've found a lot of solace from the January blues in a good book and couple that with a few good CDs - if you've still got an old record player, dig out some vintage 78s if there are any around - and stack them up on the changer. It'll take you back to a less complicated time (or does it just seem that way?), and for a time those old scratchy records might break the monotony while making January's dog days move a little more quickly by.

That's a real 78rpm record in the photo above - I know the technology is outdated, but what goes around, comes around, and eventually there's going to be a renewed interested in those old records - basically they're a dime a dozen for the time being - they sound old because they are old, but that ancient sound and scratchiness is part of the charm.