Entry #9: Tidings of Comfort and Joy

Good afternoon faithful readers, I'd like to welcome you all to the mile stone 9th blog.  I didn't think I'd get this far either. It's been quite some time since I wrote in here, quite simply because of the fact that I've been quite occupied with finals and then the rustling and the bustling of the holiday season. But I'm here today on the eve of Christmas to wish everyone the happiest of holidays. Winter is a dark and bleak season best embodied by death. But, cemented in the middle of this season lies a holiday that brings the best out of everyone. There truly is no time of year comparable to that of Christmas. I know for myself I love it quite a lot. I love the emphasis on togetherness and selflessness, and though there's been an increase in commercialism over the years, the customs and the values are still in place that make it more recognizable than any other holiday save for maybe Festivus. And as such, I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas indeed, and that everyone receives what they truly want for Christmas. I know that if everyone that I cared about got what they truly wanted, needed, and deserved, I'd have a Merrier holiday.


Moving on from the mushy stuff.

I saw the Tampa Bay Lightning play at Madison Square Garden against the New York Rangers last night, and it was a helluva game. It's probably my fifth trip to the garden in my 12 years of going to see hockey games, and of the six NHL arenas I've been to, Madison Square Garden is by leaps and bounds my favorite. The Rangers are not my favorite hockey team in the least, but I adore Ranger fans and I adore the traditions that exist in that arena. The game went to an eleven round shootout last night, and before leaving for the game I echoed my lust for a shootout before hand. I truly got a wonderful Christmas present last night in seeing a very evenly matched game. I was wearing my Steven Stamkos jersey, and I was definitely in the minority, being one of basically three Lightning fans in New York that night.(My second favorite team). It was the most I've ever seen my father into a game. And in spite of the blistering cold, it was one of the best games I've seen in person in my entire life. Wonderful times were had by all......Except for the thousands of Rangers fans who saw their team lose....

A few weeks ago I listened to Neutral Milk Hotel's infamous In The Aeroplane Over The Sea, for the first time. Half of you are going, "It took you that long!?", and the other half are going, "Who?" Basically, at the behest of one of my closest friends, I finally got around to listening to what is often labeled the greatest indie album ever. And basically it didn't disappoint. I've listened to it beginning to end a plethora of times. And without getting into any of the wildly interesting backstory, I'd strongly implore people to give it a firm listening to.

Being that it is Christmas time, I start slipping into a routine that I've been partaking in for years. Watch Christmas movies(It's A Wonderful Life on Christmas Eve), Listen to crooners sing infamous Christmas tunes(Sinatra mmmmmmmmmmmm), help mother bake homemade Christmas cookies(D'awwwwwww), and buy gifts ridiculously last second with money I don't even have. A truly festive time of year, dontcha think?




And so, as I close this blog of meandering thoughts, I'd like to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, and to close with an often not heard Christmas song, sung by my favorite crooner, Frank Sinatra.(ignore the content of the video, just appreciate the audio, kthxbye)