I slipped out of November with a shudder and firm shake of the head to slough off the unnerving events it contained - from an aforementioned home burglary to the startling results of the presidential election. The burglary still creeps me out, discovering it as we did on Halloween and learning the ropes of a criminal case in the weeks that followed. Now to escape the lingering sense of violation of our home and nation.
I realize some fellow Americans are anywhere from giddy to unperturbed by the Electoral College count and its portent; remarkable on the face of it and the two-plus million extra votes counted for the losing candidate. Of some comfort: Charles M. Blow of The New York Times promised the president elect, "as long as there are ink and pixels, you will be the focus of my withering gaze.“
We will need it, sir. As a sage remarked in a recent political cartoon, “Those who study history are doomed to watch those who did not study it - just repeat it.” Sigh.
Still, my own approach to December begs a fresh vibe. I simply cannot proceed through life permanently horrified by the unfathomable druthers of some fellow citizens. So, I’ve resolved to pencil in time on my calendar - no more 15 minutes per day - to experience the gloom this chapter of American history dictates; to feel this awful, alarmed and exasperated.
Tougher to do is ignore the Internet's presidential-transition bulletins. I must join those who intend to banish all pings of "Breaking News," and see how that works. (Tough for a former journalist to do.) I did notice that more allegedly cute cat and dog Internet videos get my attention than at any time prior to this turning point. But, they appear to depend heavily on pratfalls, so I must wince and turn away from the tumbling cat and dog segments, too.
Another tactic I've adopted in my bid for a fresh vibe is to notice all that is good in life, and there is plenty. Loving relationships count. Health is a definite bonus. I'll appreciate financial solvency as long as it lasts. Friendships where “never a cloud passed over us” earn my gratitude. Nature does, too.
Then, there is the tonic of hearing choral music and of singing it. On December 3, we listened to the Tampa Oratorio Singers perform songs of the season, reminding us of the privilege of singing under the direction of Nancy M. Callahan. The group is approaching its 50th anniversary, and it is excellent.
The TOS performance at the seaside Pass-a-Grille Community Church officially opened the Christmas season for us, and it was followed by the bright lights of the annual boat parade swiftly moving across Boca Ciego Bay. There is something about such traditions that may offer comfort in uncertain times.
Finally, I’m reminded of another choral group – the St. Petersburg College Community Chorus - with whom we also sang for a time. Someone in the audience at the city's Palladium Theater recorded a 2010 performance of the song Hallelujah (written by the late Leonard Cohen). In the Palladium video, the choral group appears as a sparkling sea of white, but the music comes through. Click the link to hear this bittersweet piece: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UP385pjkE2U
And, if it is your tradition, you might set out holiday decorations. Perhaps, for a time escape any post-November blues.
Ping: "Ben Carson to head H.U.D.!" Wait. To head the entire Unites States Department of Housing and Urban Development? What! I can't even ... 14 minutes and counting.
A greeting by Vincent Mancuso & Reggie Morrisey