While sitting at home trying to recover my voice or to allow it to get beyond sounding like Froggy from the Our Gang/Little Rascals shorts (primarily by keeping my mouth shut), I have been listening to my favorite gift.  For years, I have been torn between two iconic series of film scores by the same composer: Star Wars and Indiana Jones.  John Williams supplied all of the music for the 6 Star Wars films (yes, even the 3 prequel films) and the 4 films featuring the world-traveling archaeologist.  Just hearing music from either series is enough for me to want to pop in the DVD and sit back and enjoy but I also like kicking back and listening to a good movie score and picturing the events in my mind.  I have had the Star Wars collection of CDs for sometime.  However, the music for the Indy films have been rare indeed and even those recordings have lacked in length, until recently (I had a cassette of the Last Crusade soundtrack that featured only 30 minutes of the score).  Particularly the score for The Temple of Doom.  Williams expertly created scores for each of the films.  Raiders, Last Crusade, and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull each are much lighter in tone and fun while Temple is full of dark, sinister, blood curdling themes.  However, it also features the Cole Porter tune “Anything Goes” sung in Mandarin Chinese and a fun theme for Indy’s young protege, Short Round.

Indiana Jones: The Soundtracks Collection contains the four scores with previously unreleased tracks along with a fifth disc of ultra rare recordings with a fifteen minute interview with Williams, George Lucas, and the man, Steven Spielberg reminiscing about the creation of the films and the musical motifs throughout each movie.  Extremely cool.  Now I will post a poll that I know most people who frequent this blog can answer and you must choose, but choose wisely. [poll id=”5″]

Last night was another fantastic celebration at our semi-weekly gathering place.  Everyone brought food or spirits to endulge in.  Friends who do not usually frequent our game nights came to shar in the festivities.  I went with my lingering effects from a visit by Uncle Larry N. Gitis.  Honestly, I feel fine but my voice says otherwise.  I remember losing my voice years ago a few weekends before I auditioned for a summer position at Cedar Point.  I made the audition, sang my audition piece and was asked to come back a half-hour later for the dance portion of the try out.  Unfortunately, my graceful choreographic ability failed to impress… their loss, right?

While playing charades, which my team was winning (thank you very much) the time had arrived to watch Ryan Seacrest announce the ball drop.  Dick Clark made an appearance from the studio; however, the damage done by his stroke of a few years ago is still apparent.  I noticed an almost plastic appearance to Mr. Seacrest.  Not sure if it was the lighting or makeup but he just looked wierd.  Speaking of charades, I do not think that the movie or novel Return of the King is obscure.  It was a title given to one of the other two teams but I thought it was a very good suggestion.  My gracefulness was put to good use in my acting out the movie title Last Tango in Paris.

Shortly thereafter, we read some Weakest Link questions.  I tried to keep quiet to allow others to answer.  However, I heard some moaners from the other players imploring me to wait until the question was read.  Finally, we moved on to some Outburst, and thank goodness for the arrival of our final player because some of the questions were beyond my expertise.  By the time we had arrived to an I.Q. testing game, I was lying on the floor.

But like last year, it was a great end to the old and beginning of the new.  There was no other place I wanted to be.  I hope everyone had an enjoyable and safe holiday season and wish everyone the best in 2009.

Today was a long but enjoyable day.  It started out at 8AM when I put in a half-day at work.  We then had our annual holiday gathering with my mother’s family at her brother’s place… a nice, spacious home with lots of spread out space for the pack of little angels to enjoy (ok… some not so little).  This meant ANOTHER feast.  However on Christmas Eve, our priest gave permission for all to eat as much as we like without feeling guilty.  We had a nice buffet of ribs, turkey, and all the trimmings.  However, what everyone looks forward to is Aunt Sandy’s spread of delectable goodies: holiday cookies, caramels, pretzels, and BUCKEYES… ooooohhhhhh, yummy.

While enjoying the feast, we caught glimpses of the Detroit Lion’s perfect season.  At one point, the score was actually tied.  But I thought why ruin a good thing and spoil the perfect record even if it was a perfect losing record.

Later, while everyone was digesting and in an attempt to corral the kiddies, Santa made his annual appearance.  You never saw a group of kids become quiet so fast.  Traditionally, the youngest starts and we make our way to the oldest (18 and younger this time, it seems the idea of adult gift exchanging had been ruled out sometime ago).  Following the tumult of the present giving, one was given to my second oldest brother, Chad: a scratch-off lottery card.  Reveal three like prizes and win.  When he revealed the prize, his reaction was rather ho-hum for the amount he had won. I mean to say, if I got a ticket that said I had won $10,000 I would have been jumping up and down, banging my head on the rather low hanging ceiling lamp ( I could have easily been decapitated if I did not watch where I was walking), and making my way to the nearest agent able to cash my ticket in…. meaning a three-hour drive.  Chad was more like…Whhoooppeee… rather low key.  Shortly after, he was asked to read the fine print on the back of the card.  GOTCHA!!! We all had a good laugh.

By the time the merriment was complete, it was 8.30.  I had planned to attend an open house that ended at 9, but unfortunately was not able to.

Today was filled with fun, excitement, hilarity, and chaos.  In short, a traditional Christmas at my home.  It began, for me at about 9AM after getting to bed around 3AM after watching one of the showings of A Christmas Story that is shown every year marathon style over a 24 hour period.  I have to sneak a viewing in sometime (usually after I wind down from the majesty and beauty of our late night Christmas Eve mass.  I still cannot understand why no one else enjoys the recollections of young Ralphie as he longs for a prized bb gun one Christmas season.  You’ll poke your eye out!  I triple dog dare you!  Pink fuzzy bunny pajamas.  A Chinese version of Deck the Halls and Jingle Bells.  And “OH… FUDGE”

Later this morning, I awoke to a few presents under the tree.  Then we tuned into the Disney Christmas Parade followed by some of the Christmas Bondathon (got to watch From Russia with Love which is not a bad two hours spent any day) before everyone else arrived for dinner at 2.  After dinner and connecting the parent’s Blu-Ray player, the 5 older children and I (child or not, you decide) spent 4 hours playing UNO Flash and a new version of Yahtzee.  I think more time was spent trying to get SOMEONE to play the new UNO game without breaking the rules.  I kept telling him, “You need to push the SLAP button and not the player button.”  Hilarity ensued as each of us in turn attempted to take our turn in the time limit before being buzzed.  Fun for groups of 3-6 players.  Sometimes the old games with new twists can be hit or miss.  UNO Flash is definitely hit.

Finally at about 9PM, the dishes were cleaned, the table put back into storage, and children ready to go home to play with the treasures Santa had given them.  I think i will find a movie with lots of bangs and whistles to test on the Blu-Ray player to run it through its paces.

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, ^[ Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

These words taken from Isaiah chapter 9 foreshadow the arrival of He whose birth we celebrate this day.  The God made man in the form of an infant immaculately conceived and born in a lowly stable.  My prayer for this early Christmas morning is that the world would remember to set aside a few moments in the joy and chaos of presents, parties, and merriment to remember.  The church choir performed “For Unto Us a Child is Born” from Handel’s Messiah at mass tonight.  Not an easy piece but very beautiful and really set the mood for the late evening mass.  The choir loft was filled with people singing the praises of the savior’s birth.

While at mass, I could not help but to wax philosophic on she who is no longer with us, physically.  However, I know that every time I open my mouth and any note good or bad that comes forth is in great part due to her influence upon not only my singing voice but to every part of me.  I felt her presence so strongly tonight that it was almost overwhelming.  I sincerely hope that Emily’s family experiences the sheer love she had for them on this first Christmas since she was called to her great reward.  From the hundreds of students who walked through the doors of her music room, to the thousands of troops around the world who met her through care packages, letters, and in person  she touched so many.

May you all (from the casual reader to the best friends I have ever known) feel the joy that comes in celebrating the Most Blessed Time of the Year.

Today as we go about our everyday busy lives or maybe enjoy a barbeque with friends and family, it should be appropriate to take just a moment to reflect upon why we have this day off from work.  Right now, it may not be the most popular public view to have men and women in Iraq fighting for the past seven years but those men and women have parents, spouses, children, and other loved ones who are hoping and praying for their safe return.  Also to remember those lost in not only the current overseas struggle but also those lost in previous wars.  Without those, we would not have had the many freedoms we all hold dear.  So hopefully everyone took just a few moments while eating that hot dog around the picnic table to maybe not attend a Memorial Day Service but just stop and think about the people who have fought and continue to fight whether or not it seems like the right thing to do.