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JOURNAL
December 2006
HOLIDAY LETTER
Whatever happened to time? One would think that, say, a hundred years ago, when most were still getting around by horse-and-buggy and it would take a good half a day to go sixty miles, that folks back then would have been frenzied trying to fit in all their chores and visits in a short day. No email, no dishwasher, no shopping online, no washer-dryer, no microwave, no cell phones (hell, most still didn’t have a phone, period!): How did they get anything accomplished at all and still remain civil beings in society?
Today, all of these modern conveniences that are supposed to save us time so that we can spend more of it with family and friends have only left us looking for more technologies to gobble up more time--seemingly, in an effort to avoid family and friends. We may say to ourselves “That can’t be true,” but the truth is, these conveniences have made us an uncivil people. So many of us no longer have unfettered, quality downtime with our loved ones because we are “on call” to the corporation: We are working late and have the fax and phone and computer on constantly so that we can receive messages 24/7. The corporation shrewdly tries to disguise itself as family as a way to woo our loyalty so that we’re there when they need us. And yet they keep cutting back our medical benefits, put us on our own with 401Ks so they can save millions in pensions, and will dump us at age 53 if they can find a 25-year-old up-and-comer with better computer skills who will work for less.
Perhaps I am oversentimentalizing the past. After all, isn’t it true that decades ago a not-so-great husband, after a long day at work, would go out to the pub and drink with his pals, stumbling home to his poor wife late at night? Today, with the internet, the louse is at least trolling for mistresses and finding pornography (ah, the educational uses of the computer!) in the comfort of his own home, right? And the kids, instead of smoking on the corner with neigborhood youths of questionable repute or risking injury in a game of flag football, can now spend hours lying on the living room rug, getting fat and damaging their glazed-over eyes while playing a high-tech video game.
Ah, it appears that I’ve gotten on my soapbox and forgotten to tell you all about my wonderful year, which is the purpose of the holiday letter. Let’s see: I am now happily living in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn (see Sept. journal) with my roommate Maurice (see April journal); I am teaching speech (see Dec. 2005 journal) at City College and finishing my MFA degree there (expected summer 2007); I’m still at the beloved piano bar Rose’s Turn on the weekends; am still teaching my singing workshops; I am now a deacon at Middle Collegiate Church, the best church in the country; and have many writing projects in various stages of completion. I am at the happiest time of my life, finally doing all the things I love to do. The hope is that in 2007 I can get paid for more of them!
I don’t have time to give further details right now. But I do know that when the 24th arrives, I will turn off my cell phone, turn on Christmas music, stay in my pajamas, and be out of touch with all except for my nearest and dearest until the 26th. I owe myself and God at least that much.
To all of you, I wish the happiest of holidays and a healthy and prosperous new year. Take just a little time for yourself and those you love.
Until next time, I shall sign off as I frequently do with my email pal Sally . . .
More later,
Kevin
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