HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

It seems that with every year that I get older, the time moves faster and faster. I can remember when I was a little guy and I couldn’t wait for this time of year to come around. In November, I celebrate my birthday. Then there is Christmas.

At 1414 Bergen Street Christmas was very nice. We had a tree. It might have been about 5 or 6 feet. It wasn’t real and my mom stored it in one of the hall closets. As I got older, it was my job to put it together.

It was in a cardboard box and that box became softer and softer as the years went by. I would put it together and set it in that cleared spot in the living room. I think we all have that cleared spot. I would put all the ornaments on it. They were also stored in that same closet. Once finished I would put the tree skirt on and take a step back to admire my work. I always had to adjust the tree because I could never put it in the stand straight. But with the help of the rest of the family, I got the tree to look good.

Over those many years, I don’t remember getting that one gift I would die for. I actually don’t remember asking for that gift that I would die for. I know that our financial situation was difficult.  If I remember correctly my dad worked 2 jobs during some of that time so it never seemed that the gifts were the most important part of the holiday. Being together was what my parents put emphasis on. It also helped that there were no electronic toys during this time. We had one Admiral Black and White television for most of my time at 1414 Bergen Street. We didn’t get a color television until the late 1960’s.

In today’s world the pressure on most parents is horrendous. Just the other day I was on the bus and I saw two kids playing with an IPad. It wasn’t one IPad. They each had one of their own playing Subway Surfer. I don’t know these kids but I wonder what other gifts they got. Those IPads can cost up to $700 each.

I want to make it clear that I’m not criticizing their parents. Every parent wants to give their kids the best Christmas they can. It’s just that these things are very expensive and I wonder if these parents had other kids to buy gifts for.

In any event, at 1414 Bergen Street, the one gift that I remember the most is a Lionel train set. It seems that I would only set it up during the Christmas season. I don’t know if that was an early form of regifting but, I remember having many hours of fun watching that train travel on that oval track.

We still have that train set. Perhaps one day I’ll put it together to see if it still works.

New Year’s at our house was also usually uneventful. My parents were not partiers so that time was always spent at home. I don’t remember ever staying up that late. My parents were consistent. We were always in bed by 8.

As a matter of fact I would dream about the time when I would be able to stay up to watch Johnny Carson. By the time I was able to choose my own bed time, I also began to notice how fast time was moving.

My kids are 31, 20 and 10. They are definitely out of the Santa stage. The oldest, Wendell Jr., has young children of his own. The 20 year old, Deshawn, is working so he is just learning how fast one’s paycheck can disappear. The youngest, Jonathan, is on the borderline of being a Santa believer and moving into the real world.

The two oldest were given money and I took the youngest to Game Stop to get a couple of games for his 3DS. They all seemed to be pleased because they know that the spirit of Christmas lasts all year.

Last year was the first year that I truly took on the challenge of making a resolution. My goal was not get involved in any gossip. This means that I would not listen to gossip nor would I be the originator of gossip.

I took this on because I never realized how damaging gossip could be until I became a victim. It was then that I took a good hard look at my past actions and I began to think about the lives that I possibly damaged because of my loose lips.

What makes this resolution such a challenge is that it forces one to hold a conversation without talking about someone else. People thrive on becoming inside traders with regards to what’s going in someone’s life. The only problem is that the “information” they’re trading is probably not true or incomplete.

In any event, I will take that challenge on again this year. I am also going to work hard on improving my writing skills and try to reach the 100,000 follower mark on Twitter.

I want to thank all of you who have read my posts and have commented on my blog and on Twitter. I also want to that those who have liked me on Facebook.

I am the guy whose glass is always ½ full.

I wish all of you a positive, prosperous and peaceful 2015.

I LOVE BEING A DAD!!