I meant to post this weekend; Really I did . . . .

. . . but several things conspired against me. First, Time-Warner Cable came in and gave us a new converter box Friday; which promptly lost us our Internet service until I spoent half of Friday fixing it.

Then I got up early this morning to post a bit late, and saw the news on the earthquake in Sumatra. The 9-point-Zero earthquake in Sumatra. The earthquake that moved the entire island of Sumatra 100 yards to the southeast.

The earthquake that sent a wall of water careening around the Indian Ocean as high as 143 feet, killing as many as 12,000 people so far. Twelve-Thousand-Human-Beings.

Now, you might wonder why I'm so freaked out about this tsunami halfway around the world. Two reasons: (1) The Marine base at Diego Garcia is right in the middle of the Indian Ocea, and only three feet above sea level (So I'm worried for any friends I might have out there), and . . . .

(2) the Island of Mauritius is not far from Diego Garcia. That's my wife's (Ariane's) birthplace. Got a lotta family there that I've met and like personally.

And we haven't heard a peep out of either island since the tsunami.

The Air Force is calling it "technical difficulties."

Pray hard, everyone. I certainly am.

~~~John~~~

Ho Ho Ho, Y'all!

I think I'm Sick this Week . . .

. . . . and I mean that -- truly.

I'm sick . . . of all the negative attitudes about Christmas.

I'm sick of people carping about how tired they are. I'm sick of hearing how "commercial" or "mercenary" Christmas has become. I'm sick of hearing people whine about "I'm not ready" for Christmas. I'm full-up-to-here of people telling me "It just doesn't feel like Christmas."

Well, put on some Christmas Music already. Sheesh! See previous post already! (and this weekends coming post, I might add.)

And those of you living in Northwest Indiana and the Greater Chicagoland area, I got your back on that one. Volume 2 of "JD's Favorite Christmas Songs" was mailed yesterday after unavoidable delays -- but's it's on the way now. First part of next week, you betcha.

Meanwhile, turn on that local station playing nothing but Christmas Music, and (as Bugs Bunny would say) "Unlax."

Last Minute Note: If you REALLY want to let the years roll off you fast, find the new (for this year) Christmas Album "Rat Pack Christmas" -- I found my copy at Target last night. Sammy Davis Junior does a cover of "Jingle Bells" that cannot be explained with words; and there's two songs from the old Dean Marting Christmas Shows, including my favorite -- a duet by Frank Sinatra and Dean of "It's a Marshmallow World" that just is too much fun for words.

Go. Buy! Unlax already!

HERE COMES SANTA CLAUS, HERE COMES SANTA CLAUS; RIGHT DOWN SANTA CLAUS LANE!

We do Christmas BIG around Casa Largo. We consider Thanksgiving a dress rehearsal for the pre-Noel antics that will permeate the atmosphere from Turkey Day to January 6th. We celebrate Thanksgiving; Saint Nicholas Day, Christmas Week, Christmas Eve, The Day itself, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, and right out to Three King’s Day, too. (Also known as Eastern Orthodox Christmas; and hereabouts in Texas as “Three Kings Day� as well) It’s very much a “frame of mind� thing. You celebrate Christmas, like any other holiday, just as much as you feel like it; and we love it here. All you Scrooges, avoid replying. You’re not changing my mind, babe.

I personally have one of the largest collections of Christmas music in captivity. Some of my favorites have to include:

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Jingle Bell Rock: Randy Travis (Country)
Probably the best version of this song ever done. From one of the “Very Special Christmas� albums to benefit Special Olympics. If you can’t rock to this, you’re dead, baby.

Hardrock, Coco, and Joe: Stormy Weather (TV Classic)
A TV favorite from growing up on Chicago TV. Covered by the group “Stormy Weather� from Gary IN recently.

O Tannenbaum: The Vince Guaraldi Trio (TV)
If you don’t think of Charlie Brown while listening to this, you were raised in a cave. From the soundtrack to the Charlie Brown Christmas special.

White Christmas: Bing Crosby (Christmas Classic)
Just too classic to pass up. From one of the Time-Life Christmas collections you see advertised on TV late at night, which are absolutely essential to any serious Christmas music collection.

Run, Run Rudolph: Chuck Berry (Rock-n-Roll)
Rock On, Chuck. What a masterpiece. The topical 50's references to “Sabre jets� and “Shooting Stars (F-84's and F-86 jets of the early 1950's, respectively) are a great historical reference. Plus you can really hear in the music just how much FUN he’s having with it.

Los Peces en el Rio: Mannheim Steamroller (A Neo-classic)
From one of the magnificent Mannheim Steamroller Albums; an eclectic mixture of techno-pop punk and classical harmonies. It’s a Mexican song about the fish in the river singing at Christ’s birth.

Here Comes Santa Claus: Elvis Presley (Rock-n-Roll)
One of the King’s better efforts; he’s having ‘way too much fun with this song, and it shows.

We Three Kings of Orient Are: Miles Davis, Larry Carlton, David Sanborn, & Paul Shaffer (Jazz)
From the Bill Murray vehicle “Scrooged� that also starred Karen Allen, Buster Poindexter, and Bobcat Goldwaith of about 15 years ago, this one is a riot. A damn good jam, this song is only heard in passing on the movie soundtrack as Murray’s character is seen passing the starving musicians he’s fired in one scene. And, yes, it’s the Paul Schaffer from David Letterman!

Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree: Brenda Lee (Rock-n-Roll)
Getting ‘way too much airplay lately from all the “Home Alone� movies, but a goodie, nevertheless.

Feliz Navidad: Jose Feliciano (A Neo-Classic)
Sentimental value from the 60's. So sue me. I even know what all the words mean, too.

Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town: Bruce Springsteen (Rock-n-Roll)
Greatest-Christmas-Song-Ever!: The Bruce Springsteen version from the early ‘80's which has only recently been re-released.

Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer: Elmo & Patsy (A “Weirdo� Classic)
And now, for something completely hillbilly . . . (to break up the somber mood, mostly.)

Jingle Bells: Glenn Miller & the Modernaires (Jazzy Big-Band Classic)
Recorded at the BBC studios by Glenn Miller’s Army Air Corps band; with a weird little “Mexican segue� by his drummer, Ernie Caseas. If you love swing, this is the thing. Thank God for CD’s, or this would’ve faded into obscurity.

Veni Veni (O Come O Come Immanuel): Mannheim Steamroller (A Neo-Classic)
A magnificent take of the original Gregorian chant with some electro-pop simple cover melodies. Makes me cry if I’m alone at night.

Christmas In Dixie: Alabama (Country)
Another favorite in recent years that got almost played to death about 10 years ago; but now is a sentimental favorite.

Holly Jolly Christmas: Burl Ives (A TV Calssic)
From the old “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer� TV special of 30 years ago. I can see that darned singing snowman now . . . . looked just like Burl Ives, too!

The Christmas Song:The Chipmunks (A “Weirdo� Classic)
Another good one from the year I was born (1958) to make your mom ask, “Where did you get THIS?� Lately it’s becoming more accepted as a “Classic� Christmas song. Julian’s Christmas Band concert played this last week.

Merry Christmas Baby: Bonnie Raitt and Charles Brown (A Neo-Classic)
Another monster from one of the “Very Special Christmas� albums; just an original blues song that’ll make your eyeteeth hurt listening to it. Probably on my Top Five favorites of all time.

The Little Drummer Boy: Harry Simeone Chorale (Classic)
You’ll know this one the minute the bass chorus kicks in with the “Rum-Pa-Pum-Pums.� My Nana (grandma) used to play this to death at Christmas, and it’s hard not to imagine her living room without this song.)

Sleigh Ride: Arthur Fiedler & the Boston Pops (A TV Classic)
Another classic you’ll recognize three bars into the song. You hear it a lot on commercials as background music; but I always heard it on Captain Kangaroo’s old TV show on CBS this time of year.

The Christmas Song: Nat King Cole (Calssic)
This one, too. Nat’s where it’s at, baby. His daughter Natalie never did this justice, but Nat sure does.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Temptations (Rock-n-Roll)
May very well be the best Motown Christmas song ever produced. You keep expecting this to be hokey, but they do such a DARN good job with it, it works, and makes you all teary-eyed. And hard not to “chair-dance� along with it.

Jingle Bells: The Singing Dogs (A “Weirdo� Classic)
And this will cure the teary eyes right damn quick, you betcha. Nice to have this one just so you can say “Yeah, I’ve heard that.� The recent attempt by “the singing Cats� to duplicate this doesn’t even come close. This one was made in the days BEFORE sampling – so each of these notes had to be laboriously recorded, taped, re-taped, and spliced into place. What bizarre devotion!

Silent Night: Boyz 2 Men (Rock-n-Roll)
An acapella four-part harmony version that’ll raise the hair on your neck, for sure. Puts tears in my eyes with those soulful rhythms.

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Every year I make new copies of "Favorite Christmas Songs" that I play until the CD wears out. This list was my "Original List," which I gave as Christmas presents last year on CD.

Next Week: This Year's List!