So This Is Christmas?

And what will you do?

(Apologies to J. Lennon)

Paraphrasing Andy Williams big Christmas hit:

It’s the most difficult time

Of the year!

Hello, Holiday Stress!

What to say? Merry Christmas? Happy Holiday? Season’s Greetings? Happy (insert some other holiday here)!

No one may be left out! Even Atheists! “Have a nice day!”

And then there are the Presents Problems! What to get? Who gets what? What to give? How much to spend? Arrggghhh! (No worries – here’s an article with all the answers)

And then there is the ‘Traumas of Christmas’ Day! Not getting the pony (or other Most Wanted gift); “Is there really a Santa Claus? Or have you been lying to me, your beloved child!?”; “Wait! You only KISS under the Mistletoe!”

And then there’s the Big Family Christmas Get-Together! “Turkey and some pumpkin pie”! Opening presents! Ecstatic Kids! Pissed off kids! All the Relatives! Friends! Christmas Punch! Drunk Relatives! Drunk Friends! Ho-Ho-Ho…

Where’s Norman Rockwell when you need him!?

Do to my systemic infection, curated affection and lifetime exposure to Sarcasm, Cynicism and Irony, I’ve always believed Tom Lehrer composed the best, most accurate Christmas song ever! Learn the lyrics! Then sing and entertain everyone! Even the WOKE, PC, Snowflakes and Karen’s will love it!

Of course, there is the serious and spiritual side to Christmas. Hopefully, you’ll remember the less fortunate in the ‘endless war zones’, the unnecessarily less fortunate, e.g. W. North Carolina, my ex-wives and all my alienated children.

But I digress! This is prime time to be Jolly! Happy! Gay! Right?! OK – maybe Gay is optional. Whatever!

As with all things, Christmas is a choice. Celebrate or not. Believe or not. Pump up the Good Stuff; tamp down the downers. All should be Merry and Bright!

And if you’ve been pondering what you might gift your humble, writer’s cramp hobbled BWW Scribbler, here are some cool suggestions!

As all adored Readers know, BWW started and remains a free “Reader Supported” publication. Now, 2 years, over 346 posts and 68 podcasts later, I must diplomatically mention the “supported” part of the regularly appearing “reader supported” button above remains woefully under utilized.

That’s a purely an objective observation; the “Free” commitment remains intact. OTOH, “offered Free” should not be construed as a prohibition of tangible appreciation for Value Received - assuming said Value has indeed been provided, via Information, Education, and/or Entertainment.

Fellow Substackers have various ways readers can support their time and effort: paid subscriptions, donations, Founders, and Patrons. Little used are less subtle manipulations such as larceny, robbery and promises of lascivious “favors”. Personally, I’m overly sensitive to impose any of those options; I never expected Reader Support to fund my new bass boat; Free is Free and I’m sticking to it.

However – (there’s always one of those) – should you feel seasonally motivated, here are several Support Options from which you’re very welcome to select. Consider them ‘Christmas Presents’ if you wish!

Win-Win option #1: Order a copy or 12 of my Best Seller “50 Stories – 50 Years in Radio”. Not only has it been dubbed “a GREAT read!”, it makes a great stocking stuffer for the literary family members and friends who like a good laugh, along with their reading material. There are Feats of Derring-Do, lots of Name Droppings and Brushes with Greatness, a few tugged heartstrings, pictures in Living Black and White and, as a bonus, my Culinary Institute of America award winning chili recipe! You get a one-of-a-kind gift and I receive a modicum of $upport! Win-Win!

Win-Win Option #2: A copy (or 12) of “Watercolor Memories – The Story of Lauren”. Highly recommended reading for the terminally Romantic on your list, this short (107 pgs) bittersweet novella has all the teen-age angst, excitement and pathos of high school adolescence in the’60’s; that it is also a true story is a no-cost, extra-added attraction. An extra-extra added bonus, readers may order the free, never-before-published Surprise Epilogue! Once again, you get a one-of-a-kind gift and I receive a modicum of $upport! Win-Win!

If books aren’t your thing, Substack provides Paid Subscription, Patron and Founder options via the Subscribe button like the one above.

Finally, something new and easy: “Buy Me Coffee!” Click the button and you can “buy” me 1,5, 10, 1000 “cops o’ coffee” and just put it on your tab. The BMC button will be a permanent feature you can access any time, not just when the spirits move you, (Apologies to Charles Dickens)

Thanks for reading this far!

Coming Attractions (Watch This Space)

Our annual visit with World Famous California Winemaker and Sonoma’s Favorite Grape Stomper, Richard Arrowood. We’ll talk wines (what else?), what to pair with Holiday feasts and friends, and good wines for under $3,000. Richard is also one of the dominant players on the National Sporting Clays scene so we just might segue into some of that, too

Firearm, hunting, 2nd Amendment authority and author, Tom Gresham, host of the syndicated nationally syndicated Gun Talk radio talk show and Gun Talk TV. Tom and I have known each other since the launch of Gun Talk 29 years ago. There is no greater authority on guns and ammo and their legal use than Tom!

BW