Yeah, I'm still here, and I'm getting through it.

Not writing much, but I'm here.  It's Christmas time, which I'm not thrilled about because A) I'm not Christian and B) I'm no longer 9 years old.  Other than a replaying of White Christmas on the telly, it's not my time of year, at least not until New Year's Day.  

New Year's is my holiday, going to New Year's Gongyo (morning prayer), going over to Lauren's for her grandfather's open house and making them my Sausage Roll-ups, and then just hanging out and watching endless amounts of football.  Now, THAT'S a holiday for me.

So, if you whine at me because I say Happy Holidays, I'll tell you to take a hike, sister.  The only reason they moved the observation of the birthday of Christ to December 25 was because it was really a pagan celebration of the Winter Solstice, so that predates Jesus.  Him, I like.  His followers? Well, most are nice, but some are a pain in the ass.  

If we had snow on the ground for most of the month, I might feel a little more Christmassy, because that's what I grew up with back on the old sod.  This yo-yo weather stinks, let it get down to 14 degrees and then warm up to 28 and snow like hell, that's what I'd like to see!  Seriously, how can people talk about Christmas without snow?  That's like the Kentucky Derby without mint juleps, Memorial Day without bratwurst and beer, or a COGIC Convention without big hats.  It just isn't right.

So, If I have too much of a BAH HUMBUG attitude for you, just avoid me until after Christmas, it will get better afterwards.  Me and Alaska turn 50 within two days of each other, the NFL playoffs will start, and I'll realize we're only a month away from the greatest gift of all, Spring Training.

In other things that make me feel way too old: one of the greatest of all Memphians left us too soon this morning at the age of 83.  Once upon a time, in a land seemingly far away, there used to be these great things known as "full-service" radio stations, like WDIA used to be in the Goodwill days, and like WGN has always been.  

Before they became Memphis' most well-known exponent of hate-filled garbage radio (and the Tigers, too!), WREC was a shining beacon of service to its community, and Fred Cook was its star.  He and John Powell did ZERO HOUR for many years together, and was the first news anchor at WREC/WREG Channel 3.  His voice was unmistakable whether on TV, Radio, or as the PA announcer at the Coliseum for MSU basketball.  For those of us of a certain age, his is a deep loss, and a sign that radio as we once knew it is gone forever.  To his family, his friends and his co-workers of all those years, we here at the Cracker offer our deepest sympathies.