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It's been
another good year in Denver, but since we live in Indianapolis, that
doesn't really affect us. Perhaps if we lived in Denver, our year
might have been more noteworthy. In fact, had we moved to Denver
this year, we might have something exciting to share with you, like
the great new friends we've met, the fantastic restaurants there,
the great weekends skiing in the Rockies and bumping into the rich
and famous at Vale. But this is Indianapolis. The rich and famous
don't come to Indy. The only things that come to Indianapolis are
tornadoes and people named Andretti, or Gordon, or Unser. (Mom:
those are racecar drivers). We were able to duck the tornadoes this
year, but we did get a hailstorm, which netted us a new rook and
siding...take that Denver! Life is constantly evolving, changing. The same is true of me. I no longer view the family Christmas letter as an effective means of informing many with the least effort, but more as a forum of bragging. I don't think most people write them with that intent, but as a student of the bulk mail mass mailing approach, us authors have to be honest with ourselves and our people. If we were truly exchanging updates about ourlives and those in them, we might have thought more of the reader, and even of the person/place/animal/deity being read about, and instead shared achievements or milestones in something closee to reale time. Like a good Christian, I'm here to cast the first stone. The temptation is there. During the planning meetings with Team Alles in preperation of this letter, many proposals were reviewed that focused squarely on the artistic and academic achievements of my lovely bride-turned-accountant-turned-art-student. In final edit, the only self-congratulatory feature to emerge in this edition is the cover photo of "Thanksgiving", a 28" x 40" oil on canvas narrative (Mom: I'll explain that term when we visit). It is safe to say that if you receive this letter, it is because we think about you. Running through the list of recipients in my head, I can say we think highly of you (sidebar: each year after writing this letter, we look at our mailing list and invariably a cold reality hits that I've just written a letter that is about to be sent to someone that would make for an awkward situation - our list gets shorter each year because of this). The point is YOU mean something to us, and we don't feel it necessary to go on about all that we did (or didn't, or couldn't, or wanted to lie about doing) during the year. Actually, I should be apologizing for not writing more during the year, despite swearing each year that very goal as a New Year's resolution, only to realize in March that such thinking was flawed unrealistic. Similarly, it would be great to receive notes, letters, emails from each of you more often throughout the year or even just your crack at a Christmas letter - it's about the exchange, not the bragging - a small step for man, a giat leap for improved communication at the human level. Long time reaters, something or you my therapy in beginning to pay off. I no longer look to the family Christmas letter as a venue to "go off" on all things Christmas (though I get an itchy trigger finger when I hear Perry Como singing "Home for the Holidays"). Nevertheless, I've shown real growth by leading the charge to install seasonal holiday music on our company on-hold system (call me at 555-1234 and I'll gladly put you on hold to prove it). I find "Harry for the Holidays" useful (as in Harry Connick Jr., mom). I still have the annual breakdown...crying helps, but I've chosen to spare you from the negative. From no on I'm testing Christmas to be positive. This year, Danette and I are celebrating (or observing or administering or recognizing) Christmas home alone. Years past has usually had us traipsing here and there, celebrating Christmas with important friends and family, but always feeling some guilt that we didn't traipse somehwere else, with equally important friends and family. As I look to the list of recipients, I can't help but think of how spread out family has become, and how impossible it is to get a majority in one area (and in virtually all branches of the family, that is a good thing). So, until we find a comune somewhere outside Indiana that we all move to and co-exist in peace and unity, you can count on another letter like this next year. The date will be changed to protect the innocent. |