Rankin Christmas

Dear Whoever You Might Be,


      Twas the night before Christmas. That's right folks -today is Christmas Eve and tomorrow is that magical day of peace, joy, Jesus, presents, cookies, and for some... fruitcake. I bet ya'll cannot wait! I know I can't.
      This year, the Christmas Season has been a bit of a whirlwind. Up until about a week ago, it did not even feel like Christmas time. The weather is always warm and sunny in Los Angeles, making it hard to get into the snuggly snow spirit. Finals took up 110% of my life, so there was no time to do serious Christmas shopping, or bake cookies, or look at lights on houses. I'm sure I'm not the only one who struggled to get in the Christmas frame of mind this year.
      But despite the difficulties, I (and I am sure most people) still have the yearly traditions that coincide with Christmas. For me, one of the biggest traditions is watching each and every Christmas movie that I love. Everyone has their favorites -for many it is the classic "A Christmas Story" which plays on repeat on TBS Christmas day. For others, "National Lampoons Christmas Vacation" or "It's a Wonderful Life." I know in my household, "Elf" and "Fred Clause" are among the top picks for favorites. But for me, it will always be the classic Rankin/Bass stop-motion animations. I am sure you have *at least* heard of them:

•  Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
• A Year Without a Santa Claus
• Santa Claus is Comin' to Town
• Frosty the Snowman
• The Little Drummer Boy
• Jack Frost
• Rudolph's Shiny New Year
• Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey...

...and many other seasonal and holiday favorites. Some of those, like "Nestor," are often forgotten. But I will not forget. I could never. Those movies are a part of me, ingrained in my notion of Christmas. First comes the birth of Jesus, then comes these movies.
      It should come as no surprise that we own most of these on DVD, but every year it gets a little harder to watch them. Time, disinterest, growing up...they all make sitting down and watching these 30-60 min programs more and more difficult each year. It used to be easy -back in the day, TV channels like ABC, ABC Family, etc. used to play them frequently for our viewing pleasure. But now with Hallmark Christmas movies and updated animation technology, these movies have gotten tossed adrift to the Island of Misfit Movies. If it were up to me, the Rankin/Bass Christmas movies should RANK at the foremost of *Everyone's* movie To-Do list. But my soul is an old one, and kids these days don't really "get it."
      Though these movies rank high on my Christmas priority list, I guess the important thing is what they really mean to me. I don't watch them every year out of duty. I watch them because of the joyful memories and sentiments they bring me. I can easily recall laughter and family sing-alongs as soon as my eyes spot the opening scenes from these movies. So many family anecdotes stem from the quotes and lyrics from these movies. So many ornaments on the Christmas tree are replicas of our favorite characters. I don't think I can remember a time without these movies in my life. That is why they are important. And I guessssss as long as everyone experiences something similar when they watch their favorite Christmas movies, then however these animations rank on your list is A-OK with me....
     
      So a Merry Christmas to all. And to all, a Good Night.
                      
                                                                  Sincerely,
                                                                            Me
     

Pane

Dear Whoever You Might Be,

      Let me tell you a little something about my bedroom window.
      Compared to the grandiose windows I had at both college and home, my City of Angeles bedroom window pales in comparison. It doesn't quite measure up, if you catch my drift. And outside this window is a view unlike any other. Apparently it is a big deal around here, but having looked out of this window for a week and a half now, I have come up with a few opinions of my own.
      My bedroom window looks over a golf course. Now, I will not tell you which course (in case any of you fine readers just so happen to double as creepy stalkers), but know that it is a fully-functional, all day/every day course. Every morning, I wake up earlier than I would like since I have yet to invest in curtains, and I take a look outside of my window. And every single day, no matter what time of day, I see the exact same thing. Golfers.
      There is a hole closest to my view of the course, and without fail, I see men in a myriad of polo shirts and crew cut socks making their way to this hole, standing around the hole, and moving past it towards the next. It matters not whether the time be seven in the morning or seven in the evening--- the golfers never fail to show up. It is a wonder to me, really, that there are always players out there. Weekday? Yes. Weekend? Obviously. Who knew so many golf enthusiasts lived around this area?
      Do not judge me, I beg of you. I have absolutely nothing against golf/golfers/golf courses. Hell Heck, I cheered on Bubba Watson during his acceptances of the Master's green jacket. I choked up in sentimentality as he shed tears in gratitude and awe. I have even become a recent fan of Rory McIlroy (although who wouldn't think the Irish athlete isn't a dream?). But in my years of watching Dad watch golf, I have learned a few things. First, don't watch if you are tired. The soothing claps and monotonous headlining is sure to put even the most enthused fan to snores. Second, the bad players get no air time. No explanation needed.
      So you are probably wondering how I dare to criticize my golf course view in Los Angeles. Well, it is simple. There is no change in the view. And there probably will not be for most of the year. Every time I look out the window it is the same scene. There are always golfers. Always clubs and carts. And since I highly doubt that they will be closing eventually for a deep winter chill, I have a feeling that I will be seeing the same merry-go-round movie for quite some time. I know I have no room to complain, but sometimes it just feels so monotonous. And I know that the palm trees won't change color come fall, and the three-year drought will have no dire effect on the greenness of the grass. But I wonder, will the golfers keep coming? Or will there come a day when everyone has gorged themselves enough on the sport and retire their clubs for a time?
      I guess I will just have to keep looking out my windowpane every day to get my answer.

                                                                             Sincerely,
                                                                                        Me

New Life

Dear Whoever You Might Be,


      I have lived in Los Angeles, California for six days now. SIX. I basically have my room all set up and cozy; although, it is a bit erratic. Lot's of color. Lot's of pictures. Lot's of shoes/clothes. Basically, lot's of me.
      Today marks one week until classes start, and one week until my new life as a graduate student begins. It is remarkable to me how I can go from being a student to a student, and yet it feels so different this time around. Sure, the terms "undergraduate" and "graduate" make a big difference, but there is something about the general vibe this time that feels different. There is a shift in responsibility, independence, work load, and dedication. I am making a most intentional choice to pursue my love of English Literature. It's more that choosing a major--- it's choosing a life for myself.
      And it is more than just school. Now, being in California, I am forced to start fresh. New city, new people, new routine. Remember in THIS POST when I quoted The Grapes of Wrath at the end? Well, here is a little secret---- I hadn't actually read The Grapes of Wrath when I used the quote. Shameful, really, but I promise that since then I have read, finished, and thoroughly enjoyed reading that book. But let me clarify a few things...

1.)  The entire story is about the great migration of mid-west families and individuals to the "promised land" of California. I myself just made the great migration to California via car. I packed little blue all the way to the brim (and then some) and drove across the county in the ultimate road trip.
2.) The featured family, the Joads, believed that California would provide them with a chance to start over. A chance to finally have a nice house, a steady job. They dreamed and discussed the multifaceted possibilities which California would bring them. I dreamed a dream of the Californian possibilities myself.
3.) California proved a disappointment. I won't say much more on their end, for I hate to ruin an ending, but just know...I desperately wish that my similarity to the Joad family does meet the same end as theirs.
                 ***  I DID love this book though. I encourage everyone to read it. Granted, my love for it might not have been as exuberant if I had read it at any point in my life other than right before moving to California, but nonetheless, I think Steinbeck's writing is beautiful and the imagery is unsurpassable ***

     This blog post probably seems a bit all over the place, and it probably is. But I guess it is a good reflection of how life is now for me. A little all over the place. I am finally getting settled, and soon enough I will be even closer to being a Master of English. How snobby does that sound? But in all seriousness, I hope more than anything that this new life does not create a new me. I am rather fond of me, and wouldn't want to lose myself in the Hollywood Hills.

                                                                  Sincerely,
                                                                            Me

Ye Olden Days

Dear Whoever You Might Be,

      It is already the end of June. On Sunday (the 29th), I will turn *twenty-two* years old. In two months from today, I will start my career as a graduate student in Los Angeles. Where has the time gone?

      As I prepare for all of these changes, I've had to start going through all the crap stuff in my bedroom. I mean, let's be real...I wish I could take every single thing that I own to California...but I cannot. So here's where my point is --- I came across my high school yearbooks and I wondered, keep or toss? I feel like high school yearbooks are one of those cliché adult items to wistfully flip through with your kids and wistfully reminisce on the good ole days while your kids make fun of your bad hair, bad braces, and overall bad style. But when I think of those kind of moments, I always picture yearbooks from the 70s, 80s, and even 90s. I picture the big hair, the big glasses, and all of the ridiculous love notes written between the pages from the end of the year romances and BFF "have a good summer, xoxo" signatures. But I don't have one of those yearbooks.

      I went to a Catholic, all-girls high school. And I graduated in 2010. Our children may laugh at our hairstyles, but personally, I don't think there is anything unusual about them. We all look extraordinarily normal. And we are in uniforms so there is no mocking our generational fashion choices. I didn't even have braces to fondly cringe at. I have no "Omg Have a good summer" or "Bobby loves Suzy" handwritten notes in the front and back because, well, we just didn't do that. In fact, we didn't get our yearbooks until the FALL of the following year.

      Sooo....what is so sentimental about these books down memory lane? These *iconic columns* of our past? When I have kids, am I really going to whip out these old things and share with my kids the black and white photos of private-school days past? I don't think so. But, at the same time, what if that day DOES come and I have nothing to share because I threw them away? What if I run into that woman in the grocery store who's name I cannot remember and I don't have my yearbooks to go back to and figure it out? But what if I ship an extra 5 pounds (these books are heavy!!) to California for absolutely nothing.

      As you all could probably tell, I am a HUGE advocate for paper books. There is something to wonderful about holding a book and flipping through the pages rather than swiping your finger on a tablet. I'm not sure I feel the same about these particular books. I mean, if I want to remember  what people looked like in high school, I could just go on Facebook. If I want to remember what I looked like in high school, I need to just close my eyes and picture it. I mean, I looked at myself everyday in the mirror during those years. I don't think I need to go back and keep looking.

      So what do you all think I should do? Are these captured moments of the past worth my time?

                                                                            Sincerely,

                                                                                    Me
P.S.....Yes, I did arrange and have a photo shoot on my floor with my yearbooks...and yes, I used a filter.

California Girls

Dear Whoever You Might Be,


      Remember when I promised that you would be the last to know my future plans? Well, I am upholding that promise and I am here to tell you my plans. I've already told my friends and family and Facebook....and since you probably fall under one of those categories, I apologize for the redundancy. But here it is:
      I have been accepted into the M.A. English Graduate Program at Loyola Marymount University for the Fall 2014. This school is in Los Angeles. I was also interviewed for and awarded a prestigious fellowship. I have accepted my acceptance and, at the end of summer, I will be headed West.
      I do not think that I have quite wrapped my brain around the reality of my future yet. For the past few months, "California" has been a dream, an idea, an intangible concept floating around with all the other things I was applying to. I have lived on the East Coast my entire life. Though, I have been to California before, I was nine years old and don't remember too much of it. Now, I am planning on spending at least the next to years of my life there. It's kinda terrifying and exhilarating.
      I cannot help but ask myself the most important questions involved in moving to California.... Will I be the palest person in the whole state? Is my fashion sense too "city" and not enough "beachy"? Do I need to watch reruns  of The Hills so I can become BFF's with Lauren Conrad when I get there? I should be worrying about things such as cost of living, classes, roommates, U-Haul's, etc. But like I said, the reality part has not yet kicked in. It is a dream come true to be accepted to this school and to be moving to California and I couldn't be more thrilled. Somehow, I need to realize that this is no longer a dream come true, but a plan that I need to start preparing for. **Insert stomach butterflies here**
      In The Grapes of Wrath, my dear friend John Steinbeck wrote, "Why don't you go on west to California? There's work there, and it never gets cold. Why, you can reach out anywhere and pick an orange. Why, there's always some kind of crop to work in. Why don't you go there?”   Though I won't be working in crops, I look forward to the work, the oranges, and (Most Importantly) the never getting cold part. I think the best way to prep for California is to read more Steinbeck and listen all the millions of songs about California on repeat.
      California....Here I come!


                                                                    Sincerely,
                                                                             Me