Christmas Preparations

There’s still lots to write and talk about. I have two final pieces for the Gary Webb Series. Likely the final one will comprise this year’s Christmas epiphany. I’ll save my discussion about Redemption and leaving the game in my New Years message. I still have to mention John Bryce’s new music video that makes Weird Hals’ I’m on a boat video look even more ridiculous.

And of course tomorrow is the big day! The planetary alignment. Unfortunately it looks like yet another day of rain so it doesn’t look like we’re going to be able to see it. I’m sure we’ll be able to see some kind of morning alignment around Venus for a few days after the fact in case we get a break in the clouds at sunrise.

Yet I really need to get ready for Christmas. All this work work work is good for paying the bills but it’s easy to miss the spirit of the season. We went on the Stanley Park train yesterday to see the Christmas lights. I haven’t done that for years. The fire department has some lights set up just outside. We’ll have to check out the Bear Creek park train too. They do the same thing.

There’s lots of free places to see Christmas lights. I remember one house in Surrey that would do their lights up every year and had a large train set in their back yard. Usually the paper lists addresses of houses that do their lights up over Christmas. I hear Capalino suspension bridge has lights. If you live local buying a year pass is worth it. That tree top adventure is nice in the summer. Just like the Aquarium or the Planetarium. Buying a year membership makes it worth while.

The same with the gondola on Grouse Mountain. A year pass is worth it. Now that’s festive. A sleigh ride on the mountain, a small ice rink and even live reindeer. It’s worth bringing the kids. Although I don’t think they have horses pulling the sleigh any more. They do on Silverstar. Lots of nice things to see and do on Silverstar and Big White.

So here it is, Get festive. Enjoy the season. Take time out from the road rage and the mall rage to look at the lights and enjoy your freedom. Yeah I had to go and use the F word again. One blog reader was asking my opinion about Giles spending Christmas in prison this year. I have to admit it’s a little comforting knowing that justice has finally arrived with that guy. Dale Sweeney was trying to get parole for Christmas in the wake of his cocaine trafficking trial. The big house crew isn’t very bright. Spending Christmas in prison isn’t very fun.

Nevertheless, don’t forget that part of being a good Christian is to visit the sick and those in prison. Strange as it may sound. Anyone can change but the key word there is change. You can’t change unless you admit you’ve done something wrong. Crack and crystal meth are horrible drugs. Profiting from that is wrong. Torturing addicts for drug debts is deranged. Lies and denial won’t change that. Be a man. Face the facts and come clean. You’ll feel a lot better about yourself.

So here’s a little tribute to Davie Giles and all the boys in the dumb house crew spending this Christmas in prison. Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson singing Folsom Prison Blues. And to the rest of you out there who think you can live a lie while you torture addicts and live off the avails, don’t kid yourself. Buyer Beware. God’s gonna cut you down. Word.