A couple of nights ago, I started to write a post of some emotional recollections of Christmas’s past. I unconsciously chose to make it hard for myself to not be thinking too unhealthily-much about those people and pets who can only be here in spirit this year:

(God Bless You All Jimmy, Butch, Ernst and Paul, and especially missed in our lives and our Christmas household: our cherished dogs, “Tuckerton Boy” and “Barnegat Girl” —– all six of you left us this year, just weeks apart!)

But then, as I felt the tears coming, I shook myself into some here-and-now reality and got my mind caught into a second-wind rush of business thinking again for the last two nights’ posts. 

Is that kind of like going on a hard-earned vacation and then taking half a week to unwind and realize you’re on vacation? Hmmm. There’s a question that’s certainly no less troubling than the mixed emotions that come for many of us with the holiday-slow-down territory.

Anyway, I hope you will take a look at this and some of the other posts in this column (and of course the word links!) in addition to tomorrow’s special: CHRISTMAS IN IRELAND.  They certainly touch on some of my writing extremes.  You may like all or none, but if you prefer one direction over the other, please call or write me and let me know. 

You who are regular visitors (Thank You!) know that I continue to straddle the line between literary interests and hard-nosed, but light-hearted (if one could possibly have both a hard nose and a light heart?) business teachings. 

Having been a businessperson, business professor, business consultant, and business author makes it hard to get business out of my system, but I love writing fiction too, and often find myself writing blog posts on a coin toss!. 

As for this blog site, I have all kinds of analytical stuff to digest, but it rarely helps me know how to most effectively divide my writing pursuits because YOU –you who actually return here without threat of punishment– are really the only ones who can help me do that. 

So please do pass along your thoughts on what you’re more or less interested in.  You can be sure I will pay close attention to anything you say, and I’ll love you for it!  Seriously, I will greatly value your input. 

I figure if you’ve read all this, and gotten this far, you either relate to something I’ve written, or you wish me off the planet, or you’re stealing my ideas to start up a new government in Bongo-Bongo (I DO get a lot of regular visits from many foreign countries!).

Or . . . perhaps your tv is broken and you’re ready to join Matchmakers, or you’ve got 16 kids with stockings to fill and toys to assemble and you’re doing tasks of avoidance right now by pretending to be engaged in important research as you hover over your screen . . . or maybe you’re just a really sick puppy?! (It’s okay; I love all puppies!)  

SO:  ‘Tis the night before Christmas, and all through your mouse, not a cursor is stirring, not even the souse who lives next door and pounds on your door when you stomp on the floor and call him a louse

. . . whew!  Can you tell I had a glass of Christmas wine? 

Really, all you dear visitors, I wish for each of you the happiest, healthiest, and Merriest Christmas of all time. 

Stay close. 

Stay Safe. 

Stay warm. 

Love Those You’re With and Miss Those You’re Not With. 

Relax. 

Smile. 

Laugh. 

______________

See you sometime tomorrow (with some special nostalgic comments about one very memorable CHRISTMAS IN IRELAND!). In the meantime, have a great sleep (unless you’re in Bongo-Bongo and just woke up!) and have a great day tomorrow!