Gareth – Page 134 – The Designer Monologues

December 26, 2010

Boxing Day Has Nothing To Do With Pugilism

It’s Boxing Day, which in the Skarka household means that we are up early to enjoy a Feast of Football (of the English Premier League variety). Currently sitting, scruffy and unshaven, watching the match between Manchester United and Sunderland, drinking an inordinately large thermal mug of tea (PG Tips, my preferred brand, acquired via an import shop here in town in ALARMING quantities by our family).

But rather than regale you with my Anglophilia and love of the Beautiful Game, I figured that I’d engage in the American Geek tradition of the Post-Christmas Loot Summary.

It was (as it is every year) a very bookish Christmas for your humble narrator. The haul included:

Gods and Myths of Northern Europe by H.R. Ellis Davidson, a good reference on the subject that I’ve been wanting for a while.
Firefly: Still Flying: A Celebration of Joss Whedon’s Acclaimed TV Series — the one book on the show that I didn’t already own.
Bryan Hitch’s Ultimate Comics Studio — a master-class from the ULTIMATES artist. Part of my preparations for Adamant’s digital comics line in 2011.
The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back — the new anniversary release, companion to the wonderful “Making of Star Wars” book that I already have.
For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond — a combination lit-crit and biography, exploring the connections between the author and his creation. Readers of my Tour de Bond series will find this gift entirely expected.
Star Trek: The Original Series 365 — a brick-like hardcover collecting behind-the-scenes info and photographs (including some rare ones) from the 60s classic.
Gamma World — now I can crack open the boxed set and see what the raving in the gamer community is all about.
An awesome book from the in-laws: The Art of Hammer: The Official Poster Collection From the Archive of Hammer Films — big, gorgeous hardcover reproducing the UK, US and international poster art of the Hammer films.
In the same vein (ouch. sorry.), Tomb of Dracula Omnibus, Vol. 2, the second collection of Marvel’s brilliant horror title from the 70s.
…and the big surprise gift from the wife, which those of you on twitter may have already seen:

Oh, hell yeah. After 33 years, I’ve finally got one. It’s my own personal version of a Red Ryder Carbine-Action Range-Model Air Rifle with a Compass in the Stock and this Thing that Tells Time.

So what about you folks? What sorta loot did you score? What was the absolute bestest ever?

December 24, 2010

The Traditional Christmas Post

We all have our traditions — this has been one of mine since I started blogging, eight years ago.

A quote from Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, which sums up my feelings regarding the holiday:

“There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, I dare say,” returned the nephew. “Christmas among the rest. But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round — apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and origin, if anything belonging to it can be apart from that — as a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore, uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!”

One of the greatest achievements of Dickens’ classic is the nearly single-handed creation of a sense of reverence in the secular aspects of the holiday season — a celebration of love, family, fellowship and charity, appealing to everyone regardless of their faith. A call to treat each other better, and to value the relationships that connect us to one another. That’s powerful magic.

Merry Christmas, all.

December 24, 2010

Friday Music — Special Holiday Edition

Here you go, kids — the holiday edition of Friday Music, just in time!

For those who haven’t partaken before, the format of the holiday special is a bit different from the usual Friday Music entry. Instead of individual links to cool shit I found online, the album is downloadable as a single zip file, with album artwork.

Click on the album cover to download the zip file from Rapidshare!

The Tracklist:

1. Kay Star – “[Everybody’s Waiting For]The Man With The Bag.” — Ring-a-ding-ding. Swingin’ Yuletide tune from the early 1950s. Dig.
2. The Puppini Sisters – “Last Christmas.” Wham’s cheese-tastic Christmas single, done as a 1940s Andrews Sisters close-harmony.
3. The Blind Boys Of Alabama – “Last Month Of The Year.” The guys who did the best version of “The Wire” theme do a holy-roller Southern Baptist hymn.
4. Jon Anderson – “Three Ships.” The lead singer of Yes, from his mid-80s space-hippy solo album.
5. Aled Jones – “Walking In The Air.” The haunting creepy sound of English Christmas — snow, mystery and the threat of death. (From “The Magic Snowman”)
6. Sting – “Gabriel’s Message.” My favorite version of this carol.
7. Jethro Tull – “Ring Out Solstice Bells.” Equal-opportunity holiday music for the pagans in the house.
8. Dr. John – “Merry Christmas Baby.” Gravel-voiced New Orleans legend does the grind-iest classic.
9. Hurts – “All I Want For Christmas Is New Year’s Day.” The Manchester synth-pop act that I featured last week — this is their shot at this year’s Christmas Number One.
10. Big Daddy Kane, Roxanne Shante, MC Shan – “Cold Chillin’ Christmas.” An amazing slice of late-80s NYC hip-hop, featuring absolute LEGENDS.
11. Jon Anderson – “Holly and the Ivy.” More from Anderson’s spacey solo record — this time, one of my favorite carols.
12. Irma Thomas – “O Holy Night.” Done right, this carol gives me chills. This is done right. Full-on Baptist Choir backing a jazz vocalist.
13. Kate Bush – “December Will Be Magic Again.” I love this far more than it deserves. Kate Bush at her magical, kate-bushiest best.
14. Louis Armstrong – “‘Zat You, Santa Claus.” We close as we came in — swinging and stompin’. Dig.

Thanks for listening, folks. Enjoy.