I work at a school. We have our last day before Christmas Break on Friday…note that I said CHRISTMAS BREAK…I did not say “winter break”. Newsflash…if Jesus isn’t born, kids would never know of Christmas Break. So…all you “winter breakers” get over it or keep studying over your God-given break!
As I said, I work at a school. I am fortunate to do so. The young people I am surrounded by are a joy. I laughed heartily with some of them today, as I was helping them through a dilemma or two that came between them and the day. I like to listen to kids laugh. I enjoy seeing them smile. There is so so much that kids are up against these days that folks my age never had to deal with. I know that is a historically recurring theme. But…I think things have changed more swiftly from my generation to this one than the generation I dealt with when I was a student in high school. Perhaps I am wrong. I have been wrong many times before…but it sure doesn’t feel that way right now.
I went back and forth today with a friend of mine that works in the school I was employed by before I attained my current situation (as Scrooge would say). Anyway, it is always a delight to hear from my 4th grade teaching friend. He is a wonderful guy. He has a great wife and two boys he knows how to appreciate. That doesn’t always happen. When it does, you know you have something. I think my friend knows he has something. He is smart.
I told him I miss the little ones during Christmas. I really do. I now work in a building with students in grades 9 through 12. At my old school, I worked with students in grades k-12. We are talking ages 5 to 18. Needless to say, it was great fun watching and listening to young kids look forward to Christmas. In fact, as I type these very words, the kids at my former school are having their “Christmas Program” and I wish I was among the parents and community members in that gymnasium tonight. I feel like I am missing something very important and I am never going to get it back. That is just the way it goes.
I will give my current school and the festivities of the week all the credit in the world.
One teacher had the wherewithal and gumption to put together a Christmas “playlist”. She asked the teachers what their favorite Christmas songs were and she put a play list together and these songs are playing during the passing periods in the hallways and class rooms of our school. It is awesome. Yesterday I heard my choice. Imagine how delighted I was to hear The Moody Blues sing “What Child is This?” on the school intercom system. It was awesome.
Right now I am listening to a Joe Walsh CD. ‘The Definitive Collection/Joe Walsh” is the proper title of the CD. What a load of crap. This is what we used to call “Greatest Hits”. That is how compilation albums were first put together. The creativity of the “Greatest Hits” packaging continues.
Now…I must say that this is as good as it gets if you are looking for a Joe Walsh compilation. All of his hits leading up to his awesome recent release “Analog Man” are here.
Back to the duping of the customer by the “Greatest Hits” packaging.
As much as I love The Moody Blues…and y’all know I do. I will say they are king “cow-milkers” when it comes to Greatest Hits collections. What am I talking about?
1974 Compilation CD This is The Moody Blues 2cds
1984 Compilation CD Voices in the Sky…The Best of The Moody Blues
1989 Compilation CD The Moody Blues Greatest Hits
1994 Box Set Time Traveller 4/5 cds
1996 Compilation CD The Best of The Moody Blues
1998 Compilation CD The Moody Blues Anthology
2000 Compilation CD The Moody Blues The Millennium Collection
2001 Compilation CD The Moody Blues Collection 2 cds
2005 Compilation CD The Moody Blues Gold 2 cds
2007 Compilation CD The Moody Blues Collected 3 cds
2011 Compilation CD The Moody Blues Icon Series 2 cds
2014 Compilation CD/DVD The Moody Blues Polydor Years 1986-1992 8 discs
Never mind all the concert videos.
Yes, The Moody Blues have perfected the art of “milking the cow” and I AM GLAD THEY HAVE. If that is what it has taken for me to keep watching these guys sing in person, I am all for it.
And I am all for Joe Walsh. When he is not doing solo work he plays in a band called The Eagles. Yes, those Eagles. You have heard of them and you have heard Joe. I was fortunate enough to hear Joe sing live a couple years ago. My dear wife, Carrie, and I were in the house as Joe Walsh “opened”, if you can imaging that, for Bob Seger at The Palace in Auburn Hills outside Detroit. It might have been the greatest concert we have ever seen. I know it was Top 5.
Speak the Rights.
Danny Johnson