This round-up of songs is directly inspired by my holiday experiences with my boyfriend's family's celebrations. It was a long day of driving down desolate stretches of dead Indiana landscape; it seemed as if we were driving perpetually into the bright, cold sun. From Muncie to Lapel - from Lapel to Alexandria - then to Anderson, the hub of us all. We ate ham and chili at Jim's brother's house. We stopped in and visited his sulking dad who is going through a divorce and staying at his mother's old house. It seemed extra lonely considering his mother doesn't live there anymore but did leave a subway-sized picture of cherubs above the couch to keep watch. He handed Jim a package of socks but declined coming over to eat with the family.
The holidays seem to exacerbate any turmoil: divorce, death, money problems. The glow of an xmas tree seems sick and foreboding to someone down on their luck.
I look over at Jim sometimes and feel nervously lucky that we love each other so much and that the best thing about the holidays is going home together. I want to hold him and tell him that he'll never have to sit alone on xmas - writing names and putting bows on packages of socks for kids he never sees.
There were highlights, though. Meeting Jim's sister's new boyfriend: a cussin, smokin, ponytail-sportin sonofabitch who relayed a story about a cat that pissed on his firewood. And there was stopping by Jim's Grandma's house across the street from the 4h fairgrounds. The whole house is covered in angels and doilies and was so warm and comfortable that I fell asleep.
And for a little holiday reflection - download this 8 track mix of wintery blended songs for those lonely drives home. Cause your heater doesn't work - but your stereo still does.
Get the mix here, dude.
Track List
1 Cat Power
2 Dyckman and James
3 Magik Markers
4 The Features
5 John Lennon - Mother
6 Modest Mouse
7. R.L. Crutchfield's Dark Day
8 Thurston Moore
