Joyous Season, Friends Like These and a bit of Humph

To begin, allow me to wish you a Joyous Season.

If, however, you are reading this outside of christmastime, or indeed any joyous season, then please hold that greeting in reserve, and bring it out to mull over and keep you warm on any given joyous season that may occur to you in the future.

I have enjoyed Christmas Day this year, though it wasn't spent in a wholly traditional manner.

Having proceeded with the tried and tested 'Present Opening > Christmas Dinner > Family Time' setup, (it went well, as only christmas day can (or can't)), I proceeded to steamroller my way through Danny Wallace's 'Friends Like These'.

Having finished the book, and having enjoyed it immensely, I am now in direct conflict with my own eyes, which have decided that due to spending hours reading, they are due a bit of rest.  However, it is my belief that they are needed somewhat in order to complete this rather haphazard effort at a blog.

'Friends Like These' is an awesome read; human, endearing and funny, an excting and interesting attempt to stave off perceived the beige, drab normality of adulthood.  At least, that's my reading of it.  I certainly took heart from it's insightful and ultimately upbeat message.  I fully intend on filling my mental engine room with Danny Wallace's literary coal in the near future (though that makes it sound as though I am literally going to set his books on fire and just watch the flames flicker majestically, which isn't what I'm attempting to portray.  No.  I intend to read them).

I also recently came into contact with a televised episode of 'I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue', which I have only sporadically caught during my very few years of listening to radio shows, though each time I did listen to it, it was a delight.  Unsurprisingly then, the BBC 4 recording was no exception, providing a solid half hour of constant chuckling, which was quite painful, since I was striving to remain silent for the sake of the people sleeping in the house (every single person bar me.  And it was their house).  Upon viewing the tribute message at the end of the show, I was distressed to discover that the veteran, powerhouse of a Chairman, Humphrey Lyttelton, had passed away earlier this year (2008).

I was then pleasantly surprised to discover a documentary about the very man playing the same night.  I have no particular like or dislike of documentaries, but I found this one hugely wonderful, and the amount of both respect and love bestowed upon Humphrey Lyttelton by so many individuals, from quite disparate walks of life, was both surprising and incredibly moving.

I was also quite shocked at my own lack of knowledge, inasmuch as I was utterly unaware of the great man's musical background.  Discovering that an individual, who's work I thought I was aware of, is in fact far more famous for something altogether different was both wonderful and at the same time unsettling.

To be completely honest, I am slightly disappointed that I am not able to make an incisive point at the end of this, since I feel that both 'Friends Like These' and the selected life and works of Humphrey Lyttelton, compacted conveniently into an hour's worth of television, should have left me able to explain, or at least convey generally, the sort of feelings that they have evoked in me.

However, I find myself unable to express more than a feeble: 'I want to do good' sentiment.  Which is sort of like me kneeling at the feet of every human being that ever touched another human being positively, with the hollowed out cadaver of a giant kipper on my head, then rubbing the rotting guts of said kipper, which I was storing in my closed fists, into the shins of every single one individual.

In the absence of a meaningful message, I can only offer an intellectual IOU (an Ay-Ay Ow You) and the promise that eventually, if I am able to last half as long on this planet as Humphrey Lyttelton, I will say something, which may, in poor lighting conditions and in the right disguise, be able to pass for a meaningful message.  For now, I can only hope that we all do some good.  After all, it is the season for it.  Not that you should need a reason.  But it is the season for it.  Ho ho ho.