One week to go till Christmas.
I've never been a big fan of the Chrstmas celebration period. As a kid, we grew up poor and usually got one or two gifts. Often times it was stuff like socks and underwear. Some of my more well to do friends got the latest in gadgetry and the finest of toys. Many years, many Christmasses went by and we hardly got anything. Nothing really worth telling our friends about. I came to loathe the holiday season. And it's not one of those holidays that last a day. It starts weeks, sometimes months before and ends about 2 weeks after. For three decades of my life I pretty much stayed buzzed for two straight months. I'm one of the people who find this time of year depressing. I reflect on all the things I don't have. In many ways I'm still the poor kid on the block. My life has been a struggle overcoming an inordininate number of financial set backs. Sure, I've bullshitted myself into believing how lucky I am. Luck comes from lots of hard work. I'm not dwelling on it much this year. I'm trying not to be my own victim of self pity. The season means many things to many people. For me, I'll be glad to look up and see it's mid January.

Good Morning CGs!

Nothing like a post from Tommy to put you in the holiday spirit!

I've been sitting here for the last few minutes looking at tvs online. Samsclub.com has some really good prices on the smaller tvs I'm looking for. The one in our bedroom crapped out a few months ago and I want to replace it with a 19-22" flat panel, but we've held off since the wife wasn't working. Now that she's back to work we can have a treat. I'm surprised how cheap they are - under $200 for a nice tv. I'm trying to narrow down the selection.

Need to get in a good workout and clean the house today. Then the little projects, too, but those can wait

Hope everyone has a great day!

Matthew

Good Mornin' Gurus. Sorry for the long post.
It's still cold here! How about you?

Last night a handful of us Corvette Club guys got together at Sport Chevrolet to assemble bikes for the kids which will be given away by Santa on Tuesday night. 150 deserving kids from the area will get a shiny new bike from a real Santa this year on Tuesday night at the Chevy dealership!! Sport bought the bikes, CCA bought the helmets.

Also - I got to play with the first Chevy Volt last night. I'm very impressed with the car from top to bottom. All except the $41,000 price. However there is a $7,500 tax credit available and apparently some states offer a $2000 sales tax credit as well. They are really cool.

Tommy, if its any consolation, I have often felt the same way. The past several years have been tough for us as well, but I keep thinking that things will get better. I made a choice three years ago to buy the home I'm in because my wife wanted a "grown-up house" I guess that means one that we could grow into and keep for long while and didn't remind her of the cracker boxes she grew up in. Well I really had to stretch myself to do that and it has really put the brakes on a lot of stuff for us. On the other hand, as a kid my dad made a good wage and my parents always went overboard with gifts and such. My mom still has that mindset today with the grandchildren and even with my sister and I to some extent. I get really mad now when she buys tons of stuff for us, as we really can't reciprocate and plus as they (mom & dad) get older they need to hold on to that cash for later in the year. Therefore, sometimes I really feel uncomfortable because I always feel like I should have more for them than I do.

I would really like to spend just one Christmas, just reflecting on what the Christmas celebration is really all about and not do all the partying and gift giving and arguing over who's house we will spend Christmas Day etc etc. It just gets more and more secular each year and its very tough not to get caught up in all of that.

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I was in a large store on Friday looking at kitchen appliance packages - Ugh! I strolled thru the TVs on the way out, geezes, 42" plasma's for $475?

Vizio's LEDs with 3D and built in internet? Damn. I guess it will be 2 years until they drop to $500, then I'll get one.

That's a nice thing you guys did for the kids, Don.

Matthew

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Yea, Don.
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But we'd really would have liked a pic of you ridin' one.

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That's the key to the whole thing. It shouldn't be about stuff or how much or who got more. That has been happily brought to you by Madison Avenue. Don't you dare get caught not giving more then you can afford. Some folks spend so much at Christmas that it takes all year to pay down their credit cards.

It's eaisier when the kids are little like Matt's. A new bike and new doll, fun stuff that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. When your kids get to be older (like mine) the stuff they want costs a lot more.

I got to the point that I just give them some cash and a few stocking stuffers and let it go at that. We have a family day with fun, food and games and that along with a nice Christmas eve church service is what it means to us.

Don, good job on what your club is doing, everyone of us is blessed to have what we have and to live in this great country. You want to feel good at Christmas give some help to someone who doesn't have it so good. It doesn't have to be money but someone could use a visit or a kindness of some kind. That's a big part of what the first Christmas was all about, a gift to all of us who didn't have it so good. Have a good weekend Guru's!

Good morning gurus.......We grew up pretty poor too. I got my share of socks and underwear, and I felt, as a kid, somewhat left out compared to my friends. Christmas used to depress me, thinking that I was left out, not getting what my other friends got. But today, Christmas is way more than receiving presents. I love to give. I feel, that I too, have worked my way to being 'lucky'. I love to offer what I can to others, I wish we had a group around here that would allow to do, what Don's group did....that is so cool. I tend to, maybe, overdo for my grandkids....but not to the extent that I'm in debt paying it off until it starts next year (like many people do). I am fortunate that I am able to do this and that's what Christmas is to me. God gave us is son; what greater gift, who taught us to give. If people would learn this lesson, they'd learn what Christmas is really about....Don, I'm sure that you can understand what I'm saying.

We had years where I made "things", things out of scrap wood to give to my kids, because the wife and I couldn't afford to buy much. Those things mean more to the girls today than anything we ever bought.

I totally agree with Ultraman...Loved the video Tommy, thanks, and have a great Christmas.

Everyone here.....I wish you all the most joyous season, Merry Christmas and Happy New year.

Last night at 10 p.m., I had 2 feet of snow on the deck.

Now there's 3 inches (raining).

I was just watching the weather channel, they said this storm could bring 15 feet of snow to parts of the Sierra Nevadas.

Last night at 10 p.m., I had 2 feet of snow on the deck.

Now there's 3 inches (raining).

I was just watching the weather channel, they said this storm could bring 15 feet of snow to parts of the Sierra Nevadas.

Great Job Don! We have a lot of students at school that you can't help but think about at Christmas. Proverty runs deep along with abuse and despair. Our faculty teams up with a local dry cleaner that cleans and reconditions gently used winter coats,hats and gloves for our kids. Food is handled by a combined effort of many agencies. USMC toys for tots takes care of toys.
I grew up in a disfunctional poor family, combined with my sister being killed the day before Christmas Eve Day by a very intoxicated father behind the wheel adds to the desensitized view of the holiday. "Ill be home for Christmas Song reminds me of Christmas Eve spent in the fricking jungles of Vietnam, on a brighther note we did some of our best work during the holidays. Claymores on the Ho Chi Min trail in Cambodia. You could hear them in the distance on Christmas Eve cooking off. Hah.Let there be Peace on Earth" yah not tonight baby cakes.
No matter how hard we try to forget these early days thats what forged our values and work ethic. Wow..shut up Ron your getting nuts.
Matt Sams Club has great prices on Visio LCD Tvs. Picked up a 19" for the kitchen for less than 200.
Have agreat day gurus.

I just got home from a Corvette Mod Day. One of the jobs was to replace the torque tube bushings in a C5. Anyone that thinks they are easy to work on is just plain nuts!

Yup you guys are right and I agree. Don't focus on your stuff. Give freely to others. Get out of yourself.