A Sentimental Christmas - Part One

Christmas countdown in Carroll Gardens

I went to the end of brooklyn in greenpoint to get a priceless vhs tape transfered to digital by DiJiFi (they did a great job).  This is called Newtown Creek and its the border of Queens and Brooklyn.  Pretty desolate place so let's get outta here.

Holiday season driving was sweet so we made it home in time to trim the tree and throw tinsel at it.

Improving upon the destruction of Xmas village my parents actually took my thought of exploding it for real, not just setting it on fire.  My dad got a pound of Tannerite and aluminum powder because when you mix it together and hit it with a bullet travelling at 2200 feet per second it explodes

he made 1/2 cup, 3/4 cup, and 1 cup samples to test out before the big day.  There are youtube videos he showed us of guys using 100 pounds of tannerite to blow up an entire barn.  Sure we could buy a lot and make big booooms but we were going for a more artful sized explosion to decimate our gingerbread houses.

it was really cold up there buddy

this was the biggest 1 cup explosion.  With the inclusion of some gasoline in a little bottle we thought we had what we needed.

the parents have some Amish folks fixin' up the barn and roof which made the Xmas gift for Mom even more perfect.

Jen and I's house

bob's humble single occupancy unit.

the parents swedish abode

i put a winter cabbage garden in the back of ours with a snowman scarecrow.

and there you have it, 2016's Xmas village.

Made Coq au vin

and then the parents unwrapped a sentimental gift of a dvd from a converted vhs tape they filmed for my grandma 26 years ago.  She gave it to me last time I was at her house.  In 1990 I was 8 and bob was 6

the door to my room had a sign saying no BJs allowed (Bob Jin Raish = BJ back then).

still can't spell

 I'm sure it was a melting pot of feelings and thoughts and embarrassment and wonder and reminiscing for everyone.  Seeing themselves 26 years earlier, their young hopes and dreams.  Seeing how innocent and undeveloped of a kid you are.  Seeing your vulnerabilities on screen.  Seeing what a happy life it was.  Seeing family members that are no longer here.  Things happen, hormones and age kick in, teenage angst and a lot of things that cloud your memory.  The teen years took it's toll on Bob and I in different ways and I can certainly say for myself that I was an angsty teen with an undeveloped pre frontal cortex that made things hard and probably heartbreaking for my parents, and lonely for Bob.  Now that i've carved out a space for myself in this world its back to the happy times. Sure growing up and learning of the crushing defeats of reality does a lot to squash your childlike energy and innocence but I guess in return you get a more developed brain and the ability to enjoy the aspects of life like watching this video with your fam 26 yrs later and taking a 2 hr journey down memory lane.  Thanks for this tape Grandma!  And to the parents, hopefully seeing this tape will put us back on your goodside a little bit and help you forget what snide, judgemental, idealistic, and snooty little @ssholes your adult kids are like now and remember how cute and polite we used to be.