Christmas 2019

Well here it is Christmas again. So for the one or two people out there that actually read this thing, Merry Christmas! 

Jo and I are once again spending Christmas by ourselves. Not that there's anything wrong with that, mind you, but….. 

We both have family still remaining among the living. Presently, her side (all of them) are enjoying a Christmas Holiday in Orlando visiting Disney World. Which is very cool, and I do hope they are having a great family time and making lots of great memories. But after they get back and rest up a bit, we all will still get together for a post-Christmas dinner and gift exchange, which is always a lot of fun.

Then there’s my family – what’s left of it.. By all appearances, they couldn’t give a damn if someone paid them. I’ve not heard a word from any of them in – let’s see…. Dad passed away in April of 2013. At the after-service luncheon, I heard several versions of “You know, we really need to get together more often than at funerals…” Yeah. That happened. Not.

After Dad passed away, I tried really hard to get closer to everyone. I called his sister (my Aunt) several times a week for months, checking on her, asking about my cousins, asking if she needed anything, etc, etc, etc. Through those several months I made an interesting discovery. Apparently, the telephone communication link – be it a cell tower, satellite orbiting the planet, or an old-fashioned copper wire – is only capable of one-way communication from my phone(s) to theirs. Very odd.. It works two-way with friends as far away as Washington or New York. But not with “family” that lives 25 miles away.

Except if they need help with a computer or other bit of technology I might possibly have some experience with. For instance, a cousin (who hadn’t called, emailed, or otherwise contacted me since Dad’s funeral) did manage to circumvent the one-way communications phenomenon ONE time. Was it to say, “Hey, Rod, we’re having a cook-out this evening. Why don’t you and Jo come on out and join us!” or even, “Hey Rod! How’s everything going?”

No.

It was “Hey Rod, I got this drone free from (somebody), but it doesn’t have a battery charger. How can I charge the battery? Can I use my cellphone charger? Do you have a way to charge it?” Maybe I should have let him try to charge a LiPo battery with a cellphone charger… That would have been rather entertaining – but I didn’t want to get blamed for the resulting call to the fire department. Anyway, being the helpful good family guy, I got the brand and model number of the drone and spent a few quality moments with Google.

It took me probably 5 minutes to find a battery charger on line – at the "outrageous sum" of $40.00 (!). I called him with the information… “Oh, I can’t afford forty bucks!!” was his grateful response. Not “Hey, thanks for the info” Just “I can’t afford it!” I guess he was expecting me to buy it for him. I could have done so with no problem, and maybe I should have – I don’t know. But why should I when the only time they remember I’m even on the same planet is when they need something they think I can supply – for free.

The funny thing is… They all fancy themselves as “Christians.” They will gladly and enthusiastically expound on their Christian-ness. And maybe that’s the issue. Not that I’m not a Christian… But probably not as “good” a Christian as they seem to think they are.

I sometimes wonder if it’s because they – in a moment of curiosity – have stopped by my website or Facebook page and seen some of my art or stories – and deemed them the work of a ‘sinner.’ Yes, I do a lot of pin-up style artwork. I have an on-going graphic novel that features a group of sexy girls as secret agents. I do a lot of sci-fi and or fantasy work as well. =======>

So does that make me some kind of demon from hell? Is that why they think I’m to be avoided like the bubonic plague? 

I think it’s very telling that – aside from a few close friends and neighbors in the local area – most of my friends are scattered from coast to coast – and for that matter in various places all over the planet. I have wonderful friends in Washington, New York, Colorado, Florida, Chicago, Arizona, and numerous other places around the country. Not to mention England, New Zealand, Germany, Japan, and many other places around the globe.

But my own family that lives 25 miles from me… Forgetaboutit.

I did call my Aunt some months ago, just as one last try.. During the brief conversation she said “I thought about calling you, but I’m not very good about calling people..” Ya think?? But I’ll be willing to wager she has no problem calling the rest of them.

So be it.

I sometimes wish I could win the Powerball – and not just for the cash reserves it would provide. I’d be really curious to see how many relatives I didn’t know I had would crawl out of the woodwork…

Anyway… This has been a rather lengthy epistle, and probably not the best example of a Christmas message. But it’s something I’ve needed to get off my chest for some time. For those who have read this far, thank you, and I do hope you all have a merry and blessed Christmas. May nothing but good things – life, love, health and happiness come your way in 2020!

My next post will be more cheerful, I promise! In the meantime, here's some of my 'sinful' artwork! 😄