Saturday 10 January 2009

The Ghost of Christmas Past

I am not one for tradition. I am not one to run with the herd, to buzz with the swarm. I am not one for religion, thus I am personally unlikely to find the anniversary of the birth of a prophet a worthy cause for celebration*. I am not one for conventionalism, and the idea of a socially-dictated date for family bonding makes my blood boil. I am not one for presents, and find present-giving on fixed dates to be a pure celebration of consumerist debauchery -- Saint Marks&Spencer.

All this goes to explain why last xmas, while pretty much everybody ran away to their homes and families, or with their loved ones, or with their friends, I stood like a tree, firmly rooted in London.

I had great plans at first. I though I would study. Then I learned all the libraries would be closed for 12 days. Ok, I thought, the gym then, work hard on those muscles. Then I learned that the gym would also be closed. Ok then, I thought, let's do some tourism. This I finally did, and enjoyed the atmosphere of the city dressed in light with her lips painted neon, but let me tell you it was damn fucking cold.

So I spent xmas & New Year's Eve in London. It was nothing much, but it was all right. I had my time, time to walk and think and lose myself down the streets among the crowds, which I cherished. I also enjoyed some really good moments, and have some really cool people to thank for that.

And so now, after the whole xmas jazz, when others are returning to London, I go away, inverting the J&B commercial. I've come to Madrid for a week: the Ghost of Christmas Past is visiting.

* Nor am I particularly inclined to celebrate Saturnalia, Sol Invictus or the winter solstice.

5 comments:

MakurA said...

La muerte de un profeta? Eso no es Semana Santa? =P

Salvo que te refieras a la mula, que en realidad susurraba sabiduría al niño Jesús...

En fins, que me gusta verte (o haberte visto) por aquí y me parece bien que te hayas organizado así =)

Un abrazote y feliz Semana Santa! =D

Scholarly said...

D'oh!!! >_< Quería poner "birth", pero del pensamiento al tecleo se perdió en alguna parte y se convirtió en "death". Tengo que llevar el subconsciente a la revisión de las 5000 maldiciones. Thx por el apunte ;)

Otro abrazote, y como dice el sms que rula en año nuevo, feliz Semana Santa de parte de la asociación de Altzheimer y un gran 1984 ^_^

Unknown said...

Bueno, la Navidad es una especie de "acuerdo social"! para ponerle las vacaciones al mismo tiempo a tanta gente como sea posible, y se puedan arrejuntar al menos una vez cada dos años (el otro año toca con la familia política, d'uh!).

Hala, que lo de la persecución de los regalos me toca los...

Anonymous said...

As far as I'm concerned, I'm writing on behalf of two who celebrate your friend's lack of conformism, so in the name of the Sacrosanct concept of Family Reunited, we are enjoying to the full the love, the pleasure, and the glory, and the fortune of being parents.

And don't forget: for every saint ousted - 'cause saints will never step down by themselves - there's another one, lurking near in order to occupy the vacancy.

Yiyi said...

Tú si que eres un fantasma, si escucharas las historias que te cascas!!
xDD

Me alegro de que hubieras VUELTO a casa, cuando te haya dado la gana, pero de que hayas welto. Eso sí, mira cómo por volver cuando te sale de los mismos cohones has visto a la mitá de la gente, y entre esta gente que no has visto, estaba yo. Aunque... ahora que lo pienso más detenidamente, no lo habrás hecho por eso precisamente?

Espero que te hayan ido bien las vacaciones en CASA.

Abrazos