12 Songs of Christmas - #7 Celebrate Me Home

Kenny Loggins 1977

Disclaimer: All perspectives, opinions, and memories in this entry are mine and mine alone. Some content is rugged, raw, and - sometimes - NSFW, but it's all authentic and included with purpose.

To read the "12 Songs of Christmas Intro," please CLICK HERE
To read Song #12 - "God Bless Us Everyone," please CLICK HERE To read Song #11 - "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," please CLICK HERE To read Song #10 - "All I Want for Christmas is You," please CLICK HERE To read Song #9 - "Santa Baby," please CLICK HERE To read Song #8 - "Baby, It's Cold Outside," please CLICK HERE

Why it's on the List...

This one took me a while to write because I’ve had a difficult time describing exactly what this song means to me. 

So here goes, if you get it, you get. 

This song reminds me of when I was single and I would leave a crowded Christmas party and it would come on the radio when I was alone in the car. There was something comforting about it during that time of loneliness that has stayed with me all these years later.

Even now, I like to be alone when I listen to it. Usually at night when it’s quiet.

Also, on a side note but not totally unrelated…

Have you ever learned something about yourself that’s always been true but you just didn’t realize it until you realize it and then it's all you can realize.

I’ve never been musically inclined but I’ve always appreciated musical talent. Whether it’s brilliant lyric writing or insane instrumental and/or vocal performance, I love experiencing elite musical ability.

If you had asked me before writing my Top 40, I think I would have said great lyrics and/or shredding guitar would have been my favorite talents but as I kept writing, I kept noticing how much I really love standout piano performances and players.

(I even randomly mentioned multiple times that I wish I could play some songs at swanky dinner parties)

That’s when it hit me - I’ve always loved the piano and didn’t even know it.

As the inclusion of "Celebrate Me Home" on my Christmas list only further proves.

Turning 40 during a global pandemic has been an interesting experience. There was something jarring about the formula of (1) realizing that I only had one real hobby and would just come home every day and veg out on Twitter + (2) the semi mid-life crisis knowledge that turning 40 is halftime (if I’m lucky) and I really do want to make the most of whatever years I have remaining + (3) basically being forced to stay inside and punt one of those precious few remaining years that caused me to freak out a bit.

That equation has really pushed me a bit in 2020 and has forced me out of my boring, albeit comfortable, little existence.

All of the previous factors combined has led me to my newest hobby - I have recently started piano lessons for the first time in over 30 years.

There truly is something to the “old dog, new tricks” adage as it’s been challenging at times. My eyes can recognize a note but the speed of the info getting to my brain and then back to my fingers has certainly slowed down.

I’m really enjoying it though.

It’s been a fantastic buffer that helps me come down off of the work day to transition towards engaging with the family. And the kids have loved it too. They like dancing around the room and sitting next to me on the bench while I practice.

I’ll be playing some of my favorite songs at those fancy dinner parties in no time now.

While We’re Here…

Not Christmas related but here are some other hobbies/interests I’d like to explore over the coming years:

- Cooking

Man, I’d give anything to figure out cooking. I love watching cooking shows and it feels like the perfect balance between science and art. My problem is that I’m all science and no art. My brain seizes up when Summer says add a “pinch” of an ingredient. Ok, how much is a pinch? I need an EXACT measurement. 

- The Stock Market

For over a decade, my friends and family and my wife have all encouraged me to use my fantasy sports brain towards the stock market. My problem is that (1) I don’t like doing things in which I won’t be immediately successful and (2) I hate losing money frivolously (it’s why I don’t gamble - the games are DESIGNED for you to lose money. Can’t get over it mentally). But I’ve finally worn down and have started having some basic conversations about getting started. 

- Write a Book

This is my white whale. I don’t know what it would be about and I don’t know who would read it but I’d love to pull one book out of my soul before I leave this earth.

Listen to "Celebrate Me Home" here: