I’m looking forward to a little break over the holidays.* Here are three things I hope to do with my extra time, besides the actual celebration of Christmas itself:
1. Visit the Los Angeles County Museum of Art – My friend Warren told me a few weeks ago that there is an exhibition (an art show) there about Los Angeles architect Frank Gehry. I’m a fan of architecture, so it should be fun to see.
2. Read Back Issues of My Magazines – I subscribe to a lot of magazines, but don’t always have time to read them. So I have a big stack (pile; one set atop the other) of back issues (old editions) that I plan on reading while sitting at a local cafe. I especially like book review magazines, which contain articles and summaries of current (recently published) books. The ones I read regularly are the Times Literary Supplement, The London Review of Books, and Literary Review. But I have a lot of other magazines on my tablet as well – too many to mention!
3. Walk on Venice Beach – I live just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean, but I almost never go down to the beach and take a walk. Why? Well, like a lot of Angelenos (people who live in Los Angeles), I like the idea of going to the beach, but not the hassle (problems) of parking and traffic. But one nice thing about living in L.A. is that lots of people leave the city during the holidays, so there are actually fewer people here at the end of December than most other times of the year. Perhaps I’ll take a little New Year’s Day walk near the ocean to begin my 2016.
What are three things you plan to do over the holidays?
~Jeff
* over the holidays – during December and first week of January, when many Americans take a vacation for Christmas and/or Hanukkah and New Year’s Day
Photo image credit: Wikipedia
Hello Jeff.
First, thank you guys for all the material you have put out all this year.
Second, Have and enjoy a good Christmas holidays season.
My plan during this holidays is:
Trying to avoid everyone else. I am good at that.
Watching tons of videos online.
Get out for a walk/run up to my beautiful mount.
As simple as that.
First idea was going out from Madrid, alone, and being in a little town of Malaga, close to the Mediterranean sea.
After talking with Cuca about it I changed my mind and I will stay here in Madrid trying to celebrate Christmas that
is a time always make me sad remebering the persons I loved or still love and are not here because they are dead, my
parents, or they are too far away, my daughters.
So, to me Jeff, it is not a happy time and I will try to be o.k. despite December it is the bad month of the year in
my memory.
My dear mother and father died on December, my mother in law died in December, and my sister in law
died in December.
December was the month in wich Cuca was diagnosed Multiple Sclerosis, so yes every one could see it is
not a good month by my own point despite it is Christmas and it is the time we could celebrated the Nativity
of our J.C.
Even that is not the way people celebrate Christmas, the subject is buying as much thing as possible for the
children, friends, or family, eating too much and drinking a lot.
Deep inside I don’t like this time at all, sorry for saying that but it is my real feelings after all.
Along these days I have been walking along the Madrid’s streets, you can’t imagine how much people were
here, just from every where round the world, they were looking the lights, buying such a lot of things, eating
and drinking everywhere as the wether was really warm.
It is said that last weekend were coming more than two hundred thousand visitors to the city, and all of then
were in the streets.
Dan, you are a lucky man, far away from all of this crazy world of a big city like Madrid, and please don’t
think I could be not in a good way, fortunately now I am really healthy and with a clear objective mind that observe what
it is happening round me and I dislike it because it is a fake, the only subject that matters is money. buying, selling,
eating, drinking and so on.
On these feasts loneliness is deeper that ever and thousand or people feel it like a nife in their hearts, they long for
the people who pass away, their own childrenhodd, or for the love one that are far away.
May be that’s the reason I wanted to be out from here but I can’t leave Cuca alone doing the same like other, no
it would be very very bad for both of us, but worst for her.
I will put a smile on my face, sing a song, eat the nice food, and say Happy Christmas for every body playing the
same game of so many people play without having in mind the hundred thousand persons that have nothing, have
leave their country by the war coming here to Europe where there are so many people that doesn’t want to have
them in their countries.
Well, that is enough for the moment, evidently not a good moment to write here what I really feel.
emiliano
Hi chief
Cool plans
the quintessential LA beaches are quite scenic and easily accessible. No matter what part of the city you are the ocean is just close by.
In most vantage points in the city , you always enjoy a backdrop of ocean.
I love walking on the beach, like Jeff.
Dear Jeff , I wish I could join you in the little power walk of yours.
I know what you are thinking Jeff
You are thinking :
” ya!! You wish !!” ” The last thing I need is Peter yammering about English language into my ears in the entire walk :)))” “like , I don’t get enough of his yete on the blog.” :))))
Good question boss.
Glad you ask!
You know , I m off for one week, towards the end of December.i mean ,the last week of December till January 3th. It gives me a good 10 days off.
Well , I have 10 days off in my hand and I m planing on living it to the fullest.
Can you imagine , for 10 days straight I don’t have the men upstairs breathing down my neck and micromanaging my every move.
No authority figures for 10 days.
For 10 days ,there are no work projects and stupid dead lines to make me loose sleep over.
I could not more agree with you and Warren vis a vis museums.
They are literally indispensable part of every community :a portal entry to the past and some times to the future.
The most famous museum around here is” ROM” which stands for ” Royal Ontario Museum”
It is an obscenely large three-story museum. As a matter of fact it is one of the largest museum in North America.
ROM is quite transitional.
I love visiting museums.
The thing is , the last time I visited ROM was before its renovation, In 2006 -2007.
The renovation added a new wing to the museum and modernized the facade of the building. I m planing on visiting the new ROM:)
Second in my holiday itinerary is a newly build tourist attraction right underneath the land mark of Toronto -that is- CN Tower.
I have been meaning to visit the tourist attraction for quite sometimes.well , unfortunately it never happened because of first time shortage , second the high cover charge. The admission fee for is close to 50 dollars. I know , it is insane.
But , you know it is a must see place. Specially if you are interested in marine life and marine creatures.it is “Ripley’s Aquarium Of Canada”. My brother visited the place the first week it opened to the public. He has rubbed my nose in it since.
Well , now that I m 10 days off , I figured not to procrastinate it any longer.
As I mentioned above , The aquarium is my second holiday destination.
Well , the third in the list is a three-day excursion to Niagara fall with my friends.
In fact we booked hotel rooms already. We found a very good deal on line.
We are going stag! Just guys , I mean.
Well , I ,like Jeff,don’t have a huge stack of backlog print circulations and magazines to attend to.
The only back issues that I plan to attend to is learn English magazine. I m way behind folks on that front. U know , I didn’t have the time to look them over. I just read the first two issues.
I had it on mind to catch up with it during the holiday.
Well , I regularly read papers.
My favourite is “The Global and mail” and “NYtimes. ”
I m subscribed to NYtimes on line.
With regard to The Global and mail, I buy it sometimes at Starbucks and thumb through it while drinking coffee. I don’t buy it regularly though.
Oh , i almost forget , i m planing on reading up the book I took up three months ago.
The problem is I m always pressed for time.
Well , I spend Christmas day with my family. And news years eve with my friend bar hopping!
Well , that is pretty much it
Oh, I almost forgot to mention what I m looking forward to most -that is- sleeping in every single day !!!!!!
Thanks chief
🙂
Pete
Thanks Jeff
as luck would have it , there are apps for the three magazine u read on I tune.
I just upload them on my phone
🙂
Pete
Sorry me again.
I was re-reading Jeff post and I thought of re-writing my post like Jeff did.
Stating his intentions and after that a brief explanation. That is better.
1. Avoid as much people as I can: As I do not get along well with my family members, I will try to avoid them like they have been infested with the most terrible disease.
Basically, in short I can put it this way: “I am riding alone”
2.Watch tons of videos: That is basically what I have been doing lately with my spare time. I have a bunch of people that I follow on You Tube.
Aside from that, I enjoy long walks with some running in it. I mix those together based on how I feel that day.
3. I do not actually have a third option. Well, since I believe to be an open minded person, I will get anything unexpected that crosses my path.
Thanks and have a great Christmas everyone. Peace.
Hello Jeff,
first of all: Thank you very much for your wonderful lessons. I enjoy every second of your podcasts.
I’m from Germany (Berlin) and I hope, the winter will come … this year … with snow … and lower temperatures!
Every year we have the same procedure: Before Christmas or on Christmas eve we meet my family in Berlin for lunch. And after a long journey southbound (in the black forest) we celebrate the birthday of my mother in law, on the 26. of December. My husband’s family meets there. He has a big family. I’m pleased to see them again.
I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Christiane
Hello,
During my vacation I would like to finish the photo album I’m preparing for my dad 70th birthday.
I’m a teacher and I wish to prepare few significant lessons plan.
At the end of the vacation my son will be 6 so I want to have some time alone with him.
Have a great vacation and thank you for your pod casts,
hili
Hi,
Very nice landscape. You want to envy you and to wish to be there.
And Venice Beach…I’d like to be there, but I don’t know if on New Year’s Day.
New Year’s Eve without snow or without winter looks or without a little fir tree?
All the best for you,
Tania
Hope you enjoy your holidays, boss!!!!
Just to make you know I am alive.
Aecio
My dear professors ,
I m lauding you for the latest on Eslpod series “religious leaders ”
It is awesome!!!
I really enjoyed it !!
And , needless to say that I took away plenty.
Thanks Lucy for the job well done!!!
I like the humour touch in your literary artworks.
A huge fan, some might say a groupie 😉
🙂
Pete
Hey Dan,
Judging from the small town you are living , your life must be stress free. I mean ,u never work yourself into a tizzy.
Good for you bro
U are able to pace yourself !!! By that I mean , u r able to take things on your own pace, on your own time.
Around here ,life is playing a totally different tune.
Man , sometimes things get so hectic around here that I find myself falling apart over them. I mean , all spent and stressed out!!!
I should be granted vacation every month for the high volum of work. U know , I worked most weekends this year; most my coworkers did ,without getting one dollar extra for the extra hours we put in.
U know , ur team are given a project and a time frame for it. U are expected to complete the task within the time fram. Nobody cares if you work round the clock over it or just one hour per week.
U know ,as long as u finished it on time.
We always have at least three or 4 time sensitive projects on our plates at any given time. Can u imaging the stress it would build.
U know what the say,” all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”
I m dull , all right !!! That I can tell you.
Dan
I Trade lives with you any time of the day :))
The reall question here is would you ?
🙂
Pete
Hi Pete
I would not.
I am crazy to a certain extent but not enough to move to Canada.:-)
Have a good holiday Pete and do nor too much from the NYT.
Sometimes, a little dose of Fox News does not do any harm.
Bye.
Hi Jeff!
First of all, thanks for your great podcasts! Thank you, Lucy, for helping!
Three things to do in Brazil summer over the holidays:
1} to run beside the beach. It’s so hot here but it’s nice;
2) to read a good book, like Lincoln. I’m interested in this book because your series American presidents;
3) to listen to your podcasts many times.
Enjoy your holidays!
Hmenon
Three things I hope to do over the holidays are rest, rest and rest. Besides those, meeting new friens, sleeping all the night, visiting new places, being happy, seeing birds singing. That’s all.
Aecio