Rant 2,492: Christmas Is My Time of Year

... to sleep. To oversleep. To not sleep at all.

Yes, I overslept pretty badly today, but that was only because I didn't sleep very well last night, as my back and left side absolutely kill me during the evenings.

I cannot get comfortable during sleep--which is a classic complaint for those that have sciatica--and I move from one room to another to try to get comfortable.

I did fall asleep pretty well initially--I conked out about 10 p.m. sitting in front of the TV, while my son and I were watching the WWE Raw show while employing an ice pack on my left side--and then around 11 p.m., I crawled into the bed, and slept for about two hours more--but by 1 a.m., I was out and about, in some discomfort.

For the next few hours, I was in my bedroom, in the living room, back in bed, back in the living room, and by about 4:30, I finally crawled into bed for the next two and a half hours. That is why this Rant is so late.

So all in all, I slept from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.--kinda--but it was not a restful sleep at all.

I go for an MRI on Thursday--on the first day of Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, and my sister's birthday--so maybe that will tell for sure what ails me.

Anyway, Merry Christmas to all!

Yes, even this Jewish boy has memories of Christmas.

When I was a kid growing up in Rochdale Village, South Jamaica, Queens, New York, I just remember that we were the real neighborhood of lights, as everyone had their menorahs up for Hanukkah and everyone else had their Christmas lights up, and you could look out my parents' bedroom's window and see a light show that was beyond compare.

I never even thought of snapping a photo of this extravaganza, something I regret to this day. It was a remarkable sight, for sure, and I wish I had a photo to show everyone just how special it was.

And yes, as kids, my sister and I watched all the Christmas specials on TV, and yes, we would have the Yule Log on in the house for at least an hour or two during Christmas.

Also, as I explained yesterday, music is and has always been part of the holiday season for us, and to this day, I have a Christmas record collection that really is impressive, everything from Paul Revere and the Raiders to the Four Seasons to the Royal Guardsmen and the Monkees ... some really nice stuff.

One year, I even made a tape of all my holiday music--Christmas and Hanukkah--but I cannot find it. I think I gave it away to someone, but I could make the same collection now, because I still have those records, and plenty more to fill it out.

Tonight, we are going to a Christmas Eve get together at my brother-in-law's house, and that should be fun.

And maybe tomorrow, we will actually sleep late on purpose.

So, have a great Christmas celebration, and I am going to have to take the next two days off from this Blog, because as I earlier said, on Thursday, I have to take an MRI, and I have to do it early in the day, so two days from now, right now, I will be in the machine having this done.

I will speak to you again on Friday.

Have a great holiday!