And here we are.
Someone asked why the infrequent posts of late.
Well, it is that time of year when one tends to hibernate. Or there is a lot going on and not enough time to take it all in. You decide.
Between the Dickens Fair, a quick visit to Anaheim and all the festivities of the season, posting here is less of a priority than it used to be. And that is not a bad thing, either…
2013 is on the way out. 2014 promises some interesting things.
On the theme park side of the coin, Disney will have some catching up to do once Universal opens it’s expansion of the World of Harry Potter. And maybe that’s for the good as things at the Mouse seem to have fallen and they can’t get up.
Baseball? Not that far off as pitchers and catchers report as usual in mid February with the 2014 season officially starting March 22nd with a game in Sydney, Australia between the Dodgers and Diamondbacks. Ah, I can smell BBQ now just waiting at Turkey Mikes in San Jose!
Movies and television? Yes, a bunch of things to watch. Literally. And one has to wonder if 2014 will see creativity break free of the sequel machine Hollywood has become. We can only hope so. And it would be great if so called “reality” programming went the way of the dodo. while we’re at it.
Call me cranky, but would it hurt pop culture if we didn’t get the latest display of pulchritude? Been there and seen that, no matter who shares what. A little intelligence goes a long way. Just ask Pope Francis.
So, safe and sane. An end to the old year. Stay warm and dry, while you’re at it.
The shared experience of Mr. Dickens London
So, been at the Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco the past two weekends. A spirited recreation of the London of 1840’s to 1860’s as depicted in so many versions of “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. But the odd thing about it, besides having been around long enough to celebrate 35 years of holiday cheer, is that people pay good money, dress in period costumes (or close enough) and come to share in the festivities.
Yes, I know that these folks really don’t travel back to London of those years. After all, this event takes place in what at times of the year is home to livestock exhibitions. And while that may not provide the smell of feel of what London offered visitors during the winter solstice of those times, you won’t find enthusiasm dimmed in the least.
Quite the contrary! People come to feast, to drink, to shop to dance and in general, just to have a good time. All while sharing the experience with fellow guests and performers. All playing from the lowest of the low of characters to the most noble. You find every bit of society on these streets and lanes set up inside the exhibition halls. Good Queen Victoria is on the throne with Prince Albert at her side, watching over the British Empire. For it is Christmas Eve in London, and few can resist the charms of the day.
Yes, plenty of “nostalgic’s” among the crowd. The folks in search of a simpler time. But you can also see friends together enjoying a seasonal bit of fun. Families all in costume, taking in the shopping, games and entertainments. Folks of all sorts just sharing the good times with each other.
It is a bit more than the usual holiday get together. You usually don’t find such immersive gatherings around the egg nog. Sure, plenty of parties may include Christmas carols being sung or a kiss under the mistletoe, but dressing the part and speaking in your own version of a London accent probably isn’t on the schedule of events.
Call it what you will, but the secret is that deep down, the spirit of play has a large and happy part in this shared experience. That draws people back year after year. Even for only a few hours, the chance to leave the cares of the modern world behind and settle into the holidays as Mr. Dickens brought them to his readers, is a powerful tonic.
Yes, sharing such experiences is a pleasure enjoyed by many. Hence the popularity of places such as the late, lamented Adventurers Club or larger than that, the Disney Theme Parks round the world. Friends and family, all taking in the joys of it all – together.
Works pretty well, doesn’t it?
The Peril of Nostalgia
Out and about on the Internet, I stumbled across an interesting piece that raised a good point for discussion.
Has nostalgia for the past has become a means to gloss over past issues and to judge the cultural freedom and diversity we can enjoy today?
One can certainly make the point that people tend to look at the styles of dress with some envy. In this era of t-shirts, jeans and baseball caps as a sartorial statement, it hardly takes a big jump to espouse better dress by both sexes. Whether that takes one back to the Victorian era or that of the post World War II glamour, pride in ones appearance seems a worthy goal.
Yet, we should remember that even with fondness for a seemingly simpler time, things then were not as they are today. My mother once shared in 1958 that having grown up in San Francisco, she felt more at home in West Germany than she did in Alabama. It was indeed a different time and place, but much of what had been normal life in Alabama, had little changed from the way it may have been a decades earlier.
It is easy to forget that people did not always enjoy the same things we may take for granted today. Simple rights today, but hard fought to gain then. Everything from the 40-hour work week or the 8-hour work day to the ability to vote in elections at the local to the federal level – at one time these were not equally enjoyed by everyone.
Yes, we all can look back and see simpler times. Times when we didn’t worry about many of the things we do today. Days before we had to remember passwords or pin numbers. When we didn’t have to worry about that cholesterol number or other fascinating medical information. I could go on and on about how the good old days only seem good. The blessings of viewing through the passing of years. But I won’t…
Herb Caen, a proponent of what he called “terminal nostalgia”, was often recalling San Francisco of days gone by. A good quote of his may describe it best. “Nostalgia is memory with the pain removed.” Having seen the City for so long and reported so much of what made it’s heart beat for that time, those memories were fond for everyone who had the pleasure of reading one of Herb’s columns. From Dec. 5, 1977, “The sounds of the city. Once they were a heady mix of sidewheeler splash, seagull scream, Ferry Building siren, sea lion bark, click-clang of birdcage signal and “one more for the road.” Today, the auto horns blow impatiently amid hippie bagpipe, flutes, bongo drums, “Any spare change?,” a blind man’s accordion wheezing out “Wabash Cannonball” and – lest we forget – “Have a good day, have a nice day” and smile, damn ya, smile. The simpy smile of the ubiquitous “Happy Face,” emblazoned on T-shirts, underpants, junk jewelry and yellow cookies growing stale in bakery windows.”
Yes, I too have a bad case of terminal nostalgia. Plenty to look back upon and fondly recall the era gone by. Memories? Glad I got ’em. Would not trade a moment of any of them. Yet, I look ahead and rejoice in what has yet to be. Things yet to come.
So, the next time you cast a glance in the mirror and see the past, think kindly of it as it recedes. But don’t try to live in it, no matter how cheap the rent was. You’ll miss what lies ahead. And the memories of those moments yet to come. Pretty special stuff there…
Diane Disney Miller – An Appreciation
Sadly, Diane Disney Miller passed away earlier this week after complications from a fall she suffered in September.
Had you ever met her, you would have found her one of the most down to earth people. Simple, honest and pretty much what you saw is what she was. She was also very much her father’s daughter. If she did not like something, she did not hesitate to let you know.
She was the daughter of Walt and Lillian Disney. And like many children of celebrities of her generation, she never used that celebrity for anything personal. She was a wife, a mother, grandmother and great grandmother.
In March of 2006, I first met Diane at the offices of the Walt Disney Family Museum as it was in the planning stages. She was gracious to share some of the items collected for the Museum during a tour one afternoon. Afterwards, she and husband Ron Miller sat down with Leo Holzer and myself for an interview. It was a fascinating time and I learned a great deal about Diane, Ron and Walt that day.
This was also close to the time that Building 104 on the Presidio Main Post was chosen to be the home of the Walt Disney Family Museum. Although the Army had previously converted this former barracks into offices, and in the process removed much of the historic fabric of the structure, there still were many changes to be made. A fact Leo and I saw up close and personal on a July of 2008 (hard hat) tour with Diane while the construction was still underway. And when the museum did finally open to the public on October 1st, 2009, it was well worth the wait. As the project that grew out of Diane’s frustrations with how people portrayed her father incorrectly, and with the perception that he was just a brand and less of a real person, the final product continues to tell the tale of a man and the life he lived. With a rich history shared for all to enjoy.
Diane was also the first to admit that Walt was human. “Warts and all” was a term she used on more than one occasion. But she was also quick to set straight commonly misunderstood points. Such as he was not frozen or that he was not racist. She often would tell that he grew up a farm boy and lived life as it came. Dedicated to family and committed to seeing the company that bore his name succeed in bringing entertainment to many.
During the opening of the WDFM, Diane was asked if she would be writing a book someday. Smiling, she said that this was her book.
It was always a treat to watch Diane with guests at the Museum. When they realized who she was, it always seemed a surprise to them. Yet, Diane was always glad to pose for a quick photo or to sign an autograph. Much like her father, she was just another person with a story to tell. I am very glad to have been one of those able to listen in as she shared it with us.
On not being at Disneyland
Out and about on the Internet, there are plenty of stories of folks visiting the various Disney theme parks around the globe. Plenty to read and see about the latest and greatest, right? So, why nothing from this little corner of the online world?
A fair question. And a fair answer. Even though I reside here in the Golden State, it is roughly 365 miles from my door to Anaheim. 6 hours away by freeway. So, even if I had the inclination to visit more often, reality raises it’s objections.
That does not mean I miss the Park. When I do get the opportunity to be in the neighborhood, I can have as enjoyable a day there as anyone I know. Not being part of one of the street gangs or social clubs or just even the usual hangers on at the Hub, a walk around the property has it’s own rewards. Although a stop for blue cheese and port over in DCA is more than tempting on occasion.
The truth of the matter is that Disneyland or any themed entertainment is not designed for the every day visitor. Experiences like this are designed to be enjoyed by the more casual guest. The one who may not visit once a year, let alone once a week. To be sure, there are seasonal entertainments and attractions. Of which I can be guilty of enjoying, such as the Candlelight event. Yet, if I do not get to take it in, my world does not end or begin there.
Maybe that is the real pleasure of having done so before. That pressure of having so little time and so much to take in is relieved. If I do not get to see it snow on Main Street, my month is not ruined. Because I have experienced it before. And it all probability, will do so again at some point.
I know, in the world of Disney theme park fandom, I have been able to enjoy some wonderful times with good people over the years. Some no longer with us, sadly. Been able to take in attractions now gone or enjoy entertainment no longer offered. Really miss those late night jazz sessions over at the French Market (with Teddy Buckner and his All-Stars) or even Rod Miller or Alan Thompson closing up Coca Cola Corner as the clock struck midnight. Or lucky enough to have good timing on a rainy night and be the only guest at the Haunted Mansion. Another great memory was being the only one aboard a train on the Disneyland Railroad in addition to the crew.
But are not memories the stuff of which a visit to any theme park should be?
To me, it is like a great dessert. Sure, you could have all that pastry, cream and more every night. Although after a while, as good as it may be, it becomes routine. With all of the joy gone out of it. Just the usual fluff. But save it for that special occasion and a good idea becomes great. Oh, for a nice Napolean and a cup of fine coffee right now…
That is what a visit to Disneyland is to me. And why I am glad it is not an every day kind of thing.