ASHLEY HODGES BAZER
  • Home
  • Star Sailors
    • The Commodore >
      • Characters
    • The Princess >
      • Characters
    • The Skyjacker >
      • Characters
    • The Stowaway >
      • Characters
    • The Operative >
      • Characters
  • Crown's Call
    • Heralds of the Crown >
      • Poison >
        • Characters
        • Deleted Scenes
      • Fusion >
        • Characters
        • Deleted Scene
      • Reconciled >
        • Characters
    • Rise of the Crown
    • Touch of the Crown >
      • Outlaw >
        • Characters
    • Champions of the Crown >
      • Asylum >
        • Characters
    • Fun Stuff >
      • The Timeline
      • The System
      • The Inhabitants >
        • Logia/Lumen/Ghosts
        • Strages/Crepusculum/Legacy
  • Time Spinners
    • In the Beginning >
      • Characters
  • Other Novels
    • Tinsel Pines Tales
    • Checkmate >
      • Characters
    • Once Upon a Heist >
      • Characters
      • Map of Paladia
      • Venefica's Curse
  • Bio
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Promo
  • Onstage
    • Mamma Mia
    • Addams Family
    • Other Performances
  • Buy
  • Blog

The Ghost of Christmas Past

1/5/2014

0 Comments

 
Another Christmas has come and gone. We're now embarking into my least favorite time of year. It's not my intention to complain, so stick with me. I'm just ready to skip ahead a few months to get to more interesting holidays and celebrations. Fall is the best time of year for me. I love cooler temperatures and long sleeves. The smell of chimney smoke and falling leaves. But that's now in the distant future.

And Fall ends in the best way. Christmas!

I could live Christmas every day of the year. Yes, I'm like Buddy the Elf when it comes to Christmas. I get excited when store aisles get cleared out every July for school supplies. Because following school supplies is Halloween costumes. And following Halloween costumes is Christmas décor.

I love the lights. The sounds. The smells. The joy. The kindness. Although I did notice those last two lacking a bit this year in the rush and bustle. But with something as simple as plugging in a string of Christmas lights, all the tension melts away, and I can dream of Santa and snowmen.

Of course, I do know the real meaning of Christmas, and I cherish that just as much.

This year was particularly special. I introduced my six-year-old to The Nutcracker Ballet this year. The ballet has always been special to me. My dad was a stereo nut. He had a huge system with speakers taller than me. He is responsible for my love and knowledge of classical music. His LP collection could put many to shame. He had one LP that I treasured--The Nutcracker Suite on one side, and Peter and the Wolf on the other. Conducted by the great Leonard Bernstein. When my dad pulled that out, I knew we were in for a treat.

I saw the ballet for the first time in 1985. My mom took me around Thanksgiving. When we returned home, we learned my grandfather had had a stroke that would soon result in his death. And although that might leave a bad taste in some people's mouths, the beauty of the music and the ballet overcame the sorrow that accompanied that day.

I got to stage manage the ballet with the Anaheim Ballet when I worked for Disneyland. What a dream come true! The lighting and costumes were beautiful, and the dancers were phenomenally talented. My lasting memory of that? Tumbling down a flight of cement stairs from the booth. I still have scars from scraping my hands.

Perhaps that's why I love the ballet so much. I severely lack the grace of a dancer.

But this year, I was determined to make a very special night for a very special girl. I started by purchasing a Nutcracker figure. They're in every store now, so that was easy. I wrapped him up and found a basket for him to live in. We went to dinner before the performance, and I gave her the present. She held it all night long! Being her first trip to a real theatre, I explained the lights and the stage. When the ballet started, she was enthralled. It was perfect!

And beyond that, after years of loving this story, I've come up with the neatest idea for a book! I don't wish to disclose much at this point, as it's in development, but I'm really excited about it. If I can pull it off, I think it will be a really intriguing story. I'm going to give it a whirl, anyway.

So now that we're into the season of resolutions and new beginnings, I'm jumping on the bandwagon. I have revisions to work on for Once Upon a Heist. That turned out to be super fun, and I can't wait to share that one with the world. I have the Crown's Call to work on. And this new one to write. And of course, there's work and momming duties.

24 hours in a day, and another 353 days until next Christmas. May as well make the best of what I've got.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Duchess Writer

    Award-winning sci-fi author * Christ follower, wife, and mom * broadcast content producer. And yes, I am a real duchess. http://amzn.to/2eLTlH3  

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Tweets by @DuchessWriter

    Archives

    March 2023
    July 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    June 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    July 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    September 2018
    April 2018
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    October 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Star Sailors
    • The Commodore >
      • Characters
    • The Princess >
      • Characters
    • The Skyjacker >
      • Characters
    • The Stowaway >
      • Characters
    • The Operative >
      • Characters
  • Crown's Call
    • Heralds of the Crown >
      • Poison >
        • Characters
        • Deleted Scenes
      • Fusion >
        • Characters
        • Deleted Scene
      • Reconciled >
        • Characters
    • Rise of the Crown
    • Touch of the Crown >
      • Outlaw >
        • Characters
    • Champions of the Crown >
      • Asylum >
        • Characters
    • Fun Stuff >
      • The Timeline
      • The System
      • The Inhabitants >
        • Logia/Lumen/Ghosts
        • Strages/Crepusculum/Legacy
  • Time Spinners
    • In the Beginning >
      • Characters
  • Other Novels
    • Tinsel Pines Tales
    • Checkmate >
      • Characters
    • Once Upon a Heist >
      • Characters
      • Map of Paladia
      • Venefica's Curse
  • Bio
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Promo
  • Onstage
    • Mamma Mia
    • Addams Family
    • Other Performances
  • Buy
  • Blog