Editorially speaking…
Well, another year is about to bite the dust.
For most of us blessed to live in Canada, it likely has been another year of getting by in comparative comfort while complaining bitterly about inflation every time we go to a checkout. A minor plaint when you look around this embattled world of ours...
Please make no mistake: I’m not denying or making light of those Canadians struggling to get by and to keep up with the ever rising cost of living while earning pay cheques that will never allow them to own their own home—something that I prize dearly and was born early enough to be able to achieve...
But enough of that. The eve of a New Year is upon us: a time of reflection, yes, but also a time of hope for the future. Let’s greet 2025 with optimism then do our individual best to make good things come true for ourselves, our communities, our society and the world at large.
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In last week’s editorial we delved into the archives of some old English newspapers with their letters to Santa Claus of well over a century ago. In December 1889, one of those newspapers, the North-Eastern Daily Gazette, published a letter to Santa from “his little friend, Master Ernest Hope, of Middlesbrough”.
Ernest kindly asked Santa for stockings for his six-week-old sibling: “You won’t be sorry if I ask you to do me a good turn, will you, dear old Santa Claus?”, as he seemingly has the interests of his little sibling at heart this Christmas. Ernest also requests no toys or dolls for him and his sister, as they break so quickly, and he regales Santa with the story of when his father accidentally sat on his Noah’s Ark and broke some of the pieces:
“He rose quick, too! and he spoke some big words loud, and mother said ‘hush’!”.
This prompted friend and Chronicles reader Bill Irvine to write, “Reminds me of the ‘40s Christmas at Doncaster Drive in Victoria. A neighbour gave me my favourite song on a 78 [rpm] record. I left it under the tree and at some point someone stepped on it and it was broken.
“Some big, loud words were spoken!”.
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—Wikipedia
Yes!
Yes!
Yes!
Finally, the government has got it right: Terry Fox, Canada’s greatest icon of courage and endurance is to grace our new $5 bill. I can’t think of anyone, for all my studying of Canadian history, more eligible for this honour.
The most ubiquitous Canadian bill is the $20 because it’s the bill of choice of ATMs, but I’ll not quibble. I’m sure that 1000s of $5 bills change hands every day, so Terry will get constant exposure to Canadians who’ll be reminded of his sacrifice and perhaps be inspired to do their own part in various ways.
For Terry it was the fight against cancer; for the rest of us, there’s an infinite palette of good causes that we can donate to and, better yet, contribute our own time and efforts.
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An interesting report from Internet Archive Blogs: Jan. 22, 2025 is Public Domain Day when some great films and literary works will become public property, their private copyright having expired. The pivotal year of creation, by the way, is 1929.
Headlining the first cultural treasure on their list is the 1929 classic comedy film, the Marx Brothers’ The Cocoanuts.
—Wikipedia
Great books include the English translation of Eric Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front, Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms and William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury.
Music-wise, there’s George Gershwin’s An American in Paris, Singing in the Rain, and the Gershwins’ (brothers Ira and George) Rhapsody in Blue.
The irony is that since the coming of the digital age, hardly anyone, it seems, respects copyright any more. We now live in a world of “free” when it comes to the artistic works and achievements of authors, composers, poets, playwrights, etc., which have long been appropriated as “public domain” by those with no intention of waiting for the expiry of copyright.
But there I go, grumble, grumble...
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I said earlier that this time of year is a time of reflection, and so it is here at the Chronicles. By their very name, the British Columbia Chronicles must strive to entertain a province-wide subscriber base.
The Chronicles also try to give a variety of content.
As a professional storyteller, I’ll admit to an instinctive lean towards the tragic because of the high drama content. After all, I grew up on American comics, magazines and movies, and began writing about stagecoach robberies, lost treasures... You get the idea.
(Did I mention coal mining and shipwrecks?)
That said, however, I like to think that, over the years, I’ve matured, my tastes have broadened, and that this shows in my writings which have come to be more about people than events. After all, short of natural disasters, without people there are no events.
As always, I welcome readers’ input. Have you been satisfied with recent stories? Have you any suggestions as to subject matter or—x?
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Well, it’s time to get down to real work. I’ll see you all again next year!
Best wishes, TWP.