Bah, Humbug

 I've previously mentioned the wonderful Dickens novel A Christmas Carol.  So great is the impact of this work on society that we've seen dozens of screen adaptations of the story over the decades.  I've seen most of them, and in my mind have long settled the question of the best of them:  the 1984 version, starring George C. Scott as Scrooge.  Compared to others, this is a very traditional treatment of the familiar story.  To those who've read the book, large passages of dialog will be familiar as traditional text.  The cinematography, casting, costumes, and sets are detailed and lavish in a traditional way.  This production has none of the gimmicks that others so often use to stand out in a crowded field of Carols.  But what it has is the superb acting of Mr. Scott; there has never been a better rendition of Dickens' character than his. I've always held this opinion of the movie, so I was pleasantly surprised to see an online article that reinforced my judgement.  Nice to have the affirmation.

Rare Card Alert

 A short time ago, the first card ever that I've sent to Tunisia was registered.  Africa as a whole is not an especially active continent in Postcrossing, so cards sent to the north African nation are rare.  The nation is home to about 11 million residents, of which only 85 are Postcrossing members. My first card to Tunisia travelled 5,229 miles and took 40 days to be registered.  (This is not necessarily the postal transit time; while I mail cards immediately after being assigned an address, some recipients may not always register them immediately upon delivery.) I am glad to add Tunisia to my "sent" column.

God bless us, everyone

 It was on this day, December 19th, 1843 that Charles Dickens published his classic Christmas story, A Christmas Carol.  And 180 years later, the short novel remains an important part of the holiday tradition.  Literally dozens of film versions of the book have been made (my own personal favorite is the 1984 version starring George C. Scott as Scrooge), as well as innumerable stage productions.  The story of the miser Ebeneezer Scrooge is well known: a succession of four ghosts visit him through the night before Christmas and succeed in changing his cold heart into one in union with a generous Christmas spirit.  The book itself was sort of a hail Mary pass for Dickens, who was in a publishing slump at the time.  A couple of poorly selling novels had landed him in a tight financial spot, and this book was intended to provide a much-needed boost to his income.  It was written and published in a shockingly short time- about six weeks from the first written word to a published book.  And what a book!  Nominally published by Dickens's familiar publisher, Chapman and Hall, it was actually self-published, with the author himself paying for the lavishly appointed volumes of the initial press run.  The story is accurately and entertainingly told in the feature film The Man Who Invented Christmas, a film that includes two actors, Miriam Margolyes and Simon Callow, who are themselves dedicated Dickens buffs and patrons of the Dickens Museum in London.  So on this day, at this time of year, let us remember the lessons of Scrooge's ghosts, and endeavor to embrace the cheer and joy of the season.

Rare Card Alert

 After more than ten years of Postcrossing, it's very rare that I receive a postcard from a country for the first time.  Nevertheless, today I received my first ever card from tiny Liechtenstein, one of the smallest countries in the world.  Sandwiched between Switzerland and Austria, Liechtenstein is a country of about 39,000 people, which is comparable to the total population of the moderate sized suburb of Birmingham, Alabama in which I live.  The entire country has sent slightly fewer than 4,000 official Postcrossing postcards since the project began, which is less than half the amount I've personally sent in ten years.  So, a rare card, indeed; welcome, Marie from Liechtenstein.

Top Tier

 For many decades, I have enjoyed collecting typewriters.  I have perhaps 30 machines in my collection, most in operating condition, and several over 100 years old.  While using them to write letters to friends and family, I often contemplate a simpler, pre-digital way of life.  Years when a written physical letter was yet a practical method of communication.  And when the physical, tangible letter was valued and appreciated.  Most of my typewriters represent the basic classes of machine, from small and light portable to big and sturdy standard desktop behemoth.  Nothing in my collection is especially rare or terrifically valuable, although there aren't many Oliver #5s in the world in as good of condition as mine.  But as a collector, I pale in comparison to several prominent collectors I know personally or by reputation.  Tops among these is Steve Soboroff, a collector of remarkable means, who has assembled a collection of especially noteworthy machines.  These are typewriters that have been owned by the famous and notorious, from Earnest Hemmingway to the Unibomber.  And after all that effort and money, I read today that Soboroff is selling his collection.  It will take someone who is especially well-off to acquire any or many of his typewriters.  You won't find these listed on Ebay, that's for sure.  But from here in the cheap seats of typewriter collector world, I will look on with admiration as these rare machines find new homes.

Steve Soboroff

We are the Champions

 A short time ago, the NCAA announced the lineup of the four-team college playoff for this season's National Championship.  The leadup to this revelation was the topic of much discussion.  The playoffs only accommodate the current top four teams in the nation, and strong arguments could be made for at least five teams.  Someone was going to be left out and be very understandably upset.  Turns out the aggrieved team was to be the Florida State Seminoles, who earned an undefeated record and the ACC Championship.  (An interesting personal note: I've met FSU AD Michael Alford, who is a friend of a friend.  I totally sympathize with his feelings right now.)  Ahead of them were the Michigan Wolverines, Washington Huskies, Texas Longhorns, and Alabama Crimson Tide.  Much will be written of the reasoning of the 13 member selection committee, but as they say, the decision of the committee is final.  So on New Years Day, Michigan will play Alabama in the Rose Bowl, then Washington will face Texas in the Sugar Bowl.  Winners of those games will face each other in the National Championship game in Houston on January 8, 2024. 

 The Rose Bowl is of interest to me, due to my connection to both teams.  In the mid 1990s I was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and retain an affinity for the team.  But as I have lived in Alabama for 30 years, I've adopted an alliance with the Crimson Tide.  I don't have a direct connection to the school (much like all those "sidewalk fans" who never were students there), but I've always called myself a "fan-in-law", via members of my extended family who were students in Tuscaloosa.  My wife is the same, even more so.  So for the next couple of weeks, I will be even more isolated than usual.  As a sensible, intelligent political moderate and social liberal in Alabama, I can feel quite lonely at times.  In my daily life, I rarely encounter anyone who shares my views on...well, anything.  You try being a scientist in a conservative state.  So until New Years, I am really on my own.  Once that game is over, I can go back to being a mere political and social outcast.  Go Blue.