Taking The Time To Slow Down

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I must be old school.

Or, maybe just old.

Somehow, all of these computer-controlled animatronic cartoon figures, inflatable Santa's, and laser light extravaganzas that people decorate their houses with today for the holidays just don't make it for me. For the holidays, I don't want high-tech and I don't want the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Mainly, I want warm and fuzzy and nostalgic.

Happily, Sacramento is one of those California towns that's old enough to have some neighborhoods that don't look like everything in them was built in the past six months. In one of these, just east of downtown, the word has gone out to cool it with the high tech for the holidays. These old homes are mostly decorated with traditional style holiday lights. Most of the displays aren't exactly simple, but there's a kind of elegance there that somehow appeals to me.

For me, this is the time of year to slow down and reflect a bit, instead of worrying about the next coming crisis at work. For a week or two, I like to think back to a time when I didn't worry about databases, file servers, and networks going bump in the night. This need to slow down must come from the same part of me that prefers sail boats to power boats.

Apparently, it's not just me, though. Crowds of people from all over Sacramento, from the cul-de-sac neighborhoods with the blinking plastic Santas, converge on this older part of town to stroll the streets and see what the holidays used to look like. I spent some time there last week, wandering around with a camera, so that you might have a look, too.

This will probably be my last post for a while as I'm taking some time off from blogging to enjoy the holidays. If the weather cooperates, there might even be some sailing.

Thanks for all of your support in getting this blog going this year. Hopefully, I'll see you next year.

From our dock to yours, peace.




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