Merry Christmas!

First, the disclaimer:

This is not my video. I have never been to this village.

Now, that being said...it could be any and all of the villages Lithus and I have visited. The grocery stores I know look like this one. The schools, the fields, even the post offices. And mostly, the people. The people I know are this happy, look this kind, are as wonderful as these people appear.

So happy holidays, from Alaska.

Not Tubing, Tubas

Last weekend, Lithus and I stumbled onto a free carols concert in downtown Anchorage. It was all tubas, all the time. In fact, it billed itself as Tuba Christmas. Tuba players from all over the state come together in various towns and cities, dress themselves, dress their horns, and play Christmas music. As my best friend, the Divine M put it, Tubas huh. That must have been something. When I think of Christmas music (or I guess really music in general) tuba is not the first instrument I think of. Interesting.

Now, in fairness, while I do think of brass ensembles, I don't necessarily think of tubas. Or I didn't realize I thought of tubas. I had no freaking idea all of these instruments were in the tuba family. No clue. But they are. It was a delightful, unexpected find. And trust me, if you'd seen them and heard it, you'd think tubas from now on, too.