The festive season can be lonely for many
By Old Grumpy Guy on December 25, 2008 at 8:13 PM in Depression, Economy, Employment, OldGrumpyGuy, Open Thread
The Christmas to New Year period can be the loneliest time of the year for those not celebrating with family or friends, or who are stuck in the rut of depression. There are many more lonely people out there than most of us can imagine, and in the current economic climate there is no doubt a lot more personal depression to go along with the financial depression.
While I do not want to spread despondency or gloom, I wanted to try to give expression to the kind of isolation and emptiness that many experience during the Christmas period and through the winter months. This video is the result.
It is the second video in a series called “Painting With Music”, where I tried to match music to video footage that has been processed to look like moving paintings. The first one in the series is called “Sunrise” and is a much more cheerful video.
Once again I would like to wish all NQ readers a great new year and to express thanks for the kind comments about my previous videos and the pieces I have written specially for NQ.
(Release: November 13)
on sale for only $16.95.
has a spatula.)
8% Off at $11.95, with a rare five-star ranking by 294 customers: 
And check out these: 
("This crazy redhead is on to something. Her pink Rambler story alone is worth the price of the book," writes 
- “Richard Sale’s reportage on Washington, the CIA, the American armed forces, and foreign intrigue has created a perfect background for this account of the steady growth of President Clinton as a master of the game of nations.”--W. Patrick Lang, former head of Middle East Operations, DIA
"Anne C. Heller's stunning biography of Ayn Rand" uses a "plethora of newly unearthed research and fresh insight."
Merry Christmas, No Quarter!
xoxoxo
(special positive vibes and good wishes to all those who are lonely, struggling and sad this holiday time.)
Merry Obama Christmas. For he is the reason we celebrate so joyously this year!
OGG, this should be titled “Images to Open Your Wrists With”. If I wasn’t depressed before, I sure am now. (kidding). Nice work though, I liked the atmosphere it created.
I did wonder if it was too depressing to put out. Next time I’ll have something more cheerful.
How about a nice Greek tragedy? Watching Oedipus gouge his eyes out could be very cathartic this holiday season.
Othello could chipper us all up too!
That’s a wonderful choice! We could stick with thematic continuity and follow that up with the light hearted Anthony Hopkins movie “Titus”. Gosh, I don’t know about you, but just the thought of it has given me the urge to go out caroling.
Glad I cheered you up.
Thankyou!
“Deck the halls with rendered viscera, fa la la la la, la la la la.”
and some fava beans with a nice chianti
And I thought NQ readers were sensitive, caring people!
Think again.
OGG, this video, coupled with the music, did a good job of conveying a sense of loneliness from isolation. The only thing that feels worse, I think, is experiencing loneliness when in the midst of a crowd. I agree with whoever said: “If I’m going to be lonely, I’d rather be by myself.”
yes, particularly around Christmas time.
Oh man! you really harshed my buzz dude! Now I’m back where I started. And Mirth is part of your name? Damn!
Your words reveal you as an impostor. NQ readers do not use terms like “dude”.
Ck out the dinner courts at the Homeless shelters — 2 or 3 hours is really a wake up call.
The kids really make one understand the true meaning of Christmas as they gleefully talk about their presents(mostly small cheap and sometimes second hand. more clothes than toys usually.) But when you talk to them its like they won the lottery.
I didn’t think they had kids at homeless shelters
If they didn’t before they sure do now. Whole families are at shelters now.
that’s sad
I was being facetious. And I’ll resist mightily you procrustean efforts to classify me as a bot.(That last sentence alone should remove me from the ranks of botdom). I have teenagers, there’s a degree of osmosis. Need I say more?
Well, since you resist mightily, and have teenagers to cope with (that can be a lonely experience!) I will say no more
Sorry. I would never deliberately “harsh anybody’s buzz.” Mirth is the byproduct of embracing absurdity. It works for me.
“dude” is part of the bot vocabulary
Dang. Dude is bot vocabulary? We’ll have to rename our Betta Fish. Cuz he wouldn’t have voted for Obama.
He might have. There was that case of a goldfish who was registered to vote. Did ACORN stop by your house last summer while you were out?
Obama was not lonely?
Obama testifies for federal prosecutors
“Obama sat down last week with four investigators looking into the alleged attempt to sell his former Senate seat. As a witness, rather than a target, Obama seems to have had an easier time with the experience than some of his predecessors. But it is certainly not the way he wanted to begin his presidency.”
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/12/25/americas/26memo-396233.php
what is the music to this video, please?
The music is “Longing” from a symphonic suite called “Passion’s Progress”
Oh, you did a diary about me? How nice! Yesterday was hell. I am in a lot of financial stress and I was really let down by a person I was seeing who I am just not going to bother with anymore….probably for the best. But leaving me alone on Christmas with no warning just two weeks after leaving me alone on my b-day with no warning (I think he has some issues with holidays) is just too much. No one you are sleeping with should be the final straw that sends you in to a wrist slitting fantasy on Christmas.
I will clear up my financial mess somehow and he can take a hike.
OGG, thanks for the cool video.
My wife and I usually don’t have people over on Christmas day. They’re often elsewhere doing other things. Yesterday was an exception. I had a house full of people for Christmas afternoon tea and the lighting of the menorah candles on the 5th night of Chanukah. My wife needed me in the kitchen so I got up from the couch, walked across the living room, stubbed my toe and broke it. I’m 61 and that’s the first time I ever broke anything.
Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays. If not, do something about it. I know what it’s like to be lonely and miserable on holidays but I did something about it when I was 23. I decided where the best place might be to meet my mate, a free university course. Sure enough, there she was. That was 1971 and we’ve been together ever since. Of course, I blame her for my broken toe but that’s what makes are for.
Happy Holidays, everyone!
Oops, makes was supposed to be mates.
hello…
Great job. But not enought info. Where can i read more?…
diet in the greek army…
Nevertheless there will always be a minority who will not get the point you are trying to make….