Why I love Brenda Lee

It's November 2. There's an undeniable chill in the Midwestern air, and while channel surfing on the radio en route to the office this morning, I heard the lilting tones of Burl Ives emanating from my crappy speakers. Ya gotta love Burl. (Back in the day, he was an EIU student. All the cool kids were.) "Have a holly jolly Christmas," he said.

Could it be? Is it Christmastime?

Yes, I guess it is.

93.9 FM plays Christmas music all season long. And yes, the "season" starts now. For me, the holiday season starts with Halloween. It's a holiday, people! So why not tune into Christmas tunage immediately after? Why restrict Andy Williams to one month out of the year? Why, indeed!!!

After my buddy Burl, the next song was Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree." This is the only song I ever bought on a 45. (For those of you who don't know what a 45 is, you're too young, and you can kiss my aging ass.) I love that song. I get a sentimental feeling when I hear it. And yet, for about eight years, it never played in my home.

To say Christopher didn't like the song is like saying I don't like being on fire. He hated it. That, and "Jingle Bell Rock." He never said I couldn't play it, but it wasn't worth it. So I didn't listen to it.

For eight years.

So today, I cranked up the volume, rolled down the windows and revelled in the complete and utter joy that comes with being the DJ of my own life, and the knowledge that I will never again allow another person's taste dictate my own.

And by the way, I eat red meat, I love dairy products, I feed the cats from the table and I still believe a wedding ring is essentially just a piece of jewelry and it doesn't matter if you wear it as long as you remember you're married.