Kyle Leitch’s Christmas vacation
It’s never too early to start thinking about how you should spend next Christmas
Kyle Leitch
Contributor
The turkey is gone, the presents are unwrapped, everybody hates everybody once again —Christmas is finally over. Aside from the standard holiday chaos, here’s what Kyle Leitch, the resident A&C cynic, was up to this holiday season.
Stuart McLean & The Vinyl Cafe Live
Stuart McLean has been writing Vinyl Cafe stories since 1994. If you haven’t heard Mr. McLean’s monotone voice vividly bringing his stories about Dave and Morley and their hilarious mishaps alive, then you have been missing out. Stuart McLean and Hawksley Workman entertained the sold-out Conexus Arts Center with a combination of dry wit and indie rock. Since the CBC was there taping for the Christmas radio special, Stuart also got to have some fun goofing on his technical producer. Make an effort to see this show next Christmas!
Holiday Specials: The Leitch Edition
Most people stick to a traditional fare of Christmas movies and specials to warm the cockles of their hearts. Me, I do things a bit differently. While most people are shedding a tear when James Stewart tells Clarence that he wants to live again, I’m watching Bruce Willis detonate Alan Rickman to the tune of “Blue Christmas” in Die Hard. Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, Eight Crazy Nights, and Bad Santa are the Christmas features on show at my house. Provisions are made for The Grinch, A Christmas Story, and the Yule Log.
Platinum Trophies
What says holidays more than sinking dozens of hours into many, many video games? The ol’ Playstation got quite a workout this holiday. Yours truly attained platinum trophies in both inFamous games, American McGee’s Alice: Madness Returns, Flower, and Heavy Rain. Who needs a social life when you’ve got the warm glow of a television to keep you company?
Robin Hood at the Globe Theatre
Is it just me, or has the quality at the Globe Theatre been slipping, as of late? Between Prince John’s Barbara Walters-esque speech impediment, the absolute villainy of the Sheriff of Nottingham, faked archery, and general smugness of the rest of the cast, something about this play just didn’t add up for me. I know the Christmas play is always supposed to be kid-friendly, but there is such a thing as going too far. Also, can someone enlighten me as to why they always seem to have the villains of the play talking about the Food Bank drive after the show?
Reading a book
Sometimes, the strain technology puts on the eyes and mind gets to great. Sometimes, it’s nice to sit in front of the Yule Log and read a good book. With it being Christmas, I finally picked up David Sedaris’ book of essays tilted – wait for it – Holidays on Ice. Compared to Sedaris, my family’s particular brand of crazy seems normal. And isn’t needless competition and bad craziness what the holidays are really about after all?
