Most people, at the end of a vacation, regret having wasted time and think about all the cool things they could have done if only they’d been a bit more ambitious.
Not here.
Franklin and I have been calling it the “16 days of Christmas,” and God damn have we squeezed every last bit of it.
But there’s got to be a morning after, and today we return to school, but still basking in the glow of that epic fortnight plus.
I’ve been out of town on vacation the past few days so I’m not really certain, but word on the street is we have now crossed over into the year 2026.
Hmm.
For a review of 2025… check out today’s episode of Math and Musings.
When someone asks me my favorite holiday I never hesitate in my response.
New Year’s Eve.
Some people start celebrating at 11:59 p.m., some people start at 11:00, some people start at noon.
Me?
I already started.
Tomorrow, December 30, is a big day in the sports world. It’s the birthday of possibly the greatest golfer, basketball player, and lefthanded pitcher of all time.
Never heard this one before? Tiger Woods, Sandy Koufax, and LeBron James all share a birthday?
And tomorrow, December 30, 2025, is an especially memorable milestone for two of those gentlemen. Koufax turns 90, which means, since he famously retired at 30, he’s now been out of baseball for two-thirds of his life.
Tiger turns 50 tomorrow, which would have been major (pun intended) news if not for the various recent injuries that have derailed a potential senior tour career.
Still, you never know.
And LeBron turning 41? Well, he’s got pretty much every other NBA record… 10 more players to pass on this one.
And you have like the coolest birthday ever.
Today on Math and Musings Franklin and I celebrate all things Christmas, reviewing the holiday and our schedule leading up to it.
Spoiler alert: we did pretty well.
Enjoy.
You heard it here in 2025… slight adjustment to not only the Christmas schedule but to The 365 Greatest Movies Ever Made and the Days You Should Watch Them. For years it was Home Alone on December 23 and A Christmas Story on the 24th. Four Christmases now of watching A Christmas Story Christmas tells me this one deserves the coveted Christmas Eve spot. Put the original on December 23 and roll Home Alone back to the 21st. Home Alone 2 on the 22nd… that one’s been growing on me too. Come to think about it, a lot of Christmas movies have been growing on me recently, especially ones with a relatable clumsy Dad in the story (that’s all of them).
The second edition of 365 might have to start Christmas movies in about October.
Monday with no school… real vacation starts today.
Which is to say, double time on getting to all the items on our Christmas schedule.
Oh, not buying presents or any of that jazz. I did that weeks ago. This is when we do all 100 things one must complete between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
I’m at like 74 right now.
And it’s go time.
This past weekend Franklin and I were in the old country (Binghamton, New York), enjoying a couple of the few nice things Binghamton has to offer: hockey and good fellowship.
Today on Math and Musings Franklin and I reminisce about said journey.
Enjoy.
You know it’s been cold when you see the forecast for the following day and think… wow, 40, that’s pretty warm.
Where am I, Binghamton?
Break out the shorts and t-shirts because it’s summertime ’round these parts!
This weekend I was in the old country (Binghamton, New York), visiting some friends and seeing some minor league hockey. (That’s pretty much the only things Binghamton has going for it.)
More details of said trip will come Friday. It’s more the total of many, many trips I’ve made over the years that has become noteworthy.
Tell most people you’ve driven your car 240,000 miles and they’ll say, “Wow, almost 250.”
Tell people you’ve driven the equivalent of to the moon?
Yeah, that gets ’em.