Christmas Links #12

 
Links  Thanks to the 50th anniversary and my fan gene being at its most bulbous, for much of 2013 this blog was dedicated to all things Doctor Who with weekly blog posts writing around various stories, one for each year (expect another ten later next year covering the Capaldi and Whittaker years) and days links to various things tangentially linked to those stories (and other stuff).  

So as a change, Review 2013 was called Not The Doctor and dedicated to some things I'd enjoyed over the previous twelve months and other whatsits, one of the few occasions when the annual review on this blog was an actual annual review.  It ended with the Alanis Morrissette song which was the rather obvious reference point.  

There's the usual whiff of desperation as I'm trying to fill every day with something even to the point of finally putting my (until then) one proper piece of fan fiction, the Buffy/ Friends/ Dawsons/ MSCL/ Northern Exposure/ Quantum Leap/ X-Files/ DS9/ Voyager crossover everyone has been hankering for in which most of the characters discover they're fictional and Dawson pirates Star Wars.

As is the case with blogs of some longevity, there are pieces in here I'd completely forgotten about, like transcribing a Cornwallis essay, On Revolution, which is thought to have influenced Hamlet and singing in a Karoke Shower at Birmingham Library.  None of which means I didn't review that year's Doctor Who Christmas special.  You can probably guess what I did with the title.

"Q: My husband of thirty years died last year, and this will be my second Christmas without him. Last year was awful, and even though family were supportive, I’m dreading Christmas this year and feeling anxious just thinking about it. I’m worried people think I should be over it by now, I think I should be over it - and I don’t want to ruin everyone’s day. Should I still be struggling?"

"Take the stress out of festivities by figuring out what means most to you, and discover your own new traditions along the way…"

"More people are hiring festive essentials this year, to stretch finances during the cost of living crisis, and be more sustainable."

"As the beloved film turns 30, Brian Henson lifts the lid on the challenges he faced on set, collaborating with Disney and the When Love Is Gone saga."

"Batman, Barbie, and more unlikely folks who needed three spirits, time travel, and a holiday lesson."

Christmas gaming (1973)
"Raymond Baxter demonstrates the latest in Christmas gift technology - the games console.  This clip is from Tomorrow's World."

[Emulated] "The Magnavox Odyssey was the first home video game console, predating the Atari Pong home consoles by three years. The Odyssey was designed by Ralph Baer, who had a working prototype finished by 1968. This prototype is affectionately known as the "Brown Box" to classic video game hobbyists."

"Some Christmas hits might feel like they've been around forever - but are they more recent than you think?"

"About a 100 tractors decorated in festive lighting will parade through villages and towns in the Midlands.  The annual Christmas parade heads through North Warwickshire, Nuneaton, Bedworth and Hinckley in a bid to raise money for three local charities."

"Throughout the mid-20th century, shopping centers across the United States featured an unusual Christmas tradition: kiddie monorail rides. In this video we’ll identify as many of these rides as I could find, explore where and when they were built, and discuss who was responsible for manufacturing them."

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