December 2004

Brad’s Corner is a monthly commentary written by Brad about whatever he feels like. It’s supposed to be funny, interesting and thought provoking, but most geniuses are misunderstood. Check out the December 2004 edition of Brad’s Corner and see what’s on his mind. Christmas is a special time of year in every family. Most have gatherings and traditions reserved for that time of year. My family is no different. We do the usual: have a meal, open presents, sing carols. However, we have one up on the rest of the world–at least in our hearts we do. In our family, we have a tradition every Christmas Eve, that started with my grandfather, Louie Beard Jr.

He was my mother’s father, a simple man from Penelope, TX who enjoyed no time of year quite like he did Christmas. The man lived for it. One year around his favorite time of year he suffered a major heart attack that almost took him from us forever. Grandad had already purchased our gifts, but there was one problem. He was in the hospital and our gifts weren’t wrapped. Unable to wrap the gifts in the usual sense, he stuck all the presents in paper grocery sacks. This act started a tradition we continue every Christmas.

Now on Christmas Eve, we party and visit until the early hours of Christmas morning and wait for everyone except the immediate family to leave. Then we begin opening our gifts. We take turns unwrapping one at a time until we have opened all the traditionally wrapped presents. All that is left are a handful of paper sacks under the tree. We save them for last because no matter what is inside, they are more special than the rest of gifts combined because of what they symbolize.

This tradition grows in nostalgia and importance each year and has become stronger since my Grandad’s passing in 1993. As long as I’m alive, the tradition of paper sacks at Christmas will be alive in my family.

Minor Chords: -Sorry for the sappiness. Wanted to do something special for Christmas. Will be back to sarcasm and humor next month.

-The 2nd Annual Tore Up BBQ at TXANGEL’s house was a big success. Looking forward to GreenFest and a possible 1st Annual Galleywinter Fish Fry sponsored by PETA. We’re inviting the circus and rodeo to participate.

-I invented a new drink the other night. Mix some 180 Orange Energy Drinks with Vodka and you have a Screwdriver on 11. We came up with another name for it, but that name is not fit to print.

-Since the year’s ending I’ll list my favorites of this year:

Top 10 Albums 1. Randy Rogers Band-Rollercoaster 2. Waylon Payne-The Drifter 3. Charlie Robison-Good Times 4. Pat Green-Lucky Ones 5. Jack Ingram-Acoustic Motel 6. Jet-Get Born 7. Mike McClure-Everything Upside Down 8. Mark Sanders-Guide Me Home 9. Waylon Jennings Tribute Album 10. Pauline Reese-The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

Band of the Year Wade Bowen and West 84. Every show I saw these guys do this year was top notch. With Frenchy, without Frenchy, it didn’t matter. They rocked. They sounded the best opening up for Pat in Waco at the HOT Exhibit Building back in March.

Songwriter of the Year Radney Foster. He had great co-writes on Rollercoaster and Lucky Ones. Plus, Keith Urban took “Raining On Sunday” to Number 1.

Movie of the Year Comedy: Napoleon Dynamite. (barely edges out Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle) Drama: Ray DVD: Run Ronnie Run

-We’ve been through a lot this last year around here. Started out by winning the GWE Website Award and then had several tumultuous months and now we’re rockin’ ballz again. In the wise words of Patrick Craven Green….”I’m still here!”

-I saw a funny shirt when I went to the UT game last month. It said “We only need 11 men.” Apparently, the Aggies couldn’t even beat Baylor with 12 men.

-Heard a good joke the other day:

Son: “Dad, where did all my intelligence come from?”

Dad: “Well, son, you must have gotten it from your mother, because I still have mine.”

-We’re having a big Randy Rogers Band Choir Revival at City Limits Stephenville on New Years Eve. Make sure you lace em up tight that night because we’re gonna be doing some rejoiceful praising that may hurt us for a few days afterwards.

-How come Gwen Stefani gets away with saying “stupid hoe” in her new song but if a rapper or hard rock band say that phrase it gets edited? Looks like the world is finally ready for my band, T.B.A.

-G Dub messed up by nominating Condaleeza Rice as Secretary of State. The obvious replacement for Colin Powell was Anna Nicole Smith.

-Pat’s going on tour with Kenny Chesney and he’s opening for Big and Rich on New Year’s Eve. Are y’all sure the world didn’t end back on Y2K?

-It’s nice to see a lot of familiar faces back slacking off here on Galleywinter during their work days. Welcome back. Stay!

-I close each column with that Mark Twain quote. I’m distantly related to him somehow. I’m sure his side of the family is where the smartass comes from.

-Of all the things I’ve lost, I miss my mind the most.-Mark Twain