[The theme of his upcoming album, which follows his short Christmas CD released last year, is] pretty much love, ... Not sexual love, but love as in 'love your neighbor.'

That quest for something pretty. A cheat. A cliche. Flowers and Christmas lights, it's what we're programmed to love.

Christmas was pretty dismal this year.

It used to light up during Christmas. It looked pretty amazing.

Best of all, Christmas means a spirit of love, a time when the love of God and the love of our fellow men should prevail over all hatred and bitterness, a time when our thoughts and deeds and the spirit of our lives manifest the presence of God.

Considering everybody else around here, we came out good. Mom, she's living and still around. That's a pretty good Christmas present.