Olde Towne Christmas
Mike reflects candidly on Christmas during a walk through the Olde Towne East neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio. With WANDA out of service at the moment, he's forced to walk without his usual musical accompaniment and instead focus on the unseasonably warm weather. Mike encourages viewers to cherish time with their families and avoid getting entangled in the stresses often associated with the season. He emphasizes the importance of looking out for one's neighbors before heading off to enjoy a simple Christmas treat for himself.
Good afternoon, this is Mike George coming at you — ho, ho, ho, and a bottle of rum — because it is Christmas time here on “Open Mike LIVE.”
I’ll just pretend our audio is working perfectly, even though in reality, WANDA isn’t quite feeling herself today. Both of her speakers are unfortunately out of service, so I’ve been downgraded to just carrying around a big 6-foot stick. There's no musical reason for it today; it’s back to its original purpose of visibility and carriage capacity. It’s actually a bit weird not having my usual setup with me. I’m so used to carrying everything around and being paranoid about things getting lost or stolen, but since it’s Christmas, I figure the only person who should be burdened with a bunch of gear is Santa. I hope he brought you all some good tidings and gifts this fine Monday afternoon.
In Columbus, it is a beautiful day. It’s roughly 15 degrees (60F) out; it feels wonderful! I’m not even wearing my oversized coats, just a hoodie. I could probably be in shorts, but you know how Ohio is; if you wait a few hours, the weather will change and catch you with your pants down. It would be a waste not to be outside on a day like this, so I’m taking a walk. Since WADNA is out of commission and my phone isn't occupied playing music, I actually have the rare chance to just talk to you guys.
I want to wish a very Merry Christmas to all of you from me, WANDA, and the rest of the family here in Columbus. We love you! I hope your day is full of love and cheer, and not just stress and running around. Savor the time you have with your family. I know people often treat family like a burden, but take it from someone who doesn't have family close by: you don’t know how lucky you are. I get envious of people who can just go up the street to see their mom. It’s been at least 20 years since I could do that. My mother is in Taiwan, and with the 12-hour time difference, I’ve probably already missed the mark for Christmas Day there. I’ll have to call her tomorrow; I’m sure she’s doing fine.
I hope the weather is lovely wherever you are. I hear the Plains might have snow, and California is probably facing some disaster, but here in Ohio, it’s just stunning. I managed to waste half the day inside, and I’m only just now getting out to marvel at it. But hey, it’s Christmas, It's time to play with toys! I might be the only one without a new toy today, but I still have WANDA.
Even if she’s not playing music, she keeps my creativity going. People always ask what she is—some even suggest lighting her on fire for a video! I don’t know about that; even in my "bougie" days, I didn't have the money to just burn speakers for fun. That must be a TikTok thing.
I’m about to cross Broad Street now — and they don’t call it "Broad" for nothing. It’s not quite as crazy as the 16 lanes on Route 270, where Ohio drivers somehow still manage to hog the left lane, but it’s plenty wide. Anyway, we shouldn’t be talking about taxes or traffic today; it’s a day for giving. I’m heading over to the Duchess convenience store to get myself a little Christmas present using my rewards card — a meatball sub and a big chocolate chip cookie. Shoutout to the ladies on the late-night shift there; they see me quite a bit!
The parking lots are pretty dead today, but thankfully the Duchess is open. It’s been a favorite spot of mine lately. They even have Yoo-hoos for a good price, and those are getting difficult to find.
On that note, I hope you all get out there and do some singing and caroling. Let the joy of the season lift your spirits. This is Mike George from Olde Towne East in Columbus, Ohio. Take care of yourselves, take care of your neighbors, and check on Santa too — he’s had a lot of work to do. Love y'all!
