Happy New Year From Huggybear!

December 31 to January 6

Stories: Huggybear’s New Year Message. Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere. Guy Lombardo and the Royal Canadians

 

Huggybear’s New Year Message

Life is beautiful, so precious to squander on things that hold us back from a life of happiness, fulfillment and inner peace. Life goes on whatever we may feel, whatever may happen to us, whatever we imagine. It's something to think about as we all receive the gift of a new beginning. This is Huggybear wishing you a Happy New Year and may The Force be with you!

Mister New Year

One of the most cherished New Year traditions in North America from the 1920s to the 70s is listening to the live radio broadcasts of the legendary Guy Lombardo and the red-coated Royal Canadians, usually from the grand ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria. It was timeless music: 2 pianos, 2 trumpets, 3 saxophones, a trombone, a flute and a tuba for bass. The immortal composer Irving Berlin calls it "The sweetest music this side of heaven." (Berlin gave the world A White Christmas, Cheek To Cheek and many other musical treasures). "Hello," as Auld Lang Syne begins to play. "This is Guy Lombardo welcoming you to our New Year Eve's party!"

Huggybear’s Favorite Filipino Novel

Noli Me Tangere, Jose Rizal's literary classic in the same league as Uncle Tom's Cabin and To Kill A Mockingbird, paints a portrait of Spanish rule and Filipino culture during the colonial period in 19th century Philippines. The young protagonist Crisostomo Ibarra returns from his college studies in Europe and discovers that his father Don Rafael has died mysteriously. He investigates and comes face to face with an evil greater than he ever imagined. Everything he thought was true turned out to be a lie, even the real identity of his fiance Maria Clara. But he found a faithful ally, the young rebel leader Elias, who sprang him out of prison when the whole town of San Diego turned againts him. Crisostomo and Elias tried to escape but Spanish soldiers opened fire on them. Elias was found by the orphan Basilio, who would return as a teenager in the sequel El Filibusterismo. Basilio would be witness to what happened to Crisostomo on that fateful night, when Elias died "without seeing the dawn!"