Yo…

Enjoy this rare Christmas treat from me.

When it comes to Christmas I’m usually Team Grinch.Seasonally I get visited by three ghosts which is super annoying when you’re trying to sleep. If you’re gonna show me my future can you show some of the naps I’m destined to take??

The weather outside is always going to be more ugly than your co-worker’s sweater.Cue Bill Withers on The Weather Network: “Ain’t no sunshine when she’s goneIt’s not warm when she's awayAin’t no sunshine when she’s goneAnd she’s always gone too longAnytime she goes away.”

Thanks Bill. Now here’s Marvin Gaye with breaking news; he wants to know …What’s Going On?

Happily this year I’m departing for Vegas where hopefully my three ghosts are from The Rat Pack. (Whatever happens in Vegas will sadly not end up in a future newsletter. You know the rule…) Still: “Always bet on black.”

Anyways less attitude more gratitude. (That sounds like how Mr. T would raise his kids.)For this past year you dutifully open these newsletters up; not really knowing what to expect. (Same; I’m often surprised at what comes out too!)You read My Pal Sammy, you shared em. Sometimes you commented. That’s surreal.I end most of my podcast episodes with “thank you for listening to me in a Netflix world” because I recognize that we all have entertainment options. You can spend your time with any creator, any song…any book or TV show and more. That you spend any time in this hectic pop culture world with me in surreal. Like, really?

And strangely the whole value of this newsletter is to recommend freshtastic options for you. So I’m working against myself?

Huh: guess the prophecy of my third grade report card has come true. Long way to repeat and quote Elvis (Vegas baby!):Thank You.Thank You Very Much.There’s some really great posts this year covering Slender Man, James Bond, UFOs and OJ. And the podcast conversations attached to many newsletter were scintillating. Sure I participated in them yet I walked away having learned new truths and made connections that have shaped my thinking.Hosting a podcast is like that thing…you know when you go to volunteer or give of your time selflessly yet you end up benefiting way more than the people you’re trying to help? Yeah that thing. I get so much out of My Summer Lair.

That being said, the next 2 weeks My Pal Sammy will go dark.Like a farmer who lets the ground go fallow before planting a new crop. This is the last newsletter for 2022 but it shall return on January 12, 2023. I’m excited! I hope you are too. My inner 14-year-old girl says I should include a heart emoji ❤️ right about now.

So I’m grateful for that and for you Dear Reader.

Now as if me using an emoji isn’t enough; I got you a Christmas treat. What, yo!

Mills & Hunte are a saxophone duo from Toronto. Their IG bio reads: “sax duo that brings a smooth twist to music, art, and harmony.” All true if you’ve listened to Silver & Gold their recently released Christmas EP.

The lead single Joy & Love is a message they feel that should resonate with the people during this holiday season. (Resonate was their album released before Silver & Gold.)

Christmas is a time of gatherings: from the office potluck to dinners with families and loved ones. All that jazz. But there is also an underappreciated and often unrecognized loneliness. Not everybody has somebody. The great thing about Joy & Love is they’re free to give and they make such a huge impact. So give freely. All year round too.

This conversation with these dudes was lots of fun and was indeed filled with joy and love. We cover the NBA: one of them is a Toronto Raptors fan. One of them is a Dallas Mavericks fan. I’m not telling you who is who you got to listen to the episode.

One of em likes the new Nas album and to be honest that album is fire fire fire. The other is married to a lovely woman who makes delicious turkey. Delicious turkey is also fire fire fire.

(I’m hungry as I write this, so I’m not really sure if delicious turkey or the delicious Nas album is better. Thoughts?)

More? One of em was inspired by Lisa Simpson and one of em likes Mac & Cheese. All of those things are joy and love. But it’s more than just that good stuff for this Christmas season as you’ll hear from the 2 erudite gentlemen.Hit play and you’ll hear what I mean.

You can also see em live on Christmas Eve from 2-4pm at Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto: #PantsWorthy.Bring someone who brings you Joy & Love. You can hear that single on this episode; however my favourite tracks on their Silver & Gold Christmas EP is Honour & Power.

That’s it for 2022. Hope Santa is good to you.

So here we are: Christmas 2022. To paraphrase James Gordon: “Because this is the Christmas we got, but not the one we want right now.” Hopefully over the holidays you get to spend time time and be sarcastic with the ones you love. Because distance doesn’t affect sarcasm. And if Santa is good to you...well: that is disappointing.

The coolest people are often on the naughty list. I’m hanging out with the wrong people; aren’t I?

Guess that's what New Year's Resolutions are for...make more friends with the naughty list crew.

More of a brown Grinch than a green Grinch,Sammy Younan-28-

Sammy Younan is the affable host of My Summer Lair podcast: think NPR’s Fresh Air meets Kevin Smith: interviews & impressions on Pop Culture.

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