Year of the Mutt

What is . . .

1. the Triple AAA family (hint: think African-American Armenian)

2. January 20, 2009

3. January 26, 2009 - Chinese New Year

Wait, Wait - don't tell me.

THE YEAR OF THE MUTT

And, so we begin!

Friday, January 16

Yep, we are going to chocolate city on Saturday while we can still get across the Memorial Bridge. This is a ceremonial "eve" celebration of The Year of the Mutt (aka, TYOM).

In past years, you have gotten our Christmas cards (we will be posting a few to help your memory).

At some point, life became a little out of control, which required us to shift to New Year's Cards (and yes, we will post a few of these too). For some this also included an invitation to begin the "new" year with a dose of hoppin' John, Collards & Gumbo) This was an add-on for those close enuf to get there (as opposed to those close by thoughts, words & deed).

To celebrate 2009 - with all of its momentous events & window-dressing - welcome to the initial entry to the annual Blog greeting - TYOM! Not as tasty, perhaps, as gumbo; certainly not likely to have the tradition of insuring coins (hoppin' john) and bills (collards) - but certainly the promise is that

1. it will be different - it may even be amusing

2. ah, it will be, as they say, "inclusive" since that's what we've always been about, for better or worse.

3. it will be timely - not too much nostalgia - except when you hear (if you haven't already) the "whb" story

So, follow it's strange twists and you can take it or leave it - the best of all possible choices.

The Year of the Mutt

It begins with a long family tradition. Grandfather, Eugene M. Seymour (Yup, same name as one of the authors), who referred to himself as a mongrel, proud as he was of the New England, African-American by default & choice heritage, a family named Seymour. During civil rights and black power years (the 60's, right?), this was not so popular. But in the 1940's - Hey, this is what's happening!

In 1989, we began to hold up the family tradition, when the Seymour & Nahikian clan sent a 1989 "new" year greeting -

In 1994, however, the tradition became even more pronounced clear with the "new" year's greeting . . .

We promised not too much nostalgia...so fast forward:

2009

* a President who would certainly fit into any AAA celebration - elected in part by Chafin's 1st Presidential vote in the great state of OHIO, only 40 years after I, his mother, spent the summer of 1968 in protest of it all...ending with a magnificent encounter with the Chicago Police!

and

*President-elect Obama's respect for the Seymour-Nahikian long-standing family tradition, when - in a speech on date?, 2008 (prize for who can fill this in from a google) - said "I am just a mutt."

Celebrate - The Year of the Mutt with us as we make the Seymour-Nahikian family tradition a national phenomena!

(TYOM on-line store, where you will be able to collect the appropriate celebratory gear, is not open yet, but will be available soon. It will include TYOM Hoppin' John, TYOM cornbread mix, and of course, the TYOM door knocker now being designed. Limited editors of the historic cards are now being uploaded, but we haven't figured out how to take credit cards, yet!)