The Observation Deck

Well here is our final offering for the year 2023. Once again we have seen more than we ever saw before or for many, more than we wanted to see. Father Time rolls along. It seems like only yesterday I was a kid playing in the snow, starting my first night club, starting a motorsports team, no, starting a paper. In reality that was 60 years ago, 45 years ago, 40 years ago, no, 20 years ago! God time flies, and stands still for no one. This past year we have seen many new Lakewoodites arrive here in Lakewood, and sadly we saw many move, and/or leave this world. It is the churn of life, and life here in Lakewood.

With that in mind, we hand over Volume 19, Issue 24, filled with life, hope, contests, beautiful homes and more. We hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoy putting them all together. This year saw a slew of new writers and photographers help out. I would encourage you to join, and share your stories and photos, after all the best stories and photos are the ones that are shared. The Lakewood Observer has compiled 20 years of news, stories, photos and art of life in the city we love, Lakewood, Ohio. Please take the time to join, it's free, and share.

This issue has the 2023 Holiday Lighting Contest, and in a year filled with war, and health issues, what a great way to relax, and see the joy our neighbors are sharing with us. This year we distilled it down to 60 amazing homes. Please take the time to see them and vote. This year we included the addresses early so that you and your family can go out and see the amazing work. With no snow, perhaps a walk around Lakewood is something we should all do, before sitting down to a winter's feast.

As we look forward to 2024, I would like to stop and give thanks to Deb O'Bryan and Betsy Voinovich, who keep the LO train on the tracks and moving forward.

Please stop at over 100 locations, and pick up a printed version of the Lakewood Observer, or you can download the digital version here:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.lakewood ... sue_24.pdf

Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanza, and Happiest of New Years to you and yours.

peace/love

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Merry Christmas, Jim
I hope we can get together after the holidays.
Dan

Dan Alaimo wrote:Merry Christmas, Jim
I hope we can get together after the holidays.
Dan

Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Would love to get together, anytime.

.

Out of curiosity, can anyone explain the comic strip on the back page? I'm not understanding "Two weeks it still looks the same". Is that two weeks of it being the Pop Up Christmas bar? And, if so, I still don't get it.

Matthew Lee wrote:Out of curiosity, can anyone explain the comic strip on the back page? I'm not understanding "Two weeks it still looks the same". Is that two weeks of it being the Pop Up Christmas bar? And, if so, I still don't get it.

The cartoonist Rob, and his wife, Silvia, frequent Around the Corner Christmas Bar, while the cartoonist loves the place his wife is nuts for the place. Between the last two issues of the paper, they stopped by often. She was always amazed, and he was amazed at how amazed she was every time. Like it was a brand new adventure.

Matt, I am sure we all no people that act like every time is the first time, where some of of us older, more jaded people, are less thrilled, but happy and thrilled to be with the other person.

Help?

If not I can go into the conversation that happened on this one strip. Normally Rob just send them in, and it is a delightful surprise to all of us.

Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, and the Happiest of New Years.

peace
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Thanks, Jim. It does help. Appreciate it and hope you and family have a great Holiday season and a very Happy New Year!