Hey, Merry Christmas, everyone.

I haven't been to church, and especially the church of my childhood, for a long time, but I went with my family today for the Christmas Eve service. I got there early because my parents and sister were rehearsing with the choir. I went off to hide in the church library, intending to read a novel, but I first started looking at the bookshelf and ( Read more... )

I've had a very good holiday!
( personal banality! )

Merry Christmas, if you're into that.

Jeffrey Friedman's generous extension on the book review deadline means that I can finally, for the first time in many weeks, take a load off; just in time: happy new year, everyone. I love you guys.
( Read more... )

Now is the time for me to engage in the time honored masculine tradition of anesthetizing myself to otherwise painful realities in my personal life by focusing on my work. Unfortunately, it's an endless winter break and so the incentives to actually do work are very thin.
( Read more... )

It is now Christmas day, in that weird wee-hours way that only seems to matter at particularly momentous times--holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, etc. Does one celebrate now or after one has slept? What happens if one does not sleep, where is the delineation ( Read more... )

I owe yourpalfootfoot big time. Notice the turnaround ( Read more... )

First, I want to say that I feel perfectly at ease right now. I spent all morning adjudicating Diplomacy orders, which induces a sort of meditative state. I'm worry-less.
( So let's talk about Christmas )

It's getting to be Christmas-time; as a result, Grandma is home; as a result, my belly is full of delicious gnocchi. I call your attention to the interesting etymology of "gnocchi" (see link), and also that it is a very funkily spelt word: note the initial "gn-", which is always a thrill, paired with the rare "cch" in the middle. I love it. And ( Read more... )