it's gone be OK

I have not been in the Christmas spirit until recently. And I mean very recently, as in within the last ten minutes.

When I came back from Thanksgiving, it was still 70 degrees outside.  Sure, it has cooled down a lot, but I still wasn't feeling it.

The streets are decorated. The Christmas train is up in Charleston Place.  There are decorated trees in Marion Square. Still wasn't feeling it.

I hung lights on a REAL tree yesterday for the nuns. Not a dusty plastic thing dragged from the attic, a real recently-living tree. A tree that smells like wonder and glee and childhood. A tree that came from what I imagine to be a happy forest with singing woodland creatures. Still wasn't feeling it.

I am looking forward to the tree lighting in Marion Square tomorrow, followed by the Boat Parade (my favorite Charleston Christmas traditions), and it still wasn't feeling like Christmas time until my computer played this song...



Now, this isn't Silent Night or Rudolph or Jingle Bells that put me in the spirit, but a relatively unknown song from a relatively unknown Christmas album that I am pretty sure only my family listens to.

And yet, this evokes the most Christmassy memories for me: dancing around the living room, decorating the tree, making cookies...the sound of one of my brothers stomping off in anger... You know, Christmas stuff.
Or it could be that half of our Christmases are in New Orleans. Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Anyway, I am in Christmas mode now! Going to a Tacky Sweater party later, making cookies, and tomorrow the Baby Jesus Birthday Party with the Daughters of St. Paul, then the tree lighting and boat parade. Then cooking for the CSA Christmas party!!
And then the real work begins.

warning: spoiler alert?

So I finished Name of the Wind.

I'm going to do you a favor and say DON'T READ IT.








At least not until Pat "Poophead" Rothfuss (the author) finishes AND publishes the sequel, Wise Man's Fear. Unless you wish to face the same disappointment I did late last night, I highly recommend getting out before you get hurt. Wait a year, when this stupid follow up will finally be out (according to Amazon, but what do they know anyway?), and then read it. Because it is quite enjoyable.

So last night, I came home from trivia, watched an episode of Buffy (Ted, Season 2) and then retired to bed, eager to finish the last 20-or-so pages. I usually read until my eyelids are heavy, and then fight to keep them open until I finish the chapter. Last night, however, I achieved no resolution, and could barely make my eyes tired with the last few chapters. I knew around page 500 that the book would not be able to resolve itself, and even that the main character, Kvothe, would be unable to finish his storytelling. What I DIDN'T know is how upset I would be when I got to the last page and realized I would not see an end of the story for perhaps another year.

If I hadn't been badgered into reading it now, now, NOW, I wouldn't be so disappointed by the lackluster, unsatisfying, HUGE BUZZ KILL of an ending.

I'm calling you out, Robert Ross. I blame you for this turmoil and anguish.



edit: I don't know if you can tell, but I really, thoroughly enjoyed this book. Stupid Poophead.