The Friday High Five, Christmas Edition
Stuff I'm into, for December 23, 2022
Every Friday I share 5 things I am digging at the moment.
As this is a Very Special Christmas Edition, I want to wish you and yours the happiest and safest of holidays, whatever your persuasion or traditions.
Stuff I’m Watching
In case you missed it, I’ve watched a lot of Christmas movies lately. Most of them were not good in the traditional sense, but I enjoyed them anyway. My quality meter goes way down this time of year. Must be all the festive cheer in the air.
Stuff I’m Reading
I started reading W. Somerset Maugham’s The Razor Edge, after it had been recommended to me by my friend and fellow wordsmith Paul Combs. It hasn’t immediately grabbed me the way his last recommendation did—the beautifully sublime The Shadow of the Wind, which I loved so much I immediately bought the rest of the 4-book series by the incomparable Carlos Ruiz Zafon. The Razor’s Edge is a bit dense, at least in the early going. Long paragraphs, challenging language. But the tale is picking up.
On Christmas Eve, my wife and I will take turns reading ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas to our children, despite the fact that they are now 18 and 16 years-old. Do you think asking them to sit in our laps is going too far? 🤔
Stuff I’m Playing
Christmas is only 2 days away! Who has time for video games!? There are presents to be wrapped and cookies to be made—well, to be fair, my role involves more eating than baking—and garland to be worn over my shoulder like a festive boa.
The season has claimed my scheduled Dungeons & Dragons game, too. I’m pretty sure this is the kind of suffering the super-group Band Aid was singing about in Do They Know It's Christmas.
Stuff I’m Listening To
As per tradition, I watched National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation while wrapping the kids gifts. When you’ve seen a movie so many times you can recite the dialogue before the actor, you don't need to give it your rapt attention—or is it wrapped attention?! hey-oh!
Speaking of wrapping—I love it. I am the wrapper in the family. (Also the rapper in the family. I used to sing Vanilla Ice’s Havin a Roni to the kids when I brushed their teeth, including all the beat boxing and sound effects. I’m a bit weird, I know, you don’t have to say it.) Anyway, my daughter and I are meticulous wrappers. Our packages are good enough to star in a commercial. Not so much my wife and son. As I like to remind them, it’s the thought that counts.
Back to music—I’ve had Mele Kalikimaka rattling around in my head since. Your turn! :)
Stuff I’ve Written
Writing!? Who has time for that… Santa Claus is loading up the sleigh as we speak!
Turns out, I did have time to put some words down.
2022 Was the Year I Finally Bet On Myself and It Has Made All the Difference (Medium) In which I realize George McFly is my spirit animal.
A Letter to My 10 Year-Old Self (Medium) Worth a click if you just want to see how incredibly dorky I looked at 10. Thanks Mom!
Are you the wrapper in your house? Do you also eat the cookies and blame the Elf on the Shelf? What are your traditions? Drop a comment and let me know! Don’t be shy. :)