In which you might be a slacker too

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, but it takes him a workshop full of elves and a full complement of flying reindeer as well as some bizarre warping of the space-time continuum to get 'er done. The rest of us mortals might need a little help, particularly in sending out holiday greetings. I offer you the Merry Newsinator, a Mad-Libby-version of the holiday newsletter. Answer a few quick details and let the newsinator do the rest. You can send it out directly via email, twitter, or facebook. It's almost as good as having an elf tucked in your pocket.

In which it is that time again, dear readers

'Tis the season to contemplate the glory of bad nativities. This has become an annual tradition in our house, like watching "A Christmas Story" or eating roast beef and Yorkshire pudding on Christmas Day. My personal vote for bad nativity is anything with fiber optics or faux marshmallows.

The rest of this post is from a blog entry posted on the original Blog A Go-Go on December 26, 2007. I am reposting it here because it is one of the loveliest travel memories I have, and because I like to think that at this wonderful holiday time of year, angels or fairies or elves might really walk among us.



In which I am blessed...
Not figuratively, although I am aware of the fact that I lead a charmed life. No, I was ACTUALLY blessed on my way home from Houston on Saturday. I had a layover in the Charlotte airport--an airport I actually love. It's small enough to traverse in less than fifteen minutes, even in heels, and they have Cinnabon. I don't eat them, but I could LIVE off of the smell.

Anyway, I went to make a purchase at an airport shop and the clerk who helped me was like something out of a fairy tale. She was tiny--I am less than five foot five and I could see the top of her head. She had white hair neatly spun into a tiny bun, like candy floss, and her eyes were the most beautiful, startling shade of blue. She looked up at me and smiled, her entire face crinkling into laugh lines. "Yes, my darling, can I help you?" Her accent was thick and completely unplaceable, although I think Eastern European would not have been too far afield. Altogether she looked like Mrs. Claus.

I gave her the merchandise and she paused, looking at my face intently. "You are special," she said suddenly. I blinked at her in surprise, but I smiled back. "Thank you." She shook her head. "No, my dear. You are special. I know. Tell me, what do you do?" "I am a writer," I told her. "And what have you written?" (This next part is one of the coolest things I have ever been able to do, seriously.) I pointed to the books stacked on a display to the side. "That book there, Silent in the Grave. I wrote that." She nodded. "And have you written anything else?" "Yes, I have written two more books in the series."

She stared at me a long moment, then rang up my purchase and took my money, counting back my change. When she handed it to me, she stared at me again, looking right through me. "Yes, you are very special. Very special." And she lifted her hand like a priest giving a benediction and said, "God bless you, my darling. And merry Christmas." I wished her a merry Christmas in return and I left then, feeling pleased and slightly bemused, like I had just had an encounter with someone not entirely of this world. I thought for just a moment that if I turned around I might be able to peer behind the counter and see if she had shoes with pointy elfin toes or perhaps she might have disappeared in a poof of fairy dust. But I didn't look back, and because of that, it was a perfect moment.

In which I am flinging links

I'm in the very last stages of revisions, and it's a demanding process--entirely by my own choosing, you understand. I divide the manuscript into 100-page sections and each day I read one section, note the changes I want to make, flag the pages, and input the changes. (I average 85 pages flagged out of 100 because this is when I'm making lots of subtle changes--for example, I might find that I've used a word twice within too short a passage and need to rephrase.) It is the finicky stuff which means I have to be extremely focused and detail-oriented, challenging for me because I tend to skim when I read. BUT, the little pop-up timer on the belly of this book is just about to blow and I am beyond excited to send it off at the end of this week. Unfortunately, it means that bloggery will be a bit hasty.

Today I am simply going to fling some links at you I think you might like. Enjoy!

Whistling Puppy

Dramatic Chipmunk (that is really a prairie dog...)


Joe Boxer Dancing Guy

Christmas Cranberries

In which I like things too

It seems only fair since I whinged on yesterday about things I don't like that I give fair play to things I do. And since I am in a holiday state of mind, here are my holiday favorites, this year at least:

Books:
*Nigella Christmas by Nigella Lawson. Honestly, an entire enormous gorgeous yummy book devoted to all things Christmas by my favorite cookbook author. What's not to love? I ordered the UK edition last year so I can't actually cook anything out of it without conversion tables, but it is available in a US edition this year.

*I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas by Anna Getty, a fun and thoughtful guide to a more eco-friendly holiday. There are some superb suggestions along with recipes, tips, crafts, etc. In my experience the very best eco-gurus are people who make you want to aspire to their ways instead of bludgeoning you with guilt. Anna does a superb job of this in her very own chic and inimitable style.

*White Christmas by Tricia Foley. Gorgeous Christmas decor book with a simple and natural palette if you are so over the sparkly, the glitzy, the green and red.

*Martha Stewart's Christmas. From potpourri to fruitcakes, Martha throws down Connecticut-style. This was the second Martha Stewart book I bought, AGES ago, but I still remember the astonishment upon finding out that some people actually make their own marshmallows. Not ME-people, but some people.

Christmas Songs:
*"Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy" by Buck Owens. It's country, it's twangy, it was fun LONG before Grandma had her little accident with a reindeer. As a bonus, it makes you want to dance, so you can work off some of the 'nog weight.

*"All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Olivia Olson from the "Love Actually" soundtrack. My favorite version because it has no agenda; it's fun and youthful and that's all it needs to be. Too many people overwork this song and Olivia delivers it straight up with a smile. Plus, it's my favorite scene in the movie.

*"In the Bleak Midwinter" by Loreena McKennitt. Haunting, melancholy, perfect.

Movies/TV:
*"Tuna Christmas". A unique production chronicling Christmas in small-town Texas. Watch it and understand my people.

*Claymation Christmas". Because Christmas just isn't Christmas without camels singing harmony.

*SNL Christmas Special". The only thing missing from this is Horatio Sanz' holiday song, "Christmas Time is Here", which I cannot find anywhere. But the SNL special has everything to appeal to your inner twelve-year old boy.

*The Muppet Christmas Carol". Michael Caine AND the muppets. Perfection.

"Christmas in Connecticut". Barbara Stanwyck as the original Martha Stewart character. I cannot watch it without wishing I knew how to flip pancakes.

*Love Actually". It has just enough edge to save it from being sweet and just enough sentiment to save it from being cynical. It's love and life with all the messy bits thrown in.

*A Christmas Story". Because if you aren't careful, you'll shoot your eye out.

In which we get ghoulish

My friend--and Official Stalker--Nicole sent me a link yesterday to the best wrapping paper ever. Not very Christmassy, to be sure, but I would swoon to have my presents tucked away in the "Nevermore" raven paper. Delish!

On a terribly unrelated note, yesterday brought a gloomy, rainy morning that demanded a quilt, a mug of Irish breakfast tea, and a book about art theft. I hunkered down with a copy of Stolen: The Gallery of Missing Masterpieces by Jonathan Webb, a great read and a good gift choice for the art lover on your holiday list.

In which we talk about good causes

Everybody's thoughts turn to giving at this time of year, so I thought I'd share my favorite causes.

Always and forever, the Heifer Project holds a special place in my heart. When we first began our charitable donations, many organizations seemed less than eager to accept the tiny amounts of money we were able to give, but Heifer was different. They thanked us as graciously for our $10 donations as if we'd given them thousands, and always made us feel as if every dollar we sent made a difference. If you haven't checked out Heifer, please drop by their website and read some of the stories. In a nutshell, they establish programs to give livestock to needy families and teach them how to prosper from that single gift of an animal. You can purchase a share of an animal if that's as far as your budget will stretch, or you can donate an entire ark. Lovers of bees and knitters will also appreciate the gifts of hives and fiber animals.

Lately, our local news has been full of stories about the empty shelves at local food banks. I'm sure our town is no different from yours. An extra canned good or package of pasta every time you step into the store is a pretty painless way to contribute. Use 2-for-1 specials or coupons to make it even easier; just stockpile the extra until you have a bag to drop off at your area food bank or shelter. Many organizations also take donations of coats, jackets, work pants, blankets, etc. that they are able to distribute with food, so be sure to check. Also, don't forget the pets. Record numbers of folks have found it difficult to feed their pets this year, so grab a bag of dog food or even a few cans of cat food while you're shopping and check ahead of time to make sure your shelter accepts donations of pet food. We are lucky enough to have one such organization here in my town where warm clothing, food, and pet supplies can be found in one spot. Other organizations prefer cash, so if you are strapped for time but have a little extra money, you can still make a difference.

Speaking of which, your local animal shelter is probably more than happy to receive donations of food and bedding--call ahead to find out what they need.

Another of our favorite causes is the Barnes and Noble gift tree. Shoppers take a gift tag with the age and gender of a child who would appreciate a book for Christmas, make their selections to purchase, and the B&N staff takes care of the rest. There are few more wonderful gifts to an imaginative child than a book of their very own, and for an impoverished child, a book that belongs to them might be an unimaginable luxury.

What are your favorite causes, dear readers?

In which the holidays cometh

And in the interest of being merry, I bring you once more the opportunity to Elf Yourself.

In which I find this peculiar

According to Yahoo News, just over 50% of us will be buying our pets Christmas presents, and apparently that's up from 49% last year. I have always bought my pet a Christmas gift, but I didn't realize that until this year I was in the minority. Don't get me wrong, I don't throw birthday parties for them or buy them clothing--seriously, pets dressed as people is one of my biggest peeves, unless you live in a climate that demands you take steps to protect your animal, and even then an argyle sweater is really pushing it. But I assumed most people shared the holiday with their pets by buying a new toy or a box of liver snaps or a new bed. (It occurs to me now that I have once or twice actually WRAPPED the present, which probably puts me on a whole new level of odd. We won't speak of it--just pretend you didn't read that and we'll move on.)

I was also interested in the bit about pets and holiday decorations. We are actually forgoing a proper tree this year because of Deacon. I'm a firm believer in not letting a pet rule your life, but honestly, chasing and wrestling down a 60-pound puppy who thinks your Christmas tree is just a really boss chew toy is not on my holiday agenda. Last week he happily carted around a four-foot long branch that--with a bit of tinsel and some twinkling lights--could have passed for a Christmas tree. I shudder to think what he would do with something the same width, twice the height, and loaded with fragile ornaments. Oh, the carnage! So, we are opting instead for evergreen garlands over the doorways for some proper Christmas scent and a tabletop tree to decorate, and hopefully by next year he will be a very nicely behaved 21-month old who will behave with decorum. At least that's my Christmas wish...

And speaking of Christmas, I received my first holiday card last week, and actually watched someone buy a live Christmas tree two days ago. It begins!

In which we're talking about holiday music

I've already confessed that I have loaded the car with my holiday CDs. What I didn't tell you was that I have also been watching (listening to?) the Sounds of the Season Channel obsessively. (I am gutted that I missed the Halloween music. I forgot entirely to turn it over until November 1 and they had already started with Christmas.) Somehow just having Christmas music on in the background while I'm going about my day makes everything feel more pleasant. I also make a habit of buying a new holiday CD every year to build my collection, but this year I'll take a pass since last year I bought three including Bette Midler's "Cool Yule" and Loreena McKennitt's "A Midwinter Night's Dream".

So I'm wondering, what are YOU going to be listening to this holiday season?

In which we talk holidays

I know. Believe me, I shuddered when I loaded my holiday playlist to my iphone this week. But the holidays are coming faster than any of us like to think and that means it's time to start preparing, particularly if any of your gifts are going to be handmade. It's too late to start crocheting a scale model of St. Paul's Cathedral, but there is ample time to make some homemade treats, bottle some bath salts, or knit up a scarf. Here are a few links to help get you inspired: Craftzine and Get Crafty for general crafty fabulousness, and The Curiosity Shoppe for supplies, kits, and other goodies for the crafter in your life.

In which it is All Hallows' Eve!

And rather than write a Halloween post, I wanted to offer you instead something about El Dia de Los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. The Interiority Complex has a wonderful entry about ofrendas, the altars that are created to mark the lives of those who have passed on. One of my favorite memories of living in Texas is the beautiful ofrendas at Mi Tierra, the spectacular Tex-Mex restaurant in downtown San Antonio. (The food is superb and the decor is flat-out fun. If you're ever in San Antonio, GO.)

Anyway, to celebrate El Dia de Los Muertos, Mi Tierra constructs a few amazing ofrendas. I used to make a point of going downtown to see them and sometimes used them as inspiration for my own ofrenda. I am not Hispanic myself, but I freely borrow some of the traditions, particularly regarding this day. The dead are remembered with love and gratitude and joy, with altars heaped with special tokens--favorite foods, candles, sweets, paper flowers, pictures, and "dead bread", pan de los muertos. It is sometimes flavored with anise, sometimes not, it can be baked in the shape of a skeleton or even a loved one. My favorite Dia de Los Muertos was the year my daughter and I made a bread to commemorate my grandmother. We placed it on a pretty tray with candles, flowers, and some of her favorite foods, and it marked a turning point in my grieving for her.

El Dia de Los Muertos is grand and over-the-top in a wonderfully gruesome way. It is affectionate and loving, and I think, a very healthy way to remember those you've lost.

In which you might be expecting something patriotic

And I will oblige. In light of recent events abroad, it seems that these words--taken from our Declaration of Independence--are just as appropriate and just as timeless as they were in the eighteenth century. Perhaps more so. So, amidst the apple pie and the sparklers and the waving flags, here's a reminder of what it's all about:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Happy Fourth, y'all!

In which I am feeling bereft

Just sent the book out--finally! The Book That Would Not Die has been dispatched to my agent and editor, and no, it is not quite finished yet. There are still the final tweaks and polishes from the editing process, but the hardest part is behind me. (I HOPE.) Anyway, there's always a letdown when the book flies from the outbox on the computer, and I am distracting myself by loading up on research books for the next Julia Grey book--which I'm starting work on about NOW. I am hugely excited about the plot, and I expect it to be the best of the series BY FAR. I had one of my bathtub epiphanies the other night and the entire plot fell into place, which makes me extremely happy. Starting with the plot and most of the characters nailed down makes research just fun. I'm also setting the book in a country I've never used before--never even visited--so I will have to do a bit more research than usual for a Julia Grey book. I made up the setting in SITS, and SOTM required a quick trip to Yorkshire. Unfortunately, I can't do that with this coming book for a variety of reasons, so the research will have to suffice. (I find immersion is the best alternative to travel. Cookbooks, memoirs, armchair travel, social history, documentaries, music--I use it all.)

On a completely unrelated note, tomorrow is May Day, the ancient pagan holiday of Beltane, a day for maypoles and bonfires! I think we'll mark the beginning of this most gorgeous of months with a fire in the firepit and a completely non-traditional version of May wine. (It's also customary to surprise the unsuspecting with a nosegay of flowers hung at their door. You're supposed to ring the bell and run away, and leaving flowers behind is much nicer than the usual alternative flaming bag of poo, isn't it?) Happy May Day!