💬 Weekly Question: Did you get what you wanted for Christmas?
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Another Christmas has come and gone, my friends. I’m still recovering from mine, which is another way of saying '“swollen from too much food and booze.” The Boxing Day ramble didn’t help nearly enough. While I’m taking time off from my regular publishing schedule here — the recovery time has been much-needed — I thought I’d pop up anyway to say hello, see how your holiday break is going, and find out what cool things showed up under your Christmas tree (if you celebrate). Long story short:
Did you get what you wanted for Christmas?
Christmas for the adults was low key this year, as my family just bought a house. We wanted to put our resources into some new decor there. But my wife, kids, and in-laws were thoughtful enough to get me some new and old albums - Jesse Welles, John Denver, Neil Diamond, and some Australian Christmas carols.
I could give the honest but sentimental answer about family coming together and spending time together, but it's true. Did I get what I wanted? I got some things I wanted, and other things which I would never have asked for but which are appreciated.
Also, my cousin gave me a signed first edition of one of my favorite books. A.S. Byatt's Possession. Which I did not ask for, would never occur to me to ever ask for. I have some signed books, but I'm not really a collector, but I was so touched by it. I have no idea how much it cost, but it's just a gift that shows that I was seen and known. Which I think might be something about giving a gift. Not just an expression that we care about someone, but that we know who they are. Not just giving them stuff, which we've all done, but something more.
All I wanted was writing time. In the middle of the night of Christmas Eve, I managed to get in some writing. But Christmas Day, mostly I succumbed to loneliness and a long walk along the L.A. River in the rain. Finally I baked some gingerbread men, who kept me company. Today I feel fortified enough to go back to writing. Thank God Christmas is over!