five fun things

Recently, I read a novel and, rather uncharacteristically, I loved it. In fact, “heart-clutchingly good” were my exact words, I think.

(To be clear, I’ve always adored Strout’s writing, so my enthusiasm isn’t coming completely out of nowhere.)

Now, I’m reading another novel. (I know. Whatever has come over me!) The characters are so strong, so well-defined and interesting and vigorous, that it’s like they’ve been slammed onto the pages. The writing is fragmented, but I don’t care. I’m having too much fun hanging out with the characters, trying to figure out who the hell they are. 

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Monday mornings when I’m at work, I catch up on my Fresh Air podcasts. If it’s a quiet morning, I can often get through three full interviews listened to before the bakery fills and discussion picks up.  

Recently, I listened to this interview with Jon Batiste. I love listening to Jon talk. There’s such a thoughtfulness to him, and he has an openness that’s refreshingly unguarded. He’s at the piano during the interview, and it’s like the piano is a third character. I get the impression that he’s thinking with the piano, and even though the musical technicalities fly right over my head, I feel included, as though I belong there with him, with the music.

Here’s a clip of him playing Für Elise from his Beethoven Blues album:

And if you still want more, listen to Part Two of his interview with Terry Gross, a segment about Christmas music (which I haven’t finished quite yet).

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Last week we signed up for Hulu, the ad-free subscription. (I am so sick of ads!) The plan is to have the subscription for just these winter months so I can catch up on all the fun shows I’ve been missing, like Only Murders In The Building and Fleishman Is In Trouble. Right now, we’re finishing up season two of The Bear. I’d quit it halfway through because I was sick of all the yelling, but then people told me I really ought to stick with it.

They were right. The yelling has subsided and the characters are developing. (It’s about time.) 

Anything else I should definitely not miss while we’ve got Hulu?

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My brother texted a couple weeks back that my nephew was learning a round in school. Maybe we’d like to all learn it and then sing it together at Christmas? Two hours later, while I was sitting in the Verizon parking lot waiting for my husband (who was purchasing a much-needed new phone), I pulled up the video and learned it right then and there.

I’m sure I looked a bit strange, waving my hands around and singing to myself, but I didn’t care. It’s my new favorite Christmas/Solstice song, and I think everyone ought to learn it. (But only if you want to, of course.)

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I’m sure you’ve all seen this before, but on the off-chance you haven’t, this short film of Dick Van Dyke is pure gold. It makes me feel happy, in the deepest sense of the word. 

All my love, friends. All my love.

This same time, years previous: good news, bad news, Christmas eve morn, wedding weekend: the officiation, chocolate bourbon pie, or something like that, 2018 book list, sex for all creation, 2015 book list, 2014 book list, flat.