the 2011 post-holiday reading list aka books i got for christmas

1. What Would Jefferson Do? - Thom Hartmann - I'm already 1/3 done with this book and it's terribly fascinating, while at the same time terribly depressing. Even having been an AP History student in high school—books like this leave me feeling gypped. Only in my adult life have I discovered how incredibly interesting history is, especially American history. The current re-writing of my favorite founding father by the conservative right is a particular pet peeve of mine. In reading a book like this, you realize why they're rushing around trying to change how people remember the man like Jefferson.

2. FDR - Jean Edward Smith - This is the FDR biography and I've been meaning to read it forever. Now I have no excuse.

3. Traitor to His Class: The Privileged Life and Radical Presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt - HW Brands - I'm very excited for this one. Another FDR tome, I'm kind of forcing myself to read FDR first and then this. I am absolutely fascinated by Roosevelt's concern for the middle and lower classes over his own—and have long been a fan of the theory that his experiences in Warm Springs with both people with disabilities and people living in poverty effected his approach to issues of class and financial equality during his presidency.

4. The Making of Fantastic Mr. Fox - Wes Anderson - Too many things I like together in book form for this to be anything but, well, fantastic.

5. Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People - Amy Sedaris - Can I be adopted into the Sedaris family, please?

merry merry.

If you celebrate this holiday religiously or just for warmth and joy of being with your loved ones—Merry Christmas.

Here's a little holiday mix I put together:

1. Winter Wonderland | Phantom Planet - for obvious reasons.

2. Oi To The World | No Doubt - Who doesn't like a punk vs. skins holiday carol? One of the most fun holiday songs, ever.

3. Fairytale Of New York | Pogues & Kristy MacColl - Shane MacGowan, 'nuff said.

4. Somewhere In My Memory | John Williams - Home Alone 2 is one of my favorite Christmas movies (after Santa Claus: The Movie of course) and in a recent discussion about which was better, the first Home Alone or the second... bird lady trumps shovel man.

5. Carol of the Bells | Phantom Planet - Again, obvs.

6. White Wine In The Sun | Tim Minchin - Now one of my all time favorite Christmas songs. So incredibly witty and beautiful and I usually tear up at the end.

7. Sleigh Ride | John Williams with The Boston Pops- Coming from a New Englander family—the Boston Pops have been a staple throughout my childhood memories of Christmas. This was always my favorite song as a kid because they make the whip sound and someone makes a trombone whinny like a horse at the end.

8. Happy Xmas War is Over | Neil Diamond - They didn't have the John Lennon one on grooveshark and the fact that Neil Diamond covered this made me laugh. Oh, Neil.

ex-mas wrap up.

before christmas.

Before the actual holidays hit there was the usual smattering of pre-tinsel festivities. Two work parties (both mine, oddly enough) and a Christmas small dog playgroup that I took the Clarkster to. The dog park is often heavy on the big dogs and he is kind of "meh" on that. So he worked the room like Sinatra and I embarrassed him and myself by handing him over to a stranger in a fuzzy suit.

holly daze.

Christmas was with my folks this year. Having run through PTO days like they were burning a hole in my pocket (not that I regret it. I fucking love you San Diego, Williamsburg and New Hampshire), I had to work Christmas Eve. Matt took the day off and had the car ready by the time work was over. Four to five hours later, we ducked into Kingston for food and then headed to the countryside for an evening with my dad and stepmother.

Christmas Day had it's child-of-divorce schedule: wake up at dad's for breakfast and stockings, go to mom's for presents and dinner, then back to dad's for presents. We shook up the usual schedule by getting Dad and Gaelen out to a Christmas Day night movie: Sherlock Holmes.

It was brilliant. RDJ has raced up my list of favorite actors. Even the previews before the flick were promising. Hot Tub Time Machine, Tracey Morgan/Bruce Willis/Stiffler/Kevin Smith awesomness and the new Christopher Nolan mindfuck (with Leo DiCaprio and Ellen Page). However, this was my first exposure to Leap Year and as much as I enjoy Amy Adams; that looks like pure garbage.

Saturday was Christmas with the extended family on my dad's side. So after a winding trip through the back roads connecting the Hudson Valley with Connecticut, we were in the thick of family. I don't get to see that side of my family often, so each time's a treat.

Sunday we headed home. However, we made a point to stop at Sonic on the way out. Fun times.

sweet lootz.

I know that whole "Santa's always watching" is a boldface lie because I got way too many awesome presents. Clark and I scored a tunnel and weave poles for agility from my mom. Dad and Gaelen fed my anglophile DVD collection with the first season of The IT Crowd and Matt was just spectacularly amazing to me.

The big present(s) aren't ready for primetime blogging yet. They're part of a year long project that, if all goes well, will probably dominate my blogging from there on out. But aside from that, my N64-like, present meltdown came when I opened a box containing the import of The Mighty Boosh: Future Sailors Live Tour. Four DVDs, a card game and a Boosh belt buckle.

Oh, and one incredibly happy girl.

Future Sailors is beyond hilarious. The only bit I've really seen before is the Bob Fossil Dance Academy and that was live in SD at the Boosh secret show. I want to run away and join the Boosh, pls.

I am incredibly spoiled by British TV. Thank god for BBC America, Adult Swim and the internet. The only American stuff I regularly watch is on the premium channels (save for my guilty pleasure human trainwreck shows like Hoarders). The major networks could drop off the face of the planet and I wouldn't bat an eye.