Break out the good china

There is something a bit awful about being on vacation from a job you mostly hate. Every day spent brings you closer to returning there, you're so exhausted from hating your job that you can't be bothered to do anything. It's like vacation is a small window in your prison wall, and they let you look out from it once in awhile. But when you're on vacation from school, it's another matter altogether. A brief reprieve from a life that's usually remarkably pleasant, and then you throw yourself into high gear and vow to do all the things you've been putting off for months. Like spending whole days reading. And then you do your Christmas baking (because you're a wife and you're obligated), and you finish off the Christmas cards and you can relax and do what you like, knowing there is nothing else you should be doing. And the snow doesn't signs of stopping, but you've got some corn for popping. And you're entertaining nearly every day next week. Break out the good china. Or at least you would if you had good china. Today is party preparations- mainly consisting of floor scrubbing. My essay was handed in at two p.m. yesterday. Christmas vacation when you're a student is a lot like standing on a mountaintop.

Another run of "Spring Comes Suddenly" is now available (or will be as soon as I bind them, which will be today). These have green covers but are equally lovely as the last, and are practically being given away for the low low price of $5.

Now reading "Play It As It Lays" by Joan Didion. She is profiled in today's Guardian. UK women of the year. I'm getting all my federal election coverage from the Conservative Youth Blog (link via Live Free Or Die) but they haven't updated in days! There is however a photo of Stephen Harper wearing a hoodie. And no jacket! It can't be. They must have just pasted his head upon someone else's body.