(no subject)

-- I can now say with confidence that I have seen all episodes of the original series of Star Trek. I'm going to watch the movies over again, too. And I've put the animated series on my Netflix queue. If I'm going to be completionist about this, I might as well go all the way, right?

-- Last night I was wrapping presents in front of Star Trek. Usually I do that to holiday movies. Most years it's Desk Set and Love Actually while wrapping, A Child's Christmas In Wales with breakfast Christmas morning, and then some combination of White Christmas, Fitzwilly, Donovan's Reef, and We're No Angels in the afternoon and through the rest of the season.

-- Tomorrow: clean entire apartment in preparation for two days of guests (friends Saturday, parents Sunday), check in on B&K's cat, and do whatever baking I'm doing this year. Speaking of which: Last year at Arisia, I somehow got trapped into an interminable conversation with an older woman who told me all about her multitudinous health problems, and then all about her rumballs. The rumball part at least had some interest for me. She told me she does different batches with variations on the ingredients. And this inspired me for this year. My mom used to do some with bourbon instead of rum sometimes. I'm thinking amaretto, creme de menthe... I'll have to see how inspired I get, and how they turn out. But, if they're good, I may be giving/sending sampler packs to anyone who's interested. Watch this space.

A silent and holy night

This is the holy night, my religious holiday. But I don't believe that God takes attendance at the services. I don't belong to a church here, for several reasons. So, I make my observations on my own.

I went for a drive tonight. I listened to a recording of Lessons and Carols from Kings College in Cambridge, England. I turned down side streets I'd never explored, looking at the lights and following the luminaries.

As surely as if I were in a pew in a candle-lit church, my car became a sacred space. For wherever and whenever I hear the familiar words, "In those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus..." I am hearing it the way I have for decades, the way my family has for generations. I hear the music and it sings to my soul. O come, let us adore him. Glory to the newborn king.

I pulled into the garage, and shut off the car, and sat for a moment in the silence before going inside. On this silent night, this holy night, everything stops for a time. I did, honestly, take a moment to pray for peace on earth and goodwill toward men. Also for my loved ones and their loved ones, for all our concerns and needs.

Tomorrow the world will start again, with things to do and lists and deadlines. But for tonight, none of that matters. I, at least, will sleep in peace.