Holidays on Ice

Happy Holidays, everybody! I hope all of you will enjoy time with family and friends in the coming weeks and that you get to enjoy some restorative time away from your respective "work" responsibilities.

I have been trying to do something for the past week that I am not very good at: relaxing. I am prone to experiencing a certain degree of melancholy when I am sitting at home with nothing that needs to be done. I used to lose my mind by the end of my summer vacation. But this week, aside from being done with school, two things have forced me to spend time at home doing "nothing": I have been sick, and for several days I was actually snowed in.

I have reached the point where I am now tired of doing nothing and ready to rejoin the regular world, just in time to celebrate Christmas with Billy's family before heading west so that we can celebrate the holidays with my own. Perfect timing.

But, if for no other reason than to allow myself to look back on this week to remind myself that I can enjoy doing nothing, I recount to you the episodes of "nothing" I have been enjoying for the past 7 days:

-I have been reading for pleasure. I finished Hunger by Lan Samantha Chang, which easily earns the title of "Most Recommended" book from my reading assignments this semester. It includes a novella, which we were assigned, and several short stories, which were not assigned and thus not read until this week. But the stories are delicious and were the perfect way to begin this week of melancholy-tinged nothing. I have also begun a memoir which I am really enjoying, but which I will not name here because I am reading it in order to make sure it is a good gift to give Mom for Christmas. I also read, cover to cover, my favorite issue of Esquire that comes all year, the "Meaning of Life" issue. If you will be traveling this holiday season, it would be a great one to pick up for the flight.

-I have been sitting in front of my television. This has included catching up with Kelly Ripa and Ellen Degeneres, who had both disappeared from my life starting in August. I also watched three episodes of Glee, the Biggest Loser "where are they now?" special I missed several weeks ago, and the Carrie Underwood Variety Special (though I had to fast-forward the "variety" bits. Sorry, Carrie). I completed the requisite holiday season viewing of "Love Actually," and cried this year during the funeral scene upon realizing that Liam Neeson actually did lose his wife this year. Normally I only cry during the scenes with Laura Linney. Billy and I enjoyed the annual viewing of "Elf" together, which has been our tradition ever since we saw it six years ago on our first date. (Six years?! Wow.)

-I have been sleeping. Whenever the fancy strikes me. This, too, has been delicious.

-I've been playing with Oscar. He has been rather spoiled this past week, but he deserves it.

-I've been spending time with Billy!! Without ever having to think about what homework assignment will have to be sacrificed in order to enjoy time with my husband.

-I have NOT been exercising. This has been the only part that sucks. I am tired of being sick, and am glad I am finally starting to feel better. This sickness has allowed me, though, to discover the blissful relief of the Neti Pot, which I might continue using even when I am well.

Just in case you were beginning to think I have been too indulgent, I did actually have to report to work two days. I had to work from home a third day even though campus was closed because of the snow. This return to work allowed me to collect the office Christmas cards, however, which were surprisingly personal and kind this year. I generally view my job as a means-to-an-ends-- a necessary evil that allows me to pursue the work that is really important to me. I don't find the work I do rewarding in itself, but it was nice to hear that my supervisors appreciate my hard work, recognize my efficiency, and enjoy having me in the office. It helped me recognize the ways that my work facilitates the department's ability to do the work that I do think is important, so I am thankful for that, as well.

With that, I am signing off for the year, and looking forward to sharing more with you in 2010!

(Holidays on Ice is David Sedaris's collection of holiday short stories, which includes the particularly hilarious but disturbing The SantaLand Diaries. He also read a version of this story on NPR's This American Life, and you can listen to the whole episode here.)