happy saturday!

This is my third Christmas on my own, and I'm getting into the groove of celebrating it in my own way. When I was younger I really loved Christmas, and then in my mid-twenties a series of things happened that caused my family to crumble, a lot of those things surrounding Christmas, so there were some seriously lousy Christmases in there. But I think I'm getting my Christmas mojo back, slowly but surely. Last year I went half-way, but this year I wanted to be really Christmassy so I decided to forgo the kind movies-and-Chinese invite from my pal Jeremy. Instead I'm home listening to Christmas music and reading Yuletide stories. Earlier I made myself some sweet potato waffles; later I'm cooking the duck breast I bought myself for a treat.

I don't exchange presents with anyone—I miss the shopping, but hopefully it will come around again at some point—so I don't have a "haul" to report. But I did get one present anyway:

Where I've Been, Hairspray (2007): Corny Collins/Motormouth Maybelle. Really beautiful, from Maybelle's POV, on the push-pull of her whatever-it-is with Corny and the inevitable ambivalence. Thank you, Yuletide writer!

More recs from Yuletide later, of course! And have a great day, however you're spending it.