Merry Christmas

I started a very bitchy post a little earlier today, prompted by my discovery that currently there are more people reading my blog in Latvia than in the US. Well, in the last few days, anyway. Which shouldn't matter because I should just be grateful anyone finds anything I write interesting. So I'm sorry for mentally writing a slightly biting and catty post that will never see the light of your computer monitor.

It's just been such a weird holiday season and I don't quite know what to do with myself so I think I overreacted a bit on the Latvia thing. I spent four weeks away from home with only a backpack's worth of necessities, then arrived home a week before Christmas only to be attacked by the most recent "bug  that's going around." It's just been a little difficult to get myself in the mood. I haven't shopped at all, barely even walked around town to see all the pretty lights, and have been forced to listen to Christmas playlists on YouTube because I haven't found a radio station that plays enough Christmas music for me. Disco, reggae, country, bad home films of concerts complete with heavy breathing and (creative) covers by non-English speakers singing in English who should probably consider a career other than singing. It's been tough.

I suppose it didn't help that I took not one but two jobs on Christmas Eve day, a day historically geared towards finding a way to leave work early and hang out at my parents all night eating food and drinking in front of the fireplace. One job is during the afternoon and the other job for Christmas Eve. I did it mostly because we'll be celebrating big on Christmas Day with friends and the family will make it worth my while to miss midnight mass and basically continue my wandering ways by celebrating the holiday in homes other than my own.

To cheer myself up I spent the afternoon making candied orange slices in dark chocolate. I'm pretty impressed with myself. And tonight I'll be going to a concert in a theater built in the 17th century. There's no snow and it's not even freezing cold. I'll still have a Christmas with great friends and my love.

Maybe most importantly, I get Christmas 7 hours before my family. I win.