Month: January 2012

They still have work in two thousand and twelve?

It was a cold and quiet day in Manhattan, since most everyone had today off as the New Year’s holiday. Our office was closed on Friday, so we didn’t get today, but I’m not complaining. Without Friday, I wouldn’t have had enough vacation days to carry me through to the end of the year, and I would have had to go in the office that one, lonely day, which just would have been silly.

I’m also not complaining about today’s commute, which was pleasantly quiet and empty. I managed to get an early train this morning — amazing, given that I haven’t, really, had to set my morning alarm since the middle of December — but I think any train I was on would have been relatively empty. It was a pleasant way to ease back into work.

Which, for better or for worse, wasn’t too overwhelming all by itself. A couple of projects I had hoped would have gathered some momentum while I was out are still momentum-less, and I’m still largely where I was when I closed up shop two weeks ago. Hopefully soon. The two projects are books publishing near the end of this month.

Other than that, it was a fairly quiet day. In some ways it was good to be back. In others…when did it get so cold? I’m definitely going to have to start wearing the new winter coat I bought last week. Winter seems to be kicking back in with a vengeance.

So began the winter of my thirty-fifth year…

I rang out the year by watching The Dirty Dozen, which seemed vaguely appropriate. I saw the ball drop in Times Square but skipped the rest of the Rockin’ New Year’s Eve bash.

I spent the day pretty much like I would have almost any Sunday, even back in that long-lost era of 2011. I did the Sunday crossword. I read a little. I watched a little TV. I took the Christmas lights down from outside. I did a little cleaning. I did a little research on local apartments. Not exactly setting the world on fire in the new year, but it was a pleasant enough day.

Oh, and I officially launched the new Kaleidotrope issue. I hope you’ll visit and enjoy the stories, even if you haven’t subscribed in the past. It’s all free — although donations are always welcome — and there’s even a forum, where you can comment on what you’ve read or ask any questions, make suggestions, etc. Again, I hope you’ll visit and help spread the word.

Tomorrow, I go back to work after more than two weeks off. It’s going to be an adjustment. I’ve almost forgotten what it was like to go to bed at a reasonable hour, but I’m looking forward to a little more structure to my days. If only because it means I’m likely to get some more reading done. Except for a little over Christmas weekend, when I struggled to read in the car to and from my sister’s house, and a few short stories today, I really haven’t done much reading since taking off. That wasn’t the plan, but that’s what seems to have happened. I’m looking forward to my morning commute if only because I can spend it with a good book.

Some writing in the evening would be good, too.

Now if I just didn’t have all those Downton Abbey and Vampire Diaries episodes to still get through…

December songs

One last bit of 2011 business, and that’s my December music mix:

  1. “Holy Moses” by Washington
  2. “Redemption Song” by Johnny Cash & Joe Strummer
  3. “Telephone Road” by Steve Earle (w/ the Fairfield Four)
  4. “Gangsta” by Tune-Yards
  5. “Gunfight Epiphany” by Robert Duncan
  6. “I Know What I Am” by Band of Skulls
  7. “Trois Gymnopédies: Gymnopédie No. 1” by Erik Satie (perf. by Frank Glazer
  8. “Storm Comin'” by the Wailin’ Jennys
  9. “Shake it Out” by Florence + the Machine
  10. “Buckjump” by Trombone Shorty (feat. the Rebirth Brass Band, 5th Ward Weebie)
  11. “Howlin’ for You” by the Black Keys
  12. “Le plus beau du quartier” by Carla Bruni
  13. “Colours” by Grouplove
  14. “Music Box” by Regina Spektor
  15. “Ripchord” by Rilo Kiley
  16. “Video Games” by Lana Del Rey
  17. “This Sky” by the Derek Trucks Band

Probably not of any interest to me, but there’s what I was listening to, more or less, last month.