Happy solstice

When on the shortest day of the year you wake up and it's broad daylight, you can be pretty sure that you've overslept.

As I staggered in to work at 10:00 this morning, NPR was playing some haunting Christmas music--Tavener, Henry VIII, Anonymous--sung by Anonymous Four, and I could almost feel the standing-still of the sun. I love this day. I imagine that the world holds its breath.

And then we exhale into the flurry of Capricorn, and Christmas, and the New Year, and everything starts up again.

Me, I'm playing with my new SelfXmasPresent (oh be quiet. The bathroom was a birthday present) and generally geeking out.

Happy Solstice, everyone. Stay cozy.

Tread Riser, vastly improved

I was on my way home from work today when I got a call from my niece--the 11-year-old who's a huge Joss Whedon fan.

"Auntie Em," she said, "Do you remember where you left Tread Riser and the Bathtub of Resuscitation?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Well, when you get home, could you look at it?"

"Sure. But why?"

"I came over today while Uncle Ed was working, and I made you a present."

( I smiled and smiled. )

That is an image I can definitely live with.