Tag Archives: Lists

Christmas Wish List

Wrapped Gift

I am trying so hard this year to make the holidays enjoyable while keeping it simple. I’ve been pretty good so far. Some events were combined into one, serving double-duty, and that has helped a lot. Usually I have a small list of things I’d like to have for myself, but this year I really don’t want anything besides time to do the things I love.

That being said, this year’s list is a little different:

  • Time to sip lattes and look at Christmas lights. Maybe I should make it hot apple cider after that last blood pressure reading.
  • Time to read at least a couple of books from my review copy stash. I have so many.
  • Time to watch the following movies (Jingle All The Way (watched!), Christmas Vacation, Christmas with the Kranks, Deck the Halls, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Family Stone, Elf, Love Actually, A Christmas Story, White Christmas, all the old claymation faves like Rudolph and Frosty and I’d like to add at least one more holiday classic that I haven’t seen like Holiday Inn. Oh, and Die Hard and Lethal Weapon somehow end up in the mix when the Hub and Teen show up.
  • Time to enjoy the Christmas meal like a normal person. I just made reservations for Christmas so I am really looking forward to a day without cooking. I plan to savor every bite.
  • Time to listen to some music, whether it be holiday music or just music in general. I don’t listen to music enough and I really enjoy classical pieces.

What’s on your Christmas list this year? Also, (here’s where I get a little serious) if you are struggling this year and just need some positive thoughts or prayers, let me know. I don’t mention it enough but the daily interactions with all of you matter a lot to me and I would be more than happy to pray or think happy thoughts for you.

Books Reviewed in 2013

This is a list of the books read in 2013. Links take you to the my review of the book.

1. The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
2. Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver
3. Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain
4. The Shining (audio) by Stephen King
5. The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes
6. Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan
7. The Adults by Alison Espach
8. The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories – Volume 2, by Jospeh Gordon-Levitt
9. The Silent Land by Graham Joyce
10.  The End of the Point by Elizabeth Graver
11. This Cake is For the Party by Sarah Selecky
12. Carrie (audio) by Stephen King, Read by Sissy Spacek
13. Survival Skills by Jean Ryan
14. The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan
15. In Between Days by Andrew Porter
16. Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
17. Panorama City by Antoine Wilson
18. Is This Tomorrow by Caroline Leavitt
19. More Than You Know by Nan Rossiter
20. A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash
21. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
22. A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra
23. Mr. Peanut by Adam Ross
24. In the Garden of Stone by Susan Tekulve
25. He’s Gone by Deb Caletti
26. Benediction by Kent Haruf
27. Joyland by Stephen King
28. Life Itself by Roger Ebert
29. Big Brother by Lionel Shriver
30. Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut
31. The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison
32. The Slippage by Ben Greenman
33. Heading Out to Wonderful by Robert Goolrick
34. Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight
35. The Never List by Koethi Zan
36. The Curiosity by Stephen Kiernan
37. The Last Summer of the Camperdowns by Elizabeth Kelly
38. Bait by J. Kent Messum
39. Night Film by Marisha Pessl
40. The Asylum by John Harwood
41. After Her by Joyce Maynard
42. Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield
43. The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
44. Doctor Sleep by Stephen King
45. The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer
46. Cartwheel by Jennifer du Bois
47. This House is Haunted by John Boyne
48. The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes
49. World War Z by Max Brooks
50. Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami
51. The Abominable by Dan Simmons