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[personal profile] bearshorty
The first two weeks of December, until December 17th really, was the end of the semester and was filled with final exams and grading, grading, grading. It did help that my Writing classes this semester were small but still that week was just so much work. I needed the rest of December just to recover from that. I have been reading articles since then to decide what to teach next semester but mostly my brain just needed a break. Also I’m taking a break from tutoring until next semester.

December was a pretty eventful month so I figure I’ll just write up highlights as I sit on my parents’ couch on New Year’s Eve watching a silly and ridiculous Russian holiday concert. So here are some bullet points.



• Dec 2 – Bear and I went into the city (Manhattan) with my parents to celebrate Papa’s birthday. After some subway adventures, as it is still recovering from the hurricane, we walked around Midtown. Our main goal was to go see the Christmas tree and we also went to Central Park.

• Dec 8 – first night of Hanukkah was filled with potato pancakes and lighting candles. I went to tutoring and walked home at night while Bear grated potatoes and then I made them and it was delicious.

• “Hobbit” as the reward – on December 14th, right after my Folder review – the most stressful day of my semester, I went to see the “Hobbit.” Bear wasn’t sure if he wanted to go and that day I was staying with my parents, so I went to see it by myself. I also got some pizza (trying not to watch the terrible news of the days since that was just making me so upset). I did like the movie. I give it 4 out 5. It was a little too long; I wish I knew where the movie would end – I think I would have enjoyed it more then. But it did feel great to be in Middle Earth. Acting was great and the song too. No girls, of course, but that is Tolkien.

• Haircut – one of the reasons I was staying with my parents, other than having Mama drive me to Folder Review, was to get a haircut at the house of some woman my mother’s friend recommended. She has a little studio in her garage and gives excellent $20 haircuts. I was growing hair out for a year, mostly to have it long for the wedding – so I cut a lot of it off – to my shoulders. It is a bit wavy now but I do like it.

• “The Book Thief” – it was my December book – I did keep stealing the latest Dresden Files book “Cold Days” from Bear too as he was reading it, but I will finish it in January. I really liked it. I tried very hard not to get spoiled and the end of the book did hit me hard – harder than I thought it would. The characters really stand out. 5 out 5. I especially liked the language of the book. Sounds had action and in a book that was all about words, words shined.

• Bear parents came to visit on December 17. It was the first time they saw the apartment really furnished. We made vegetables and grilled chicken and treated them to my mother’s borsh.

• On December 18th I braved the mall – argh, but I did get nice bath bubbles and decaf green tea for Laurie. Mall is such a soul sucking place.

• On December 19th I took a day just to go to Manhattan by myself to both celebrate the end of the semester and to finish holiday shopping. I started my fabulous day by catching up to some fanfic on my Kindle on the subway and then going ice skating in Bryant Park. That was so lovely. I got Bear a helicopter at Brookstone (which he loved) and earrings for Bear’s Mom at Lord and Taylors’ (Loved their window displays). I also met up with Marianna for coffee and gave her a present for Galya (stuffed toy – Crocodile Gena). And I walked and walked and walked. I also took the subway downtown to Soho to walk around there. The next day, I had to spend on the couch because I was so tired and my legs hurt. I planned to do some volunteering but my legs were yelling with me. But a great day overall.

• On December 21 was Bear’s work Christmas lunch so I went with him and saw a Very Famous Old Scientist. Then we were hanging out with Bear’s best friend Jeremy for the evening with thai food and, in between, did some shopping in Michaels and Bed, Bath and Beyond.

• On December 23rd was Mama’s birthday so we drove to parents’ house with some cake. I had a headache so it wasn’t as fun as it could be but food was delicious.

• We left early the next day since Bear wanted to get to his parents’ house early for Christmas celebrations. We made seafood lasagna, per tradition, that night and went to church with Bear’s family. And right after there was a light snow and it was a pretty White Christmas.

• Christmas itself was nice. I’m not Christian so the holiday is just a holiday to me but it is very important to Bear’s Catholic parents. Bear and I made Christmas pancake breakfast, we all went to visit Bear’s grandmother and then came back to open presents and have dinner. I got a lot of Christmas loot too:


“Anansi Boys” by Neil Gaiman (Bear)
Fishy socks (Bear)
Season 3 of “Community”(Bear)
Yoga Mat (Bear’s Dad)
Light blue set of two Towels (Bear’s Mom)
Candle, lotion and shower gel (Bear’s Mom)
Tea box set – Bentley 120 bags (John)
Penzeys spices $25 gift certificate (Laurie)
Calendar for 2013 with wedding pictures (Carrie)
For both Bear and me:
Set of Casserole dishes (Carrie)
A snowman Christmas ornament (Laurie)

• December 27 is my grandmother’s birthday and while I got her a giant box of candy I figured the better present would be to spend the day with her. So I did. I cooked a little and went for a walk and to the store and it was nice.

• And to finish our whirl of December, Bear and I traveled to Massachusetts for two nights to visit a friend. We had excellent chili and mini-cupcakes, went to Boston and visited the Aquarium and had delicious Indian food, got caught in the giant snow storm and had to dig our own parking space and dig out car the next morning, watched both “Snow White and the Huntsman” and “Mirror, Mirror,” and stopped by in Hartford, Connecticut to visit Mark Twain House all decorated for Christmas on the way back. And, of course, I was just very happy to visit my friend and see her and her new apartment.


And today I’m celebrating New Year with my parents and Mama made a big delicious table. Happy New Year to everyone!

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