How I spent my Yule vacation.

Well, no... not a vacation... I actually think I got a bit less sleep than usual, in spite of an extra day off. Anywho, gifts went over well and that's always a good sign, to me; I pride myself on giving excellent, frivolous gifts.
I received lots of painting supplies, which is a perfectly decent thing to get.
Went to a friend's wedding on New Year's Eve. The wedding colors were black and red, and the live band at the reception was fun. (Never been a huge fan of rockabilly, but still fun.) Tried my first amaretto sour. (Tasty drink!) The band was followed by the dreaded karaoke, led off by several members of our little group doing a rousing performance of that "Fight! for Your Right! to Paaaaaaaaar-ty!!!" Good fun.
The snow and ice is in the process of melting, so everything has been wreathed in thick mist for the past couple of days. We went for a drive through the wildlife preserve. A lot of it is marshland--drowned forests, skeletal trees sticking up out of four-foot-deep lakes. In the mist it was very, hauntingly beautiful, and very quiet. Normally we at least see a few deer when we go there. Today, even the birds seemed to be hidden away.

Advice for the new year (guess who from)

A study at McGill University concluded that moms and dads who launch screaming fights in front of their kids may actually be helping them. Listening to their parents yelling often makes children more imaginative because it forces them into a fantasy world to escape. Can you think of similar reversals in your own life, Pisces--difficult events that have ultimately served you? The coming year will be an ideal time to redeem these gifts from the past. Be constantly on the lookout for ways you can use old traumas and setbacks as sources of inspirational power.