Because I work at home and am no longer forced to listen to Christmas music from about mid-November on, I find myself enjoying it a lot more. We even almost went into the carol service at the United Church this year but decided at the last minute that we couldn't cope with the extended sermon. This particular minister tends to take advantage of a full house to go on at length to people he usually doesn't get to pontificate to. If I want to be pontificated to, I'll watch A Charlie Brown Christmas.

But I digress.

Of all the Christmas music I own, these are my three favorite CD's, the ones I'd take to a desert island -- given a player and somewhere to plug in.  These are all CD's I'll just put on and let run, at no point leaping for the controls to skip past that one song that shouldn't have been included -- usually involving Santa, mistletoe, and Grandma's unexpected passing under the hooves of a reindeer.  Every song on these CD's is a part of my personal holiday celebrations.


Heather Dale: This Endris Night

Twelve Medieval and Renaissance Christmas songs, all pre 1700, including songs in French, Latin, and my absolute favourite version of The Huron Carol ever in Huron, French, and English.

The beloved and I heard Heather sing The Huron Carol in a little coffee house/bookstore in Camden East, Ontario, and I can still recall that moment with absolute clarity. Since I can't recall yesterday with absolute clarity, that's saying something. I always have an extra copy of this CD around at Christmas time because it's the perfect gift for those last minute "omg we're exchanging gifts?" situations. You can't go wrong giving beauty.

heatherdale.com
CDBaby


The Steve Carlson Band: An Auld School Christmas

I love Steve Carlson's music just generally, whether it's just him and a guitar or with his whole band.  He's been described as jazzy, bluezy, funky, soulish-rock sort of... okay, mostly that's me describing him.   iTunes can't seem to make up their digital mind and CD baby has an 'if you like funk rock" sidebar. 

There's eight songs on the CD and right now, at this moment, my favourite is Steve's version of Auld Lang Syne woven together with Stand by Me.  Favourites are subject to change without notice.  Steve's got a smokey whiskey voice that I, personally, find very sexy and he's a kick ass guitarist.  Also, the band has great brass.

CD Baby
iTunes

Quartette: It's Christmas

The Quartette in specific is made up of Cindy Church, Colleen Peterson, Sylvia Tyson, and Caitlin Hanford

This is theroetically a country CD but don't let that scare you away.  I love country and in my opinion there's only two songs out of the twelve that might give a non-country lover trouble and, even if you were scarred as a child by your uncle doing a terrible rendition of A Boy Named Sue their versions of O Come, O Come Emmanuel and What Child is This are worth the price of the CD. These four women not only have beautiful voices on their own but sing amazing harmonies.

iTunes


So what rocks your musical Christmas boat?

Some thoughts about that depression meme that's going around. Since it does ask for age and gender, I wonder if it takes into account that interrupted sleep, weight gain, memory loss, inability to concentrate, and mood swings are also symptoms of menopause and changes the scores accordingly. It's rather surprising how many health professionals don't get that out of the way first. If a woman's over forty-five, it's the first thing I'd consider -- as your body adjusts to lower estrogen levels, life can become a physical and mental roller coaster.

Dear lord, the lack of sleep alone can account for the weight gain and the mood swings and the inability to concentrate. Primary source research; I don't remember the last time I slept through the night. If I had to work outside the house, I'd be on HRT so fast it'd make your head spin.

When the beloved used to work in group homes, there was a woman under their care who'd suddenly starting having health problems right out of the blue. She wasn't sleeping, she'd wakeup three or four times a night soaked in sweat, she was forgetting how to do things she'd known how to do for years, and was violently moody. They couldn't figure out what was wrong. So I asked how old she was. (I did volunteer work with the client at the therapeutic riding stable) She'd just turned fifty. I said, "You think she might be in menopause?" Hadn't occurred to any of them. And some of them were in their fifties. Some of them were having the exact same symptoms. ("I am NOT in menopause!" "Honey, if you're sweating like a duck, odds are good you're a duck." "I am NOT a duck!" "It's a meta... never mind.") And guess what? She was. Once they knew what the problem was, they could start dealing with it. (To the extent that their drastically reduced budget allowed but that's another story.)

There's a 100% guarantee that 51% of the population will be going through an estrogen adjustment with varying symptoms to varying degrees. And apparently the other 49% is doomed to endure an enlarged prostrate and erectile dysfunction. No wonder everyone's depressed...

Libra: "You can tap the mother lode of creative juices today if you are willing to let go and soar on the breezes of your imagination. But make certain that you are tethered to the real world or you could lose touch with the practical considerations that you also need in order to succeed. It's easy now to be overly dramatic while expressing yourself; however, intelligent self-control is the key to your progress."

Given things going on behind the scenes today, that's kind of scarily accurate. And really, really purple...

For those of you who might need a few words to read over lunch, there's a new interview with me up at A Working Title as well as two new reviews. One of Valor's Choice (although Bonnie generously makes it more a general review of the series) and one of The Enchantment Emporium.

Link here.

Absolutely bang on post about the author/agent relationship from seanan_mcguire.

Of authors and agents -take two.

My agent works his butt off for everyone he represents. He works constantly to expand our markets and he worries about not only the big things but the little details that, without him, would slip through the cracks. I've been with him for all but my first three books -- and he still deals with the detritus of those, that's how good he is -- and I wouldn't have the career I have without him.

Thank you, Joshua.

When I got my poppy from the veteran standing outside the grocery store, it occurred to me that he couldn't possibly be a WWII vet. He was the age I always remember poppy sellers being -- but I'm a lot older now so I'm guessing Korea. My father fought in Korea.

According to Wikipedia, of the 65,038,810 people who were members of the armed forces of one of the combat nations, there are three verified World War I veterans still living -- two are 108, one is 109 -- as well as a 106 year old from England they haven't been able to verify. Four all together.

World War II veterans are all over eighty and, while there are still millions left, I don't doubt there's fewer every day.

Korea. Viet Nam. Bosnia. Afghanistan. The problem is, there will always be new veterans. New men and women to stand outside grocery stores in Legion jackets and caps in early November.

New men and women to remember.

Since 2002, 133 Canadian soldiers have been killed serving in Afghanistan. The CBC maintains a list, here. And the overpasses are still filled from Trenton to Toronto, every time one of them comes home.


This link is to the video for John McDermott's Bringing Buddy Home.

After my last post, telynor posted a link to the lj post on the Facebook wall. Yay! Proactive interaction! This seems to be the best way for me to talk directly to these fen without actually getting a Facebook account. Which I'd rather not do.

So, if those of you with Facebook accounts and the time would post links to this, I'd really appreciate it.

TIA

-----



Dear Spanish Fans:

First, I appreciate fansites. Thank you for your interest. But, could you please set it up so that it's clearly a fansite. As it is now, people think it's actually me and that makes me look bad when they expect interaction and I don't respond.

Second, if you are linking to free online downloads of my books, please stop. This isn't like lending your copy of a book to a friend, it's a copyright violation.

Thank you.
Tanya Huff

(translation provided by jonquil)

A Mis Fans Hispánicos Queridos:

Primero, me gustan fansites. Gracias para sus interéses. Podrían ustédes márquenlos "fansite", por favor? Otra vez, la gente piensa que yo esté ignorándoles cuando no respondo.

Además, favor de no ligar a los transferencias en linea de mis libros; esta no es prestar un libro a un amigo, es violación de los derechos de autor.


Gracias.
Tanya Huff

So just for the hell of it -- and because I was having trouble figuring out just what exactly Vicki was thinking when she... um, never mind, that would be telling -- I just googled myself.

Quel surprise: I'm on Facebook. In Spanish. Right here.

If this is a fansite, yay. I'm all for fansites.

The google quote however is: "Welcome to the official Facebook Page of Tanya Huff. Get exclusive content and interact with Tanya Huff right from Facebook."

NOT my official facebook page. Don't have one. Not getting one.
NOT a way to get exclusive content and interaction.

Just thought y'all ought to know. Spread the word.

Also, I hate the photo.

ETA from maribou: OTOH, they are also saying (as far as I can make out, and someone else's Spanish might be better), that if anyone wants to read one of your books online, they should post the title they are interested in on the "wall" page and then the person will post a link to that book. Which, unless you are offering your books free online and I just don't know about it, might be a very good reason to not like the person behind this.

Can anyone confirm this? Because this is something I'll have to stop.

It's Thanksgiving Day up here in the Great White North -- because by the middle of November we're less thankful than we are starting to hunker down for the long cold months ahead -- and we're celebrating in the traditional way with ritual turkey and pie. Also traditional: honouring the day by mentioning ten of the things I'm most thankful for.

The person who shares my life -- we'll have been married for twenty years next summer (church wedding MCC Toronto, legally for seven) and together for twenty-four.

Old friends -- I moved around a lot when I was a kid and it's great to actually have friendships that have history.

New friends -- I've met some amazing people over the last few years who have really enriched my life.

My readers -- whose support allows me to continue living a life I love. Couldn't do it without you.

My talent -- I'd be telling stories anyway but I'm very grateful I can tell them well enough to make a living at it.

Music -- I didn't have music in my life for a long time but it's become a large part of it lately and I'm especially thankful for the filk community who've been so welcoming. And enduring. *g*

The cats -- less thankful at 2AM when we're removing a tic off Sophie's head but generally, I'm thankful they're around.

My country -- mostly for staying out of my bedroom and acknowledging that health care is a right, not a privilege but for lots of other little things as well. Including Paul Gross.

My health -- so far no problems that aren't age and wear related. (touch wood)

The internet -- which allows me maintain contacts and to share the enthusiasm. Which enthusiasm? Well, pretty much all of them!

And now, I'm off to set the table and await the arrival of the mother-in-law. The aged uncle and his child bride will be coming over later in the month -- as the beloved has had a cold this past week, they consider our house to be a little too germ laden for elderly immune systems.

Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian Peeps! Happy Monday to the rest of you!