Snapshot of Life Lately

Pretty ornaments for sale at the Kennedy Center gift shop

Christmas is coming! I love this time of year.

I had a Christmas party at my house on Saturday. The theme was "It's A Wonderful Life." At least thirty people came. I was so happy to fill the house with so many friends.

Special thanks on this occasion to Frank, who helped prepare mulled wine and hot chocolate with Bailey's and rum for the occasion. Oh, and egg nog. With brandy. It was quite delightful.

He also loves to cook. We've been brainstorming ideas for fabulous parties we can throw. I hope to throw a Pioneer Party in honor of Laura Ingalls Wilder's birthday in February. He suggested an English pub party. I love that idea even more.

I successfully managed to get the whole house cleaned up by Sunday night, which was no mean feat, let me tell you.

Last night I went grocery shopping at the new Trader Joe's that just opened by my house. That store is an absolute blessing in my life right now. I buy everything there now, and it's all so good!

When I wasn't in the mood to cook much last week, I practically lived on the frozen chicken tikka masala from Trader Joe's. Best frozen meal ever. It's a real lifesaver.

One of my guests on Saturday brought a box of TJ's delicious dark-chocolate-covered peppermint Joe-Joe's, and oh my gosh, they're out of this world.

And yesterday I bought TJ's hummus for the first time. It was a revelation. I texted at least three people, "TJ's has the best hummus of my LIFE. How have I lived without it for so long?" I like to narrate my food choices, preferably via text message.

After groceries, I had a quiet evening ahead of me so I decided to finish reading Oscar Wilde's De Profundis. It had been billed as the most beautiful reflection ever written on sorrow. So I sat down in my favorite armchair with a glass of white wine and a print-out of the text.

It certainly lived up to its reputation, and I had so many thoughts on it, some of which I will be sharing at some point.

At one point in the reflection Wilde referenced the Nichomachean Ethics, Aristotle's great work on happiness, virtue and friendship. That got me nostalgic for the good old days in PLS.

I remembered that one time when an older PLS major told me that I wouldn't ever find time to read the Ethics anymore now that I'm done with college.

And if you know me, you know that I never like being told what to do. That was my inspiration.

So I went and rooted out my copy of the Basic Works.

And, my friends, I read the Nichomachean Ethics.

That's what I do for fun on quiet nights at home. So now you know!