Hi. Well, I took some of these. While further experimentation is required before we may conclude that, sans sunshine, I am officially transmogrified into a Mood-Swinger, I am for the time being willing to claim a positive effect. I can say that this morning, instead of being more or less irritated with everything, I wish I didn't have a cold so I could go -- hold on to your seats -- ice skating! And I'd like to leave l'office early so I can pick up a couple last minute presents which I haven't thought of until today. In a Nutshell: energy definitely higher and irritability gone, mood slightly above baseline, prolly due to better energy levels, and have to wonder optimistically about how I'd feel today w/out the cold.

Celebrate with some festive photos.

Today's blogs worth visiting:

• A fellow gatherer of the intellectually esoteric and the culturally unique, if not completely entirely significant, we bring you Joseph Gurl's Magnificent Melting Object (some adult content)
  
• Intelligent personal and social musings and a clean, attractive layout from regular jo
  
• Cool insights from a thoughtful and well-read neighbor up north -- get a taste of Canada's finest at Kiss My Lilly White Ass -- TBH loves that title!
  
• Pamela Hichens generously shares the creative and personal at Virtual Pamela
  
• Yet another interesting mind at Vignettes
  
• Follow along with "Josi's top ten emotional states of 2000" with your hostess, girl in black
  
• A confluence of private, personal and public in mollie elizabeth's darkly honest book of days
  

Words The Band Used to Struggle to Remember: incredulous, begrudge, marzipan

There are certain artists -- musicians, poets, writers, painters -- who are incredible and yet virtually unknown. Their lives were or are as rich as their work. Somehow, unless you stumble upon them or someone points you in their direction, you may never know about them, and that imho is a damned shame. To relatively small, tight groups of fans, these are the artists we can't live without, at least, not happily, the creators of the books and albums and cds that we'd grab before leaving the proverbial burning apartment or taking up residence on some desert island. They should be much more well-known than they are, and TBH would be remiss if we didn't introduce you, dear reader, to some of them. Some of you will already be familiar with these artists, and we're sure you'll be happy to see them mentioned here. For everyone else to whom these names are unknown, or their work unfamiliar -- dig in. While they aren't for the faint of heart or the close-minded, they can make you stronger -- after they first break your heart. If nothing else, they can change how you see.

Tom Waits
Charles Bukowski
Leonard Cohen
Nick Drake
Richard Brautigan
Jim Harrison
Robert Stone
Tom McGuane
Ray Carver
Jane Siberry
Marianne Faithful

From a lovely cyber-card sent by a kindred spirit:

light a candle
listen to the wind
draw a picture
eat some chocolate
open a book
look at the moon
smile at yourself
follow your dream

(Thank you!)

From TBH to all of you:

May these holidays bring you all the peace of the universe that you can hold,
and may the new year bring greater tolerance of each other's differences
and deeper understanding of our place in it all.

Talk to you soon.

Rune