Hello! It's been a long week, errr, week and a half, I guess? We rolled back into town last Tuesday, and I've been working a holiday job, which has cut down my thinking time (I can't very well think about other stuff on the job), and my blogging time. I've also got some other projects in the works (including the podcast, which is coming around a bit slower than I'd like). It's been a little disorienting stumbling upon work I really love doing, as well as work that is necessary (that I don't love doing) because it pays for a living, and both around the same time. December is shaping up to the be the busiest month of the year for me. For that reason, this may be my last digest of the year, and my last post for the year.

Find my Thanksgiving Day digest here.

Watching

Finished Derry Girls over Thanksgiving weekend, as well as Happy Valley. Not really enjoying much US produced television these days, except maybe Bob's Burgers once in awhile.

Listening

Podcasts

While traveling, I listened to an episode of Revolutionary Left Radio about Rosa Luxemburg, and another episode of Faith and Capital, which, FYI, is doing a Xmas themed series for the rest of the month.

Music

Confession: I think most traditional Xmas music is boring (with the exception of some hymns). White People Xmas/Holiday Music is boring. But, I found a bit of music I can keep returning to every Advent and Xmas season, and I'd love to know your favorite holiday music:

• Audrey Assad: Peace
• Over the Rhine: Snow Angels and Blood Oranges in the Snow
• Advent playlist by Jim Keat
• Sleeping at Last: Christmas Collection, vol. 1

Reading

Books

I finished The Incendiaries on the plane almost a week ago, and I still can't shake it. I'm proud of myself for finishing a book that doesn't use quotation marks for dialogue, because it normally annoys me, even though I know it's often a choice made for more than stylistic reasons. This is a fictional work recalling an experience of being in a fanatical cult: a stereotypical cult of multiple people, and a cult of one person. It touches on many deep subjects, including death, abuse, and trauma. Definitely read it if you want to get really pensive.

Articles and miscellanea, including Advent reads

Check out this review of a book on a history of leftist and faith-based folks: "Does Socialism Have to Be ‘Godless’?".

Remembering the four church workers who were murdered in El Salvador 30 years ago...

An Advent sermon from The Rev. Lauren R.E. Larkin: "In the Lap of Mary: Homily on Galatians 3:23-29".

An Advent reflection by a Seattle School of Theology & Psychology teacher from whom I had the pleasure of learning earlier this year: "A Divine Challenge".

A radical twist on the daily Advent devotional: Radvent

✌️ and let me know if I should add something to any of the lists above for Advent reading or listening!