It’s the very end of 2011.  Thoughts?  I have several.

Busy, busy, busy.  Soccer, writing, and mothering consumed all my waking hours after I finally moved past the January shooting rampage in Arizona and my outrage over guns.  There was little time in the day to contemplate a Japanese earthquake and tsunami beyond “Isn’t it horrible?” and “Didn’t this happen last year in Chile?”  Fortunately, YouTube took care of our emotions, showing us the worst of Mother Nature, while Twitter and Facebook aided in the nascent, now continuing, Arab Spring.  The Royals married and for those interested – i.e. most of the world – didn’t disappoint.  Osama bin Laden met Seal Team Six and his demise, as did Moammar Ghadaffi at the hands of rebel fighters.  North Korea’s Dear Leader, Kim Jong Il, also bit the dust, though of natural causes.  None will be missed.  Those who will?  Steve Jobs, and for me and many others, Amy Winehouse.  One of my wishes in last year’s New Year’s Eve post was for her to live another day and make more music.  Sadly, not all wishes come true.

The economy improved slowly, stalled, started up again, and continues inching its way back, not fast enough for most, especially those who continued to make up the 9% of unemployed.  The 99% made their voices heard in the continuing Occupy Movement.  Congress moved us to the brink of insanity with partisan, last minute shenanigans that left us questioning our faith in government to, ahem, govern.

Books

There will never be enough time, not ever, ever, ever, to read as much as I want to.  2011 was my year, accidentally, of the disparate-chapter novel, where each section is about someone or something different, coming together organically in the end.  Jean Thompson’s The Year We Left Home, Siobhan Fallon’s You Know When the Men Are Gone, and Colum McCann’s Let the Great World Spin were a part of this group, as was my favorite book of the year, 2010’s A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan.  Finally got around to The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, though having enjoyed it thoroughly, wasn’t compelled to read books two and three in the trilogy.  Devoured Kathryn Stockett’s The Help like the good consumer of popular entertainment that I am, finishing it moments before seeing the movie.  Both were greatly appreciated.  Philip Roth made an appearance in my life this year with his American Pastoral, proof in one novel why he is one of our preeminent authors.  What a book.  Nuala O’Faolain, Haruki Murakami, Mary Karr, Flannery O’Connor, and every short story writer under the sun spent time in my head the past year and for that, I thank them all.  I’m excited about turning more pages in 2012.  What would you suggest?

Movies

I can’t remember another year of my life when I was less interested in the film offerings than in 2011.  I saw several mediocre movies not worth mentioning.  There were hundreds released that I didn’t even put on my list for future DVD viewing.  That said, I still haven’t seen “Midnight in Paris”, “The Artist”, “Hugo”, “Warhorse”, “Moneyball”, or Meryl Streep in “The Iron Lady”.  Can’t wait to borrow the screener for “Young Adult” starring Charlize Theron.  Movies I’ll mention: “Win Win”, which makes director Tom McCarthy three for three with me (“The Visitor”, “The Station Agent”); “Margin Call”, “The Ides of March”, and “The Debt” filled my need for political suspense.  Won’t ever see “The Tree of Life”, by the emperor’s-new-clothes director Terrence Malick. “A Dolphin Tale” and “Like Crazy” owe me about four hours of my life back. I was disappointed with the adaptation of “Water for Elephants” but not “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”.  Harry Potter’s last installment got it right, as always.  “The Help” felt perfect.  In terms of pure entertainment?  My favorite movie experience of 2011 was “Bridesmaids” and I will not apologize.  Laughter is the best medicine even if you’re not sick, though all of the ladies in the movie were and for that, I loved them.  Please, if you saw movies the past year worthy of recommendation, share it in the comments.

Music

My listening time was limited to the radio, usually, so my tastes were mostly mainstream.  What was better than Adele this past year, specifically “Someone Like You”?  Nothing.  Her album 21 was as satisfying as any I can remember, from the first song to the last.  My new favorite was Eliza Doolittle, with her sometimes retro interpretations and playful ditties.  Neon Trees and The Black Keys had different sounds that grabbed me.  Singles like “Stereo Hearts” by Gym Class Heroes, “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster the People,  and “Give Me Everything” by Pitbull amused and entertained me.  Florence + The Machine put out an excellent second offering.  Rihanna continues to come on strong.  Bruno Mars appeared in everyone’s songs and that was okay by me.  The young generation’s anthem will be “We Are Young” which had its debut with New Directions on “Glee” a few weeks ago.  The husband wants music suggestions for the next year and I’m relying on all of you to come up with them.

Television

This will be quick.  Though I love lying on the couch watching the boob tube as much as the next person, I simply couldn’t find the time beyond my previous addictions – “Modern Family”, “Glee”, “Nurse Jackie”, “The Good Wife”, “30 Rock”, “The Daily Show” – and we’re all waiting for the return of “Mad Men”.  Showtime’s “Homeland” was my only new addition, and a worthy one at that, though I’m four episodes behind.  The HBO documentary “Hot Coffee” about tort reform and other legal ailments was a valuable use of my time.  Football and women’s World Cup soccer rounded out my viewing.

My theatre going was so anemic it’s barely worth mentioning.  “God of Carnage” met expectations but did not exceed them.  Alvin Ailey did.  Perhaps I’ll find average courage this year to shed the warmth of hearth and home and spontaneously take myself to a night at the theatre.  Los Angeles has plenty to offer.

Looking ahead, it appears 2012 will be the busiest yet.  All three girls are playing tournament sports, I continue coaching, there are hundreds more posts to write, and then there’s yoga.  The dogs would appreciate more walks.  The husband and I are often ships passing in the night, but we wave and smile lovingly, wondering where the time is going.

Wishing you and yours great health, much reading, laughter that makes you cry, time with friends, strong cups of coffee, courage on any level and, of course, happiness in the coming year.

(Resolve to hit that Facebook “like” button more often in 2012.)

The husband and I did the dead wife double feature this week.  “The Descendants” left me sad and somewhat empty; “We Bought a Zoo” less so.  In the former, daughters saying good-bye to their comatose mother wrecked me.  In “…Zoo”, she was already gone and we were left with the father finding and fighting his way back, albeit in unconventional ways.  Both films succeeded in shoring up my resolve for the new year, a belief that taking chances regularly is necessary, not only because you never know when you might accidentally hit your head, but because with great risk comes great reward. “…Zoo” claims you only need twenty seconds of insane courage for the chance to change your life.  I’m not looking to turn things upside down, mind you.  I’m just hoping to feel better.

For the past seven years or so, I’ve threatened taking yoga classes.  My body keeps getting stiffer so my running has become slower.  Depending on the morning, it resembles a jaunty stroll.  Have you ever said something so many times, you can’t stand being around yourself?  Yoga is but one of several items on my to-do list, near the top.  Two months ago, I bought a Groupon for fifteen classes, as if the purchase itself would loosen my muscles, tone my core, and stretch my soul.  Last Friday was the “activate” or lose it date, a fact I only knew because a friend came by with his two dogs for a holiday visit and casually asked if I took yoga.  He’d bought the same Groupon for the same place and told me I had two hours, or else buh-bye fifty dollars.  I went to InYoga Center in North Hollywood, signed myself up, and was given three months to redeem my classes.  Had I not been inspired by the aforementioned movies, there’s a good chance I would have taken fifteen classes in one day at the end of March, or forgotten altogether.  My excuses?  Who really cares?

Rather than wait for 2012 to kick in, I decided to jump at the first chance InYoga had to welcome a beginner.  After helping put away the Christmas decorations up at school and then back at the house, I realized it was a mere twenty minutes until my gentle stretch class at 4pm.  Appreciating it’s a bare foot thing, I quickly wiped away the remaining bits of toenail polish leftover from God-knows-when.  And while past the point of being overly concerned about making a fool of myself in new situations, I was suddenly overcome with anxiety about the gassy week I’d had.  What if I let go of a butt biscuit while doing downward dog?  I’d left myself no time to address the matter, which was probably best.

The woman behind the desk couldn’t have been nicer.  She may have been more excited than I for this virgin yoga experience and graciously offered a rental mat free of charge.

The instructor (yogi master?) was charming and asked if anyone was taking yoga for the first time.  I proudly raised my hand and then listened intently as she explained her theme for the class.  Something about focusing on a bad habit or something that we all wanted to ‘let go of’, to head into the New Year without.  She encouraged specificity, using an interesting example that involved the eating of Doritos – which was weird because Doritos is exactly what I’d like to leave behind in 2011.  Then there was yoga stuff – saying “om”, twisting, reaching, stretching, breathing, quiet.  I detected the occasional sound of a sitar.  Our relaxed final pose with the lights out was perfect until someone starting snoring – no kidding – after just thirty seconds.  Really?

While rolling up our mats and heading out of the room, a thoughtful woman asked me how my first yoga class was.  “Good,” I said.  “It felt nice.”  And it did.  My lower back is stiff now and I’ve taken Advil but that’ll change, if I redeem the remaining fourteen classes left on the Groupon.  At the very least, it’s a start.

Anyhow, my point?  Take more chances.  Find insane courage.  Jump off some cliffs, even if they don’t look like cliffs to others.  Do things that scare you.  You know what they are.  You know.  Sure, yoga isn’t much, but when you finally do the thing you’ve been avoiding for seven years, it feels good – really, really good – and I didn’t even wait until after the New Year.

Seriously, don’t wait.

Christmas morning, when I was a child, was about as magical as they come until…we had to leave for church.  Walking away from the presents, the toys, the fire, the Christmas music – to get dressed and head to Our Lady of Grace was about as good a way to ruin the holiday as any.  My siblings and I hated mass as much as the next kid and maybe even more.  It wasn’t that we didn’t appreciate the birth of Jesus; we placed Him carefully in the crèche every year.  The Christ child wasn’t the problem.  Our angry, drunken monsignor was.  Nasty fellow.

When I first heard people talk seriously about Midnight Mass, upon moving to New York in the early 1980s, I thought that was an okay compromise but awfully late to be up before the big day.  We tried it once at St. Patrick’s on Fifth Avenue, tickets in hand, but the television cameras all around made it uncomfortably impersonal.

When I met my husband, there was much to take notice of and admire.  The first Christmas we spent together at his folks’ house in Maryland, we shuffled off to their “midnight” services on Christmas Eve at 9pm.  We were back home in front of the fire by 10:15, relaxing with some eggnog before heading off to bed.  The following morning after opening gifts, the pajamas could stay on until dinner.  It was perfect.

Last night, we attended our usual Christmas Eve children’s service at 5pm and watched as the shepherds and wise men made their way up the aisle, along with several angels, some funny looking sheep, a chicken, and someone’s little baby standing in for Jesus.  We all sang the Christmas hymns they don’t play on the radio, like “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”, “Away in a Manger”, “The First Noel”, and “Oh Come, All Ye Faithful”.  During this last song, the third verse – ‘Sing, choirs of angels/ Sing in exultation/ Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above…’ – I remembered the harmony from my high school choir days and sang my soprano part with gusto.  Goldie looked at me like I was crazy, but I couldn’t stop myself.  Hitting those high notes gives me as much joy as hitting a line drive.  By the time communion was over (they offered gluten-free wafers) and we’d all been singing for an hour, I was exhausted.

Upon returning home for our traditional ‘fancy’ dinner served on the wedding china, we retired to the den for the equally traditional viewing of “It’s a Wonderful Life” because no matter how cliché it is to watch on Christmas Eve, I always discover and/or appreciate something new.  Last night, I noticed the student who opens the dance floor to reveal the pool at the high school gym was the same actor who played ‘Alfalfa’ in “The Little Rascals”.  It’s more of a grown-up movie and the girls were restless, unable to understand why the night was going by so slowly.

“Aren’t you so excited for Christmas, Mom?” Bun Bun wanted to know.  I told her honestly that it’s everything leading up to December 25^th that I love so much, including the time I get to spend with her and her sisters, baking cookies, watching movies, wrapping presents.  The in-laws are in town and the house is full.  That’s what I enjoy.

“Dear George, remember no man is a failure who has friends…” Gets me every time.

Merry Christmas, from your Daily Cup.

If only I had some more of it.  If only someone would wrap it up with a pretty bow and put it in my stocking.

“Mom, what are you getting Daddy for Christmas?”

“An extra two hours every Wednesday.”

“He’s gonna love that!”

If only.  Were I flush with it this week, I would’ve wanted to talk about:

· Vaclav Havel.  When he became president of the Czech Republic, I remember thinking how great it was that he was a former playwright and that his life as a poet and essayist contributed as much to his dissidence as the Prague Spring.  Surely a man of letters would, at the very least, be an articulate, thoughtful leader, and he was – of the Velvet Revolution that saw communist Czechoslovakia become the democratic Czech Republic.  He died last Sunday at the age of 75.

· Kim Jong Il.  The poofy-haired wackadoo that led North Korea into starvation and non-existent human rights succumbed to all kinds of illness last Saturday.  He was a bad, bad man, so I was confused to see on the front page of the Los Angeles Times this week a photo of two women bereft and physically unable to stand upon learning of his death.  The picture was either staged (entirely likely) or too many North Koreans have been brainwashed into believing they could not exist without their Dear Leader.  His puffy look-a-like son is poised to take over, although I’m not sure ‘poise’ will factor into his leadership at all.  In different and similar ways, Kim Jong Il was as horrible to his people as Saddam Hussein, though we haven’t recently threatened Pyongyang with war as we did with Iraq.  Speaking of…

· The war in Iraq – we charged into Baghdad under the guise of stopping Hussein from using his weapons of mass destruction.  Problem was, he didn’t have any to find and/or destroy, so we put ourselves in hostile territory we knew little to nothing about, without our original justification.  Almost nine years and thousands of deaths later, we finally ‘ended’ our war with Iraq last Saturday with nary a word or thought from the average American.  President Obama knew to recognize the milestone but avoid fanfare.  Now it’s time we did everything possible to take care of our veterans, whether that entails employment, health care, continued education, and/or just plain gratitude – whether you supported the war or not.

· Congress.  The Democrats in the Senate fashioned another idiotic kick-the-can-down-the-road solution to our nearly expiring payroll-tax cuts and managed enough Republican votes for passage of the two-month extension.  Then John Boehner lost his proverbial mind and rejected it – I get it, it’s stupid – even though in doing so he was essentially turning his back on the Republican tax-cut mantra and committing his party to political suicide.  After a come-to-Jesus meeting, Boehner changed his mind and the House will, in fact, move the bill forward so they can all participate in further congressional charades come February.  I can’t wait.  Even more, I’m looking forward to next November when we can all show our gratitude for Congress’s fine work – at the voting booth.

· Christmas/Holiday cards.  Did you send them this year?  Do you send them to people you see every day, who see your children every day, to whom you’ve said ‘Happy Hanukkah’ or ‘Merry Christmas’ several times already?  What about Christmas letters?  Do you write them?  Do you read them?  Isn’t it all ‘soccer this’ and ‘hockey that’, ‘we took a trip’ and ‘the grandkids continue to delight us’?  Maybe I’m bitter that I’m friendly with people old enough to have grandchildren.  And how long do you continue to mail cards?  I’m nearly done but Christmas is only two days away.  Will I ever get to the people I skipped over because I have to do some work (get off the couch) to find their address?  Do you stop and pause for a moment for those you randomly take off your Christmas card list every year?  And why?  You’re not friends with them anymore?  They haven’t sent you a card in years?  You never liked them but you sent them a card because they sent you a card, and now you don’t care because you’re pushing fifty and the older you get, the less worried you are about people’s opinion of you?  Do you rush to the mailbox every day during December to see how popular you are?  Did you send out cyber cards this year, thereby saving a tree?  I got a very funny one via JibJab.

· Eggnog.  Do you drink it?  Do you put it in your coffee?  I don’t – too sweet.  Do you buy full-fat or low?  The lowfat tastes just as good.  I drink a little cup every night while writing those damn cards.

I could go on and on, if I had the TIME.  It’s been too long since my last cookie and I always take time out for those, so if you’ll excuse me.  It’s also TIME for another cup of joe.  Tomorrow, I’ll take TIME to watch my Jets beat the Giants and make their way into the playoffs, albeit by the skin of their teeth.

Interesting opinion piece about the end of the Iraq war and how it relates to our current state of affairs – from Joseph A. Palermo at HuffPo.

Take a comprehensive look, from the Center for Strategic & International Studies, at the details of just how extensive and intensive our involvement was in Iraq from 2003 through 2011.

Stressed during the holidays?  You betcha!  Were it not for the Zovirax pills I keep on hand, I’d look like a monster right about now.

Besides stocking up on cold sore medication, what would you recommend as an antidote for the anxiety that sometimes coincides with December?

My number one piece of advice is to exercise.  Even if you’ve never lifted a weight or run more than a block in your life, start NOW.  For instance, when your ten-year-old buys a snow globe for her sister – the last one they had of its kind in the store – and then proceeds to drop it so it breaks in the bag and gets everything else wet and then you have to drive back to the store and return everything at nine o’clock at night because that other stuff in the bag is what you need for the next morning – you’re going to want to line up shots of Sauza and that’s counterproductive.  (Think of how you’ll feel the next morning.)  Instead, go into another room and do jumping jacks, as many and as fast as you can.  Work up a sweat while thinking of people with real problems.  The only reason I’ve survived the past twelve Christmas seasons with three children, deadlines, obligations, etc. is because I run and crank up the mileage.  Consider this advice seriously.  Get some exercise; when you’re done…

…drink water.  Lots of it.  I don’t know about you, but my skin looks and feels like an alligator’s this month.  I’m lucky no one wants to make me into a pair of boots.  Whenever I’m near the faucet or I see a bottle of water, I drink.  Even if I don’t feel thirsty, I fill up my cup and slug it back.  Our bodies function so much better when we’re hydrated.  I cannot overemphasize this.  Your muscles will thank you.  Your brain will thank you.  Your skin will thank you.  I thank you.

Get or stay organized.  I do this by making lists and checking them twice.  At my advanced age, I’m often scattered and more so in December than at any other time of the year.  There’s so much to do and we’re bound to forget something – you just don’t want to remember Christmas Eve at eleven at night when all the stores in the small town where the grandparents live are closed and now your six-year-old isn’t going to get that number four present on her list because Santa can’t keep everything straight in his head.  Whether you’re throwing a party or handing out presents to fifty people, it’s important to stay organized.  Make a list and cross off items as they’re accomplished.

Avoid persons who brag about having finished and wrapped all of their gifts before Thanksgiving.  We hate them.  (Or maybe we love them, but we hate them, too.)  Now is not the time to be comparing yourself to others.

You know all the red and green M&Ms lying around in bowls, and the Hershey’s Kisses, and the candy canes, and the cookies?  Each time you go to grab some, stop and remember that you just grabbed some a minute ago.  You can go another hour without putting something sweet in your mouth.  This may be the hardest advice to heed but trust me, all that sugar doesn’t ease the stress you’re feeling.  When my jeans start feeling a little tight over the holidays, I want to punch someone.  It’s a weird reaction, I know, but extra weight makes me anxious.  Pace yourself on the Russian teacakes, the gingerbread cookies, the coffee cake.

Put air in your tires.  Weren’t expecting that one, were you?  I was driving around in the swagger wagon the other day and just felt deflated.  Then I realized it wasn’t me, it was the car.  I pulled into a gas station and gave the guy a couple of bucks to inflate my embarrassingly squishy tires.  Afterwards, I felt lifted and strangely energized.

When all else fails, just say “Screw it” or “Whatever” and let it go.  If it doesn’t have to do with making sure Santa Claus fulfills his duty to your children, or getting to the airport early, chances are the world will survive your oversight.  If you’re Christian, keep in mind that we’re celebrating the birth of Jesus and put things in perspective to that.  If you celebrate Hanukkah, or Bodhi Day, or Kwanzaa, or just revel in December lights, remember that it’s about JOY.  Find some, even if it’s as small as the head of a pin.

Check out Simple Steps for Staying Organized Through the Holiday Season from the LIFE Well Lived blog at BlogHer.com.