christmas lights & prescription glasses

I've had an extraordinary few days, filled with Bikram yoga, acupuncture, and a deep-tissue massage with Ciara. Ciara is always great about checking in with her clients before the massages, and as we sat in the massage room, the overhead lights dimmed, all the white Christmas lights that twirled like vines up the wall reflected in her glasses, and she looked strikingly beautiful, truly the Duchess of Faeries (as I like to call her). She just emanated warmth and grace and strength.

Saw Milk -- the Gus Van Sant film about Harvey Milk, the "Mayor of Castro Street" -- and I haven't been that moved in a long time by a film. Sean Penn did an amazing job as Harvey Milk, and Emile Hirsch -- one of my fave actors since The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys -- was pitch-perfect as Cleve Jones. I highly recommend this movie to one and all. Go out and support it, gosh darnit!

Yesterday, Mom and I put up the Christmas tree and hung lights. Mom gets so giddy around the holidays, and even though she complains about all the work she puts into it, she loves each and every moment. Speaking of awesome holiday moments, I was more than impressed by Jerry's "turkey" he brought over to the house on Thanksgiving. He'd made up a creation that Jim Henson -- and Martha Stewart -- would be proud of. He used a radish as the turkey head, a carrot as the nose and feet, pita bread slices as the top feathers, and pecans as the bottom feathers. He said, "I know you're a vegetarian, so I wanted you to have a veggie turkey!" That was so sweet. And we promptly dipped the turkey in hummus and pesto, and ate it. Yum!