So, the week after Thanksgiving break, a break that included a bunch of dance-y stuff (along with some interesting-to-watch drama in there), and just enough time to disengage from things that jumping back in for the last three weeks of my work year took a little bit of time to normalize. I did some good work this week, though I did it through a bunch of end-in-sight annual adult-equivalent-of-senioritis, attempts to stay out of some extended social circle drama, along with my internal depression monster starting to hit the annual holiday nerve buttons, but I managed.

And now it’s December. I’m okay with that. Today begins my “two weeks until I’m done with work for the year” countdown. I’ve got a few more tasks to handle in that period, and I am diplomatically deflecting the rest (like the person who just asked me and my team to support a “last minute” software test between the 19th and 23rd. Um, no).

Otherwise, I’m staring down a weekend that’s got me assisting in set-up and teardown for a dance thing, and honestly, not much else. Next weekend’s a bit busier (band gig, more dance things), though it’s a week away and I’m not worrying about it other than starting to go over some tunes. I think my lovely wife and I are going out on something resembling a date tonight (a friend pointed out a potentially neat newish restaurant in town we’re going to try), which sounds like exactly what I need right now.

And that’s about it, really. Here are some tunes that Pandora spit out this morning. Post-punk, prog rock, 80s new wave, and Cookie Monster singing in Norwegian (or something Scandinavian, at any rate) …I’ll take it.

1. “Nanook Rubs It” – Frank Zappa
2. “Varden Brenne” – Einherjer
3. “Broadsword” – Jethro Tull
4. “In A Big Country” – Big Country
5. “Kids In America” – The Donnas
6. “Den Forgaengelige Tro” – Svartsot
7. “School Days” – The Runaways
8. “Shout” – Tears for Fears
9. “Be Good” – Frumpies
10. “Take On Me (Extended Version) – A-Ha
11. Jessie’s Girl – Rick Springfield

…oh, can I just say how much I still love the cover to Working Class Dog?