"Writers write, and they write, and they go on writing long after wisdom and even common sense have told them to quit. There are always plenty of reasons--good, compelling reasons, too--for quitting, or for not writing
very much or very seriously. (Writing is trouble, make no mistake, for everyone involved, and who needs trouble?) But once in a great while lightning strikes, and occasionally it strikes early in the writer's life. Sometimes it comes later, after years of work. And sometimes, most often of course, it never happens at all...it happens, lightning, or it doesn't happen. But it will never, never happen to those who don't work hard at it and who don't consider the act of writing as very nearly the most important thing in their lives, right up there next to breath, and food, and shelter, and love, and God."
 
Raymond Carver

It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

  In my family there’s a big tradition involving my dad & my brother watching every version of A Christmas Carol that they can. They do a huge chunk of them on Christmas Eve, from Mickey’s Christmas Carol to The Muppet Christmas Carol and of course, Scrooged. I joined them during the early years of this tradition and before moving to New York, just popped in for my favorites. Living on my own in the city, I’ve spent some Christmases alone, which is okay with me. Why? Because there is the yearly marathon viewing and reviewing of A Christmas Story, which plays on cable for 24 hours over and over again. It’s pretty hard to get tired of that one and I feel sometimes like I can recite it verbatim. I also make it a point to watch Barbara Stanwyck in Christmas in Connecticut at least once a December. This year I’m thinking a lot about my favorite Christmas television episodes. The first one that always comes to mind is the “My So-Called Angels” episode of My So-Called Life. Gay teen Rickie runs away from home and a mysterious homeless girl/angel (played by singer/songwriter Juliana Hatfield) guides Angela to him and Angela’s mom to her so that they’re all brought together on Christmas as a church choir sings. It’s always been my favorite episode of MS-CL and one of my favorite holiday specials. Then there’s “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” from Designing Women, in which a Christmas prank to get Mary Jo’s son not to lose his belief in Santa Claus ends up with a robbery and the four decorators embellishing the truth about their gifts to one another. Remember when Phyllis planned a traditional Moroccan Christmas on The Office? How about The West Wing’s “Nöel,” when Josh is diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and President Bartlet realizes that he can’t personally sign over a million Christmas cards? Of course Six Feet Under begins one Christmas Eve, with the surprising death of funereal patriarch Nate Fisher, followed a year later by an episode that starts off with a mall Santa being killed in a horrible motorcycle accident. That’s probably not the best to watch if you’re having a blue Christmas. For that, I’d recommend the Christmas themed Ally McBeal episodes. Singing, romance and crazy lawyers? Awesome. But for the ultimate in holiday hilarity, check out Arrested Development’s “Afternoon Delight,” centered around the most awkward office holiday party and the most uncomfortable karaoke duets of all time. Whatever you pop into the DVD player this month, be it White Christmas or Bad Santa, we at Pictures & Frames wish you a very merry Christmas!