Holiday Post 2024: Traditions, Manners, and Miscellany

Welcome to the 2024 edition of holiday posts here at The Itinerant Librarian. This is where I take a small break from the usual and look at the holiday season. I make a few lists of links that may be of interest and add a bit of commentary that I hope my four readers find interesting. I do this mainly for a bit of fun during this time of the year. Let's start with traditions, manners, and miscellany of the holidays.

Traditions and Manners 

A small village model under a Christmas tree surrounded by poinsettias.

•  The U.S. Census Bureau has published their "2024 Winter Holiday Season" fact sheet. This is part of their "Facts for Features" series that looks at various holidays and special events over the year and then present various facts and figures drawing from census data. For example, did you know that the value of U.S. imports of Christmas decorations from China for 2023 was $2.82 billion? You can learn that and more by reading the article. 
• PNC Bank continues their annual tradition of compiling the actual costs of the items in the song "The 12 Days of Christmas."  They've been doing their Christmas Price Index now for 41 years. 
• The U.S. Postal Service continues their tradition of Operation Santa. 
• NORAD continues their tradition of tracking Santa Claus around the world as he does his gift deliveries. We discovered this a few years back, and it is a fun thing we do at home on December 24th. We keep the browser open to their tracker, and keep an eye on it over the evening. I am sure this is great for kids, but I think kids of all ages can appreciate it. 
• Some advice for dealing and coping with the holidays. The holidays can be a tense time for some folks. For me, that is part of the reason I avoid traveling to see others and/or hosting other people. We enjoy our quiet time at home. I don't consider spending time with others to be a relaxing activity, less so if it carries a risk of possible toxicity. 2024 is certainly proving to be a toxic year, and I am not saying that just because of the 2024 election season. So for folks who may be stuck with relatives they may rather avoid or other people who add to the toxicity, here are some suggestions for advice. 
• I shared this article from Sojourner's Magazine in the "Thanksgiving Post 2024" last month, and I am sharing it again because it has some useful tips if you dread holiday arguments, especially given this years awful political season. 
• For LGBTQ+ folks, Autostraddle offers "Questions To Ask Yourself Before Going to Your Family’s Super Straight, Potentially Hostile Holiday Gathering." 
• The holidays can also be stressful for children who have divorced and/or separated parents. Here is some advice for helping those kids cope via The Conversation.
  
• Create Write Now suggests a "Mindful Christmas: How Practicing Mindfulness Can Alleviate Holiday Stress." 
• Along with a little mindfulness, perhaps you may want to practice a little gratitude. For example, make a list of things you are grateful for in 2024 like That Artsy Reader Girl did in listing her Top Ten Things she is grateful for in 2024. 
• Maybe to keep the stress down in a holiday family gathering you can all play video games together. The Mary Sue offers a list of "10 best video games to play with your family over the holidays." 
• Are you one of the folks who still send Christmas and/or holidays greeting cards? We do send some cards out during the holidays, though I will admit not as many as in years past. Mental Floss looks at when you should be sending them. A good rule is to start sending them as soon as December comes around, so right about now would be good.
  

 

The Christmas Tree, Decorations, and Other Objects

 

A classic painting. Two rabbits in a forest look out at a large Christmas tree.

• Aww, you think that nice Christmas tree salesperson on a street or some rural place is a local grower? That is cute. Turns out those small, quaint, independent tree farms maybe not be a small and independent as they want us to believe. They are also becoming more rare. Turns out that, like every other bit of business, there is a "Big Christmas Tree" monopoly racket going on. So "let's talk about the big business of Christmas trees." Via Quartz. 
• Reader's Digest looks at the history of candy canes and their invention. I admit that personally I am not a big fan of candy canes nor mint candies in general, but I can appreciate they are part of the holidays traditions for many folks.
   

 

 

Other trivia 

(other topics)

 

Five kittens peeking out of some Christmas stockings.

• Via Mental Floss, learn about 9 people who shaped Christmas as we know it now.
• The Library of Congress looks at a few holidays cocktails gone by. Maybe you want to try making one of these old time libations this year. 

That is all for today. Stay tuned for the next post in the series where I will be looking at "Gifts, Strange Things, and Other Shopping." Thanks for stopping by, and as always comments within reason are always welcome. 

Happy holidays, and remember, when all else fails. . . 

British style sign in red with white letters. Text: Keep calm and drink coquito.

 

 

Book Review: Horror for Weenies

Emily C. Hughes, Horror for weenies: everything you need to know about the films you are too scared to watch. Philadelphia, PA: Quirk Books, 2024. ISBN: 9781683694250.

Do you feel left out because your family and/or friends like horror movies and you don't?

Do you feel isolated at gatherings when people talk about horror movies, and you stay silent because you don't watch horror films?

Well, worry no more. Here is a book to help you learn about classics in the genre so you can fit in better with your horror loving friends. 

Horror for Weenies is your guide to the horror film genre. It is written for folks who are not into the genre so they can learn enough to be conversant. Let me note up front that movie spoilers are included, so read accordingly. This book is part of a new series to help demystify different genres in pop culture. Based on this book, I may look for the others in time. 

The book is arranged as follows: 

• Introduction: Why Horror Matters.
• Preface: Horror Cinema's Early Years.
• The 1960s and 1970s.
• The 1980s and 1990s.
• The 2000s and 2010s.
• More Horror Resources. 

The book discusses 25 movies in total. These are pretty popular films that most folks will at least recognize. Each movie entry includes: 

• The Basic Idea. A couple of sentences on what the movie is about. Think of this as the elevator pitch. 
• You Might Actually Want to Watch If. A reason you may want to actually see it. 
• But You Should Definitely Avoid If. Reason not to watch. This could be a specific issue, a trigger, or other reason. 
• Okay, Here's Exactly What Happens. This plot summary tells you exactly what happens. No detail is left out, and spoilers are included. If you are planning on watching this movie, skip this part if spoilers bother you. 
• Why It Matters. A discussion of a film's significance and place in pop culture.
• Iconic Moments. 
• Can't Watch It? Read These Instead. A short list of books you can ready instead in the genre. If a movie is based on a book, that movie book is included in the list. 
• Throughout the entries and the book you get "pop ups" and insets with tropes and other trivia.

This is a fun book to read. It is not comprehensive; it is not meant to be. The 25 movies it does cover are discussed very well. Usually I am not a fan of movie explications. I just want to watch and enjoy a movie. I did enough criticism in past days, so I prefer to avoid it. The book presents film criticism and explication in an easy to read and fun way. It does not feel academic at all, and that is a good thing. If you are a "weenie," someone not into the genre, you will learn a bit in an accessible and at times humorous way. Movie fans may appreciate some of the trivia and details presented, maybe learn a new bit of movie history too. 

If you want to learn more and delve deeper, the resources list includes documentaries and books that may be of interest. 

Overall, I really liked this book. It is a great book to browse, but you can also read it cover to cover and get a pretty good history of horror films. Recommended for all libraries, especially public libraries. Just place it next to the movies collection. Academic librarians with strong popular culture collections may want to add it. I'd consider it for our collection as recreational reading.

5 out of 5 stars. 

Additional reading notes: 

The author spends a lot of time thinking about horror: 

"But coming to the genre with new eyes, I found myself fascinated by the craft of horror, the storytelling methods and cinematography tricks employed by filmmakers to evoke fear, dread, and anxiety" (9). 

This is in contrast to me. While I enjoy at times thinking about the craft of horror, I am not obsessive about it. For the most part, I don't want to spend time thinking and taking films apart or other minutiae. I mostly just want to watch or read it, enjoy it, and done. I do not feel the need to write the thesis after experiencing it. It does not mean I could not write such a thesis; I do have the academic timing to do so. I just don't want to do it. 

A bit on how the author chose the movies: 

"I did my best to focus on influence over popularity; the vast majority of the movies in this book are those that founded, defined, or irrevocably changed a subgenre, the entire genre, or even the artistic landscape of cinema overall. They're also, yes, generally scary, disturbing, disgusting, unnerving, or some combination of the above" (10). 

This book qualifies for the following 2024 Reading Challenge: 

Book Review: Essential Judge Dredd, Volume 1: America

John Wagner, et.al., Essential Judge Dredd, Volume 1: America. Oxford, UK: Rebellion 200AD, 2020.  ISBN: 9781781088609.

Genre: comics and graphic novels

Subgenre: dystopian

Series: Judge Dredd

Format: large trade paperback

Source: Eastside Branch, Lexington (KY) Public Library 

 

This "essential" series is supposed to be a "curated line of graphic novels showcasing the very best storylines of all time" (from back cover description). The title story, "America," is written by John Wagner, co-creator of Judge Dredd. In addition, the volume features other stories written within or around the title story. 

The main event is a referendum in Mega City One to either keep the Judges or return to democracy. The Dems seem to have some strength coming in. Dredd does not agree with the process, but he goes along with the referendum, vowing to accept the results. However, both sides have extremists. 

Within that setting, we get the story of America Jara and Bennett Beeny, childhood friends who take very different paths. Beeny becomes a famous singer, eventually finds fame and fortune. America becomes a Dem terrorist. Their story, especially America's path, is the main story of the volume. If you are expecting a Judge Dredd story, "America" is not it. The story mostly follows America and Beeny. Beeny is in love with America, but it is not reciprocated, and to make it worse, once he is wealthy, she basically manipulates him for money. You only see Judge Dredd in small appearances here or there. Additionally, the ending to the main story is just weird to put it mildly, and it seems a bit forced. This may not be Wagner's best writing. 

The other stories are somewhat better. They are also shorter. "America" at times seems longer, seemingly stretching the melodrama a bit. The rest of the stories look at events around and on Referendum Day with "Twilight's Last Gleaming" by Garth Ennis covering the events of the referendum and the results. The ending on that story is about what readers will expect, but the story also has some small twists. To be honest, the side stories in this volume are better than the title story. 

The art in the volume is still a good reason to pick this book up. If you like the art of Judge Dredd, you get some solid artists doing great work here. 

One thing to keep in mind is this series is an extreme parody on the United States, democracy, authoritarianism, and law enforcement. It is very much within the dystopian literary tradition. Along the way, it makes some serious commentary on the United States today along with the action and intrigues. 

Overall, I liked the volume as a whole, but the main story felt a bit overwrought. This volume may be more for Judge Dredd fans. I will still look for other volumes in the series, but I would consider this one to be optional reading, or you can just read the other stories in the volume. 

3 out of 5 stars. 

 

Book qualifies for the following 2024 Reading Challenge: 

 

 

 

Book Review: Tyson's Necronomicon

Donald Tyson, Necronomicon: the Wanderings of Alhazred. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn, 2004. ISBN: 0738706272.

Genre: horror

Subgenre: pseudohistory, grimoires 

Format: trade paperback

Source: I own this one. 

As readers may know, the Necronomicon is a fictional grimoire featured in some of H.P. Lovecraft's stories. Though fictional, the work has a life of its own, and various authors have written versions of the work with varying degrees of success. In 2004, Canadian occultist Donald Tyson wrote his "translation" of the Necronomicon, and this is the book I read and am reviewing now.

Abdul Alhazred, the "Mad Arab," is the alleged original author of the book. The book is a bit of magical grimoire and travelogue. The book is arranged into 58 short chapters covering topics ranging from a history of the Elder Gods to various places and customs to how to do certain spells. It may be fiction, but the book feels like it could be a real work. 

If you've read ancient travelogues and histories, such as Herodotus' Histories, this will feel a bit familiar in terms of the feel, style, and stories. The book tells Alhazred's travels in his own words. As he travels, he makes notes on places, traditions, and peoples he observes. He does not tell all secrets; at times, he only provides hints on certain topics. 

The book is interesting, but it does read a bit like a textbook. The text can be a little dry at times, and yet it draws you into the world it weaves. The short chapters make reading it a bit easier. You can pick up the book, read a bit here and a bit there, and eventually you get it done. The work is imaginative, and you can often visualize the settings described. 

Overall I liked the book. One reason is I enjoy reading histories and pseudohistories, so it fits that category. Another reason is the imaginative setting and magic. You may know it's fiction, but as you read it you may wonder if it really is fiction or not. Tyson does pretty well in bringing Lovecraft's vision to life. 

On a final notes, this book is part of a series of Necronomicon works by Tyson. After this book, he also wrote Alhazred, a novelization of the "Mad Arab's" life, and he created a Necronomicon Tarot deck with art by Anne Stokes. Part of the reason I read this was in preparation to work with the Tarot deck. The deck kit does come with a good guide book, so I don't think, having read this book, you need to read it to work with the deck. However, I feel it may enhance your experience with the deck. I do feel overall that having familiarity with Lovecraft's original works can be helpful, but this book does stand on its own. 

In the end, I really liked it. If you are a fan of Lovecraft and/or the Cthulhu mythos, you may like this book too.

4 out of 5 stars. 

Additional reading notes: 

On knowledge, from Olaus Wormius' prefatory note to the book: 

 "Only this much I will say: that knowledge once lost is lost forever, and who may judge that one teaching shall be useful in time of need, and another shall bear no value to men forevermore? May there not come a time when secret knowledge is sorely needed to fight the armies of darkness. Yet if all the books that teach it are burned, let men search in vain for the instrument of their salvation" (xiii-xiv). 

That is the kind of statement a Blood Ravens Librarian might say. Also, a nice argument against banning books and censorship. 

Again, on the importance of knowledge: 

"Nor is it possible to dwell in the wasteland without learning its ways, for knowledge is rewarded but ignorance severely punished, and those who survive instruction become wise" (11). 

Truth is not always to be spoken: 

"Read it and be wise, yet in your wisdom seal your lips to the ears of other men, for to speak it before fools is to court death at their hands. Many truths are known that are not to be spoken, and many truths have been lost to the silence of ages" (66). 

On the cycle of creation and destruction: 

"There can be no creation without destruction, and no destruction without creation; to unmake a thing is to make something else, and each time a thing is made, something is destroyed" (94). 

In Tarot, this can be one of the lessons of The Tower-XVI card. This is also a lesson I learned and considered in working with the Kali Oracle. 

Two chapters that I found interesting, in part of their appeal to a librarian: 

• "The Uncanny Ways of Cats and their Cult." 
• "The Book Markets of Alexandria." 

 

This book qualifies for the following 2024 Reading Challenge: 

Media Notes: Roundup for November 2024

 

  

 

Welcome to my somewhat random selection of the movies and series on DVD and/or online I watched during  November 2024.This was a seriously slow month. One big reason is we had a death in the family, which naturally disrupted my media watching. Overall, not a good month. Thus I am looking forward to December, where I hope to watch a holiday film or two along with other things. We'll see. In the meantime, this is how I wrapped up November.

Movies and films (links to IMDB.com for basic information unless noted otherwise). Some of these I watched via TubiTv.com or other online source. The DVDs come from the public library (unless noted otherwise). In addition, I will try to add other trivia notes, such as when a film is based on a book adding the information about the book (at least the WorldCat record if available).

• Thankskilling 3 (2012. Horror. Comedy). Plot description: "Fowl-mouthed villain Turkie carves through the likes of a rapping grandma, a mindless puppet, a wig-wearing inventor, a bisexual space worm, and their equally ridiculous friends on his quest to recover the last copy of 'ThanksKilling 2'". Yes, this movie skipped its sequel. I watched the first one back in 2022. I did not think much of it back then, but I suppose if you are a bit drunk from some wine and sleepy from turkey on Thanksgiving, you might not be as picky about what movie you may be watching. OK, I take that back. You may want to have at least some standards. The first movie was bad, but it was somewhat watchable. This is an incoherent mess that tries to be funny and gross, and fails at both pretty much. No real plot. No real direction. This definitely falls under "sequel no one asked for" nor needed. This is a 0 out of 5 stars, and one I wish I had skipped. You definitely should skip this turkey too.
  

Television and other series (basic show information links via Wikipedia unless noted otherwise). Some of these come in DVD from the public library. Others may be via YouTube, which, as noted before, I keep finding all sorts of other old shows in it, often full episodes:

• Hotel Impossible (2012-2017. Reality). Plot description: The show "is a reality television series from Travel Channel in which struggling non-chain hotels receive an extensive makeover by veteran hotel operator and hospitality expert Anthony Melchiorri and his team." I commented on this previously. 
• Started and finished watching the third season as Tubi has it. The first 6 episodes are "undercover" episodes where he sends undercover inspectors to revisit properties he fixed to see if they kept the high standards or not. These episodes about 21 minutes or so in length, so they were a quick watch. On regular TV, they'd likely be 30 minutes with regular commercials added in. Rest of the season are regular 40 minutes or so episodes.
• Started and finished the fourth and final season. It has 12 episodes. Episode 3 in Woodstock was the episode where Anthony and his crew actually left over a seriously difficult owner who refused to see the various unsafe conditions despite expert testimony. I think overall they ramped up the drama a bit in this last season as it seemed to have some seriously difficult hotel owners when compared to previous seasons.
  

 

 

Book Review: The Complete Guide to Keto

Michelle Stacey, The Complete Guide to Keto: the Never Hungry Diet. New York: Centennial Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781951274108.

Genre: cookbooks and health guides

Subgenre: keto 

Format: trade paperback

Source: Eastside Branch, Lexington (KY) Public Library

This is a guide to help readers start doing a keto diet plan. It is geared mostly for beginners seeking to cut out the carbohydrates (carbs) in their food. 

The book is arranged into three major parts: 

• Part 1: Keto 101. This goes over defining what the keto diet is. It goes over the science available and touts the benefits. It also considers side effects and how to deal with them. 
• Part 2: Ready, Set, Keto. These are the tools to get you started. This part includes a grocery shopping list, some "cheat" sheets, i.e. advice for substitutes when you crave carbs, and helpful supplements. 
• Part 3: Cook Keto. This is a selection of recipes. It also includes a 7-day sample meal plan. 

I picked this book up out of curiosity and because I do want to cut back the carbs in my food. This is not an easy plan to follow, but it is not impossible. The challenge I find is avoiding the temptations, but if you ease your way in it can work. 

Though the book cites scientific literature and articles from experts, there are no formal citations. In other words, it may say something along the lines of "Dr. So and So" or "Nutritionist Jane Doe in a recent article claims something" but there is no exact citation to verify. As reader and librarian, I find that to be a key flaw in this book. A works cited page or a bibliography would have enhanced credibility. 

Once you get to the practical parts of the book it gets better. Most of the advice is good. At one point the book does emphasize you can adapt to the plan based on your needs or disposition. As for the recipes, they vary. You get an issue common in recipe books: accessibility of ingredients. There are recipes that require very specific things you may or not find in an ordinary grocery store. For average folks, that can be an issue. 

As a starter book, this is average. Once you get past the theory, which can get a bit long, it gets better. For the recipes, pick out ones you can try with some ease, see how they work for you, and go from there. I liked the book, but I will be reading others to compare and learn more. 

3 out of 5 stars. 

 This book qualifies for the following 2024 Reading Challenge: