Bring on the Sappy Holiday Feels!

A mob of maudlin rummies will attack!

Hi Clever Reader!

Did you know that maudlin means SOMETHING HORRIBLE THAT I WOULD NEVER ENCOURAGE?

I know, you’re wondering what HORRIBLE thing I could be talking about. Well, I was looking the word up because it’s nearly Christmas, and I’m starting to be overcome by the saccharine urge to gaze longingly at old photographs and watch It’s A Wonderful Life/It’s A Charlie Brown Christmas/Die Hard over and over again.

To me the word maudlin is the perfect word for that sappy feeling I got when I dwelled on how much better everything was in holidays of yesteryear (which is crazy because I’m an adult now and can buy myself whatever gift I want). And according to the dictionary’s definition, it does mean being “weakly and effusively sentimental.” Hey, that’s me when I talk about the first time I read The Hobbit. Or heavy metal from the 80s.

But now I find out, according to Merriam Webster, maudlin also means “drunk enough to be emotionally silly.” Here I am encouraging that sort of emotionally silly behaviour by using the word maudlin. Put down your Kahlua folks! Step away from that Baileys!

I am so sorry!

I instead encourage you to shout out, every five minutes, to anyone younger than you that “everything was better in yesteryear!” Don’t forget to shake your fist about those yesteryears (I, of course, am not referring to the yesteryears that occurred in Dickens’ time. Those were as much fun as cleaning coal from a chimney).

So may you have a joyous yesteryear. It’s what the season is all about. But may this season’s current memory making be equally joyful.

And if anyone wants to take away the season’s joy from you… I’ll sic my dog on ‘em.

As far as writing goes, I’m 78% finished the latest Dragon Assassin novel. My great goal is to be done in time to eat turkey on December 25th. And to lay out birthday presents for the blessed one.

Oh, you may think that’s a religious reference. Actually, my daughter’s birthday is on December 25th. It is a blessing because usually all our family is nearby to celebrate. It’s a curse because, well, her birthday gets overshadowed by a deity. If you want to get an earful, just ask her about it.

That said, I hope that whatever deity or non-deity you follow is kind to you. And may this be the year to outshine all the golden yesteryears.

Thanks for being a clever reader!

Art

P.S. I know, I’m supposed to try to encourage you to buy one of my books. But really, the greatest gift to yourself is to read a book. So go out there and get any book by any means (uh, don’t go overboard on the “any means” part) and read it. Your brain will thank you.