Sorry for the lapse in posting. Stress and holidays will do that. I’ve been cleaning house and resetting our routines now that Thanksgiving is done, and now I’m listening to Bauhaus and catching up with all of you. Here, in list form, is what I’m into right now:

1. Dirk Gently season 2: at first I didn’t know what to think about this new season but now I’m eagerly awaiting the finale. It’s less bloody than the first season and much more whimsical and weird, and I love it at least as much as season 1.
2. Stan Against Evil: this one is also in its second season but I didn’t get around to watching season 1 until a couple weeks ago. Where has this show been all my life?! It’s the greatest combination of horror, comedy, and relatable humanity since Shaun of the Dead.
3. Ghosted: Ghosted is a new sitcom about ghosts and monsters. It features Craig Robinson and Ben from Parks and Recreation and it’s cute. The best thing about it is being able to watch it with my kids. They’re getting older, but still a bit young for truly hardcore horror, so this is a nice compromise.
4. The Italian, by Ann Radcliffe: one of the original “gothic novels.” Radcliffe’s novels are quite long and I don’t have much time to read lately, so it’s taking me forever to get through this, but it’s quite nice so far. It’s atmospheric and mysterious and much more fast-paced than Mysteries of Udolpho.
5. From Here to Eternity, by Caitlin Doughty: I’m not finished with this either but I’m really enjoying it. If you liked her first book you’ll love this one. If you found her first book a little to graphic in the details of death, you might still enjoy reading this one, which is much more focused on her experience of death rituals around the world. If you like her Ask a Mortician series you’ll love this book.

So that’s how I’ve been coping with life stress and family visits. Those of you that celebrate U.S. Thanksgiving, I hope yours was a good one. Those of you that don’t celebrate it, hopefully you had a peaceful weekend while I was entertaining kids and hosting in-laws.