I titled it “Punk Rock Princess’ after the ultimate pop punk song by Something Corporate, but now that I’ve gotten about four hours of my teenage years on this playlist, I’m thinking I maybe should have titled it “I Was An Angrier Fifteen Year Old Than You Were”. And this was just my pop punk music, which is generally lighter, I have a feeling I shouldn’t put together some of my other favorites.

It’s funny how songs can take you back to a time and a place. When I was in high school I lived in a small town and it took an hour to drive over a mountain pass to get to the nearest Wal-Mart. Listening to these songs, I remember sitting in the car during that drive, sitting on the computer scouring the Internet for more of them, or laying on my bed staring at my ceiling, and listening to all these songs.  Unlike most of the music from that time, I haven’t listened to most of these since. I’m a fairly different person now, which is probably a good thing, and my music has evolved along the way, but it’s nice to look at these songs and have a clear reminder of who I was.

I remember taking a greyhound bus with a girl who told me that she was happy that as much as the world changes, she can always count on the new New Found Glory album to have that same New Found Glory sound. I always listen to their new albums now, just to check.

Anyhow, I’ll leave you with one of my favorite NFG songs, then. “Hit or Miss”. For an unknown reason, I’m never able to stop myself from shouting out my favorite line in this song, “Remember the time we wrote our names up on the wall? Remember the time we realized Thriller was our favorite song?”

What were your favorite songs when you were fifteen?

While it’s been rare for me to live somewhere that it snows so it’s not a big deal that we don’t have white holidays here in Tucson, Arizona, however it is odd to have it be 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit, put on my sunglasses, and turn the fan on in the afternoon and be trying to remember that it’s almost Christmas. I had a hard time getting into the spirit this year because it still feels like summer to me.  Since I’ve only rarely lived in the snow, though, I’m not sure what usually gets me into the mood.

Somehow, in the middle of spending lots of quality time with the husband and snuggling up reading books, it happened. I’m not even sure how, but my somewhat unstable holiday mania kicked in, and I got in the mood to start putting on the necessary movies. I know a lot of people don’t like them, but I love all the cheesy holiday movies I can get, like Look Who’s Talking Now (the one with the dogs!) and Home Alone, Muppets Christmas Carol, and for the first time ever I plan on watching the National Lampoons Christmas Vacation and Scrooged.

I’m glad I finally got my Christmas Hat on, it would be weird to never have gotten into the zone. Desert sun or not, I’ve gotta get the Christmas Cheer together! It made me wonder, though, what usually helps you get your holiday eyes set? Is it the snow (if you live somewhere with snow) or all the mania at the malls or?  How do you get into the holiday spirit?

+ Cooked a TON of new recipes! I’ve taken a lot of omni recipes, particularly Rachel Ray ones lately, and been changing the things I don’t like and making them vegan. I have made a series of amazing meals. Every time we sit down to dinner for the past two weeks or so it seems we’re eating some new and exciting meal! I’m getting really good at stepping out of my comfort zone with food.

+ And, while I have your attention, these garlicky fries will become your new addiction as soon as you make them, I promise.

+ I’ve been writing a bunch of short stories and flash fiction, and the ideas never seem to end! It’s always good to be writing. Well, it can be hard, and I can want to pull my hair out for hours on end… but it’s always better than NOT writing. How bizarre is that?

+ Listened to The New Pornographers song Moves on repeat, for hours. This is not a very uncommon thing for me to do—I usually have a “song of the moment” that I play until anyone around me can’t take it any more.

+ I’ve been enjoying a nice semi-nightly ritual of hot chocolate, blackberries, and reading.

+ Had a birthday! I went to see The Muppets (which was just as great as everyone keeps saying!) and The Husband made me lots of delicious food, including homemade hash browns (which, in case you’ve never made them yourself, take forever!) that were amazing.

+ I’ve been wearing my fancy new knee high Sock It To Me socks that a best friend sent for my birthday! I always appreciate socks.

+ Have been getting better at time management throughout my day, and working on not beating myself up so much-which is always a good thing!

What have you been doing, lately?

What you eat, when you eat, how you decorate, where you gather—all of these things are largely determined by how you were taught to celebrate the holidays. When you get together with someone new for a holiday you have to ask dozens of questions about what they do on their day so you can try to combine the two, hopefully creating new traditions.

My husband and I have created a lot of these over the years, for instance, we always watch the Snoopy holiday specials on Thanksgiving and Christmas. On Christmas Eve we watch Love Actually. We open one present on Christmas Eve and first thing Christmas morning we eat something small and turn on the tree lights before we open any presents. Stockings can be dumped on the floor whenever though—no restraint necessary!

What are your traditions? Does everyone say what they’re thankful for at your table? Do you open presents one at a time, or does everyone just dive in? Do you have necessary foods? Movies that you always watch? Songs that must be heard?