Well, okay, perhaps it's not "national," but today is the day I am going off in search of the perfect glass ornaments to hang on my new fake-white Christmas tree. I have really fluctuated; at first, I'd thought I would buy all blue glass ornaments. But then I thought, maybe silver. Then I thought, maybe pastels. Now I am thinking I want those Martha Stewart pink & silver polka dot/ striped thingies. But then I worry that my Christmas tree will be way too girlie looking and in the event a man ever comes back into my home, he will be utterly repelled by my girly tree. But what does a manly Christmas tree look like? Does it have, like, bottles of Old Spice hanging on it? Who the fuck knows! I only know that today is the day I will bedeck my lovely tree! Girly or not.

And then I think I will go spend some time in the sauna and the whirlpool. Not sure in which order. I am, as always, teetering on that fine line between being "incredibly productive" and "unbelievably stressed out."

Speaking of being stressed out... I'm currently reading this book. It's fascinating, in the bleakest sense of the word. But if you're fond of Russian history, as I am, it is well worth reading: