In this episode, I talk about the obligatory gift-giving insanity that is Christmas (reminding you that you don't have to participate!), and I read an essay my husband recently wrote about climate change. I also share my experience of participating in National Novel Writing Month (a.k.a. NaNoWriMo) and of attending my first Buddhist lay minister ordination ceremony. Lastly, I discuss what I've been reading—namely, Thomas Merton's autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain (finally finished it!) and The Sun magazine.