I’m writing to share some exciting personal news. I have been admitted to Oregon State University’s MFA program in creative writing! In September, I’m moving to Corvallis to study the craft of fiction.

As a rule, when technology that was once prohibitively expensive becomes cheap and widely available, innovation follows. We have the ability to produce a live TV show from our basement. Imagine the possibilities!

More than ever, we need real wisdom. The tales from our past which we revisit this time of year offer guidance for facing the present. The stories of Christmas, Hanukkah, and solstice traditions from around the world, tell us plainly that hope is found in the unlikeliest of places, that miracles do happen, and that no amount of darkness can beat back the light.

It’s a time of year for settling in, hunkering down, preparing for winter. The days shorten and we are inclined toward introspection. For some, the oncoming season correlates with depression. For all of us in the northern latitudes, it's a kind of yearly soul-hibernation. It's never easy, but it makes the unfurling of spring so miraculous.