Ana Marie Cox and Freddy Krueger

Excuse me while I sharpen my glove …

This was a highly abstract, highly unusual conversation. I’m not sure I understand it myself, but you might enjoy it. Ana Marie Cox was delightful. Her sparring partner suffered from a lack of blood circulation to the brain — I blame the hat.

I had kind of a joint pre-birthday party with fellow December birthday friends and it was very strange. The neighbors suggested, very gently and kindly, that we turn down the deafening music at around 3:15 AM, and the party wound down by 4 AM. But at 3:15 AM, thanks to the four excellent DJs, my tiny apartment was packed with bodies, most of them the bodies of strangers. One friend — or enemy? — filled me with paranoia re: my precious shirts — she suggested that it was inevitable that some item of great emotional value to me would be pilfered, and I spent the last hour of the party in a lather, not least because many of the new party arrivals seemed were friends of friends of friends of friends, and ornery to boot. Honestly, my love for shirts is unhealthy. I’d probably be better off if someone burned all of my shirts. But please don’t.

Some friends were struck by the fact that there was an unusually wide age range among the partygoers. I take great pride in building bridges. Sadly, there were a few high schoolers in the mix (I have no idea where they came from), and I’ve been given the impression that these were bona fide juvenile delinquents.

Because two of my co-hosts are musically inclined, they are part of what is apparently called a “scene” — not The American Scene — and so I met a lot of neat new people, and I was able to put names to some familiar faces. The music was really a revelation. The DJs were steeped in what I think is soul music of the 1960s and 1970s, and the audience went wild for it. My friend Hua has exposed me to some of this music, but I think I needed to experience it at the right volume, in a tiny space, and surrounded by people having a really good time. Sadly, a few close friends punked out, which is to say they left, at a reasonable hour, between midnight and 2 AM. The dancing really picked up from 1:30 AM on. I wish I had spent more time dancing, but, as host, I felt the need to attend to everyone, to circulate, and, I’m sorry to say, to vaguely police. By the end of the party, my once-clean floors were blackened with soot. Success! This success can be attributed almost entirely to my co-hosts, who, thanks to charisma and good nature, drew in a lot of people and were responsible for the superb music, not to mention the monstrous sound system that made the floor shake. If you’ve never had a big party in a tiny space, I recommend it.

I think I’ve had “more fun” at some parties in the past, mainly because I recognized everyone and was able to flit around, cross-pollinating the different cliques that collected over the course of the evening. That was harder this time around, though my friend and I did find people at other spots to bring them to our party, which was cross-pollinating of a kind. All in all, this was an excellent beginning to the Christmas season.

Today, I’m sorry to say, I’m feeling under the weather. I had hoped to attend a friend’s Hanukkah party but had to miss it to recuperate. I’ve been reading and listening to The Rural Alberta Advantage, Sic Alps, Ladyhawke, Ssion, and a few other year-end best-ofs I had missed the first time around. Not an ideal Saturday, but it’ll do. Tomorrow will perk me up, I hope.

The Rural Alberta Advantage should be terrible: this really is generic-y indie rock music. Yet it’s flawless generic-y indie rock, which is hitting the spot right now. I can’t exactly recommend it, however. The Rainbow Arabia EP, in contrast, recommends itself. Beach House’s Devotion — uh, I only listened to “Gila” before, but did you know that the rest of the album is insanely good? Even your parents will like it! So will your children, if you have them. The album transcends generations. I spent a 3.5 hour train ride listening to the new Arthur Russell compilation, with a particular focus on “Nobody Wants A Lonely Heart,” “Oh Fernanda Why,” and, of course, “Love is Overtaking Me,” seriously one of the best songs ever recorded. It’s weird and good.

Another song I’ve enjoyed very recently has to be seen to be believed.

Some say the members of 10cc were ugly. I don’t think this is fair. Grooming practices have advanced since that era, and we shouldn’t judge our ancestors too harshly.

Imagine how much better we’d all look if we ate less refined sugar and processed food! Or at least this is what I say to comfort myself.

These guys are rad:

I’ve now given you the makings of a post-brunch dance party. Actually, one guest suggested that I throw a brunch party that would last from noon to 3 AM. I’m pretty sure I’m not entertaining enough to sustain such an epic brunch adventure, but perhaps I could do it with help … Actually, I’d need commenter Sanjay K., who used to serve brunch in Somerville, Mass. to hundreds of people. I’m not worthy! I need to get better at building things.