I failed to post anything else this week because, well, I have no idea. Maybe because I spent too much time watching early Mariah Carey videos on YouTube. Maybe because I’ve been too busy making secret Year End Lists in my journal. (I feel self-conscious publishing these last few sentences for many reasons, mostly because I’m trying really hard not to sound like this.)

I actually did start writing a lot of stuff, which clearly I didn’t finish. One thing was about the A Very Special Christmas compilation series, specifically volumes 1-3. The other thing was about one of my current undertakings: watching all eleven seasons of Frasier. I hope that eventually I’ll be able to share all of my commentary on the best late 1980 and early 1990s Christmas songs, as well as my list of “Frasier’s Best Quips”, but this week was not the week, my friends.

Anyway, here’s some stuff that I was into this week. (It turns out I was mostly into oral histories.)

– Uh, I doubt I’m alone in this, but I was unfamiliar with Sholem Asch until I read this little thing on the Tin House blog. I’ve added Three Cities to my list of books to read, which is almost but not quite endless.

– Sheila Heti interviewed some people last year on a VERY strange/abusive children’s birthday party venue called the Rabbit Hole that existed in Toronto in the 1980s and it was great. (H/T Edmund)

– I’m a week behind on my New Yorkers again, but I really did enjoy this piece from last week about Apollonia Poilane and the Poilane bread empire (brempire? ugh).

– Obviously everyone has seen/read this by now, but Vanity Fair’s oral history of Freaks and Geeks was just what I needed/wanted.

– Oh man, this “My Superpower Is Being Alone Forever” was so good but sad and so true and even better, I think, than the first two in this series (published last year) but I haven’t re-read them recently at all.

– I am personally saving these 10 Best Oral Histories from 2012 to read when I’m bored. Though, I highly doubt I’ll read the sports ones. Just…that’s not who I am.

OK, everyone have fun at the 3-7 holiday parties you’re attending this weekend! Be safe! (ESPECIALLY if Santa Con is this weekend, even though I’m pretty sure it’s not because I haven’t heard any jerks talking about it.)