It’s Friday. Looking for something to switch up your weekend, or to give you an excuse to relax a little? That’s what the Weekend Reset is for. Each week contributor Tim Johnstone pulls together five things to get your weekend started. Could be something to read or watch, something to eat or listen to, or even something to do. Enjoy the weekend fellas.
ENDURE: Don’t skip the office Holiday party.
Even if Halitosis Harold from Central Services is going to be there. You need to go. Because it’s smart for your career. It is a way for you to earn points with the people that matter. Fact is, there is an excellent chance you are facing lame stereotypes about your age and this is something that will help combat those stereotypes and set you apart from the rest of the crowd.
LISTEN: JD McPherson serves up a classic Christmas collection.
It’s been about 6 years since McPherson released his Holiday single “Twinkle Little Christmas Light.” It quickly became a favorite for public radio and adult rock stations holiday library. Since then, he has continued to find fans for his retro roots-rock oeuvre with consistently terrific albums and great live shows. Socks is an entire album of holiday songs that just about run the gamut of complex emotions that pile up this time of year and it is all done with McPhersons wit and charm. I’ve got a December playlist on the way that will feature another song from the album but you should stream the whole thing. It will make for a great party playlist and it would make an even better Hostess Gift (keep on reading for tips on that) for your holiday party invite.
WATCH: Not your typical Santa movie.
First things first: This movie is not for everyone. It is a Finnish/Norwegian movie so, yeah, sub-titles. Mostly. For some, that’s just an immediate no. I maintain that you get used to it and within minutes you don’t even notice that you’re reading. So there’s that. Also, it’s a bit dark, although this is in line with some of the lore related to Saint Nick. See Krampus. And, my last warning: there are a lot of nasty old man wangs, but, and I can’t believe I’m writing this, in the context of the story, it’s really no big deal. And the little kid at the heart of the tale is so damn adorable. Did I mention it’s kind of creepy? Because it is and that is part of the charm of the movie.
READ: Yes. It matters how you dress in the office.
Yes, I know. This is Dappered.com. You are here because you give thought and consideration to how you dress. But maybe you aren’t sure about your particular situation or perhaps you’d like to arm yourself with fresh rebuttals to the never-asked-for-question, “why do you dress like that?”
GIFT: Hostess gifts are a smart way to make sure you’re invited back.
Adulting. You don’t always (ever?) get a guide. I wish someone had pulled me aside earlier in my adulthood and informed me that it is proper to bring a hostess gift to a party. Because that feeling that came with the realization that this is what you do was kind of rotten. So here I am. Nudging you. It does not have to be super fancy. It certainly doesn’t have to be a bottle of wine. There are so many options. This time of year I like to bring poinsettias or holiday bouquets. Again, the possibilities are pretty open.
Tim Johnstone is Dappered’s music correspondent as well as our resident gatherer of all things interwebs related. He’s currently chasing his spirit animal.