Too Busy For Life (i.e. For Hospitality)

Oh, man, y'all. It's Christmas time. And you know what that means. No, not rejoicing over Jesus. Don't be silly. It means being really busy with planning and executing meals and parties galore. It means holiday stress.

Am I right? I know I'm right.

Speaking of busyness, these are busy times at Joffre The Giant. A couple of quick housekeeping points, then on to the post.

First, if you live in upstate South Carolina join me for a live YouTube broadcast from Cameroon Cigars in downtown Greer this Saturday at 5pm EST. If you don't live in Kackalacky, join me over the web here. We'll talk pipe tobacco and pipes, do a couple of reviews, and chat with members of the Upstate Pipe Society.

Second, on Sunday I'll be publishing a review of Food For Thought by Francis Foucachon, and running a giveaway! I'll be giving away a copy of the book along with an instructional DVD by chef Foucachon called French Cuisine: The Basics of Gourmet French Cooking. In that same giveaway I'll be offering something of special interest to the homeschoolers out there, Wes Callihan's video lectures of The Romans: The Aeneid series of the Old Western Culture Curriculum. This will all be from Roman Roads Media. Anyway, details to follow, but I wanted to give you all a heads-up.

In all this busyness, however, I will not allow myself to lose track of what's important. Which is blogging while I smoke my pipe. So...back to the blogging, sirs!

One of the things Francis Foucachon in Food For Thought concerns himself with is hospitality, especially that hospitality shown on Sundays for feast day (FEAST DAY! WUT!). Sunday is a time to rest and recreate, as we ourselves and the world entire were and are recreated. It should be a day of joy, but our
Sundays are often so hectic that they don't feel like a break from the week at all.

How then, in this mean old world, to show hospitality at all?

The good Mr. Foucachon has some things to say regarding that. So do I, for that matter. So here is my final video interaction with the book before the review is published on Sunday. And yes, you've probably already guessed: the review is going to say that I liked the book. In this video I will tell you one weird trick to hospitality that will make entertaining angels unawares a piece of cake. Okay, maybe I won't do that, but I will talk about rhythm, which I think is vital in being able and willing to be hospitable party people.

Also, the first 4:00 minutes exactly of the video is housekeeping for Giant regulars. Fun housekeeping, like with the birds and chipmunks in Cinderella. Enjoy.