In answer to the question that absolutely no one is asking, “Were you overwhelmed by Black Friday/CyberMonday/SmallBusiness Saturday sale emails?” Yes. I was. Since in-person retail shopping is for the most part cancelled, it felt like I was being deluged by people calling me by name in my office. These people already knew my shopping tastes and habits. It was intrusive. And reader, it worked.

Within just a few days packages started arriving, and I began to feel like the out-of-control Lucy Ricardo at the chocolate factory. (Kids, Google her.) What a lemming I am. What a consumer.

And here I am determined to consciously uncouple from consuming at the same time.

Is there something organic about exchanging Christmas gifts? I guess it’s a reference to the gold, frankincense and myrrh that the 3 wisemen brought for the baby Jesus. Is there something organic about Chanukah presents? Does it harken back to the tiny amount of oil that the Maccabees had to light their lamp for one night, and which lasted eight? Or is it a way to make Jews feel more comfortable in their Christmas-lessness. (Cynically, I say the latter.)

The good news is that my inflow is all going out to others, as soon as I inspect them, wrap them, and mail them. I don’t like that part, but like many things I like the part immediately afterwards, where I wipe my damp brow, thinking of what an accomplishment I’ve just…. accomplished. It’s a low bar, I know.

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My early holiday present for you is today’s interview with MSNBC host and political journalist Lawrence O’Donnell on my podcast.

You know him from MSNBC’s “The Last Word”. He was also a writer on “The West Wing,” winning an Emmy in the process. When I first met Lawrence he was the chief of staff on the Senate Finance Committee. He brings a lot of depth and authority to his job of political talker and writer.

I had a million questions for him and he was kind enough to answer at least 20 of them.

But before you go listen, here are the five things that made life better for me this week.

1. The United States Postal Service. Knowing that Alexander Hamilton created the Post Office only enhances my positive regard for this institution that almost melted down into oblivion by you know who. I appreciate the post office now that the holidays are looming, and that I became a victim of CyberShoppingMadness. I’m amazed that shipping has been so efficient (like voting by mail, if you catch my drift), and I have always known the most decent mail women and men on my beat.

2. Reading glasses sprinkled around my apartment like bouquets of flowers. There are some on my desk, my night table, my coffee table, and in the kitchen. And in the bathroom. I can read anywhere!

3. My gift-giving skills. (See confession above.). I’m sorry I cannot give each of you a physical present, but if I knew you I could really find the right thing. Not that every present is a home run, but many are. It is one of the reasons I like to give.

4. “The Undoing”. This 6 part series on HBO definitely took my brain on a trip away from my political obsessions and my insomnia. Starring Nicole Kidman as a rich psychologist married to Hugh Grant, a pediatric oncologist who looks and sounds like Hugh Grant. They live on the Upper East Side and their son goes to a private school. In other words, it’s about territory that’s familiar to me. It’s based on the novel “You Should Have Known” by Jean Hanff Korelitz, and though I read it when it was published in 2014, the series takes enough liberties that I was confused about who “did it”. But so were my exhibits, my brother, and a lot of people I talked to last week. It became the virtual “water cooler” program. Also, according to people in my Twitter feed, it became a fun “hate watch”. If you saw it, let me know what you thought. I love how it brought a disparate group of people together. (The book is superior, in my opinion, to the series. I recommend it.)

5. My measuring tape. You cannot imagine how often I need one. To measure the boxes I mail, to check my size when ordering something to wear, to measure furniture or art I swoon at, fantasizing if I have the space for it. (Short answer, I don’t.) You can have your sturdy metal self-locking measuring tape, I’ll take the soft fabric one. Thank you.