Andy Cirzan sent me his yulemix!

I'm so honored and excited I'm sweating. Yes, it's 70 degrees and muggy here in DC this December 4th, but it isn't the climate that has me -- svichting? Swatching? Whatever. It's the fact that Andy Cirzan, my yulemix-making senpai, sent me his 2012 Christmas mix CD.

When it comes to holiday mixtapes, I am a mere padawan to Cirzan's wizened Jedi master, dispensing ancient wisdom via oddly structured sentences he splashes around the swamps of Degobah. (He's from Chicago, actually.) As you may recall if you happened to read my recent Washington Post essay about my yulemix, the seventh installment of which shall drop forthwith, Cirzan has been issuing compilations of obscure and often inexplicable seasonal gems for more than 20 years.

Sound Opinions, the great WBEZ radio show and podcast that introduced me to Cirzan's noble work will -- if custom holds -- be posting his 2012 mix for free download later this month, so I won't spoil any of his selections. I will note with not a little pride, however, that two of the cuts on Cirzan's mix this year were already on my draft playlist for my 2012 mix before his collection got here today. Great minds obsess alike, or something. As always, there're some things on Cirzan's collection I've never heard before, and that I may yet steal for 2012.

Thanks, Andy.