26 December 2008
I Saw the Sun Today!
We have actually seen an improvement in the weather today (knock on wood), which I very much appreciate, because tomorrow morning I'm heading to the East Coast. Expect a new post full of adventures next Friday.
25 December 2008
CHRISTMAS
I spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at the Marmot House.
We made spritz cookies, a tradition in my family.
My sister, she is amazing. She made a WONDERFUL Christmas Eve dinner of tamales and posole. Why don't I eat more hominy, when I love it so?
She rendered her own lard for the tamale dough and made the posole with pigs' feet. Oh, she loves us.
And she and Marmot Dad and I formed the tamales from scratch. They were DELICIOUS.
After singing and a nativity, the little people went to bed and Marmot Dad, my sister, and I wrapped presents and put together the kids' train set. Marmot Dad is a teensy bit on the bossy side about the train set, but we finally got it set up in a way that pleased everyone. (Marmot Dad's top is part of his special Christmas pajamas. He doesn't normally dress like a Sesame Street character.)
In the morning, we opened presents and Marmot Babe destroyed the train track. He is a master creeper and can get anywhere he wants for his baby destructo tasks.
We ate our traditional Marmot Christmas breakfast, courtesy of Marmot Dad and his mad cooking skills.
In the afternoon, my sister and I helped Madame 4-yr-old make a snow woman.
Tuey helped too.
Merry Christmas!
We made spritz cookies, a tradition in my family.My sister, she is amazing. She made a WONDERFUL Christmas Eve dinner of tamales and posole. Why don't I eat more hominy, when I love it so?
She rendered her own lard for the tamale dough and made the posole with pigs' feet. Oh, she loves us.
And she and Marmot Dad and I formed the tamales from scratch. They were DELICIOUS.
After singing and a nativity, the little people went to bed and Marmot Dad, my sister, and I wrapped presents and put together the kids' train set. Marmot Dad is a teensy bit on the bossy side about the train set, but we finally got it set up in a way that pleased everyone. (Marmot Dad's top is part of his special Christmas pajamas. He doesn't normally dress like a Sesame Street character.)
In the morning, we opened presents and Marmot Babe destroyed the train track. He is a master creeper and can get anywhere he wants for his baby destructo tasks.
We ate our traditional Marmot Christmas breakfast, courtesy of Marmot Dad and his mad cooking skills.
In the afternoon, my sister and I helped Madame 4-yr-old make a snow woman.
Tuey helped too.Merry Christmas!
22 December 2008
Let's Hold Off on Snow Until Christmas
It has snowed allll daaaaay looooong. Snow. Snow. Snow. I think I've been quite clear about my winter/snow feelings. I don't believe in snow, except in situations where everyone gets to stay home. I PARTICULARLY don't believe in driving in the snow, and this is because I learned to drive in Tennessee, and here's what happens when we even hear about a snowstorm coming through without actually seeing any flakes in Tennessee: Everyone runs immediately to the store and buys the place out of bread and milk (I'm not even kidding), and then everyone runs home and STAYS THERE until the snow comes and the snow goes. One year we had a huge snowstorm while I was spending the night with a friend. I had to stay at my friend's house for a couple of days, until my parents came to get me. On skis. Because the roads were impassable. Again, not kidding. (And not so different from today, because one of my co-workers is probably coming to spend the night, because she can't get home.)
Today I had to drive in the snow, though, because I had to get to my place of work, because crazy people actually voluntarily came to the library today instead of staying home and watching James Murray smolder in Under the Greenwood Tree, which is what I would have done if I'd had a choice. The getting to work was not bad, but the getting home was a bit of trial since it had been snowing on the roads for 9 hours. I drove home at about 20 miles an hour and it all went surprisingly well with only the tiniest bit of sliding and calming self-talk until I pulled into our condo complex parking lot and all the parking spots were covered in a foot of snow. I started to pull into my parking place and I got stuck without actually being IN the parking spot. My wheels spun and my car whined and then I whined and then I noticed that across the parking lot this guy who lives in our building who I keep meaning to introduce myself to because he seems upstanding and is a good Sunday School teacher and is my age was pulling into his parking spot. But I haven't actually gotten around to introducing myself because I always forget about it when I'm at church because I get all busy learning and worshipping and stuff, so I don't know my neighbor's name, so I couldn't think of what to call out to him for help. "Hey . . . guy!" So I didn't call for help. I got out of the car and I kicked the snow out from under my tires and considered whether or not I could use the lamp in the trunk that I need to take to D.I. as a shovel and I told the car that we were going to pull forward five feet and then we did. I parked with only my own magnificent snow skills, which must exist somewhere genetically within me from my West Virginia heritage, because, did I mention, I learned to drive in Tennessee and we don't do snow?
Despite my amazing parking in snow skills, though, New Year's Resolution Number One has now become Meet the Neighbor. There's no telling how long this weather will last.
Today I had to drive in the snow, though, because I had to get to my place of work, because crazy people actually voluntarily came to the library today instead of staying home and watching James Murray smolder in Under the Greenwood Tree, which is what I would have done if I'd had a choice. The getting to work was not bad, but the getting home was a bit of trial since it had been snowing on the roads for 9 hours. I drove home at about 20 miles an hour and it all went surprisingly well with only the tiniest bit of sliding and calming self-talk until I pulled into our condo complex parking lot and all the parking spots were covered in a foot of snow. I started to pull into my parking place and I got stuck without actually being IN the parking spot. My wheels spun and my car whined and then I whined and then I noticed that across the parking lot this guy who lives in our building who I keep meaning to introduce myself to because he seems upstanding and is a good Sunday School teacher and is my age was pulling into his parking spot. But I haven't actually gotten around to introducing myself because I always forget about it when I'm at church because I get all busy learning and worshipping and stuff, so I don't know my neighbor's name, so I couldn't think of what to call out to him for help. "Hey . . . guy!" So I didn't call for help. I got out of the car and I kicked the snow out from under my tires and considered whether or not I could use the lamp in the trunk that I need to take to D.I. as a shovel and I told the car that we were going to pull forward five feet and then we did. I parked with only my own magnificent snow skills, which must exist somewhere genetically within me from my West Virginia heritage, because, did I mention, I learned to drive in Tennessee and we don't do snow?
Despite my amazing parking in snow skills, though, New Year's Resolution Number One has now become Meet the Neighbor. There's no telling how long this weather will last.
Marmoty Christmas Times
I went with the Marmot Family to sing Christmas carols and eat Turkish Delight at my sister's friend's home tonight. It's been quite a while since I rode anywhere with the entire Marmot Family. When there were only the two girls, I used to sit in the back seat of the Marmot Sedan with them in their car seats. At Christmas Madame the Elder and I would sing “Santa Baby” and during the rest of the year we would sing “I Got You, Babe” and then I would tell her every five minutes to get her foot out of Madame the Younger's face Right. Now. And then we would make animal sounds for a while and then Madame would fall asleep. It was good times in the back of the car.
Now there are four children and four car seats, and I ride in the Marmot Van between the Madames in their nice big tall seats. It's a little bit of a tight fit back there and the possibility that I'll lose the feeling in my shoulders during the course of the ride is very high. Tonight Marmot Babe was in the seat in front of me, facing me, screaming. He was full of wrath to be strapped down. His sisters sang him some Christmas carols at top volume, which, not surprisingly, did not soothe his troubled soul. When not singing, Madame 4-year-old was on my right, showing me the stash of plastic jewels that she keeps next to her seat in case she needs to accessorize on the way to the grocery store and Madame 6-year-old was on my left, quizzing me about why the father on the cover of A Christmas Story is holding a leg and conjecturing that it was his wife's leg that he had cut off. Now that would be a very interesting Christmas story indeed.
On the way home we saw an inflatable snowman in a camo vest holding a giant inflatable rifle.
Ah, sweet Christmas times.
Now there are four children and four car seats, and I ride in the Marmot Van between the Madames in their nice big tall seats. It's a little bit of a tight fit back there and the possibility that I'll lose the feeling in my shoulders during the course of the ride is very high. Tonight Marmot Babe was in the seat in front of me, facing me, screaming. He was full of wrath to be strapped down. His sisters sang him some Christmas carols at top volume, which, not surprisingly, did not soothe his troubled soul. When not singing, Madame 4-year-old was on my right, showing me the stash of plastic jewels that she keeps next to her seat in case she needs to accessorize on the way to the grocery store and Madame 6-year-old was on my left, quizzing me about why the father on the cover of A Christmas Story is holding a leg and conjecturing that it was his wife's leg that he had cut off. Now that would be a very interesting Christmas story indeed.
On the way home we saw an inflatable snowman in a camo vest holding a giant inflatable rifle.
Ah, sweet Christmas times.
19 December 2008
Being Friends with StoryCorps
If I checked my blog email account more often, I could have given you a heads up about the StoryCorps National Day of Listening, which was in November. You should still check out the website, though, because they've put together some good information about interviewing and recording your friends and family.
One year my sister and brother-in-law transferred some taped family recordings to CD, and it was one of the best Christmas presents ever given in our family. The CD includes my brother singing the Star Wars theme (over and over and over) when he was about 4-years-old and my grandfather's Christmas message to my grandmother one year when they were apart and my mom singing some of the traditional putting-little-children-to-sleep songs for my brother's twins. It also includes one of my favorite recorded moments in family history. My sister (age 12) is trying to make me (age 2) say something stupid, and I refuse, so she finally tells me that I can say whatever I want. And what do I want to say? "Leave me alone" (pronounced ee me yown). I say it and then I sing it, just to make myself extra clear.
There's another recording somewhere that I don't think has been transferred to CD. My mom is interviewing my grandfather about his early life. My 4-year-old self is in the background caterwauling, and when my mom asks me to quiet up, I respond, "You're the one who's making me cry!" I was a real treat. I'm glad that precious moment's being preserved for posterity.
One year my sister and brother-in-law transferred some taped family recordings to CD, and it was one of the best Christmas presents ever given in our family. The CD includes my brother singing the Star Wars theme (over and over and over) when he was about 4-years-old and my grandfather's Christmas message to my grandmother one year when they were apart and my mom singing some of the traditional putting-little-children-to-sleep songs for my brother's twins. It also includes one of my favorite recorded moments in family history. My sister (age 12) is trying to make me (age 2) say something stupid, and I refuse, so she finally tells me that I can say whatever I want. And what do I want to say? "Leave me alone" (pronounced ee me yown). I say it and then I sing it, just to make myself extra clear.
There's another recording somewhere that I don't think has been transferred to CD. My mom is interviewing my grandfather about his early life. My 4-year-old self is in the background caterwauling, and when my mom asks me to quiet up, I respond, "You're the one who's making me cry!" I was a real treat. I'm glad that precious moment's being preserved for posterity.
17 December 2008
Christmas Lights
I like these, but I don't know how to take pictures of them.
Neither of these people are me, but I know them both. I do not take pictures of strangers. Except sometimes in Russia, when I pretend to take pictures of my friends but am really taking pictures of sailors, because I like their uniforms but I don't want them to kill me.
Neither of these people are me, but I know them both. I do not take pictures of strangers. Except sometimes in Russia, when I pretend to take pictures of my friends but am really taking pictures of sailors, because I like their uniforms but I don't want them to kill me.
This is me. I'm wearing my $4 rummage sale coat.
When I bought it, my sister didn't like it and kept telling me it looked like a man's coat, was unflattering, blah, blah, blah. Then I walked in wearing it a few weeks ago, and she said, "Hey, that's a nice coat," and I said, "This coat I'm wearing that you've been saying you hated since May?" And she said, "Yeah." And I said, "You keep your paws off my coat, lady."
When I bought it, my sister didn't like it and kept telling me it looked like a man's coat, was unflattering, blah, blah, blah. Then I walked in wearing it a few weeks ago, and she said, "Hey, that's a nice coat," and I said, "This coat I'm wearing that you've been saying you hated since May?" And she said, "Yeah." And I said, "You keep your paws off my coat, lady."
Aren't the lights pretty? I love Christmas.
16 December 2008
E Recommends a Great Song
My friend E is super fantastic for many reasons, including the following:
1. When we were roommates, she had dance parties with me in her bedroom every night that I requested it, even though she was in law school at the time. If you've ever known many law students, you will realize that most of them are not this much fun and will not tear themselves away from tort law long enough to bust out the Enrique dance moves.
2. She makes me laugh.
3. That one time when I thought I would die if I didn't get some Chinese dumplings right the second I thought of them (which happened to be at 10 pm on a school night), she drove me across town to the dumpling restaurant and offered to keep driving across the country so we could finally fulfill her dream project--Eat Your Way Across America.
4. She taught me about being an orb.
5. She convinces me that things I'm sure I hate (like White Castle and American Idol) are hip (but I still can't actually eat at White Castle).
6. She's Right-Thinking and always has good observations on all conversational topics.
7. She has good taste in music and sometimes she posts a Song of the Day on her blog. Sometimes I don't get around to linking over to the Song of the Day and listening to it until several days after E posts it. And sometimes after I DO listen to the Song of the Day, I have to listen to it on repeat for a long, long time, because I'm like that. And sometimes I get tethered to my desk at work, because I don't want to take off my headphones and stop listening to the song, so I have to work on whatever I can reach on my desk instead of going upstairs and finishing my more pressing assignments, because E picks out such great songs. Like this one by Ingrid Michaelson and Sara Bareilles. I'm not crazy about the video (it's okay), but I'm really grooving on the song.
1. When we were roommates, she had dance parties with me in her bedroom every night that I requested it, even though she was in law school at the time. If you've ever known many law students, you will realize that most of them are not this much fun and will not tear themselves away from tort law long enough to bust out the Enrique dance moves.
2. She makes me laugh.
3. That one time when I thought I would die if I didn't get some Chinese dumplings right the second I thought of them (which happened to be at 10 pm on a school night), she drove me across town to the dumpling restaurant and offered to keep driving across the country so we could finally fulfill her dream project--Eat Your Way Across America.
4. She taught me about being an orb.
5. She convinces me that things I'm sure I hate (like White Castle and American Idol) are hip (but I still can't actually eat at White Castle).
6. She's Right-Thinking and always has good observations on all conversational topics.
7. She has good taste in music and sometimes she posts a Song of the Day on her blog. Sometimes I don't get around to linking over to the Song of the Day and listening to it until several days after E posts it. And sometimes after I DO listen to the Song of the Day, I have to listen to it on repeat for a long, long time, because I'm like that. And sometimes I get tethered to my desk at work, because I don't want to take off my headphones and stop listening to the song, so I have to work on whatever I can reach on my desk instead of going upstairs and finishing my more pressing assignments, because E picks out such great songs. Like this one by Ingrid Michaelson and Sara Bareilles. I'm not crazy about the video (it's okay), but I'm really grooving on the song.
15 December 2008
My Mom
I asked my parents to email me some pictures for a project I'm working on. This is a photo of my mom and dad at a frat party in 1963, the year before they were married. Isn't my mom cute!?
(I hope you can see this picture, because I don't have time to go figure out flickr right now. Gotta go see Christmas lights.)
(I hope you can see this picture, because I don't have time to go figure out flickr right now. Gotta go see Christmas lights.)
14 December 2008
The First Big Snow
The first big snow of the year hit the entire state on Saturday, which happened to be the day I was traveling to visit Moo and FarmerBoy on the farm. Fortunately, I drove to Alice's house and then she (of the Wisconsin driving -in-snow skill) drove the snowy portion of the trip.
This is the view from the car on Saturday afternoon on the way to the farm. (Hi, Mom. Don't worry; we're already back safely.) We saw about 15 car accidents on the interstate, because people are idiots in the snow. Especially people who drive Hummers.
This is the view of much improved weather on Sunday afternoon. That thing that looks like an asteroid about the strike the car in front of us is actually a streak on the windshield.
And here are some things I learned on the farm this weekend:
1. Tractors can be plugged in. Like toasters.
2. The rules of Settlers of Catan. Now I feel I can finally visit Amy and Jaren sometime.
3. Fruitcake left on the stove when the burner's turned on will catch on fire. It's an especially nice fire if the fruitcake is lined with parchment paper.
4. Opera glasses are not allowed in the British Parliament.
This is the view from the car on Saturday afternoon on the way to the farm. (Hi, Mom. Don't worry; we're already back safely.) We saw about 15 car accidents on the interstate, because people are idiots in the snow. Especially people who drive Hummers.
This is the view of much improved weather on Sunday afternoon. That thing that looks like an asteroid about the strike the car in front of us is actually a streak on the windshield.
And here are some things I learned on the farm this weekend:
1. Tractors can be plugged in. Like toasters.
2. The rules of Settlers of Catan. Now I feel I can finally visit Amy and Jaren sometime.
3. Fruitcake left on the stove when the burner's turned on will catch on fire. It's an especially nice fire if the fruitcake is lined with parchment paper.
4. Opera glasses are not allowed in the British Parliament.
12 December 2008
And More Tradition
I can't figure out which verb tense to use in this post, so I'll be using more than one.
Christmas Morning - After waking our parents at 6 am (with the obligatory statements from The Father along the lines of Well, I guess I'll just take a shower and shave and get a few things done before we get started, eliciting cries of protest and pleas from me and my siblings, we'd gather on the stairs (I don't recall what happened the year we lived in a one-story house). We have years and years and years of photos of the four of us looking bushy-haired and unkempt on the stairs. My parents would go downstairs to put on the record of the Bielefelder Kinderchor and to turn on the Christmas lights. Once everything was ready downstairs, we were allowed to dash down and see the tree and our gifts and our bulging stockings.
We open only our stockings before breakfast on Christmas, and there's always an orange in our stockings.
[Note: I spend most of my Christmases at the Marmot House these days, and Marmot Dad is a big believer in stocking stuffers. He heads out a few days before Christmas for some "elf-like behavior" and sometimes really scores with the stocking stuffers. One of the best, in my opinion, was when he bought the little girls a weasel ball, which, inexplicably, they LOVED. They also received a toy refrigerator for Christmas that year and all day I'd hear a muffled wump, wump, wump and ask a passing child, What's that noise?, only to be instructed that it was a weasel ball trapped in a refrigerator, where Madame the Younger liked to store it (but refused to turn off the weasel). And then one year I had a secret wish in my heart for a silicone spatula. I really wanted one, but I hadn't told anyone I wanted one, which is why my joy was so great when I discovered one in my stocking from Marmot Dad.]
Anyway, at my parents' house we open stockings and then go make a big breakfast--scrambled eggs, ambrosia, sausage, cardamom rolls--the works. Only after breakfast do we go back to the presents and open them one by one.
Departing from my own family's traditions for a moment-- What's the deal with the paper crowns people in Britain wear at Christmas? I think I could really be down with a tradition like that.
Christmas Morning - After waking our parents at 6 am (with the obligatory statements from The Father along the lines of Well, I guess I'll just take a shower and shave and get a few things done before we get started, eliciting cries of protest and pleas from me and my siblings, we'd gather on the stairs (I don't recall what happened the year we lived in a one-story house). We have years and years and years of photos of the four of us looking bushy-haired and unkempt on the stairs. My parents would go downstairs to put on the record of the Bielefelder Kinderchor and to turn on the Christmas lights. Once everything was ready downstairs, we were allowed to dash down and see the tree and our gifts and our bulging stockings.
We open only our stockings before breakfast on Christmas, and there's always an orange in our stockings.
[Note: I spend most of my Christmases at the Marmot House these days, and Marmot Dad is a big believer in stocking stuffers. He heads out a few days before Christmas for some "elf-like behavior" and sometimes really scores with the stocking stuffers. One of the best, in my opinion, was when he bought the little girls a weasel ball, which, inexplicably, they LOVED. They also received a toy refrigerator for Christmas that year and all day I'd hear a muffled wump, wump, wump and ask a passing child, What's that noise?, only to be instructed that it was a weasel ball trapped in a refrigerator, where Madame the Younger liked to store it (but refused to turn off the weasel). And then one year I had a secret wish in my heart for a silicone spatula. I really wanted one, but I hadn't told anyone I wanted one, which is why my joy was so great when I discovered one in my stocking from Marmot Dad.]
Anyway, at my parents' house we open stockings and then go make a big breakfast--scrambled eggs, ambrosia, sausage, cardamom rolls--the works. Only after breakfast do we go back to the presents and open them one by one.
Departing from my own family's traditions for a moment-- What's the deal with the paper crowns people in Britain wear at Christmas? I think I could really be down with a tradition like that.
10 December 2008
More Tradition
Traditions I Will Not Be Discussing:
3. Pecan Tassies - I love these. I baked some tonight. We eat them the entire Christmas season starting when we decorate the tree.
More later. Need to go eat tassies now.
- Treats to Neighbors
- Gifts for the Angel Tree
- Christmas Carols - (Okay, actually, I will just say that singing Christmas carols with the marmots on Christmas Eve is fantastic. Madame 4-yr-old is a very earnest carol singer. And the year the Madames made me sing while accompanying them with a tambourine and maracas was a personal favorite.)
3. Pecan Tassies - I love these. I baked some tonight. We eat them the entire Christmas season starting when we decorate the tree.
More later. Need to go eat tassies now.
Christmas Traditions
This is supposed to be the post in which I explain to you why your family traditions are inferior to mine, but I've stayed up too late watching MI-5 tonight (why does Tom keep dating idiots? Date the CIA agent!), so this post will be brief and I'll be properly insufferable with familial pride tomorrow (unless the call of the TV is too great; it's hard not to curl up on the couch and fritter away time in the winter).
1. Nativity - We have two nativity sets in my parents' house. One is the beautiful fragile set that's kept at the top of the tallest bookcase in the living room all year long. The other is an indestructible set my parents bought when they lived in Germany that is set down low so that children can play with it. I especially like the sheep. It's a very sturdy set except for the manager, which only has three legs because one snapped off, so now it has to be propped against the back wall of the barn-thing. I noticed that recently my mom's been replacing the original manger and Baby with some from a different set. This is wrong, wrong, wrong because the nativity set is lowly looking and the new pieces are fancy. When my sister was a little girl, she always made the Baby run away to the top of the roof. I don't know why. I just liked to rearrange the sheep.
Marmot Dad's parents recently gave the marmots a nativity set. Tuey immediately identified one of the wisemen as a vampire and started growling at the Holy Family that he was going to eat them up.
1. Nativity - We have two nativity sets in my parents' house. One is the beautiful fragile set that's kept at the top of the tallest bookcase in the living room all year long. The other is an indestructible set my parents bought when they lived in Germany that is set down low so that children can play with it. I especially like the sheep. It's a very sturdy set except for the manager, which only has three legs because one snapped off, so now it has to be propped against the back wall of the barn-thing. I noticed that recently my mom's been replacing the original manger and Baby with some from a different set. This is wrong, wrong, wrong because the nativity set is lowly looking and the new pieces are fancy. When my sister was a little girl, she always made the Baby run away to the top of the roof. I don't know why. I just liked to rearrange the sheep.
Marmot Dad's parents recently gave the marmots a nativity set. Tuey immediately identified one of the wisemen as a vampire and started growling at the Holy Family that he was going to eat them up.
08 December 2008
This book is the teen librarian's best friend.
We're doing library tours for the boys in a local group home all this week. Phineas Gage is one of the books I use to teach them about the nonfiction collection. They always love the story of Phineas and the huge rod that flew threw his brain (don't worry; he lived).
They especially like this picture from the book.
Introducing reluctant readers to this book is one of the fastest ways to convince them that they want a library card. And if that doesn't work, we tell them about the free Internet.
Tomorrow: Why my family's Christmas traditions are better than your family's traditions.
07 December 2008
Deliciousness
We had a librarian Christmas soiree at our house Saturday night with gingerbread waffles and pumpkin pancakes. My roommate made the waffles and a friend from work made the pancakes. I helped in no way at all, because I spent the entire day at work dealing with the end-of-year magazine rotation until my hands bled and my head ached from witnessing all the mutilated magazines and thinking, See, you mean old library patrons, this is why we can't have nice things. It's very soothing to come home from such a day and find one's house smelling like Christmas.
That's real whipped cream on my waffle and homemade syrup sliding off my pancake.
We also watched Some Kind of Wonderful, which is a Christmas movie, because it has the word wonderful in the title, just like It's a Wonderful Life (but without the bad librarian stereotypes). My pancake-making friend had never seen it before, and we felt obligated to educate her about the '80s. She's too young to really remember the most unattractive fashion decade in American history. We still need to watch Pretty in Pink with her to further her education. And because I like Andrew McCarthy.
That's real whipped cream on my waffle and homemade syrup sliding off my pancake. We also watched Some Kind of Wonderful, which is a Christmas movie, because it has the word wonderful in the title, just like It's a Wonderful Life (but without the bad librarian stereotypes). My pancake-making friend had never seen it before, and we felt obligated to educate her about the '80s. She's too young to really remember the most unattractive fashion decade in American history. We still need to watch Pretty in Pink with her to further her education. And because I like Andrew McCarthy.
05 December 2008
I Recommend THIS CHRISTMAS GIFT
This is my new water bottle.
Chic, eh?My sister was in the library with one exactly like it.
MBC: Hey! Where did you get that?!
Sister: Why? Do you want one?
MBC: Yes.
Sister: Good, because I bought a two-pack, so you can have the other one and my Christmas shopping for you is done.
She let me have it before Christmas, though, which is good, since I was still using one of those plastic water bottles of death. This extra month with a metal bottle should add several hours to my life.
It really is fantastic. I recommend it.
04 December 2008
What I Like Today
- The restaurant burned my pizza so I got a new slice for FREE.
- When I walked into the grocery store, there was an announcement that all the donuts were on sale for $0.25. Fried happiness for a quarter? That is a BARgain.
- My apple fritter was FREE, because all my groceries were FREE, because I found my grocery store gift card in my wallet. (Love myself the free stuff.)
- Many, many, many Christmas lights were shining on my drive home tonight.
- This cookbook just keeps on givin'. Every recipe I've prepared has pleased me. Currently, the sweet potato shepherd's pie is in my refrigerator.
- My co-worker recommended The Vicar of Dibley to me, because it is a rule that female librarians under the age of 40 adore British TV. Be aware that this clip is PG (not G).
01 December 2008
Things I Have to Say to Fictional Characters
My roommate and I are watching Spooks/MI-5.
It's lovely, not least because of the casting of all these people. Four of my favorite British actors in ONE show. The BBC is good and kind.
HOWEVER, I have to do a lot of yelling at the characters while we watch. I have to inform them of straightforward things that they should already know. Things I will share with you in case you find yourself in a situation where it might be useful.
1. Always tell. If you are a spy, you should tell the woman you're dating that you're a spy as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the angrier she'll be that you lied to her and the more likely it is that she'll think you're having an affair when you get called away to release hostages. And if one of your co-workers is corrupt, TELL. And if you're in love with someone and she doesn't realize it, tell her. Always tell.
2. If you're dating a spy and he tells you he's a spy, you need to just accept that and move on. You're either okay with it or you're not, but don't go on and on and on about it. It's unattractive.
3. A house that requires a key to get OUT is very clearly a bad idea, and if someone you know proposes such a security system for you, you should Have Words. You're just asking to be blown up if you accept a security system like that.
It's lovely, not least because of the casting of all these people. Four of my favorite British actors in ONE show. The BBC is good and kind.
HOWEVER, I have to do a lot of yelling at the characters while we watch. I have to inform them of straightforward things that they should already know. Things I will share with you in case you find yourself in a situation where it might be useful.
1. Always tell. If you are a spy, you should tell the woman you're dating that you're a spy as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the angrier she'll be that you lied to her and the more likely it is that she'll think you're having an affair when you get called away to release hostages. And if one of your co-workers is corrupt, TELL. And if you're in love with someone and she doesn't realize it, tell her. Always tell.
2. If you're dating a spy and he tells you he's a spy, you need to just accept that and move on. You're either okay with it or you're not, but don't go on and on and on about it. It's unattractive.
3. A house that requires a key to get OUT is very clearly a bad idea, and if someone you know proposes such a security system for you, you should Have Words. You're just asking to be blown up if you accept a security system like that.
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