Drinking Liberally

Thanks to HMS, I believe that I've stumbled upon a new Thursday night entertainment source. Hm... how can I shape this into a New Year's Resolution?

Anyone else care to provide some linky goodness?

La, la linkage

Because of my extended leave from this world wide web this fall, I'm missing something. Or maybe many somethings. I'm rediscovering many of my old haunts, but I'm sure that there are more goodies out there waiting to be read.

You'll see most of my favorites in my blogroll (the column to the right).
Other local favorites:
Cockeyed - A fun DIY "science with sarcasm" site.
Craftster - A forum of crafty ideas, many with tutorials.
The PreSurfer - Tons of daily linkage. Most links are (remotely) educational and (usually) entertaining.
Mandarin Design Blog - Contains some nifty tutorials/code cheats.

Q: Which websites do you check every day?
Please note your favorites in the comments.

Is it a girl?

Not going to turn this into a baby blog, but... I can't wait to be "Crazy Aunt MJ"! Middle sis blogs this today: Well. I had my first ultrasound today. The tech *thought* it was a girl, but wasn't positive.

That's a totally fake ultrasound image, so don't get too excited.

X-mas Apple - So Mote It Be!

I've been a vegetarian for more than a decade. Special side dishes and meatless versions of meals have popped up in various forms since that day. Spaghetti with meatless sauce, taco dip without meat and extra veggie items have shown up at holiday gatherings (still no vegetarian turtle soup though).

Middle sister's baby-to-be doesn't like tree nuts. Think of your favorite X-mas cookies. Now think of those that don't have nuts. JP doesn't do chocolate/caffeine as it's not boobie friendly. Now think of thoe nut-free X-mas cookies again. Do any of them have chocolate? Peanut butter chip cookies seemed to work for all involved.

Then comes the Waldorf salad. JP prepared two versions:
1. Apples, mayo, nuts, sugar. (She isn't a fan of celery.)
2. Apples, mayo, sugar.

Note: Baby sis hates mayo. I don't remember seeing her eat a sugar-dipped apple, but I'm sure there was an extra apple or two around.

Auntie Lisa did give us the low-down on X-mas afternoon before we dug into the snacks. Pretzels dipped in white chocolate worked, as did many flavors of potato chips.

Be thankful we're not vegan.

Ponies and planets

While youngest sis is watching the ponies, I'm watching her dog and putzing online.
Just found this bit of interesting info from the Des Moines Register:

Mercury, Mars, Venus in Rare Alignment
DES MOINES, Iowa - Three planets will align over the weekend, giving Iowans a glimpse at something they haven't seen for at least 100 years, astronomy experts
said.

Mercury, Mars and Venus will be able to be seen in the southeastern part of the sky
before sunrise from Saturday through Wednesday, said Michael Bakich, associate editor at Astronomy Magazine.

"Next to the sun and the moon, (Venus is) the brightest in the sky, so it'll be brilliant," he said. Mars will be to the upper right of Venus and Mercury will be
noticeable at its left.

It's been at least 100 years since the planets have aligned this way, Bakich said.
He speculated that the bright star the Bible says wise men followed to Bethlehem to find Jesus may have been a similar grouping of planets.

"Nobody really knows what's called the Star of Bethlehem was," he said.
---

Ah... sweet baby jesus, etc.

CandyPants and JL totally salvaged my day.

My afternoon/evening:
A quick trip to True Value and O'Malias with Candy to pick up a few last minute gifties, followed by officially unsticking my car and a walk/trudge through the ghetto (that yellow blob is dog pee) with JL made me much more human and ready to head home-home tomorrow.
All is well. Safe travels. Mwah!

Officially stuck in a better place.

What fun, this snow.
I thought I'd give moving my car a whirl this morning. Trip home-home has been postponed until tomorrow due to road closings.
This morning's excursion:
- Clean snow off of car.
- Move car 2 feet.
- Get stuck.
- Let stranger help me get car unstuck.
- Still stuck.
- Walk to gas station for Diet Coke.
- Peel off snowy clothing.
- Talk to fellow travelers on phone.
- Put on dry clothes.
- Go back outside with intention of getting unstuck.
- Let a different stranger help me get car unstuck. This time it works.
- Drive and drive and drive and drive looking for a non-sticky place to park.
- Park.
- Wonder if I'm stuck.
- confirm that I'm stuck.
At least my car is now stuck on a side street and not in an alley.
Let's see what happens next round.
P.S. - The Jehovah's lot down the block is clear (of both snow and cars).
Damn Jehovah's.

Seasons Greetings

From the Fifteen Minute Ghetto

Please help me be helpful.

I just received a quick email from a fellow blogmistress mentioning that she'd be moving to Indy soon! I want to be able to answer any questions she might have about the city, but I need answers first. Anyone care to help me out with these?

1. Why does the city get billing as having the world's largest Christmas tree when it's really just a bunch of lights on a statue?

2. Why are there only Republican lapel pins left on the clearance rack at Kohl's when this is a red state?

3. Are there any other unigovs or are we just the only ones using the term?

4. How many people are disappointed to learn that "the pyramids" are office buildings?

5. How long is X103 going to be the "NEW rock alternative"?

6. Who will be most screwed when/if (Not my man) Mitch gets the time zone legislation passed?

Social Experiment Be Damned

Um... Elfin Green mean anything to anyone?!
I only go in on Tuesday next week. Think I should wear it?

Image removed to preserve my sanity. The green shirt is now on sabbatical.

Social Experiment

This fall I bought a particularly vibrant piece of clothing.
Today is day one of a social experiment with/on my coworkers.
I wore this piece of clothing yesterday. No one said anything.
I wore it again today. No one said anything.
I plan on wearing it again tomorrow. I wonder if anyone will mention it. I also wonder who the first person to mention it will be. I'm thinking of giving that person (the first to mention it) a gift of some sort. Any ideas?

Boom, boom boom... let's go back to my womb.

Top of mind this evening:
- My head is burning. I'm mid bunny-blinding hair lightening procedure.
- My apt. temp is back up in the low 80s. Thus the title reference.
- I'm looking for an action plan to follow prior to my 30th b-day this summer. Yes, kiddies. It's been that long since JP lost her sanity. Feel free to blame it on my late 1900s-early 2000 tour.
- In case you're living under a rock and/or haven't put two and two together.... Middle sis is preggers. I'm considering adding a "days until I'm officially granted Crazy Aunt MJ status" tickler to my blog.

Time to scoot. I need to dig up a couple of hats and scarves to wear for the remainder of the work week.

Check, check... One... Two...

Get this... Holiday World, home of my very first job(s), has its own checks.
Too bad they don't have one with an image of a highschooler covered in powdered sugar and gease at the elephant ear stand! Maybe that'll come out in the next edition.
Oooh! Ooh! Series one could have the food service people and series two could have the rides employees. Nothing beats watching a theme park employee hosing vomit off of a ride.

Free "sodies" for all... And to all a good night!

Along with the fridge

Remember when I posted about this fridge?
I now have a second wish for my "dream house".
Check out this Heatwave Radiator.

* Looking for the fridge, I found another post referencing a sink I want. So, I suppose that the radiator is actually the third.

Reader's Digest Version

It's been many months since I've actually posted anything of substance.
Three condensed stories for your reading pleasure:

It's been so long, in fact, that I didn't have the opportunity to post anything about the elections. Most likely, this is a healthy thing for me as I was tremendously upset and lost all hope for several days, if not weeks.

I also hired two new people at work.
I feel like I'm becoming "the man".
I don't know if I like it.

JL is back in action, turning heads of lulus everywhere. He seems to be quite happy. I'm going to help him set up a blog this evening, so hopefully we'll be seeing more of him here in the "not so real" world.

What's new with you?

She's baaack

Thanks to the following sponsors for getting me back online:
- Work
- CandyPants
- Countless others who have heard me bitch and moan over the past couple of months.
Mwah!

P.S. - Expect mondo updates soon. I've been collecting stories. ;)