Adventures in Gastronomy

And by “boogie” I don’t mean dancing. By boogie I mean green/yellow phlegm that sprays out of my nose and throat.

Yep, the reason I’ve not blogged for the past few days is that I caught a nasty, nasty, nasty cold.

WTF? I had a much longer post written but it only posted the first two sentences. Damn, and it was witty, too.

Well, let me try to recapture the magic:

Friday night I felt great and we had dinner/games night. On Saturday we went into the Back Bay to watch the Annual Santa Speedo Run. That night, we went to Pete’s for dinner and more games. Then I woke up Sunday and it went down hill from there. Sore throat, all over body achiness (to the point that toweling off after the shower felt like mini razor blades scraping my skin. I had a nearly 101 temperature, but Randy was the best nurse I could have asked for (he’s so good to me).

I took Monday and tuesday off as sick days and am just now feeling well enough to venture outdoors…and of course it’s snowing/raining/slushy out there.

December 17th, 2008
Categories: Uncategorized . Author: snarl . Comments: 1 Comment

Ok, here’s a LONG Christmas list (probably the longest I’ve ever done), taken from Karyn’s blog (Vexed in the City). I warn you…it’s LONG!

Favorite Christmas…

1. Non-Jesus-related song: Baby, It’s Cold Out Side
2. Jesus-related song: O Holy Night
3. Santa-related song: Must Be Santa
4. Fictional Character: Aunt Bethanie (Christmas Vacation)
5. Dinner’s Main Course: ham and all the fixin’s
6. Dinner’s Dessert: we’re strange: eclairs
7. Scent: gingerbread and sugar cookies
8. Animated Movie: Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer
9. Non-animated movie: Too many! White Christmas, Christmas Vacation, Bad Santa
10. Personal Memory: Getting the Weebles Haunted House as a kid
11. Story/fairy tale: the whole Santa thing, I suppose.

This or That?

1. Candy Cane or Peppermint Patties? patties….mmmm gooey!
2. Sugar or gingerbread cookies? Sugar cookies, but gingerbread loaf
3. Tinsel or beaded strands: tinsel (though a bitch to clean up)
4. Multi-colored of same-colored lights? SAME COLOR (white) ONLY
5. Flashing lights or still? Still…though there are some new white ones where only a few twinkle, That’s not objectionable.
6. Wreathes or mistletoe/holly? Wreathes
7. Rudolph or Frosty? What gay boy doesn’t relate to Rudolph?
8. Sledding or snowball fights? Sledding.
9. Snow or ice/icicles? Snow.
10. Snow hat or ear muffs? Muffs…hats mess up your hair.
11. Getting or Giving? You’re naughty. But I like the idea of giving…I just suck at it.
12. Snow days or plow trucks? Snow days!
13. Stockings or presents? Presents, I guess.
14. Cookies & milk or letter to Santa? Cookies…cuz then you can eat them yourself.
15. Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? Eve, definitely.
16. Log Burning Channel or Real Thing? I’ve never had a fireplace so TV, baby.
17. Cards or emails? Cards…I’d be offended if I got a Christmas email.
18. Shoveling or Cleaning off the car? How about his? Don’t own a car.
19. The Inn’s Manager or the animals? WTF?
20. Mary & Joseph or the Wise Men? They’re all fiction.
21. Hot cocoa or eggnog. TOUGH. I’ll go with eggnog (I prefer cold beverages)
22. Jack Frost or Little Drummer Boy. Jack Frost.

Yay…or Ugh!

1. Holiday shopping? ugh
2. Icy roads? ugh
3. Limited driving visability? ugh
4. Christmas carolers? yay (just not on my doorstep)
5. Mall Santas? yay
6. Salvation Army Santas? ugh (until they become more gay friendly)
7. Blizzards? yay
8. 24/7 holiday radio? yay
9. Freezing cold? ugh
10. Setting up the tree? yay
11. Wrapping presents? yay
12. Visiting/seeing family? yay
13. Ad-lib on Rudolph lyrics? ugh
14. Free mint red/white candy? ugh
15. Belief in Santa Claus? yay
16. Chocolate countdown calendar (advent)? yay (only as a source for candy)
17. Peeking at your gifts? yay
18. Making out with Santa under mistletoe? ugh…and ewww
19. Decorated houses? yay
20. Extreme decorated houses? yay
21. White Christmas morning? yay
22. Searching for ornaments in attic (basement for me)…yay
23. Santa knowing when you’re sleeping and awake? ugh

First Thought That Comes To Your Mind When You Hear…

1. Snowflake: pretty!
2. Pinecones: brown
3. Elves: cute
4. Sleigh: romantic
5. Presents: fun
6. Cookies: yummy
7. Mistletoe: silly
8. Rudolph: gay
9. Blizzard: exciting
10. School’s canceled: better be!
11. Ice skating: hell to the no
12. Santa’s lap: booze
13. Black Friday: crazy stunt created by retail industry.
14. Melting snow: ugly
15. Lumps of coal? dirty
16. Nutcracker: tights
17. Ho Ho Ho: happy
18. North Pole: wanna’ go someday!

What’s a Winter Activity YOU do?

1. In the snow by yourself? Walk to work
2. Inside by yourself? alternate between watching weather channel, local news, and looking out the window.
3. In a public place? look out the window and plan my exit.
4. With friends/family in snow at home: alternate between watching weather channel, local news, looking out the window.

Grade/Rate Holiday Movies (A – F)

1. A Christmas Story: A-
2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas: b+
3. The Santa Clause: never saw, but can’t imagine a high score)
4. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: A (a classic)
5. Frosty the Snowman: B
6. Home Alone: A-
7. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation: A
8. Elf: A-
9. Miracle on 34th Street: never saw it
10. A Charlie Brown Christmas: A (love the dancing)
11. White Christmas: A

The_____Present You’ve Received?

1. Most expensive: single item? Wii console? Telescope?
2. Ugliest? can’t recall. I don’t dwell on the negative.
3. Worthless? can’t recall. I don’t dwell on the negative.
4. Most-wanted? something travel related. Unlimited frequent flyer miles?
5. Most-unwanted? um…kids toys? women’s lingerie? a kid? a woman?
6. Never-used? Don’t know..tend to re-gift those items so somebody else can use.
7. Exchanged for something else? various clothes items.
8. Biggest? no idea.
9. Most meaningful? Am I bad person if I can’t recall?

Christmas At My House?

1. Tree is real/fake? Fake!
2. Tree is under/above 4-feet? Above.
3. Open gifts Christmas Eve/Day? Christmas Eve.
4. House/entire yard decorated? House
5. Amount of present under tree? 37 at the moment
6. Snowman is male or female? most are unisex
7. Homemade/Delivered/Takeout Xmas dinner? Home made, but usually from box, jar, or freezer.
8. Bedtime is before or after midnight? After
9. Wake up is before/after 7am? After
10. Christmas shopping before/after Thanksgiving? Both

Have You Ever?

1. Built a snowman? yes
2. Heard Santa’s sleigh? Seriously?
3. Seen Santa/Rudolph in the sky? Again, seriously?
4. Sat on Santa’s lap? The ones at the mall, yes.
5. Shoveled the driveway/walk? Too many times.
6. Made snow angels? yes
7. Built a fort/igloo? Yes
8. Wrote a Christmas list? yes
9. Wrote a letter to Santa? no
10. Left cookies/milk? no
11. Caught a snowflake on my tongue? yes
12. Went caroling? yes
13. Got hurt during winter season? Probably…but can’t attribute it to the season.
14. Got ice skating/sledding? Yes to both
15. Kissed under a mistletoe? yes
16. Experienced/saw miracle happen? Never
17. Get everything you wanted for Christmas? not always.
18. Cooked/baked? yes

 How Does He Do It?

1. Get Down the Chimney? Glide lube?
2. Deliver presents all over the world? FedEx
3. Get so fat and still act so jolly? sugar high
4. Recruit reindeer for sleigh-pulling lessons? slavery
5. Provide compensation for elves? he promises not to eat them
6. Stay unseen for the rest of the world? by not existing in reality?

Share your Stories in 1 Sentence?

1. Best Christmas you’ve ever had? I loved all of my childhood ones.
2. The most upsetting Christmas youv’e ever had? The few immediately after a large list of relatives died (cousins, aunts, uncles, grandfather).
3. One hilarious Christmas blooper? My holidays have been blooper free.

True or False?

1. You prefer to stay inside where it’s warm? true
2. You’ve given something (or $) to charity? true
3. You spent more than what people spent on you? unknown
4. You like to take your time opening presents? false
5. The thing you want most this year costs $100+? I haven’t asked for anything.
6. You expect to get more than 10 presents this year? true
7. You’re a Scrooge/Grinch? false
8. Christmas=snow? true (in my dreams)
9. You know the lyrics to more than 25 Christmas songs? true…and more!

 Grab Bag

1. Three best things about Christmas? lights, music, family/friends
2. Worst Christmas Song? Most contemporary ones by d-list R&B, country, or pop singers.
3. IF you were a Christmas characeter, who would you be? Herbie.
4. Why type of decoration should stop being made? colored lights
5. Tastiest holiday treat? those candy can shaped sugar cookies (white and red)
6. Favorite pop-culture/stereotypical Christmas icon? candles in the window
7. FKnow how to make cookies/brownies from scratch? If you give me a recipe.
8. Ever cut your mouth on candy cane? No, don’t really like them.
9. What other culture would you like to experience Christmas? Huh? I don’t want to force it on other cultures/religions.
10. Will you make a Christmas picture for your blog? Hell yeah!
11. Real tree, artificial, or no tree? Artificial (no clean up).
12. Eggnog, cider, or mulled wine? eggnog (cold beverages again)
13. Spiritual or secular celebration. Despite my atheism, I prefer a mix of both. I hate “holiday parties that are lacking green and red and silver and gold.
14. Favorite Christmas music? traditional
15. One Special Holiday Memory? All of my childhood ones when we came to Boston with all of my aunts/uncles/cousins and had dinner on Christmas Eve at an Italian restaurant, then spent Christmas Day with everybody.
16. Favorite Holiday dish? I’m not too picky.
17. Were you with family last year? My parents and Randy…that’s family.

December 12th, 2008
Categories: Uncategorized . Author: snarl . Comments: 5 Comments

Last night was a L-O-O-O-N-G night. Randy and I pulled out our collection of Christmas gifts and began wrapping. Between friends, my parents, my niece and nephew, there’s quite the collection of boxes (and a halndful of gift bags) under the tree.

Of course nothing is really worth a lot (if somebody broke in to steal them, how useful will a 10 year old boy’s bathrobe really be? Or a Hannah Montana pen set?) Still, we’ve managed to accumulate a lot of little things – enough to make the tree look so, well, festive.

And now my back hurts from hunching over the coffee table to wrap.

Ho, freaking, ho!

December 11th, 2008
Categories: Uncategorized . Author: snarl . Comments: Comments Off on Christmas Wrapping

As I commuted to work on Monday temperatures were in the low teens. BRRRR. Yesterday, they started in the low 20’s, but were in the upper 40’s by the time I got home from work. When I woke up on this mid-December morning it was already 63 degrees. It guess it’s true what they say:

“If you don’t like the weather in New England, just wait 5 minutes and you can bitch about that weather, too.”

Now please tell me what the hell is up with the Governor or Illinois. Is he that stupid? Is he that corrupt? Democrat or Republican, I have no use for people like that. I’m not proposing a socialist society by any means, but if politicians (and the citizens) of this country would stop focusing their greedy little intentions on themselves and perhaps on what’s for the greater good of the country, then we’d be in a much better off place.

Instead, we’re stuck with politicians doing whatever they can to make THEMSELVES (and their wives, apparently) more financially/socially successful. This isn’t a new thing at all. But it should become an extinct thing.

And I’m not just talking about the politicians here. I’m talking of Joe and Mary McMansion. I’m talking about boneheaded Mr. Hummer. All those people who selfishly bought and built bigger than they could afford, resulting in more urban sprawl, more emmissions, more foreclosures, more tax bailouts.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could all just care about our societal wellbeing as much as our personal wellbeing? Because you can’t have one without the other. But if you have them both, imagine what a great country this could be once again.

OK – I’ve gotten way too mushy/political. It’s funny, I was humming some John Philip Sousa this morning so maybe that’s why I’m blogging this way. Never mind me.

December 10th, 2008
Categories: Uncategorized . Author: snarl . Comments: 2 Comments

First it was freezing cold yesterday. So cold, in fact, that I had to take public transit to work and leave the scooter behind. Then this morning it finally warmed up (into the 20’s…woo hoo) and I decided tobe a man and take the scooter.

And it started snowing.

It was nothing heavy…mostly those small flakes that don’t linger, but there was snowfall all the same. It’s funny, when I purchased the scooter I expected to not ride it as much as I have. I figured that when it reaches below 50 I’d stop riding it since it feels much cooler than that with 30MPH wind hitting you. I figured I would leave it in the garage when it rained, snowed, was dangerously windy, or excessively hot.

Instead, I think I’ve taken public transit to work less than 10 times since April. To make winter riding easier I’ve purchased long-johns. To make summer riding easier, I got a helmet that didn’t cover my entire head (making it too hot and sweaty). To make rainy riding easier, I got a rainsuit.

It seems that the only things that will stop me now are full-on snow storms or ice. Well, that and the fact that my scooter doesn’t seem to want to start when it reaches the low/mid 20’s (and can be difficult to start even in the 30’s).

I guess it was a good purchase after all. And with gas below $2.00 a gallon, I can ride for 3+ weeks on $1.69!

December 9th, 2008
Categories: Uncategorized . Author: snarl . Comments: 1 Comment

D’oh! I forgot to upload the photos from the Christmas Tree decorating party on Friday night. You’ll just have to trust me that it was a fun time and that the tree looks spectacular.

On Saturday, Randy and I did a bit of holiday shopping before going to see the most recent Ryan Landry play at the Ramrod Centre for the Performing Arts; All About Christmas Eve.

It was a comedic take on “All About Eve” so Chris, Pete and I watched the DVD Saturday afternoon so we’d be able to catch all of the jokes. I’m glad we did!

I think our favorite part of the play was when Eve Harrington starred in her play (the one that won her the award). Ryan Landry’s troupe did a play within a play for a brief spell and did a musical number called “No No Nativity” and it had drag queens and kings doing a musical (similar in style to “Jesus Christ Superstar”) with trippy 60’s/70’s rock music and interpretive dance sequences showing Mary and Joseph and the Wiseman,…and the birth, etc…

Brilliant!

Anyway, on Sunday Randy and I continued Christmas shopping (almost done!) and went to Ipswich for a Christmas party. They had a lovely coating of about 2 inches of snow on the ground so the ride up through Hamilton and Wenham was spectacular (particularly with the holiday lights on so many of the centuries old houses).

Tis the most wonderful time of year!

December 8th, 2008
Categories: Uncategorized . Author: snarl . Comments: Comments Off on Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree

My Christmas tree has been up since last Saturday. However, it’s been sitting there undecorated since my offical tree decorating party will be taking place this evening. Fortunately, the lights are already up on the tree (it’s a fake tree and it came pre-lit).

But, by the end of this evening, my living space will be chock-full of ho-ho-holiday cheer.

Now if I could only complete my Christmas shopping. I tried to do some after work yesterday but failed miserably. My mom gave me a description of the items she wants and I couldn’t find them anywhere in the shops at Downtown Crossing (I figured Macy’s would have been a safe bet). I even tried “cheap” stores like H&M,  Marshall’s, TJ Maxx and couldn’t find anything. I’m in trouble.

December 5th, 2008
Categories: Uncategorized . Author: snarl . Comments: 3 Comments

OK, so I don’t have Dreidel, but Randy and I are now in possession of a new toy (well, technically it’s a game). I suppose this could fall under the “they don’t make them like they use to” category. But Randy’s missing luggage finally arrived yesterday and out of it he pulled a children’s board game he played as a child. It’s called “Gambler.”

Yes, toy companies in the 70’s apparently marketed board games about gambling toward children (the box cover shows poker games, lottery tickets, and slot machines). I love it! I do miss those days where over-protective, politically-correct boneheads didn’t ruin everything with knee pads, helmets, child-proof bottles, frivolous law suits, and the silly notion that every child is a winner or special. 

I long for the days of urban legends about Pop Rocks killing people when mixed with soda, and break-dancers dying while spinning on their heads. I miss competitions where there were clearly defined winners (1st place, 2nd place, 3rd place, Honorable Mention). None of this “everybody gets a certificate of completion” crap. Kids need to learn to lose. This sense of entitlemend needs to stop. Life isn’t fair…start learning that when you’re young.

Anyway, on a related note, last night was Scrabble night with Randy and Deano. I don’t know how I did it, but I managed to spell “colinear” on TWO triple word scores (since the word was so long, it had tiles on two of them). So, instead of just getting triple-word points, I got six times the word score, plus an additional 50 points for using all of my letters.

Fortunately, Randy and Deano are of the generation where not everybody is a winner and they handled it maturely. Well, Deano did. Randy got a bit testy for the rest of the game (and since this happened on my second turn, there was a lot more game left to play).

December 3rd, 2008
Categories: Uncategorized . Author: snarl . Comments: 2 Comments

YAY! Randy’s flight actually got him in early last night (by about 20 minutes). Unfortunately, the airlines lost his luggage resulting in him being at the airport longer than expected (waiting at the baggage carousel and then eventually filling out paperwork). Even worse, the luggage they lost included all of the Christmas gifts that he purchased on Black Friday. D’oh!

He did get a call from the airline this morning that they found his luggage and would be delivering it today.

And now life is back to normal and we can officially begin enjoying the holiday season. I no longer have to feel guilty for listening to Christmas music on iTunes. I’ve got the tree up and various decorations throughout the house (the tree will actually be decorated with ornaments on Friday). And the first of the gifts I ordered online have already begun arriving.

Life is good.

December 2nd, 2008
Categories: Uncategorized . Author: snarl . Comments: 3 Comments

Poor Randy. His week long trip to visit family for Thanksgiving has been extended. The airlines said yesterday’s weather was the culprit and the earliest next flight they could get him was nearly 24 hours later. So, instead of coming home yesterday, he’ll arrive this evening.

And it’s about time. I’m getting sick of all of his recent lengthy travel, dammit.

Otherwise, I had a great holiday. I went to the Cape on Wednesday and stayed with my family until Friday. We had some tasty food and played more card games than you could ever imagine. On Friday night I got together with some cousins I’d not seen in ages (decade+). One lives in Manhattan, another still lives locally and is a dead ringer for Cameron Diaz (which she apparently hates hearing). We all hung out at my other cousin’s house (who I’ve only seen once in the past 7 years) and had dinner, chatted, looked over old family photos and had an all around good time. We’re going to try to plan something for Christmas, but it may be tough since I’ll be gone from Christmas Eve until January 6).

The rest of the weekend was lowkey. I did nothing on Saturday (and loved it). And I attempted to go see the movie, Milk, with Chris and Pete yesterday but it was sold out. Instead, we watched “Die, Mommie! Die!” on DVD.

And now it’s officially the holiday season so I no longer have to be embarrassed about listening to Christmas music. YAY!

December 1st, 2008
Categories: Uncategorized . Author: snarl . Comments: Comments Off on (Christmas) Baby, Please Come Home