On this day, citizens of the United States gather to give thanks for turkey, for the Blues, for the sanity to stay home on Black Friday, and for our foreign neighbours, who peer curiously and a little indulgently at us from across the borders. Today I'm making Tarte aux pommes et beurre de cacahuète à la Chicago, though I'm only calling it that to tease la_rainette, who objected strongly to French and Peanut Butter ever mixing. :D

I am still thankful, but I am also thankful for a job I like, a boss I like who likes me, my beloved Bigger On The Inside flat, a gas cooking range, an electric blanket that works, public transit, my family, my family being several states away, and this FIVE DAY WEEKEND OH YEAH.

In the way of attempting to cause a Thanksgiving Miracle: violetisblue contacted me yesterday (sorry this post is late, Violet!) about adopting an ITTY BITTY TORTIE KITTY. I'm not financially in the position to adopt a cat right now, plus R's allergic, so I thought I'd put out a call on the cafe.

Is there anyone in the Chicago or Northern Indiana area who is looking for a cat? She's two years old, spayed, feline leukemia negative, all her shots, no behavioural problems. Her foster mum says the shelters in their area are full and she can't keep her because her own cat has problems; she's willing to deliver her to someone who's reasonably local to the area. If you're interested, get in touch with her at violetaugustine at gmail.com. Suggestions for no-kill shelters that will take cats from across county lines are also appreciated.

Happy Thanksgiving, all!

Huh. So yesterday my left ear started ringing and soon afterward it seemed like I was walking around in a fog because it felt like my ear was blocked. Started to panic because I was anxious about my hearing.

Went to see the doctor this morning who told me that I have an ear infection. I've never, ever had an ear infection before and I didn't even have a cold. Fast forward a few hours later and I'm sneezing, sniffling, and my throat is sore. Joy.

Ear is still ringing, but my hearing has improved. I'm going back to bed right now. Hopefully I will feel better in the morning so I can start the monumental task of preparing for the Thanksgiving Day feast.

Happy Thanksgiving to those of you who celebrate it! I don't have the energy right now to read LJ, and I will catch up with you later this week.

Snagged from rightxhere and xfireflyx

Your result for The What type of MAN turns you on Test...

Mysterious buff boy

You scored 45% masculine, 53% athletic, 55% exotic, and 56% refined!

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It's remarkably hard to mash potatoes without a potato masher. I keep flashing back to the Potato Ricer scene in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. "How can you not have a potato ricer? What IS a potato ricer?" "We will just use a fork, like the pilgrims did."

Anyway, the turkey is brining (the brine is very green. I worry this is going to be a repeat of the curry-marinated Neon Chicken incident) and the stuffing is chilling in balls, waiting to be fried on the morrow. The oyaki dough is cooling in a tupperware on the counter. R is safely off to play Blues all night and then drive home for Thanksgiving at 3 in the morning. I have Hot Fuzz and To Catch A Thief and The Thomas Crown Affair (the original AND the remake) on DVD.

LET THE GIVING OF THANKS AND VIEWING OF COPS AND ROBBERS FLICKS BE FORETOLD.

As florahart reminded me, of the many things I am thankful for this year, health insurance is very near the top of the list. If I could, I would put you all on my plan.

R came over tonight. It was a very literary night!

R: So, I'm doing gigs with [That girl who once bought us hamburgers] in Boys Town like, last week and two weeks in December.
Sam: Are you becoming a star?
R: Yesterday I was walking down Belmont and two guys stopped me and said they loved seeing me play.
Sam: You're the toast of the gayborhood.
R: You know who loves me? Gay guys and bluesmen.
Sam: Catchy title for a book.

[one pizza later]

R: If I had five hundred dollars I would throw a HUGE party. We'd have a DJ. And gumbo. I'd get a soupiere to come in.
Sam: A soupiere?
R: Like a soup chef.
Sam: Seriously?
R: It's gumbo, man. I have to take it seriously.
Sam: With soupieres.
R: Yeah. For bisques and such. Hey, that's a catchy title. You gotta write a book called Bisques And Such.

So apparently I'm writing a book called Bisques And Such.

I suspect lobstermen will be involved.

I'm pretty sure soupiere is not a word for a soup chef. But only pretty sure.

It is That Time of the Month, and so I was crabby and crampy and reveling in my hatred of the world and the pestilential holiday season, and then I saw this, a video of the Muppets singing Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, and lo, verily, I stopped hating the world for five minutes. I don't know why The Jim Henson Company did this, but God bless them, every one. As someone on the Youtube comments thread noted, this video justifies the existence of the Internet.

It might look like a bowl of pond algae to you...



...but to me it's a delicious brine for tomorrow's turkey!

For an 8-pound bird (multiply as appropriate, but my bird's 8 pounds):

8 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon black peppercorns
3/4 teaspoons allspice berries
3/4 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
(For those last two, I substituted a little powdered ginger and a few cloves)
8 cups heavily iced water

Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.

To brine the bird, combine the cooled brine and ice water and place the thawed bird in the brine. Soak overnight o for at least 6 hours in a cool place. Rinse, pat dry, and rub with oil before roasting.

(I am also putting an herb rub on the turkey, under the skin, the recipe for which I will post when I make it :D).

Let's talk about H1N1, because I am sick as FUCK of hearing about it and I want to know if people agree. My mom just called me, and has been bullying me into getting the shot. Now, I'm not sure if I want it, tbh. It's the flu. idgaf about the flu, I never get it. I think other people should, if they WANT the shot, but ultimately it's your own damn decision. I recognize that I'm only being obstinant about it because my mom won't stop pressuring me, but I think it's really an issue that IS a choice.

SO.

leland thanks you for your time.

The starting pistol for the COOKING MARATHON has been fired. First out of the gate is: HOT CHOCOLATE ON A STICK.



Original recipe here, but it's very talky, so I condensed it:

Hot Chocolate On A Stick
8 oz. chocolate, preferably high cocoa-fat, like 70%. I didn't have that, so I tempered chocolate chips with a lot of butter.
1/4 cup cocoa (not hot cocoa mix, but baking cocoa, the powdered kind)
1/2 cup confectioner’s/powdered/icing sugar
pinch of salt

Melt chocolate over a double boiler (tempering if necessary). I never bother using a double boiler, I just melt the butter in the pan, turn off the heat, stir in the chocolate, and if necessary use low heat to get it fully melted.

Add cocoa, sugar, and salt and continue to stir until combined. It should be the texture of frosting. Pour chocolate into a ziplock bag and clip off the corner. Pipe the chocolate into your chocolate mold. In my case, it's an AWESOME IKEA ICE TRAY. Add a stir stick, which should stay upright with no trouble (I did some of mine tilty just for laughs). Place in fridge to firm up.

To use, heat milk or cream in a saucepan, pour into cups, and place one stir-stick in each cup. Stir until melted. OM NOM.

This is from Creative Writing Prompts.

Prompt #22
In 200 words, write about your first toy.

My first toy was a small, stuffed, plush bear that was called Brownie after his rich chocolate red color. He had hard, big, blue eyes with black irises and white inner ears and paws. Brownie was always in a sitting position because his legs didn't fold and that was how he was made. Aunt Rem (my mother's sister) gave him to me as a present. He used to have a jaunty blue bow, but that disappeared over the years.

One of my very first pictures that my parents took of me was of me sleeping in a prone position with Brownie on top of me. It's one of my favorite baby pictures. That bear is a behemoth in comparison to my tiny body. He looks so happy and new and I just look sleepy.

Brownie eventually became Little Brownie when I received another (larger) brown bear for my stuffed animal collection, but I still call him Brownie. Through the years, I’ve given away my collection, but I’ve always kept that bear for sentimental reasons. I still have him to this day and he is perched on top of my armoire. I love that bear and I’ll always keep my Brownie.

Sam's Really Only Three Things About NCIS!

Spoilers for 7.09, ( Child's Play )

3a. Much as I love NCIS, I couldn't even come up with a 3a. It was just...there. A perfectly good episode but not especially entrancing this time round. Eh, we all have off-days. Last year's Christmas episode was genius, though, so I'm sure they'll pick up again.

Snagged from rightxhere

I know there are a few newer people here on my flist so I thought this would be good, plus useful for a few of you to catch up :)

You know how sometimes people on your friends list post about stuff going on in their life, and all of a sudden you think "Wait a minute? Since when were they working THERE? Since when were they dating HIM/HER? Since when???" And then you wonder how you could have missed all that seemingly pretty standard information, but somehow you feel too ashamed to ask for clarification because it seems like info you should already know? It happens to all of us sometimes.

Please copy the topics below, erase my answers and put yours in their place, and then post it in your journal! Please elaborate on the questions that would benefit from elaboration. One-Word-Answers seldom help anyone out.

( Read more... )

“I know firsthand about talk of censoring Adam Lambert when there was uproar about my recent Family Guy. Adam should be allowed to perform.
Adam I’m sure is intelligent to know who his morning audience is. Work with artists but don’t silence them.

Society has had issues since men and women began creating art. It’s because art makes you THINK. But freedom of expression is essential.

We should be THANKFUL that we live in a FREE country We can THINK we can JUDGE. But we shouldnt SILENCE. Use your minds. Express yourself

To all you fans of Adam Lambert. I’m with you. Love or hate him, I an artist who believes in freedom of expression freedom of CHOICE.

If supporting Adam Lamberts right to express and your right to JUDGE if he’s for you or not, then I’m happy to be a GLAMBERT. Freedom rocks.”

— From @MarleeMatlin. ITA with everything she said except the “Glambert” part.

So I mentioned that I was doing a Battlestar re-watch. I decided to do a little project at the end of each season, so I grabbed a bunch of caps yesterday and started working, and now I have concluded I'm stupid enough to do season-by-season wallpapers. Since I've only just finished watching season 1, I've only done one wallpaper. Fail. Gonna start watching Season 2 today.

Season One

1280x800

ALSO I AM DOING GAGA BSG ICONS SEE BILL FOR REFERENCE HE WILL DAZZLE YOU SO I NEED MOAR CHARACTER SUGGESTIONS. MY LIST, LET ME SHOW YOU IT:
anno_superstar: Racetrack, Starbuck, ANDERS
firstlady1408: Laura (pink gagas)
prettypinkdork: Laura in McQueen heels/crowns (oh because that'll be easy)
lrbcn: Cain and Laura
splodge04: Bill + disco stick unf unf / SHOW ME YO TEEF
airings President Leland Gaga w/ "Hot Like Mexico"
nicole_anell: SIX
childminerva: Cavil, Cottle

THAT IS A SHORT LIST. GO FORTH, LITTLE ONES.

Last day of work before a five-day weekend for me. HOORAY!

juniper200 linked me to a New York Times article this morning about finding help for mental/emotional issues when you don't have health insurance. It's a difficult subject, mental illness, and the article makes what might be considered some mild mis-steps, if only in perception, but overall it's useful. (I loled a little at "seek out the child psychologist at your child's school". I'm guessing this person has not sent a child to public school in quite a while.)

For those who are lucky enough to have insurance, you can also check out this article on getting treatment and the Mental Health Parity Act.

Anyway, it reminded me of some links I wanted to share from the last HR mailing that I got (the same one that recommended the webinars and caused the webinar plague of Canada).

One Day One Job: A blog about entry-level jobsearching for college grads.
Careers in Nonprofits: Because nonprofits are awesome!
Alltop: Everything ever about careers.
Vistaprint: offering free business cards, though you pay postage and they try to sell you everything else in creation while you're ordering. Still, the designs are neat. I got a set that proclaim me to be "Research, Administration, and Design" :D

How did the job fair go, anyway? Anyone get any bites from it?

*primal scream* Okay, I feel better now. I just have so much work to do for the Thanksgiving feast since I'm hosting it, and I just needed to vent. All the food prep work that could be done in advance has been completed. All I need to do now is freshen up the bedrooms for the overnight guests, vacuum, and fill the favor bottles with the popcorn, chocolate covered coffee beans, or jelly beans.

I had to put all the stuff from here in my bedroom and I've been wrapping when I have bits of free time. I have managed to prepare everything that needs to be mailed, and they are ready to be taken to the post office next Monday.

I have very few kinks, compared to most of fandom, but I will admit this: I have a thing for drunken sex. I don't know why. Not nonconsensual sex, eurgh, and it has to be a very specific type of drunk!sex, but when it's done right I am all over it.

AND THEN FOXY WROTE ME SOME. For me! So I'm recc'ing it. I'm recc'ing it hard. :D (Also I beta'd it, and it's a rule!)

Title: Pub Fiction
Rating: R
Summary: Jack makes sure Ianto gets home. Because he just can't drive in that state.

There's a cabdriver named Fozzie in it. Go on, you know you want to.

MOM. THIS IS MY CHRISTMAS LIST BECAUSE YOU SAID YOU WANTED PICTURES AND I'M PRETTY SURE YOU DIDN'T READ ANYTHING I SENT YOU. YOU ARE LUCKY YOU'RE PRETTY.

( christmas wish list )

There! I am pretty low maintenance. And most of this is on sale. Also, I would not mind anything from Coach, just saying. LOVE YA.

Christmas sucks when you're a grownup.

My mom keeps bugging me to give her a list of stuff I would want for xmas, and I haven't yet because I don't know at all what to put.

It's not that there's nothing I want, but here's the thing:

For the most part, whenever I want/need something I simply buy it myself; and as for bigger things I can't possibly afford...both my parents are broke so if I can't afford it there's not much hope they can either. And I don't have any other close extended family to ask.

And I know people (read: Mom) will say, "Well you never know if you don't ask, maybe it can be worked out." But I can't bring myself to have the audacity to ask for an iMac or nice camera from someone who's living paycheck to paycheck, especially in this economy, because they probably would get it and then I'd be racked with guilt over how could they have spent money like that on me.

The things I honestly need don't really fall in the category of ~under the tree~ gifts. What I really need is money. Or a nice vacation, but even if someone bought me a trip to wherever, I just started a new job so I won't be getting a week off any time soon anyway. Other things I would like are: a boyfriend, a nicer apartment, a better relationship with my dad. Unforch, none of these things are available to be shipped from Amazon.

Would also like the obligatory Peace On Earth, bigger boobs, and/or Zachary Quinto as my next door neighbor.

And it breaks my heart that the things I really want to get other people--because I love giving gifts as much as I love getting them--are equally out of my reach or intangible.

So idk. I have a feeling that just as I have the last few years I'll just wind up putting super boring practical grown up type things on my list, like a vacuum or rice cooker, things I could use but don't feel like spending my own money on, plus some books/dvds I haven't bothered buying yet, and call it a List. But it's nowhere near as exciting as being 10 and squeeing with joy over getting an assload of toys Christmas morning.

Going to bed before I can possibly get any more emo.