I'm behaviorally inconsistent this time of year. There aren't any expectations or traditions, so I'm pretty much a free agent when it comes to holidays. Even so, there is less than a week left and here are a few thoughts..

• I like informal- laid back parties. I remember having some events last year that were more "uptight". I'd prefer to pretty much avoid that experience more often than not. I can blend in, have a "nice" time, but I am always happy it is over; like I had been holding my breath the whole time. As for the atmosphere of other parties, time is irrelevant and it is usually a surprise how much time had passed since arrival. Laughs are genuine, conversations and interactions feel authentic and later, I remember how grateful I am to have such cool friends and acquaintances

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• I put up a small tree and a few lights if only to light up the long evenings. I also like sparkly things.

• I have my shopping done, but I only had a few people to buy for and that is never a stressful thing; usually just the traffic annoys me and the frustrated feelings emanating off of people. The perfect gift is something you want to give someone, not reading and scrambling around for something off of a "christmas list", right?

• I have however, bought myself stuff. I don't get out to shop, really don't care for it, but once I am out (for others), I am much more inclined to buy for myself. Bought a bunch of movies at various places and some music. And lip gloss, of course.

• I was going to make cookies, but I really don't need to. I'll just eat them. I'm so done with eating.

• I mailed out some Christmas-holiday-festivus cards. It has been a couple of years since I last did that. I realize that I do not have addresses for snail mail. It took a little digging and asking around to get what I needed.

• Still no snow. There are a few very light patches, but mostly still green. I wonder if that is what is needed to feel that holiday vibe?

• Watched a few holiday themed movies. I think that is one of my favorite things to do. I really like, and own, Elf and The Holiday. There are others, but I have to rent them, which might be something to do this coming week.

• tried a scalp massager (like that seen below). It is such a simple thing but feels so good. I bought one for my step dad, but I'm going to go back to the store and buy a couple more (one for me!).

• Sherlock Holmes movie comes out on Christmas- if my plans are light, that might be something I go see.

How are your preparations coming along? ready?

Where do I find those little strings of Christmas lights that are battery operated?

(e:matthew), I think some of your ferns have a set?


Thank you!

FYI!

Thought I would pass this information on as it might impact your commute somehow. Filming has begun on the movie, Henry's Crime. There will be street closings over the next few days in downtown Buffalo. For those curious, it will be a secured area with nothing to see.

Scenes for the movie "Henry's Crime" starring Keanu Reeves will be filmed at Main and Huron Streets on Wednesday, December 16th and Thursday, December 17th with a possible alternate date of December 18th. It will be necessary to suspend inbound and outbound train service between Church Street Station and Fountain Plaza Station between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. each day. Shuttle Bus service will be provided between Main at Church/Church Street Station and Main at Chippewa/Fountain Plaza Station. Trains will operate between Erie Canal Harbor Station and Church Street Station and between Fountain Plaza Station and University Station. Delays in schedules will occur both above around and in the tunnel on the dates and times noted above. The Niagara Frontier Transporation thanks patrons for their understanding and patience as they work to minimize delays during the filming. For more information, visit .

Street Closing Information: Huron Street between Pearl and Washington will be closed throughout the day. Pedestrians access to Main Street in the vicinity of Main and Huron will also be impacted. Please consider leaving additional time for your commute and travels through Downtown Buffalo on these days

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At last nights potluck, a visually interesting chocolaty creation by (e:james) made me think of intestines. Please tell me there is a picture?

EDIT: YES! There is a picture of james' cake (snagged from (e:paul,50562)):


It was yummy! :)

Anyway, I quickly came to this conclusion as I had just been looking at pictures of tauntauns for (e:theecarey,50519) and had also found pictures (google images) of tauntaun themed cakes. (Just go with me here). Which brings me to..

I love Star Wars. I love Cake. But as a combo...?

(ok, sure. why not?)







and as a wedding cake!

I was going through and organizing my phones picture files and looked at a bunch I had forgotten about. A bunch were from late summer. I know I still have some picture back posting that I want to do.

I share this picture only because it was truly a first time experience for me and my dinner date. I want to immortalize my only picture of it here. My quick conclusion is that I know I will not be ordering the following again.

So... sea urchin?
Have you ever had "uni"?
or when in Maine, "whore's eggs"?

What do you think of it- like it?

Uni are the two bottom pieces (from my phone, vague pic and colors are off):

Uni (oo-nee) is the Japanese name for the edible part of the Sea Urchin. While colloquially referred to as the roe (eggs), uni is actually the animal's gonads (which produce the milt or roe). Uni ranges in color from rich gold to light yellow, and has a creamy consistency that some love and is off-putting to others. It is nevertheless one sushi item that is in incredible demand around the world, which is reflected in its price. Sea Urchins are a rare treat for those who acquire a taste

.

above taken from:

I'm open to trying almost any sort of food if it is in front me. I ordered this out of curiosity and really didn't know what to expect.

The texture of this was bizarre. I don't even remember how it tasted.

First, it has an outer appearance of the texture of a tongue.
Second, once placed in mouth, you would think that chewing on it would make it smaller.
No. Mastication only made it grow. An intact custard-like swelling. And that right there is what turned me off.

Sadly, I am not part of the population that finds this to be a rare and exquisite treat. However, I do look back on the experience fondly.

google snagged images of sea urchin/uni

I just got home from making a run to Tops.

It was empty because most everyone were smart enough to stay home rather than venture out into the bitter night. Obviously I am not in that group tonight. Woah, can't believe how it is still so windy out!

Anyway, checking out the milk section, after (e:tinypliny,50517), I see that Silk brand has an "unsweetened" soy milk. I forgot about this as for quite awhile it wasn't available at every store. I also don't drink milk or soy milk regularly to know which stores (Tops, Wegmans, Co-op) have what consistently.

A closer look at the ingredients informs me that evaporated cane sugar is NOT in this formulation, unlike the others. However, carrageenan is.

Silk website link to their unsweetened soy milk.


Nutritional information:


and a picture. This is a stock picture and not something I took while at the store. My thumb knuckles are not hairy.

The sun is nice and somewhere I can hear wind chimes, lulling me into delusions from warmer memories.

Then stepping out into the windy 30 degrees snapped me back to reality.

But after looking at the blustery pic in (e:james,50526) and reading mr:mike's comment, "my street looks like rebel base" in (e:theecarey,50519), and (e:dcoffee)'s chatter comment, "I can't see across the street" (talking about snow, right?..)
I look again out my window...

Ok, really?



really?

a handful of flakes came the other day, for just a few minutes, which melted upon contact has been it so far. (e:theecarey,50495).

I'm not eager for snow, I just feel so out of the loop. heh

even the never super accurate weather report said this area would get some.. hmm

so, until then, The Daily No Snow? Not as colorful as (e:leetees) The Daily Chuck. Just green, and maybe, eventually, white.




Anyway..
plastic on the window in question did pop on the window overnight, likely from the AC not being covered well enough.

Kayla staking her sunny territory even as the plastic bulges towards her face.

that is what THE FUCKING WEATHER.com asks after relaying the cold & windy temperature. That is a multi-daily site for me as it is not only very useful but it also cracks me up.


speaking of tauntauns*, ThinkGeek has an adult sized tauntaun sleeping bag** that I have been eying for a couple of months.

pretty snazzy with its internal intestines
(ok, printed internal intestines)

How weird to wake up this morning to thunder and lightening and I continued to hear thunder on and off all day. 50ish down to somewhere in the 20s. Some rain in there as well. For some areas, hail, and then snow earlier in the evening. Nothing but wind so far here. If I recall the news correctly, around 2am a little snow should drop on my area. We'll see.
Either way it will be cooooold.

I finally put plastic up on my windows. How long have I been talking about it? I sure didn't make it pretty, but at least it is up where it it most important.

Especially as I hear the air pushing against the plastic with tonight's wind.

I must not have secured the plastic around the air conditioner, because there is a lot of air pushing the plastic; more than I would expect even with the wind. I mean, my windows aren't that drafty. I wouldn't be surprised to find a tear come morning.

Gah, it sounds pretty wicked out there.

I wonder what I will wake up to?

I wanted to go out, get out and do something, anything, but with no real plans and questionable weather, I thought a night of reading under a pile of blankets sounded better. Reading is so easy to default to. I always have social options but I find myself seeking a good story or interesting subject to absorb myself with instead. The draw is often strong enough to trump most anything. But certainly not everything.

On that note, my fingers, toes and nose are numb with cold. Time to warm up.

Sweet dreams, stay warm & don't blow away.

• tauntaun

• tauntaun sleeping bag

brrrr!

It was/is a dud of a day. I went to bed just after 4am, tossed around with odd dreams, began my day eight hours later, leaving me with just a few hours of daylight on an already dark gray cloud filled day. Hopefully I won't be doing that again.

Overall, I did get a lot done today, but now I feel like I could really just go back to bed yet it is only just about 7pm. *yawn* There is so much more I need to do but my energy is drained at the moment. maybe I will perk up in a bit.
Tired and cold (despite coffee) is no fun. Now I just heard that come late tomorrow & into Thursday there is some rain-snow-wind storm expected? Oh and the high temps will be in the 20s, let me say that again.. TWENTIES on Thursday. Brrrrr!

Good thing I made chili to help me warm up! After making a squash lentil soup (e:theecarey,50427), I wanted to make a veggie laden soup-chili-stew. Something thick, healthy and hearty that would be awesome to grab a cup or bowl of anytime. Thanks to (e:heidi) who was awesome in posting a veggie chili recipe that I jumped on to make. (e:heidi,50428) Thanks!!!

Other than the V-8 vegetable juice (which I did buy for this), I had all of the ingredients ready to go (yay!).




Getting the veggies started:





I used two cups of texturized vegetable protein (TVP) I had on hand.
Not sure all where this can be found, but if interested in finding some, this was purchased about a year ago from the bulk section at the Lexington Coop. It stored very well in an air tight container.




I wanted to use wheat bulgar, which I have plenty of, but I have been wanting to use the TVP for some time now. How perfect I thought it would be for chili. Bulgar will go into my next creation- whatever it may be.

I used spices to taste (extra cumin and cayenne pepper), but otherwise (loosely) followed the recipe.

Yummy!

end result: colorful, flavorful and hearty.







added sharp cheddar cheese on top for a little bite. Very nice!

not ones that get anchored to the ground with stakes, but the kind that fall from the sky. (e:theecarey,50487)

For a few minutes at about 4pm a few white flakes floated down,

but they did not stick.
at all.

tried to capture them: