Ode To Winter

Did anyone else notice the SUVs Behaving Badly last week? While the rest of us double digit gas mileage vehicles had to slide through the blizzardy conditions at 20mph, the SUVs were revving and roaring and bucking at my side, ready to fly off in front of me at 60 mph the moment the light went green. I have never had so many SUVs fishtailing so wildly behind my bumper, trying to get around, trying to get around.

I understand in a way. Blizzards are the one day of the year in Chicago that you can remotely justify your gaz gussling, lane hogging off road vehicle, so by gum, whether you need to leave the house or not, get out there and show your neighbors what a big, um, car you have. Thank Gad we have an SUV honey, or I never would have been able to get to Whole Foods for anise.


On a happy note, I am thrilled with my Land's End -15 degrees down jacket (only $90!). I too, look for excuses to go outside in freezing weather because I AM WARM. Jessie wants to practice on her new scooter on the sidewalk? Sure! Normally, I'd have sent her to the basement (yes, the same basement you've seen photos of) but not with my new down jacket. I actually heard myself saying the words: "You want to go inside already?"

Plan C

Looking ahead to 2009, I need to consolidate and focus. My numero uno writing goal for 2009 is to have my novel manuscript ready to shop to agents by late spring. To that end, I will no longer blog daily. However, when I do blog, my entries will probably be longer, funnier and overall a better reward to you, my readers.

I know there are a few of you regulars out there, so please feel free to click "Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)" at the bottom of this page and you'll automatically be notified when there is a posting.

I miss you already! Have a great holiday.

Secret of Blogging Success

Neatorama posted an article on secrets to their success. You can read Neatorama's article here.

The takeaways:
1. Write original articles. (check)
2. Write Regularly. (check)

Neatorama is ranked 35th on a Top 100 Most Popular Blogs Written In All Languages list out of Sweden and I know Swedes have impeccable blogging taste because my friend Alex lives there. I've been to 26 of the sites listed so that makes me one quarter on my way to international blogger hipdom.

Facebook Thursday

It's bad enough when annoying people from your past friend you on Facebook (no I am not referring to you; you're my favorite), but even worse when lawyers serve you papers over Facebook. A couple in Australia defaulted on a loan and could not be found at any listed address but they could be found on Facebook. That's a new problem with evading a warrant; you have to give up your Facebook account.

In a related vein, last night I attended an unofficial 25th high school reunion that was organized over Facebook. No need to bring family pictures; we had seen them all. High school wasn't horrific for me (that distinction belongs to middle school) but I approach these reunion thingeys like a Fear Factor challenge: I am compelled to attend them. Like, after Rocky, I was determined to drink a glass of raw eggs. A voice for decades told me I had to do it. Never did; the closest I've gotten is to break eggs into milkshakes and smoothies, but this voice relentlessly calls me a wimp. And when Laverne and Shirley drank Pepsi mixed with milk, that same voice told me I had to drink Pepsi mixed with milk. I haven't done that yet either, but the voice is there, telling me I have about forty years left to drink that Pepsi with milk so I better get to it.

The reunion wasn't bad. I had a good time.

It's Cooking Season

Who knows? I could die tonight, so here's all my cooking secrets in one place.

1. A dollop of bacon grease in a pot of a chili yields smokin delicious chili.
2. Add a dab of poupon mustard and brown sugar to your tomato sauce.
3. Use banana peppers, jalapeno peppers and habenera peppers in your guacamole. Also stir in store bought pico de gallo to save time and render muy delicioso.
4. Squirt lime in your diet coke.
5. A drink of three quarters bubbly water and one quarter pomegranate juice is yummy.
6. Never ever ever use butter substitutes.
7. Tamari is far superior to soy sauce.
8. You can freeze ginger for practically ever, and grate it still frozen directly into your food.
9. The secret ingredient to Indian cooking is asafetida. The second secret ingredient is mangoes.
10. You can also chop up lemongrass and simmer it in water, strain out the lemongrass stalks and pour the lemongrass water into ice cube trays and store in freezer. Toss a lemongrass ice cube into any sort of stir fry-ish dish. Lemongrass ice is also refreshing to suck on.
11. You can also freeze pesto in ice cube trays. Throw a cube of pesto into any pasta/chicken-ish dish.
12. Nuts are a good addition to any cold salad; raw nuts roasted slightly are even better.
12. Use sea salt for everything.

It's A Mary Monday

OK two things—both relating to me, me, me, me.

First is a business card and banner I designed for Angela Bowman's blog Nest, a resource for folks dedicated to sustainable homes, just launched yesterday.

Second, I just learned my essay The D Word will appear in the anthology "Dyke Moms, Donor Dads, and Reconceiving the Queer Family," coming out in Fall 2009 from Insomniac Press.