Hear Me in the Harmony

If this was adulthood, the only improvement she could detect in her situation was that she could now eat dessert without eating her vegetables.
— from Kinflicks, by Lisa Alther

The great Christmas cookie weekend is upon us again.  Karen is coming next weekend and we are going to bake up a storm, and maybe even make some fudge and/or peppermint bark.  Last year, I had my cookie choices well in hand by this point, but not so this year.  The Kris Kringle cookies were a huge hit last year, so they will be making a return appearance, but beyond that, I’m still undecided.  So, I thought I’d let you know what’s on my radar and see what you all think I should make this year.

First, Death by Caramel bars.  I love caramel, and this sounds so good, but I’m afraid this might be too rich, plus, it’s not really so Christmasy.

Next, Caramelized Sugar Cookies.  These really appeal to me; I bet they’re chewy and buttery and yummy.

How about Chocolate Malted Cookies?  I love Whoppers, and I bet that’s what these taste like, only in cookie form.  Oooh, maybe I could crush up some Whoppers and add them to the batter!  Yum.

Maybe Lemon Sugar Cookies?  I like the idea of a little departure from traditional sugar cookies, and this would satisfy my need to use my cookie cutter collection.

Finally, what about Mint Chippers?  It’s really just a twist on chocolate chip cookies, I suppose, but the mint flavor makes it a little special for the holidays, don’t you think?

At best, I think I can make three kinds of cookies, since Karen will choose several as well, and we want to make fudge or peppermint bark (speaking of which, does anyone have a good recipe for bark?), so which two of those five possibilities do you think sound best?

Thanks for your input!

All Englishmen like dresses.  It’s something in their genes.  Everyone knows it, they just don’t talk about it.
— David Bowie

Dear Person Who Found My Blog By Searching “boy wearing sister’s clothes”:

Welcome; I think you’re looking for this.  Don’t fight it, just relax and laugh your ass off at how cute he looks.

Love,
Mel

Be your own master!
Be your own Jesus!
Be your own flying saucer! Rescue yourself!
Be your own valentine! Free the heart!
— from Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, by Tom Robbins (talk about random . . .)

Man, this blogging thing is hard to keep up with!  I apologize for my absence . . . two Saturdays ago I was down in Richmond for the day watching the kids, and I took my computer with me.  When I packed up to come home, I managed to leave my power cord plugged in at Nate’s, and I wasn’t able to get it back til this past weekend, so that explains much of the dearth of posting (I’ve not yet gotten the courage to blog from work!).

So, what’s new?  I’m reading your blogs, and you’re going on dates and training for new jobs and reporting on your quest to visit 25 different Hooters’ locations (seriously – go read that one) and so many other exciting things, I feel like my life is pretty boring.

In relationship news, David came down to Richmond with me this weekend, and my grandma drove up from Greensboro to meet him.  Everything went great, and we had dinner with Nate and Molly and the kids, and I rolled around on the floor with the kids laughing my fool head off because how could I not?  They are ridiculous.  Later, David said, “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen you happier.”

In a stunning non sequitor, I’ll tell you that David and I have been watching season 1 of The West Wing on DVD at my place and, until recently when it rolled over and started at the beginning again, season 7 on Bravo — via TiVo — at his place.  I own several shows on DVD, but TWW is the only one I’ve watched twice so far, though Friday Night Lights is up next in preparation for the new season (on NBC; season 3 is already airing on a special channel on DirectTV) in February.  What shows can you watch over and over?

I love TWW.  For practically every episode of the first 3 or 4 seasons, a bunch of us would head to our friend Andre’s place to watch as a group every Wednesday.  We’d drink beer and smoke (back then, we all smoked; now almost none of us do) and kid about what it would be like if we were the party in power.  Andre was selected as president; Robert was his chief of staff (because, like Jed Bartlett says, if you trust your best friend with your life and he’s smarter than you, he should be your chief of staff); I can’t remember Nate’s job or Aimee’s (chime in, will you?), but I was always gunning for press secretary.  I wanted to be like CJ.  Robert was never sure that was the job for me, and I can’t remember if I ever convinced him.  He’s right though – I’m a smart girl, but I’m not good at thinking on my feet (which is why I’ll never be a trial lawyer).  Anyway, I also have season 2 on DVD, so we’ll watch that next and wait for Bravo to get around to Season 3.

TiVo is both a blessing and a curse.  I can watch so much that I would otherwise miss, which is great.  But, because I can watch it whenever, I almost never watch stuff the night it airs, so I can’t talk about the shows with people (like Grey’s Anatomy – last week Karen put GA spoilers in her Facebook status and I was still two weeks behind!) until the buzz has already worn off.  But I love that it suggests things for you to watch – David’s TiVo always records Ace of Cakes as a suggestion, and I dig that show.

My fantasy football season is all but done.  It’s all over but the crying now.  I’m in second to last place and it stinks.  I never win.  I was wrong before when I said I’d never made the playoffs in all the seasons I’ve played — I made it once and placed third.  This year I won’t even get close.  Boo.

Thanksgiving is coming!  I love Thanksgiving; it really is my favorite holiday.  David and I are going to my grandparents – everyone will be there, and I can’t wait!  What are your plans?

I’ll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I’ll get on my knees and pray
We don’t get fooled again
— The Who, Won’t Get Fooled Again

Ladies and gentlemen, our next President and Vice President:

What an amazing thing.  I’m still in awe; they said it couldn’t happen, a black man wouldn’t be elected president in my lifetime, and yet here we are.  It happened.  Senator Obama is not magic, and he will be tested, but I trust and believe in him, and I feel a great sense of relief and hope that he has prevailed.

At least 7 states that voted Republican in 2004 flipped, there was massive voter turn out across the country, and it’s a new day in this country, I truly believe that.

Senator McCain was gracious and humble in defeat.  Senator Obama was much the same in victory.

Our election was carried out without bloodshed, coercion, or international monitors, something I think we take for granted, but which for many countries is a fact of life.  And although there is sure to be some measure of legal wrangling over the results, come January 20, 2009, there will be a peaceful transfer of power, just as there has been in this country for over 200 years.

It’s an amazing thing, democracy in a truly free country.

Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.
— John Quincy Adams

Now, you’re all my kind of people, so I know I don’t have to ask whether you voted.  Instead, what with the talk of record turn out and long lines, I want to know how long it took you to vote today, from the time you reached your polling place til you cast your ballot and left.

Me, I arrived at my polling place – conveniently located at a senior center just a few blocks from my apartment – around 8:45 this morning and took my place among about 250 of my friends and neighbors.  I was prepared for a long wait, but the line actually moved pretty fast, especially once they separated the line by alphabet.  I was finished by 9:45, much sooner than I expected.  I’d like to say, too, that the election officals were fantastic – everything ran smoothly and there were no problems that I could see.  And the people in line seemed to all understand the enormity of what we were there to do, and everyone seemed happy to be there on such an important day – there was no complaining and lots of smiling (except the poor toddler who’s dad bumped his head on a partition divider when he attempted to calm his fussing by lifing him over his head – that didn’t exactly quiet the kid down).

So vote below, and share your voting stories, if you’ve got ’em, in the comments.  Now let’s sit back and see who wins this thing.