Do you think they'd let me bring this on the plane to vegas?

... I think I found the perfect gift for TAJ

Thanksgiving denoument

Thanksgiving was AWESOME - my family and friends rock, so have sympathy on those who had less fortunate thanksgivings.

My mom offered to start the green bean casserole since she gets up earlier than everyone and so I wasn't rushed to get up at 7 am. I got up leisurely at 7:15, tossed my rat's nest of sleeping-on-the-inflatable-bed-hair and went downstairs and the casserole was almost ready to go in the oven. Mom then started on the devils eggs while I dumped the scalloped taters out of the box, as Claire and Paul made their way downstairs.

They both don't like sitting around doing nothing while other people are working, so they put the couchbed away, and then started finding all the pictures I purposefully didn't hang since I knew Claire's a) better at that than I am and b) actually likes doing it while I find it to be a dreary chore. Win win situation, I say.

So, as I'm putting food together in my pajamas(how awesome that you can cook things ahead of the turkey and then put them in the fridge??), my house is getting redecorated and pictures are being hung. Yay. Then the turkey goes in the oven, and according to my timetable, it's time to take a shower!

... and I realize in the shower that I forgot to put SUGAR in the fake-sweet-potato-pie recipe. Oops. Well, if that's the only thanksgiving disaster, hey, I'll take it.

I come down and my house looks FANTASTIC. C&P have vacuumed and swept and hung EVERYTHING I didn't feel like hanging, and then proceed to tell me that they want to move some furniture for me because my beautiful antique armoire is not being shown off enough.

About this time I finally get in touch with Gus and Kat, and find out they're going to be in on the 11:40 train, which means I have to leave about 5 min from now to go get them. C&P leave about then to pick up some wine and firewood.

Despite the fact the train was late, we beat Claire and Paul back, and can't find my mother, who's disappeared somewhere upstairs. Claire and Paul come back with a mega-jug of wine that matches the size of the double sized white wine I'd bought for the gravy earlier. This turns out to be a good (or bad, depending on your view of hangovers) thing.

And hey, since it's now after noon by three minutes, it's time to start drinking!

There was only one minor snafu. The turkey was not browning. We were sure the meat was done but it "needs to look pretty" said my sister. We solved this buttering the turkey to kingdom come and turning the broiler on, and leaving it in for 5 minutes.

PERRRFECT! Claire offers to make the gravy and I'm all "go for it!" and go and drink some "Fire Engine Red" wine with my guests (which was the only normal sized bottle of wine we had).

Dinner totally rocked. Everything, even the butternut-squash-casserole turned out ok (throwing extra marshmallows on things solves most problems), and we were quite happy.


... and then we broke out Apples to Apples, attempted to teach my mom how to play poker and my sister (who understands poker rankings) the concept of "pot odds", and killed about 5 L of wine, 1.5 bottles of Jack Daniels and a bottle of vanilla rum, and realized you cannot teach euchre to drunk people. I totally wish I had a tape recorder for the poker portion, however. Priceless.

You're all invited next year.

to answer t-giving comments

Taj who has no blog - I have a McDonalds right around the corner and a Kings right next to it; I'll drive there for something to microwave if I need to

Drizz - Dessert is cherry pah and chocolate cream pie from the raritan bakery, reservations already made by the illustrious BG.

StB - Sadly, BG is returning to the wild wild land of Michigan for the holiday so, HA HA HA I'M COOKING THIS ALL MYSELF WEEEEEE.

... and I have plenty of booze.

True friendship

... not to discount the value of someone who lets you play craps after a 20 hour bender without complaint, or listens to you oooh and aaaaah about the latest sephora item, but, you know someone is the most awesomenest (yes that's now a word) friend when the following scenario plays out:

you (or really in this case, me): "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH my family is coming up for thanksgiving next week and I HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED PLANNING AAAAAH I'm going INSANE!"

the coolest friend EVAH: "Ok, so what are you thinking of having for dinner? Ok - and you live where in New Jersey? Ok, don't worry - here, you're picking your pies up at this bakery near your house on Wednesday, and some dinner rolls, too. [...] And here's your shopping list, and the recipies and timeline for making sure everything gets to the table on time."

Swooon. Thanks, BG. :)

mmmmmm fun

[name changed to protect the innocent]: I am smarter than the average bear and would like some TD pointers so I can fleece the idiots before they are gone. Please help.


YESSSSSSssssssssssssss. There is TDL on Stars. And they all think A-high is GOOT. Catch 'em while they're jumping, kids.

If you don't know how to catch them, pick up SSII super quick.

Summary of the AC trip...

Peepvestment!

Not a bad effort for $8.80. Almost makes up for the fact that instead of getting my drink on in NYC, Kurt's flight was @#$@$@ cancelled and as I pulled into my driveway I got called by my boss to go run the fire brigade on an outage in LA. And then OOP! Hey, while we're at it, have three more people to manage for about 6-8 months, since you have a data center anyway. Weeee.

So, now I go to bed, to rendezvous with the Kurt later tomorrow (or really today), and the helixx for some NOOOOOODLES after that.

tee minus four and counting

Woo hooooooo, here we come! T minus 4 hours until plane decendage and then tee minus 22 hours until helixx-time, or hammertime.

yay!

Fun on transatlantic flights...

So when going to the UK, I've taken the Sunday night flight, landing in the UK in the morning and going right to work. Theoretically, if you can sleep on the plane, you can pretty much grit your way through the work day, then go to sleep after work and be right on schedule.

Theoretically.

If the plane doesn't have a climate control problem, and you are somewhat prone to lightheadness. Then, you will be miserable and unable to sleep and unable to deal with the lightheadedness because YOU try putting your head between your knees in COACH.

After about 3 hours, I figured maybe I was nauseous and so I got up and made my way with the intent of going to the restroom and getting rid of whatever in my stomach made me queasy. I got to the back of the plane, progressively getting more lightheaded, and the attendants immediately looked at me and asked, "Are you okay?"

... "Ummmm, no, not really."

They had me sit down and gae me some OJ and I still wasn't looking better, so then I moved to lie down in the back of the plane with a stewardess holding my feet up. I started to feel much better - I know how to deal with lightheadedness, I just wasn't able to in my teeny seat.

I guess my color still wasn't good because they then broke out the oxygen tank and said "Oh this might make you nauseous, but it'll really help, I promise!" Greaaat.

Anyway, as I was getting better, someone else was escorted back, looking pale as well. I got up and said "Don't worry, you're not the only one..."

Turns out there were six people who were feeling faint, and three of those, including me, needed oxygen.

Fun times...

Don't forget about THESE fun times:
Sunday Nov 12th at 9 Eastern
PokerStars, Private tournies,
$20+2, pass is wpbt72

[now I need to put money on stars...]

I am switzerland.

I'm still alive

I'm mostly playing triple-draw on UB these days, and occasionally some stud-8 on FTP. Exciting stuff, really.

I did take second in the WPBT tour, Stud, cha cha cha. And guess what's next? EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Come one, come all, take me on at Stud/8, beetches.

I also cashed 9th in the 10k recently too - thanks to Garth and the baby Penner being bad influences and convincing me to play that silly 2 card game. I was actually pretty upset to take 9th, because there were two shorties who took 7 and 8, and I could have easily outlasted them for more money. But I suppose I'm there to win the thing, huh? Sigh, still, it makes me cranky.

And now the really important thing: I'm going to be in AC with KURRRRRRRT!! on Saturday, Nov 11th - Are YOU coming???

Or, are you going to Vegas and storming the IP with us?