Ramblings...

Just got home from our vacation weekend, and it was perfect. The weather held up, Sesame was so much fun - if insanely crowded, the Adventure Aquarium was great, and we had an altogether awesome time.

Grover was indeed there, and he was in SuperGrover regalia. However, I was on line for the Grover ride, the Vapor Trail - AUGH! At least Mike was good enough to capture him on digital. I did make sure to get pictures with Bert and Cookie Monster, though. I think going to Sesame Place was as much fun for me as it was for the kids.

More on vacation and pictures to come. In the meantime, I've got to finally say it. My son is going to be five and I am still not back in my pre-Alex clothes. I can't beat myself up for this anymore. For Alex's birthday, which is in just under two months, I'd like to know I'm on the path back to pre-Alex clothes. So I'm hoping that by making it public, I've committed myself to not falling off the wagon. Not congratulating myself for sticking to a good eating plan after one day by 'celebrating' with the stuff that keeps me looking like this. I commit to being ten pounds lighter by Alex's fifth birthday. Keep me honest, folks.

Of Pirate Parties and Pre-K Graduations...

The end of school always brings running around with it. This week, Will's class had a pirate publishing party (say THAT three times fast) and Alex graduated Pre-K.


What's a publishing party? It's when the classes work on projects for a few weeks, and then 'publish' their projects - make a cute little report book up and such - and parents and family to come visit, ideally. Will's class worked on pirates this past month, so he wore his Jolly Roger finest to school that day (a very cool tee from Savannah with the pirate flags of some of the most famous pirates in history, plus his skull & crossbones bandanna) and I contributed two bags of - you guessed it, Pirate's Booty - to the party. I brought Alex with me, dressing him in his Pirates of the Caribbean shirt to make sure he felt like he was a part of things.

The Pirate Boys!

Will's teacher this year is one of those teachers who really goes the extra mile with getting the kids involved in their learning. At the end of each school year, she goes all out and decorates the classroom for one major theme to end the year on, this year's theme being Under The Sea. Since pictures are worth a thousand words, let me just pause here to show you.

That's a classroom. How cool is this? There are fish, crabs, jellyfish, and even a plush Orca hanging out in the classroom with the kids. Last year's class theme, the rain forest (complete with hanging vines and snakes) was tough to beat, but it looks like she may have topped herself. It was fantastic.

We got to review all the kids' projects and comment on them, and then we pretty much just hung out. I snapped this cute shot of the boys - I love when they think no one is looking and you can really see how much they enjoy each other's company. Despite the fact that they get on each others' nerves constantly.

And then, it was time for Alex to graduate Pre-K yesterday. And I actually didn't fall apart into a puddle of sobbing motherhood. I think that may have been due more to the irritation at the rude parents and assorted family members who kept shoving and standing in everyone else's way - seriously, if you're in the front row, what the hell do you need to stand for? Sometimes, adults are more infantile than the children.

Anyway. It was Alex's day, and he was awesome. He sang, he danced, and ultimately, became a graduate.

Of course, having received his little diploma early on, he got bored pretty darned quickly.

So now, it's on to Sesame Place and a great summer.

We leave in less than two days for Sesame Place! I think I may be more excited than the kids. I hope we get to see Grover; even at the ripe old age of 37, I love that furry little blue guy. Bet on me taking a picture with him if he's wandering around; if he's in SuperGrover regalia, so much the better.

I think everyone's day would be a little brighter if it started off with The Village People, don't you?

Plurk Obsession

Okay, so as if Facebook wasn't an obsession enough - or Ravelry, for that matter - I get Plurk. I've never Twittered before, but a bunch of knitters on Ravelry have been talking about Plurk, which is apparently just like Twittering. So I set up an account (full disclosure: I also heard that one of the Plurkers would share a sock pattern with any fellow knitters who are also Plurkers. Hey, you knew it was likely knitting related, didn't you?)

So I sign on, and next thing I know, after some time in the Plurk Ravelry forum, I'm now addicted. I've even added the widget to my blog, so just take a look over there on your right. Hi there. Now you know what I'm doing all day long. Doesn't this give your life new meaning? Thought so. So if you happen to be on Plurk, just look me up.

By the way - met Stacey for lunch at ZenBurger yesterday, and now she's converted me. Vegetarian but tasty? Chipotle sauce on tap? Dancing hamburger video? What could possibly be wrong? I tried to find footage of the dancing hamburger on YouTube, but sadly, there was nothing to be found.

Pretty much speaks for my frame of mind today.

In other news, I finished the Lacy Days socks from the last post. Very comfortable! Now, I've gone and started the epic Tree of Life afghan project (check out the button on the right) from Lion Brand. I've joined their Knit-Along, and God help me, I'm going to do it. I'd love to have it done in time for my mom's birthday in September.

Have to continue on my quest for a bathing suit today, since the only thing I accomplished at Old Navy earlier this week was an understanding that I am about a decade too old to be shopping there. At least for bathing suits. Sigh.

Happy Father's Day!


Happy Father's Day to all the Daddies out there!


This weekend was a whirlwind, like they've been for the most part lately. We had Will's delayed birthday party yesterday - same bat-time, same bat-channel (i.e., Nathan's, where he's had the past two or three birthday parties).

Nathan's on Old Country Road, by the Source Mall? WOW. They've done some big-time renovations, including adding a separate party room with two large screen HDTVs for the kids, the Burritoville is finally open, and a Ray's Pizza is coming. Yum.

It was great for Will, because we had 19 kids there; he was surrounded by his friends and family, and I am pretty sure the kid had a blast. And the stash of presents? Don't even get me started.

Will and the guys chowing down

Birthday cake time! It was an Iron Man cake - ROCKIN'.

After the party, I met up with Piera and we went to a book party - GOD, it was so nice to go to one again! I really, REALLY miss book publishing. And the added fun was that it was a friend of mine who wrote the book - no, not another book from Dan just yet - Robb wrote a Q Guide to Sex and the City, and had a book party at Book Court, a fantastic little honest-to-goodness bookstore in Brooklyn, last night. No mega-super-multi-floored stores, no Starbucks counters (full disclosure: there is one down the block, and I did have a tall skim latte), just a space that felt deliciously like my own living room, books, and people that knew not only how to talk books, but how to make a wicked Cosmo. Yay!

Piera, David and me - together again!

Author-Man Robb Pearlman, and David

Like the show? Buy this book!

Another old friend from the ISO days, John Nicholson, came in for the party and ended up giving Piera and I a lift back into Queens, bless him - especially since Mike and Alex braved horrific rain and a BQE shutdown to get us there and apparently only beat us home by 20 minutes.

It was awesome. And as I settled into bed last night, I whipped out the book and read half of it. I finished it this morning. Reading Robb's book is like sitting down to a Sex & The City marathon with some of my best gay husbands (well... it was written by one of them, after all), dish, snark and all. If you like the show, you'll love the book. Not a gay man? Seriously, this is Sex & The City - all the more reason for you to read it, girls.

I've Been Remiss...

My blogging, knitting and hot saucing pal over in The Windy City, the (Not So) Cynical Knitting Gal, has a great blog with fantastic photos of her garden and her pets (especially her smooshie-face doggie, Gracie - who has her own blog). I've been remiss in visiting her blog, so I'm off to comment all over it. Just thought I'd share. If anyone likes pictures of golden retrievers that you just want to bury your face in, I highly recommend it. And honestly, if you like gardening or just beautiful pictures, I really recommend it - how she gets those shots is beyond me.

As for me? After a brutal allergy day yesterday (thanks again, FHLL, for neglecting Field 4!), I'm back in business, sounding a lot worse than I feel.

I've gotten to the heel work on sock #2, and hoping to turn the heel on the way home if I get a seat on the train (har har). Since the first leg was a bit tight, despite the ribbing work, I cast on and knit the initial ribbing with a slightly larger needle (which Stacey would still say looks like a toothpick - we'll start Stacey off with some nice chunky worsted and size 15 needles), so I'll see how it fits when I'm done. I am fighting the urge to try on the sock now, since these needles are shorter and if I drop any stitches off the needles at this stage of the sock, I will burn them and never knit again. Okay, maybe not that drastic, but I'll whine and cry and make Mike's life miserable for a while. That's far more realistic.

So sadly, Danny Brown's did not win their second round of playoffs last night. They played hard, though - honestly, next to last week's game, it's the best they've played all season. Will smacked a triple out into the outfield, causing me to scream myself near hoarse. Unfortunately, though, the other team pulled the win out in the last inning. Will was heartbroken, but Mike and I told him that next year, if he keeps playing with the heart he demonstrated in just these two games, it'll be a different story.

In the meantime, a shot from last week's game. Doesn't he look badass in his catcher's outfit?

Alex is so excited that the season is at an end, because it brings him that much closer to playing tee ball next season. And then, the world is in for it, because he'll have a bat.

In other rotten breaks, the dust on Field 4 - the one field that the Forest Hills Little League seems to neglect for some unknown reason - was visibly swirling in the air last night. The grass is half dead, and the rain we had wasn't enough to saturate the poor ground. My sinuses have been ripped up, and I was miserable for most of the night. Ugg.

I finished one more sock and continued on its mate (I was calling it the Rally Sock, since I felt that working on the first one during the game last week helped Danny Brown's achieve victory). I'm about halfway through the second sock's leg, so I'm hoping to get to the heel tonight, and finish it by the weekend. Since I know the mysteries of sock knitting wigs Stacey out, I'll post a pic.

HTML Help?

I'm having a heckuva time creating links lately. When I try to link the buttons to the sites that are hosting the KALs I'm part of, I keep getting these red "x"-es above them, like I've got another picture that isn't showing up. The button is linked, but there's this ugly red x glaring at me. Anyone know what's up?

Kindergarten is AWESOME.

So sayeth Cutie Pie, who had his Kindergarten orientation this morning. We'd been looking forward to it for a couple of weeks now, and I really thought I was well-equipped emotionally to handle just the orientation. I always sniffle and well up on the first day of school, but Kindergarten orientation? Nah, right?

WRONG! I burst into tears the minute they led the kids out of the cafeteria to go sit in the classrooms and meet their new teachers and friends. I went over to a friend of mine, who has a daughter in Heartbreaker's class and twins that will be starting Kindergarten in the Fall as well, and said, "I really didn't expect to cry today." She gave me an encouraging nudge and told me it was okay. My baby's going to Kindergarten. Wow.

The orientation itself went smoothly. I got there early to help set up, which I think also helped Cutie Pie feel more comfortable. Unlike his brother, who walked into that school cold, he's had almost four years to be familiar with it; he's roamed the hallways with me, he knows most of the teachers, and quite frankly, his brother is Mr. Congeniality over there, so he's blazed a very welcoming path for him. He helped me set up the cookies and juice in the classrooms, and got to meet several of the teachers early on. The principal even shook his hand.

When it was time for me to start showing the incoming parents where to come in, he decided he was going to sit in one of the teacher's classrooms! When I told him he had to come with me, the teacher came out and offered to take him in until the parents were settled in, Heaven bless her.

So the parents were all funneled in, and it was great to see so many familiar faces! The first time around, I didn't know anyone. Having been a part of the school for a few years, and having Alex in a Pre-K program in our neighborhood, I saw a lot of faces I knew - hey, it's a transition for me, too. We said goodbye to the kids for a little bit, I had my mini-meltdown, and we took off for the tour of the school. I think I've gotten the tour down pat, so it only took about 15 minutes.

Of course, I stopped by Heartbreaker's class to show the parents some of our fantastic teachers and the creative things they do with their class - his classroom is currently featuring a fantastic Under the Sea layout, with a blue sheet of thin plastic, or vinyl, acting as a canopy for the class and exotic fish hanging down - I have to try and get a picture of it; it's simply amazing - so I got some face time in with Heartbreaker, who, I'm happy to see, is still happy to see me wandering the halls from time to time.

We got our little kidlings back, answered some questions, and I gave my Parents' Association schpiel. We had some interested parties, so here's hoping for some new volunteers to keep us moving forward.

Dropped Cutie Pie off at school, just in time for snack - how's that for timing? And wended my weary way back to work.

Man, Fall is going to tear me apart this year...

Go Danny Brown's!

I had the excitement of being able to not only see Will's playoff game this weekend, but got to see his team battle it out and WIN!! The kids were in full force - they had a rough season, but really knuckled down and pulled out a win in the last inning!

The game was over 2 hours long and in the brutal heat of the day (1 p.m. game, just in time for the hottest part of the day). And, as you see from the picture, these kids have on dark brown and black uniforms - essentially, black holes of suck for the heat. Thankfully, the coaches kept them hydrated and didn't let them get crazy in the dugout so they could keep their energy up.

I sat in the sun, baking, and knitting on a sock (hurrah! Finished last night!). I told Will that now I have to knit the sock's companion at the next game, because I don't want to upset karma too much by casting on something new. He probably thinks I'm crazy, but I know these baseball superstitions. After my friend and coworker Shelley mentioned that Johnny Damon went six for six after shaving off his moustache, I'm thinking I should rip the sock I finished out, so I can work on the same sock, which must be embued with good karma.

God, don't let me become a sports parent. I don't think I can handle the stress.

Anyway. Got to celebrate Adam's birthday with everyone at Pasta Lover's the other night - mmm... pasta... and even had a little time with Baby Boyd. And Nancy lit the match by mentioning she'd wanted to start letterboxing, which is something I'd been hearing about on the Lime & Violet podcast and had been toying with looking into. So now Nancy, Stacey and I will likely be roaming around Queens and Long Island, with stamps and notebooks, looking for letterboxes. Because you know, we have a lot of time on our hands. And we really needed more hobbies.

Any good letterboxing tips for a newbie?

I was reading PopCandy today, and came across this website that's like a gut-punch. A Chinese cartoon artist has created comics telling personal stories coming out of the earthquake. I can't begin to describe the power in his artwork, so I'm just going to put up the link here and encourage everyone to go to it.

By telling people's individual stories, it transcends the news and becomes real - it's not just anonymous faces that we're half a planet away from; it's a mother's last message to her child; it's the dedication of a teacher to his students; it's the policeman who has to make an awful decision. We have common ground to connect on, to empathize with.

We can discuss in the comments. I warn you, have tissues available. It's not light reading, but it's important reading.

Reunions...

I'm so excited. I've gotten back in touch (and never lost touch) with some old friends from the Saint Bart's days. We've been e-mailing and meeting up for lunch, and I tell you, it's really done wonders to get me through the days. The core little group of us have been busily planning a mini-class of '84 reunion, and it's actually going to happen. On June 21st. And more and more people are getting on board.

It's great, having that thread to connect me, and ground me, to my childhood. I loved my time at Saint Bart's. I loved being surrounded by the same small group of people - we went to school together, we lived together, we played together, our parents hung out together. It was a safe feeling, and knowing that we're all drifting back toward one another after all this time is like a warm blanket I can wrap around myself.

I saw, and thoroughly enjoyed, Sex & The City today. Stacey, Nancy, Janet and I had an honest-to-goodness girls' day out. First, we had a tasty lunch at CUP Diner in Astoria (and I ate healthy, too - and didn't reward myself with junk food afterwards!), and then headed in to enjoy the movie. I have to say, if you're a fan of the show, you'll enjoy the movie. So take that as you will.

Nancy and I went back to her place, where Mike and Keith were waiting with the kids; I got to play with Baby Boyd for a little while until my boys got antsy, and then we were back off to Casa Kiladitis. All in all, a very nice way to spend a Sunday, normally the day I loathe the most.

It was an honest-to-goodness girls' weekend, having been out to Sag Harbor for Lauren's baby shower the day before. I can finally reveal the super secret projects, having completed one of them (the baby blanket) in the car on the way to the shower! I'll have pics up soon, but there is a baby blanket, a hat, and the Baby Chuck Taylors, which went over as well as I prayed they would. I have some washcloths that I'm working on, but it's not super-secret anymore since I pulled one out at the actual shower to work on.

Lauren is a glowing mommy-to-be, and she was surrounded by some gorgeous baby gifts and lots of love. I even got to see the baby belly move!! I swear, I never got tired of watching my own belly jump around when Will, and then Alex, would let me and everyone near me know they were awake, so I love watching my friends get to experience the same things.

Sigh... back to the real world manana.

Onto the Midwest!

Okay, so having recounted the lovely time I had in Savannah, it's time to move on and talk about Des Moines, where I spent last week. I left my camera home because Alex had a show at school while I was away and wanted Mike to record it for me, so no pics. But I will say Des Moines is beautiful. So green and they're not afraid of letting space just be, unlike Queens, which seems to be more and more of the mindset that something must occupy every available inch of space these days.

Okay - so getting to Des Moines? A bit problematic. Apparently, I can catch a nonstop flight to Sweden more easily than I can Iowa. There's one Northwest flight a day that goes there direct, and without knowing Northwest's lousy reputation in advance (hindsight is 20/20), I booked the one flight.

Travel Day - I get to LaGuardia at about 10 a.m. for my 11:30 flight, only to be told by the skycap at curbside check-in that I need to "go inside and talk to someone, because this flight's been canceled." WTF? I'm starting out like this? Are you kidding? Luckily, Mike, my personal ZenMaster, was still there and proceeded to take the e-ticket from my rapidly clenching fists and called Northwest, getting me booked on a flight leaving about the same time but stopping over in Minneapolis. Whatever. I deal. I get checked in fairly quickly (that was the only thing that was fair or quick that day), reluctantly kiss Mike goodbye, and head to the gate.

No exaggeration - depending on the destination of the flight, anywhere from 50-100 people are at each Northwest gate, yelling. It's a clusterfrack kind of day, folks. My flight ends up leaving almost an hour later than expected, so I'm calling the folks in Iowa that I'm supposed to be meeting with and giving them updates.

Get to Minneapolis, and I'm pretty much the quintessential angry New Yorker at this point. When I get to the gate where my connection is leaving from, I see a flight to Bismarck, North Dakota listed. I ask the guy at the gate about my Des Moines connection and he CHUCKLES and says, "Oh that flight's delayed at least an hour."

This, my friends, leads to a profanity-laden meltdown that probably melted the ears of all near me. Thankfully, I had the werewithal to walk away from the gate and have this meltdown on poor Mike and my mother. Mike begged me to consider some food, since the first flight not only did not offer food - after an hour delay and a 2 hour flight - and indeed had the cojones to charge for snacks. I didn't want to put any money into this airline or airport terminal, but I saw an Einstein's Bagel place so I put a total of $1.59 into Minneapolis.

The connecting flight ended up being delayed by TWO HOURS. No vouchers to get food for everyone inconvenienced. No snacks on the plane, unless you wanted to pay for it. Great customer service, Northwest!

I finally land in Des Moines, and miraculously, so did my luggage. I called the complimentary shuttle at the hotel, which took 40 minutes to show up. Got up to my hotel room, let everyone know who needed to that I had landed without police needing to take me off the plane, and stared out the window. Seeing neon, I knew there had to be food out there, so I took off.

It's raining. Spectacular.

Then I saw them. The Golden Arches, out of the corner of my eye. There was a McDonald's, right next to the hotel. I dashed in, got a burger, fries, and a caramel iced coffee to ease my pains, and ran back up to my hotel room where I scowled at the four walls and watched a Family Guy marathon. Then I finished off some knitting I'd been working on, and decided to hit the gym and burn off some anger.

It took me 10 hours to get to Des Moines from New York. It should not take that long to get there, folks.

Other than that horrific first day, I really enjoyed my time in Des Moines. They're an hour behind New York, so I felt like I had a luxurious extra hour at bedtime. It's beautiful out there (and real estate makes me cry - you can't get a tiny, cramped NYC apartment for what you'd pay for a house out there), and everyone was just wonderful. Who knows? I may even consider not throwing a fit at going out there again in the future - but not for another full week. I just can't be away from my boys that long.

Savannah Sights, Part Three

Part of The Pirate's House - such good buffet, with lots of cool Treasure Island goodness hanging around. And apparently, a haunted room upstairs!

Fort Pulaski, a Confederate fort that was rocked by the Union cannon - there are even two shells left in the wall, which I completely geeked out on. What you don't see, however, is my sheer terror - there were two FREAKING ALLIGATORS in the water - that I saw, let alone the ones swimming around underneath, just waiting... I was totally expecting a scene out of Lake Placid to occur while I was waiting for Mike to take the picture.

YARN!! I was lucky enough to go to Wild Fibre Yarns while I was in Savannah, and the wall to wall yarny goodness was almost too much for me to handle. The woman who ran the store was so friendly, and even invited me to the stitch in the next day, but alas, I wasn't able to make it. I did, however, treat myself to some pretty sock yarn.

We found a Sonic, and Mike finally, after years of obsessing, was able to procure the Cherry Limeade Slushie of legend. His joy was short-lived, however, upon realization that it was mostly ice. There was no joy in Mudville, ladies and gentlemen.

Oh God. The pirate tour. You have no idea. And the dude at The Pirate House who was impersonating Jack Sparrow (not the guy in the picture)? No.

Sights of Savannah, Part Deux

Racks of bear claw goodness at River Street Sweets

Shot of houses at River Street

Me 'firing' a cannon at Fort Jackson

Mike got his Southern Barbecue!

Cool fountain in the Historic District

The Sights of Savannah, Part One

Vinnie Van Go-Gos Pizza - C'mon, you know you think it's cool.

Alligator Soul. So. Much. Food.

Seashells in the Concrete! (And my toes...)

Steep stairway to River Street

I'm BACK!

Didja miss me?

Okay - Savannah. I need to live there, at least part-time, and soon. It is beautiful. Linda, I ::heart:: you for making sure I didn't miss out on River Street Sweets, which is quite possibly the happiest place on the planet. It's certainly the best smelling. I enjoyed yet another bit of praliney goodness last night, just to remind myself how much I love Savannah.

Homemade ice cream and candy stores lined the blocks of the historic district. Oh. My. GAWD. So. Good.

Who knew there was that much pirate action in Savannah? Mike and I ate at The Pirate's House (more pictures to come, honest), which, according to some other folks we overheard while on the buffet line, has better food than my pal Paula. What a Southern buffet - Southern fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, carrots so sweet they melt in your mouth, and pecan gravy. And do I need to mention that the biscuits were amazing? Seriously, it's the South. It's a law; if you don't have good biscuits, I think they can revoke your license to operate a business.

Anyway, The Pirate's House was quite the hotspot back in the day - it even inspired Robert Louis Stevenson as he wrote Treasure Island. Which completely speaks to the book and history nerd in me. So check it out for the food and the atmosphere, because apparently, there's even a ghost that haunts one of the rooms - as we found out when we took the Hearse Tour.

Yes, you read that right. We loaded ourselves into a hearse and toured haunted Savannah, and it rocked. The customer service, to start, is fantastic - Mike called while we were at lunch, but no one was at the phone. He hung up, and no less than 10 or 15 minutes later, someone called saying that they saw on the caller ID that they had received a phone call and could they help us? Within 5 minutes, we were booked and were going to be picked up at 9 that evening.

The guide, Nathan, was GREAT. From his very cool Linda Blair in Exorcist tee-shirt to his encyclopedic knowledge of haunted Savannah (he needed to pass at 380-question test to score the gig, folks), he kept us laughing and gave us a couple of good old-fashioned jump scares to remember the trip.

We ate at a Moroccan restaurant, Casbah, that made some fantastic food. The belly dancers tried to get us up on a few occasions, but we politely declined. I don't think that needs to be exposed to the public, ya know? I'll leave it to the professionals. We were all set to eat with our right hands as Moroccan families do, but when the saffron rice came out, we looked at each other, looked at the rice, and asked for utensils. Hey, if they had thrown some bread in, I would have given it the old college try. I had chicken kebabs, so I was all good without utensils on that end, at least...

And I would be completely out of line if I didn't talk about our anniversary dinner at Alligator Soul. Mike made the reservations a few weeks in advance, and told the folks it was our anniversary. We got there, and were treated to seats in a beautiful little nook in the restaurant, plus a champagne toast and a complimentary taste of what I think was a new dish the chef is working on - it was delicious; basically (to my very untrained palate) a Cajun chili that had the perfect amount of kick to it. The steaks were awesome, and I burst out laughing when the gentleman I believe was one of the head chefs (I just checked, and it's not head chef Chris Dinello) came over to Mike holding the "Little Eddie" steak, clapped him on the shoulder and said, "That's my steak. You're going to sleep." He smiled at me and said, "Sorry."

It was just a wonderful atomosphere, Southern hospitality in full effect, and it never felt forced. The staff came over to us to make sure we had everything we needed and that we were enjoying ourselves. And when it came time for dessert, my personal-sized cheesecake (ahhhhh... cheesecake) came to me with "Happy Anniversary" written in chocolate. It was just a great ending to a great meal.

All in all, Savannah is beautiful. I can't wait to get back there and bring the kids. I think Will is going to dig the hearse tour - in fact, he doesn't even know I went on it this time. Because I would be in some serious hot water. So let's keep that our little secret, okay?

The South Shall Rise Again...

..and they will do it through their pralines. I am currently suffering from withdrawl of Southern food. It's not fair. They don't send you home with care packages of Southern fried chicken or anything, to help you get yourself off slowly. No, they just cut you off. Luckily for me, I have a box of River Street Sweets here to help get me through the rough patches. Incidentally, their catalog? It has the effect on me that I imagine porn does for men.

So on with the show. I'm going to take a few posts to describe the joy of Savannah, and I'll handle just a bit right now since I'm time crunched and have to get on a freaking plane tomorrow morning.

After a pretty uneventful flight (got some knitting done, and some progress in my latest Doctor Who novel), we landed in Savannah. Mike had to run to the bathroom, so I'm hanging out in the gate area, when I see JAMIE DEEN walk by me. Let that sink in - JAMIE. DEEN. Paula's boy. Being the slick, unaffected New Yorker that I am, I gape, open-mouthed. Then I grab my phone, text Stacey and Piera, and call my mother.

"MOM!!" I hiss. "Jamie Deen just walked into the newstand where I'm standing!"

Mom: "Huh?

Roe: "Mom. Jamie Deen. Jamie. Deen. The older Deen brother!"

Mom: "You saw Jan and Dean?"

Folks, I wouldn't know Jan and Dean if they ran me over in an SUV. The only reason I even know who Jan and Dean are is because they were featured on some K-Tel beach oldies compilation that advertised on Channel 11 (11 Alive!) when I was a kid. I take a deep breath, see Jamie buying some newspapers, and say...

Roe: "JAMIE DEEN! DEEEEEEEN!!! PAULA DEEN'S GORGEOUS SON!"

Mom: "Oh!!! The good-looking one? What about the little one?"

Now, she tells Will that I've seen Jamie Deen, and he's asking me for his autograph. At this point, I get a text from Stacey, so I tell my mother I'll call her back. Stacey's asking for a camera phone shot. Folks, there is NO WAY I can do that surreptitiously, and I would look like an even bigger dope. I'm not in Savannah for 10 minutes and I've blown my street cred entirely. Mike emerges from the bathroom, and I figure I've already gone this far. I run over to him and blurt out, "Jamie Deen is in the newsstand!"

What's that about New Yorkers seeing celebrities all the time, so they don't even notice them? Yeah. Right.

I ask Mike to go get his autograph for his son. He refuses. Apparently, the prospect of meeting Jamie Deen is lost on him. He tells me to go get his autograph. No. We take our bags and walk, as Mike calls his friend who's letting us stay in his apartment while we're in Savannah. I'm busily texting Stacey as Mike casually whacks my shoulder and gestures.

It's Bobby Deen, walking the same way.

I stop in mid-text, and call Karen to trumpet the news. I'm such a nerdling. This is my entrance to Savannah? Complete Food Network fangirl meltdown?

While Mike goes to the car rental desk, I call Stacey and document my shame. She laughs at me. Sigh. I never claimed to be aloof.

Enjoy some Savannah pics while I head to Des Moines; more updates as I go.

Here it is! Paula's restaurant - and this is the closest I got to it...

Aaaaaargh! The wall o'pirate shirts at a store on River Street.

Miles of snackage at River Street Sweets. I think I gained an extra 10 pounds just inhaling.

Awwww... self-portrait on River Street.

Swappy Goodness!

I'm back - briefly, as I head off to beautiful downtown Des Moines tomorrow. I feel so jetset. Not.

Before I get into the weekend in Savannah - which I wish I could have remote blogged, but my remote blogging ability is still mysteriously down (I blame Mike), so I just texted Stacey constantly with updates - let me expound on the gloriousness of the latest swap I was involved with, the Spring Fling Coffee Swap. I just got my package out in the mail before I left for Savannah, so I really, really hope my swap partner likes everything as much as I love what Dandy sent me!


Behold - Canadian yarn! Nice, thick, bright and wooly! She says it's very warm - since she lives in Saskatchewan, Canada, I'm inclined to believe her. I see some lovely cabling happening in my near future. Ahhhh...

And she sent me some of her own yarn. No, not from her stash - she spun this herself! And dyed it! With Kool-Aid! Will even sniffed it and claimed he could smell the flavors. I was too busy smooshing it all over my face to try and discern the flavor scents, because this stuff is SO SOFT. I was so blown away that Dandy spun this and dyed this for me; it's just so cool. I'll just stare at these beauties and pet them for a little while; I want to wait and figure out just what to make them.

Here's a shot of the entire package - as you can see, she spoiled me rotten. And in the left down there? Oh yes. Those are Hello Kitty sparkly stickers. How much do you want to be me right now? She also sent over some rocking Vanilla Nut ground roast, which I immediately ran to the kitchen to brew (nectar of the gods, my friends; nectar of the gods); some Starbuck's Breakfast Blend - she must know I can't get out of bed in the morning without some coffee, so she took pity on my poor soul.

I also got beautiful handmade soap, in a funky handmade drawstring bag. I think I need to bring this along to Des Moines with me so I can luxuriate whilst in the sticks. Coffee-scented candle - hello! She sent the cutest little magnet of a knitted swatch with tiny knitting needles, and a tin with the cutest stitch markers and a handy-dandy pair of little scissors. In a needlepoint carrying case, no less. I also got an adorable little knitting journal (with a coffee cup on it!) and a pen, and the coolest red mug that says, "coffee coffee coffee coffee" on it - again, my morning refrain.

She even sent me Canadian candy!! I am particularly looking forward to the CoffeeCrisp bar. Yum.

I know I'm leaving a bunch of stuff out, but I'm just so blown away by this fantastic package that words escape me. Dandy, thank you SO much for everything. I'm loving how these swaps are introducing me to so many great people all over the world. You rock!!

Updates. I Haz Them.


I've been trying to bang out several reader reports and finish some work before I get on a plane to Savannah tomorrow morning (ahh... I can hear Paula Deen welcoming me already), but I do have some updates that I'll post about later, most notably, the arrival of my super-fantabulous Coffee 'N Yarn Swap package from the awesome Buzz Knitter. Who gave me sparkly Hello Kitty stickers. Jealous much?

Until I get home and download the pictures from my camera, enjoy the LOLcat. I think it's apropros.

Typeracer.

I'm hooked. Give it a shot, if you dare.

Coffee N Yarn Swap Update

I've missed a couple of these - bad blogger! - so I'll just jump in with the latest blog challenge:

We'll go free form this week - Post about your WIPs, post about your package, post about the weather where you are - just be sure to include that the post is for the Spring Fling Weekly Topic somewhere inside it when you tell us it's there! I'd love to hear how folks are enjoying the goodies they received, if they have, or how much fun you had shopping for your pal!

First off, it is BEAUTIFUL this week. Will had a game on Sunday which we initially heard was going to be a washout, but it ended up being a beautiful day and it's just continued so far. It's really Spring! Yay!!!

WIPs (works in progress)... I've got a pair of cabled socks for my mom on the needles using Sock it to Me yarn. She likes 'em longer than anklets, so I'm hoping I have enough... I also have another surprise for Baby Benevides that started on the needles, but ended up frogged when the pattern irritated me. I still consider it a WIP because it is in my mind. I mean, I have the yarn, I have the needles, I just have to actually combine the two now. So that's half the battle, right?

My fantabulous swap partner e-mailed me to let me know my package is on its way, so I'm so excited!!! I can't wait to find out who it is! As for my package, I got a little derailed by life in general (see the post below) but I'm making good progress. I have to lay everything out tonight and see what else I need to fill up the box. I want to get it out in the next few days so my partner gets it on time. I hope she likes everything! I have really enjoyed shopping (because, you know, that's a surprise) for this swap. It's coffee! And yarn! What's not to love, right? I'm also working on a little handmade bit to put into the box, so that should be done shortly.

Okay, I guess my boss expects me to be productive today, so let me sign off for now. TTFN!

Holy Mackerel!

Okay, I didn't realize it had been that long since I'd posted. Things get away from me these days; we've had so much craziness between family commitments and family emergencies crop up that days fly by without me really taking much notice of time.

So, to break it down - I'm caught up on Lost and Battlestar Galactica - who the heck is the freaking last Cylon already?! Will and I are completely addicted to both Dr. Who and Sarah Jane Adventures; I enjoyed the Torchwood season finale and can't wait to see a third season. So there's my brief TV wrap-up.

Zombie Hunters went to the Chiller Theatre con this weekend, but I wasn't able to get there. So I need to get a wrap-up from Patrick and I'll blog it on the Zombie Hunters blog.

My stepdad has been back in the hospital for a few weeks now with another infection. The doctors aren't sure how much more they can do for him, but we're counting on the fact that he's just too stubborn to let that diagnosis hold water. So please, keep him in mind.

Bleah.

It's that kind of day.

My Saucy Knitting Friends Rock!

So I got my goodie box from my Saucy Knitters swap pal Kathy, and holy mackerel, does she rock. I got the post office notice on Thursday and ended up telecommuting on Friday.

Friday deserves a blog post of its own, but since I was too sleep deprived, here's the story in a nutshell - 2 a.m. Friday morning, Mom calls to tell us Alex has been up coughing for hours and can't sleep. Mike jets out to Jersey to get him, I run downstairs at 3:45 to get Alex because Mike can't find a parking spot, we both get up at 6:30. He goes to work, I stay home and telecommute, and Alex sleeps like a log.

Mike gets home on Friday and I make him drive me to the post office before we do anything else, so I can get my box. I can't even begin to tell you about the insane giggling I experienced just imagining what fibery and saucy pleasures awaited me. I finally opened the box, despite Mike's constant chastising, before we hit Target (we were doing some quick weekend picking up of stuff).

Well... pictures speak a thousand words. So these pictures should all tell you that Kathy freaking rules.

Le Box - two skeins of (hot) red sock yarn, two skeins of beautiful variegated green yarn that's just desperate to be hugged, GIANT BAG OF M&M PEANUTs, two rocking sock patterns, and a really nice pen and case.

Must look closer at sock yarn. You will see my feet lovingly wrapped in these by the Fall, I guarantee you.

Green. Ahhh... The color of Spring. I may have to whip something up in this immediately, if not sooner, just to feel the soft wool winding around my fingers.

The sauces. The sauces! How cool is this sauce? Not only is it Jamaican Hot Pepper Sauce, but the little cap on top is handmade - Kathy wrote that children were making them and selling them when she was there! How cool is this for a souvenir!

Pocket-sized Tabasco sauces. For all my traveling needs. You know these guys are coming to Des Moines with me in May.

There was also a tasty-looking Key Lime Margarita grilling sauce that Mike keeps eyeing, and I have to smack his hands lest he take it and sleep with it under his pillow. My sauce!

Again, Kathy - thank you, and you ROCK.

Time. Warner. SUCKS.

I have not been a happy Time Warner cable customer. Last year, when the folks next door moved out, they disconnected MY cable service, having mixed up the reading of the apartment stickers, apparently. And took a freaking WEEK to come rectify their mistake. Have you ever tried to be at home for a week with a preschooler who can't watch Dora the Explorer?

So for their latest, my bedroom cable box just goes out the other night. I'm used to this ridiculous "rebooting," having endured it periodically for a few years now. Time Warner insists it's not a problem, so I guess I'm just paying astronomical cable rates for an inconvenience. (Not that my payments showing up late would be an allowable minor inconvenience to them, mind you.) Except this time, when my cable comes back online, MY DVR QUEUE IS WIPED OUT. I have shows that I watched back in February and early March showing up - stuff that I deleted after watching - but a month's worth of shows - including MY DOCTOR WHO MARATHON FROM SCI-FI CHANNEL LAST WEEK, and Torchwood, and the latest episodes of both The Office and Survivor, are GONE. Freaking gone. Oh, and the stuff that came back from the dead? It tells me that the show doesn't exist when I try to access it.

When can the cable company come? Mike has to take a day off on Wednesday so these tools can show up and probably tell me that they can't recover my shows. Never mind that I was screaming like a harpy in the background that they work on my money, and they should show up when it's convenient for me. (Mike swears that we're lucky they show up at all with me screaming that so that they can hear.)

I just heard that Verizon is hoping to launch their own FiOS cable/phone/internet system in New York by next year. Put my arse first in line for that signup.

So please, no Office spoilers, okay? I have to watch it online tonight. And the only reason I haven't grown to Godzilla-like proportions and taken out the Time Warner building in Queens in my rage is because Battlestar repeated itself later that evening.

So. Awesome.

Please to enjoy Peeps for Passover.

In less awesome news, I had to frog the shawl I'd been working on for Mike's cousin, who's making her Communion next weekend. AUGH. That sound you hear is my head slamming into the desk after I've impaled myself on my circular needles. Back to the drawing board.

Spring Fever

Oh, how I have Spring Fever. BIG TIME. I need to get OUT and get some air.

Man, when I was a kid, and it was a beautiful day like this, we'd have gym outdoors in St. Bart's Park, right across the playstreet from school. We looked forward to spring, because our lunchtime recess would move from the playstreet into the park. It was a marked change in the season that we loved, a change in routine.

Why can't work be like that? Why can't our bosses say, "Hey - it's beautiful out. Let's go sit in a cafe and work for a while." Or, even better, "Go home, log in when you get a chance."

Man, it was cool to be a kid.

Spring Fling Coffee Swap Topic #3!

Ooh, it's a good one this week, right in line with my blog title...

Tell us how you started drinking coffee. Were you in high school or college and making it through all nighters? Did you get it from a family member? What drives your love of the bean?

My dad loves himself some Manhattan Special - espresso coffee soda, essentially, to the uninitiated. I remember him giving me a sip when I was a kid, and thinking it was WAY too strong. But something had to intrigue me, because I'd say when I was about 14 or so, I had a sip of iced coffee - and if you have never had a sip of iced coffee on a hot, summer's day, my friend, you are missing out. By the time I was 16, I was nursing an iced coffee habit that may have rivaled my book habit (the yarn habit developed much later).

I remember the office where I worked that summer. There was a delicious little pastry place up the block that I'd pass on the way in every morning. I'd run in, get a croissant and a large iced coffee, and settle in, relishing every buttery bite of the croissant and the delicious rush of the coffee while getting ready to face the onslaught of the day.

By the time I was in college, I was a coffee junkie, graduating to hot as well as iced coffee. Now, I still love my iced coffee, but I do need a hot cup to get a jump start to my morning. I remember cramming for midterms and swallowing handfuls of instant coffee and washing it down with Kool-Aid to stay awake - and by the way, folks, I REALLY don't recommend that to anyone.

My dad and mom had split when I was in college, but I remember going to visit him in the Italian neighborhood in Brooklyn he was living in; I'd get off of the subway, head right into the deli at the foot of the subway station, and pick up two bottles of Manhattan Special. I remember the two of us, laughing and cracking the bottles open as we sat across each other at his dining room table. I remember sitting with Dad at Au Bon Pain during our weekend outings, him shaking his head and saying, "Roe... I'm gonna kill you for doing this to me!" as we finished our second rounds of their Iced Mocha Blasts. I remember him coming to visit me after Alex was born; the two of us, this time across from each other at my dining room table, me cradling my new baby, him having just played with Will, and settling down to share a nice, hot cup of coffee together.

I'll be heading off to Florida in a few months to visit him again, and I think I need to pack some Manhattan Special into my carry-on (or, since it comes in glass bottles, maybe I have to pack it. I'll figure it out.).

So I guess I never really thought about it before, but aside from the need for general adrenaline, my love of the bean is driven by the good memories it always seems to deliver of time spent with my Dad.

What's Your Favorite Book?

I just read this in Publishers Lunch and had to share:

Poll Asks, Name Your Favorite Book

Harris Interactive surveyed American adults to find out "What is your favorite book of all time?" The answers:

1. The Bible
2. Gone with the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell
3. Lord of the Rings (series), by J.R.R. Tolkien
4. Harry Potter (series), by J.K. Rowling
5. The Stand, by Stephen King
6. The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown
7. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
8. Angels and Demons, by Dan Brown
9. Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand
10. Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger

I've got to say, I love and hate these polls. I love seeing what other people's favorite books are, but I lose all memory when it comes to me. I blurt out the obvious - the Lord of the Rings series and The Hobbit - but I know I've got so many more bouncing around in my head. For someone who loves books as much as I do, it's almost panic-inducing when I'm asked that question.

So am I going to try and answer it? Of course I am.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. Yeah, I think I've got to say that one. I return to it every now and then just for the sheer love of the book. It's honestly the most dysfunctional love story of all time.

Rebecca, by Daphne Du Maurier. Come on, girl meets boy, girl marries boy, girl has to contend with crazy housekeeper who loved boy's first wife and finds out that boy shot first wife and dumped her body at sea. And then finds out that first wife was a slut who wanted to die because she had cancer so she taunted boy until he did the deed. What's not to love? Daytime television had nothing on Du Maurier.

Bridget Jones' Diary, by Helen Fielding. The original chick-lit book. Hilarious and just enough girly stuff to make me happy. And big girl panties will never be the same again.

The Vampire Lestat, by Anne Rice. For a while there, I was insane for Anne Rice. (Until she went berserker and started believing her own hype. But I digress.) Interview with the Vampire was amazing; The Vampire Lestat ratcheted it up a couple of notches. While Mike rolls his eyes at Rice's vampires, snarling "Eurotrash" every time I mentioned them, I love this vision of the vampire - the tortured, immortal Louis, the devil-may-care, eff 'em if they can't take a joke Lestat - it's all good. The original three Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice will always be aces in my book, but if I had to pick just one, this is the one I'd take to my desert island.

Okay, I've got more, but I hear Alex having a fit so I think Mike is washing his hair 'wrong' again.

So let me explain how excited I am. When I was a kid, my dad had me watching Star Trek with him from the time I was in diapers. My second earliest memory is of watching an episode of Trek that had what looked like flying pancakes attacking Spock (it's Operation: Annihilate), and I was hooked. From there, Dad and I bonded over science fiction and adventure - you all know my Star Wars and Indiana Jones fixations. When Will was born, I was convinced that I would be raising a Trekkie/Star Wars/Lord of the Rings geek like myself. I wanted that connection. I know it sounds as corny as hell, but I wanted us to share something like that.

He had a passing interest in Star Wars. He did want to be a Balrog when he was 2, which gave me hope, but Star Wars? Meh.

So the other day, since I've recently gotten into Dr. Who, I was watching one of the episodes I've DVR'd (thank you, Sci Fi Channel, for the marathon). Will and Alex both wander in, and as soon as they see the Tardis whirling through the clouds, they settle down in bed next to me. By the end of the Blink episode, Alex has wandered off, but Will turns to me, eyes huge.

"Do you have any more of that show recorded?"

So now, not only are Will and I sharing the connection I was desperately hoping to have, but we're learning about it together. Sometimes, you just have to let it find you.

I know some people may roll their eyes, or laugh, and think, "How ridiculous; you're relying on science fiction to bond with your kid?" And my answer to that is no, I've done that quite well to date, thanks much. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, it's almost impossible to explain. For those of you who understand, I guess there's no explanation needed.

So I guess I should say thanks to Russell T. Davies, who brought Dr. Who back (and gave us Torchwood, which I'm still on the fence about but moving toward saying, "Okay, I like it.")

Next Spring Topic!

The Spring Fling Coffee Swap topic of the week:

Since some of us are beginning to see glimpses of Spring, while others are still getting snow, have you changed what projects you are working on? Have you put away the hats, scarves and mittens and brought out the cute tank top sweater projects and lacy wraps? Have you changed yarns to something more lighter and cooler, not so heavy and bulky?

I'm dogearing Spring patterns, if that's what you mean. I have marked up last year's and this year's Spring copies of Interweave Knits, and actually considering making them rather than just sighing and casting on another scarf. But right now, I'm finishing up a pair of fingerless gloves (does that count as Spring, if there are no fingers on them?) in this delicious Noro yarn I got from that insane yarn sale a month ago at Skein Attraction. I have a couple of baby projects on the backburner, but they'll be Summer and Fall stuff because one baby is due in the Summer (super secret projects!) and the other is here, but I saw something adorable that he must wear come the Fall.

That said, I do intend to knit myself at least ONE nice Spring thing to take to Savannah next month when Mike and I go for our big 10-year wedding anniversary trip.

So, Who's The Last Cylon?

BSG did not disappoint on Friday. From Starbuck telling poor Anders that she would put a bullet between his eyes if she ever found out he was a Cylon (gulp) to Baltar finding God in a pair of boobs (I asked Mike if he wrote that week's episode), it was intense storytelling that made me yell at the screen a few times - always the mark of a good episode. Heck, I didn't even knit, afraid I'd miss a crucial camera shot or reaction shot (like Anders being activated - that's how I took it, anyway). Now I'm counting down days until next episode (that would be 4). Oo-Ga.

Finished the Dr. Who Family of Blood episodes, and I've got to say, if the rest of the episodes are that good, I will be a Dr. Who fanatic in no time. Great storytelling - if I'm reading Wikipedia's entry on these episodes right, they were nominated for a Hugo Award for dramatic presentation and it is well-earned. I've DVR'd a bunch of episodes, and luckily for my addictions, Sci-Fi channel appears to be gearing up to air them as well, because there is a Dr. Who marathon during the day on Friday.

I just checked out USA Today's book section and a fellow Gen-Xer has written a book defending our poor slacker-named generation. I think I may have to check this out.

Excuse Me?

Yesterday I had one of those moments that blew me out of the water in its unexpectedness, and not in a good way. I was at work yesterday morning and had a meeting. As I was saying goodbye to the folks I met with, I realized my phone, which 'til then had been in my bag next to me, was buzzing; it was Mike. Will wasn't feeling well and could I pick him up from school? Since Mike works all the way downtown, I was the closer parent, so I told him I'd get him. I got the okay and left, arriving at school approximately 10 minutes before dismissal. He was in the office with the "gloom and doom face".

As I signed him out, one of the office aides - a woman who I've known and gotten along with the entire time Will's been in the school, mind you - says, "I tried to call you three times." I responded that I had been at work in a meeting, so I didn't have my phone right next to me. She repeats herself, and then says, "I finally had to call your husband when I couldn't get you... I felt bad, because I hate calling working fathers."

Excuse me? My blood starts to boil, so I quickly say, "Well, I'm a working mother." She gives me what I feel is this simpering, patronizing smile, and says, "I know, but I hate having to call a working father away." I signed Will out, looked her dead in the eye and said, "Well, I'm a working mother, and I was in the middle of a meeting when Mike got me. I have a JOB, too." I grabbed Will and walked out, and that's when I realized I was shaking, I was so angry.

What the hell? I felt so judged. How dare someone make me feel like I'm less of a parent because I work, or that because I'm a woman, my work is less significant than my husband's is? Especially from another woman?

Now, I know this is her issue and I shouldn't take it personally, but I do. I have been an active member of that school's parent community - a HELL of a lot more active than most of the at-home parents there, that's for sure - and that comment just pissed me off. It ate away at me for the rest of the day.

The assistant principal is having a baby - will this same office aide treat her like she treated me? Is it okay for the principal to be a working mother because her children are grown?

I haven't felt like a casualty in The Mommy Wars for a long time now, but that shot really got to me yesterday.

Coffee N Yarn Swap Topic o'the Week

So my coffee 'n' yarn swap topic this week was to browse some of the other participants' blogs, find one person who enjoys a similar roast coffee to me, and share something interesting about them that I find on THEIR blog. Oh, and talk about what I've been working on knitting or crochet-wise this week!

I wandered over to Becky's blog and she's a caffeine lover like I am; and I love the fact that although she lives in Starbuck's Country (Seattle), she loves herself some Dunkin'. As I've said many times, America and Roe run on Dunkin', so anyone else who shares the love is aces in my book. Also like me, she's recently started knitting intarsia patterns and hates the weaving in ends business. I hear you, girlfriend.

What am I working on this week? Well, I finally finished the snowflake lace socks, which look very nice if I say so myself. I've let the Princess Pram Cover and the second Horcrux sock languish for this week, but instead cast on the Evangeline gauntlets because I've been aching to try out that Noro yarn I got a few weeks ago. The yarn and I had a few disagreements initially, because it didn't want to be the first couple of patterns I wanted it to be, but it seems to be enjoying the Evangeline process nicely.

Created by OnePlusYou

THREE. MORE. DAYS.

Three more days, my friends. Three more days. If I could giggle and jump up and down, I would, but that may draw looks from my co-workers. Or maybe they'd just think I had more coffee than normal. But I digress - THREE. MORE. DAYS.

In the meantime, I read a great interview with my chick-crush, Katee Sackhoff, here. I love that one of the first questions is addressed to all the folks who were staunchly against the idea of Starbuck being a woman. I hang my head in shame, as I was, indeed, one of those haters. I hope I've redeemed myself.

To soothe myself during these days of BSG countdown, I've been enjoying the new episodes (finally!) of Reaper (CW, please renew this show) and the amazing John Adams miniseries on HBO. I was just telling Linda that I've had the McCullough book on which the miniseries is based for an age, and one of these days, I've got to just sit down and dig in. If you haven't had a chance to watch the show, I really urge you to. Paul Giamatti cannot do any wrong in his choice of acting roles, and the interplay between his John and Laura Linney's Abigail Adams is incredibly well done.

I also caught the Season 2 premiere of The Tudors, which set a lot of storylines into play. It's going to be a good season - already, Catherine of Aragon has been ousted from the castle, we've seen a poor kitchenhand boiled in oil (Boleyn, I can't wait for you to get what's coming to you), and had the Pope move to excommunicate the King. Is history altered? Of course it is; it's television. But is it compelling to watch? Hell, yes. And considering that Queen Elizabeth is born this season and Anne will likely lose her head (will they save that for the season finale?), we've got a good season in front of us.

For my sci-fi jonesing, I've started to finally catch up on the latest incarnation of Dr. Who and its spin-off, Torchwood. I've grown up with Dr. Who, so the newer ones are easily watchable, having some idea of what's going on. I like David Tennant as the "new Who", and the couple of episodes I've seen so far are good. Since I'm starting in the middle of Torchwood, I think I need a little more time to figure stuff out. The first episode I watched has a doctor coming back from the dead but who's not alive - not a zombie, just not alive. He walks, he talks, but he's got no pulse, no heartbeat, and, as he finds out when he tries to revive someone using mouth-to-mouth rescussitation, no breath. Wounds don't heal. So again, interesting television but I need to place myself more into the middle of what's going on before I can say whether or not I love the show.

Wow, I completely geeked out for a while. It feels good. :)