Happy New Year!

I'm not dead, by the way, just abroad for the holidays. More to follow soon! Fireworks ring in 2008, at the Siegessäule, in Berlin, Germany.

Cookie Party

It may sound like something that your grandmother might do, but last night, a group of 10 or so of us got together for a cookie party last night! Yes. It was to celebrate holiday cookies, but more importantly, it was a chance to have a COOKIE PARTY (as portrayed in the Sarah Silverman program.) In case you're not familiar with the show: The cookies were good. Jason made these. They were so delicious: Here were my cookies: Not all of the cookies were winners, like these, made by Paul:

The Drowsy Chaperone

Jason and I scored two tickets to see the touring company of The Drowsy Chaperone. With all honesty, I have to say that this goes near the top of my list for theatre productions I've seen. I JUST LOVED IT! Actor Schmactor suggested that I listen to the album over a year ago--and I immediately became a fan. We had tried to get tickets in New York earlier in the year but were unsuccessful. When a friend from work got the tickets, I was ecstatic. We got 5th row seats! The show really exceeded expectations. Now, I had fallen in love with the soundtrack "at hello." Musically, it's just brilliant. I love "As we Stumble Along" and "Monkey on a Pedestal" especially. The traveling cast was very true to the recording (which I could almost recite from memory.) The energy for tonight's performance was great. I especially enjoyed the performances of Jonathan Crombie (Man in Chair,) Mark Ledbetter (Robert Martin) as well as the Gangster Brothers (Paul/Peter Riopelle.) Overall, the show was delightfully witty and cute! Having done theatre myself, I know what "good" is and even though there were no emotional moments, I was moved by the show. I JUST LOVED IT!

Pumpkin Spice Jell-O

"I was about ready to lick the glass" - Paul "I just made one of mine. It is realy good. Billy {my son} likes it too." - Sue "It's about the best thing I've ever eaten in my life." - Jason "It's even better than Cats. I'm going to {eat} it again and again and again" - SNL Skit So, we were at a Super Wal*Mart in Kentucky last Friday with Paul. We were wondering the aisles looking for such mundane things as light bulbs and a gift for my company's holiday gift exchange. We were pacing the grocery section and we came upon an innocent enough cardboard display pallet with Kraft Foods 'Limited Edition' Jell-O Pumpkin Spice Instant Pudding and Pie Filling. On a whim, I bought one. Sure. Sounds good enough. Why not try it. After my meal (mentioned below,) Jason made the Pumpkin pudding and served it with some Cool Whip. It was freaking delicious. The best dessert ever. Extreme yumminess. Paul licked and briefly contemplated crunching down the bowl in which the dessert was served. It was just that good. Now, I'm not a person that is big on sweet things. But, I really liked it. But I had only bought one box. Just one. At Bigg's, I looked for the box of heavenly tongue-pleasure. No dice. Last night, I then looked at a Wal*Mart in Mason, where I now live. I didn't see it at first glance. Then I looped the seasonal area, the seasonal cooking area and the baked goods/pudding area TWICE. I even asked a Wal*Mart employee. Nope. They didn't have it. Sue, a friend, lives near the Wal*Mart where I bought the seemingly laced concoction of joy. I asked if she would buy me some boxes if she happened upon the store on her day off. She secured 10 boxes. I cannot tell you how overjoyed I am. I just hope we don't blow through the boxes this weekend. We will take at least 2 boxes to Europe.

Matt's Kielbasa Soup (New Recipe)

On Friday, Paul, Jason and I had been talking about comfort foods, and I decided that soup sounded good. I was really in the mood for making a particular KIND of soup, namely "hot dog soup." So, I went to the store intent on making a family delicacy. As I was looking at the hot dogs, I said to myself, "Self--why don't you make an adult version of the recipe." So, I updated the recipe to appeal more to adults, substituting kielbasa for hot dogs and adding garlic, pepper. I served with baked grilled cheese sandwiches and Riesling wine. The overall meal was a success! The recipe is listed here.

Surviving Christmas

Here are some practical ways to get through the Christmas season: Lower your expectations - Don't expect to find that perfect gift or to please anyone or for people to be nice - lower the bar and just smile. Drink alcohol. It numbs the senses and helps you deal with impatient and bitchy customers and long lines. The extra beer makes you simply NOT CARE that you are spending your life savings.. Make a new friend; invite him over to help clean or cook or do laundry. Maximize YOUR time. Take a long work lunch to do Christmas shopping. Make this the year to avoid your family at Christmastide COMPLETELY. They will be fine and you will feel GREAT! Eat Christmas food, but not too much of it, especially if you think it is fattening. Except if it's really good, then have at it! Think about working out or taking a walk. Seriously think about it; if you're too busy to actually do it, don't stress, get a beer or something. Get some sleep! Make an effort to sleep in late each morning, even if you're not really supposed to. Don't play Christmas music at home, unless it is good; save yourself a few minutes from the non-stop, unavoidable tedium of mediocre holiday music. Scream into pillows and strangle stuffed animals. Buy a Christmas tree with pre-lit lights and pray to the baby Jesus and Mary that no lights go out. Don't take on a NEW Christmas tradition, get RID of one: Screw the decorations or cards or cooking or gifts or go someplace far, far away from capitalism and fake revelry.