let the games begin!

I just had one good thing happen, one bad.

The bad is that I'm done with pet-sitting Emmett and crew for now. It was heartbreaking to leave my little love. All of them are sweeties, but EK + Emmett = TLA! For reals! For keeps!

But, the good thing is that when I went over to Emmett's house at lunch, Kramer met me over there with two hot vegan reubens! Like, two for me! And, they were pipin' hot! 'Cause I was supposed to get in on some reuben action last night, but I was exhausted from lack of sleep the night before and begged off to curl up on the couch with Emmett and watch a bunch of episodes of Weeds on demand. So, Kramer did a wonderful good deed by not letting me miss out on the reuben fun. These are the reubens she made last night for herself, Mags and E-dawg. That is a pile o' love right there if I ever saw one, son! Kramer is a reuben fairy.


Actually, I ate pretty well all day yesterday. For lunch I got some take-out from a little spot near my work called the Orient Express (that link is actually to a not-so-good review, but what I had was excellent). I got the General Tso's Tofu, and it was outstanding. Not the overly sweet goopy sauce I usually see, but a bright sauce that was sweet and spicy. The tofu was lightly fried and was the texture of little clouds. The rice was great. The veggie eggroll was great. Yuh-um. I'll be back (and yes, I did say that in an Arnold voice. so?).

Guess what I'm gonna do this weekend (actually Sat-Tues)? I'm going to visit my friend Schwattzie-Bear in York, PA. She has a personal chef business there, and so I'm going to be her volunteer sous chef (we're actually cooking for a reality show--"Jon & Kate...Plus 8!", so that pretty much means I'm famous by association. For real. No, really. For real, as in reality show. Feel me?). It's gonna be so fun!

So, you're probably wondering where the games come into this post since the title is "let the games begin!", right? Well, when I was parting ways with Kramer this afternoon she said, "This is gonna get a mention in the blog, right?". And, it gave me an idea. You, dear readers, can now compete to do wonderful things for me so I'll mention you/it in the blog. I know you're probably really, really, really excited right now, and may not be thinking straight in the moment so here are some ideas. Please feel free to mix-n-match and make up your own. Please also feel free to do as many as you can. Because, through the wonders of the internets and this-here blog, you Could.Be.Famous!!!

--foot rubs!
--neck and shoulder rubs!
--cupcakes!
--mashed potatoes!
--pretending to be me and going to work in my place!
--being my personal driver!
--buttermilk biscuits!
--your own perfected and healthy version of java fried rice!
--a lifetime subscription to Spice Island!
--items from my amazon wishlist!

Have a good weekend, loves. See you on Wednesday!

Have you read "Conscious Loving" ?

Actually, I don't even know what "Conscious Loving" is. I mean, yeah, it's obviously a book, but I don't know anything about it. I just read Craigslist this morning, and this was the title of a post in the "strictly platonic" section, and for some unknown reason it keeps running through my head. Maybe that's a sign from the babyjesus that I should read "Conscious Loving". Lemme look it up on amazon...

Book Description
Here is a powerful new program that can clear away the unconscious agreements patterns that undermine even your best intentions. Through their own marriage and through twenty years' experience counseling more than one thousand couples, therapists Gay and Kathlyn Hendricks have developed precise strategies to help you create a vital partnership and enhance the energy, creativity, and happiness of each individual. You will learn how to: Let go of power struggles and need for control; Balance needs for closeness and separateness; Increase intimacy by telling the "microscopic truth"; Communicate in a positive way that stops arguments; Make agreements you can keep; Allow more pleasure into your life. Addressed to individuals as well as to couples, Conscious Loving will heal old hurts and deepen your capacity for enjoyment, security, and enduring love.

Hmm...I'm not so much on the self-help, but if the babyjesus thinks so...um, okay. Still no. When I think about all the books out in the world, and how little time I have to read them I fall into the depths of despair.

I'm reading The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan right now for "classic" book club. It's so good. He's a genius. For reals.

In other news, SPELL was freakin' awesome last night! Richard was a hit (even though a woman said my chest hair looked "gruesome"! ha!), and I networked, chatted up some peeps, saw some amazing costumes, shook my groove thing and...met RuPaul! Super-fun.

But, then I couldn't fall asleep last night, and so only got a couple hours of sleep. I'm dyin', peeps! I don't function well without at least six hours under the ol' belt. I'm a mess. I've got a headache, my neck and shoulders are all balled up, I'm gassy (could or could not be related; don't worry about it), and--obviously--whiny. All I want is to head over to Shadyside, cuddle up with Emmett, and fall asleep for 3-4 hours. Is that so wrong?

Speaking of Emmett, I really don't think I'm going to be able to give him up tomorrow. I need him. He completes me. So, anyone have any dognapping tips?

do not defy me!

Happy Halloween, my peeps! I hope that you're all having a spooky good time. Send me pictures of you in costume. It makes my day! Don't you wanna make my day? Do not defy me!

Actually, the title of this post is dedicated to Hurd. A few months ago we learned that Ryan Adams was coming to town, and quickly made a plan to get tickets on the opening sales day, 'cause sitting up front is where it's at (like when we were in the fourth row to see Neko Case a couple months ago). So, on that day I went on the interweb to check on tickets, and evidently there'd been some jacked-up iTunes pre-sale, and all the set-of-two tickets up close were long gone. So, Hurd suggested we split up and each get our own tickets. Which didn't sound as fun to me, but still. So, I got mine, and then had to harass Hurd for two months to get her ticket while she repeatedly defied me. Guess what? She had a sucky seat. Moral of this story? Do not defy me. You got it, peeps?

The show was kinda 'eh'. Or rather, I was just not feelin' it, so I listened for about an hour and fifteen, then busted a move at the intermission. (Hurd had left way before this after texting me a bunch of times to say how sucky her seat was, how sucky the sound was and how much she hates Ryan Adams--see moral of story, above)*.


Before the show we went to Spice Island. (I cannot stop. I don't wanna).
This is what a Plateful O' Love (aka java fried rice, vegetarian with tofu, eggs okay) looks like:


A Hurd got the fried tofu with peanut-chili-lime sauce (this is what I got when I deviated from the JFR one day last week. It's tasty. I mean, it's no JFR, but still).


I thought JFR was the Love Of My Life. But, then yesterday everything changed. I'm pet-sitting the menagerie that I sat for a month or so ago, but last time one of the dogs went with the owner. I'd met him before, but hadn't had a chance to spend some quality time alone with him and/or show him off everywhere I go. All that has changed. He's in the pack I'm watching this time, and I'm in love--LOVE! His name is Emmett (actually named after Emmett Honeycutt from QAF!) He's a tiny chihuahua (he can stand on my hand!), he's cuter than a pile of buttons, has a winning personality, and the China-Bear (my cat) didn't even hate him! I think I have to keep him. I cannot let him go. I was actually late for work this morning because I couldn't bear to leave him. Look how tiny (my finger is there for scale)!


Here's a picture with Emm and some of the other kids:
Ripley (dog) and Macy (cat). You can't really tell in this picture, but Macy has the shiniest coat I've ever seen on a cat:


Cricket (I like to call her Crickers. She likes it.):


There's also an iguana, but I didn't take her picture (sorry, Drake).

In other news, I had lunch at Bangkok Balcony today. I used to go there a lot, but hadn't been in quite a while. But, I got the see-you noodles with tofu today, and it was spectacular. Like, perfect. Peppery, lots of broccoli, lots of tofu, and those glorious broad, flat noodles. Dang. So, so, so good.

Tonight I'm going to Spell--a Halloween party featuring RuPaul (!!) that's a benefit for Persad Center. Any of you going, too? Richard is making another appearance. Watch out!



*I know a Hurd is gonna lose her mind when she reads this. I'd just like to remind her, and you all: Nothing good can come from defying me. Just sayin'!