Random Neuron Firings

I’m not silly enough to think that Mike Holmgren coming to the Browns is going to reverse global warming or bring the boys home from Afghanistan. His track record on the sidelines is way better than in the front office, and Randy Lerner has been, shall we say, impulsive now and again on his choices. Did he really, really, really think this through? And don’t forget: $50M is a *lot* of money. All that considered, then pushed aside, I’m looking forward to next season. But I swear, if they trade Josh Cribbs…

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I need ideas for a dessert for Christmas Eve. I’m making beef stew (easy to just throw in the slow cooker and forget) and biscuits, and I’m looking for something other than cookies afterwards. Got any great recipes Mavis and I could try?

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Correction from yesterday: Day Four is worse than Day Three.

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I love these.

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OK, time for the lurkers to check in. It’s Christmas, fuh cripesake. Say hello so we can wish you a happy holiday. Meantime, I’m off to the chiropractor. Yippy.

FO

Ugh.

Drying your hair. Reaching for a glass. Sneezing or coughing. Flipping over in your bed. Getting out of the bed. Putting on a sweatshirt. Using your toothbrush.

It’s downright amazing how many times you use your neck and upper back muscles for mundane, everyday tasks. I am reminded of these on an hourly basis. They say the second day after a muscular injury is the worst. I say it’s the third by a mile.

But enough complaining — I’m on vacation! This morning I am going to breakfast with my good friend Barjai, then I’m supposed to go to a Winter Solstice bonfire tonight at BFF Kay’s. Not sure I’ll make that, although I’d love to go. Depends on how I feel after the chiropractor. Sheesh. I dunno…I might just drug up and snuggle on the sofa, look at my beautiful Christmas tree lights, and maybe watch Sweeney Todd. You know…some feel-good entertainment.

I want to get back to my fighting weight so I can go pick up Justin and Jake and we can have some Grammie/Grandpa time before the Christmas craziness and travel. I should be fine by tomorrow, I think. Perhaps I’m just a lil upset as well about the extra time it takes for this old bag o’ bones to heal. I swear it didn’t use-ta take me more than three days to start feeling human again.

Upside: I got some major work done on the new district website. Thumbs up on that. Downside: no tap routine choreographed yet. And truthfully, I have to wonder how many neck muscles I will need for shifting a 5-speed vehicle. I guess I’ll find out this morning, yes?

Have a grand Monday — especially those who are stuck going to school today through Wednesday (how stupid is THAT?). Safe travels in the snow.

FO

1. This is fantastic. Love the choreography!
2. I am done with performances until March 2010. Nice.
3. All of my choirs sang like angels this week. Wonder what’s up…
4. My family have gone through some amazingly tough times over the past four days, and have persevered. I heart them all.
5. Am I the only person on the planet who thinks Alex Rodriguez is not pretty? Ew. He creepy-lookin’. But he’d most likely think the same about me, so there it is. Women are likely drawn to his radiant personality.
6. OK, the Tiger thing. Truthfully, at first I said, “The guy had an affair. Leave him alone and let him sort it out.” But a dozen ladies later…yikes, brother has a problem, and not just with public relations.
7. I was talking to a 6th grade teacher before my concert last night, and she said that she feared her students grasped only about 20% of the instructions they’re given. I’d say the fact that I had told my 5th grade boys approximately 90 times over the last three months that they had to wear neckties to the gig — and several still showed up without them — supports that assumption. (But props to the 7th and 8th grade guys who let them borrow their ties while they performed.)
8. Happy birthday, Artillius Merchclod! Many happy returns, pal.
9. The next two days are going to be extraordinarily busy, but with good stuff.
10. What all are you doing over the holiday?

Welp, time to get going. I have detention duty at the high school this morning. Detention, right before Christmas break? Yep. Knuckleheadedness apparently keeps no calendar.

FO

Now listen here.

I’m not one to poo-poo the likes and dislikes of others — although the favor is not often returned, if you know what I mean. Case in point: my love for the Browns and dislike of the Ohio State Buckeyes. People give me grief about it alla time. Do I give other people the evil eye because they like the St*****s or the Vikings? No. To each his/her own, and I’m happy that the world is a diverse playground. After all, if there were no Pittsburgh team, to whom would the Browns customarily lose in historic rivalry games? I mean, come on.

HOWEVER…

There is something that is so baffling to me — so utterly incomprehensible on a positively cellular level — there are almost no words for it.

Almost.

I speak about caviar. Fish ovum, scooped out of the sturgeon’s girly parts. *blink*

~

They also do it to salmon:

I’m sure there are Finkites who will say, “Hey, I like caviar,” or “Your taste is archaic,” or “Just like coffee, it’s an acquired taste.” That’s all fine. I mean, people in, say, India, might think that anyone who eats marshmallow creme (Yay for Fluff!) is a couple of rupees short. I don’t mind. But I still can’t process the caviar thing. Same goes for bird soup (although I eat chicken soup — I guess it’s the visible beaks in the broth that trip the creepy meter) and chicken heads.

I should probably be a vegetarian, but I think that actually liking vegetables is a prerequisite. Snap.

Hey, speaking of food…Mavis and Hannah are coming over today for some dandy Christmas baking fun. There’s something I can wrap my taste buds around! Then Kay and I are going to see Jim Carrey’s A Christmas Carol. Has anyone seen it yet?

FO

Caviar photos: Amazon.com

Random Neuron Firings

Let’s face it: nobody loves paying their cell phone bill. But can you imagine getting one like this? That would take hate to an all new level. Yikes.

If you have a few minutes, read about Ten of the Biggest Lies in History. I love all How Stuff Works’s Top Ten stuff, as a matter of fact. Historically Inaccurate Movies is interesting, too.

Facebook is everywhere — even the NCAA.

Honestly. How geeky do you have to be…

I love reading news on a lazy Saturday morning. I’m not writing papers anymore — have I mentioned that? Just got the final grades back, too. All done.

All.

Done.

Forever.

Yay! Have a relaxing Saturday.