Lurker's Corner

Because even though everything I'm making today is meatless, every time a recipe calls for sweating aromatics in two or three teaspoons of olive oil, I use three to five slices of bacon instead.

Edited to add: pretty suremy way tastes better

I'm from the South, okay? And I grew up in a temperate to warm part of California in the 70s, so "layering" meant sweatshirt over T-shirt as a kid and blazer over blouse as a young woman. My point is that longjohns or any other sort of base layer are mythical or Grapes of Wrath kind of legendary, and not something that applies to me.

Then I got a wild hare up my butt to teach English in foreign lands, mostly cold ones where it's easier to get a job because turnover. I purchased my first set of base layers ever in anticipation! I will be prepared!

Then the bottom dropped out of the thermometers in Georgia (what? It was legit below freezing all last night in the Deep South.) I looked upon the landscape glistening with what normal people think of as, I dunno, frosting or rime or something, but is a deadly frozen oil slick to those of recently busted leg, and despaired.

An hour later, the sun had melted off the ice rime, but had not appreciably raised the temperature. Enter base layers! Or, I entered base layers and hiked up and down the hill outside like a boss. Next time, hat and scarf, and I might actually last more than seven minutes!

Meanwhile, my indoor thermostat has been turned down. This is totally how non-subtropical people save money, isn't it?

DO NOT food prep (nor use sharp objects for any other reason) while jet-lagged.

( Finger scar under the, heh, cut )

Stalk of broccoli. Spirited debate over how to keep it fresh. Attempt to "trim" the end. Enough said?

I engaged.

The morning after a US Presidential debate is always an interesting time on my FaceBook feed giventhe number of friends and relatives I've got on both sides of the aisle. I generally avoid engaging directly and meant to stop reposting political stuff after voting, but George Takei's comment about a rich white man bitching about a system rigged against him was too good to pass up.

Then my alt-right cousin made a remark about well documented election rigging.

First, I kept it to pointing out that the Founders thought up the electoral college, not Secretary Clinton.

Then I took it that one. Step. Farther. And brought up tbe 2000 election.

GDI where did I stash my asbestos panties???

When that thing you thought was a very compact bottle opener turns out to be a whistle.

So, in addition to being more than two weeks overdue for a hair color touch up, I darted out of the house this morning unclear on whether a brush had come in contact with my hair.

A lady upstairs at the coffee shop complimented not just my cut, but my color.

I must have given her a spectacular "deer in headlights" look before thanking her that she started laughing. I have no idea what my hair looks like right now!

In other news, today's office political debate concerns what to call former President Bill Clinton should Secretary Clinton be successful in her bid for the White House.

Republican Boomer: First Dude.
Gen X Progressive: First Man?
Me: Logically, it would be "First Gentleman," but that has very little to do with Bill Clinton.
(Hilarity ensues.)

I think it's most likely Secretary Clinton will "forget" to tell him she's won, and he'll just keep campaigning the whole time she's in.

And there's creating a playlist of all the trailers and watching it on loop in the background at work.

I feel compelled to tell the world when my underwear matches, but consider yourselves notified.

If you're clean and have 0 blood, they could always really use them, as we are the universal donor.

That said, if you're thinking about a single or double platelet donation...DRINK ALL OF THE WATER. I don't mean lots of water, I mean ALL OF THE WATER. Apparently, diet Coke won't do.

Also, spend about three days drinking ALL OF THE WATER. Gives your blood time to plump up the liquid volume or something. BUT NO BLOOD THINNERS like aspirin or ibuprophen. If you do not DRINK ALL OF THE WATER, you are subject to:

A. Not being able to donate at all like the poor bastard in the next chair, who couldn't even get started; or

B. Spending 26 of your allotted 46 minutes humming along, bruising up the inside of your arm because you forgot to warn the lady with the ENORMOUS SEWER MAIN passing as a needle, then finding out it was not infact an ENORMOUS SEWER MAIN because your itty bitty platelets are still clotting up in there.

So, in summary:

NO BLOOD THINNERS
DRINK ALL OF THE WATER
WARN THE NEEDLE LADY you're a delicate fuck'n flower who will bruise and shriek if they're not rilly, rilly careful.

Also something about hemoglobin and a rare steak, but mine was okay so I had no blood-related rationalization for the amazing ribeye I later devoured.

Maybe just the whole blood thing next time because even a half ration of platelets put me to sleep for the rest of the day.

Pros and cons of learning to use survival gear:

Pros:
0F after windchill (-17.8C) is the perfect time to test whether I can keep myself warm in a hammock with a closed cell thermal pad.

Cons:
0F after windchill (-17.8C)

I am a delicate effin flower, after all.