Cooking gadget geekery

Am I as cool as Alton Brown? Paul, who has seen us both in person, would probably say "No."

But now, I'm at least getting close, because I own one of these:



That's right, lesser beings -- pick a random surface within a few feet of me, and I will illuminate it with a built-in laser pointer, then tell you its exact temperature. For instance -- the back of my mouth? 96 degrees. My coffee table? 71 degrees. The back of my cat, Guinness? 76 degrees and ALL FREAKED OUT because I'm holding a laser pointer.

Alright, so I admit it's not an everyday tool -- or even something I plan to use much outside a few kitchen tasks -- but it will come in handy from time to time, I got a great price and it doubles as a cat toy. What more justification does a kitchen geek need?

Hilarious new blog

Because the world has been waiting for someone to take the animal kingdom down a notch.


Thanks to my sis for the pointer, once again proving that every blog in the world is funnier than this one.

The first sign of Christmas

It's not really Christmas without it, huh?

So very quiet...

Ruth has been home two weeks now. We all seem to have readjusted without a hitch and the three of us are having a great time.

I've had near-daily ideas for posts or even longer pieces -- the whole "watch the ship pull up to the pier for a family reunion" thing would provide some material -- but the time and motivation to sit down and do the actual typing hasn't materialized. Either I've wanted to watch Theo play, or wanted to hang out with Ruth while she watches dumb movies or finally watch some of the NFL I've been missing. I don't usually feel guilty for not posting, but I'm getting there.

Although I feel like a dirtbag for not getting more done around here, we're having so much fun that it's hard to get back in a productive routine. You'd have to look out our windows to even know it's December -- we're not really feeling much like Christmas this year, so all the decorations are still in the basement.

Still, we're all very happy to be together. Maybe I get around to those posts in my head, maybe I don't...

Election Day!

Today is the real election. In a process understood by the poli-sci geeks and a few others, the people you were REALLY voting for on November 4 will gather in the capitals of the states and elect our next president and vice-president, presumably Osama Bin Laden and William Ayers.

...seriously, though, there are historical precedents for faithless electors mocking the system -- or mocking their party's losing candidate, at least. Would anyone care to bet on how many electoral votes Sarah Palin collects today?

More proof prime time is DEAD

NBC Expected to Give 10 P.M. Show to Leno

Funny because it's true

Of course some people are only happy when they're complaining, but he says it better than I do. This video reminded me that after a day when Theo and I pretty much drove each other crazy, I really can't complain.

Not very many years ago, if Ruth and I had set up our little family, I'd never have been the one home with Theo. Money or expectations about the "Man of the House" or what have you would've had me spending my days at a real job, loving my family but hating my life. Ruth would've been at home with Theo, loving her family but wishing she could do more.

Instead, we're both happy with where we're at. We've got it pretty good.