Head in my hands, Heart on my Sleeve

I've been thinking a lot about Prop 8.  It's the only ballot measure I haven't yet decided on.

My head tells me to vote yes and tell activist liberal judges to get a fucking clue.  That CA's registered Domestic Partnership law provides the same rights to gay couples who register as marriage does to straight couples.  That marriage is a construct not of the state, but of the church, and really the RDP law should apply to gays and straights both as a "civil union," a mere contract.  That "marriage" is solemnized and consecrated by your belief system, whatever that is, and abides by those rules.  God's rules.  Or gods' rules.  Whatever you believe.  Not the state's rules. 

I worry about the consequences for churches and ministers who are against marrying gay couples, for whatever reason.  Will they be breaking the law if they refuse?  Will they lose their 501 status? Will anyone be allowed to believe that homosexuality is wrong or state that belief?  It may be bigoted, but in this country, people have a right to believe as they choose.  We call it Freedom of Religion.

And you know, I just am so tired of all the in-your-faceness of the Prop 8 fight.  I just want to vote no to say HA!  Keep your "whether you like it or not" and all your Gay PDA on TV (for the record, all PDA on TV makes me sick, we've just seen a lot of it with this Prop 8 thing).  It makes me want to be perverse and give all the Prop 8 opponents the finger.

But my heart tells me differently.

As I've mentioned many times on this blog, one of my dearest friends is gay, and he married his partner about 5 years ago in one of the most beautiful, heartfelt weddings I have ever seen.  I was proud to be a "bridesmaid" and stand up for them, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.  I remember feeling so clearly the love between them, and seeing how precious they were to each other.  I could never take away from them the things that DH and I have, the comfort of knowing we are each other's first and last resort, that we make each other's life and death decisions, that we share the rights and responsibilities of our life together for better and for worse.

I received this today, via email.  I hope my friend won't mind me sharing it with you in part, and with the names redacted, of course.

Hi Everyone,

As you know, we're barely a day away from the most historic election of our time. But as you are also probably well aware, there's a lot more at stake than the Presidency.

Here in California, one of the most important -- and one of the closest -- issues you can vote on is Prop 8.

Prop 8 seeks to eliminate fundamental rights for one group of people. If passed, Prop 8 would take away something very close to Nick and me: our marriage. I trust you agree that eliminating fundamental rights -- from anyone -- is unfair and wrong.

...

If you want to help but don't have much time, here's something simple you can do:

The simplest thing you can do is to call everyone you know when you have a few free minutes on Tuesday and bug them to go vote if they haven't. Even if they say in advance that they'll vote, call them on Election Day to make sure they've voted. Even if it looks like the Presidential contest is over nationally by 5 or 6 pm our time, it's still critical that everyone goes to the polls to vote NO on 8. And even if it's raining, and even if the lines are long ... that shouldn't matter.

Finally, please modify and pass along this e-mail to everyone you know in California.

(And, no, you don't need to call N or me on Election Day -- we have both already voted by absentee ballot.)

Thanks so much for all your support!

Love,
A (& N)

I just can't tell them no. As much as I think this whole issue is screwed up and proceeding ass-backwards and I want to vote yes to make a political point, I don't think I can look my friend in the eye and tell him I voted to take away the marriage that means so much to him in favor of a lousy, meaningless contract. Unless you give me one of those lousy, meaningless contracts, too.

So this girl's in an unfamiliar quandry: head or heart?  I can't tell which makes more sense.

Done

Well, it's over for me anyway.  As of 7:15 this morning.

Our polling place is at a little church a block or so away, and we thought the lines would be small this morning, so we decided to chance it.

Arriving at just before 6:45, this is what we found:

The mother and daughter directly in front of us (blue and black jacket, respectively) were perusing the Democrat Voter Guide, which irked the crap out of my husband.  He kept muttering "think for yourself!" and "know what you're voting for" under his breath...

According to the numbers on our ballot stubs we were #29 and #30 to vote at our precinct.  It took about 30 minutes to get to the door, where the check in was, and to get through the ballot.  Then I had to wait because the lady in front of me (in the blue jacket, above) voted twice on Prop 10, so she had to decide whether to re-vote a new ballot, or just ask the computer to accept her ballot and NOT count her Prop 10 votes (she decided for the latter)....  In any case, we were both done by 7:20, and despite the worst morning traffic I've ever seen in The 'Dena (two Sigalerts on the 210 so everyone was on the streets!), I got hubby to school on time and I am back home prepping for my lecture this afternoon.  Or at least I will be as soon as I finish this post and get my bagel out of the toaster.

Go vote.  It doesn't matter who or what you vote for, as long as you vote your conscience.  I did.

Put away your race cards

That argument doesn't hold water anymore.  This country just elected a black man as President.

It's gonna be an interesting two years.....

The Fresh Perspective of Morning

I went to sleep around midnight, after gorging myself on the scant hour of local returns coverage we got, courtesy of overzealous networks that wanted to rehash the historic events of yesterday.

On waking this morning I found myself very reflective. How am I going to respond to what happened yesterday.  Instinctively, I reach for Pollyanna: everything will work out great! But I know better.

The truth is, I would like to spend the next four years nitpicking and slamming and treating Barack Obama with all of the disrespect that was lavished on George W Bush for the last 8 years, and for the same non-reasons.  But I can't do that.  The man IS the President-elect, and let's be honest, he ran a hell of a campaign.  I'm not saying it wasn't dirty, or race-baiting (hell, all you have to do is turn on a TV and see a crying black person exalting about "we're" in the White House to know that), or that it was the best campaign ever.  I'm just saying he did more, had a better strategy, and all around out-foxed the other guy and his people.

Last night's speeches were probably the best of the campaign, particularly McCain's heartfelt concession, which I thought was the ultimate in class.

President Bush's speech this morning was also thoughtful and classy, and it struck me as one of the best from him in a long time.

He and Senator McCain must be so relieved this morning.  That it's over!

I honestly don't know what's going to happen.  My own prediction is that the Democrats will soon be victims of their own success.  With such large legislative majorities, they can't blame it on the Republican whipping boy anymore.  Combine that with the deep divide in the party that began with ultra-liberal vs moderate democrats and grew over the race between Barry and Hillary.  Which creates an opportunity for the GOP to remind people what they are all about, without the looming "spectre" of George Bush and Dick Cheney as the faces of the party.

The pendulum swings, and this time it has swung towards something entirely different and unknown.  All of the TV talking heads made this point last night, a question I have raised before, as well: WHO is Barack Obama? What will his policies be?  How will he lead this country?  The campaign always focused on Obama the man, not Obama the leader.  Even the most enlightened political insiders are unsure of what's next.

Which brings me to my last point.  Listen, I appreciate that racism is a visceral thing for many blacks.  That the memory of discrimination is palpable.  But this isn't 1968.  Racism isn't what you think.  It does not exist the way that you remember.  White people don't automatically see black folks as less.  I've seen so many black people on TV saying that NOW (only NOW???) they were going to tell their children to dream big dreams.  WHAT???  Why aren't you teaching your children to dream big dreams already?  Why can't they succeed?  Maybe because you're teaching them that they can't?

AUUUGH.  It grates.  That black folks are "proud to be an American again" that black children "now have a chance"  GET THE FUCK OVER YOURSELVES.  This amazing country is a place where ANY child has the opportunity to become ANYTHING.  Nowhere else do children born in poverty have the opportunity to rise to the heights of fortune and fame.  And you take it for granted and piss it all away because you think, THINK, that someone will try to take it away from you because your keratocytes take up more melanin.

This ladies and gentlemen is the culture of victimhood.  That because we've never had a black president, you couldn't let your children dream of being the president.  How the fuck are we ever going to get there if we don't think of it first?

So I will congratulate Barry Obama.  He won, seemingly fair and square.  Sure, I could point out that the black dude won so nobody's bitching, but that would be counterproductive and petty.  I will congratulate him, and at the same time let him know that we are all watching.  And we will hold him to his promise to hear our voices.  And we will hold him accountable.

You're here, you're queer, GET OVER YOURSELVES

For the record, I voted NO on Prop 8, folks.

Now that THAT's out of the way, let me get to my point.  Last night's protest rallies in West Hollywood and elsewhere did NOTHING to help the No on 8 cause.

The election is OVER.  The ballots have been counted.  The "No on 8" side lost.

Sitting in a busy intersection, holding up traffic and waving signs from an election that's past now doesn't make people want to support you.  It makes people think you are a bunch of whiny crybabies with nothing better to do than to hold them up in traffic.  Which, as we LA folks ALL know, is shitty without protesters blocking up the main intersections.

So get over it.  Wipe your tears.  Get up and fight back. The RIGHT way.  The SMART way.  Don't make your opponents so upset that they resent you.  That's no way to "win friends and influence people."

You looked like a bunch of sissies in front of a big bully last night.  Seriously.  Do you WANT to play to stereotypes?  Do you think that's anyway to bring people to your cause?  Sure it rallies people who agree with you, but the majority of Californians (at least according to the vote) probably thought it was pathetic and predictable from a "bunch of whiny sissies"...

You have plenty of recourse beyond crying in the street: go to court now, although I doubt you'll get far with that (for two reasons*), AND put it back on the ballot as soon as you can.  And in the meantime, conduct yourselves so as to make people feel more favorable toward gay marriage outside of CA's two big urban centers.

I feel your pain. I know, it's really sad.  In some cases, it's devastating, and I know you want to be able to cry and rage together, but YOU CAN NOT DO IT in the middle of the street.  Sure, it's your right to peaceably assemble, and I'm proud that 99% of folks last night WERE peaceful, but it's just not a smart strategy.

Acceptance of gay relationships has always been an uphill battle, so in order to get this changed, the strategy has to be smart and focus on getting the opposition to see gay people as simply PEOPLE.  Not whiny, childish, idiots.  There's a lot of stereotype to get past.  This kind of disruptive public display doesn't help.

From the MOMENT the polls closed on 11/4 and the first announcements showed 8 running behind, it was going to be a long and difficult campaign in the next election.  But the goal, and what will END this endless cycle of "gay marriage propositions," should be acceptance and tolerance in general.  By everyone.  We should be working to help people come together across CA and the world.

Not just for or against one ballot proposal or another.  Which it seems HAS been the strategy.

Wouldn't it be smarter (albeit harder, I admit) to work on people's thoughts and attitudes in a LONG TERM sense, rather than playing on their fears regarding their senses of self (e.g. only bigots vote yes on 8). People will vote their conscience.  Help them understand what they fear.

Welcome Instapundit fans! Thanks for dropping by! Feel fee to click around and come back if you see something you like!

** Two reasons (in my completely non-legal opinion) below the fold:

Read More "You're here, you're queer, GET OVER YOURSELVES" »

Heaven, thy name is Bacon Apple Pie

A few weeks ago Instapundit posted an item about a bacon apple pie featured at Amazon's al dente blog.  The pie, which was originally created and made by Eli, of the EliCooks blog, is a somewhat traditional apple pie, except for the bacon crumbles inside and the lattice top made of bacon.

Ba-con.  Mmmmmmmm.  Here at Not Exactly Rocket Science, bacon is our favorite food, hands down.  Nothing beats bacon for tastiness or indulgence.  In fact, I prefer to eat bacon stuffed bacon with a side of bacon for breakfast if I can.  Yum!

Bacon is Meat Candy.

And don't tell me about the cholesterol and all that.  I know that.  That's why I only actually eat bacon every so often, and it is truly a special treat.

Anyway, as my birthday is coming up, and bacon is well and truly my favorite treat, I thought I'd give this one a shot in the hopes of coming up with some birthday non-cake sweets.  I modified the original recipe a bit, as I don't have any Cinnamon Bacon or scotch in the house and we're not big apple/maple combo fans....(see the recipe at Eli Cooks)

Here's my version, based on Eli's recipe:

CTG's Happy Birthday Bacon Apple Pie

1 9 in pie crust (I ended up making 2 pies because I had enough filling left over, YMMV*)
4 strips bacon, cooked crispy (NOT burnt) and crumbled (I used the microwave)
5-7 medium to large tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced (I used Pink Ladies)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice (the original calls for nutmeg and cloves separately, but PPS is nutmeg, mace, cloves, and cinnamon. WAY easier)**
1/2 tsp cinnamon **
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp cornstarch
2+ Tbsp Butter, in small chunks
6-12 slices bacon***, halved lengthwise (make sure you get some fat in each half!)

*Your Mileage May Vary
** PPS and cinnamon are pretty subjective tastes, add more or less depending on your preference.  Taste an apple slice once everything is mixed and before adding to the crust.
*** you'll need 6-7 slices (12-14 halves) for the lattice of one pie, about 12 slices for 2 pies

Note from Eli: The quality of the bacon here matters. You want a bacon with a good flavor when fried and eaten alone, because that's almost what you have on top of the pie. I should also admit that I used store-bought pie crust. Honestly, I think the stuff you buy in rolls in the fridge case is almost as good as home made and a hell of a lot easier.

I concur. Save some time, buy a good pie crust. Trader Joes has a fine one.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spread the pie crust in a 9 in pie pan and leave about 1/2 inch overhanging edges. Sprinkle about 1/3 of the bacon crumbles on the bottom of the crust.

Peel (if desired), core, and slice the apples. Mix together the apple slices, remaining bacon crumbles, brown and white sugar, PPS, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, and cornstarch. Spread over the bacon in the pie crust. Break the butter into small chunks and place on the top of the apple mixture, spread evenly apart.

Butter plus bacon may be too heavy duty for some. You can leave this out altogether if it seems too fatty.  But the pie has a tendency to be drier than most because of the lack of a true top crust, so the butter helps. If you like the butter, be sure to add enough. 2 Tbsp may be less than optimal for your pie.

Arrange the half-strips of bacon over the top of the pie crust in a lattice, then fold the edges of the pie crust over the bacon and crimp. This is crucial because the bacon will shrink as it cooks.

Another Note from Eli: The bacon lattice really doesn't want to stay tucked in around the edges of the pie. Be sure to include extra bacon sticking off the edge of the pie and tuck it down the inside of the crust to help mitigate this. Also, having a larger rim of pie dough to extend a bit further toward the center of the pie would probably help.

Place the pie tin on a cookie sheet and bake in the center of the oven for about 50-60 minutes, until the bacon on top is crisp, the crust is golden-brown and apple slices are tender.  My two pies, on a dark cookie sheet, took about 55 minutes and were done perfectly. Again, YMMV*.

My yield was two pies, 6-8 slices each, from the above recipe.  Try it warm with GOOD French Vanilla ice cream.  You'll think you died and went to heaven.

Be sure you have enough bacon. One package wasn't enough for lattice for two pies, although the recipe made enough filling for two (or perhaps I had too many apples) but there should be plenty of slices in one package of bacon for just one pie.

Sorry for the lack of pix. The pie came out a bit ugly without enough lattice on this go-round. Maybe next time!

Crazy Happy Birthday!

It just goes to show you never know.  I was planning on a really low key birthday full of meetings and rehearsal and maybe squeezing in a trip to the pool this afternoon.

I should have known better.  I woke up to an Instalanche here, and when I walked into my class, I found this:



My students conspired against me!

What's more, they got me a card and TWO cakes.  And they sang Happy Birthday twice.  I was floored.  I hope they don't think this is going to raise their grades....

Here's the Chocolate Oreo Cake:




and the Fruit Tart:



What a great birthday morning!

Veterans' Day

What else to say, but thank you?

An even BETTER way to say Thank You

In keeping with yesterday's post, a better way to say thank you to our vets is to give a little back to help a lot.

Long-time readers know that Soldier's Angels is one of my favorite groups, and in particular, Project VALOUR-IT which provides voice-activated laptops and other technological devices to wounded servicefolks who can't otherwise easily communicate with the outside world or who need help with rehabbing their injuries.

Imagine being stuck in a hospital in the Middle East or Germany, your family and friends thousands of miles away in the US, and your hands and arms are casted up.  How do you hold the telephone?  How can you type an email, even just to say, "I'm fine, and I love you?".  VALOUR-IT makes that possible through our donations.

And VALOUR -IT depends on all of us.  Without donations, they are quickly running out of funds with a waiting list hundreds of names long.  Even a small donation ($5) goes a long way.

Each year, bloggers team up in a friendly competition to see which service can raise the most funds for our wounded vets.  All the money goes to VALOUR-IT, regardless of which team you donate to, but it's fun to compete.

As usual, I am soliciting donations for Team Army (Go Army, Beat Navy!) in honor of my precious husband's service.

Just click the button to make a donation, either here or at the top of the left sidebar.  If you'd like to  "join up" and help as well, click here.

Thousands of wounded vets (and a hundred or so bloggers!) thank you!

Happy Birthday Rich!

Happy Birthday, my dear friend.  May you have a wonderful year of love and laughter and happiness!

Happy Birthday!

To my darling sweet wonderful husband!

I've had a few days like this, myself

from PhD Comics:

Six of Six

Picking up on a very simple meme:

Open up your computer, click on the 6th file of pictures, and then on the 6th picture, and post what you get.

And here it is (reposted from Flickr):



Looking down from the top level of the Air Force One Pavilion at the Ronald Reagan Library to the Presidential Motorcade diorama on the lower level.  On display are President Reagan's actual limousine and a secret service follow vehicle.

This is a lot of fun!  I'm not tagging anyone, but you can do it if you like!  Leave your link in the comments so everyone can click around and see all the pictures!

Two for Two

Here's another meme, with a little Holiday cheer.  While Christmas doesn't officially start until NEXT Friday (aka AFTER Thanksgiving), the week before is always spent getting READY for it to BE Christmas....

In that spirit I give you the Christmas Cheer meme:
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Wrap!  With fancy ribbons and bows!
2. Real tree or Artificial?
Real!  Pine not Fir or Cedar.
3. When do you put up the tree?
As soon as I can after Thanksgiving, so I can enjoy it longer!
4. When do you take the tree down?
After Epiphany (Armenians give gifts on Epiphany)
5. Do you like eggnog?
Hell no.
6. Favorite gift received as a child?
Barbies.  Lots of Barbies.  Probably Western Barbie and Ken and their horses!
7. Hardest person to buy for?
My Uncle Mike
8. Easiest person to buy for?
My husband and my mother!
9. Do you have a nativity scene?
Yes
10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mail. Picture cards. With Christmas stamps.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
Socks.  Lots of Socks.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
Ralphie and White Christmas
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
The first time I see a great deal!
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Yes, but only because someone wanted it and I didn't.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Potato Latkes with Bacon, Chives, and Sour Cream (Gentile Style)
16. Lights on tree, colored or clear?
Colored!  Only colored.
17. Favorite Christmas song?
Adeste Fideles.  In latin.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
I go home.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's?
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen. And Rudolph.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
A star.  With blinky, colored lights!
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
With the extended family Christmas Eve, and with the parents and hub on Christmas Morning
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
Christmas displays on November 1.  WAY too early.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color?
I have hand-blown Winnie the Pooh Characters
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?
Steak and Mashed potatoes
25. What do you want for Christmas this year?
My mortgage paid off!

Because I am too busy to blog properly

Another meme.  This one from wRitErsbLock:

Do you remember your first favorite song?If so, what was it?

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme by Simon and Garfunkel

What do you refuse to eat?

among other things, boiled or fried eggs

Have you ever injected any kind of drug before?

in myself, no.  In various animals, many times.

Do amusement park rides make you sick?

wooden rollercoasters.  Gimme the loopy-loop steel ones any day, though!

Who is your favorite Star Wars character?

Gonna have to go with Princess Leia. Although I am also partial to Padme, R2, and Chewbacca.

What kind of cheese do you put on your sandwiches?

I prefer Cojack or Provolone, depending on the sandwich

What was the first thing you ever learned how to cook?

Armenian Bulgur Pilaf

Did you ever collect beanie babies?

I have a few, but I never collected them.

When was the last time you got a haircut?

October.  Getting another on Saturday

Have you ever been to a bachelor/bachelorette party?

yes.  And mine was a royal bust. The best part was TPing the Best Man's truck

Where are you most ticklish on your body?

my knees

Have you ever bailed anyone out of jail?

No, but I put someone IN

What’s the last board game you played?

Trivial Pursuit or Scrabble.

Do you still own any VHS tapes?

yes.  Many!

Do you shop at JC Penney's ever?

my original engagement ring came from JCP.  And they used to carry a style of wrangler jeans that fit me like a glove.  I miss those jeans.

If there was a real Jurassic Park, would you visit it?

I want to see the lab.  And the Triceratops.

Do you ever read the newspaper?

I read the ads in the Thanksgiving Day edition.

Do you eat your mac & cheese with a fork or a spoon?

Usually a fork.  I like Mac n Cheese with stuff in it (veggies, hotdogs, chili, etc.)

Is there any medicine/pill you take everyday?

I have Rheumatoid Arthritis.  I probably take more pills than you do.

How many 20 dollar bills do you have on you right now?

two actually.  I went to the First Bank of Grocery Store this afternoon

Would you do meth if it was legalized?

OH HELL FUCK NO.  Have you never seen this?  Ewwwww.  Meth fucks you up worse than anything else.

Are you afraid others will judge you from reading some of your answers to survey questions?

If I was, would I be answering this?

Do you think Obama will be assassinated?

Probably not. He doesn't fit the pattern, although GWB seems to have done well so far, and he does....

Have you ever made out with someone and then never saw them again?

no.  Paths tend to cross in small groups....

Do you drink egg nog?

What is it with the frigging Egg Nog questions??  Once and for all NO WAY.  It sucks.

What are you wearing?

Jammies and a fuzzy blanket.

Feel free to jump in and post your own!

I totally got tagged!

By Amanda.

The rules:
1. Post the rules on your blog.
2. Tell 7 random things about yourself.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post.
4. Pass on the tag.

Here goes:
1. I really love the time I spend in the pool.  Yes, it's hard work, but it's like the world slows down and I have "me" time inside my head.  I somehow manage to lose count of reps and laps, but I have time to sort out my issues and look up at the sky.  It's so relaxing even though I am working my ass off.  Y'all should have seen the sky over the pool on Monday.  With the storm blowing in it looked as if you were looking through bubbles.  I never would have taken the time to look up Monday afternoon without being in the pool.

2. On a related, less philosophical note, I fucking hate it when people tell me "Hey. you're losing weight" like it's some kind of fucking encouragement.  Look, I know I am fat.  OK?  Have been my whole life.  MAYBE, just MAYBE I'm comfortable with that.  MAYBE I am not trying to lose weight.  MAYBE I am just trying to keep my joints healthy and the weight loss is a good side effect.  Just tell me you think I look nice, ok?  Or even that I look better.  But for Christ's sake don't assume I am trying to lose weight and you're encouraging me.  Because I'm really not.  And it pisses me off.

3. I am super excited to go shopping on Friday.  I love Black Friday.  Mostly because I love a good deal and I am not averse to a little elbowing to get one.  The problem is that I am mostly done with my shopping already, so there's really very little I need o get on Friday.

4.  I have a secret coffee drink that I make at work.  I think they're wondering where all the cocoa is going....  Homemade mocha, try it yourself: 1 packet hot cocoa mix, 2-3 little containers of vanilla creamer, 3 sugars, and fill the cup with regular coffee.  Stir.  It tastes better than $tarbuck$ and it's free since the Dean's Office provides the coffee and cocoa!

5. I hate doing lab work.  First of all, I am a terrible technical scientist.  I know HOW to do the experiments, but my hands just can't do it the right way.  I'd much rather spend my time teaching.  Way more fun.  What sucks is that most people can't get it throught their skulls that not all of us want to do research all the time.  Pressure.

6. Although I am the opposite of a morning person, when I lived in Fresno, I used to love to wake up at 4 and listen to the farm report on the radio.  There's really something energizing about the dark of the early morning, and the chill in the air.  But the hours between 6 and 9 am are really pointless.  Snooze.

7. I am far too stressed out.  Just writing this was really relaxing.  Which tells me I need to dial it way the F back.  I really hope this weekend helps.

And because I feel like tagging people: Amanda, wB, Pamibe, Oddybobo, Mrs.W, Amanda, and Rich, you're it!

Emerging from Black Friday

So Black Friday has come and gone, and I am nearly done with the Holiday shoppage once again.  Other than stocking stuffers and a possible gift or two for the parents or the Hub, the only people I have left to shop for are my 9 year old nephew and my 6 year old niece.  Both of whom are super bright and super picky. Any ideas?

I did extremely well, shopping-wise, saving more than I have spent so far by wisely shopping particular sales and comparing the ads on Thursday evening, post-turkey.

By 9 am we had been to 7 stores and it was time to call it a day.  Not bad for a morning's work.

Of course, some of the shopping was done earlier, courtesy of Amazon, Woot, and Etsy.

I can wholeheartedly recommend Etsy.  Handcrafted, unique, everything you can imagine, and I've had nothing but good experiences with all of the sellers I've dealt with.  Many of your favorite bloggers also sell their crafty output at Etsy.  Look them up!

What were you up to post-Turkey day?