Cooking a NY strip and getting ready for some football. You? I’m supposed to go to a party at a friend’s house, and all the people I like will be there, but I am still looking for an excuse to not go and stay at home.
BTW- not to go all McMegan on you, but I just love this Breville convection oven
robertdsc-PowerBook
Tell them you have to provide live TunchCam updates to all his minions when the clock turns.
LOL. I’m going to hop onto MW3 later and ring in the new year with Baiiey’s and coffee.
Helen
Here’s my excuse for staying home: I wanna stay home. Try it; it works. I use it every year.
Here’s hoping that Anderson Cooper is drunk..again…with Kathy Griffin tonight.
Napoleon
Making lasagna.
John, if we start a flame war will you have to stay home to moderate us?
Libby's person
I’m staying at home making pumpkin muffins, and we’re recovering from time with my family last week. I think my husband would threaten divorce if I tried to get him out of the door to an event tonight. We’ll watch Anderson Cooper squirm, if we can stay up that late.
Happy New Year, everyone! Let’s hope it’s a little better than last year…
cyntax
Breville makes a wicked toaster too.
As to excuses, those are tougher when you’re single. It’s so much easier to get out of stuff when you’re married. One spouse just takes a bullet for the other. Back when I was single, it was just assumed I’d show up to anything.
John Cole
@cyntax: Everything they make is awesome, but they are really expensive. I have the blender, tea pot, and wok, too. I just saved up and every couple of months picked one up, but they are the kind of thing that will last a lifetime.
SiubhanDuinne
I’m staying home, too. Toss-up as to whether I’ll still be awake at midnight. Half the time in recent years I’ve been sound asleep by the time the peach drops. But this year I’d kind of like to be conscious, just so I can look at the corpse of 2011 in its coffin and give it a poke to make sure it’s dead.
Karen
I’m having a party for myself since I have no plans tonight but to curl up with my Roku and watch Netflix and not feel like a time thief for just doing what I want to do instead of working on my vacation. I got Matamoros (fantastic Mexican food if you live in the DC area)delivered and I’m about to dig into my Carne Asada. Have fun with the football, John and Happy New Year everyone! Hope it’s better than the previous year!
MikeJ
@Napoleon: Pædophile.
Jade Jordan
Let them know you are a Yuppie elitist with hoity-toity rich man appliances by Breville and they will dis-invite you.
Really John, my $10 toaster oven works fine. I can’t afford the steak or the oven.
If someone in my dorm had a $250 toaster oven we would have dunked their head in the toilet.
lamh35
I catching up o some episodes of the Closer that I missed and Elizabeth Perkins is on it. She still looks lovely, but she has definitely aged.
We all age, but isn’t it always interesting how time changes a face you think you know well. It’s got to be hard to age in Hollywood.
If there is any better way than to die young in Hollywood, therefore you are never seen as “old” later in life? Imagine Marilyn Monroe, James Dean or some other “died too young” starlet as octogenarians? Maybe like Liz Taylor or Mary Tyler Moore or Robert Redford they’d have aged gracefully, but could you imagine Marilyn Monroe as some old used-up hag who’s star has waned but who’s still trying to hold on to her “youth”? Or James Dean as some old dude who looks all leathery from all the hard drinking and partying of their youth?
Hmm…random, rambling thoughts?
Oh yeah, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Mnemosyne
Went out and bought the stuff so I can make this Breakfast Tortilla Strata tonight and pop it in the oven for brunch tomorrow. Finishing up a pink version of this hat for our niece so G can take it with him to Chicago. Her mom usually gathers our niece’s very curly hair into a pouf on top of her head, so the hat should work out nicely.
Yutsano
@MikeJ: Snort.
It would help if it were true, but meh. I appreciate the try. :)
Emerald
Roku and Netflix for me too. I never go outside the door on New Years.
Gotta question To Whom It May Concern:
Where is General Stuck? I haven’t seen a comment by him in awhile.
Kathy in St. Louis
I am probably missing a very obvious spot on BJ, but how do I change my settings. My email address is okay as is my screen name. Somehow, I now have a website, which isn’t my website, and which mustn’t exist because my comments never survive the 5 minute period unless I go back and remove this website I never put in. How do I rememdy this? I don’t see a place, but I’m not very observant.
PeakVT
not to go all McMegan on you
Just don’t claim a device makes you a better person and/or cook and you’ll be safe.
Napoleon
MikeJ @ 9
Thespian!
jl
OK, fine. Jimmy Page plays the theremin.
An excuse to stay home, under the bed, cowering.
I do and do and do for that miserable lefty Cole, and what thanks do I get?
On second thought, never mind, I don’t want to know.
Jimmy Page Plays Theremin and Violin Bow solo. 17th July 1977.
http://youtu.be/QtoVZ4eObg8
Edit: then again, from reports I have heard, some say, Cole hears stuff like this on a regular basis when he stays up or out late sampling fine likkers.
cathyx
John, you should go to your friends house. You’ll have a good time and be glad you went. Don’t spend even more time alone if you don’t have to.
Me? I’m not a night person. I get grumpy when I’m tired.
Mnemosyne
Also, too, I find it funny that we have mojitos, margaritas, beer and hard cider (and wine!) to drink, and yet neither one of us will be able to get through more than one drink before we fall asleep.
That’s how I know neither one of us is an alcoholic — my friend the recovering alcoholic was astounded to hear that we can set a drink down and not finish it. The concept was completely foreign to her.
Mark S.
Does the tagline “Enormous, mendacious, disembodied anus” seem to come up like every third time? I’ve been hitting refresh a lot today, and it seems like the twentieth time I’ve seen it.
I still don’t know where it comes from.
jl
@cathyx: OK, yes, you are correct. Now I feel bad. People should get out on New Years, including Cole.
Cole: go to your friend’s house and have a congenial friendly New Year evening.
Mnemosyne
@Yutsano:
Somebody yesterday was proposing that we switch to chimo instead. Might buy us some extra time before Uncle John comes storming down the stairs bellowing at us to keep it down, goddamnit!
cathyx
@Kathy in St. Louis: You’re name doesn’t link to a website for me.
Karen
@lamh35:
I’ve noticed it when I watch VH1 shows that show the then and now. Some of the stars I remember from the 80s have really aged. Then I remember that the youngest I was in the 80s was 16 in 1981 and I instantly feel old.
Kathy in St. Louis
@cathyx: Seriously, it was there for the past week. I just removed it for the umpteenth time, and it appears to have staye removed. Hmmm. Thanks for checking that for me, though. Happy New Year.
Yutsano
@Mnemosyne: I dunno. The sweet Canuckistani definition kind of ruins the effect. I’m sure if I piss off JC enough he’ll just time out me.
Jewish Steel
Same boat. Maybe we can cover each other? “Yeah, uh, John’s hit his head and I’ve gotta keep an eye on him.”
cathyx
@Kathy in St. Louis: Even though you spell your name wrong(with a K), I’m happy to help.
suzanne
@Mark S.:
I don’t know where it comes from, but I love it. LOVE. IT.
Mr. Suzanne and I are staying in tonight, as we both dislike large crowds of stupid people in one place, and those are invariably the defining characteristic of any New Year’s outing.
I am resolving to take 3 of my AREs this year. Including mechanical and structural. Next year at this time, someone please keep me honest.
Going skiing next weekend. So excited I can hardly stand it.
boss bitch
Duh! Do what all parents do, say one of your kids isn’t feeling well. In your case, its one of your pets.
Mark S.
@cathyx:
That’s nothing compared to the atrocity of spelling Mark with a C!
Steeplejack
@Kathy in St. Louis:
I believe–but have not tried it to confirm it–that if you change your settings, e.g., by adding a Web site in your example, FYWP sees you as a “new” commenter, and your comments remain in moderation until a front-pager approves you. Then you can post at all.
I think what is happening is that when you go back and remove the Web site address FYWP sees you as the “old” Kathy in St. Louis and all is well.
So I presume that if you leave a comment alone with the Web site added, a front-pager will come along and approve it, it will magically appear and you’ll be good to go.
I had this happen when I added “Steeplejack (phone)” to cover my cryptic and misspelled posts from the Droid.
ETA: Reading fail on my part. I see you want to do the reverse–take out a Web site address–but what I said above should still apply. The other thing is that you have to have cookies enabled for Balloon Juice in your browser, I believe, because that’s where FYWP stores the commenter info.
scav
One of the absolute joys of being a post-30annum grownup is you don’t have to go out if you don’t want to. I’m also claiming dominion over time and space and celebrating HNY in any (or as many) time zones as I care to. It’s 2012 somewhere so ___∠===Θ thwiirp! ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ Confetti ! ! !
Mustang Bobby
Here in South Florida, it’s too dangerous to go out — drunk drivers and artillery practice going on — so I did a Salisbury steak and I’m watching old episodes of The West Wing. Jed Bartlet had the mojo.
gogol's wife
Staying home, recovering from apparent food poisoning, watching “Bridges of Madison County” with my husband. We love soppy movies. I hope the fireworks don’t wake me up because I have to play the piano in church in the morning.
Mnemosyne
Since I keep promising to get my pre-Code movies blog up and I have this Norma Shearer film that I want to write about all cued up on the DVD player, I should probably watch it, huh?
SiubhanDuinne
@Mnemosyne:
How does one pronounce chime? CHI as in chime or KYE as in chiropractor or CHEE or KEE or what?
SiubhanDuinne
@Mnemosyne:
How does one pronounce chimo? CHI as in chime or KYE as in chiropractor or CHEE or KEE or what?
gogol's wife
@Mnemosyne:
That looks yummy. What a cast.
Jay C
BTW, John, seconds on the rec for Breville stuff: the Mrs. gave me a Breville sandwich press/grill six Hanukkahs back (replacing a POS George Foreman), and it’s been working great ever since: large enough to be quite useful in a NY apartment.
SiubhanDuinne
@gogol’s wife:
There are half a dozen yoots in the parking lot, MUCH too close to my car, setting off fireworks. I hope (a) that they don’t set my car on fire, and (b) that they get bored, or run out of ‘works, well before midnight.
Mnemosyne
@SiubhanDuinne:
Good question. I keep hearing it in my head as “SHY-moe,” but I’m notoriously bad at figuring out how words should be pronounced.
jeffreyw
Hmm… looks like mine.
gogol's wife
@SiubhanDuinne:
I actually heard fireworks on CHRISTMAS night. When I was young, fireworks were for the Fourth of July and nothing else. (Kids get off my lawn)
Montysano
After years of staying in on NYE, there are two parties and two live bands, all of which are too good to miss, so Mrs. Monty and I are going to get our late-middle-aged asses off the couch and go out and run with the kids.
SiubhanDuinne
@SiubhanDuinne: @SiubhanDuinne:
Stupid STOOPID autocorrect. Also, too, FYWP for not letting me edit.
(See what I mean about 2011?)
PurpleGirl
How Cole feels about the convection oven is how I feel about the toaster oven which broils together with the microwave. They let cook just the size portions I need and want.
Mnemosyne
@gogol’s wife:
Yep. Most of Shearer’s early 30s films were forgotten because of censorship, but she was HAWT.
“C’mon — put ’em around me,” she says, as she stretches out on the couch for Gable.
Davis X. Machina
The ‘enormous mendacious….’ business goes back to The Poor Man’s alternative lyrics to the Beach Boy’s “Kokomo’, and originally referred to a warblogger spat involving…someone we know.
SiubhanDuinne
@jeffreyw:
That can’t possibly be yours, there’s no food in sight.
cathyx
@Mark S.: That is at least explainable. Marcus shortened to Marc.
RossInDetroit
I’m home building electrical filter circuits for loudspeakers, which I have screwed up and will have to re-do. Because I’m cocky and work without a correct schematic.
On tap: bath, dinner and an early bedtime. 2012 will still be there when I get up in the morning.
jeffreyw
Moar toaster oven fun!
SiubhanDuinne
@gogol’s wife:
Yes, and Fourth of July AFTER DARK instead of all afternoon the way those dagnabbed kids do now.
Bmaccnm
Worked 12 hours last night. Working 8 hours tonight. Crackers and dip and sparkling cider in the staff lounge. Happy New Year babies.
hamletta
@suzanne: I’ve forgotten the origin, but I do remember it’s supposed to be sung to the tune of the Beach Boys’ “Kokomo.”
scav
@efgoldman: Selection bias. Those out dodging the cocktail napkins are (to their credit) not posting. So what if old farts can be happy on their own? Is it less of a bicycle ride without the training wheels?
Wilson Heath
Just finished fondue with Sauvignon Blanc. Desert is chocolate pot de creme flavored with dark rum — gonna serve with whipped crean and a dusting of fresh nutmeg. Oh, and cava, naturally.
Jewish Steel
@SiubhanDuinne:
@Mnemosyne: heh-heh. like “chime” but with an “oh.”
Steeplejack
@SiubhanDuinne, @Mnemosyne:
My guess is that, since it’s derived from “child molester,” it’s CHI-mo, not KI-mo.
Does anyone but me think that a good 60% of the Urban Dictionary is just 13-year-old boys screwing around to see what they can get into the Urban Dictionary?
realbtl
For the first time in 5 years I’m not performing on NYE so I’m off to First Night Flathead to listen for a change. There’s a solo lap steel player I want to hear from 9:00-10:00 then home to avoid the drunks. Happy New Year all.
Yutsano
@RossInDetroit:
TEH MAYANS LIED TO ME!! :)
(There may be Spanish wine later. Also. Too.)
Moonbatting Average
@John Cole: Thanks for the tip on Breville stuff, JC. Myself and Mrs. Average just bought our first house, and this is the kind of thing we needed to know about, especially considering the house has a single oven.
Kathy in St. Louis
New Years is the most overrated of all the “holidays”. I’ve never been a fan because there is always this forced, “We’ve got to have a wild time because it’s NYE” air to the celebration. And face it, most New Year’s Eve celebrations, regardless of who is there and who is not, are only so-so. Just not big on the forced happy happy.
J.W. Hamner
Getting ready for our annual trip to Woodberry Kitchen in Baltimore… certain to be one of our top meals of the year. We’ll have some tasty cocktails and some champagne, but the hard drinking NYE’s of yore are well behind us.
John Cole
@Mark S.: As much as it pains me to admit this, “enormous, mendacious, disembodied anus” was written by the Poorman back when I was a full fledged wingnut. I called him a lying asshole for something or another, and he made up the song to the theme of Kokomo. The whole song is hysterical:
Enormous, mendacious, disembodied anus
You rectum, fifth column, objectively pro-Saddam
Half-Swedish, pro-moorish, deceptive chocolate starfish
On the internets
There are lying assholes
And they say I said all these things I never said at all
Dead body in the sand
If his mom don’t like it she’s a “media whore”
Hey don’t you dare get mad
It’s just a metaphor!
You lying asshole
CHORUS
Ooo I really hate those lying assholes
They say I’m all talk
Because I won’t go to the recruiter
That’s cuz I’m fighting on my computer!
Lying assholes
Nine eleven, a little slice of heaven
Guantanimo Bay
Is a luxurious get-away
Eat lemon chicken in the Sun all day
They call me a wingnut
Because my party bashes faggots
I’ve got an answer for that:
Michael Moore is fat
Lying asshole
CHORUS
quannlace
isn’t that a kind of brandy?
hamletta
Jason & the Scorchers are playing at a small club tonight, but having been a bartender for 5 years, I hatehatehate NYE. I’ll have to see my cohort of aging Music City punk rockers another time.
We’re starting to have funerals now, which is where I last saw everybody. :-(
Steeplejack
@Mnemosyne:
Whereas Gable looks kind of dorky in those early movies and gets better-looking as the ’30s go on.
scav
@efgoldman: ah, yes, indeed, they probably are off tweeting and twittering and chirping somewhere in other digital puddles. Soon there will no doubt be some astonishing pictures of your sidewalk appearing (let’s hope the really good ones are entirely too blurry and leave room for lurid imaginations). My bad entirely — I forgot that end of the digitsphere.
Schlemizel
nosh & wine with the MIL & SIL. Was planning on watching the original version of Little Shop Of Horrors (well worth the buck I spent on the DVD) but the little woman is not happy with that so TBD.
Last year we did this with Comedy Of Terrors (a GREAT film) & it was a huge hit!
SiubhanDuinne
NYE has a lot of bad memories for me. They go back many decades, so they’re no longer front-and-centre, but I always have a subliminal sense of “just let’s get through this and awake and sane in the morning, is all I ask.”
Doesn’t keep me from wishing all Balloon Juicers a safe night and a peaceful and prosperous and healthy year to come.
Steeplejack
Still dog-sitting. Just had pizza, Caesar salad and cannoli from Pie-Tanza in Arlington for dinner. Looks like something on TV or Netflix streaming for entertainment.
For years I used to be the New Year’s Eve party host, and I enjoyed that, but I don’t really miss it now that I haven’t done it in a while. One of the great things about hosting an NYE party is that you’re already home and you don’t have to get out and contend with the drunks on the road. Potential minor problem is that you have to get the drunks out of your house and onto the road at the end of the evening.
Mnemosyne
@Steeplejack:
It’s the mustache. He just looks better with it. There’s something weird and hard about his face when it’s bare, but the mustache humanizes him. IMO, anyway.
SiubhanDuinne
@hamletta:
Don’t know how old you are, but my personal Year Of The Funerals was 1999, when I was 56-57. I’ve been to many since then, of course (and prior), but I think I lost 8 close friends and relatives in that year. Brutal.
Schlemizel
@Napoleon:
FAmous political speech:
My opponent is a known thespian who has been seen masticating in a public restaurant.
Cat Lady
@John Cole: that’s the comment of the year. Poorman turned you into a DFH, and now you’re stuck with all of us rabble. Sitting in a bar in Gardiner Maine listening to a folk duo singing a song written for OWS. “Follow your heart the Revolution starts now”.
CA Doc
@Bmaccnm: working L&D tonight, eh? I’m waiting on a patient who’s about 4 days overdue. It would be cool to deliver first 2012 baby in the county, and she’d win cool prizes!
Mnemosyne
@Kathy in St. Louis:
NYE is fun when you’re single and there’s the potential of kissing multiple different guys at midnight. Once you’re paired off, the thrill is gone (for me, anyway).
Mark S.
@John Cole:
I have to admit, it’s a great deal better than the original lyrics.
Steeplejack
@Mnemosyne:
Yeah, I agree. I was thinking that, but then I realized I couldn’t remember exactly when he added it.
By the way, whoever wrote the “storyline” squib for A Free Soul on IMDB should be shot. He’s got about three spoilers in one paragraph. Thanks, Gary Jackson!
Josie
We cooked a new recipe for black-eyed peas in the crock pot – Moroccan Black Eyed Peas with Dried Beef. It is delicious and spicy hot. We usually make the southern style, but this recipe rocks. Hopefully, it will also bring us the good luck we so desperately need. Happy New Year to all.
Ruckus
@RossInDetroit:
I have a working theory for mechanical/electrical projects.
1. Use force
2. Use logic
3. Read the manual
Works almost every time. When is doesn’t the answer is:
Use logically applied force according to the manual.
SiubhanDuinne
@Mustang Bobby:
I need to do a seven-season West Wing marathon again one of these times. I have them all on DVD, just need to carve out the time.
Same with Corner Gas, although it’s a different viewing experience.
SiubhanDuinne
@Schlemizel:
I have it on good authority that she matriculated!
CaseyL
I’m going to a party hosted by organizers of a hiking group that I haven’t actually gone hiking with. I won’t know anyone there (unless the guy who invited me to join the group shows up) but they seem like nice people, so I’m hoping for the best.
I like to walk the St. Mark’s labyrinth on NYE, and might leave the party to do that, depending on how the party goes.
Here’s to a 2012 better than our mildest dreams! (Not a typo; I like to keep expectations low.)
Stay safe, y’all. Have fun, but stay safe.
Suffern ACE
What am I doing on my butt. I should be dancing. Argh.
Mnemosyne
@Steeplejack:
I don’t know precisely when he grew the moustache, but I don’t think it’s a coincidence that he had one in the movie that made him a star, It Happened One Night.
gbear
@hamletta: I learned to hatehatehate NYE when I was a musician. I’m digging through the DVDs and have got it down to either All About Eve or High Fidelity (I used to be a record store rat). Completely different movies but either one would be fun. I’ll be in bed by 11:00. Best wished to everyone.
litlebritdifrnt
At Molly darcys in myrtle beach. fireworks already going off on the beach. will ring in the new year and then mosney down the beach and fall asleep to the sound of the ocean. Happy 2012 y’all.
Chuck Butcher
Mrs Chuck is going out to see a world renowned blues band fronted by a close friend of mine. Mr Chuck is staying home with some kind of low grade flu thing.
Sucks to be me…
Maybe a new year…?
RossInDetroit
@Ruckus:
What’s particularly humiliating is that I ‘wrote the book‘ or at least one book on this project. If anyone should know better than this rookie mistake it’s me.
hamletta
@SiubhanDuinne: I’m 48, as was the deceased, but that guy lived hard.
@gbear: Good plan. I have church in the morning, anyway. Which reminds me I need to get my part down for the anthem.
gbear
@gbear: gaaahh! Best wisheS to everyone.
Too much pizza…
Ruckus
@RossInDetroit:
That’s why I thought you’d appreciate an overview of my life’s work on getting things done.
Steeplejack
@Mnemosyne:
Well, it was after Red Dust (1932), and It Happened One Night was 1934, so it’s somewhere in there. Too lazy to look.
Chuck Butcher
@Ruckus:
My email tag used to be
“Don’t force that son, use a bigger hammer”
mrmict
Sounds like a nurse’s night (i.e. at work) out to me!
AliceBlue
Mr. AliceBlue fixed Memphis style dry rub ribs tonight, with beans and corn on the cob on the side. Assorted Christmas cookies for dessert. As usual, I’ll be fighting to stay awake until midnight.
Happy New Year to John, all the front pagers and everyone else!
RossInDetroit
@Ruckus:
That’s my methodology at work as well. I do field repairs of unexpected damage/failure using whatever’s at hand. Have hammer, will travel.
dance around in your bones
Frick, I’m almost 60 yrs old, so the hell with the going out stuff.
Lost my life partner last month, so tonight it’s the Blues Brothers or nothing, man!
Be grateful for watcha got, ok?
M-pop
Planning on staying home with my family and watching Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s, even though Ryan Seacrest is now the host. Yuck! Who made him the Dick Clark of the new millenium, huh?!
Anyway, just wanted to say Happy New Year’s to all the people here at Balloon Juice – I’ve enjoyed your rants and raves and flame wars this past year and look forward to a great 2012 with you all.
Ruckus
@RossInDetroit:
You only have one hammer? Lite weight.
khead
Wine.
Late seafood dinner.
Wine.
Dick Clark.
feebog
I’m about to throw a steak on the barbie after a beautiful day in SoCal. Played golf this morning, and then went shopping cause Mrs. Feebog is down and out with bronchitis. We will be staying in tonight, the West Wing marathon is already in full swing. Happy New Year to all.
Exurban Mom
Happy New Year to all, and thanks so much for the great work this year. I really appreciated Balloon Juice this year, and read it every day. I like the different voices and the animals and the rants and the crazy old British woman and everything else about the place, except for the lousy trolls.
Be safe tonight, people, and see you on the flip side.
RossInDetroit
@Ruckus:
Dude, I have one tool box full of just things to hit other things with. It’s a Kennedy.
(polishes fingernail on lapel)
burnspbesq
@Karen:
Better than Anita’s?
dance around in your bones
I had forgotten Carrie Fisher was in Blues Brothers.
“I must now kill you, for the common good”.
“You miserable slug”.
hahahahahahahahhhahhahah
FlipYrWhig
Apparently the late-breaking fast-closing candidate in Iowa is… Slick Rick Santorum. That’s what the final Des Moines Register polls show. Via TPM.
Ben Cisco (mobile)
Both LittleMan and Mrs. C are knocked out, and I’m watching the game. Happy New Year everybody.
Origuy
I’ll be going to a Hogmany Scottish Country dance. Hogmany is the Scots word for NYE. There will likely be people there who actually know the words to Auld Lang Syne.
RossInDetroit
@FlipYrWhig:
Panic buying, more or less. A spike that probably wouldn’t last if the campaigns went on another week. Too bad, GOP. Your nominee will be Mr. 0.1% Romney, the guy you hate slightly less than all the others.
dance around in your bones
I give thanks for Balloon Juice. This year, every year.
Goddamn, youse guys-you keep me sane. Muchas gracias a todos.
Weepy.
redshirt
@Cat Lady: There’s a bah in Gardinah?
MikeJ
@burnspbesq: I used to work in Tyson’s, so Anita’s in Vienna was a second home. Mmmm.
Villago Delenda Est
@Karen:
It hit me when I saw Apollo 13 in the theater, and most of the audience had not yet been born when the events depicted took place.
normal liberal
@John Cole: I have the littlest version of the Breville oven that just came out around Thanksgiving – I really like it, but now I wish I had room for one of the larger convection versions. It’s surprising how much difference properly toasted toast makes. I covet the tea kettle, but I have to wait for the one I have to break.
The key to avoiding New Year’s parties is to make it an inviolate policy to stay home on the Eve. I would refuse to be Raptured (if I believed in such a thing) if it meant leaving the house after sunset on 12/31.
Yutsano
@Josie: Post recipe please and thank you? And harissa FTW!
andy
I’m generally not social and the singleton thing is pretty depressing on New Year’s Eve, but if our (possibly) freezing rain hasn’t turned everything into a candy coating of death, I might at least walk through our downtown and see what’s happening. In the meantime I made a bit of beef loin with a hasselback potato and broccoli. It was a little messy but pretty good. Ghee has a slight cheesy funk which really deepened all the flavors.
Nicole
Mad Bitch beer and Rise of Planet of the Apes. Could not be happier.
Yutsano
@Nicole: Near naked Mark Wahlberg. I don’t see a negative to this. :)
tofubo
no football, musak
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d1i35T5yAk&feature=related
good guitar and stuff, with a link to the whole album
JGabriel
Jade Jordan:
Yeah, the toaster over from the 1980s that was left behind by the previous tenant in my apartment is holding up just fine.
Well, okay, it sparks a little sometimes.
But other than that … I should probably be more worried about that, shouldn’t I?
It’s only the inside that sparks. It’s not like it’s spraying hot fire-inducing sparks all over the place. The English Muffins have never caught fire, except for that one time I forgot they were in there. Maybe two times. I think it was only twice … yeah, twice. That sounds right. Somehow, I don’t feel that I’m being very convincing.
Anyway, the point is, I’m with Jade on this one — $250 is an awful lot for a toaster oven.
.
amk
Sneaky way to tell us rubes that you went to college, John ?
Elitist.
amk
@JGabriel: You should try warming your beer in that oven.
jeffreyw
@andy: Nice!
TheOtherWA
I’m staying home too. Still have a cold, after a week and a half and am just not in to mood to go anywhere, especially on amateur night. Have dvd’s, netflix, stuff on the dvr and plenty of wine and food.
I only heard of a convection toaster oven recently. They sound intriguing. That may go on my birthday wish list.
suzanne
@John Cole: I just sang that to my husband, and I am laughing so hard I’m crying.
Maybe I should go out. LMAO.
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
Mr. Q and I ust returned from dinner at our favorite Thai place,where our favorite waitress gave me a set of sermaic chopsticks for Christmas! I hadn’t expected her to work NYE, so hadn’t brought the earrings I made her. We went out to the car at 6:45, only to find our next door neighbor standing with his walker on the sidewalk, in the cold, where he’d been since 6 pm awaiting our departure for the usual Saturday night dinner, even though I’d told him Thursday that we’d wait until next week. So we took him along.
We’ll have house cocktails at 11:00 here. Dogs had a small dose of oral acepromazine to ward off fretting about fireworks, so they’re snoozy.
Happy New Year to all.
BruceFromOhio
My parents bought some expensive Aussie toaster-convection oven gizmo. It stays on when you open it. If it fits on the rack, you can cook/bake/toast it. Mom baked a pie in it, not long after we toasted our various morning grains. I expect my grandchildren will fight over who gets to use it in their college dorms.
Staying in tonight, no patience for drunks. Grilled a smashingly awesome pair of pork tenderloins, served up with wild rice and steamed veggies, washed down with about a gallon of microbrew. Blueberry tarts are heating up, and MrsFromOhio has called for the champagne as the LittleOhios set up whatever games were going to play until midnight.
C’mon, 2012, bring it.
SiubhanDuinne
@Origuy:
Eat some haggis and dance a Dashing White Sergeant for me!
Dee Loralei
I’m staying home watching football, kinda prepping for a brunch I’m hosting at noon tomorrow. Really bored LOL, I wish this were a better game.
Happy New Years to all the denizens of Balloon Juice, you guys are the bestest. Except for the trolls, but I got Trollhunter from Netflix, so after I watch that, I’ll know what to do with you.
And I’m looking forward to doing my part in getting the President re-elected in 2012!
SiubhanDuinne
@dance around in your bones:
{{hugs}} I’m sure this is a tough night for you. I must say I just love your humor and your attitude. Hope you post often in 2012.
fraught
since when do un-gay, male-ish strait men say:
???
TheOtherWA
Happy New Year, everyone. Be safe, we have a lot of ass kicking to do in 2012.
JGabriel
@dance around in your bones:
Looks like someone started on the sherry a little early.
Happy New Year, Sweetie!
.
Moesha
I live in midtown Manhattan, mere blocks from the hoopla.
Can hear the crowd when the balls drops.
I’ll be taking the elevator down to the wine bar in the lobby of my building. Can’t get more convenient than that.
Valdivia
delurking to wish you all a very happy new year.
Raven
Just finished Pt 1 and 2 of Wives and Daughters, back to football and see if we even care to make it to midnight.
Phylllis
@dance around in your bones: Weepy is to be expected. Be gentle with yourself. Looking forward to ‘seeing’ you around here in the new year.
Raven
@Karen: I made enchilada’s verde tonight. For the New Years day brunch I made a turkey version of Julia’s Chicken Melon but I mixed crawfish and tasso with the ground turkey breast and baked it.
Chuck Butcher
In honor of an Open Thread
My ma sent me this:
Ole’s car was hit by a truck in an accident. In court, the trucking company’s lawyer was questioning Ole.
‘Didn’t you say, sir, at the scene of the accident, ‘I’m fine, ?’ asked the lawyer.
Ole responded, ‘Vell, I’ll tell you vat happened. I had yust loaded my favorite mule, Bessie, into da…..’
‘I didn’t ask for any details’, the lawyer interrupted. ‘Just answer the question. Did you not say, at the scene of the accident, ‘I’m fine’?
Ole said, ‘Vell, I had yust got Bessie into da trailer and I vas driving down da road… ..
The lawyer interrupted again and said, ‘Judge, I am trying to establish the fact that, at the scene of the accident, this man told the Highway Patrolman on the scene that he was just fine. Now several weeks after the accident he is trying to sue my client. I believe he is a fraud. Please tell him to simply answer the question.’
By this time, the Judge was fairly interested in Ole’s answer and said to the lawyer, ‘I’d like to hear what he has to say about his favorite mule, Bessie’.
Ole thanked the Judge and proceeded. ‘Vell, as I vas saying, I had yust loaded Bessie, my favorite mule, into da trailer and vas driving her down da highvay ven dis huge semi-truck and trailer ran da stop sign and smacked my truck right in da side. I vas trown into one ditch and Bessie vas trown into da other. I vas hurting real bad and didn’t vant to move. However, I could hear Bessie moaning and groaning. I knew she was in terrible shape yust by her groans’. ‘Shortly after da accident da Highway Patrolman, he came to da scene.. He could hear Bessie moaning and groaning so he vent over to her’..
‘After he looked at her and saw her fatal condition he took out his gun and shot her right ‘tween da eyes.
Den da Patrolman, he came across da road, gun still smoking, looked at me and said, ‘How are you feeling?’
‘Now vut da hell vould YOU say?
dance around in your bones
@SiubhanDuinne: Gads, I’m so busy lately that I don’t often see these comments until much later, but i really appreciate the sentiment and the love from youse guys.
Gawddang, the other day I poured my heart out to the tree-trimmer guys (all Mexican, so I could speak Spanish to them) and got a big old hug from tree-trimmer guy. Gads…ya never know where your comfort is going to come from.
Frick. I feel so alone this year…oh, shut the hell up.
I’m fine, really.
SiubhanDuinne
@Valdivia:
Hey, nice to see you! Happy new year, and don’t be a stranger in 2012.
Raven
@efgoldman: Obviously you didn’t watch the stirring victory by my Fighting Illini in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl!
SiubhanDuinne
@dance around in your bones:
I know you’re fine, and you know you’re fine, but maybe your heart hasn’t figured it out yet. It’s only been a few weeks. So cry and laugh and dance around and play with the grandkids. And please keep posting here, often.
Valdivia
@SiubhanDuinne:
Thank you! I am always reading you guys since this is still the best blog around just not commenting much. I am sure I’ll be popping in more often as we get close to election season. I also got totally addicted to Instagram so I now share the politics bug with the picture bug. Hope you have a really great new year, thanks again for the shoutout.
dance around in your bones
@JGabriel: Thank you- it’s not the sherry but the loss of my partner of 40 plus years that has me all weepy. This place has been my quiet no stress almost anonymous zone for expressing my pain. I am so grateful for that.
@Phylllis: Thank you, grazi. mil grazi. I can’t tell you guys how much I appreciate this place. Just…….thank you.
Raven
@efgoldman: ] This has been the strangest season for Illinois I have ever seen. 6-0 start and then 6 straight losses. The defense has been very good all year but the O just collapsed. Not many people care but I do.
SiubhanDuinne
@Chuck Butcher: LOL and thanks! Oh, and HNY!
Mark S.
@Raven:
Have they gotten a replacement for Zook?
Mary G
@dance around in your bones: No, you are not fine. No one would be. Years ago a therapist told me to embrace my depression, and it sounded stupid as hell to me, but now I kind of know what she meant. Gotta go through it to get through it. Big internet hug from me.
John Cole, I thought I broke the bank when I bought this toaster. I see I have much to learn. It is awesome, though, bakes like a charm.
Here is my wild and crazy party going on now. I join in between loads of laundry.
amk
@Chuck Butcher: velly, velly good.
SIA
@dance around in your bones: I remember you by your other name I think. I don’t hang out here consistently, so I only recently realized what a tremendous loss you’ve experienced. My very belated but sincere condolences, and wishing you lots of bone dancing in ’12. {{cyber hug}}
And to the rest of you, happy 2012 you crazy diamonds.
noodler
JC,
go out, people are good.
Raven
@Mark S.: Yea, Beckman from Toledo. Lots of folks wanted them to keep Koenning, the DQ but he’s taking his jesus show to Chapel Hill.
Raven
@noodler: people are drunk
SIA
@Raven: How did you like it? I love Gaskell’s writing and also thought the movie was excellent. Have you read/seen North and South?
Karen
@burnspbesq:
Where’s Anita’s? I’m in Aspen Hill and with Takeout Taxi Matamoros delivers here.
clayton
I’m hoping this one’s husband is among the guilty.
Just my little New Year’s wish.
burnspbesq
@Raven:
There is no such thing as a stirring victory over the Common Little Adults. Triumphing over mediocrity is nothing to write home about.
So says the guy who was incensed yesterday when Duke gave up 70 points to Western Michigan yesterday. Yeah, I know we scored 110, but there are standards that must be maintained.
Raven
@SIA: We liked the first two episodes. We’ve been on a Dickens binge and this seemed like a good filler. Haven’t seen N?S yetI just saw that the BBC has a new Great Expectations with Ray Winstone.
SIA
Haven’t seen General Stuck around lately…you out there General?
Raven
@burnspbesq: So don’t write home about it. I don’t give a fuck, it’s my school and my team and I’m glad they won.
Raven
@Karen: “Where’s Anita” was a duo here in Athens a few years back.
burnspbesq
@Karen:
Jeez, they’re up to eight locations in NoVa (there were only three when I lived in Fairfax at the turn of the century). Vienna, on East Maple, is probably the closest to you. It’s worth the drive.
SIA
@Raven: I like Our Mutual Friend very much, but I admit I’d rather watch a Dickens story on film than read him. I am reading Little Dorritt because I loved the latest movie version so, so much. Will look for the new one – is it Masterpiece Theatre? It’s always good when a new production comes out. Now I’m ready for some clever Brit to do all of the LordPeter Wimsey stories. It’s just Time!
hamletta
Not a big college football fan, but that Alamo Bowl was incredible!
@dance around in your bones: Lady, you are so incredibly strong. But don’t be afraid to be not-so-strong. We love you and want you to be well.
Me, I’m catching up on This Isn’t Happiness, an incredible Tumblr of art, photography, typography, and naked ladies. He has many recurring motifs, like Batman, Calvin & Hobbes, and fishnets. And jumping.
Raven
@SIA: I think it’s being shown on BBC now. Little Dorrit was good but Anna Maxwell Martin in Bleak House was stunning. Check out South Riding too.
Raven
Where’s Anita?
Valdivia
@SIA:
the Little Dorritt production was so fantastic! And adding that North and South totally rocked my world.
YellowJournalism
Took the kidlets out to dinner and will be putting them to bed soon. Then hubby and I will snuggle up and argue over whose turn it is to pick the movie we watch. Neither one of us likes to pick in case the movie sucks. The best part is I know who’s sharing the midnight kiss with me!
Mark S.
@Mary G:
Awww, I used to have a tuxedo kitten.
How much did that cat condo cost? I’m always afraid to buy one in case my cats decide not to use it.
Mnemosyne
Had some frozen Cuban pork with black beans and rice from Trader Joe’s — yummy! Flipping around the channels and Sundance is having a Stanley Kubrick festival. The astronauts in 2001 have iPads. And the pre-mixed mojitos from Bacardi are quite, quite strong.
Mnemo +2
YellowJournalism
Pressed enter before I was done…
Have a safe and happy New Year, at least until the Mayan Zombies start chasing us around, poking spears in our butts while the mountains crumble and earth quakes.
Also, too, my Breville electric wok is the shit. Got that for a wedding gift. Never would have bought it myself, but now I’m intrigued by the idea of a convection toaster oven. Tenth anniversary is in a few years…
hamletta
@burnspbesq: Aspirin Hill to Vienna is kind of a haul, dude. Karen is much closer to Gaithersburg and its fine array of Salvadoran cuisine.
SIA
@Valdivia: And wasn’t “John Thornton” purrrr-fect? :-)
The book was really good too!
dance around in your bones
@Mary G: Yeah, every now and then I just break down and have a good ol’ cry. I think we all tell everybody we ‘are fine’ to make other people feel better. But…I have to say, being able to express my pain on this site, somewhat anonymously….is a huge comfort. Thank you for your concern and care…I wish everybody could have kind of support.
@SIA: Oh gads. I feel like I am bumming everybody out with my whining…..but ….I just love this community…and I have gotten to “know” everybody through my years of reading here? and….I just appreciate y’all….and thanks. I guess the first year w/o your life partner is always gonna be harsh.
Frack. Life…..is tough.
BGinCHI
In the absence of an open Happy New Year thread, Happy New Year in advance.
Mrs. BG about to pop out our first (and only, methinks) baby, and so on a day to day basis with labor. Thus not much doing on NYE: happy hour at a German bar with friends and this evening some Belgian beer and then wine with friends.
Wishing all of you jackals a happy as hell new year, and a safe journey with whatever you’re doing.
Chin chin.
ETA: BG+, I don’t know, 5?
Valdivia
@SIA:
he was so broodingly perfect. I love that actor, he was pretty good on the last seasons of MI-5. I loved the book too. Gaskell is a great writer.
Happy New Year!
4jkb4ia
We just got home from the Symphony, and unbelievably, this is the first concert we have seen with David Robertson as Music Director. This was another “Dance Card” program and great fun.
This is going to be as short and sweet as I can make it, and EW may get the benefit(?) of the full-on rant tomorrow.
I was in a different dark place this year than the last two, because I had some perspective on the FDL idiots and EW left. I want to thank every one of you here, especially John whom this most concerned, for letting me stick around and make a fool of myself. Outside of an ABL comment thread, BJ commenters are very kind people who simply don’t suffer idiots very well. All of you should get through the 2012 election season healthy and sane.
BGinCHI
@Valdivia: We’re on season 5 of MI-5 right now. Queueing it up as I write this….
dance around in your bones
@SIA:
I used to be licensed to kill time, but that doesn’t apply anymore.
I am chasing grandkid monkeys all day and am busy busy FUCKING busy!
so….dancing around in my boooooooones….hahhaaha
normal liberal
@SIA: Lord Peter has been done, two different versions with different casts, donkey’s years ago. They ran on Mystery. The earlier series was perhaps six of the novels (I know they did The Nine Tailors), and the second, years latter, had the four Harriet Vane books.
The latter are on DVD – I don’t know about the earlier ones. It would be fun to see a new version
Valdivia
@BGinCHI: I love that show. I particularly like that they don’t go for the neat black and white answers of some US shows on spies and terrorism, like 24 (Homeland the rare exception to that trend)
SIA
@Valdivia: Happy New Year!
amk
。☆。*。☆。
★。＼｜／。★
HAPPY NEW YEAR BJ’ERS
★。／｜＼。★
。☆。*。☆。
Steeplejack
@normal liberal:
Two sets of Lord Peter Wimsey with Ian Carmichael were (re)released about a year ago. I don’t know if they include all the episodes, but I think they might. Set 1 here.
normal liberal
Re Wimsey, since I can’t seem to edit on my iPad, there are only three Harriet Vane episodes. I thought they had done Busman’s Honeymoon, but no. And the other are also on DVD. Check Amazon.
dance around in your bones
@BGinCHI: @SIA:
I used to be licensed to kill time, but that doesn’t apply anymore.
I am chasing grandkid monkeys all day and am busy busy FUCKING busy!
so….dancing around in my boooooooones….hahhaaha
lamh35
I gots to work tomorrow, so I”m off to bed b4 new year arrives. Happy New Year Everybody.
SIA
@normal liberal: Yeah, I’ve seen those because I’ve read the books umpteen times and love them. But one of the actors was horrible (IMO) as Wimsey, and the other was OK, but it was such a dimly lit, cheap production I didn’t like it. It’s time for a really good, multi-episode, three season Lord Peter Series. But I just can’t think…who would play him. Probably have to be an unknown?
Mnemosyne
@normal liberal:
I’ve been reading those. I got hooked by the very first (free) one, Whose Body?, where Wimsey immediately realizes that the naked body in the bathtub is not the missing man they’re looking for because the missing man was an observant Jew.
4jkb4ia
@RossInDetroit:
As I read that Rick Santorum believes that doctors who perform abortions should be prosecuted as criminals, I repeated to my husband, “Rick Santorum will never be President of the United States. He will be too scary to everyone.”
Yutsano
That cake has a hole in it amk. :)
JCT
Happy New Year!
I’m on my own this year as I just arrived in AZ before the rest of my family. But I have discovered one advantage to living in a trailer, I can drink with no DUI worries since it’s stationary. Plus I can crank my music and dance with no distractions. Besides, my oldest seems to think drunken iChat with her mother is fun.
Made an awesome drink from the PDT cocktail book. A “Rattlesnake” — somehow fitting for a new desert dweller. I’m going to stop at 3 though…
A Happy and Healthy one to everyone!
dance around in your bones
@BGinCHI: Congrats, man….what a life’s journey you are starting on! (Oh hell, maybe you have five other kids) ANYWAY…..CONGRATS!!!
P.S. I have NO IDEA how those multiple posts showed up.
Must be the sherry. hahahahahahah
Valdivia
@SIA: thank you!!!
SIA
@dance around in your bones: Thats what I finally figured out :) Glad you have the grand-babies to chase and love.
SiubhanDuinne
@normal liberal:
I’ve got them all on DVD. The first lot were with Ian Carmichael as LPW, and the three* Harriet Vane stories starred Edward Petherbridge and Harriet Walter. SIA, if we can ever match up our schedules let me know and we’ll have a Wimseython!
*Sadly, and inexplicably to me, they never did Busman’s Honeymoon. And there were a couple missing from the earlier canon, too: Whose Body? and Unnatural Death.
normal liberal
@Steeplejack: Found them, thanks. I think there were more, including Murder Must Advertise, possibly my favorite of the non-Vane novels.
I wonder why English female mystery writers of that era seemed to have a thing about men’s hands – P.D. James has that little quirk as well, much later.
SIA
@amk: Purty!
JCT
@BGinCHI: How exciting! Nothing beats it — and it only gets better!
Have fun!
amk
@Yutsano: I blame it on my pug, jenny. You can see the guilty look in her eyes. The bitch.
dance around in your bones
@SIA: Grazi – I have a five, three and an almost two (ALL BOYS) to chase around.
I think I’m too old for this shit.
Gawd hep me.
SIA
@SiubhanDuinne: Yes, and those 2 (Whose Body and Unnatural Death were 2 of the best books. I want new versions! (but it would be fun to talk about them!)
SiubhanDuinne
@SIA:
I always wished Leslie Howard had been around and the right age to play Lord Peter. He would have been perfect!
I really liked Petherbridge in the part. Had no problems with Carmichael’s acting chops, but the BBC dicked around for so long on producing the series that he was much too old by the time they started filming. And he was never really the physical type as described in the stories.
amk
@SIA: Stole it. That’s my gig.
suzanne
@dance around in your bones: I obviously missed a previous thread in which you mentioned some sadness, but I very much hope for a better year next year, and I hope you post often ’round these parts.
Ruckus
@RossInDetroit:
neaner, neaner, neaner, My dick is bigger
2 Kennedy rollaways, one with sidecar, 1 Kennedy toolbox, 2 Gerstner oak tool chests.
sb
Eight minutes away for you east coast folk. Happy New Year to all the Balloon Juice people and may 2012 see an OBAMA LANDSLIDE, BEEYOTCHES!
/ahem
Many happy returns.
Valdivia
@BGinCHI:
congrats on the new little BGinCHI.
normal liberal
@SiubhanDuinne: I also have the Walters/Petherbridge series, and I so wanted them to do Busman’s Honeymoon that I apparently assumed it existed in my earlier post. I didn’t much like Carmichael in the role, but I recall my parents watching that series religiously.
Nobody springs to mind to star in a revival, but I’ll bet there’s someone out there.
noodler
Happy New Year to my Balloon Juice Friends. Watched the fireworks from the Brooklyn Bridge last year. Here in DC this year.
sfinny
Happy New Year everyone.
amk
@BGinCHI: Missus better not be reading that rather blase & insensitive post.
Best wishes to the mother and the upcoming kid.
Missus picked a name yet ?
dance around in your bones
@hamletta:
Gawddammit….thank you. Gracias.I just Love dis place.
Youse guyse……
Southern Beale
… I just love this Breville convection oven …
We got one of those — different brand but basically the same thing — for when we were in construction in our house and were without a kitchen for 6 months. Saved my life.
RossInDetroit
Those had better be firecrackers out there…
normal liberal
@SiubhanDuinne: For some reason I can’t edit. Agreed about both Carmichael and Petherbridge. I also remember the latter from the PBS long-form broadcast of the RSC Nicholas Nickleby (sp?). He was the best thing in the whole enormous production.
God, that was a long time ago.
Southern Beale
What’s everyone doing for New Year’s? We’re about an hour away here, trying to stay awake.
We saw War Horse earlier tonight. Not as bad as I thought it would be. The play was incredibly powerful, so I didn’t have high expectations for the film.
JGabriel
Happy New Year, Everyone!
.
SiubhanDuinne
Happy New Year, everyone! All best for 2012!
Steeplejack
@normal liberal:
Set 2 appears to have Murder Must Advertise, along with Five Red Herrings and The Nine Tailors.
Linda Featheringill
@suzanne:
dance around recently lost her partner of many years.
SiubhanDuinne
@amk:
Wow, that is COOL graphics!
4jkb4ia
It is heartrending that dance around in your bones, that profoundly sad person, used to be licensed to kill time, a very happy person who did great things in the troll-lyrics thread. She should find strength in the new year.
Southern Beale
Just checked my spam folder, I got about a dozen solicitations from non profit groups all reminding me I only have until midnight to donate. Woops.
dance around in your bones
@suzanne:
I can only say I LOVE yer comments. You are frickin’ stellar, gal. You go….gal!
It’s so weird how you think you ‘know’ somebody through reading their comments, no?
MikeJ
@Southern Beale: You still have an hour in Nashville.
Steeplejack
@Southern Beale:
I’m off Spielberg for a while. The Adventures of Tintin reminded me how supremely unsubtle and heavy-handed he is. The trailers for War Horse don’t inspire confidence.
normal liberal
@Steeplejack: I may need that. Thanks so much.
And Happy New Year to everyone from a dedicated lurker. This place brings warm liberal sunshine into the dark teabag-infested heart of Illinois. (Yeesh. And I’m not even drinking…yet.)
amk
@SiubhanDuinne: What can I say? I’m a poacher, I plead guilty, my lawd.
JCT
@dance around in your bones: Good thoughts your way for the New Year, sounds like you have some awesome distractions. Enjoy those boys before they become bearded, cranky teenagers.
burnspbesq
U-Dub just wrapped up a solid win over Oregon. Going to watch a couple of episodes from Season 1 of Babylon 5 and then call it a year.
Happy New Year, y’all.
Southern Beale
@MikeJ:
Yes well at this point it’s like 40 minutes. Still not sure I can stay awake.
dance around in your bones
@4jkb4ia: Oh gosh…PLEASE don’t get sad on my part.
Frack. I am DEALING…as best I can. That’s all we can do, no?
But…thank you for your concern….I MEAN it, youse guys.
Southern Beale
@Steeplejack:
He did Tin Tin? Not directed, though … War Horse wasn’t as sappy and heavy handed as I expected, which was good. But again, the play was incredibly powerful with a strong anti-war message and none of that really came across in the movie.
Southern Beale
I know it’s been done to death but there are some really great additions to the “Pepper Spray Cop” pop-culture phenom.
Ruckus
@dance around in your bones:
I’ve done the last 10 NYE alone, OK the last 2 there’s the dog. But he is snoring right now at 9pm. So not much company. It gets to be more normal. That’s not necessarily better but it is easier. I know you have been hurting, a pain which I can only imagine. I could come up with lots of platitudes, but that sounds trite. Many days life is but a bitch, my only solace is that interspersed there are bright spots, laughter, comfort, friends, closer friends, a good pet. I’ve learned to enjoy whatever I can when I have whatever for I know the joy is fleeting and to look forward to the next whatever is all I have.
Last week was the last week I got to put off having to close down my business. I’ve poured everything into it but it is not going to make it. So another chapter in the days of my lives that are a bitch.
dance around in your bones
@JCT: I don’t even want to THINK about the teenage years.
Oh my freakin’ gawd.
The Other Chuck
Anyone who’s a fan of cleek’s pie filter and would like more aggressive filtering of replies to trolls, try installing my user script at http://dl.dropbox.com/u/52548846/bj-tbg.user.js
It doesn’t wax eloquent about pie like cleek’s marvelous work, it merely minimizes the trolling without breaking WP’s comment numbering.
Just click the link and if you have greasemonkey installed, it’ll prompt you to install it. You probably don’t want it and the pie filter running at the same time, but they won’t actually conflict except maybe for some redundant controls at the bottom — mine will pretty much take over.
gelfling545
@dance around in your bones: Or maybe not yet completely fine. You will be though, one day. It’s hard to realize in our losses that someday we will be ok, not the same as before but still ok. Since I was never a big fan of NYE and since these “significant dates” we set in the calendar for ourselves seem to remind us of what we’ve lost,I tend to use NYE to grieve the losses.I cry. So what? I’m entitled. So are you and tomorrow will be one day closer to healing. NYE might as well make itself useful since it’s there whether we like it or not.
MikeJ
@The Other Chuck: I thought cleek had blocked replies to pied people. Does this go beyond? (At some point I’ll get around to updating the chrome version, I just want to steal from the best.)
Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason
@JCT: Funny. My (un)bearded (semi)cranky teenagers are much more enjoyable to be with than they were as toddlers, at least once they got out of middle school. Although, I gotta admit the elementary school years in Cub Scouts were fun, too.
dance around in your bones
@Ruckus: You know what Ruckus?
Regalo Abbracci
Bless ya, grazi.
SIA
@SiubhanDuinne: He definitely had the look. I think it will have to be an unknown, no one actor I can think of it can fit the bill! Please, BBC/Masterpiece, hear my plea. :)
In other news we just watched the Times Square midnight thingy on my iPad in the (relative) wilds of Alabama. Technology is amazing. We celebrated Eastern time since that’s “home time”.
HAPPY NEW YEARS!!! GO OBAMA!!!
MikeJ
btw, this year seems to have been light on the top ten lists, thank god, but while there aren’t ten, Oblomova over at rumproast came up with some good things about 2011:
Goodbye to all DADT.
New York legalizing same-sex marriage.
Illinois (my state) recognizing same-sex civil unions—not full marriage rights, but a darn good step.
Governor Quinn of Illinois also signing a bill banning the death penalty in the state. (And in fairness, Quinn was continuing a project started under the now-imprisoned former governor George Ryan. The OTHER disgraced former governor, that is. The Republican one. Not the one with the crazy hair. Do try to keep up.)
The new EPA standards that, for the first time, regulate mercury emissions.
Signs that the PPACA is actually delivering on its promises.
Steeplejack
@Southern Beale:
I thought going in he just executive-produced it or something, but he directed the shit out of it.
I guess my big beef is this: why do you take something where the distinctive graphics are the best part of it (the Tintin books), throw them out and replace them with some ultra-realistic graphic treatment that isn’t as good and is sort of creepy? Because you can, apparently, if you’re Steven Spielberg. Ugh.
The Other Chuck
@MikeJ:
Cleek’s filter only blocks the blockquoted text of the troll. Mine blocks the entire reply, so both sides of the conversation are completely elided. If one doesn’t use the normal reply mechanism, then naturally you’re still going to see that reply.
Mine also uses jquery, though it’s not 100% converted to using jquery instead of DOM. Should still be a bit more portable regardless.
SIA
@Southern Beale: Can’t be done too much, and oh my, This one is freaking hilarious.
Southern Beale
@Steeplejack:
I dunno. The cool thing about the War Horse play were the puppets and of course, the movie didn’t have puppets. So what can I say.
Mary G
@Mark S.: Hope you’re still up. Here is the cat tree. It is supposed to have three top perches but the connector or fittings on the perches it was supposed to connect to was bad. My friend’s husband (who put up the rest of it in about 10 minutes) was going to try to machine something, but the third perch got thrown on a chair in another room and Chenielle (the tuxedo) promptly claimed it there, so it wasn’t needed.
They are both hyper-shy and scared and didn’t want to have much to do with it at first because it’s by the window. I hated to have spent that much so I started giving them treats on it in the evening. Now that it’s cold, well, for us anyway, they are up top all evening. It’s 60 degrees at 9:30 here on the West Coast.
It’s really sturdy and the covering is a dream. I can brush hair and treat scraps off with a hand and if I use the dustbuster it looks good as new.
dance around in your bones
@gelfling545:
You know, I cannot believe the thoughtful and serious replies I have had from people here….
Gawdang, it’s like restoring my faith in humanity or something.
Frack. I loves you all.
WEEPY again….but in a GOOD way.
Southern Beale
Well happy new year everyone. I think I’m gonna turn in. See you next year!
msskwesq
Happy New Year to everyone!
Ruckus
@dance around in your bones:
That’s pretty cool. OK it’s beyond cool. See, now another good day in the books. Life is a 12 step program, one day at a time.
That looks like, Milan?
Ruckus
@dance around in your bones:
Also, how did you know that I’m half Italian? Sicilian, actually.
hamletta
@dance around in your bones: That’s why God punched me in the stomach right in the HG Hill’s parking lot. I was 38.
He was saying, “You’re not going to have children. How do you feel about that?”
I said I was OK with that. My brother has since done yeoman’s duty in that department, and provided my parents with grandbabies galore.
dance around in your bones
@Ruckus: Sondrio, Italia?
I can’t take credit for finding it; it was front-paged here on BJ the other day. But I have always been a fan of Leonard Cohen, who wrote the Hallelujah song.
Explore. I love Leonard Cohen.
JCT
@Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason: Actually, that’s the cool part as you start to get an idea of the adults they will become.
I *know* that as soon as my boy knows what college he will attend and how fantastic it will be, the great guy that he is will re-emerge.
Of course, I have the advantage that his older sister is everything that I could want in a daughter. So I have faith in what is coming no matter how complicated the present happens to be.
That is the great thing about kids, the future seems limitless and FUN, no matter how crazy the present seems.
suzanne
@dance around in your bones: Hugs. And thanks. :)
I just found out that I became an aunt again about half an hour ago. Four weeks early, and the little one is in the NICU, but all is expected to be fine. BG, congrats. :)
dance around in your bones
@hamletta: Oh sweetie, I am so sorry.
But really, kids are a pain in the ass. I mean, REALLY.
4jkb4ia
I recall what a dangerous place Schnucks is for me at night, and we are going home. I remember that it is 500 years since my people’s exile from Spain, and I feel the joy to mark out a small territory and claim it for the future, and the conviction that it is worth building because we believe in it.
“Daddy, are you afraid of the future?”, Adina asks.
“No.”
“Then Yella, let’s get on with it.”
Rabbi James Stone Goodman, “Basketball with the Ancestors”
dance around in your bones
@Ruckus:
Uh, I’m totally psychic. Hahahahahaha.
Ruckus
@dance around in your bones:
Wanna guess the other half?
BGinCHI
@amk: Jury still out on that….
dance around in your bones
@Ruckus: Uh….whut? I’m afraid to guess ;)
dance around in your bones
@suzanne: Gosh….you know, life is a good thing, I guess? So, great on the new baby stuff.
Plus, I have to double say how much I love yer comments. Since we are all end-of-the-year and drunk, says some peepuls.
Hahahaha. I just gotta keep laughing.
SiubhanDuinne
@suzanne:
Congratulations on the new . . . niephew? (Well, you didn’t say what flavor!)
Hope all goes well for the little one.
suzanne
@dance around in your bones: Aww,thanks. :) Do I spend too much time picking on FourLoko?
@SiubhanDuinne: A little niece, Skylar. :) Her mom is my cousin, to whom I’m pretty close. Due to some long-term health concerns, my cousin was told that she might not ever have kids, so this is a wonderful blessing. Baby is under 5 pounds, but is expected to go home in a few days, as long as age doesn’t take a turn for the worse. So le chaim. :)
amk
@BGinCHI: Keep living in that delusion, boy.
dance around in your bones
@suzanne: NOBODY could spend too much time wrackin’ on FourLoko.
My GAWD. You go gal. ;)
Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason
@JCT: I know I’m late on this thread, but it was teaching them to drive that changed the dynamic for me, from adult-child to adult-adult. Maybe it’s the sense of responsibility from having to control the vehicle, maybe it’s that Dad is in the passenger’s seat.
Thinking back, the same sort of thing happened with me and my Dad. I remember at one point thinking I could kill us both with one mistake, which makes you grow up pretty fast. And we ended up learning car repair together after buying a $100 Bugeye Sprite.
Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason
@hamletta: After several miscarriages, we adopted two boys from South America. I would never have seen Aconcagua, drunk pisco sours, puked from soroche, chewed coca leaves, or ridden a Bolivian bus down a mountain otherwise. And they’re great kids, too.
Origuy
@SiubhanDuinne: No one brought haggis and Dashing White Sergent wasn’t on the program. I did a mean The Highwayman Kissed His Mother, though.
Now that I’m home, I’m breaking into my bottle of 16 year old Lagavulin.
4jkb4ia
Oh. jeebus. “Idiot” is not quite the word to describe m_c, but I was thinking of the general run of troll here.
Josie
@Yutsano: Sorry that I’m so late to post this. I went to bed early.
http://moroccanfood.about.com/od/beeflambandgoatrecipes/r/Moroccan_black_eyed_peas_cowpeas_khlea.htm
I didn’t have the dried beef and used beef jerky.
Lojasmo
@Yutsano:
Dude! RISE of The Planet of the Apes. (the good one)