CABLE ADDICT

I’M BACK BABY DOLL!  After surviving a full year without cable, I couldn’t take it any longer and I caved.  I’d like to think that I was purging myself of the negativity…..but I was just being cheap and I didn’t want to give Charter the satisfaction of grabbing me by the…..uh, lady parts…..over both internet AND cable.  I finally reached my last sympathetic straw with Charter after months of waiting on the phone and yelling at them for my internet connection being down for days at a time (one time for a full 3 weeks!), and when they finally offered to pay my bill last month for the inconvenience, I took the money that I saved and switched to AT&T U Verse.

Boy did I get an adrenaline rush from telling off Charter, err, actually a timid girl named “Rachel”, who pleaded with me to stay and offered me a $12 6-month internet special.  “It’s not about the money,” I sneered, “I’m sick of the lying, being inconvenienced every week, the bad customer service, and the poor technician skills and availability.  I had to buy a new modem and pay for techs to come out to “quick fix” my connections every week.  A lot of money went down the drain because of you.  Why should I stay?  You people don’t care.”  “I care” -Rachel squeaked.  Lol Ok, I was being an asshole about it, but I was 5 months way past being agreeable.  “Sorry Rach, but it’s time that I cut the chord.”  Ok, I didn’t really say that because I’m not that cheesy, but in my head I said it……while lighting up a cigarette at the same time; the flame and curling smoke reflecting in my aviator sunglasses.  Fantasy Jen is such a badass.  No but for real…..smoking is bad for you.

Just thinking about sitting on the phone with another cable company made me break out in a sweat, so I filled out my applications online this time for AT&T U Verse.  Not reading the fine print and jumping to the assumption that “basic” cable meant the same thing to every cable company, I chose the basic cable package and high speed max plus internet with the 18 Mbps download speed.  I have no idea what that actually means, but it’s fast enough.  Days before the installation appointment I received messages and emails to “prepare” me for the big day.  I would normally find it annoying, but if you’ve dealt with Charter as long as I had, you’d welcome a countdown to the divorce.

Installation day…….”Doug” showed up on time with a big smile on his face.  I felt bad for the guy because he had to rewire everything from the street, through my crawl space and then hook up the 2 receivers……in the rain!  One thing I noticed that Charter never bothered with is that he wore protective covers on his shoes so he didn’t track any dirt in my apartment –I REALLY liked that.  3 hours later and a brief list of troubleshooting tips so I wouldn’t have to call a tech every time for an easy fix, Doug was finished.  The built anticipation was glorious and I cleared my schedule for the day –planning to drown in my sea of channels.  And that’s when I discovered that “basic” was a fistful of Spanish channels, infomercials, and PBS.  Not cool.

I was feeling betrayed after I checked the website and was informed that the cable package that included my favorite channels (FoodNet, Green, Tru, SyFy, HGTV, ComCen, CartoonNet, Travel, Discovery, TBS, and Fashion –plus the sitcom stations like ABC, CBS and NBC), was $40 more a month than I thought AND the $200 installation fee was waved if I had signed up for it in the first place.  Expecting to wait forever on hold and a fight over the $200, I was surprised to hear an actual voice after only 2 minutes of smooth jazz.  Her name was “Michelle” and I explained to her my frustration.  I heard her click her mouse a few times and then “Ok, you’re all set.”  “Wait…..all set with what?”  “You are officially upgraded to the package you want, the installation fee is waved and you should receive your channels in 20 minutes.  Can I do anything else for you today?”  I was speechless.  All of my problems were solved in 10 minutes.  That ALONE is worth the extra $40 a month for my digital cable.  With Charter I would have been on the phone for a solid day; bouncing around to different departments, respelling my name and getting yelled at for not knowing the correct military lingo –Alpha, Beta, Charlie….whatever, and then at the end of the day I still wouldn’t have a solution….just a “be patient, it’ll be up soon” or a “a tech will be out next week to fix it” and a larger bill.

In conclusion –AT&T U Verse = GOOD.  Charter cable = I hope you die in a fire you worthless son of a whore!  Side note…..I turned on my tv as soon as I got home just as Iron Chef “Battle Clam” was starting, and ended the night with “puppies dressed in lingerie” on Conan.  Ahh…..just like old times.  Great to be back!

4 Reasons That I am NOT a Fan of Handheld Gaming

Hand held gaming systems in general are such a disappointment.  I don’t get it…..I really don’t; WHY is portable gaming so damn popular?  I’m not talking about killing time playing “snake” on your cell phone.  Hey all of you Game Boy and PSP gamers –why the obsession?

Wanna-Be, dumbed-down versions of console games on a tiny screen?  Um, WHY?
I’m confused about the attraction to sad, half-assed versions of the real games; aka the “big boy pants” console games.  In recent years the quality has shown vast improvement in the power and graphics quality, but I’m still not impressed.  I’m referring to FPS or role-playing games; not simpletons like Sudoku, Tetris or even Angry Birds.  Why would Resistance or Uncharted be so enticing on such a small screen that can be easily smudged with fingerprints?  Yet surveys show a 50/50 popularity split between portable and non-portable consoles.  I’m the only one confused by those numbers?  Let’s just say that I’m a firm believer that SIZE MATTERS!

Poor audio AND screen reflectivity?
I always seem to run into screen glare/reflectivity issues and really sad audio quality with my handhelds and my phone (unless I want to completely shut myself off from the world and wear my huge noise cancelling headphones).  It’s very frustrating for me to game in an environment that I can’t control.  I've only used my Game Boy Advance SP if I'm at the airport, but I tire of it easily because I’m too distracted by my surroundings.

Constant interruptions, lack of immersion and just another excuse to be anti-social.
Why are we so drawn to “checking out” with video games while we’re away from home?  I go home if I want to escape from reality and wind down with a good game, but when I venture outside of my “cave”, I try to be as aware of my surroundings as possible and make real connections.  My video games should be played on my big HD flat screen with surround sound while sitting on my comfy couch with at least 6 hours allotted so I don't get constantly interrupted.  I understand the practicality of killing time if you’re stuck somewhere for a few hours or even waiting in line at Starbucks for a few minutes, but I’m not going to take it as seriously.

Seduction FAIL thus far!
Come on Nintendo and Sony –seduce me!  Take me out to dinner, impress me with your huge…..um, car.  Make me NEED to have you right here, right now!  Handhelds pretty much just cater to frequent fliers, kids, and college students stuck on campus.  Why do I need one?  I assume that these companies are constantly exploring new ideas to entice a larger audience, but they haven’t been very convincing.  The hype generated from the announcements for even more complex console games being released for our handhelds will continue to confuse me.  In fact, I DARE Sony and Nintendo to make a believer out of me at E3 this year.  Will 2011 be the year that I actually buy my first handheld console since 2004?

2010 Game of the Year picks

2010 was a fairly big gaming year for me since I purchased my PS3 in late 2009 and my black Wii in mid 2010.  However I logged most of my time playing “catch up” with games that had earlier releases; Uncharted, Borderlands, Lego Batman, Resistance, and Mini Ninjas.  I only just had the chance to purchase and play two 2010 games and judging by most of the comments from my friends, I think I chose wisely.  Those two games are Rock Band 3 on the PS3 (with the pro drum set), and Donkey Kong Country Returns on the Wii.

I was a very late Guitar Hero/Rock Band bloomer, and I kick myself for not jumping on the bandwagon earlier.  Had I known how much fun it would be and how quickly I would adapt to playing the drums, I would have accepted more Rock Band party invites back in college.  I bought myself the Guitar Hero World Tour band kit because by early 2010 it went down considerably in price.  Most of you know the story of how I got a little too carried away one night and, in a fit of frustration (failed a Metallica song on medium 5 times in a row), I chucked one of my drumsticks into my flat screen, cracking my display.  The first thing I did when I set up my new flat screen was beat that godforsaken song (98% baby!), but then shortly after, the red pad on my drum kit died.  Even though I wanted a pro drum kit badly, I guarded my wallet like a Chomp Chomp (heh) up until my birthday.  My GH drum kit was dead……I had a brand new tv…….GameStop had one PS3 pro drum kit left…..it was my birthday…….I might as well, right?

Rock Band 3 has an interesting collection of songs, due to introducing the key guitar to the band repertoire.  While I enjoy Huey Lewis & the News and Warron Zevon as much as the next person, it’s still a little strange to see them sandwiched between Paramore and Queen.  I’m not thrilled about the highlighted songs that COULD be in your library if you buy them on the PSN.  Don’t trick me…..I appreciate the suggestions, but sometimes it just feels like you’re being mean.  The pro drum options up the difficulty anti, and now not only do you have to quickly recognize the correct color key, you also have to differentiate between the shapes (square for drum, circle for cymbal).  If you’re like me and should have advanced from “medium” months ago, but are too much of a chicken to cross the road to “hard”, then the medium pro gives you a nice bridge of comfort.

I should preface my review of Donkey Kong Country Returns with the fact that I’m not, nor ever was, much of a Wii fan.  I bought it specifically for Netflix viewing in my room because it was cheaper than an Xbox 360.  I was introduced to the Virtual Console and picked up a Classic controller so I could play DKC, just like old times.  My world was rocked when I caught wind of the reanimation of my favorite game of all time (second maybe to Yoshi’s Island –which most of you know because I bitch about it incessantly for it’s unavailability on the Wii VC).  Counting down to the release, I spent hours online watching trailers and videos of leaked gameplay on YouTube, looking at screen shots and reading reviews –soaking up everything I could to prepare myself before hand.  Besides Rock Band 3, Donkey Kong Country Returns was the only game I gladly dropped $50 on as soon as it came out –ignoring the disapproving eye rolls from my sister at GameStop.

I’ve seen nothing but rave reviews for Donkey Kong Country Returns from long time DKC gamers, and recent Wii-hearts, but I think I may have let my expectations exceed a little too high this time.  While the environment designs for each level are beautiful and the new characters are inventive, it was the music that grabbed onto my nostalgic heartstrings and ran for the hills.  The music score for Donkey Kong Country Returns really does bring me back to the days when I was snowed in with my sister and we sat in the basement for days playing DKC on our Super Nintendo; tweaking from our 48 pack of Surge, our eyes glued to the screen like zombies. 

Honestly Donkey Kong is really bulky and heavy –he’s hard to control because he easily falls off things and thumps around –which does make more sense for his character design, but if you’re used to DK from the SNES games, it can be a difficult adjustment.  Diddy Kong is easier to control, just like in the original, but if you are playing with DK and jump with Diddy on your back, his little jet pack kicks into gear and you hover awkwardly for a bit –which will throw you off if you’re aiming for particular landing spot.  This game really utilizes the background and foreground space –giving you longer level play and more hidden areas to collect more items.  Speaking of items, there are so many new items to collect, it’s ridiculous!  Bananas, puzzle pieces, letters…..if you love collecting items, this will blow your mind!  The jury is still out on how I feel about the complexity of this game –does it improve the original or is it too distracting?  Never underestimate the joy that can come from a more simplistic game –most of our favorite games are still the ones from the classic consoles, right?

There are a lot of things I love so far about Donkey Kong Country Returns, and I’m sure that as I play on, I’ll grow even more fond of it (I look forward to the mine cart levels), but the one thing that irks me to my core about Donkey Kong Country Returns is that it’s not compatible with the Classic controller.  Maybe I’m just a Wii-tard, but I don’t have the vigorous yet graceful wrist control to be successful with the Wii remote.  I’ll have to spend more time practicing with the Wii-mote this year –I picked up Mario Galaxy recently and I have a feeling that it isn’t compatible with the Classic controller.

2011 will be an even bigger and more eventful gaming year for me, since this year I plan to attend E3 and perhaps finally buy an XBOX 360 (we’ll see) to round out my non-portable console collection.  Plus I still have Epic Mickey and Kirby’s Epic Yarn on my list to catch up on.  I have my eye on an iPhone5, iPad2, and a 3DS –lots of gaming possibilities there!  I’ll be working on more video game-based art; I’m currently designing a “gamer girl” pin-up series featuring a girl for every console –calendar, t-shirts, posters, etc.  I’ll also be writing more game reviews on my blog, so stay tuned! 

Keurig Revolution!

If you're having trouble thinking of a great Christmas gift for your family, the Keurig coffee machines should top your list.  I was the last of my family to jump on the Keurig bandwagon, but I couldn't pass up a Black Friday discount on this Keurig B-40 machine.  There are different types of machines -my sister has one that gives you 3 sizes and you can time it to brew when you wake up in the morning.  My little B-40 doesn't have a clock, and comes with only 2 cup sizes, but it's perfect for me!

With the Keurig coffee machine you brew one cup at a time so you are never stuck with stale pot coffee, and the brewing system is in the individual K-cups so there's no cleanup!

There are over 200 varieties of coffee, tea, hot chocolate and even apple cider!  You can buy the K-cups online, but I suggest using your weekly 20% off coupons at Bed Bath & Beyond -they always have a large selection of K-cups.





You can also get a "My K-cup" which is a little filter basket the size of a K-Cup, that you can put your own ground coffee in.  Which helps if you drink a lot of coffee, and if they don't supply your favorite flavor (like the Coconut Macaroon coffee from Archer Farms -YUM!).

The problem I've run across is where do you put all of those K-cups?!  My sister puts them in a basket above her fridge, but you can also purchase different sized carousels, or a drawer (like the one I have) that your Keurig machine can sit on.





So far I'm in love with the Golden French Toast, Chocolate Glazed Doughnut, Chai, Milk Chocolate Cocoa, Spicy Eggnog, Cinnamon Roll, Gingerbread, and Butter Toffee flavored coffees/hot chocolate K-Cups, and I'm looking forward to trying the Pumpkin Spice coffee and the apple cider!

Check out some more informational videos on the Keurig Coffee Revolution on YouTube!

Jen Ponders Christmas Song Lyrics and Meanings

I'd like to deticate this blog entry to Amber Evenstar, because this is exactly the sort of conversation we would have while baking Christmas cookies.

I don’t know about you, but my commute to work and back home again has been much happier since I tuned into Coast 103.5 recently (“official soundtrack to your holidays”).  Christmas music is a nice distraction from the crazy traffic, but because I have the time to sit in my car and listen to my fav Xmas classics for an hour, I’ve been really listening to the lyrics.  Ever notice how most Christmas songs (except for most of the religious ones) are very filled with some pretty upsetting innuendos?  Well I have…..and here are some of those songs, and some comments/memories on some other Christmas songs I've been hearing lately:

Baby It’s Cold Outside  -“say, what’s in the drink?” is suggesting that our Mistletoe Romeo has spiked or drugged Juliet to get into her Christmas cheer if you know what I’m saying.  *wink*

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus  -“what a laugh it would have been if Daddy had only seen Mommy kissing Santa Claus last night” –oh silly Mommy and her holiday whoring around!

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas  -no comment on the lyrics, well, maybe that it cements gender stereotypes when referring to the types of toys the male and female children want, but I have no beef with that; I’m a traditionalist.  But I do have this quirky memory of this one year where my dad had this song stuck in his head for the entire year and he’d break into song every week or so, sing the “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas” part, and then would hum the rest to himself.  My mom, my sister and I would raise one eyebrow, look at each other and shrug.  So now every Christmas I think about that when I hear that song…..or even in anticipation of hearing that song.  I always thought it was hilarious, and I can’t imagine having a Christmas song stuck in your head for a full year.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year  -“There'll be scary ghost stories and tales of the glories of Christmases long, long ago” –uh…..ghost stories on Christmas?  Sweet, count me in!  Also, “with the kids jingle-belling” –that sounds like slang for something devious…..

Christmas At Ground Zero  -…….this song is just awesome.  Period.

All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth  -“Everybody pauses and stares at me, these two teeth are gone as you can see.  I don’t know just who to blame for this catastrophe”  -beware kids –especially if you live in an abusive household!  If you act up or cause trouble, “someone” is getting their teeth knocked down their throat…..I like the mouse version where he slides down the banister too fast and breaks his teeth…..hey mouse, is that also your excuse for that back eye, or did you walk into a door too?

The Little Drummer Boy  -“the ox and lamb kept time” –how did they do THAT?!  Those are some musically talented farm animals.

Winter Wonderland  -let me get this straight, our Twinkle-toe Romeo won’t pop the big question, so he’s stringing our Juliet along with fake snowman ministers and dreaming by the fire?  I don’t think so….dump him and get a real man!  Preferably one who chops down his own Christmas tree and doesn't make excuses when it's time to shovel the snow off the driveway.

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer  -shiny red nose?  That isn’t a miracle –I think Rudolph got into Santa’s scotch.  I bet next you’re going to tell me the story of how “Ernie The Dilated Pupils Elf” helped Santa meet his toy quota for the year.

Blue Christmas  -thanks Elvis, like I wasn’t having a tough time as is being single on Christmas, you have to hit us all with a wrist-cutting “I’m so alone” song?  Perk up singles; it’s Christmas!  You should be feeling happy –people are doing great things for each other because of the holiday season!  You’re just hurting yourself by being depressed…..get off your lazy ass and do something nice for a friend or neighbor.  Sorry.....Christmas pet peeve tangent.

Christmas Shoes  -I JUST SAID we don’t need another depressing Christmas song……and this one makes me cry every time, so I change the channel whenever I hear it.  Not to mention a friend of mine who’s mom was dying, bought her Christmas shoes and my heart breaks every time I think about it.

Holly Jolly Christmas  -“Oh ho, the mistletoe, hung where you can see.  Somebody waits for you –kiss her once for me!”  -mistletoe has always intrigued me.  Not because you are supposed to kiss under a parasitic plant that is often spread through bird feces, but because a boy and a girl never just meet at a party and suddenly realize they are standing under mistletoe, like in the movies.  No, either it’s a sad and desperate loner waiting under it to be kissed, or there’s a stalker close by lying in wait for someone to walk under it, oblivious.  No magic; just a lip-rape waiting to happen.....and some inappropriate FaceBook statuses bragging about it soon after.

I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas  -well that’s just silly.  But it’s my sister’s favorite Christmas song (second to, of course, Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer).

Grandma Got Ran Over By A Reindeer  -my apologies if your Grandma really did get run over by a reindeer…….this must be a really difficult time for you and your family.

Last Christmas  -This song is a warning to us all; don’t let Christmas be your excuse for falling back into old, abusive relationships just because you’re lonely and you think there’s magic in the air….that’s just the cider talking.  You don’t “need” a fling to “last” you over the holidays…..you just need some good friends and maybe more cider.  Mmm cider.  BTW I had the BEST non-alcoholic apple cider yesterday at Fresh and Easy –go buy some like RIGHT NOW!

Santa Baby  -Ok, OBVIOUSLY this is the “striptease” music of the holiday season…..and everyone sings this song like they are desperate for some Christmas lovin…..I thought Macy Grey’s “smoker’s lung” version of this song was the worst until I heard Madonna’s version the other night; she sounds like a coked-up tween from the Bronx!  My ears are still crying…..

Suzy Snowflakes  -This year was the first year I’ve heard this song.  It’s so annoying!  Did someone argue for women’s rights against all the male Christmas figures?  Because Suzy Snowflakes tapping at your window asking “come out ev’ryone and play” with her just sounds like a peeping-tom prostitute; not very woman’s lib.

This Christmas  -Fireside is blazing bright, we're caroling through the night.  And this Christmas, will be a very special Christmas, for me yeah.  Ooh yeah, yeah yeah, alright, yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah, alright now, right now, now”  -……..do I even need to comment on this one?!

Mall Kiosks: No! Leave me alone! I already have a cell phone and I don't need more lotion or another hair straightener! >:(

Where is the personal space line at malls these days?  I noticed when I moved back to Cali that the center aisle vendors were much more aggressive than in CO, but this economy is driving them to extreme measures!  I know that they work on commission, but it's not my responsibility to pay their bills by paying insane prices on low quality items -except for my Dead Sea salt facial scrub.....and lotion....and nail buffer block.....those I needed.  ;)

Usually you can just politely say "no thank you" and they'll leave you alone.  Last holiday season I couldn't even make eye contact with them.  Today I shook my head and kept my eyes forward and the jerk actually steps in front of me and before I knew it he was grabbing my hands to put lotion on them!  I kept saying "no" "no I'm running late" "no I don't have the money" "no I already have something similar at home" and he STILL kept talking AND he kept mimicking my body language like me putting my hands out to keep him at a distance was some sort of joke or game!  I had to sharply pull my hands away, look him straight in the eye and loudly said "NO!  I don't want anything!" And then I ran away.  "Ok, but you're going to regret it later!"  -he called after me.  So not only do I get physically harassed but I get threats too?  How is that ok?!  I wish I had my tazer gun or a can of mase to empty into his grinning skull.  I was running late, I was on my lunch break, and I just wanted to get the hell out of there -otherwise I would have complained to Customer Service.  I hope he tries that with the wrong person next time and gets kneed in the groin.

I HATE going into the malls out here so I try to avoid them or go during the week on my lunch break....but I had a return and the Victoria Secret in Pasadena is on the street and I'd have to pay for parking.  I miss my mall rat days in Colorado.....those were happy times.


Why can't people just leave me the hell alone in the mall?!  I had to walk by that guy again on my way out, so I went the long way around.  I kept my head down and typed on my iPhone -but then someone from the cell phone booth started yelling out "hey, HEY!  What kind of cell phone do you use?!"  I literally ran until I reached the comfort of Bed Bath and Beyond.  I bet they get a lot of sales because of the stress-soothing products they have.  I had a coupon, so I bought a "side sleeper" neck and back pillow before I left.  Side note, God Bless BB&B for playing The Beach Boys as soon as I walked in.  It's like they knew I needed a pick me up.  :)

It's November ALREADY?!

Did everyone have a fun Halloween?  I noticed that there was a huge decrease of parties this year –side effect of a bad economy, or laziness?  I’m thinking laziness because the few get-togethers I heard about were on Saturday which WAS NOT Halloween but people kept calling it that….it was weird.  I was at home finishing up my Halloween episode for Guy Eating Cereal “Halloween Costume Contest”, and if you haven’t watched it yet, please do: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfcL_v-p6XY

I was tired, but even more determined to go out on Halloween this year in costume because the last two years I was stuck at home (food poisoning/breakup).  My friend Adam invited me to go with him and his friend Martin to the West Hollywood Costume Carnival.  We had a lot of fun -at least after we found parking, which took 2 hours!  So many great costumes –Chilean miner in a tube, a “like” FaceBook box, a house disclosure, a stock market index, tranny Lady Gagas, Mario Kart characters (with tiny karts), Fraggles, Avatars, Michael Jacksons, Pirates, Superheros, Zombies, Fat Glenda the Good Witches, Fat Alice (she apparently ate the WRONG cookie!), Red Queens, Pac Man, some Angry Birds, and even Quail Man (err, Quail Woman)!

Adam was a goth chick, I was Snow White, and Martin was……Martin.  :)

 

 

There were a few food trucks between the sea of costumes, and we stopped to try some drunken shrimp and chips from the Shrimp Pimp truck!  The garlic fries and the fried shrimp were delicious, and now I can check off another truck on my food truck challenge list!  I’m attempting to try as many food trucks as possible, so if you share my curiosity let me know and I’ll plan a food truck adventure day soon!

We saw a street fight and they attempted to break the Guinness Record for the largest group "Time Warp" dance, but I think the highlight of the night was running into the Fraggle Rock dance party!

Guy Eating Cereal - Episode 12 - "Halloween Costume Contest"

I was picked by Wit's End Productions to be an editor on the popular YouTube web series, "Guy Eating Cereal" this year, and my first episode is finished!  Check it out and Happy Halloween!!!  Also be sure to check out the previous episodes on http://guyeatingcereal.com/ !!!

Yelp Reviews

 Please check out my reviews on Yelp.com!  I have 96 reviews so far.....

http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=FfrdigNLGDv_ZellgdSqlQ

FALL

Is it officially Fall in Pasadena yet?  It certainly feels like it, smells like it, tastes like it and even sounds like it, but I’ve been fooled before.  The weather is convincing enough, but California’s two weather conditions of sun and rain can be interchangeable in any season.  I’m tempted to make the fall transition, but crossing over too early could mean some miserable conditions ahead in my apartment.

TRANSITIONS

Wheels are in motion; the leaves are changing color, the pumpkin spice lattes are at Starbucks, and I’m actually wearing socks!  It’s been two days since I turned off all 9 of my fans that I need to keep my apartment cool, and the next step is to put them away in my storage closet and take down the fan I have in my bedroom window (because it’s letting in the cold air).  But if I replace my cotton sheets with my jersey knit sheets and the heat comes back, I’ll be a sweaty mess of insomnia; so you can understand why I’m a little hesitant.  All of these changes also means cleaning out my storage closet –but hopefully I’ll find my portable space heater and a few other items that went missing this year. 

SMACKED IN THE FACE BY CHRISTMAS

You know what else is in my storage closet?  My beautiful 6ft, pre-lit Christmas tree and all of my Christmas decorations!  My gorgeous tree is going up A WHOLE WEEK before Thanksgiving this year because I’m going out of town, and I want the feeling of being smacked in the face by Christmas when I get back from visiting my sister in Florida.  Speaking of Thanksgiving –I’m so excited to visit Christine and Callum’s new place in Fort Lauderdale!  I haven’t seen it yet, and even though Thanksgiving in Palm Springs last year was fun, I’m never having a “store bought” Thanksgiving meal again!  Not if I’m fully capable of making the whole meal from scratch myself.   It always feels like a sitcom when Christine and I are in the kitchen, but damn; we do Thanksgiving right (maybe not as good as Mom’s, but she taught us well)!  The following day it’s tradition to shop the early bird Black Friday sales, make left-over turkey sandwiches for lunch, decorate the apartment for Christmas, bake Spritz cookies using my Grandmother’s recipe, and watch either “Christmas Vacation”, “Home Alone”, or “Scrooged”.  It’s going to be great; my mother makes sure we are never short on Christmas supplies each year.  Seriously though, it looks like Christmas threw up all over my apartment every season; I LOVE IT!  And this year I have requests to stay in SoCal to celebrate with my aunt and cousins, so I’m thinking of throwing a Christmas Eve fondue party for anyone who’s in town for the holidays!  Sorry condo in Mazatlan, Mexico –I’ll come visit for Christmas next year, but you know I’ll miss my Christmas morning massage on the beach.  *sad sigh*

FALL COOKING

I can hear my fall cooking appliances (that I bought on sale this summer) calling to me like eerie ghosts, “Use us, use us!  We’ve been waiting for you to unwrap us!”  -Soon, very soon I’ll break out my virgin Dutch Oven, Emulsion blender, Fondue sets (I own 3 sets now), and mini Soufflé dishes, but not just yet.  But oh how I’ve been waiting in agony to make beef stew, beer cheese soup, pumpkin soup, pot roast, Italian meatloaf, and cheese fondue!  Grilling in the summer is fun, but slow roasting a pot roast all day until your apartment smells like meat Christmas is nothing short of divine!  If next week is as chilly and rainy as this week has been so far, then I’ll have to celebrate with some hot, comforting meal that has an 8 hour+ cooking time, and invite friends over for dinner.  In the meantime, I’ll stick with ramen and carrot sticks until I can better gage this weekend’s grocery list. 

 

 Also, in 2 weeks my CutCo 7” Santoku knife with the ivory handle will be arriving in the mail!  Slicing squishy fruit and veggies will no longer be an issue, but keeping that sharp knife away from slicing open my fingers might; I’ll have to take it easy on my slicing speed. 

SOME STYLE

The rainy weather is a nice break from the hellish heat that the last few weeks brought down on us West Coast-ers, and even though I’m a year-round flip flop girl, my UGGS looked so lonely NOT to wear them!  Even though I didn’t get much use out of my winter wardrobe last year, I am still hanging onto a big armful of sweaters from living in Colorado.  Eventually I’ll have a big overhaul of my closet and retire a big percent to Good Will, but for now I’ll move my favorite long sleeved shirts to the front of the line.  My 8 year old Nike flip flops are getting ratty, but I don’t have the heart to throw them out….they are the only pair of shoes that have never hurt my feet.  I guess I can go back to Nordstroms and buy another pair, but it’s a nostalgia thing; like wearing my brown hoodie from my days on the Paramount Pictures lot, or my $5 “wall-street-suit-turned-hippie-made" silver ring from Tom’s Farms.  I’m not a style guru, I just like what I like….and this season I really like my gloves and my black and gray plaid beanie that I bought last year at the Guess outlet!  If this rain continues, I need to purchase another big black golf umbrella (I just like the style and how it wraps around me), because last season my golf umbrella fell victim to a tragic “dragged through the mud” accident on a film shoot. 

PUMPKIN SPICE AND EVERYTHING NICE

I love pumpkins.  I love pumpkin soup, I love pumpkin seeds, I love pumpkin spiced lattes, I love pumpkin bread, and I love carving pumpkins for Halloween!  But this year is the year that I’m going to attempt to grow MY OWN pumpkin in my big planter on my patio garden, so we’ll see how that goes.  I’ve been reading some articles and apparently pumpkins thrive well in containers, especially if you grow them vertically on a trellis, using cheesecloth hammocks to support the heavier pumpkins, so they won’t be as susceptible to pests, rot, mold, and diseases, like if you grow them on the ground.

I’m looking forward to the Fall/Winter/Slightly Colder season in Pasadena this year, and especially the holidays (Snow White for Halloween)!  Stay tuned for more reviews, reports, and Pumpkin Watch 2010!