Post-Christmas Non Hangover

Usually after Christmas I'm a wreck, just coming off all the joy and adrenaline and stress and awfulness and wonderfulness that's wrapped up in the holiday.

This year, everything is moving at a glacial pace, and I'm ecstatic.

So far I've spent my days hanging at Grizz's house with his family, watching TV, eating pizza rolls, and playing World of Darkness (like D&D, more vampires and faeries). This is what we all should get after the holidays: time to recover. A vacation from the vacation. I know I'm not the first to say it, but it's still a great idea.

If I could just stop having nightmares about not being prepared for the wedding, it'd be perfect. That and the end of the world. But that's pretty normal for me. Zombies. Nameless monsters with yellow eyes and my friends faces. Normal. For me.

So, back to blogging, applying for jobs (a few interviews and such are coming up, hooray!) and writing. Started the morning with a rejection letter from a flash-fiction site. Well. At least I submitted something. It's a step forwards. 

What's on the agenda for today? Maybe seeing The Hobbit with the family. Maybe more. Maybe something worth writing about that doesn't make me sound lazy and spoiled. Well. Besides my in-character notes from gaming last night. That felt good. Very good.

I'll keep this short, as most people besides me are busy. Happy holiday hangover. Hope this helps:

My Christmas Wish was Granted

The power came back on. They're coming. :D Enjoy these fun Gifs and pics.

Thank you God, for answering my prayer, and giving the greatest gift since...well....

The reason for the season.

My Christmas wish

So, my fiancee may have the worst Christmas ever.

Let backup me explain.

My fiancee Bahamute's parents divorced a few years before we started dating. In the last few years, both his mother and father moved out of state. This year his Mother, Stepfather, and 2 Stepbrothers, for the first time in 8 years, were all going to come up on Christmas Eve, and stay for almost a week with his brother, Grizz, and his boyfriend. Bahamute had never been this excited about Christmas. Usually, he hates the holiday, and working retail, I can understand. He's getting ready for a Christmas Eve shift as I write this.

Last Saturday, Grizz's power went out, and hasn't come on since. We had no idea. And as a result, his folks aren't coming up tonight unless it kicks back on. It's supposed to have come on at midnight every day since this happened.

This is the news I woke him with on Christmas Eve. Now he's getting ready for work, and I have no idea what to say. I'll be spending the day cooking, cleaning, and with my own family. The only pain I have that's comparable is the death of my father in 2009. It's two very different situations.

What do I do? What do I say? How can I make this suck any less (We can't have them at our place due to space issues)?

I have nothing. It's a rotten situation. Merry Christmas and be alone.

Grizz and his boyfriend may come stay with us tonight. I hope they will: they're some of our best friends in the world, and Bahamute needs to be with family.

A Green Christmas for me?

Or rather, a green post Christmas, perhaps. I have a possible job starting in January with a local school district, and an interview being set up with a local irrigation company in a week or so! I'm very excited about the 2nd one, as they reached out to me, and the location is closer. Here's hoping!

All I really want for Christmas is a new job. And this stylish piggy bank!

In other news, SAVING MR. BANKS is AMAZING.

I went with Bahamute and another friend. Bahamute and I cried. A lot. But it was good crying. He just sat there muttering 'Stupid Tom Hanks.' I said 'It's fine to cry if it's Tom Hanks. It's like how it's not gay if you're attracted to a 10 of your own sex. They're just so good, you can't help it.'

He didn't think that was as funny as I did.

Other than that, it's been pretty quiet around here. Today is gonna be a real house-wifey day: cooking and cleaning. Baking for Christmas, really. I have a super Jam-Thumbprint cookie recipe that I may share with you all in the near future.

Not much else to report. I'll have to do something more interesting today than a Narnia movie marathon.

Psst. Special kudos if you're here from my Tumblr: over 100 followers! :D

Writing Exercise: Moving Day

Looking for a new home is always so trying. There’s the children: they’re so sensitive to anything the littlest bit different. Pets can be a pain, dogs barking at new noises, cats hissing at new people. They’re all so easily disturbed. It’s really very sad.

Even adults have a hard time coping. ‘What’s that noise?’ ‘Where did I put the box of china?’ ‘When did this get moved?’ It just never ends. It’s almost not worth finding a new home.

But once they moved the graveyard I didn’t have much of a choice. This house looks nice…

Geek Grub: Innkeeper's meat and potatoes

Get a real inn-style meal without spending the gold pieces!

You want HOW much for trail rations?!

You'll need:
1 cup of milk
 4 7/8 ounces instant potato mix
1/2 lb ground beef
2 cups shredded or sliced cheddar cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese (optional)
1/4 cup butter
1 tsb Garlic
Dash of salt
Dash of pepper

1. Salt and Pepper beef. Cook in non-stick pan on stove top until brown, then drain off the fat.

2. Make mashed potatoes according to package. Add milk, garlic, and mozzarella if you're using it, and stir until creamy.

3. Layer time! In a baking dish make the following layers: one inch potatoes, all the beef, half the cheddar, the rest of the potatoes, and lastly, the rest of cheese.

Tasty, tasty murder.

4. Bake at 350 until the cheese melts and the potatoes start to turn golden brown. usually between 10-20 minutes.

5. Let sit for five minutes and eat.

6. Defeat the orks.

He looks hungry!

Geek Grub: Easy cheesy chicken pizza

Another family favorite, easy to make, even easier to eat one handed.

YOU'LL NEED
2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt
Garlic
Pepper
1 can of refrigerated pizza dough
Olive Oil
Shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic on chicken breasts and bake at 350 for 25 minutes until cooked through. ALTERNATIVE SPICES: Lemon pepper. Lemon Juice. Lime Juice. Poultry seasoning, Cajun seasoning. This really works with almost any spice.

Except this. Do not do this.

2. Pre-bake dough, if the can instructs you to. Otherwise, unroll dough on baking sheet, and smear a bit of olive oil all over the surface, and sprinkle some garlic on it too.

3. Chop up the chicken into itty-bitty pieces. I use scissors to make it easier.

Safety first!

4. Put chicken on pizza crust. Cover with shredded cheese. Bake according to can.

5. Let cool and enjoy.

Unless you're this guy.

The (Job) Hunter Games: One Month

It's been one month since my internship at the law firm ended. In that time I've applied for over 35 jobs, had two interviews (one with the County, one with a local school district), and a few small pet sitting things. I've eaten into my saving set aside specifically for the purpose, but I'm not out of money just yet.

I've learned to cook, bake, and scrape together a good meal with stuff around the house. I've worked on a few writing projects, cleaned a bit, and lost a little weight due to not wasting money on snacks and fast food.  I read books on how to interview, write a resume, and a cover letter; I have a few more checked out on screenwriting. If it wasn't for the money issue, I'd be perfectly happy to be a homemaker.

I feel ambition-less. You can only clean, cook, apply for jobs, and write so much before you run into a wall. Or at least, I can only do those things so much. I feel guilty when I see my fiancee go to work, and I'm at home doing so very little. I always try to have something to show him when he arrives: a newly-cleaned spot, a home-cooked meal, a blog post or youtube video. Anything to show I'm not just sitting here, being lazy while he works.

Guilty. That's how I feel. He's working and I'm here...doing this. This week I've got a pet and house sitting gig: the money is paying for our Christmas presents to the rest of the family. At least I can do that much.

He knows how I feel, and we're talking about it. But nothing is going to make me fell better. Not until I start bringing in income again. I've been the financial head of the family since my Dad died in 2009. I've had a job since the age of 16. I'm over the novelty of time off. I want to work again.

For today, it's back to applying, reading up on how to better present my resume, and pet-sitting with two adorable huskies. Maybe I'll even do a little more writing. 

Geek Grub: Easy Reese's Fudge

This is a chocolaty, peanut buttery delight forged in the fires of Sugar Rush's deepest candy caves.

You'll need
1 package of chocolate chips (12 oz)
1 jar peanut butter
2 sticks of butter
2 cups of powdered sugar
A big ol' nonstick pan
1 of those huge Reese's Peanut Butter Candy Bars. (4oz picture, but use the biggest one you can find)

Manna from heaven!

Break up the bar in squares and put it into a pan. Add the chocolate chips, butter, and and the peanut butter.

Melt over low heat while STIRRING CONSTANTLY. Fullmetal Alchemist will still be on Netflix when you're done. Trust me.

See? He'll hang around.

When it's smooth, turn off the heat and add the powdered sugar. Mix it until everything is smooth and chocolaty. Mm-mm.

Refrigerate until firm (30 mins to an hour). If you wanna put it into a baking dish to serve, that's cool too. Frankly, I just put the pan outside, since I live in Michigan, and fridge shelf space is at a premium. 

Another fine day in the U.P.

Then you cut that chocolaty goodness (with the blunt side of a butter knife so your pan isn't wrecked) AND EAT UNTIL THE DIABEETUS COMES.

You'll know.

Geek Grub: Peanut Butter Crunchies

Another classic create 'n crunch while you mow down Goblins (or Vampires, or space marines, or whatever). They're a bit hit with my friends and family, and SUPER easy and cheap.

YOU NEED:
1 cup of creamy peanut butter
1 cup of corn syrup
1 cup of sugar
6 cups of Corn Flakes OR Rice Krispies OR Cocoa Krispies. Whatever your cereal preference/availability may be.

Age restrictions may apply.

1. Mix sugar and corn syrup in a pot, and bring to a boil. 

2. While it's heating up, put the cereal into a glass baking dish. 

3. Turn off the heat, and mix in the peanut butter until melted. 

4. CAREFULLY pour mix over cereal and stir in.

5. Clean up spilled cereal. YOU WEREN'T CAREFUL ENOUGH!

6. Once they're hardened, slice and serve. Or eat in warm gobby handfuls, whatever floats your boat. Who am I to judge? They're delicious either way.

Geek Grub: Easy Cheesy Potatoes

Here's a modified recipe that's easy, quick, and can be made with stuff on hand. Perfect for those Sunday Afternoon Gaming Sessions that need something more hearty than pizza and pop. Original unaltered recipe is here.

Just remember this on those extra-long dungeon crawls...

Easy Cheesy Potatoes

• 5 potatoes, peeled and sliced OR 2 cans of pre-sliced potatoes
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cheddar cheese soup
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• Olive Oil (to grease baking dish.)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x9-inch baking dish with olive oil. 
2. Layer the potatoes into the prepared baking dish. Mix together the soup, milk, garlic, pepper, and melted butter in pan until thoroughly combined; pour the mixture over the potatoes.
3. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven on a lower rack until the potatoes are tender, about 1 hour.

The Desolation of Smauglock NO SPOILERS

You know what's not easy? Being  Sherlock fan. Not only is the show utterly heartbreaking, it takes literal YEARS between series, due to how the BBC operates. Here's a handy list of things that have happened before Sherlock Series Three came out:


N'Sync came back.

Agent Coulson came back.

The U.S Government shut down AND came back. 

Harry Potter came back.

Moriarty came out. 

So yeah, it's been an eventful few years in between series, and the fans are getting impatient. I only saw the series about a year ago, but for a viewer used to 3 months at most between seasons, it's hard.

Then there's The Hobbit.

 Not only does it star Martin Freeman as  Bilbo Baggins, AKA Dr. John Watson, Arthur Dent, Oliver Chamberlain, Tim Canterbury, Declan,  and many others, but Benedict Cumberbatch, AKA Very Silly Name Sherlock is Smaug!

"Beachbody Compasstrap!"Also, try the name generator! I got "Butawhiteboy Cantbekhan"

And in Desolation, these two get to talk to each other for a WHILE. Seeing as the book is 75 years old, and most fans have read it, this has led to a rather interesting phenomenon. A phenomenon called SMAUGLOCK. Smashing Sherlock and The Hobbit together has created some rather intresting stuff...

There's less savory NSFW stuff too, but that's true of LITERALLY EVERYTHING on the internet. For the most part, you've got a lot of dragons whining about mysteries and wearing purple scarves. No harm done, right?

Well, the problem is, John and Sherlock are friends, and Bilbo and Smaug are not. Duh. But for fans of both, Desolation is the first time in literally years when their favorite actors are back on screen together. And some are having a wee bit of a hard time processing the fact that not only is Smaug a straight up villain with no redeeming qualities, HE GONNA DIE!

Seen here in this strangely leaked footage.

There's a LOT of talk about how 'sad' it is, and how they're 'rooting for 'Smaug'. The only sad part for me is that the fans can't separate two great actors who just HAPPEN to be working together again without making it mash with another fandom. I'm glad the filmmakers didn't put in any little nods or winks: the word 'Deduction' is NOT mentioned by either party during Smaug and Bilbo's meeting. It's exactly as it should be. AWESOME.

It's not wrong to enjoy Smauglock silliness (if it is, I don't want to be right). But don't let fanon get in the way of someone telling a story properly. Take both for what they are: amazing works with the same actors. Nothing more, nothing less.

One Day More (The Hobbit)

To the Tune of Les Mis 'One Day More'

[ME]

One day more!
Another day, another Hobbit dream.
And even now it seems;
These films that seem to fill my mind
Will surely end this daily grind;
One day more!

[MY FIANCE]
She won’t shut-up today
How can I live with this much longer?

[ME]
One day more.

[MY FIANCEE & MOTHER]
Tomorrow it’ll be Hobbit Day
And yet her obsession is much stronger

[FRIENDS]
One more day on her Tumbler

[MY FIANCEE & MOTHER]
Will we ever hear her stop?

[FRIENDS]
One more day of her not caring.

[MY FIANCEE & MOTHER]
I am tired of the slop.

[FRIENDS]
What a blog I might have known.

[MY FIANCEE & MOTHER]
And I swear I’ll just go nuts!

[FRIENDS]
But she cannot write a thing!

[THEATER EMPLOYEES]
One more day before it starts!

[FIANCEE]
Do I follow where she goes?

[THEATER EMPLOYEES]
And the cosplays flood our aisles.

[FIANCEE]
Should I join my lover there?

[THEATER EMPLOYEES]
When the lines begin to form

[FIANCEE]
Do I stay, will she care?

[THEATER EMPLOYEES]
Will you get the receipts and see?

[ALL]
The time is now, the day is here

[ME]
One day more!

[Smauglock fans]
One day more to sexy hobbits,
We will pinch them on the butt!
We’ll be ready for hot Smaug,
And write all sorts of smut!

[ME]
One day more!

[CONCESSION STAND]
Watch ‘em run around,
See her Hobbit doll,
Never know what sounds
you’ll hear when fan-girls bawl,
Here’s some nacho dip
That’s a little much!
Most of them are weirdos
So just don’t touch!

[Fans (2 Groups)]
[1:] One day to a new film classic

[2:] Raise the flag of fandom high!

[1:] And Thorin will be a king

[2:] And Thorin will be a king

[1:] Still two years till new ‘Jurassic’

[2:] There are dragons in the sky

[ALL]
Do you hear the fandom ring?

[MY FIANCEE, TO ME]
My place is here, I watch with you!

[ME]
One day more!

[THEATER EMPLOYEES]
We will mock these people’s heroes
We will giggle when they go
To enjoy their smutty secrets,
And perverted things they know.

[ME]
One day more!

[MY MOM]
Tomorrow she’ll be worlds away

[FRIENDS]
What a blog I might have known!

[MY MOM]
And yet for her it’s already started

[THEATER EMPLOYEES]
One more day to Hobbit mania
We will take the cash flash flood
We’ll be ready for these weird fans

Who say they’re of dragon-blood

[CONCESSION STAND EMPLOYEES]
Watch ‘em run around,
See her Hobbit doll,
Never know what sounds
you’ll hear when fan-girls bawl,

Here’s some nacho dip
That’s a little much!
Most of them are weirdos
So just don’t touch!

[ME]
Tomorrow I’ll be far away,
In middle earth where Hobbits play

[ALL]
Tomorrow we’ll discover
What Peter Jackson has in store!
One more dawn
One more day
One day more!

Job Hunter Games: LifeHacks experiment

Back in my day, "LifeHacks" were known as "tips." Or maybe "Household hints." Aside from the name,  what is so intriguing about these new tips?

Well, some are obvious.

This rates right up there with buying insurance and extra toilet paper. It's not a bad tip, but honestly, if you have to be told this kind of thing, the rest of the hacks are probably beyond your grasp.

Some are semi-inspirational dribble.

What can I add to...that? Oooh, all I have to do is move on? Thank you blue background and black text!

Then there are useful tips from cooking to cleaning to defense to techno trouble. 

The actual tips are the ones I find myself enjoying, even if I don't use all of them, or ever see myself needing them. And frankly, how are we supposed to verify any of these things work without trying them?

Well, I'm right in the middle of trying out this LifeHack: "Put two capfuls of vanilla extract into the oven at 300 for an hour. Your house will smell amazing!" It's about 20 minutes in, and yes, the house is starting to smell like vanilla. My unwitting fiancee, who has no idea what I'm up too, hasn't mentioned the smell yet. It's not the most cutting-edge tip, but it's a good place to start. 

Now I just have to kill time until the hour is up. Hm. Well, I guess I could...read...more LifeHacks. Well, since I'm jobless, let's look at the money-savers!

That's...pretty dishonest. I don't have money to go out drinking anyway.

I'm still waiting to get my decal, so the jury is out on this one.

THAT'S what I'm talking about! Free ice cream. Yummy!

Yummy and practical. But so very bad for you.

Being rewarded for basic human decency with delicious pickles? Score!

Fifteen minutes to go, and my fiancee still hasn't said anything. Granted, the vanilla smell isn't particularly intense. Time to step up my game. I just told him there was more pizza in the kitchen if he was hungry. When he goes in to get it, we'll see if he notices. If the fifteen minutes are up. So, I guess I'll just keep writing.

Hey, that seems like a good idea. Now, where the hell can I get a sticker...

Wonderful. You can pair it with this:

Ah, here's one I did try:

I am now the proud owner of new shoes, and gave my old too-small ones to a friend. Didn't seem to work for me at all. Granted, I had those shoes for over ten years, and my feet grew. Still, not bad for character shoes. There's a variant of this, where you fill a small ziplock with water, put it in the shoe, and freeze it. Maybe that works better.

Nearly the end of cook time, and the house doesn't reek of vanilla, which I suppose is a good thing. Maybe when my Mom gets back she'll notice. It could be that we've been sitting in the house and don't notice. 

Time's up! Well, let me just get the pan out of the oven...

JESUS THAT'S VANILLA-Y!

The smell was definitely stronger when I opened the oven. Fiancee STILL oblivious. Or at least, blivious, but not talking about it. Still, smells better than it did. I guess it's a success. Maybe next time I'll try more vanilla, or a different cooking vessel (a small cast iron pan). Well. Time to start looking for my next LifeHack experiment. And a job.

P.S.: some LifeHacks are HILARIOUS.