Season's Greetings

No Regrets?

Santabot

A New Holiday Tradition

 

The Pee By The Tree™ is a realistic-looking, durable yellow rubber mat that will provide years of Holiday Fun. Use it to shame naughty children, or to frame pets: "Kids, this is why Mr. Piddles is going back to the Shelter." Think of the look on your children's faces as they come downstairs on that special morning, and their presents appear to be standing in...you guessed it! "Well, kids, it looks like Santa had TOO many glasses of milk last night, if you know what I mean...."

The Tie of the Eiger

Special neckwear that can only be worn by Swiss Mountain Guides in the Jungfrau Region ("It's the Tie of the Eiger, it's the thrill of the Heights"):

 

Two 1959 People

While I was working at Brandeis University this past Summer, I had to deliver a lot of packages to the back of the Rose Art Museum. but never got to actually go inside and see any of the Art. Today I went down to Waltham to check it out. They're having an exhibit by Lisa Yuskavage, who, it turns out, paints rather disturbing female nudes in a rather billowy & cartoony way. (I won't post any samples here, so you'll have to look them up yourself, if you must.) 

Another exhibit had 60's Pop-Art by Roy Lichtenstein and James Rosenquist. Just as was I walking in, they were starting a presentation on one specific painting by Rosenquist, "Two 1959 People". A professor from the Art Department went on and on for almost an hour, just about this one work. Apparently it was intended to be a biting take on Consumer Culture, which, maybe back in 1963, it was. But now? I'll grant you that it is mildly unsettling, but hardly a masterpiece -- bearing in mind that anyone of us could produce a similar collage on our home computers in about a half hour. See for yourself:

 

 

One Last Dip

I'm no Polar Bear, but I did go for one more dip in Walden Pond today. It took me a while to get in. I kept getting out, and then walking back in, each time a going in a little bit deeper. Finally, I was in, and swimming, but not for very long. Every time I put my head down, it was like instant Brain Freeze right through the swim cap. This is definitely it for the Season.

Smokin' (Part 2)

Game Hens are on the grill, smoking away. Got started a little late, will probably still be running out to check on them during Big Bang Theory.

Don't worry, there's two racks, and enough for everybody.

(Later) The Hens are starting to look really good:

(Much Later) They're done:

Smokin' (Part 1)

Cornish Game Hen halves being Kashered before I put them in the Green Tea & Maple Syrup marinade. Will be outside all tomorrow, smoking them for Friday night's Seder.

 

Here they are after the Kosher Salt has been rinsed off: 

 

And here they are, nestled in for a 20-hour or so, overnight bath: 

Sure wish that Laura Packer *and* Kevin Brooks could be there with us.