Today's the first day of Imagineering week. Marty Sklar hosted a panel about the 25th anniversaries of EPCOT and Tokyo Disneyland with two Imagineering heads for each park. The guys from WDW were hilarious. My favorite exchange:

ERIC JACOBSON: Our favorite change last year was when Tom (FITZGERALD, fellow panelist) and I took this:



ERIC: And did this:



And the room breaks into applause, probably much more enthusiastically than he expected. Marty Sklar started laughing. Then Tom said "And the graveyard in front of it next year!" and that got a few whistles of appreciation. I know. We're geeks. But at least we're all in one place, not out causing mayhem in the world at large.

Stolen from king_duncan:

It's time for a rousing game of Marry, Shag, Kill. You name three people (celebrities, fictional characters, etc.) and I have to tell you which I would chose for each one.

BONUS ROUND: List a second 3 names and I will answer then for the question DIVORCE, CHEAT ON, DRESS AS.

I am thankful for:

1. Extra steak at lunch today. Thanks Commissary Dude!

2. I GOT THE CAR LOAN!

Oh, I didn't tell you Cesar Jose Lima died? Yes. It was sad. And not a little scary. Three hours of non-fun at a 76 just off the 5. But! I got a loan! For a new car! The one that I want is pretty! With features! I would say 'mit funktionen' but I think the only person who would get it no longer reads this. Still! I got the loan!

3. NEW CAR. I KNOW I ALREADY MENTIONED IT, BUT IT DESERVES ITS OWN LINE.

4. I now like "Chinatown." That makes two Polanski movies that don't bore me to tears. But don't worry, I didn't drink all the kool aid, "Rosemary's Baby" still sucks.

5. The mere fact that this exists:



Seriously, is it not awesome? Also the toothpick holder. I would enjoy looking at him on my table while I eat dinner.



PS-- I really really like Chinatown. It's beautiful. What can I say? Sometimes you just grow up.

A little late on posting altogether. Have we really not talked since the 12th? Goodness.

Happy Christmas!
(Or happy irrelevant day off for those who don't celebrate it :))

1. How much money did gift giving cost you this season? Magical movie moment: think of that bit towards the end of "Bridget Jones' Diary" where she's recounting Christmas Day and under cigarettes smoked (or is it calories consumed?) she sighs "Oh, thousands." That keeps going through my head in response to this question. Probably not a good sign.

2. Was getting ready for the holidays more fun, or more stressful this year? More fun and more stressful. Still haven't mailed anything, spent a bit more than I wanted, and never found what I really wanted to get for a couple awesome people who I just haven't given anything to yet cause I couldn't find exactly what I wanted. But my home looks great, there's tons of yummy Christmas goodies in my kitchen, and my holiday party and big dinner went beautifully, so I'm filled with Christmas love, dammit!

3. Were there any gifts that you were particularly proud to have put together this year? Which was your favourite? Disneyland ears I got personalized with a nickname for someone. They don't do that. Really, it's a big thing, they don't. But I have my ways.

4. What's your favourite holiday food? Roast beast! No, peppermint hot cocoa! No, my mom's cookies! No, yorkshire pudding! No, buche de noel! No, Mrs. B.'s mashed potatoes! No, green beans with shallots and bacon! No, Christmas morning casserole! No, Mrs. Houghton's haystacks! Argh. Why must these questions be so difficult?

5. If you were to be magically morphed into Santa's tenth reindeer, what would you want your reindeer name to be? Would you have any notable or quirky reindeer characteristics? If I were a reindeer I'd be called Sparkly and with just a wiggle of my cute fluffy tail every house I flew over would be magically bedecked and bejewelled with Christmas lights and buntings and decorations galore. Why one of the reindeers doesn't already have this power I do not understand.

Just received surprise care package from my parents. Among the random goodies:

*Puerto Rico shirt from the recent Serie Del Caribe. Score!
*Burnt orange UT themed personal fan. WHICH LIGHTS UP READING HOOK 'EM HORNS WHEN YOU TURN IT ON. LOL.
*Assortment of candied pecans from Berdoll's.
*Shiner beer company water bottle.
*Brown Paper Chocolates: Espresso, Kahlua, & Cocoa Nibs. These were actually requested after I spotted them on Dallas Daily Candy.
*Two packets of Jimmy Dean Country Gravy Mix. Probably cause she knew they'd make me ROFLMAO.
*Travel pack of pink kleenex with a bunny on them.
*Round Rock Express pressed penny.
*Playbill for Spamalot.
*Recipe for Chocolate Madeleines.
*Cut-out My Cage comic from the Houston Chron.
*Another comic from the Chron: The Flying McCoys.

This afternoon has been pretty hectic and work/life drama filled. This box made me smile. Thanks Mom & Dad! Y'all rock!

Free Squishees today only at Kwik-E-Marts across the country, and their affliated stores, some little chain called 7-11. Get yourself a blue vanilla (best Squishee ever) and enjoy your Krusty-Os!

I also reluctantly recommend the donuts. Mmm... pink donut...

All things that I think fit with this week's theme of mondaysabitch: Random Fun!

1. In your opinion, is orange closer to red or to yellow? Closer to red. Especially burnt orange, which as we all know, is the best of all possible oranges. GO HORNS.

2. Do you like your vegetables cooked or raw? Varies. Corn: barely. Cucumber: Raw. Pickles are disgusting. Peas: mushy. Green beans: garlicky and either sauteed or barely steamed. Asparagus: Grilled and wrapped in bacon.

3. What's your favourite type of Pillsbury product? Um, everything? Pigs in a blanket from Crescent rolls. Sunday morning cinnamon roll pull-aparts. Fluffy buttered Grands. Flaky layered heaven. Ready-made pie crusts ready to be filled with peaches, strawberries, blackberries, and cream.

4. If you were a noise, what would you be? Laughter, I hope.

5. What world issue upsets you the most? Ignorant discussion of the world's issues.

And thus make my life complete.



Also this thread at BGG is pretty awesome, too.

HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHA

Or maybe marmalade pudding can be found here? If she was going to write a book about anything, I'd never guess it would be cooking.

IT LIVES!



Now, I have seen cooler grooms' cakes myself, in the shape of the great state of Texas and the most awesome record player ever, but this. This is sweet.

Stolen from king_duncan:

So, ladypuppy, your LiveJournal reveals...



You are... 8% unique (blame, for example, your interest in sugar kowalczyk) and 0% herdlike. When it comes to friends you are popular. In terms of the way you relate to people, you are keen to please. Your writing style (based on a recent public entry) is conventional.

Your overall weirdness is: 64

(The average level of weirdness is: 27.
You are weirder than 95% of other LJers.)

Find out what your weirdness level is!

I bet I can make it better.


The second clip has some really annoying sound effects and a built in stutter, but that first little redhead made my day.

The correct answer is: NEVER.

There's a bacon of the month club. That's right. They'll send you a different artisanal bacon every month. Oh the flavors, rubs, and regions to explore! But wait, there's more!

You also get:

• Informative notes on all bacon selections
• Discounts on The Grateful Palate bacon products and bacons
• Bacon of the Month Club Membership Card
• The bacon strip–Our members only monthly bacon comic strip
• The Bacon of the Month Club Pig Ballpoint Pen
• A little Rubber Toy Pig
• One free Bacon Tee-Shirt
• A recipe each month using the bacon selected
• Discounts on suggested wines and products in recipes
• And­–new for 2007–a pig nose!

A Bacon of the Month Club Membership Card would be frickin' sweet and right at home next to my Teamster's card. And it's only $140 for the whole year. In a perfect world I would probably spend just under $12 a month on bacon. So it's worth it.

It is, too!

That's not a quarter til "Grey's Anatomy!" That's half past "The Office."



My Dad said he thought of me as soon as he saw it. Does that mean I have a problem?

I mean it. Really. To celebrate that and the arrival of the newest family baby this weekend, bringing the number of pregnant ladies I know to six (down from nine only a few short weeks ago) I share this:



Hi Brady! Hi Jane! Hi Liliana! May you eat many puppies and make everyone you ever meet barf rainbows at your very cuteness.

I am convinced that there must be a no baby policy at CuteOverload because if there wasn't this would be the cutest overloadedest picture ever.

Because he finds cool stuff like this and sends it on to me. Then I share with y'all. And everyone is happy.

Stolen from Kapgar. If you don't know him, you should pop on over and meet him. Totally worth it.

( Alphabet Soup: )

Taken from a Gamer Yahoo ListServe Email:

Modern, Cool Nerd 56 % Nerd, 73% Geek, 34% Dork

For The Record: A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia. A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one. A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions. You scored better than half in Nerd and Geek, earning you the title of: Modern, Cool Nerd. Nerds didn't use to be cool, but in the 90's that all changed. It used to be that, if you were a computer expert, you had to wear plaid or a pocket protector or suspenders or something that announced to the world that you couldn't quite fit in. Not anymore. Now, the intelligent and geeky have eked out for themselves a modicum of respect at the very least, and "geek is chic." The Modern, Cool Nerd is intelligent, knowledgable and always the person to call in a crisis (needing computer advice/an arcane bit of trivia knowledge). They are the one you want as your lifeline in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (or the one up there, winning the million bucks)! Congratulations! Also, you might want to check out some of my other tests if you're interested in any of the following: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Professional Wrestling Love & Sexuality America/Politics Thanks Again! -- THE NERD? GEEK? OR DORK? TEST

My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 99% on nerdiness You scored higher than 99% on geekosity You scored higher than 99% on dork points

Link: The Nerd? Geek? or Dork? Test written by donathos on OkCupid, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Who, me, bored?