A year in MMPs – some statistics and stuff

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
21

Oh, where to begin… So many things to say and I’ve been gone such a short time!

Master Ribald, yes, I’m sorry. I was talking about your post in the last MMP. I didn’t mean to make you go :confused:

beebs, Good Morning to you! (just didn’t want you to feel left out in my barrage of comments)
**
FCM**, your visual of swampy in a tutu really cracked me up! I imagine that the top of his wand is a sunnyside up egg and his wings are made of waffles.

DB, you can throw cookies if’n you want to. It’s the MMP and anything goes. Right?

Hey, GT, have a fun slumber party! Does everyone get to wear their most comfy flannel pjs?
**
Shoshana**, (sorry don’t know your nickname yet) I can relate. When one of the PiePups is sick I tend to spend lots of time peeking in on them to see how they are doing. This ends up keeping us both awake.

I’d like to welcome you to the club, then, Nava. Lunch as you call him is starting a collection of Internet Wives. I imagine someday Roo will join us all in this esteemed honor.

swampy, I’m hungry. Will you make breakfast for me too? I mean, after all, you are the wafflehouse fairy!

Sean, I love your sig. You must be so proud. :smiley:

As for me, I’m up from falling back to sleep after the early morning schnoodle attack. I’m trying to get motivated to go to work, but it’s not working very well. Especially since the things that absolutely have to be done are only going to take about an hour.

22

Does it work the other way around too? (i.e., is pre-marriage consummation also considered “not in-valid”?)

Ooooops, I guess I *overdid *it, here…? :eek: :smiley:

23

One vote for kugel here!!!

A jealous wife? Oh dear. Nobody mentioned that. :eek:

24

Thanks. I’ve posted a couple of times, I think, but I’m usually not very chatty online.

I’d throw a cheese tray in there, too, but my partner is taking a medication that is rendered less useful by dairy. Maybe a crab soup instead?

I know nothing about how to cook fresh mustard and collard greens (I usually use frozen), but my grocery had both fresh yesterday so any suggestions are welcome!

ETA:

Kugel. Why so many Jews are diabetic!

25

Drive by… No caffeine this morning. :frowning:

26

HAPPY NEW YEAR! fweeeeee

Well, that just took all of my limited energy this morning. Didn’t get much sleep last night due to being restless and having gotten too much sleep the previous night. I hate when that happens. Now I feel semi-zombified despite the caffeine injection. Mostly I just want to curl up on the linoleum and have a short cat-nap for about six hours or so…

My immediate cow-orker is taking his last day of vacation today, and I am supposed to have one of our outside sales guys filling in and providing backup, but he hasn’t arrived yet. Someone had better though, or there’s going to be a sternly-worded boot to the arse.

Haven’t been by the MMP much lately owing partly to having my head buried in PHP edjumacashunin, and partly due to laziness. Dunno how much I’ll be around after the new year either, for the same reasons, though hopefully with less laziness and more PHP. And SQL. And possibly some other acronyms.

I can’t believe the new year is almost here. Where the hell did Christmas go? I always seem to miss it despite promises that I’ll try and spend more time getting into the spirit. Feh…

Mooom - Fun and interesting OP there. And I can just picture Swampy now, serving tray held aloft above his head as he pirouettes, arabeasques and … uh, what else do ballet dancers do? Oh yes. Bulges.

[sub]Don’t blame me, you conjured the imagery.[/sub]

Sean - Know how you feel there. Didn’t fall into a proper sleep 'til about 4:30am. Alarm went off at 6:30. I might’ve called in sick but given the above paragraph about being the only one in my department thus far, there would have been quite a few unhappy people here, several of which have the authority to fire my ass. (I’m sure they wouldn’t, but I’m not giving them any ammunition just the same.)

Well looky, it appears my backup has arrived, and only 25 minutes late, too. :rolleyes:

Guess I’d better get some work done.

27

I have a lot of pre-consummation marriages. I don’t think I really want to make the other ones totally official, in spite of Driving Husband’s theory that if he kills everyone ahead of him in line, he gets to be Mr. Lissar, with the privileges that implies. :dubious:

Morning! And almost Happy New Year! Pass the cookies, Pie!
It’s gone so fast. Admittedly I’ve spent a lot of it either asleep or throwing up. 2008 should bring and end to both those states. :cool:
TIme for tea, laundry, making the damn shirt for QD, and running some errands. We’re trying to find out if our church has a New Year’s Mass tomorrow, or if we’ll have to go this evening. I’ve got this vague feeling it would be nice to go out for Indian buffet with the Husbands before coming back here and watching QD tidy my pantry and Driving husband get drunk.

We went to the cathedral yesterday, and it’s very beautiful, but I still get the Annie Dillard, “Who gave these nice Catholics guitars? Shouldn’t they be chanting and performing superstitious rituals? Does the Pope know about this?” line running through my head.

Off to run around!

28

There was an article in the newspaper years ago that I really should have saved, an interview with a priest who was getting his Doctorate in Law (in Spain law school is not graduate like in the USA).

The subject of his thesis was marriage trials that had been held by the religious tribunals in Navarra pre-Council of Trent, that being the XVIth century council that, among other things, included the recomendation to have a priest be one of the witnesses of a wedding and the order to have priests keep records of weddings to which they were witnesses. This is important: the wedding is not performed by the priest, it’s the couple who marry each other and not some guy with a colorful robe who marries them.

He found records of thirteen trials: in all cases, it was a woman suing a man who she claimed was her husband and now wanted to either become a monk or trade her for a younger/richer model. One was failed for the woman after the bishop took a look at her three kids’ faces and confirmed that the defendant didn’t have any relatives who could have fathered said kids… Mendel hadn’t been born yet, but people knew about inheriting faces already, thank you much. In most other cases, hundreds of people had to be interviewed - less if the couple had actually lived in the same house, but if they hadn’t, things could get real long. The whole purpose of keeping records of weddings (first, by priests, and currently by civilian judges, tribunals or whatever) is to make it easier to get proof of marriage. After all, “mutual agreement see-you-never” has been around for a long time and is a problem only if one of the two parts wants another marriage (no need for divorce if all you want is see-you-never).

The last three weddings to which I’ve been all were couple that had been living together for a while. The priests said that the purpose of the wedding was not “to marry them” but “to announce to the community a commitment which already exists.” If the commitment doesn’t exist, the wedding is just a party; if the commitment exists, the wedding is an announcement.

So, basically… those “common law marriages” and “civil marriages”? The difference between those and a “Church marriage” is not in the wedding or in who witnessed it. It’s in the compromise between the couple. If the compromise exists, you have a “full marriage” whether the couple are Catholic, Muslim or from a different planet. Where this brings us when the couple are gay or when more than two people are involved… is something that can cause ulcers quite easily. My own take is that Love can’t go wrong, but hey, I don’t have a degree in theology :stuck_out_tongue:

29

**Happy New Year!!
**
I’m back to work from my week off and there is no one here. And very little work to do. So I can hang out here!

We had a nice Christmas with Mom and Dad in southern PA and spent a couple days there. Then we drove up to Upstate NY to where I used to live and visited some friends from my old church. Then out to Worcester, MA, to see a friend who was home from Greece for the holidays. And then on to the northern suburbs of Boston to see other friends’ new house and have dinner with them and another friend. Good dinner and a really nice house. They bought it about a year ago and have done a lot of work. It’s really beautiful. A bit more formal in some areas - like the dining room that they just finished - than I would want in my house, but it did look really nice. And we had a great time catching up with them. So a good trip but a LOT of driving. My parents live too darn far away from everyone else that we know out there. Southern PA is really far from suburban Boston! But I’m glad we got to see everyone while we were back East.

Since we got home, we’ve been trying to catch up and trying to eat healthier than we did while traveling. KeithT made a great tofu & veggie stir fry on Sat that was much lighter and vitamin-filled than anything we’d had while away. And I made a veggie & ground beef soup for lunch Sun. that’s very veggie-packed. And homemade whole wheat bread. And some goat-milk yogurt that we haven’t had a chance to try yet (it just finished late last night). And then KeithT made some very veggie pork noodles for din din last night. So we’ve been eating our veggies and whole grains since we got home. But it’s all been very YUM. I like that we’re both good at healthy cooking. Oh sure, we know how to use butter and cream and we like both very much, but when we want to, we know how to cook yummy light food too. And after a week of heavy, rich foods, that’s what we both wanted!

30

Ya know I suppose people get “to-go” from WH but I don’t understand why. I mean, actually eatin’ at WH is half the experience. I can’t imagine proper appreciation of WH food if it is not eaten on the premises. Trust me, WH food should be consumed in WH. It just couldn’t be good with out the accompanyin’ ambience.

The greens are cookin’, the N.O.T. for the N.O.T. sallit have been cooked and are coolin’ down. The peas are soakin’ and shall soon start slow cookin’ in the crock pot. Oh and the ‘nanner puddin’ is made. Hmmm… I wasn’t feelin’ tahred until I typed all that up. Now, I’s tahred! I’ve been a productive bear!

BTW… I like the WH fairy idea. I may have to store that one as a possible future Hallowe’en costume. :smiley:

ETA: Thanks Sean for remindin’ about the Dead Pool. My picks are already up.

31

Good morning, everybody, and happy Almost New Year’s! Here’s hoping for health and prosperity for us all for 2008!

Great OP, Moooom – although I didn’t realize I’d started that many MMPs! Good heavens, what did I talk about? I mean, I remember my yarn one, my trip to New Orleans one, and my trip to Oregon one – oh well, if I can’t remember them, why should I expect any of the rest of you to? :smiley: It doesn’t really matter what the OP is about by page 2, in any case!

I’ve been up and caffeinating for a while, quite non-ambitiously; I’ll get ambitious later today, hopefully. Right now I’m watching an episode of Mythbusters that I had somehow managed to miss. And, of course, caffeinating. Papa Tigs and the Idiots just got back from a trip to Sam’s, so hopefully I now have ink and paper for my printer. Both of which were getting low.

It’s a beautiful, sunny day here, so that should help my ambition level. Today’s the day to tackle the dining room/sewing area. Wish me luck!

32

I’m ditching work today, but seeing as how I was out at the ball game with the boss all day yesterday, I feel justified.

I just ate the largest bowl of cheerios ever.

How’s that for mundane?

I was first, really?

33

Well, I’ve been making appeteasers for the last several hours, so I’m tired too. I’m just sitting here waiting for my client who should be here in about 20 minutes. Then I’ve got to run (literally) to the bank before the lobby closes. I’ve got an account that I’ve been meaning to close and I want to do it before they deduct another months’ maintenance fee.

34

by me

In response to Sho’s (that’s what I’m nicknamin’ her for now) query about what to do with first greens, I offer the following.

I don’t know if said greens are fresh as in still have all the stems on 'em and are biiiiiiiiig leafs or fresh as in the package says “washed and ready to cook.”

If they are of the first type, you will need to remove the stems and wash ‘em. Washin’ is not hard but takes a little bit. They should be submerged in lukewarmish water because they probably have a good deal of grit and/or sand on ‘em. The grit/sand will float to the bottom. I do this in the sink, a couple of bunches at a time. Bunch is a relative time but usually means well, as much as you think a bunch is. You will need to remove them after a few minutes of bein’ submerged/soaked and drain the water. It will be ick on the bottom with sand/grit. Clean the sink and do it again. Keep at it until all the greens have been washed. Then tear the greens (or cut if you’re into it) in pieces. Due to inherited analness, I usually give ‘em one more rinse after tearin’ 'em but it is not necessary.

If they are the “washed and ready to cook” variety, they lie. Seriously. You will need to check ‘em to make sure none of those big stems are still there. It will also probably be necessary to do some tearin’ cause some of the leafs may be too big for your taste. Also, it does not hurt to give 'em at least one rinse just to make sure.

Cookin’ ‘em is not hard just a little bit time consumin’. Here’s what I do. Start with a largish pot and add three to four cups of water. Also, add a tsp. of sugar. This helps with the bitterness but does not add sweetness. Trust me. I’m guessin’ you have some hamhock or hog jowl or the like. Some smoked turkey is good too, btw. Let the water, sugar, and hamhock/jowl/turkey/whatever come to not quite a boil (on high heat) and start addin’ greens. Add the greens a bit at a time to wilt 'em. Then turn down the heat to low and let the suckers simmer away for about an hour. They should be perfect.

I prefer to cook ‘em the day before, as I’m doin’ today, and do a slow reheat before servin’. There’s an added bonus here. If you are usin’ hamhock or hog jowl, you can skim most of the fat off the top before reheating. You still have all the flavor but a less fat. While I don’t usually cook veggies with stuff like that, I find that greens just need it. Plus it’s New Year’s and it makes 'em taste good!

Thus endeth the lesson on greens.

And now, a public service announcement:

Sean one of your dead pool picks is already daid. You need to make a substitution.

35

To be fair, swampy, I’d have had 6 also, but there was that time I completely brain-farted (even tho the MMP was composed and sitting in Word) and **rosie ** stepped up and got the proverbial ball rolling. Of course, the list should be a nudge to you MMP slackers who can’t be bothered to slap up the OP once in a while. :stuck_out_tongue: *Make a resolution - start the MMP once this year! * That’s our other motto!

We’re back from dropping off the Crossfire, having breakfast, and running to Lowe’s yet again. We bought a coat hook thingie - a board with 4 hooks on it that you screw into the wall. It’s on the wall above the key hook thingie, and our coats and my purse are hanging there now, instead of on the backs of chairs. The placement of the key hook thingie is under study - it may or may not get moved.

I’ve got the critters’ afghans in the wash right now, **FCD ** is making noise in ManLand, and shortly, I WILL attack the living room. I did get the dishwasher emptied, so I haven’t been a total slug today. Plus it’s bright and sunny, which puts me in a livlier mood than yesterday.

Car guy just called and said the van is ready. Before the day is over, I’m going to be writing a big ol’ check to Guy Motors. Stoopid motor vehicles…

36

“Float to the bottom”? :dubious: Really, swampus–starting the bubbly a bit early, are we?

Morning all. I also could not sleep, to the extent that at 0200 I thought about getting up and posting, but did not. I also slept wrong and now have a crick in my neck. Ugh.

A busy day awaits–I must forage for food for my family (if I ever make millions, I will either get home delivery or hire someone to do my shopping for me), pick up the storm windows that were ready last week and take #1 son off to his NYE party–at NOON. He is going to a friend’s grandpa’s house for the holiday. (I know the parents-no worries there). That leaves The Husband and me and #2 son home for NYE. I plan on an early night.
I love the MMP! You did a GREAT job, Fairy Chat Mom! I didn’t realize I had only [del]graced your presence[/del] written twice. I must improve.

I also awoke with a good plan for my practicum which is a blessing from god or Pan or Cthulu-whatever. I will write it up later today and hand it in.

37

DH and I celebrated our first weekend with nothing to do since August by being generally sloth-like. (slothy? slothful? slothesque?)

Felt strange to wake up on Saturday without an alarm clock and not having to scoot off to a fair or Faire.

We used a couple gift cards that we got for xmas - some clothes for DH and a starter for our eventual guest bathroom remodel - we now have the shower curtain. Until DH is working, it’s going to be a slow-starting project! Snagged a $100 set of sheets for $24 and had an unexpectedly inexpensive lunch at Chilis. The old joke at restaurants is that the crash of dishes hitting the floor is the sound of a job opening. Well, on Saturday, the sound was that of an off-duty server chit-chatting in a nearby booth with the on-duty busser and another on-duty server about how they bit their tongue and how it was all bloody and running down their chin.

We summoned the manager and he blanched a bit when he heard about the blood and let on to how they’d just had a meeting YESTERDAY about showing up on time and not lounging around the dining room and how she was half an hour late today… I’m guessing Saturday was her last day there. Wonder if he took our tab out of her last paycheck?

Unexpectedly, we got Piece #2 of the bathroom remodel on Saturday night. Our neighbor across the street is remodeling his bathroom, and he gave us his “old” medicine cabinet. Used or not, it’s a very nice dark oak/cherry Arts and Crafts piece and just the sort of thing we were wanting, so that saves us about $200. :slight_smile:

Sunday was even more slothy - watched a couple movies and that was pretty much it. I still don’t know what led him to rent it, but one of the things we saw was Jackass 2.5. I tell you what - I’ve seen less bare butts and penises in porn, and in porn, they’re generally not being bit by snakes or alligators, kicked, punched, and similarly abused. Them boys just ain’t right.

Completely dead day here at work. Trapped here until 5:00. Bah.

And something for **swampy ** to puzzle over:
B8 c+ e+ f k+ m q+ r t w

38

Awesome OP, FaerieMom.

Drive-by - I got a last-minute translating job, and I have a dish to cook for potluck tonight. Will be back laterzzzzzz.

39

Well, this is arguably the best year of my life (so far.)

This year, I:
co-authored a research project,
graduated from college
went abroad for the first time to live in Mexico
visited Spain, France, Italy, Greece, and Croatia
got the first job I applied for
Watched the entire Star Trek: Next Generation Series (for the first time)
Made fun of my husband 1,256,987 times
Was made fun of by my husband 2,167,789 times

And seem to have made some discoveries and changes which can’t really be quantified or described in words. In November, I sensed that this Winter Season had something wild and wonderful in store… I was correct. I am starting to come to terms with parts of myself that I had rejected in the past. With every day that passes I become less and less dependent on external things to make me feel complete.

2008 only promises to be even better.

Happy New Year, everyone!

40

We have reached a consensus of “I dunno” regarding evening plans. We’ll either order in or go out, and be here or at Lazy Husband’s. How’s that for definite? No matter what, there will be Indian food and Driving Husband will drink himself blind.