January Eats: Octopus Chicharrones

Beloved Husband and I tried out a new restaurant. On the menu: Octopus Chicharrones. 

Sounds: questionable.

Was: delicious. 

January: Sometimes It Really Is Fun and Games

I do enjoy a good Scrabble game. My goal, with my Scrabble companion (who absolutely excels at the game), is to lose by fewer than 100 points. 

509 to 345. I lost. By more than 100 points. 

389 to 362. I lost. By fewer than 100 points!

330 to 350. I actually won this one! It was a very close game.

279 to 273. A low-scoring game, though once more a close game. I lost. 

342 to 217. I lost. By more than 100 points. Again. 

It was all just delightful.

January: Political Hell

The political situation: it's Hell. On toast. 

Alienation of allies and rhetoric about trying to take over other countries (!?!?). Kidnapping and murder of people by ICE. Shocking rudeness and unseemly behavior by numerous politicians. Changing of the recommended vaccine schedule which will ultimately result in the resurgence of preventable diseases, and simultaneously, a tremendous uptick in the cost of health insurance that might put it out of reach for thousands of people. Leaving the World Health Organization. Shutting down/dismantling vital departments in the government, cutting funding to necessary programs. Deliberate antagonism and punishment of people who disagree or who don't toe the party line. Neo-nazis. 

A nightmare. We are a laughingstock country. 

I cannot with all of this. It makes my (still a bit precarious) mental health shrivel. I want to take action, I feel powerless and wretchedly sad. 

Save us. 

January: WHAT ON EARTH (or not) ARE WE READING?

 I asked Audible for recommendations for books to add to my library, and it provided the following options: 

Look closely at the bottom one, can you see it? Let me read the title out loud to you:

THE COMMANDER'S CAPTIVE (AN ALIEN BREEDER ROMANCE)

A billion times NO, Audible. GOOD GRAVY.

I am not at all sure where the algorithm went awry. I do not read romance novels, for Reasons; I do not read books that involve slavery/capture/against-one's-will themes (consent, freely given, is the only option); and I most definitely do not read novels that include breeder themes (three pregnancies and difficult deliveries were plenty and I have no desire to romanticize them or re-live the idea, thank you very much). I don't read smut, again, for Reasons. In fact, I'll actively avoid books that include any of these themes. 

Gah. I feel like I need to go wash. I'll go back to my very dry, cerebral, and non-physical Sherlock Holmes audiobook now. 

January: Kitty-Sitting

 Offspring the Third's kitties are visiting. MEOW MEOW.

They are good kitties, and are always happy to see me at the end of the day when I come home from work. They do tend to step on my hair when I am sleeping, and sing the song of their people in the wee hours. And barf periodically. But who can blame them? I like company, and have occasional digestive upset, too. 

Good girls.

 

January: A Summary in Memes

January: Let's Play Catch-up

 Herself speaks.

Hello, lovely Readers! It's been... a bit.  Here we are in the third week of January already - this month has seemed both endless and incredibly speedy. 

I thought about writing one long post to cover all of the ground and bring us up to date, but that seemed like it would be unduly complex and meandering. And so, I present to you: a series of posts, gathered by topic, to summarize how the New Year has been. 

Here we go.

Sandra Boynton is the most magnificent artist/author.

I love her creativity.