The Cubs won! And other things on my mind.
“How many innings are in baseball?”
“Why does baseball take so long?”
“A RAIN DELAY?”
“Will this thing ever end?”
Mr. T: “You don’t even care.”
Me: “I know. But it’s cool to see everyone so excited online!”
Like many non-sports fans, I sometimes have trouble distinguishing what teams play which sports. I found out yesterday during Gendered Jeopardy that I have no idea how long a period of NHL hockey takes and I definitely don’t know the rules of any game besides, partially, basketball (Go Kings!).
But I love the excitement. I like to lurk on other people’s joy when “their team” wins, etc. I definitely like to laugh when folks get irrationally angry at losses (bro-in-law Jeff, I’m looking at you).
So last night’s sensational, first-time-in-more-than-100-years Cubs victory was really fun to observe. It was SUCH a nice break from all of the election stuff, which brings me to a Thursday 13 list of things on my mind.
1. The election. My blood pressure has been abnormally high ever since the Weiner scandal broke last week. I’m SO looking forward to next Wednesday when at least the political ads should stop cluttering up our mailbox.
2. Holidays! It’s my favorite time of year! Christmas, are you here yet?
3. Doglessness. Even though we said goodbye to Goliath a couple weeks ago, I’m still not used to our quiet house. Both T and I keep expecting our furball to appear under foot or at least beg for table scraps. Le sigh.
4. Grad student socialization. Last week four out of five of my graduate students bailed on the class with minimal notice and a range of excuses. Tonight, we discuss.
5. The great pietastophe of 2016. After reading this article on blind-baking pie crust (where you bake the shell and then fill it with something like custard), I couldn’t stop thinking about how to make the best version of Smitten Kitchen’s chocolate pudding pie for dinner with friends. Unfortunately, it was as if the butter melted OUT of the crust and pooled at the bottom. (Fun.) Naturally, the pudding was done when I figured out the crust was a bust. So as I ran to the store, I asked Mr. T to stir it occasionally so that a skin wouldn’t form. As I picked up a pre-fab graham cracker thing, T stirred the ever loving crap out of the pudding, reducing it to a hot chocolate consistency. (AhhHhhHhhHhh!) This sent me to BACK to the store to buy entire pies for the party. Now I’m obsessed with perfecting my pie technique.
6. Having too many words. I have a conference paper due on Saturday and it’s still 7 pages too long. Eeek!
7. Magic! T’s been spoiling me rotten with cool mugs lately. The first: An all-black mug that reveals the Marauder’s Map when you fill it with coffee. Indeed, I solemnly swear I am up to no good!
8. Grit. I’ve waited months for this book from the library. I’m 25 pages in and loving it!
9. Flying. I haven’t left the ground since August. I MISS FLYING.
10. My ladies. Spent some time with fabulous ladies lately. Grateful for wonderful friends and looking forward to seeing some of my favorites in Philadelphia next week.
11. Fitness in the face of fabulous cooking. While I have been working out, a lot, I’m thwarting my efforts with amazing cooking lately. (See #5 above.) Case in point: Gnocchi with pomodoro sauce. SO GOOD.
12. Fall. It’s been straight up lovely in Sacramento lately. Rainy off and on. High 60s the rest of the time. Utterly gorgeous!
13. Feminism. It’s been the talk of my classes this week for better and worse. With the possibility that a dude who PLANS to set back women’s rights 50+ years might be our next president, I’m more than a little terrified.
xoxo,
shawna
National Blog Posting Month 2016
– November 1: Talking feminism and controlling my face. Kinda.
– November 2: My patronus is a class of budding feminists
