how was I to know Grey Goose was pricey?

Speaking of insane price markups, here's a detailed exposé about The Noka Chocolate Company.

So, if you buy Noka's 48-piece Vintages Encore box for $100, you're getting about the same amount of chocolate you would have gotten by buying one 100-gram Bonnat bar at a retail price of $7.50. That's a markup of more than 1,300% over the retail price.

Lee, that's kind of...scary.

This past christmas trip home was the most relaxing xmas I've had in, um...4 years. I love my brother, nephew and SIL, but returning to old traditions and having no grand agenda (other than shop) and no drama was delightful.

It was also the first time I've mixed parents with friends from adulthood. They briefly met friends in college, but that was basically hellos at graduation, so it was kinda a milestone that hadn't occured to me until it was upon me. It was very good.

They let you drive yourself home after dilating your eyes? I always had to bring a driver when they did that.

My life is so exciting!

I'm watching a Ray Davies special on Ovation. But it's only 8:30 and I'm contemplating going to bed.

They let you drive yourself home after dilating your eyes? I always had to bring a driver when they did that.

I wouldn't have if I didn't think I could do it safely, and I'm pretty sure she knew that. It was safe, too, just very very cautious.

I'm spending the evening reading fanfic and listening to my Christmas-gift CDs--"Love" by the Beatles, and greatest hits albums by Elton John and Depeche Mode; it's been forever since I've heard "I Just Can't Get Enough," and the cat was looking at me strangely when I started bopping around the dining room as soon as I heard the opening notes.

While I'm thinking of it, 2 books from the 'rents that other parents might like for their kids.

Hedgie (a hedgehog- we like them lots in my family) helps a hen outsmart a tomte stealing her eggs: [link]

And Hedgie the janitor hedgehog gets to shoot into space and save the day: [link]

Both are beautifully illustrated, the former more traditional, the latter spacey and sparkly!

Watching the season finale of Dex. Hmm. I randomly called some of this, just because I felt the need to call. There's no sense of righteous victory in that.

The way Dex walks is hot.

There's very little about Dexter that isn't hot.

...

Angel has ruined me for life, hasn't it?

I post about childrens' books when everyone else is talking about serial killers....

Well, you could post about John Wayne Gacy--clown at children's parties as well as a serial killer, thus uniting the two themes!