I take it all of the L.A. people are okay, if likely to be wildly inconvenienced by the freeway accident/fire?

So my new CI recipe is hamburgers. It's EXACTLY THE SAME as the hamburger recipe in the cookbook. And, yes, I have said to myself, "self, I imagine that's probably a pretty good hamburger recipe, if I were inclined to make hamburgers from a reciple." But... it's already been tested. Why are they sending it to me for testing?

There is a recipe for hamburgers? Besides "pat meat flat"?

I suppose I've put in onion soup mix sometimes. That's just for kicks.

Happy Birthday Matt, Cashmere and Megan!!

amych, maybe you're the control group?

Also, I've sent a "sorry you're incarcerated" letter, and I don't think it would have felt right sending a pre-messaged card. I'm actually currently wondering what do to about a sympathy note -- I have a sympathy card here in my house, but I might just do a plain note anyway.

Can someone tell me what the hell everyone was doing at the bookstore today? We had the expected tons-o'-teachers ("Educators Appreciation Week" began today, which gives 25% discounts to teachers instead of just 20%), but there were lots of non-teachers buying in bulk as well, seeming to start their Xmas shopping, or maybe just stocking up. I had a lot of sales over $200, and one over $500 (after the 25% discount).

With the teachers using their discounts, I figured it might be harder to sell those membership cards, which my manager was pressuring me to do before we opened. But, with all the big sales, I ended up with ten card sales, which the manager thought might be a record for a non-holiday-season 8-hour shift! Even though I don't work too often there, I'm getting a nice rep for being a primo card seller, which is always good.

I also spent 40 minutes wrapping presents for one of those teachers spending $300 on kids books, all of which she wanted wrapped in multiple-item packages for her grandnieces and -nephews Xmas gifts, making the wrapping even more of a PITA. Her timing couldn't have been better--I was supposed to start my break five minutes after she showed up, so since I was pushing back my final break for her, I didn't feel guilty for pulling out the stool and wrapping while seated, which at least gave my feet and back a break.

One of the co-workers from today called me tonight, asking if I could take his on-call shift for tomorrow (meaning I'd have to be available, even if they didn't need me), but I told him I was too busy. I didn't say I'd be busy sleeping and watching NFL.

Happy Birthday Cashmere and Megan!

Thanks for all the birthday well-wishes, everyone.

I was mildly bummed at first about the Buffy singalong in St. Louis being cancelled right before my birthday, but still had a great day today. Some friends treated me to lunch, I saw The Jane Austen Book Club at the movies, then took my cousin out for Moroccan for dinner where I found out Amir put his seafood tagine (perhaps one of my two all-time favorite entrees) back on the menu after a 3-year absence.

I wish I had spent too much money at the book store today! Or yesterday, really. I spent most of today on a bus, with a friend who was mostly sleeping and a book I'd read before and remember too much of.

I spent the morning at the dentist and the afternoon in urgent care.

I think I was channeling ita or something.

I spent *plenty* of money today--first at Target (where I'm not even sure what I bought, other than a brita pitcher...just random crap, honestly! But $75 worth!) and then at Home Depot (where, I SWEAR paint did not used to be that expensive--$23 a gallon? Damn! $125, and that's only cause they messed up my one paint and gave it to me for $5!)

But I have painted two and a half walls of my new apartment! Yay! The one wall is way more yellow and less orange than I thought it would be, but I'll survive. And the orange is more orange and less brown than I thought it would be. But again, it'll do. Together, they make the apartment so much warmer!

Tomorrow, to see if the green and blue I bought for the bedrooms are also Not At All what they looked like on the paint sample...

Lee, that doesn't sound good.

Your dreamcook amuses me. It was doing fine with the cherries bit, but beyond that...

I know! In the dream, I was appalled. But still doing it!

Jen, did you IKEA? Whenever I go to White Marsh, that's usually the point.

eta: meara, I still can't believe you're on the other coast. I'm happy for you, but still so weird! Your parties were the first I'd attended of someone I'd met off the internets!