See, I *like* Swiss cheese (not just to taunt Perkins), baba ganouj, and edamame (dear god yes)

I like them fine, too; but, yeah, they're just not very luxe. The baba ganouj even had olive oil drizzled right on top, and yet somehow it still didn't quite sing out to the soul of a ray of hope in darkest midwinter.

Not like a good baked brie wrapped up in butter-drizzled phyllo, which may not be heart-healthy but is oh so good for everything else. It's like a light box for your tongue!

No joke - you can have perfectly lovely party fare that is heart healthy.

What I really need right now is inside pants and a hefty martini.

lines up with JZ for inside pants and tasty beverage

Still at school, but headed home soon. We had auditions today and yesterday for our winter show. I will have 2 casts for this: one is a curricular cast of 8th graders and the other is extracurricular and all grades can audition. Between the 2 casts, I will have 97 kids in the show.

Now I have to go home and cast them. Dear heavens me.

Our cat Toke plays in the water dish endlessly.

5 minutes is forever to a cat!

Devi rocks the other water tank just so she can chase the bubbles in the tank. But she doesn't knock it over.

She just did that to 3 different humidifier tanks and broke them.

headdesk

These people do not know the meaning of last, final or deadline.

Ha ha ha STAB. I had the most bananas day today. All morning, busting my ass to get this thing done, while people were making changes all around me. I got it done, and probably 90% right. I know I screwed up a couple of things, but I think not too bad. But ugh.

Then it was the diversity potluck, which was fine, if mostly boring, and we left a little early, so I got a drink with a couple of coworkers, which was nice, until a screaming group came in, and then I just had to go.

I hope I can relax again some day. Probably this weekend.

For an example of my day, I had to ask around for the safe-for-work version of "clusterfuck" before I talked to the COO. I ended up with "somewhat frustrating."

Despite the lack of fresh dill in my hometown, holiday party spinach dip is accomplished! Now I just have to remember to take it and one of those frozen Mediterranean foccacia things with me when I leave for work tomorrow.

One co-worker talked herself out of baking stuffed shells and instead decided to make manicotti—doubtless it'll be very good, but I don't know how that's going to work as party favors...

Not like a good baked brie wrapped up in butter-drizzled phyllo, which may not be heart-healthy but is oh so good for everything else. It's like a light box for your tongue!

Yeah, but -- when you're at a holiday gathering, and you have to compete with dozens of other party-goers who all want the brie (oh, yum), you're only going to end up with a few bites; there's no way to bogart the entire wheel of brie (don't ask how I know that).

And a few bites of baked brie are not going to make or break someone's cardiac health.

That's why you eat cheese with red wine. They cancel each other out!

Scola KNOWS.