No, quester, not in Iowa, but Harkin has many fans in the disability press for his years-long disability-rights record. I believe Harkin has an impaired relative or something...not that he pulls a Palin and brags on it. Fay, I hope your dad will be well. On the one hand, I think standards are important. There are things that probably should not be compared, even though they are both "movies", "cheese" or "drinks" At the same time, individual taste is personal and often has an emotional or sentimental component that is independent of critics' opinion. I don't know which side to come down on.

Sidestepping the gin and cheese conversation to say that Ellie learned how to ride a two-wheel bike yesterday. I would like to take credit for her accomplishment, but she just picked up our neighbors bike and after a few minutes, was riding it. I didn't even notice at first. I'm fairly certain she picked it up from riding the Strider we got Frisco, but still, it was cool!

eta: here's a picture [link]

I typed up a whole long thing about cheese and Wuthering Heights and Wendy's and the local free range tea-smoked chicken at Lantern (which I now want), but instead I'll just say...

What. Teppy. Said. With a side of damn, srsly?

Okay, one more thing. I count Leonard Cohen as one of my favorite musicians (for example), and yet I will dance my *ass* off to some Britney Spears. Different music for different purposes, different moods. Same for food or alcohol.

Go Ellie go! That's wonderful.

I can make a spagetti sauce starting with walking out into the garden to pick tomatoes, and ending in grating a wedge of parmesan over it, that makes people sing. Yet some days, the need for Ragu and Kraft green can cheese just like Mom used to make.... yeah, it's not the same. Either way. On a day when I'm craving the Ragu and Kraft, an Iron Chef's pasta wouldn't do the job.

{{{{{{{{{{Fay&family}}}}}}}}} much ~ma all around.

Yay, Ellie!

{{Fay}} Much ~ma to you and your family.

Ellie! You're a rock star!

People like what they like. Is it wrong or right? No. It's just what you like. And sometimes, that depends on your mood and your expectations.

the local free range tea-smoked chicken at Lantern

I keep reading this as "Green Lantern chicken."

More caffeine, stat.

People like what they like. Is it wrong or right? No. It's just what you like.

It's not just liking what you like; it's also the contention that liking "crap" food means you have no knowledge of or ability to assess and appreciate the "finer" foods in that same category. As, for instance, cheese. I mean, seriously, because I like the cheese-in-a-can, I can't assess and appreciate artisinal cheese?

If I were out to dinner with Jess, I'd let her order the cheese course because it matters more to her than it does to me, but I'm still confident that if I were to select a cheese plate, it wouldn't come bearing velveeta and wrapped American slices.

Sadly, I would totally order Green Lantern Chicken, although I'd probably ask probing questions about which Lantern developed the recipe.

I'll be enjoying my fancy-ass DCU-themed organic locavore munchies in the Teppy corner; incidentally, the Teppy corner also serves awesome tots.

It's not just liking what you like; it's also the contention that liking "crap" food means you have no knowledge of or ability to assess and appreciate the "finer" foods in that same category.

I get that. As a lover of Taco Bell (which is not Mexican food, I'm well aware) and real, authentic Mexican food that I can get from local places around here, I totally get that. I understand that the food from the local taqueria is "finer" food, but sometimes, I really want a bean burrito for $0.99 at Taco Bell.