I was completely charmed by Lars and the Real Girl. But I'm a huge sap.

Cooking question: I'm making gluten-free cupcakes for a classmate coming to the birthay party tomorrow and I'm using a gluten-free cupcake mix. But he's also casein-free and the recipe calls for butter. Could I sub butter-flavored Crisco for the butter? And what about frosting? Would that sub work as well?

If I ever fall in love with an inanimate object--well, if I pretend it's animate--don't indulge me. STAGE AN INTERVENTION. For the love of dog. Get me therapy, get me meds. Get me help. I just can't think that's cute.

I think I'll save mopping and cleaning the bathroom for tomorrow. Now it is time for the backlog of Craig Ferguson episodes on my TiVo and choosing new nail polish colors for my fingers and toes.

Kelly and I went to a bridal show today. The venue was one of 4 owned by a family. We surprised by the number of vendors who will make their deposits refundable for military in addition to their military discount. Wasn't something she had considered before. We weren't thrilled with that venue, but stopped by the one closer to my place and found a place very worth considering. The more serious looking starts in June.

Persian cooking experiment #1 will be starting in about 5 minutes. Hopefully in two hours we will have fancy Persian rice with a chicken pomegranate "stew".

I managed quite a few things today that need to be done: laundry, new cat nail trimmers, collars for the cats, trial cat carrier that will go on the plane, new bedskirt for my bed, and lastly - soaking the luggage and backpack that the cat peed on.

Tomorrow I get massaged and then hopefully look at the sari stores for fabric for curtain sheers in the new house.

An intervention wouldn't have worked. "Persistence of belief." The harder they tried to challenge his delusion, the more strongly he would have held onto it, and the farther away from reality he would fallen. He wasn't completely gone; he was trying to make an emotional connection.

I didn't think it was "cute". I thought it was a good exploration of how his broken mind worked, and how he got himself back to a point of being able to live with other people. I like things that give people a reason not to automatically fear and hate the mentally ill.

I once read a novel where a guy has a relationship with a lemon. Unfortunately for all, it did turn sexual.

The CBC were say that the Canadian Policy is for Cabinet Minister, in the name of efficiency, to travel together when possible.

I have cleaned the cleaned the oven after the disaster of the brownie souffle.

Cooking question: I'm making gluten-free cupcakes for a classmate coming to the birthay party tomorrow and I'm using a gluten-free cupcake mix. But he's also casein-free and the recipe calls for butter. Could I sub butter-flavored Crisco for the butter? And what about frosting? Would that sub work as well?

If you can find it, I'd go with Earth Balance rather than butter-flavored Crisco. It tastes much better.

Okay, talking about makeup and cloting and home stuff. I think I'm mostly okay - less on make up than the rest, but still. I've been making a lot of changes, and I'm feeling in serious need of guidance.

I would love for someone to come for a weekend and give me uncensored opinions on all of that. I'm not applying for WNTW. But if there were a style conscious Buffista who wanted to take me in hand? I will pay your airfare to come out here for a weekend and whip me into shape. David, Jilli, smonster, JZ, others ? - so many others who might be on target. E me if you have any interest. I'm really serious about this.

The Crisco website has answers to questions about substituting for butter [link]