May 2: Chocolate Charms

After two martinis at Wild Ginger and two hours of David Sedaris at Benaroya, my sister Sam and I found it hilarious to discover her name in lights on the corner of Second and University in downtown Seattle. Granted, after two martinis, we found swine flu, breath mints and the Benaroya seating chart to be equally hilarious. Nevertheless, there we were at 10:00 last night, standing on University like a couple of dorks, taking photos with our camera phones.

We're so easily entertained. And such fun when tipsy!

Although, apparently only one of us looks young enough to be carded. (Sam, you whore.)

After our evening of Girls Gone Wild Ginger, I'm now doing the domestic thing at home with Ian. James and Christian are on their annual fishing trip, and here I am, baking Chocolate Charms (pg. 110) for my sister Laura's baby shower tomorrow. They're not too bad--less sweet than I expected, but very chocolatey. I was going to make umbrella-shaped sugar cookies. But, apparently, one needs meringue powder for the frosting details. And, apparently, meringue powder is a specialty item. One not carried in Southeast King County--the freaking boonies where I live.

It's 10 p.m., and I'm very tired after my late night. But after a three-hour power nap, Ian is all revved up for the evening. So cookies it is. I sure wish he'd go play with some toys. At the moment he is staring at me across the desk and sporadically singing a song about lizards and monkeys in a tree. I think he made it up.

I realize now that I neither baked nor blogged last week. I wish I had a fabulous excuse, but I don't. Just been busy. Lots of kids sports, as usual. Lots of work. Lots of housework that I no longer have any enthusiasm for. But I have a vague feeling that happy things have happened in the past two weeks. Kind of like when you wake up with a foggy memory of the feeling of of dream, I sense that good things have been going on. I guess there have been some things to be glad about.

Things like:

1. My CD course on Languages of the World. I LOVE it. And I think I have a crush on my linguistics professor.
2. The Cedar River Trail. My goal is to walk on it at least once a week through the fall with a friend. Or, if I'm hard up, my family. Failed this week. I blame the rain.
3. Expedia.com! Their jobs are cooler than mine. Denise and I attended a meet-and-greet there last Thursday. She was trolling for job leads and I was her wingman. We went away with a vague sense that we are old and we are losers. Why is everyone on Twitter, and since when did Social Media become a function of Corporate Communications?
4. My new solar-powered garden lights. Now my backyard twinkles just like Renee's!
5. Jill Soloway, author of Tiny Ladies in Shiny Pants. I love me a Chicago hoor.
6. Southland. After 40 years of watching cop shows (anyone remember Adam 12?), I think I could actually be a cop. Or successfully date one.
7. My new Victoria's Secret Wave bra. Now I understand how those skinny models can look so stacked!
8. Dave's new album. Pre-ordered and eagerly awaited. But I'll never be able to say Grugux. I keep pronouncing it Grugrux. That Dave. He's so deliciously odd.
9. The whole concept of drinks after work.
10. The "21+11 Run." More on that later.

But I'd say that, consistently, my favorite thing has been sharing a laugh with my favorite funny people. And there are so many! What a bunch of wackos I hang out with. Do the crazies gravitate toward me or vice versa?

There's something to think about. But then again, I'm not the one whose name appears in giant blue lights just a few short blocks from the Lusty Lady and the Deja Vu Triple X Club for Gentlemen.