Pages, Pucks and Pantry

Halloween - October 31, 2008

Wasn't I a cutie back in the day? This was me back in 19....er, well, lets just say it was back in the day.

I actually don't seem to have many photos of me in Halloween costumes. I can't even remember most of my costumes. I do remember when I was in 4th grade going as a "go-go girl", with the miniskirt, boots, and glitter ball earrings. I carried a pillowcase that year and had to come back and dump it out at one time because it was too full to carry. I also remember running around the neighborhood without parentals since back then it was a safe thing to do. Pretty much every house was decorated and giving out candy. I'm sure adults in each house were watching out for us youngsters.

In high school for many years I dressed up and went trick or treating for UNICEF which was a big deal in those days. For many years I also used to borrow my moms costumes because she came up with some awesome stuff (Mom, next year we have to post those photos!). I wish I had photos of me and my three girlfriends as The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This was back before they were popular and I had to bring out one of my comics to show my girls what the heck I was talking about when I said I wanted us to be The Turtles (the costumes were lost on the crowd and we became known as the four green girls that night).

I hope you've enjoyed my month of Halloween posts. I started it last year thinking I wouldn't be able to fill a full month, but, thankfully, the Halloween fun stuff just keeps coming. May you have a wonderful day today even if you end up going to the movies to escape the holiday.

And if you just really need a Halloween fix today, tune in to Slacker Radio where they are streaming Halloween Radio. Not only will you get typical Halloween songs (I loved hearing the theme from Disney's Haunted Mansion this morning), but you'll get songs like The Man Comes Around by Johnny Cash or Vampire Blues by Neil Young (The Time Warp just came on!). Just be aware that some of the songs may not be safe for work (or little ones). You don't want to have to try to explain what having "a monster in your pants" means. To listen go here.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Meet My New Friend

Life has been insanely busy the last six weeks or so. We've been out of town almost every weekend, have had friends visiting from out of town or, the rare weekend day that I've been home, has resulted in frantic attempts to catch up on things (think laundry, scrubbing toilets, etc.).

Cooking has been few and far between. Oh, I'm getting dinner on the table, but it's usually a broiled steak or opening a package of pre-cooked shrimp, throwing it on some lettuce and calling it a salad. I have a stack of cooking magazines dating back to September that I'm still trying to get to (which are stacked on the October and November versions which have already been delivered).

But...though I am dead tired, pounding my head against the wall screaming for some down time, and it means taking up even more time trying to learn a new electronic gizmo, I am happy. Because I now own one of these.

The crazies will not stop. Currently my next free weekend is the second weekend in December and, well, I'm sure some Christmas activity, be it shopping or party, will take up the remaining weekends until the new year. But again, that's okay, because I have a new toy to play with (as does Mr. L). It makes not cooking almost worth it.

Halloween - October 30, 2008

Okay, I have a confession to make. I've never done a beer bong. I know, I know, these days it seems to be a right of passage in one's early twenties or during college days. But I never participated. Probably because I'm not a beer drinker. Give me a Black and Tan though and I'll drink it...but I don't think Black and Tan's are beer bong material. Now if someone comes up with a Margarita bong....

The ad for the Skull Beer Funnel (why not call it a bong?) says "Just pour liquid into the base of the skull and watch it come out of the bottom into your beverage container"...ahh, I get it...you aren't allowed to call it a bong because that's not what you do with it. Yes, college kids will buy this and then just funnel the beer right into their open mouth cheap plastic red or blue cup. Yeah right. To see this funnel go here.

But I honestly can see some other uses for this funnel. Making some sort of water fountain type thing out of it where clear liquid is poured into the head and blood red liquid comes out the bottom into the punch bowl. Or attaching it some way to a costume. Make a walking stick out of it? I'm sure us Halloween junkies would find many ways to use this that doesn't include getting rip roaring drunk and praying to the porcelain gods...

Halloween - October 28, 2008

I love The Nightmare Before Christmas for a variety of reasons. It's just a dang cool movie. It has great music. And there is the Danny Elfman thing. I had a chance years ago to meet Mr. Elfman and spend an hour or so chatting (okay so the guys I was with chatted, I was just a wee bit starstruck the whole time and didn't say much) with him after an Oingo Boingo concert (one of the perks of knowing someone in the music biz). I've always thought Danny Elfman was brilliant musically and I'm a fan of pretty much everything he does.

Anyway, I love the movie and the music from the movie and it tends to get played much more around this time of year. Do you realize it's been 15 years since that movie was released? Yikes.

When we went to Disneyland in September, they were just putting out all their Nightmare Before Christmas stuff. I tried not to go too crazy but I had some Disney Bucks and couldn't quite stop myself from having to own a few things (many of which I haven't found sold online and some of which I'm sure will show up on the blog when I do next years Halloween countdown).

In honor of the 15th anniversary of the movie, Disney put together a 20-track collection of cover versions of the music. Artists like Korn, Plain White T's, Marilyn Manson and Amy Lee from Evanescence and more have done their take on Danny Elfmans score.

To listen to the revisited versions go here. To check out more about the release go here. For a special edition soundtrack which also has some covers (like from Panic at the Disco) go here.

Halloween - October 27, 2008

Last year Martha Stewart showed us how to make Ladies Fingers and Mens Toes. While this was very cool, and looked pretty realistic, it did take some work. Okay more than a little work (not to mention working with yeast). These Cheddar Witches Fingers are much easier to make. And you don't have to worry about working with that scary yeast stuff (I know, someday I'll get over my fear of cooking with yeast!). For directions on how to make Witches Fingers go here. They look like they may taste pretty good too.

Halloween - October 26, 2008

Cat Bowling can be a bit addicting. To get the full effect make sure your sound is on. Of course your kids may want to know why your computer sounds like it's killing cats. Also, if you think you have it figured out try it again with a different computer. I could get strikes using one computer and could barely get a spare using another.

For Cat Bowling go here. Did I mention it can get addicting?

Oh and just so you know, today was World Zombie Day? Don't forget to hug and kiss your favorite zombie....

Small Plates - October 24, 2008

FREE ICE CREAM - Yes, just for voting, Ben & Jerrys will give you a free scoop of ice cream. From 5 PM to 8 PM on November 4th, participating Ben & Jerrys will pay you to vote. Show up with your "I voted" sticker, a photo of you in front of your polling place, do the "I voted dance" or just tell them you voted and they will give you a free scoop. Do me a favor...if you are anything like me, don't do the dance, we don't want to scare people away from ever voting again. For more info go here.

STEAL A BASE, STEAL A TACO - For the second year in a row, Taco Bell is having to give out free tacos to everyone in America because someone stole a base during the world series. Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Jason Bartlett stole a base in game one which means Taco Bell has to pay up on their promotion (it's actually the second year a base has been stolen). Head to any participating Taco Bell from 2pm to 6pm (local time) on October 28th and you will get one free Crunchy Seasoned Beef Taco. For more info go here.

FREE DR. PEPPER - I am not a huge fan of Guns N' Roses so I have not been breathlessly waiting for their new album. But they will be getting me some free Dr. Pepper. Making good on their promise to give everyone in America a free can of the soft drink if the G N' R album was to arrive in 2008, the company announced this week that the giveaway will start on November 23rd (that's the day the album will be released). After registering online, you  will receive a coupon redeemable for a 20-oz. Dr Pepper wherever the drink is sold. There is a catch though, you have to get the coupon within 24 hours of it being available. Any chance this is going to crash a few servers that day?? For more info go here.

Halloween - October 24, 2008

You do realize that Halloween is only a week away? If you are like me, it's coming up way to soon. I've been so busy lately that I haven't been able to devote the time I normally would to the holiday. And a costume? I still haven't had time to rummage around in the garage to try to find what I came up with (and couldn't wear) last year.

Maybe you are headed to a costume party soon and are just really lazy, don't want to dress up, would rather someone just handed you a mask you can put over your face?

Well, thanks to my favorite local radio station who featured this on their blog (106.5), there is a site where you can download and print out a few masks. Yes, they are all political. Yes, they all currently seem to have a republican bias. Yes, they can be pretty scary. Yes, they are not flattering to the folks they represent (poor Mrs. McCain!). Ethan Persoff calls them "Rotten Monsters". Yes, he probably is an Obama supporter. Yes, if you are easily offended politically you should not go to the site. Yes, if you find me masks of Obama I will give them equal time. For a look-see at the masks go here. And please remember folks it IS Halloween so no political backlash okay?

Halloween - October 23, 2008

I admit, I've never really had a Jones Soda. Mr. L used to drink the diet root beer. I've toyed with sending in photos of my cat and having personalized labels printed. There was the thought that I might even have had some special ones made as gifts for folks at our wedding. And I smile every year when someone brings up the Thanksgiving flavored sodas (like Thanksgiving Turkey and Gravy). But I've just never jumped on the Jones Soda bandwagon.

This year though, I may have to seek them out. Not only are the yearly Halloween cans available (go here and see photo below), but this year Jones Soda has special limited edition sodas with Eric Powells "The Goon" on them. A perfect drink to imbibe while watching the kiddies traipse to the door in their Halloween costumes. The labels are pretty cool, though you really are paying for that and not the soda. For more info on the Jones Goon soda go here. For more info on The Goon go here. If The Goon is too manly for you and you'd rather stick to cute and fuzzy Jones does have some Emily The Strange soda (of course I was joking about the cute and fuzzy part). For Emily sodas go here.

 

Small Plates - October 22, 2008

STARBUCKS DRIVE THROUGH - Since I rarely use a drive through window to get my Starbucks I'm still a bit taken aback when my assistant brings me a coffee and it has one of these preprinted labels. It certainly helps when you are getting more than one coffee for the office and trying to figure out which is which.

WINTER FLAVORS - The new flavors for this holiday season will launch November 28th. The flavors are Espresso Truffle (signature hot chocolate with espresso shots), Peppermint Twist (peppermint mocha with peppermint whip and chocolate shavings), Gingersnap Latte (gingerbread latte with candied ginger) and I believe the Eggnog Latte will be back.  New red holiday cups should be in stores Nov. 4th. Stores will be changing over to Holiday decor Nov. 26th, the day before Thanksgiving. I understand mint brownies will also be a new choice. And something called a Cinnamon Apple Stella. And then there is the Aged Sumatra. And don't forget the special Thanksgiving Blend Coffee Beans you can get starting November 4th. And I believe Shortbread Latte is coming, just not with the holiday drinks.

THE GOLD CARD - Did you know Starbucks card holders can get things free? Like a free coffee if you buy a bag of beans? Or free syrup added to your coffees? Though thats nice, sometimes it would be nice just to get a discount on my standard latte. Starbucks has listened to their regular customers and are going to be offering The Gold Starbucks card. Supposedly this card will get users 10% off all drink and bean orders. It will cost you $25 a year though. Registering your card will bring even more benefits. The Gold Cards should be available in November. Note that you cannot combine the Starbucks regular card with the Gold card (which means you can't get 10% off your drink AND get that free shot of syrup).

HAVE YOU FOUND THAT FOLKS TODAY ARE LEAVING YOU COMMENTS AND THEY ARE ALL IN CAPS? BEFORE YOU THINK PEOPLE ARE SHOUTING AT YOU, REALIZE IT'S INTERNATIONAL CAPS LOCK DAY AND PEOPLE ARE JUST PLAYING ALONG.....FOR MORE INFO GO HERE. THANKS TO THE PHANTOM FOR THE HEADS UP.