Tis The Season...

...for Atkins diet treason (what else rhymes with season?)! Yesterday was Thanksgiving, and let me tell you (although Susannah already did) that there was no shortage of carbs in my dinner this year - even turkey didn't make the cut because it doesn't have enough carbs (and I was feeding a vegetarian and and a mush-puppy). We're talking about creme fraiche mashed-potatoes, sweet potato soup, Stove Top stuffing (only the best for this tummy), homemade cranberry sauce with equal parts water and sugar, and gravy that resembled refried beans, which must have a lot of carbs (maybe the missing ingredient was part of the problem). But it was pretty darn good for a thrown together meal. And not to forget the half-pint of Ben & Jerry's oatmeal cookie dough ice cream for dessert (yea, I bought that later Susannah). I highly recommend inheriting high metabolism and having jaw surgery (I can't really milk that one anymore though ;o) !

I topped off the nice evening with a wine-induced comatose nap during a recorded Miami Ink - I'm loving that show. Tatoo in the near future? "Yes, I would like to get a dragon that morphs into a kettle-ball around this bicep to represent the transformation from being a skinny guy into this hulk of a man that I am now (in about a year I'll be able to say that). Every morning I can look down at my bicep and admire the muscle and remember the effort that it took for me to start doing 100 pushups and 50 lbs of kettle-ball lifts (??) a night." Then I woke up. And then I got something stuck in my eye that made my eyes water during Mad Hot Ballroom (Netflick it). Yes, I am that beastly man with the dragon tattoo.

Frugalitarian. This is the Bushism-adjective that I came up with tonight somehow to describe myself. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that I've had $40 in my wallet for two weeks and still haven't spent it all. Or maybe because today's Black Friday and I'm wishing that I went down to Best Buy last night in the 35 degree, raining weather and stood in line so that I could get a $250 laptop that I have little or no use for. In any case, it is a big shopping week and I made the most of the sales by buying an assortment of cotton sweaters from Mexx (cotton doesn't keep you warm in the winter, but still) and a plethora of goods from the old standby, H&M - uniquely selected goods with little-or no-chance of shrinkage or stretchage...stretchege...stretching. Like $5 thinsulate-lined gloves for this winter, $12 multi-colored 50% wool scarves, and the elusive $5 white belt that I've been searching for for the past two+ years. At the same time, in the spirit of Christmas, I began trying to find websites to spend my money on Liverpool gear, like this one. The retro items and the new Adidas long-sleeve (Carra-style) jersey are certainly eye-catching. As are the damn-fine Pumas on Kitbag's website. Decisions, decisions...

Although I don't entirely agree with Susannah's anti-consumerism attitude during the holidays (stated while wearing the trendiest of trendy expensive jeans - five finger special or not ;o), I heretofore declare once again that I do not want ANYTHING for Christmas - except for Mom's coat-pole thing which I agreed to accept and see as a valuable investment. And a new pair of High Sierra pajamas (the current pair only have a hole in one the knees, but I'm willing to take the preemptive measure and get a new pair). And dryer sheets (I'm almost out). Other than that, I'm traveling light this year. Got it?

J. Riley, yum and yum.