History is fun!

youtube video by CD101FM

Hope you're having a wonderful month. They might be giants. And what are we going to do unless they are?

PS: We have a lot of history on this Earth. Happy Earth Day!   tIO x

"I'm having a bad, bad day..."

Truly cannot wait to see this. It already makes me giggle uncontrollably.   tIO x

PS: I'm not really having a bad, bad day; I used some gorgeous new MixologyMakeup today and got my hair cut. (Hi, Nancy. xx)
The post title references the lyrics to the title song, 'Despicable Me'.

Abed and the Punchdub

Apparently it's been about the humor this week. Here's our Friday installment:

(And I want to start this with you. You know who you are.)


Have a wonderful weekend, blogfriends!   tIO x

A Starter, Main, and Dessert

If you don't at least crack a smile at these two I will be seriously disappointed. Seriously.
And a word of warning: there is some naughtiness and off-color language.




(Thanks to Omniscient and Malinky2Stoatir; via youtube)

May your day be full of laughter and amusement.   tIO x

"Baby it's cold outside!"

Truer words from one of my favorite movies:


Only six more weeks of winter!   tIO x

"1 cup fresh lemon juice"

Perhaps this is a non-sequitur during the winter gastronomical season, but I love lemon bars. Here's my favorite recipe: (from Ina Garten's 'Barefoot Contessa Cookbook')

For the crust:
1/2 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

For the filling:
6 extra-large eggs, room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4-6 lemons)
1 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1 cup flour
1 cup Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack, and leave the oven on.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

Cut into bars and dust with confectioners' sugar.

Yummy! And remember this...

Made by the lovely dazeychic; click-through to find her shop on Etsy.

Off to bake! TTFN...   tIO x

Flip a Coin

Or don't. Use this:


Yes, no, maybe so. Thanks for perusing this blog; blog you again soon!   tIO x

Mid-week Music: Sara Groves "Toy Packaging"

Another Wednesday is here! And it's time for some mid-week cheer, courtesy of the lovely Sara Groves. (And it's set to flashing Christmas lights! Ooohh... But don't get too distracted by the shiny lights; these lyrics are inspired. Sara speaks words of wisdom yet again!) OK, now press play:



Christmas Lights PBL - Sara Groves ~ Toy Packaging from robogeek on Vimeo.

Best line: "Honey!"

Happy Christmas! And may your toys be easily opened. tIO x

PS:  Last year, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos echoed the "wrap rage" described in this song. This year, Amazon is offering "frustation-free packaging" on many items. Visit the previous link for the F-FP homepage on amazon.com, and do notice the offer's sub-title: "Reducing wrap rage since 2008." Clever, Mr Bezos; and thank you so very much.

Mid-week Music: Billy Mack "Christmas is All Around Us"

Yes, the video is a bit risque. But it's a parody. And the song is choice. And 'Love Actually' is... all around us:


Happy Christmas from tIO x

Pretty Funny in Plaid

(Note: this review was originally drafted on 6 May 2009. TIO regrets the delay in posting.)

Well, it's over.
The book, that is.
Pretty in Plaid.
You know.

I am actually still laughing because the last 20 pages were hilarity-inducing. The whipped cream, fudge, nuts, cherry, AND sprinkles of the book.

And I literally fell off the sofa.

Pretty in Plaid made me giggle at first, in a polite "I'm-trying-to-fit-in-at-your-house-during-this-rush-party" way. Admittedly, it took awhile for me to ease into hearing a woman's voice inside an eight-year-old's story. But as the years progressed and Jeni's wardrobe expanded, I really started to understand how her experiences and environments shaped who she is, the 'Jen' she's become.

In her first three books, Jen Lancaster covered approximately eight years and journaled her career flourishes and follies. With PiP, she started at the beginning (a very good place to start). For her to condense 25 pre-graduation years into one book, however, was ambitious. But it worked and worked well. I went back in time with her to the formative days of amibition (read: Girl Scouts), the satirical days before prom, and days full of ennui in college. But whether or not Jen went to prom is not what capitvates: her transition from satirist to sartorialist engages and is - best of all - witty. In the end, Jen's forthrightness and willingness to not take herself too seriously is what attracts. It is endearing and for that I will follow her every (c)logged step.

Cheers, Jen. The late night was worth it...again.