MetaChat is an informal place for MeFites to touch base and post, discuss and
chatter about topics that may not belong on MetaFilter. Questions? Check the FAQ. Please note: This is important.
I just made an awesome awesome dinner. Flank steak marinated in balsamic vinegar, olive oil, fresh thyme, black pepper, crushed red pepper, and garlic, and then broiled; roasted fingerling potatoes; quick-boiled asparagus; and a salad of spinach, bacon, dried cranberries, blue cheese, and a dijon vinaigrette. And a French-style California merlot.
A lot. And for that I'm indebted to a handful of people, most of whom I can only repay by continuing the difficult path up Mt. Awesome. Whether they'll all know it or not, I'm truly, truly grateful.
Not much has been awesome this week except for my doggie Olive. Her pouting under the couch, gently touching her tongue to the tip of my nose, and flinging fresh powder snow into the air with her nose have been the only good points of my week.
I just successfully completed setting up iTunes in a virtual XP environment inside Ubuntu Linux. They all said it couldn't be done. They said it was not worth trying. But I did it with nearly NO prior experience with Linux.
Super awesome: I made chocolate caramel shortbread squares, irish cream truffle fudge, cookies and cream fudge, and nine layer bars yesterday. (On top of the 800 cookies I baked last weekend.) And today I bake yet more cookies. I'm giving this stuff out.
Super excited awesome: Pulling a Secret Santa on a friend and his kids.
My "aunt" (not really my aunt) made lauki koftas (kind of a fried veggie meatball made of flour and calabash) and besan laddus (an Indian sweet), both of which are decidedly awesome.
Hopefully awesome: We're trying some new medication on my kid which might help his health issues in a big way. We won't know really for another month or so and I'm afraid to be too hopeful but if he responds to it, that would be really beyond awesome!
Awesome: The prospect of snow and being snowed in here in the near future. I am going to run out and stock up on some basic provisions (booze, beef) and hole up for a few days (with several episodes of BSG! Woot!)
Awesome: My new dog. Seriously, y'all, this new doggie of mine is about the finest dog to be found. I must've earned some really good doggie karma at some point on my journeys through Samsara, because this dog, she is the fucking BOMB. She couldn't be more perfectly awesome. She is a gift from some god somewhere. We are kinda sorta all really in love with her. Added bonus, she looks like this total badass (she is a rottweiler, after all), but couldn't be a sweeter girl. I think she will be a good diplomat for her breed.
Awesome: Good friends, a great town to live in, health and laughter. A lot of shit has happened in the past few months, but at this time of year I shan't dwell. Thanks Occhi, for starting the awesome thread. YOU are all awesome as well. I love Metachat. Awesome!
My husband, New York City for December(even the annoying crowds), strong hot alcohol, pimms and ginger ale, my wonderful friends, the anticipation of a new year...
Not "feeling" my age, my marriage, this great job I have, ski season being here, the Indian meal I cooked last night, having met some of you guys in both SF and NYC, being able to mostly bike around town, esp the commute to work, living in the middle of pinot noir country, working a block away from Wandering Goat, speaking of which, gonna post this and walk over there for a cup.
This thread is awesome, because things haven't been going too well for me lately and I need to remember how lucky I am. I have a good job, a great home, great friends and family, and my health (except for this cold, but with that I can deal). And tomorrow is my birthday!
Having a group of people (only one of whom I have ever met) that I can lurk in on for small, but infinitely valuable, bites of sanity and humanity. Life can bring you to your knees sometimes. And you people are an ongoing reminder that people can be kind to strangers, helpful without motive, and funny as all get out.
So thank you MetaChat. You are indeed awesome. And appreciated.
photo by splunge
photo by TheophileEscargot
photo by Kronos_to_Earth
photo by ethylene
