Linking, Linking, and More Linking

Buster weighs 15 pounds now! He is half the size and twice the age of FattyFatFat!

Man. Things have been busy here in El Paso! First we had that thing, then that other thing, then napping. Man. Busy!

In the meantime, here are some random bits and pieces I keep wanting to tell you about but haven't, due to the Busy.

1. I have found the PERFECT laundry concoction, in terms of smells and washingness. First, Method detergent in Clean Linen Scent. It comes in a pump and you use four squirts for your load. No drippy cups or measuring things or spouts. Also, refillable. THEN ADD THE SECRET INGREDIENT: Purex Crystals. They look like rock salt but smell like Lavender (in the scent I get, which is what you should get) and you put them in the wash and they sniff up your laundry in a serious fashion. Like, the other day I was lounging in bed and noticed a lovely scent and sniffed my undershirt and was all "Hey! Lavender!" and we all know I had been wearing it for, like, twelve days due to the Busy. If you go to Facebook and search for Purex and Like them they will give you a buck off. Which I am all about because I am a pimp for Facebook coupons.

2. Did you watch Downton Abbey this January? No? How about Upstairs Downstairs? No? You are dead to me. Go watch Upstairs Downstairs until May 24 on PBS.org. I am re-watching UD after refreshing myself on the politics of abdication and all the back-players in the British fascist regime. ARE YOU HAPPY, CARINA?

3. Nick Jr and the like need to stop importing shows from Canada. Aside from Kids in the Hall and the original, non-soft-core Degrassi Canada shows are crap. I point to Dino Dan if you need proof. I am not linking because I hate it that much.

4. I signed up for this site that gives me free stuff if I blog about it or whatever, and I haven't done much with it because I haven't been thrilled with the things. But then they sent me the L'oreal Double Extend Mascara Of The Gods and now I am telling you that you need to get it. It is amazing. And I am a High-Ticket Mascara purchaser. The also sent me the L'oreal One Sweep Eye Shadow and it is pretty rad, too, but I am not as fanatic about eye shadow as I am about mascara, so it is not as exciting to me. But this mascara, freaking awesome. My lashes look really really really really long. And SPARKLY.

5. Six more weeks of kindergarten. We had to order a cap and gown for Jooj. Really.

Back soon with more things. And Buster. Which I know is all anyone wants to see. And Jooj, for Continuity and Sass.


I was sent the L'oreal makeup to review, but the opinions are mine. If Purex or Method or PBS or England or Wallis Simpson or Fascism want to send me anything, I would totally take it. Canada, please stop sending me your television shows.

I Make Toys, But I've Got Aspirations.

So, one of the few benefits to having W gone for the holidays is that I can Grizwold up the place as early as I want. Being a Holiday Traditionalist by religion, though, I have put off the decorating until as close to Thanksgiving as I can without needing to go to a Christmas Confessional. The music, on the other hand? Since September.

Here are my favorite holiday albums:

Barenaked for the Holidays--Barenaked Ladies. This is truly my current favorite. Probably because I have been on a BNL kick lately (don't blame it on Yokie.) and have been filling the ipod with all of the albums. But this one has just the right amount of pathos mixed with whimsy mixed with Judaica.

Sufjan Stevens: Songs for Christmas. I like this one because it makes me want to slit my wrists a little bit, and then drink some cocoa. Which is really appropriate for the holiday season, if you are being truly honest with yourself and your experience. Also because the whole album flows together from front to start, like those old Beach Boys studio albums. But without the wierd animal sounds.

Gifts--Cherie Call. Part of my new lease on life involves no longer trying to be cool. So I admit I like me some sappy Mo Music. But Cherie Call is a gifted folk-singer in her own right, which makes this less guilty than, say,

Home For Christmas--Amy Grant. Yes, I know she thinks I am going to Hell. Even though SHE is an adulteress and I am just someone who believes that you need faith AND works. But that Breath of Heaven gets me every time. And the heavily abridged Handel's Messiah? Great to sing along with in the car.

Mary's Lullaby: Christmas Songs for Bedtime. We have actually not stopped listening to this since ~J gave it to us two Christmases (or one?) ago. I really want Scott Wiley to put out a lullaby album in the Espanish. Someone put a bug in his ear. Tell him it would make dinero.

December--George Winston. This one just reminds me of growing up Johnson in the YL before the fires. I love it. As does...

The Christmas Song: Nat King Cole.

What's on your holiday play list? Anything good?

New Favorite Thing

You should check this out. Because it rules. Essentially, it is Alexis Stewart and her friend laughing at Martha Stewart and pointing out how absolutely ridiculous her show is. And then they make a craft and it doesn't work. It is fabulous. There are a lot of highly offended Martha Lovers out there, who think that this is a travesty. A TRAVESTY! But they are wrong. Because, really, how many of Martha's things are actually good? I would estimate 30%. The other 70% are ridiculous. Sheer ridiculosity. If you put that 70% in a room with Tyra Banks you would have reached the world's full capacity of ridiculous. And then there would be a catfight. And I don't know who would win.

Whatever Martha