TGIF

Ahh, Friday Night. It's a comfort to know that I can sleep in tomorrow, that I don't have to wear dress clothes for another 2 days, that I can turn my brain off. I had the option of going out with some friends this evening but decided to stay home and finish my book with a nice glass of wine instead. It was a busy week and I had LOTS on my mind; I could use the quiet time to un-stress.

But in my effort to un-stress, I actually re-stressed. Why? Because I'm hungry and there is nothing worse than cooking for yourself. I detest when i look up at the clock and think "well, sh*t. It's almost 9 and I still haven't eaten dinner. f**k." Cooking for 1 is a huge waste of time, energy, and FOOD. it's almost impossible to make a great meal for 1 unless you make it for 4 and have a lot of leftovers.

Pasta is my fail-safe. no matter what, I will always have a box of rotini/penne and a jar of sauce ready for the eating. you really can't go wrong. If only there was carb-free pasta....

Interloper Santa??

As the holidays quickly approach I am reminded of the holiday season I spent in Italy. Most of the homes and apartments in the region I stayed did not have the amenity of a fireplace. I thought to myself,

"How do Italian children think Santa gets inside if not by descending through a chimney?"

and I got my answer. Their Santa Claus wasn't a big fat jolly man in a red suit. He was a felon. Meet Interloper Santa.

This Santa Claus shimmy's up the drain pipe and climbs in your window on Christmas Eve.

What a superb thing to tell children. Now, when a 7 year old Italian girl sees a man climb in her window in December she'll just say "Mama, mama! è Santa! Santa Claus è venuto!" and then they'll all be shot and killed while "santa" walks out with their new flat screen tv.

Similarly, how do Europeans know when to start selling the holiday products or when to start decorating. Without Thanksgiving as a mile-marker in their calendar, do they have a Black Friday or a Cyber Monday??? Or are store aisles filled with red and green by the end of August?