What The Hell IS Snicker™ Salad?

Of the definitions I found for salad this one fills the bill, a usually incongruous mixture: hodgepodge for Snicker™ Salad, most. When I first heard mention of the concoction in question I had a similar reaction, WTH?

But yes, there is such a thing as Snicker ™ Salad and from my recent (and very brief) research this salad would be of the dessert variety, of course. Also, from my research there are a number of variations most including some combination of vanilla pudding, apples, grapes, Cool Whip&0153; and Snicker&0153; bars broken into bite size pieces.

Some folks nix the Cool Whip&0153: and some, the pudding but the basic premis is the same. What the hell is a Snicker™ Salad? It is basically a fruit salad with a pudding-(like) base, and a Snicker™ kicker and is quite simply, divine.

I shall resist making my own batch for as long as I possibly can, which probably won't be very long at all.

Ho Ho Hum

Well, to answer tiff's query the work get together was, well, here is part of what newest recruit said, "The people we work with are . . . unique. I'll leave it at that." And I'll leave it there too except to say, thanks to newest recruit a good amount of food was good. Beyond good. I will be singing the praises of (her version) of Snicker Salad for the rest of my singing days.

Yum. Yum. Yum. Yum. Yum. Yum. Yum. Yum. Yum. Yum. Yum. Yum.

Otherwise the season is a mix of ho ho and ho-hum. Sometimes I'm up and sometimes down. And it seems like I'm not the only one. A few others have mentioned, "not being in the spirit" of the days. I look around my neighborhood and with only a few days before that big day, many houses (and apartments) are dark, unadorned. Fa La Blah.

Still, Cherish and Snow Dude are doing their level best to infuse some Happy Holiday spirit in my partly humbug mind. Thanks to them and the sparkly fake snowflakes and our little family's history as told by keepsake ornaments on the tree that finally did make it out of storage, even if it does have to fight for a place of honor in an overcrowded dining room, I just might get there. Pete is very curious.

The Week That Was

This week that is nearly done has been in a word, odd. I'm not quite sure I can adequately encapsulate the oddity that was this week nearly done but I can say that I believe the oddness began with a book club meeting last Saturday where the one (other) participant who came to the meet failed to finish the book. Me? Oh, I was only up until 3 in the morning finishing and making my notes for the over-due library book.

Onward to the rain and being out in it much of the rest of Saturday led to not getting the tree and other decorations out of storage as I meant to do. After waffling back and forth about whether or not to have the tree (and other decorations) I finally decided, yes, I would, only now to be down to . . . well, Saturday at the earliest the chosen square of space can be bedecked. One week. Well, actually two as it will be up at least until NYD. Well, that is, if happens at all.

I am of the opinion that the largest contributing factor to the oddness of this week however, is the missing CTA CSA. The CSA normally manning the station where I begin my daily commute to work is sugary sweet cheerful in the mornings with her, "Good Morning, Precious!" to each and every customer / passenger. I will admit, some mornings sing-song chirpiness bordered on annoyance, I realized this week not only did I miss the routine, chirpy and all, I'd also come to rely on it lifting me ever so . . .

This week nearly done has one more work day that will be sliced in half by our annual holiday, "whatever the hell you wanna call it" get-together. It is a pot-(you might get lucky and get something you like or can eat) gathering. This will be the first gathering of the trio of companies. It shall be in a word, interesting if not, odd.

Just Some Thoughts

I'm trying, really, I am. Or not. But, I am, a little. The dating. On-Line. Yes, I'm trying. Still. Kinda. Sorta. Really, I don't want to date (I don't think) so much as to meet someone or a couple of someones to "hang out" with, after some time conversing, of course. But, I can't seem to get past the profiles. And pictures. Of dogs. No, not figuratively. I mean literally, pictures of dogs. As the profile pic. To meet . . . people. I think.


Anyhoo. . . . speaking of dogs, to be specific, hot dogs. I don't eat hot dogs all that often. But, now and again a good Chicago Style Dog is just the ticket. And since a new place opened in the neighborhood AND there was a coupon, well, no time like the present.

The new sandwich place (that of the arm waving man dressed like a hot dog) features beef, pork, turkey, and chicken products serves something called a Chicago Style Pretzel Dog. Which is just a hot dog with the classic toppings (tomatoes, onions, relish, mustard, sport peppers, celery salt, and pickles) on a pretzel roll (which takes it out of the Chicago Style realm, as that roll is poppy seed). Intriguing if you're in to that sort of thing, which I am, from time to time and the time was today.

Whatever hopes I had were dashed as soon as I discovered:
1. it wasn't a footlong hot dog sandwiched between all that bread, but two regular sized dogs fighting for space among the gigantic tomato wedges and other toppings.
2. it was slathered with mustard. Now, I like mustard on my dogs but there was GOMPERS of mustard on this thing!
3. the worst technical error in the history of hot dog serving technical errors. The damn dog(s) were C-O-L-D.

Now, I'll forgive that they don't seem to have a grill or a proper steamer (they should get out of the hot dog biz immediately if they don't intend to acquire one or the other, or BOTH) but to pull these limp tubes of meat product out of a vat of c-o-l-d water is just w-r-o-n-g! Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Unfortunately, I didn't know the water (& the dogs) were cold until I got home, taken off shoes, one of the two pairs of socks, pants, and 3 of the 4 top layers. So no, there was no going back out.

I did taste the sandwich I picked up for D (an Italian Beef--except with turkey) dipped, and topped with peppers and it was ok. I don't think I'll be replacing my fave Italian beef with this turkey version, but it wasn't bad. It was hot which was a major plus over the dogs.

The fries were good. Not great, but ok. And the toppings were fresh.

I have to give the new sandwich place a C for the first round. It may be awhile before round two (if they last that long). When or If, I definitely won't be ordering a hot dog.

Now, must go watch O*rah talk it out with B. Walt*rs.

Six Hundred and Ninety Eighty-One (Sheesh)

'Tis the post where I admit, I sat on the cat. He wasn't wearing a hat, which is perhaps how I missed he was in the chair upon which I sat.

That, and it is still frickin cold, but that isn't worthy of poetry or prose. 'Tis December. Chicago. 'Nuff said.

In other news, some reviews were released for M's most recent play. He doesn't read them but can't totally escape them. I might not have sought them out except I was very curious given all he'd relayed during pre-production. It's been UP now for over a week (when you factor in previews) and I saw the third of three "preview" performances. And of the few reviews I've found and read, I agree to some degree. And all bias aside, I agree that M's performance is "intense"*, "wound tight perfection"* and "expertly volatile"*.

The run is just through the end of the year (well, actually January 2nd) and I'm hoping for another opportunity to see it. It really is a good play.

*Didn't link to the reviews as I think they give too much of the plot away and I wouldn't want to spoil it for anyone who might be in the position to see if--presuming, of course, you're not already familiar with the play, "Lobby Hero".

Nearly Winter Weekend

We had snow overnight Friday to Saturday. By the afternoon most of the major streets were clear. Many of the sidewalks were still fairly treacherous.

I cleared our walk before I went on my excursion around town, but as it was still snowing I had to clear again before the day was done.

As I understand it, hot dog man dances. However, when I saw him he was just waving his arms, point toward the "dog" stand he was out there to promote.

Some trees drooping under the weight.

Can you find the ornaments in this tree?

It looks like we got about three inches of snow. The larger story though is the cold. Temps dipped down to 10 / 11 (maybe lower) degrees at some point. I don't think it has gotten out of the twenties over the past couple of days. I'm not really interested in the details because really, when it is this cold it matters not, 25, 20, or 15. Well, that is until it is below zero. And here's hoping those days are quite a ways away.

Nine To Five

On this date four years ago, I wrote

about momentous events and among them, my 27th anniversary with 'the company' and now here I am trumpeting number thirty-one.

A lifetime. I've been with the company longer than I was married. Longer than I've been a parent. My longest running relationship.

Not sure how that sits with me today. Sure, I'm happy (thrilled, in this climate) to be gainfully employed and overjoyed to have provided for my son, daughter, and to some degree, my mother over the years. Maintaining is as vital as it ever was. I am grateful to be minus the job search stress, unemployment benefits stress, and threats to hearth and home stress.

The work I do is interesting, challenging, and sometimes even fun. The people I work with are interesting, challenging, and some of them, even fun. As much as I might sigh, I like it. Sometimes, even more than that.

Still, I've begun to feel anxious, restless . . . something, less. It could have as much to do with the company's struggles during the economic downturn and how that has impacted the day-to-day as my own feeling like I'm missing something angst.

Ahhh, I don't know. Could be it is too cold right now. Could be I have a headache right now. Hell, could be I inhaled too many permanent marker fumes today.

What I do know is that part of what was true then, remains true today, a plan, marvel of fluid necessity, continues to drive me . . . " The difference is the plan is expanding beyond the confines of the work and the company.

Or, it should.

Lez Get Serious

Don't know if Jessica and Jennifer are a new couple, an old couple, or and unrequited couple but it made me smile to receive this declaration on my dollar bill change. I hope they are happy, forever and ever and ever.

And in keeping with the theme, my daughter noticed I brought home a parcel today and in her usual inquisitive fashion (especially around the 'daze) she asks, "what's in the box?" I say simply, "just something I ordered. It isn't for you." To which she replies, "oh, I bet it's some super dyke Underoos™!"

She mused aloud about what (or who?) said character would look like?

She then struck a pose to illustrate the awesomeness of "super heroine dyke" which I cannot even possibly describe.

Needless to say it made me more than smile, it made me spiggle.