Things I am loving right now
* The new show Men of a Certain Age on TNT. I am especially loving Ray Romano, in a vaguely dirty way I can't quite put my finger on. I'm not alone in this--I went to the very awesome Television Without Pity the other day and there's all kinds of Ray love. "I am actually finding RR to be kinda attractive," said one person. "Does anyone else find that Ray Romano looks kind of sexy?" said another. This might be a good time to point out that his character is a total schlub whose wife left him because of his gambling addiction, which basically proves every social theory ever about how women generally think a man who can be saved/fixed/rescued is about the hottest thing since Brad Pitt in Thelma and Louise.
* The latest Alicia Keys song Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart, more specifically the 1:45-1:55 mark. Nobody loves a good blend of pretty and angsty more than yours truly.
* Mindy Kaling, the girl who writes for The Office and plays Kelly Kapoor on the show. Her Twitter page is so funny/true, and she just wrote this great essay for the New York Times about her imaginary husband and kids. Which transitions nicely to ...
* The incredibly hot guy I saw at the gym. He was tall and cute and he actually brought a magazine to read while he worked out, like a real magazine (GQ). Guys never read when they work out! They watch, like, Cops or SportsCenter or The Simpsons, or themselves in the mirror. He must be smart, I thought to myself, and that was all the permission I needed to stand behind him a few more seconds than is socially appropriate to ogle his sweet little booty. (And then I might have possibly snapped out of my daze, walked into a wall and spilled half of my water bottle on the floor ... but let's talk more about that sweet tuchus!)
* My complete domination in the kitchen lately. (We're counting the holiday cookies and definitely NOT counting the way overcooked and completely inedible salmon from the other night. I am the only person on the planet who cannot make a grown-up dinner, I swear.)
* That blanket I made for my mom for Christmas. I hate it and love it at the same time. Here were the two problems at work here: I had no idea what the hell I was doing (thank you, Google, for holding my hand and whispering sweet words of encouragement) and I have this issue with details. As in, I obsess over them a little/a lot (and thank YOU, seam ripper!). But after one marathon eight-hour session to finish the thing, interrupted only by trips to the bathroom and copious chocolate-covered pretzels, we have a blanket.

Can I point out one more thing here? The fact that this is in one piece is all the more impressive considering it was done by a girl whose very worst grade of her academic career (a big fat D) came in eighth-grade Sewing class. (Although I somewhat beg to differ on the D. One of my projects was a telephone pillow, and while the numbers are long gone, I still own that telephone pillow and it's all still mostly in one piece. Take that, Mrs. Eighth-Grade Sewing Teacher!)
Photographic evidence:

* The little string of white lights over my living room window. I did make a holiday decorating concession or two, and that is one of them. They make everything look festive and pretty at night, and they go splendidly with the Christmas tree-scented candle.
* All of you. I hope you're having a great week. Have a wonderful holiday!








