Happy Halloween!

In The Know: Has Halloween Become Overcommercialized?

More on Flying with Kids

Lisa Belkin of the NYT, whose writing I admire greatly, has a nice post on kids on planes. Thought fellow parents might like to read.

The comments are interesting--mostly sympathetic, with a few crabs thrown in who obviously hate kids all around, so no surprise they hate them on planes, too.

The most cogent remark about the situation is from a commenter who puts it thusly:

"You don’t realize how peaceful flight travel is, even when someone else is screaming, until you fly half a dozen flights with your own kids."

It reminded me of a funny encounter I had on our last flight with the munchkin. I sat down in an aisle seat next to a business traveler, Nolan in my lap, while Brandon installed the carseat in the seat next to his. The man looked at me with such a pained expression on his face, and I said "Don't worry, the kid is going over there." He said, "Oh, good. I mean, I have nothing against kids, but I've had a very long day." I looked him straight in the eye and said, "Yeah. You and me both." Which totally shut him up.

Because let's face it--it's always easier to have to listen to a crying, upset, unhappy child than it is to be the parent that has to deal with that child. I don't care where--grocery store, bus, mall, park, wherever. You were a teething child once too, so pay your Mom back for having to deal with your infant bullshit and try not to hate too much. That is all.

Saving Calories and Money

Margie and I were talking about cheap wine today. Trying to be calorie conscious, we are both cutting back on the alcohol. . .which for me means 1 glass per day, and for M considerably less [comment was made that she and I drink the same amount when I am pregnant. ahem.]

So you need to buy cheap when you are drinking less, because you don't want to waste an expensive bottle by having only 1 glass of it. I can usually stretch the bottle two days by using the storage vacuum pump, but after that the wine's toast.

Which leads me to my latest finds:

Bandit Pinot Grigio from Three Thieves: Yes, it's technically in a box. Get over it. This is NOT FRANZIA! Bandit comes in this awesome, 1L portable cardboard carton, like a big juice box, and it keeps forever in the fridge. So you can have 1 glass/day and it will last the whole week. It's really good and it's only $6.99.

Hey Mambo Sultry Red from Don Sebastiani and Sons. This wine is so so good, and it is ten bucks a bottle. It's just delicious. I got a whole case at Andronico's awhile back.

Also by this group, but slightly more expensive (I think $12.99 at Faletti's) is the Plungerhead Zin [I had the Lodi vintage. Yes, you read that right]. Awesome buy for the price.

Now go and enjoy your wine according to FDA guidelines. Post suggestions if you have them!

It's Great to be Alive. . .in Colma!

Forum has an awesome program about Colma this morning. I was especially pleased to hear it referred to as the only necropolis in the United States. Rad.

Also, one consequence of a 1000:1 dead to living resident ratio, a huge budget and lots of great services for the citizens of Colma--including summer camp, after school care, and tickets to Giants and 49ers games.

Corn Salad

From Martha: Sauteed Corn with Bacon and Scallions. Just in time for the summer corn rush.

Really good--nothing like a little grease to bulk up your 5 a day veg requirement.

Hangin Old!

OMFG y'all. New Kids on the Block (NKOTB for those of us who had Bop Magazine pictures of Joey McIntyre hanging on our walls in middle school) has a NEW ALBUM. Molly pointed this out to me last week. We watched their video, "Summertime," about 6 times in a row until we could finally stop laughing. I highly recommend watching. It's like the big budget follow up to Dick in a Box.