and another, and another, and another. now you're drunk.

Nothing says Saturday evening like going to bed with the laptop while drinking a whiskey and coke. It's only my second drink since arriving home around 11, but I feel pretty toasted. In a good way. First, the war report. Then, a completely separate post about home ec.

The performance last night was okay, but the audience was stiff. Today I had a wonderfully lazy morning involving lounging and some other bed activities. Then we went and got haircuts and new glasses from the best eyeglasses shop in the whole world. If you're in the Chicagoland area and need glasses, please ask and I will tell you where it's located. He's this great guy who talked a lot about glasses making a "statement". MelRo is making a sophisticated statement. I'm not sure what my statement is -- I don't remember. But I'm very excited to pick up the new frames on Tuesday. And next month I'm going to get a second pair, which will come with magnetic clip-on sunglasses.

Tonight the performance was better because of a lively audience. We striked the set which was rather exhausting. I was also flattered because DJ Gigglebyte was in the audience and approached me afterward and invited me to his CD release party. Maybe I need to ask this man to coffee.

Now I'm home and looking forward to tomorrow and Monday. The only commitment I have is for sushi tomorrow night. And that's the kind of commitment I don't mind keeping.

home economics

(And you thought I was kidding when I warned you I was going to write about this.)

This morning I was thinking about muenster cheese. The last of the deli slices were eaten, but there was some remaining block-form I was considering using for a sandwich. And I was thinking about how muenster cheese is not my favorite -- but more accurately, I've never had any that tasted as good as the first time I tried it. Which was in home economics class in 8th grade. With Ms. Russell. I want to say her first name was Brenda, but maybe I've been humming the song "So Good So Right" by the other Brenda Russell lately, so it's impairing my memory. I also have the name Theresa Russell floating in my head, but maybe that's some actress.

Anyway, Ms. Russell divided the year into three sections: one quarter of sewing (I made some letter pillows that spelled out "Jim", a random nickname of mine, and a pair of black shorts), one quarter of cooking, and one quarter of "life skills". This was similar to health, but we learned more practical things beyond teen pregnancy, like how to balance a checkbook, make a budget, find a job, etc.

The class was about 1/3 male, and a full range of backgrounds in regards to race as well as which friends "group" you hung out with, which course track you were on (advanced nerd courses, general level, or remedial), and just about every other characteristic. I think the only thing that united us was the easy grade of the elective, and the quarter spend on food.

I remember having one "test" involving making of biscuits. I also remember learning the proper way to set a table and which fork to use. But I had forgotten about the cheese tasting until this morning. We had a segment on dairy and she brought many samples for us in the cheese department. We were a bunch of 12 year olds who's primary experience with cheese was slices -- either Kraft or the store-brand, either because that's all the family could afford or because that's the only kind the family liked, regardless of income. I experienced brie, muenster, bleu cheese, gouda, and probably others I've forgotten. I remember loving the muenster and asking my mom to buy me some the next time we were at the commissary doing grocery shopping (this was back when we still went to the army base for groceries). It never tasted as good as that first time.

My other stand out moment from the food section was the demonstration of Baked Alaska. She showed us how to make it -- too complicated for us to do it one our own, but she still wanted to teach us about meringue and insulating food. To this day I still remember the recipe and I've never tried it. But soon, I tell you. Soon.

Two other things stand out from Ms. Russell. One was the day when a classmate asked if she was pregnant. She said no. The classmate replied, "yes, you are, look at that big ole stomach of yours. you're pregnant, aren't you?" I don't think she got into trouble at all. Ms. Russell seemed so embarassed, she was to debilitated to discipline her. I had never witnessed anything like that before, and felt really bad for her.
Secondly, the one time I got in trouble in middle school was when a friend of mine and I defaced a Home Ec textbook by writing raunchy messages and stupid sexual drawing throughout various pages. I can't remember how we got caught. Probably something obvious like having my friend's name in the front cover. I served one week of administrative detention, which was nothing compared to having to face my mom. I also had to write a letter of apology to the teacher (what my mom demanded, not the school), and I swear she liked me better after the entire incident. I guess I ended up learning the power in admitting I'm wrong, as far as how far it can go in relationships.

When I nearly got written up for insubordination at Borders I ended up writing a letter of apology to the assistant manager I insulted. She never acknowledged it so I continued to feel a bit self-conscious -- until it started to circulate to other staff members what I said, and I earned their admiration and respect for speaking my mind. Then I felt guilty for writing the apology letter when they all insisted I had done a brilliant thing. Either way I was a faker. Luckily the whole thing blew over rather quickly. And it's still not as significant as Ms. Russell. I wonder if she still ever wears that pink with black polka dots two-piece suit.