In Case You Missed It. . .

My SNL boyfriend and the ever-awesome Amy discuss the birth control issue.

I heart birth control.  And Seth Meyers.

If This Isn't Nice, I Don't Know What Is.

I'm not sure what I can even say about this week.  It's been just lovely in some respects: bidding adieu to students from long ago at graduation, not having much to do at work, eating lunch out, shopping, meeting a good friend's new lady friend, and making enough bolognese to feed a team of competitive eaters.  

But for some reason I've been really annoyed and crankfest crankypants all week, too, partly because I had so little to do (or that I could do) at work, because I was eating massive amounts of restaurant food, and because I have been floating around in this little limbo between school and summer.  And I won't complain about coworkers on the blog, but if I did I could've written about seventy-five posts about them this week.  But that would violate my ratio of positive to negative.

So instead of being all fussface about stuff, I'm going to follow the advice of the very handsome and sassy Mr. Vonnegut.

[source]

Here's what's making me happy right now.  (And so what if a disproportionate amount of it is food?)

1.  School is over.  Post-planning is over.  I've got to go back for little stuff here and there through the summer, but it's done for now.  Shoot yeah!  SUMMER!!!

2.  Awesome sales at Gap.  It's not easy to dress this boring!

3.  Bacon jam on homemade artisan bread.  Kind of the best thing that's ever happened.

4.  Back in the Day Bakery.  Probably my favorite place in Savannah.

5.  Frozen bananas.  "My friend asked me if I wanted a frozen banana.  I said, 'No, but I want a regular banana later--so. . .yeah.'"  Also, Mitch Hedberg.

6.  Fun prizes from the Target dollar spot.  I've got big plans for them.

7.  Cutest erasers ever. (Also from Target's dollar spot.)

8.  After-school snacks.

9.  After school, watching crappy movies and pigging out on Nilla Wafers in the guest bed with the dog.  Note the newly styled shelves, courtesy of one Cassie.

10.  Bossypants.  Awesomepants.

11.  The cutest little dog feet in all the land!

12.  Random inspirational quotes spread around the school via someone named Waffles.

And if all that isn't nice, I don't know what is.  

RIBS!

A few things to share on this fine Thursday morning.

1.  Went outside for like 2 seconds the other night and got approximately 37 mosquito bites.  Now I keep scratching my arms, and I'm afraid that people think that I'm a meth addict.  

2.  New elliptical is kind of amazing.  Now, I got home from school today and was all ready to go ellipt, to get back on the ol' fitness train.  But then I started to feel really tired, so before ellipting I took a little Brothers & Sisters nap.  Didn't wake up from that nap until 10:00.  Hmph.  In the meantime, Matt ellipted for like three hours.  Right next to me.  So, the bad news is that I continue to be a lazy sloth; the good news is that the new elliptical is so quiet that I can take a coma nap while Matt ellipts for three hours right next to me.

3.  Norm MacDonald has a new show on Comedy Central that is basically just his Weekend Update but with sports.  I really don't care about sports at all, but I love me some Norm, and the show is really, really funny.  You might need to watch it.

Sports Show with Norm Macdonald	Tuesdays, 10:30/9:30c
What the H – Athletes Dating Reality TV Stars
www.comedycentral.com
Sports Show Norm Macdonald #SportsShow

Anyway, that's enough rambling.  Now on to the ribs!

I always thought, for some silly reason, that it would be hard to make ribs.  It is not hard to make ribs.  In fact, they're absurdly easy.

Now, they are time consuming.  Yes, you've got to really be thinking ahead and to have delicious ribs in time for dinner, but there's very little hands-on time and the difficulty level is low.  Like, Mitch made our last batch.

First you make some dry rub (recipe below) and rub it generously all over a big hunk o' ribs.  (These are pork ribs, by the way.  Sometimes I feel guilty about eating pork because of Charlotte's Web, but this week I've been reading Animal Farm, so I'm all about some pork right now.  Glue, however. . .  Poor Boxer.)

And then you put those ribs in the oven at about 275 degrees for, oh, five hours or so.  When they have reached your desired tenderness, take them out and finish them off on the grill.  Grill on high for 5-10 minutes, just long enough to slap on some barbecue sauce and to soak in some of that tasty grill flavor.

Serve with extra sauce and buttery corn on the cob*.  Or whatever strikes your fancy.

And eat up.  And get sauce all over your face.  

Dry Rub for Ribs Recipe (adapted from this one)

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

*I wanted to have corn on the cob at our wedding.  Matt vetoed that idea because it was logistically tough, and because our wedding was already becoming "a little too county fair."  He wouldn't let me have a moonbounce, either.  Probably for the best.

Even the Devil Disapproves.

There's a whole lot of handsome in this little clip.  Start watching it for the handsome; keep watching it for the laughs.


Also: Seth Meyers is the next big thing, saith the Mandy of 2003.

Happiness Is. . .

We had a lovely weekend here at M Cubed.  It was not really exciting or anything (our weekends rarely are--which I just love with my heart and soul.  It makes me so happy to answer the "What are you doing this weekend?" question with "Uhhh. . .nothing."), but it was peaceful, and full of food, and friends, and husbands, and dogs, and wine, and more food. 

Oh, and the green team won the Super Bowl, which was good because a few months ago I bought a baby a hat.  

And even though it was complete torture peeling myself from the comfort of my bed on this cold, rainy morning, well, I have to remember that I've got lots to be happy about lately.

Like Justin Bieber.  I think I love him.  Not in a creepy way or anything, but he cracks me up.  And I'd be a damned liar if I didn't admit that I kind of love his hair.  Did you catch this skit on SNL a few months back?



Oh, and don't read too much into that, what with me being an educator of high schoolers and all.  Nothing is more revolting to me than a teenage boy. (Riggins from Friday Night Lights doesn't count because he's not actually in high school.  Plus, I find Coach Taylor much more handsome.)  Just thought I'd mention it. 

I also love my new cordless mouse.  Why did I wait so long to get one of these things?

And I love having two whole days that I don't have to worry about grading essays. That vicious cycle begins again tomorrow.  Shoot.

And I love this season of Big Love.

Here's some more awesomepants awesomeness from the weekend.

Phony baloney strawberry milk.  I love everything about it.

Completely destroying the kitchen to make strawberry milk cake.

 

And then forgetting about the cake and overcooking it.  Mother F.  Oh well.  Now I'm not tempted to eat cake all week at least.

More Toasted Coconut Ice Cream.

Rosemary chicken salad.  (And having ingredients separated into bowls.  Why do I love it so?)

Lizard buddy who lives out in the shed and is determined to stow away with the laundry.  (I would love him a lot more if he didn't scare the bejeezus out of me every time I saw him.)

Wrapping myself up in my new faux fur blanket from Target. ($12!)

And receiving sweet dog kisses.

Futile attempts to convince the dog that his fur fur is not enough and that he must cover himself with faux fur.

Sweet inquisitive dog face.

Father-son fetch/tug-of-war game, which is so much more fun while sitting on a chair with wheels.



What's warming your heart lately?

Just Stop Working and Watch Some Funny Videos

Parody of Glee, courtesy of a Mr. James Fallon and a Ms. Caitie:



And, just in case you missed it and you want to watch seventeen minutes of a handsome, witty president, it's Obama's speech from the White House Correspondents Dinner. It's no ordinary dinner. . .

I Second That Emotion

This guy's got a point. Plus, it's always fun to see my boyfriend, Seth Meyers.



Mmmmmmmmmmm, Seth Meyers. . . Mmmmmmmmmmm, Samoas. . .

SNL Charades!

Last night I was watching one of those SNL: A Look Back on How Important and Influential We Are shows, and I was thinking to myself, "Man oh man.  SNL sure does like to pat itself on the back."  (Full disclosure, so do I.  You should see how well I minced garlic tonight.  I have Hung-like knife skills!)  But, you know, I'm okay with SNL being a little into itself, because that shit's funny 65% of the time.  And when it's really funny, it's worth putting up with that Gilly sketch (formerly known as Mary Catherine Gallagher).  So I'll deal.

The show was also tolerable because it played some of my favorite skits from the last few years. (Justin Timberlake being Beyonce's backup dancer, Mark Wahlberg talks to animals, Laser Cats, etc.)  Unfortunately, I couldn't find good clips of these online (is this what that writer's strike was all about?), so you'll just have to rely on your memory.

Not long ago, Matt was flipping through channels and came across Jimmy Fallon's show, with Tina Fey as the guest, and they were playing charades against another very funny pair.  Hint: one of these people is my SNL boyfriend, and is the next big thing.

It's Saturday.  Watch; enjoy; play charades.



But if you try to steal Seth Meyers away from me I will fight you with a knife.

Brownie Husband

Matt says this would count as adultery.  What do you think?

In Case You Missed It. . .

Last night's SNL was hilarious. Here's my favorite.



My "winning the lotto" fantasy used to be to hire Matt as my manservant, to pay him an exorbitant amount of money, and force him to wear footy pajamas, the ones with the flap on the butt. Now that we're married I guess it'd be "us" winning the lotto. I guess that plan's out. Ugh, marriage really is all about compromise.

Happy Sunday!

(I'd recommend going to the NBC site to watch: "Mark Wahlberg Talks to Christmas Animals," "Snookie Update," and "The Kissing Family.")

Mitch-gloo

"Mama, I'm pretty tired, and I think I'm gonna take a nap. Will you record SNL for me and find out of Virginia Tech won so I'll know what kind of mood Daddy's gonna be in when he comes home? . . .

. . .oh, and can you finish cleaning the house? There's dog fur everywhere! You know I'm allergic to dog fur. . .

. . .and wake me up if any kids walk by, okay? Or maybe you can just yell at them and tell them not to walk past our house. Man, it's chilly. I'm glad I have my blanket! . . .

. . .[big dog sigh], this feels. . .fantastic."

It's been that kind of day for dogs and dog moms.

Seth Meyers Is the Next Big Thing!

When we first moved to Savannah, Tanya and I would loyally watch SNL. I quickly became enamored with Seth Meyers, and proclaimed time and time again: "Seth Meyers is the next big thing!" In some ways, I was right. He is the head writer, and he is dashing.

Still, every time Seth graces our TV screen, I shout out, "The next big thing!" Matt just shakes his head. If Tanya was here, she'd be shaking her head, too. They lack the ability to see into the future, apparently.

And this is how you know he's superior. I give you last Saturday's Eeyore joke.

In case you missed this last Saturday, here it is. If you saw it on Saturday, watch it again. It's just that funny.

NEXT BIG THING!