Brunch buffet

Charlotte York and I met up for brunch at a Southern-style restaurant that serves a mean Sunday buffet yesterday. I gobbled up some fried chicken, biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, a few potatoes and grits!

I fully intended to shove more food in my mouth, but we ended up engrossed in conversation for more than two hours, during which time we received several carafes of water and a few reminders from the waitress that we hadn't paid yet.

It was great catching up with Charlotte York and I'm proud of my own restraint at the buffet line. Not filling my tummy certainly made for a better workout afterward, but a missed opportunity when you consider the value proposition of a buffet.

Leftover land

One of the downsides to hosting Thanksgiving is being stuck with a refrigerator filled with Thanksgiving leftovers. I guess some might consider this a benefit, but when you're already approximately 10 ell-beez overweight, this is definitely a curse! Plus, I personally have no self-control so I've been stuffing my face at every chance I get!

Despite being saddled with all the carbs, Thanksgiving was a success! Puppy deserves major props for roasting a juicy, flavor-filled turkey and we had sides galore. Even though people ate with plates on laps, my family seemed to enjoy Thanksgiving in a cozy city dwelling. Gramps made a new friend in Victor Kiriakis (feeding the cat will definitely place you in his favor) and my neighbors probably have a new "appreciation" for my father's karaoke prowess.

The next day, I was exhausted and broken. I felt a little bit sick, but my back was in very poor condition, I think from vacuuming and cleaning all day. Someone really should consider making vacuums, mops and brooms for taller people.

Double entendre

I wonder if the producers, writers, etc. of Glee intended for the name of their high school choir group, New Directions, to sound like "nude erections."

We come in peace, always

We're just four episodes into the series V and now we have to wait until March 2010 for the next installment? Two weeks ago, I would have said, "meh," but last night's episode finally gave us a glimpse into the aliens' lives aboard the New York mothership.

Even though I didn't get to see any of the visitors eat cats, guinea pigs or humans, I'm starting to enjoy this show more. I'm hoping it continues to improve and that we'll get to see a modern-day version of the "starchild" with which I was so obsessed in the 1980s.

Save the children

Remember those commercials from the 1980s and 1990s where Sally Struthers implored viewers to help disadvantaged children in developing countries? You know, the ones where she is covered with dozens of malnourished children while she weeps into the camera lens? The ones that taught you that, for the same amount of money you spend on your morning coffee, you could feed and clothe a child, send him/her to school, ensure he/she as a home and a robust collection of G.I. Joe or Barbie dolls?

Well, I was reading a passage in an article that made me think of those commercials:

In the late 1990s, several child sponsorship organizations amended their disclosures after a series of articles in The Chicago Tribune revealed that while they were soliciting money to sponsor a specific needy child, that child was not necessarily receiving the money directly.

Then I remembered the time I called my parents from college and learned that, in an effort to enhance my sister's "community service" credentials, my mother adopted a little Filipina girl named Benalyn in her name. Benalyn's photo stared despondently from our computer keyboard for several years, and I suppose my mother continued to send money to her (or, to an organization that purported to help her) while my sister was in high school.

My friends and I dreamed of the day that Benalyn would show up in California, seeking to be reunited with her generous new mother from the Western world. My sister would be so proud of her young, disadvantaged, Tagalog-speaking daughter and we would all weep with joy at young Benalyn's high school graduation, taking pride in the fact that Lil' Sis' Panda!!!! had given her a second chance at life. We would lovingly embrace her at her extravagant wedding in the US and we would brag when she achieved a top position in Corporate America.

Alas, I wonder what happened to Benalyn and how many other families shared this dream.

F is for fat

I was really impressed/depressed by the movie Precious the other night. It's such an unnerving story and made me want to know more about the protagonist. I may even read the book!

There's all sorts of Oscar buzz surrounding the movie and its stars. Mo'Nique did an impressive job of leaving behind her comedic persona and becoming the devil. But her voice is so distinct that I kept hearing her as the headmistress from the original season of Charm School. "Thank you, Darra, for coming out dressed as air."

Groceries galore

Puppy and I woke up early yesterday to get our shop on. We wanted to beat the Thanksgiving crowds and get all our groceries for the big night this week!

Since I'm new to this hosting thing, it never really occurred to me how expensive Thanksgiving can be! Partly, it's my fault for insisting on a free range turkey and high-quality sides. We spent a small fortune and I had to track down some truffle butter, but I'm hopeful it will be worth it.

Ironically, my refrigerator is now filled with food, but there's nothing for me to eat! Stocking up on Thanksgiving food is such a tease!