So, siamiam's 40th is coming up, on the 26th. Right now, the plan is 2-part:

On Friday, the 26th (his actual birthday), a semi-quiet dinner out. His food choice is sushi, so this will likely be Tokyo One. People are welcome to join, but it will just be dinner (no cake, etc). Plan on it to happen around 7pm.

On Saturday, the 27th, we'll be hosting the actual party. I'll be slow cooking brisket (again), miscellaneous sides, and making lemon-cream cake. I'll be providing the majority of the food and such. Come over any time after 2pm, I'll be aiming to get food on the table by 6pm, and stay until you want to GTFO. Folks are welcome to bring what they'd like.

Please let me know if you can come to either!

2012 turned out to be a helluva year, in a crazy good way.

2011 was just a mass of crazy, owing mostly to my split-up of my then-husband, Tim, and dealing with all the fallout that came with it. Going into New Year’s 2012 I was still reeling from that, and addressing a good deal of grief and anger over the whole situation, as well as spikes in depression and outright rage. If you told me I’d be going into New Years 2013 in the way that I have, well... I’d have called you insane.

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1. What is Cookiegeddon?
Cookiegeddon is Shiva's annual Christmas Cookie/Confection baking day. Once upon a time, this used to be Shiva baking by herself; later she invited others over to make thier projects as well, in order to have company, lend a hand and be lent in turn, and exchange recipes. Thus began Cookiegeddon, as the number of sweets involved makes for a rather large number of goods. In recent years, this has evolved more into a Christmas party with Shiva just baking away in the background. :)

2. Do I need to make cookies to come?
No. Company is appreciated, as are willing hands for those that want to cut out and decorate cookies. Likewise, projects that don't involve baking are welcome (if not encouraged).

3. What time is Cookiegeddon? What time should I be there?
Quite literally all day; Shiva gets up around 9am and turns on the oven, and it is done when it is done, often late into the evening. You can come for an hour or all day, or however long you feel like.

4. Is food provided? Will there be alcohol? Drinks?
Yes and no; there will be sweets out the wazoo, and sometimes Shiva will offer a crockpot of something more filling, but other than that -- no. Bringing anything other than sweets is appreciated, since the bakers tend to not stop to make something for themselves!

Sodas are always welcome, but only some will be provided. Regarding alcohol? Probably! As always, there's an air mattress available for those who are tipsy.

5. What should I expect?
Lots of baking; Shiva will often be distracted in the kitchen, but her house is open for socializing, and just visiting in general. It will be warm (thanks to the oven) and it can get a bit crowded. Sairo will be offering his room as sort of a 2nd living room for watching things/socializing/escaping the heat.

6. Pets?
If you suffer from allergies, please be aware that Shiva has cats (though they will be shut up for this -- as they are for most gatherings). We will be cleaning and vaccuming extensively, but we can only do so much.

7. What is Shiva making this year?
- Jam Shortbreads (shortbread rounds topped with a dollup of jam)
- Gingerbread Cut-Outs (traditional gingerbread cookies)
- Chocolate Chip-Cranberry-Orange Cookies (trad. choc chip w/ cranberry and orange zest added)
- Buckeyes (Peanut Butter Balls dipped in chocolate)
- Sairo's Snickerdoodles

So today, I went in for a Hysterosalpingogram (aka. HSG), to check and make sure the Essure plugs had taken, and my fallopian tubes were sealed. In short, this is where they insert a catheter into your uterus, plug you, and fill you full of dye. Then they take pictures with an X-Ray machine, and make sure none of that gets up into your tubes past the plugs.

I won’t lie, it was not comfortable. I don’t cramp on my cycle – or if I do, it’s incredibly mild. I’m told that others compare this to what they normally feel on their first day of their cycle, and if so... Lord help them, because this hurt.

The good news is: I’m sealed. The Essure plugs (tiny metal springs) showed clearly in the X-Ray, and not a bit of dye seeped up the tubes.

The bad (or perhaps disturbing is the better word) news is that I, apparently, have a bicornuate uterus.

Some visual aid. See the top diagram? That’s what a uterus is supposed to look like. Mine looks like the bottom. I even saw it myself, on the X-Ray films, only more seriously V’d.  Having kids with one of these? Hard. Very very hard.



I mean, I’m not maternal. I like kids, but I never wanted them full-time. Still, just every time I turn around, just one more thing seems like it’s been stacked against me to say, ‘Nope, you can’t be a mom even if you wanted to.’.  It’s one thing to have a choice, and choose not to. You can change your mind. It’s another to just have the choices taken away.

This is my mom's tried and true Bread & Butter Pickle recipe. It has a serious amount of onion in it, and to be honest, usually the onions get picked out and eaten first by almost everyone that has had them, until all that's left is the actual cucumber pickles.

I'll be making them up by the quart jar, maybe a couple of pint jars, but usually they're popular enough that a quart is a good size.

So, my local friends, before I get going, does anyone have a fondness for these? I'll have some to give out, I just want to make sure I have enough.


Bread n' Butter Pickles
Veggies:
2 qts sliced, unpeeled, cucumbers
1 qt sliced onions (1 b or 3 med onions)

Sprinkle with salt, let stand 1 hour. You will need approximately ½ cp for 3 batches of veggies. Drain and rinse in cold water. Add to jars, leaving 1/2” head room.

Pickle Juice (Brine)
2 3/4 cp vinegar
2 3/4 cp sugar
1 tbsp celery seed
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp mustard seed
20 whole cloves

Bring the above to boiling, and then add to jars filled with vegetable mix, leaving 1/2” head room. Process and seal immediately.

NOTE: Mom usually tripled the veggies for a batch, but only doubled the juice.

This was a weekend that was spent outdoors; not the smartest of things to do in Texas in late June, but fun never-the-less. It's all fun and games until someone gets heatstroke.

Saturday...
Dave and I followed through with a plan I'd been hatching for a few weeks; we went out to Edom, TX and visited Blueberry Hills Farm. It's about an hour and a half from Dallas, and is a pleasant drive. It's really pretty out east of Dallas; I wish I could think of a way to make a living out there, but mostly my skills are needed where there's a bit technology center.

Anywho, we left about 7:30 and got there about 10:15a after stopping for ice for the cooler and drinks. We got our buckets from the front... I'm not sure what to call it. Cafe? Store?  More on that later.

It's a big place, with many many long rows of blueberry bushes and some stations set up with canvas pavilions and ice-cold water. Me and Dave picked for several hours; I tended to go for the variety that seems to grow much lower to the ground, but was full of berries. He tended to favor the ones he didn't have to stoop to get to (his back) and be more choosy. I did quantity, but his were (as he deemed) 'perfect berries'.

Well, around 11:30 it was starting to get miserably hot and we were starting to feel wobbly, so we packed up our two completed baskets and headed to the store out front. It's got all sorts of home-made preserves, plus sauces and other things they've canned up. They also have a bakery filled with all sorts of blueberry treats. Pies, muffins, and turnovers among others. Dave got a muffin, still warm from the oven. I got a lemon-blueberry turnover. Both were divine!

All in all, we came home with 24 pints of blueberries. After cleaning, this turned into 4 large Ziplock freezer bags of blueberries. We also stopped on the way back and hit up some of the roadside produce stands. Home-grown tomatoes can't be beat.

I need to get canning supplies, then these will be turned into jam, syrup (for on ice cream or pancakes), and pie filling.

I also plan to do this summer:
Bread & Butter Pickles
Elephant Ear Pickles (Watermelon rind that is spicy from cinnamon and cloves. Fugly but yum)
Dilly Beans
Pearadise Marmelade
Apple Butter (in the fall)
Brandied Peaches

I used to can alot when I lived at home, and I'll be glad to get into it.

We came home sore, over-heated, but happy to get outside a while.


Sunday...
Our friend Jeddar and his wife Half-wit invited us to go to the Dallas Zoo for his birthday. We met at the DART station at 1pm and headed down.

We got there a bit after 2pm, and wandered around the Dallas Zoo until 5pm. We found a geocache Jeddar was after. I wish I could say it was fun, and it was (after a fashion), but it was also stinking hot. The company was good, but the animals were mostly asleep or hiding from the heat, and we tended to find and linger in any shade or AC we could find, so progress was slow and we didn't get to see the whole Zoo. I also agree with a lot of the sentiments I've heard; the Fort Worth Zoo is better. I wouldn't have minded doing it, I just wish it wasn't on a stinking hot day.

But, the DART ride back was nicely air conditioned, and by the time we got to the station were were feeling human again. We all went out and had Pho afterwards. Pretty tasty stuff, and very sinus-clearing.

After that, it was home and showering and re-hydrating (which Pho helped with, since it's a gigantic bowl of soup).

I have a little bit of a sunburn, but not much, but it at least looks like I've been outside of the office and have seen the sun.

Hello, Everyone!

We are happy to announce some of the details pertaining to our upcoming 2012 Convention, and specifically some that pertain to you, our potential 2012 Dealers.



Dealers Den Registration
July 16th, Noon CST (12pm)

Important Notes:

• There are 50 tables in the Den this year, the same as last year. All tables sold out within 6 hours of the Dealers Registration opening for our 2011 Den.
• If you cannot be home that day, please ask someone to complete the on-line application for you.
• A sample application will be available on the website prior to opening. However, it has not changed from the 2011 format.
• Payment is due within two weeks of the acceptance of your application, NOT at the time of application.

I will be available on the day of registration via phone, if anyone is having technical issues.

Annual Tax Filing Information:
The default setting for Texas Tax filing is Quarterly. Many have asked me if there is a way around this, as they don’t have much to claim and filing four times a year is annoying. I have contacted the State Tax Controller’s office, and with the provision that you collect less than $1000 in Sales Tax, it is possible to file annually instead of quarterly. Again, this is $1000 in collected sales tax, not income (which would be around $12,000), to qualify. Changing your filing is simple; just call the Comptroller’s office and request it. I did this myself a few days ago as a trial, and it is quick and painless. The phone # is: (800) 252-8880

Furry Fiesta 2011 – Dallas, TX
February 25th to 27th
http://www.furryfiesta.org


Pre-Registration ends at midnight, January 31st
Pre-registration ends soon; we encourage all attendees to pre-register; it helps you at the Convention by reducing the amount of time spent waiting in line, and lets you pick up your badge and packets the Thursday before the Convention begins. It helps us more accurately forecast how many people will be attending and scale things as needed. Visit Registration at: http://www.furryfiesta.org/?p=registration

Please reserve your hotel rooms by February 2nd!


Volunteers Wanted
We still need volunteers for a variety of roles, so if you have a particular interest or want to hear what we have available, please drop a line to volunteers@furryfiesta.org. You, too, can earn the Staff’s undying appreciation, a convention t-shirt, and/or free attendance to 2012, plus other perks. For more information, visit: http://www.furryfiesta.org/?p=volunteer


Art Show Panels
We have increased the size of our Art Show, moving it into a larger room and expanding the number of art panels. We still have some available, so if you are interested in placing art in the show, please visit: http://www.furryfiesta.org/?p=artshow


Furry Night Live (variety show)
The show is already coming together, with Super JayHawk bringing performers coming from Califur, and videos coming in. To help our performers get into the swing of things, on Convention Friday we will be hosting Skit Building.

If you cannot attend in person, we are still accepting videos for the show; please try keep video length to around 3 minutes. Our theme is set in the 70's; Disco was indeed a huge craze, but keep in mind the 70’s were filled with a lot of wonderful influences. These include Saturday Night Live, Benny Hill, The Gong Show, and the Muppet Show, so you may be able to find your inspiration there. Additionally, non-themed entertainment is perfectly acceptable.

If you would like to be a part of our cast, shoot video, or help backstage, please email volunteers@furryfiesta.org.


Stand and be Counted: Furry Survey comes to Dallas
Social science researchers from three universities are working together to conduct a study at this year’s Furry Fiesta. Dr. Stephen Reysen will be in attendance distributing and collecting surveys regarding the furry community. Dr. Reysen conducts research on personal and social identity with an interest in fanship and fandom. He recently published a paper about the similarities and benefits of being a part of fan groups. This years Furry Survey is a collaboration with Dr. Kathleen Gerbasi. Dr. Gerbasi published the first peer-reviewed scientific study about furries (Furries from A to Z: Anthropomorphism to Zoomorphism). While the furry community has gotten some negative press in the past these researchers are attempting to dispel myths and take an unbiased look at the community. This years survey will examine multiple issues, but mainly focus on how furry fandom influences your life. Let your opinions of the community known (anonymously) and help to contribute to scientific knowledge. The results of this years survey will be posted after the convention on Dr. Gerbasi’s blog: http://drg-kcgerbasi.livejournal.com/

All attendees 18 years of age or older are welcome and encouraged to participate! Submit completed surveys to the the research team at table 4 in the Dealer's Den. Or just stop in and say hi! Each attendee who submits a completed survey will be able to enter a drawing for a chance to win a $50 amazon gift card. Also, for every survey returned the research team will make a donation to Furry Fiesta's charity, The Center for Animal Research and Education (CARE).


The Corral: New and Improved
The Corral, Furry Fiesta’s social hub, has gotten a big overhaul this year! It will be held downstairs in the hotel's multi-level bar & dinner theater space. With over three times the square footage of the previous corral, there will be plenty of seating and tables for table-top gaming (some free-for-use games will be provided), open arts & crafts (some materials will be provided), art space (you provide your own supplies), and general hang-out space. The Corral will be open continuously from Thursday night through Monday morning. Also, for our attendee's convenience, the Con Suite has been moved to the upper level of the Corral. The Con Suite will be available to provide snacks and drinks during select hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.


Night Time Entertainment
On Friday evening, Bucktown Tiger takes the stage for his ever-impressive performance of piano playing, both in and out of suit. See the tiger tickle the ivories at http://pawrecognizepaw.net

Following Bucktown, we have a showing of Rocky Horror Picture Show, hosted by one of DFW’s premier shadowcast troupes, Los Bastardos.

On Saturday evening, Matthew Ebel will take the stage for a lively performance with his signature piano rock and vocal style. Want to know more about Matthew Ebel? Check out his website at http://www.matthewebel.com or find him on MySpace or YouTube.

After Matthew, we’ll be throwing open the doors to our Saturday Night Fever dance, which will run into the wee hours of the morning.

On both evenings, we will have panels and other events, plus Werewolves of the Dark Arts will be played late into the night in The Corral.

Snagged from celyddon ...

1. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?
Started quilting.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Yes and no; I see no need to change them. They're good long-term goals.


3. How will you be spending New Year's Eve?
Party!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Sort-of; my grandmother died, but we haven't been close for a few years.

5. What countries did you visit?
Just this one.

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
Financial stability ... reliable jobs for all three of us.

7. What date from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
July 5th. It's the day Topper (my kitty) died.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Early in the year, pulling off Furry Fiesta.

9. What was your biggest failure?
My temper and loss of volume control when mad cost me a friend.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Just my on-going ones. But those aren't going anywhere soon.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Right now, I say the PS3. The guys really seem to like it's menus, streaming ability, etc.

12. Where did most of your money go?
Rent and car payment.

13. What song will always remind you of 2010?
Not really much of a music theme person. :)

14. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Not sure. There's lots of little projects that I could have done more of, but nothing that really jumps out except 'more time at the gym'.

15. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Crying.

16. What was your favorite TV program?
Toss-up between Glee, Supernatural, House, Bones and NCIS.

17. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Yes. -.-

18. What was the best book you read?
The Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson

19. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Katy Perry

20. What was your favorite film of this year?
Harry Potter, or Megamind. I saw a fair few good ones this year.

21. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 33; we went out and had dim sum with friends, and discovered the world's largest Lazy Susan.

22. What kept you sane?
David.

23. Who did you miss?
My dad. We missed the normal July 4th trip out to see him.

24. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010:
Just because you think you've gotten past the hard part and into the 'Happily Ever After' bit, doesn't mean you can't still be kicked in the (metaphorical) balls. Always keep your guard up and one eye open.