Wondrous Apparitions, Provided by Magicians.

I can tell we had a successful party yesterday, because there are a great many things in my house that are not mine. I can tell we had a low-drama party, because none of them are pants, and the one of them that is a vodka bottle is still 3/4 full.

The kitchen is a war zone. I am afraid to look in the fridge. What lurks within? I know not, but that it may involve turkey. If it does, we're having gumbo tomorrow.

I missed the end of the party, alas. I believe that someday I will learn that my body in its current configuration can process either a good deal more sugar than usual *or* a great deal more wine than usual, but not both. I crashed at some point, and delighted in the fact that when the party's at my house, I can go to bed whenever I like. I woke up around 4:30 a.m., was grievously ill, then went back to bed. I'm pretty sure everyone who doesn't live here was gone by then, but I didn't investigate the couch too thoroughly.

Anyway, I live on. And so does everyone else who was cooking with me in my kitchen yesterday. I am sometimes protective of my space in the kitchen, and I have easy access to large knives, so I felt going into the situation that survival might be a near thing for some of us. Fortunately, though, once everyone had all their proper equipment sorted out, the cooking was pretty painless. I am grateful to ruisseau and triadruid, who were lovely sous-chefs. ruisseau gets the "Beyond the Call of Duty" award for stemming and peeling mushrooms, which she dislikes profoundly. popefelix is a very gadget-y, by-the-book cook, which is exactly the sort of cook I am not, but still, peaceful kitchen coexistence was achieved, and the turkey was Yummy.

So, today, when triadruid rolls out of bed, I think we're gonna head out to Larrytown to put up some posters for Longest Night, and perhaps catch some yummy non-turkey dining. Later, Friday Night Supper Club is on at Blue Nile at the River Market (aggressively non-turkey dining, that). I hope to manage to sneak in a birthday present for the boy, who doesn't want a birthday party and so on and suchlike. I respect people's rights to not have a party, but it is very hard for me to consider not buying a present, for the gods' sakes. We'll see how it goes. Until next time, dear readers. :)

After a year and a half without a leather jacket, I picked up a very nice one at the motorcycle shop on North Oak. It's properly heavy, and even has a zip-in liner. Unrestrained glee! triadruid tells me that it will not stop bullets, but perhaps musket balls. Good enough, I say.

Also, while apparently there was only one strapless black corset to be had in all of Kansas City after Halloween, I was able to pick up a dark red one with black mesh overlay and sequins from Priscilla's Cirilla's with my Stripper Card. I gotta tell you, if I'm ever feeling overly petite again, all I'll have to do to repair my self-image to its normal perception of monstrous ogreness is go lingerie shopping. On the other hand, I did discover that I can wear a large from Shirley of Hollywood, apparently the only lingerie company in the United States that caters to women with breasts. So there you are. I can now order lingerie from the internets. I will be unstoppable. Or something. :)

I gotta get one of these. *grin*

EDIT: Couldn't stand it. Bought one in browns.

I sold my car today. I am spending the money on a HEPA air purifier for my bedroom.

This is the kind of exciting life I lead.

I know it's spring because:
- I have a persistent chest cough.
- The dog broke off his line and toured the neighborhood yesterday for the first time since last fall.
- It snowed yesterday, even though it was about 40 degrees out.
- I went clothes shopping the other day and discovered that there will be no full-length pants available for female-bodied people this year, either.
- The seasonal shipment of Peeps in spring colors arrived in the mail from Mom. (Along with two cards - one was from Grandma and Grandpa and contained a sermon. The other was from Mom and Dad and contained an infidelity joke.)
- I think 50 degrees is warm.
- I see people dressed in shorts and t-shirts and people dressed in long coats with scarf and earmuff, on the same day, in the same block.

In other news, since I was ill this weekend, I finished up the second season of Doctor Who. I can probably manage to watch season 3 by the time season 4 is finished... (But I may never catch up to Torchwood.)
Things I have learned from watching Doctor Who:
- Any plan is a good plan if it is communicated enthusiastically enough.
- Evil robots are part of the collective unconscious. Similarly, zombies exist in every civilization worthy of the name.
- If something is part of the problem, it's likely to be part of the solution.
- Nothing, no matter how horrible it seems, is irreversible.
- The quality that makes the human race worthy of protection is primarily a drive to mess with things we don't understand. This is also the quality that makes the human race most in need of protection.
- As a writer, you only get to use any given deus ex machina explanation once. After that, you have to think of a new one.
- The more likely you are to say something is impossible, the more likely it is to exist somewhere.
- If you are a female traveler, you should make an attempt to dress to blend in with the locals anywhere you go. If you are a male traveler, the same outfit works for you everywhere.