Movie Mania Monday - First floor, Dungeon, assorted simple tortures.

Here's hoping you had a wonderful holiday weekend full of turkey-laden goodness.  Here's hoping you stuffed yourself silly on pie.  Odds are pretty strong that I did, and this was written before we even left for the holiday!

Last week's movie quote, identified by none other than the Mysterious Ms, was 'The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T', a rare live-action Dr. Seuss story.  (Jim Carrey is NOT live-action.  Ever.)  This one creeped me out as a kid, almost as bad as the Kid Catcher and mannequins.  (Really.  See 'The After Hours' episode of Twilight Zone and tell me that wouldn't have wigged you out as an imaginative seven-year-old.  Especially if the next time you)

As always, rules.  No Google or other web searches, you should know the quote by yourself. This should be the original source of the quote as well, no characters quoting other movies, and certainly no movies within movies. Should you guess the quote correctly, you'll win the people's fame and ovation forever, along with the title of 'Iron Quote Guesser', along with all associated accolades. Now, onto the quote of the week:

Have you been sexually molested yet?  Because I can circle the block.   

Allez guessing!

Random Acts of Thursday - Over the River and Through the Woods

We were never big on the extended-family holiday when I was a kid.  However, my most memorable Thanksgiving is, in fact, one where we went to my grandmother's house.  That was a tough trek, probably 10 or 12 stairs up to her apartment from ours.  Phew! 

Despite her sweet tooth, my sister was not fond of candied yams.  She jokingly shoved the lock closed on the oven while they were baking, and because of the heat, the oven elected to stay locked for about four hours.  Sarah was quite pleased with herself that evening, to be sure.  Me, not so much.

As you're reading this, we have hopefully completed the 500-mile journey back to Wisconsin to be with family and gorge ourselves on turkey and pie.  I realize that some of you have arduous commutes to your family homes for the holiday as well, and as such thought we'd celebrate Grandma, Nana, Oma, Granny, Gramma or whatever you happened to call your female ancestors.  The actresses listed below have all portrayed a grandmother on the big screen, some more than once.  Identify the films in which each of these women played a grandmotherly role.

• Katherine Hepburn
• Sandy Martin
• Cloris Leachman
• Anne Bancroft
• Sylvia Sidney
• Carol Kane
• Billie Bird
• Diane Ladd
• Holland Taylor
• Maureen Stapleton
• Eileen Ryan

Show your work, kids!  Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. 

Extra credit?  Name two other songs besides the one hinted at in the title that also talk about Grandma.

Random Acts of Thursday - I had to work a double shift at Cinnabons

Oh, October, how do I love thee?  I love the mist in the mornings, the wind overnight, the smell of fallen leaves, fine seasonal beers and the re-appearance of pumpkin pie in the grocery store.  Given proper funding (see button at right) I also have some wonderfully gruesome, children-wetting-themselves Halloween ideas that need to be played out at some point. 

And this weekend, Lori and I will be attending a masquerade ball themed around Poe's Masque of the Red Death.  Among the tarot readers, headless horsemen and the "Guess who's Death" game, I found a new musical genre that just cries out to be loved:  Goth-a-billy.

I'm already a fan of rock-a-billy and psycho-billy, and despite having never worn black nail polish and a floor-length black coat, I love The Cure.  This just screams to be downloaded for my listening pleasure, I'm sure.

The band playing at this little soiree is named Cult of the Psychic Fetus.  If it wasn't already a band name, Cult of the Psychic Fetus would be a GREAT band name.

Speaking of macabre little pagan holidays, I must say I'm rather disappointed in Food Network even more than normal.  As if it isn't bad enough that Sandra Lee gets a Halloween special, last weekend we watched the Food Network Horror Cakes Challenge.  Judged by Leatherface himself, these were kindly little cakes with little actual horror.  Mock horror, perhaps.  Horrificomical?  Maybe.  But the judges were looking for gumpaste intestines dripping with raspberry blood, the glint of some medieval torture device sawing limbs from exchange students.

And really, who isn't?

And speaking of medieval torture devices, I've noticed an alarming number of dead blogs in my random trolling of the web.  People who clutter the limited disk space of the worldwide web with pages that haven't been updated in three or four years or more.  Sure, pages like MyDeathSpace can tell us when someone's page isn't updated for a reason, but how many people just forget their passwords or lose interest with no sort of sign-off? 

I'll do my best not to do that to my readers.  What I will do is leave you with the award-winning costume Lori made for me a number of years ago.

Now, your turn.  What's your best Halloween/Autumn memory ever?  And for my readers in the southern hemisphere, Spring memories work, too.  Until then, stay out of the daylight.

Love, American-Style

Has it really been almost two weeks since I wrote to you, kiddoes?  Probably, kids.  Life moves pretty fast.  I passed my one-year Blogiversary without fanfare, but I think 234 posts in 365 days is pretty good, for me. 

Now, in the summer of my discontent, I've been spammed, my punishment for paying little attention to you, dear readers.

But oh, what a holiday weekend it's been!  Plantings, big and small, have adorned our little abode and made it a little more 'ours'.  We have a Japanese maple again, and I'm thrilled that thanks to the graft, we actually have two different varieties of these beautiful trees.  Flowers in pots and boxes, red, blue, black and white, brown and yellow.  Discovered baby rabbits under one of the carefully planted shrubs around our house, explaining why the Dammit has been so interested in that side of the deck.

Took the bikes out, and lo and behold, HILLS!  Curving roads, and more hills.  Things...To...See.  Llamas (which are quadrupeds, and live in large rivers like the Amazon...), barns for sale, streams and falls and classic cars.  Really should get it titled, like soon.

Fired up the grill not once, but twice.  Tuna and summer squash on the patio last night, with cherry pie and vanilla ice cream for dessert.  Tonight, ribeyes and corn enjoyed in air conditioned comfort, because I never adapted to the heat during our stay in America's Wang, and we finally toasted the giant marshmallows I bought just for being giant marshmallows.  That was quite the sticky mess, but once a year is good for me.  This doesn't mean I don't have room for more pie, calling to me from atop the cabinet. 

Last night we walked to the town's fireworks display.  We were going to drive, until I saw people parking in front of our house and walking from even further with their blankets and chairs.  The walk wasn't as far as I'd expected, and we enjoyed what was undoubtedly one of the best small-town displays I've ever seen, sitting on our blanket and staring at the clear night sky filled with all manner of shapes and colors to the accompaniment of Sousa marches.

So it was a good weekend all around.  One might say I loved it.  Here's hoping you enjoyed yourselves, as well, and that you finished the weekend with as many fingers as you had when it began.

Movie Mania Monday - Okay, who brought the dog?

I feel for so many of you, dear readers, I really do. Even growing up in Wisconsin, I couldn't conceive of a 40-inch snowfall. Let's hope those of you who've been shoveling all weekend get a bit of respite. It's been cool here, at worst. We had several glorious days of 70-degree sunniness, and I even grilled burgers last night like it was summer. Charcoal's where it's at, people.

Last week, Samsmama was the first of many to identify the quote from Ghostbusters, and probably did so while wrapped in her Snuggie. A brilliant film from my childhood and yours, 1984 was a great year. Just ask George Orwell. It was a great retro-movie watching weekend, too. Saw bits of Striking Distance, before the 'disenchanted police officer with a heart of gold' character became too cliche for us to endure another Bruce Willis movie. Watched Hard Target, John Woo's first American film and featuring everyone's favorite action hero, Wilford Brimley. Oh, and Jean Claude Van Damme was in it too. Finally saw American Psycho last night, uncut on IFC and exquisite. Makes me want to go buy a Huey Lewis cassette or two and have new business cards printed.

Lori baked another pie this weekend, since we polished of her cranberry apple masterpiece on Friday. This time she drew a recipe from the 'Retro Pies' book we received as a shower gift from our friend Julie. I wasn't sure about it at first, but I think it could be a winner. Virginia Real Whiskey Apple Pie is somewhere between a custard tart and a liquored-up panna cotta, and I've never had anything quite like it. This is definitely not an office pot-luck pie.

I had a productive weekend, can you tell?

Ah, but here we are, finally, at the new week's quote. You've been so patient, dear reader. Remember the rules. First person to guess correctly the original source of the quote wins a prize - no movie characters quoting other movies. No Googling or asking Jeeves, either you know the quote or you don't. The prize is a Major Award and consists of the people's ovation and fame forever (and the title of Iron Quote-Guesser):

"I don't know what we're gonna do with all these rabbits..."

Because I don't want to seem cruel, I'll give you some hints. They're probably not helpful hints, but they're hints all the same. The film in question has been referenced in a Random Acts of Thursday quiz from last October that nobody even tried to answer. The actor who spoke this line has spoken at least one other Movie Mania Monday quote this year, a pretty small window. These don't narrow it down much, but it could be of some assistance if you do your homework correctly.

Allez Guessing!

The Unbearable Lightness of Being Elliott

One would think, that at nearly 39 years of age, I wouldn't need adult supervision at all times. However, Lori was in Cleveland for just over a week, and I clearly can't be trusted to use my own judgement.

We all know 'Classic Surly Elliott'. We love the CSE.

We do. Really.

But I gave in to compulsion last week, since there was no voice of reason giving me an exasperated look that says 'Really? I won't be seen in public with you....' Because, like Bubba Zanetti and Billy Idol, I always wanted to rock the platinum 'do.

Didn't quite get there. Sure, the NSE has a certain 'newness' about it, but I really wasn't going for the King Midas look. I just gave up after two full sessions of the strongest lightener out there. A third and I would have been 'scabby, surly Elliott'. And surly I would have been, I'm sure.

Again, let us contrast Classic Elliott Eating Pie, which we all know and love....

Versus the NEEP. Still kick-ass, and how phenomenal is Lori, that she'd humor me AND bake my favorite pie, then photograph me eating?

Quite phenomenal.

In all, I like the new look. I wish it was lighter, but it's still interesting. I just don't see me maintaining this long-term. Another few days, and I'll be two-tone. Two more weeks, I'll be due for another haircut, and it will be all but gone.

Have I mentioned that I might be the king of bad ideas?

And in case you're curious, and I know you are, dear reader: the carpet does not match the drapes. I do have some sense of judgement.

Fun Fact(ish) Pie Day

So I was remiss yesterday, and left you dear souls factless. I hope, despite the sadness and hand-wringing this caused you that you remembered to save your fork. Because today, there's pie!

Ah, yes, National Pie Day is upon us. And I would be a failure, dear reader, if I didn't find a way to make the greatest holiday of all a little nerdier for you.

Pie has made appearances throughout children's rhymes my entire life. Four-and-twenty blackbirds baked into one. Mmmm, crow-y. Charming Billy's quest to find a wife, where one of the criteria was her ability to bake a cherry pie. Of course, when I looked up the lyrics to make sure I wasn't mistaken, apparently she also needed the ability to spin. I love the wide-eyed innocence we had as children, whereas now I have to wonder if 'bake a cherry pie' is a euphemism.

Jack Horner? Christmas pie.

Simple Simon? He encounters a pie man, the penniless little moron.

Those naughty kittens lost their mittens, and probably got a beating instead of pie. Because those were the times we lived in when that was written.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get pie for breakfast.

Random Acts of Thursday - I must have pie-DHD

So many things I want to share with you’uns all today. (Well, tomorrow, truth be told, since I write these while you’re watching reruns of ‘Who’s the Boss’ on Nick at Nite or some such thing. Not that I'm judging.)

First, just a brief anecdote: there is a woman in my office who has worked there for a year or so, and in the last two weeks it has actually dawned on me that she thinks my name is Louis. Despite figuring this out two weeks ago, I haven't corrected her. In my defense, she has a heavy Carribean accent, and I don't understand half of what she says. In everyone else's defense, I have a hard time hearing most people and really don't make the effort to listen carefully to much of what's said in the world.

And now, a list of my favorite pies:

1) Lori’s cranberry-apple pie – the crust is perfection, and the fruit is tart and not overpoweringly sweet. This is pie I could eat year-round and never tire of it.

2) Banana cream – as long as the bananas are fresh and the pie is nice and cold, they're so perky. Mmm, refrigerator pies.

3) Coconut cream – see above

4) Coconut custard – sweet and custardy, with far more staying power than coconut cream, dense with the sweet flaky goodness. I generally have a thing for custard pies, as long as they’re not too eggy.

5) Pumpkin and sweet potato – this is an early childhood thing for me, and every year I will eat at least one of these by myself, in its entirety, in less than a day. I eat it for breakfast, and nobody stops me because I am an adult. Really.

This is not to say I don’t like other pie, far from it. Apple pies, where the apples are crisp and tender, not chewy. Cherry pies if I don’t get a pit – my first ever slice of cherry pie contained three so I tend to shy away. Strawberry rhubarb in season, if I can get it. Blueberry. Wildberry. Every berry. Pecan. Chocolate pecan. French silk. Lemon cream cheese. Savory pies, like phyllo-covered chicken pot pie. Pizza pie. Even pocket pies, or fried pies, or whatever colloquial regionalism you apply to the little 3x5 turnover-style (think Hostess, only better) pies.

My best pie experience ever. Uh, EH-UH-VER. A co-worker, the best cook in the office, was walking past my desk several Thanksgivings ago with a sweet potato pie. Me, being pie-obsessed and, well, let’s face it, a big nerdy fat guy, held my hands out expectantly. And she gave me the pie. It was not for me, it was a gift from another co-worker and she was taking it to her daughter, but she gave it to me. No questions asked, no expectation of anything in return. I’m sure I lit up like a five-year-old on Christmas morning. Now, any time I’m in the vicinity of a pie-laden fellow human being, I put my hands out expectantly. Because if it worked once, it could very well work again.

My second-best pie experience ever. After college, I did time working for the HR and Payroll departments of a large regional grocer. Our office was next to the lunchroom, and one glorious day, the bakery specialist came into our department, as they needed additional pie-tasters. I walked into the lunchroom to a scene of mass pie-steria. Every conceivable flavor of pie available from our bakery and three other commercial bakers. Four peach pies, four apple pies, four cherry pies, four pumpkin pies, it was pie heaven. And it was work, because we had to rate each pie. We got little election sheets. Why can’t I find a full-time job like this?

And what would Thursday be without a quiz? Not surprisingly, there are lots of movie-and-pie connections. What kind of role did pie have in each of the following films?

a) Blazing Saddles

b) American Pie

c) Starman

d) O Brother, Where Art Thou?

e) Animal House

f) Twin Peaks - Fire Walk With Me

g) Waitress

h) Stand By Me

i) Dr. Strangelove

Was the pie in each film: pie for eating, pie for stealing, pie for throwing, or pie for _____? I know as quizzes go, this is kind of flimsy, but what did you expect?

Even if you don't know the answers, please feel free to share your favorite pie flavors, your most memorable pie experience, or any other movies you feel would have been improved had they cast pie in a starring role.

A late addition, with special thanks to Dogimo and the fine folks at the NCES!

Burn, baby, burn - pizza inferno?

Saw in posts from my Milwaukee friends and family that Pizza Man burned to the ground yesterday. Six-alarm fire, took out several other restaurants, bars and apartments as well, but Pizza Man is the one indelibly etched in my brain. There may be some controversy around this fire, as there were rumors last week that the restaurant was being sold. Arson is being investigated as a possibility, but the owner vows that he will rebuild.

Mmmm, pizza.

I may have mentioned, once or twice, that I was a 'husky' child. In fact, if you click on the 'childhood' tag, I would guess that at least half of the stories revolve around me eating something.

My friend Chris was larger, too, though he managed to grow out of it. However, in sixth grade, we were both champion eaters. After spending the day at Landmark Lanes for 63 cent games of bowling, we went to Pizza Man to use the 50% off coupon Chris' mother had given us.

We ordered the large pizza, probably a 'Milwaukee Special' (CSMO), and the waitress informed us the coupon was for carry-out only. One of us, probably Chris, suggested a wager, wherein the two of us bet we could finish an entire large pizza, 18 or 19 inches, and if so, she'd let us use our coupon.

She agreed, we ate, and we won. Is anyone surprised?

Being that we took the bus back to Chris' house afterward, there is always the possibility that this was the same trip where my watch was taken from me by a large man with a perm and a full-length down parka. Another story, another time.

However, as Saturday approaches, it's time to talk about a different kind of pie. National Pie Day is upon us! Check here for goings-on in your neck of the woods. To find out more about how to properly celebrate such a festive day, click here!

Life is short, eat more pie.

The SPITWAD Chronicles - whatchoo talkin' 'bout?

As I think about what needs to be purged from my unnecessary trappings of youth before we move, I recall that I have the trifecta of Gary Coleman 'Dynamite' magazines. Because everyone liked Arnold. Even though he apparently never learned to sign his name...

But what of the rest of the cast?

Conrad Bain, though 87 years old, is still kicking about somewhere. I'm shocked, wasn't expecting that.

Charlotte Rae, everyone's beloved Mrs. Garrett and a native of my hometown, is also still alive and actively pursuing roles. Honestly, I thought they replaced her on The Facts of Life because she died, not because she simply had the good sense to know when they Cousin Olivered the whole mess.

Then there were the sundry useless characters that wandered through, including Danny Cooksey, once Gary Coleman's cuteness waned.

Dana Plato, of course - dead. Only since 1999, much later than I expected but still...dead. Pity.

Which brings us to today's SPITWAD recipient! Todd 'Willis' Bridges! Prison time, drug problems, uncreatively named bands, promotional wrestling, but the man's still alive. Congratulations, Todd! Way to overcome the odds! This means I can't even feature him on an upcoming Dead Wrestler Trading Card!

Speaking of people and things I figured were dead, Warrant's career certainly outlasted their 15 minutes. I was actually amazed at the number of songs I recognized. Odd, since I don't remember being a hairband fan. And the model and actress featured in their Cherry Pie video, Bobbie Brown, eventually married (and divorced) lead singer Jani Lane.

To be sure, if I'd had to vote, I would have expected another Bobby Brown to be gone years ago, but I suppose we can add him as SPITWAD runner-up. Not bad for a man with a Gumby fade.

Movie Mania Monday - We'll just tell your Mother that we ate it all

Last week, Ms identified last week's quote from American Grafitti, making it two in a row for her. Congratulations! This classic American film featured several notable Chevy's (Chevvies?), though I don't recall either of them being driven to a levee, dry or not.

Now on to this week's quote! Remember the rules. First person to guess correctly the original source of the quote wins a prize - no movie characters quoting other movies. No Googling or asking Jeeves, either you know the quote or you don't - and if you've gotten ANY inkling of this week's running theme, you've probably got a shot, dude. The prize is a Major Award and consists of the people's ovation and fame forever (and the title of Iron Quote-Guesser):

...And two Dutch apple pie with whipped cream.

Allez guessing!!!

Want Pie Now

In the coming week, you will notice a distinct theme here at Cheesehead Displacement Syndrome. Next Saturday is National Pie Day, but being as nobody reads my weekend posts around here, I thought I would devote the entire week to filled-crust desserts.

This includes important tips;

Amusing web animations;

The adventures of Elliott as Baker - for my first-ever chess pie is in the oven as I write this - and Elliott the Pie-Eater, because why would I bake pie if not to eat it?

Unnecessary references to Warrant and Don McLean;

And, of course, gratuitous but tasteful nudity. Can't forget that.

Remember. Life is short, eat more pie.

Have a question about pie? Ask the Nerdy Fat Guy! If he doesn't know, he'll make something up, and isn't that better in the long run, anyway?

Check and Mate

Have I mentioned yet that this upcoming Saturday is National Pie Day? I may have.

I baked a chess pie today, and it was everything I dreamed it would be. The last time I had chess pie was at a Furr's on the east side of Topeka in September of 2001. It was a rainy day. Anyone who knows me won't be shocked that I remember this. We are talking about pie, after all.

This is the recipe I followed, the pseudo-official Luby's Buttermilk Chess Pie recipe, and it's so simple even I can make it without disaster ensuing:

1 2/3 cups granulated sugar

2/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

4 extra-large eggs

1 1/3 cups buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Dash of salt

1 unbaked 9" pie shell

Heat oven to 375°F.

In large bowl, combine sugar, butter, and flour. Mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add buttermilk, vanilla and salt. Mix just until blended. Do not overmix.

Pour into pie shells.Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Do not overbake. Makes one 9" pie, I had some extra filling left over so you could probably use a deep-dish crust.

It is a thing of beauty, both in appearance and taste. I highly recommend it.

Random Acts of Thursday - Chess, anyone?

Some time ago, during my Moon Pie post, I made mention of chess pie. And now I'm hungry for it, so I bought all the fixings for it. Yes, I was going to bake. Then I realized again why I don't bake.

I did not purchase pie crust. Yes, I was going to use frozen pie crust, because it's not fair to make Lori make pie crust for me, since I was going to take credit for the pie (and if she's making pie crust, I'm going to expect her famous apple cranberry pie). So no chess pie for me. It would appear there are as many recipes for chess pie as there are bakers. Some of them, like the one above, call for brown sugar, milk and vinegar. The Luby's recipe I was going to use calls for buttermilk and white sugar. Such pies originated in winter months, when fruit was scarce and burly pioneers craved something sweet.

But just because I don't have any chess pie in my belly, doesn't mean I can't create a quiz for you about chess itself. I miss playing chess. I have a set buried in the garage, still in my 'clean out the desk' box from my last job. Chess plays a factor in many great films, too.

And you, dear reader, get to identify the films where each of the following actors played a game of chess, the sweet science.

Oops, that's boxing. Another day.

I'm not above dropping hints, even when they're cryptic and self-serving. As such, actors names bearing an asterisk starred in films featured elsewhere in this blog.

Vladek Sheybal *

Matthew Broderick

Mel Brooks *

Max von Sydow *

Douglas Rain

Cleavon Little

Humphrey Bogart

I've named the actors, you give me the film in each case. If it helps to hum a little Murray Head ditty while you figure this one out, that's okay.

And if you just want to ogle, that's fine too. Just don't criticize her moves if you expect to mate.

You can't always be a winner in Vegas

I'm old. I'm 38 going on 83. I complain. I grouse. I drive slowly. I suddenly enjoy Barry Manilow music. I forget things, like the things I want to write for you, oh dear reader.

I wanted to tell you about our mini-vacation last weekend, a beautiful time in Nevada. But it just kept deteriorating into a full-blown old-man rant about unrelated and generally unimportant things, so this is the third draft.

To sum up, first, the Bad (so you'll end on a high note, like the French resistance!):

No free rental car upgrade. Skippy would have gladly charged me 50% more for a slightly larger car, but really, I'm not going to pay more for something I don't want to drive, when I'm already getting something I don't want to drive. The exception here is if the only car they had in my class was a PT Cruiser, I do have my limits. His response to me became the title.

No hotel reservation when we arrived at the hotel around midnight.

A nearly two-hour adventure in the hotel's only open restaurant in order to get our food. He comped us, apologized profusely, but when I haven't eaten in ten hours I don't really care. Bring me my bacon and eggs. If necessary, I'll cook it myself.

DFW is a monstrous airport, just allowing them to put connecting gates further apart, I suppose. It's an impressive feat of engineering, but how can you enjoy it when you have 20 minutes to travel to another time zone in the airport?

And really, can't we join hands across America to stop people from bringing their yippy dogs and screaming children on planes? I understand that children need to get places, too, I really do. But is it really a good idea to take them on the latest flight you can possibly find? Overtired children plus overtired me will get me banned from an airline some day, I'm sure of it.

Funny how travel takes everything out of you. As nice as the core of our trip was, seeing the strip and the mountains and everything between, the periphery of a trip can really take its toll. In fact, I know this is a lousy post, but hey, they can't all be winners.

The Good:

Believe it or not, my Ford Focus. The Ford Focus with the bad wheel bearing and jangling rattle in the door. Of course, I could have taken the Rondo, but we already know how I feel about that. Truth be told, though, if I were an economy car kind of guy, and wheel bearing aside, it was a zippy little car. Not much for offroading in the desert, but zippy nevertheless. I'd actually give this car a B, for what it was.

Had a nice Thanksgiving dinner at my boss' house with his family and friends, phenomenal wine that I could never afford myself and pumpkin pie. Mmmm, pie.

Had a great drive out to Red Rock Canyon, though we failed to see any of the wild burros they claimed were roaming the land. Because Friday was their busiest day of the year, filled with people avoiding the mall, they let us use Friday's receipt for admission again on Saturday. We went back in the morning, when the crowds were gone, and it was still stunning that something so wild could be so close to civilization. That just doesn't exist here in Florida.

Drove the strip, still quite the experience, we even drove past the 'civilized' areas and on to the cliched wedding chapels and motor lodges. It's important to have perspective.

Had some great Mexican food, first thing we've had that rivalled Jalisco's that didn't come from a truck by the side of the road. Though I love me some truck tacos.

Even though it was just a long weekend trip, we got to look at houses. There's some surprisingly affordable new construction out there.

And the best part of any vacation, returning home and sleeping in my own bed, with my own pillow, nestled against my sweetie.

Dreaming of luxe rental cars, posh new houses and wild burros.

Pie can make the world go 'round

I've always leaned toward the conservative side of moderate, and public welfare projects are fine as long as they aren't at my expense. I've also leaned toward food, because that's how I roll. Today, while thinking about pie for lunch (which I am wont to do from time to time), I discovered there is actually a growing movement in this country where diverse individuals from all over gather in towns across the country to give out FREE PIE.

This is not like the free pie you get at Village Inn on Wednesdays, where you can only pick from three kinds of pie with an accompanying purchase, and they're the crappy pies. Instead it is an assemblage of real, honest-to-goodness home-made pie, passed out by common folk like you and I. They'll even give you assistance setting up a Free Pie Day in your hometown. It seems simple enough. Of course, many of you know that I don't bake, but Lori makes the best pie known to creation, and she loves me, so that's a bonus.

To quote the intent, The Free Pie Movement is the first community outreach venture of PieLab. The message is simple: Sometimes life is bad; free pie isn’t. The Free Pie Movement is founded on the idea that simple gestures, like giving away free pie, can unite communities and spread joy.
They even have a full-time free pie center in Greensboro, Alabama. I'll take that over a Starbucks to plan my anarchy any day!

Spread joy. Share pie. Make the world a little better. This is the kind of charity I can encourage without hesitation.