Two Op-Eds and a Rant

ON THE HOSPITAL FRONT:

All better now. Sorta. I'm still coughing but I'm up and going. I laid low all day yesterday, in bed, sleeping to make up for all the sleep I've lost!



REGARDING A CUPPA JOE:

I've been drinking Bug's Chai Tea, and I find it very comforting and nice. It's got some body to it, rather than just a plain cup of teabag-ish tea. I have always preferred coffee. Coffee seems to have an umph to it -- a body, if you will, that tea just lacks. Tea seems kind of thin and watery to me.



Now this Chai Tea of hers is Mystic Chai that you can find at Sam's Club. It's very good. But I'd like to make my own if possible. The trouble is, you have to have cardamom. It's a spice and at my local Wal-Mart, it's $12! That's just too much for a spice unless it's gold-laced saffron or something.



So I'm on the hunt for some cheap cardamom. In the meantime I'm drinking my regular hazelnut with a splash of milk and 3 packets of aspertame.



My dad used to say "You like a little coffee with that cream and sugar?" I now reply to him, "Dad, you just enjoy that black nasty cup of paving tar and I'll enjoy my nice delicious coffee."



I learned to drink coffee when I was a senior in high school. It was a rite of passage for me, since everyone I've ever known in my family drinks the stuff. I mixed it with packages of hot cocoa mix, and it was wonderful. I did gain about 10 lbs. my senior year -- but I thoroughly enjoyed my coffee. And it was nice being able to sit after dinner with the grownups.



In college, I lived on the generic instant stuff and lots of milk and sugar or sugar substitute. How I did that, I can only attribute to the fact that I would also stay up all night and live on Diet Coke and McDonald's french fries. I would also treat myself to frozen cool whip with natural peanut butter, a spoonful at a time. Some people smoked weed or drank too much. Me, I just ate like one of those birds in Mary Poppins.



Now that I am older and wiser, I mix up a nice batch of half decaf, half regular beans. I use Millstone Hazelnut Cream. My mother in law got me a grinder about a million years ago, and I use it to grind the beans as I need them. Then I use a splash of milk and sweetner. It's better if I use evaporated milk -- but I fear that's too many calories for the amount of cups I drink.



Some people I've talked with tell me they enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning. To this, I reply "What lightweights! I drink a POT of coffee in the mornings!" I used to split the pot with Lynnette, my walking partner, but that was many years ago when I would rise at 5AM to do a couple of miles with her. We only really walked for the coffee.



My children will now drink it, although generally it has to come from Starbucks. It was a mistake I made early on, taking them there. I heartily discourage any mom with children to make the trip, even if it does save the mom's sanity. It will cost you dearly, my friends.



REGARDING PROJECT RUNWAY, SEVERAL DAYS LATE:

Well, I know I'm late but I have been sick . . . excuses, excuses! I have failed to make it work!



The final three were LeAnn, Kenley, and Korto. While all 3 collections were gorgeous, LeAnn's really stood out as the most artistic and cohesive to me. It looked like all her pieces came from the same designer. This was kind of a "best of the best" thing for me -- they are all so talented, and all deserved huge accolades.



And LeAnn won, just barely beating Korto and Kenley came in third. They were all very weepy; typical of women contestants -- you'd have thought this might be Miss America. But in their defense, I have to say that there is a lot to be said for putting your creations out for the world to judge. It takes courage.



So now I hope Lost comes back, because there's nothing on TV for the next few Wednesday nights. Except Top Design, and I'm kind of wishy-washy on it. It's more fun to watch for Jonathan Adler's wide ties and Kelly Wearstler's ridiculous outfits.



AND ONE LAST BIT OF PREACHING FROM MY SOAPBOX . . .

My youngest watches Disney channel a lot. Recently, for Halloween, I heard from the other room that you could "logon and make your own spells" at their website.



Ok, that's it. That's taking it too far. I hope those of you with children who watch this channel just turn it off. Making your own spells? God tells us to have nothing to do with witchcraft or the occult. While I am decidedly not of those people thumping my bible and telling everyone who reads Harry Potter they're going to hell -- I do draw the line somewhere.



The thing to remember is that God tells us this to protect us. It is highly self-indulgent and out-and-out-conceited to think that we could possibly understand the unseen world. It will trick us and get us into serious trouble if we mess with it. There is a battle going on between Satan and God, my friends, and we are the battleground. Satan uses us and hurts us purposely, solely because we are loved by God and hurting us hurts God. Satan could care less about us. And if we dabble the unseen world, he's all the more delighted to take advantage of us.



So be careful. Be smart. And don't be logging on to create your own spells. Bad idea.



Instead, go have a nice cup of Chai Tea or really good coffee -- any way you like it!



xox