Hi everyone! Overdue life update:

- I discovered tonight that not only is it a bad idea to keep candles on top of a wall heater, it's a really bad idea to keep candles on a wall heater. This would be the second time in about a week that I have started a small fire in my apartment. It's not like I have a brick-lined hole in the wall for this sort of thing, so fire is kind of bad.

- I would like to express my enduring love of baking soda. It's good for everything! Like baking! And cleaning! And putting out small, unintended fires! Keep a box near the stove ... and the toaster oven ... and the heater, 'k? Thanks!

- Btw, if you use your toaster oven with any kind of regularity, clean it out once in a while, 'k? Those crumbs at the bottom will catch on fire if you try to bake a potato in there at anything near 400 degrees.

- Thanksgiving was good. Got to eat lots of turkey and stuffing and potatoes and pumpkin pie, and my apple pie turned out pretty good too. Didn't get to see my older niece at all, but that was my fault for not making arrangements. Didn't get to see my younger niece nearly as much as I would have liked, but that was just how things worked out with her parents. From what I understand, I'm going to miss her at Christmas too, and it's depressing me already.

- Also witnessed an unfortunate collision of a rear bumper with my driver's side panel and side mirror this last weekend, so I get to drive my mom's truck until my car is fixed and brought back to me. I like trucks. It's lovely to be so high above everyone else again. Filling it up with gas is no fun ($38 for 15 gallons!!), but I'll be sorry to give it back.

- Holy crap this December is going to be busy. I think I'm booked up Thurs-Sun every weekend. And then there are a few Tuesdays and Wednesdays thrown in there too. And I haven't started cards yet. And I'm not even really settled on what everyone is getting for gifts either. Ack! I will not stress about this though. I don't believe in stressing about the holidays.

- Speaking of gifts and such, I signed up this year to be the department Secret Santa, which is interesting. I did it mostly so that I could make sure my group didn't have to bring salads to the potluck for the third year in a row (yay, desserts!), but I'm feeling the pressure to live up to the wit and good planning of the previous two SS's. It's like planning a party for 60+ people, but not being entirely in charge.

- buying pre-viewed movies from Netflix is an awesome deal. I ordered Team America late on Monday night for $6.50, and I got it in the mail today. How great is that? And I just watched it, and the quality is great.

- Hope y'all had a great Thanksgiving and that you enjoy December, and don't get all stressed out by the holiday expectations.