Cupcakes be damned.

To continue my recent trend of blogging about weighty things and frivolous things back-to-back, I give you this:

I'm over cupcakes. Oh, sure, they are cute and all, but after Saturday, I'm done. This revelation didn't stop me from downing a leftover cupcake from the festivities this morning for breakfast, but I couldn't really let it go to waste, now could I?

So here is the deal: a party for 100 people, a weighty cake (10 x 10 and four layers deep), and 70 cupcakes. I sliced the cake -- it was a bit messy (because it was a real carrot cake full of carrots, crystallized ginger, pineapple, raisins, and walnuts!!!) and therefore a bit more labor intensive than normal -- but let's face it, cutting a big cake always takes some effort and skill (in grad school I worked for caterers and cut many, many cakes). But it is worth it. Saturday's party-goers filed right past the pretty cupcakes (in four flavors) to wait in line and get a slice of cake from me. Only when the cake was all gone (and I stretched its servings to 48), did people reach for a cupcake. I had the dregs of the cake (the bits that fell off the real slices) and I had a cupcake (okay, there were lots left over... I've had several cupcakes). The cake wins (and not just because carrot cake is the best cake on the planet): the cake/frosting ratio is better, the distribution of frosting is better, and the cake has more moist surfaces.

I'm hereby committing myself to the cake camp. I'm a cake enthusiast.

Found

"They are sophisticated men that know how to bam you." 11/30/08

In one of the books I've been reading lately -- written on an envelope scrap and in my own hand -- I found that quotation yesterday.

I have no explanation. I've got as little as I would if it were published in Found Magazine. I obviously wrote it down fairly recently, but for the life of me, I can't remember where it came from or why it struck me as worth writing down. Sigh. Mushy brain.

Where did the weekend go?

Friday night included live music (Hullabaloo + BackForty) at one of my local spots with a couple of good friends -- some drinking, some dancing, some hugging... all good.



Saturday morning found me awake bright and early. Oh, esp. after closing the bar the night before, how I wish I could sleep in... When I was awake at 7:something and didn't need to be, I felt myself mighty envious of W who was snoring away (and would be for several more hours). I cleaned around the house and sent the kids out the door. One did not feel well, however, and came back. No worries -- she decided to pitch in and we woke up the yard by raking out beds and lawn, running the core aerator, seeding the problem patches, and putting down the usual organic fertilizer (mostly chicken poop). It was a good day of manual labor with plenty of sunshine to leave me feeling toasted and tired.


Dropped in at the Corner while the Freighthouse banjo fundraiser was going and saw lots of the usual suspects and had a quick beer before heading down the road to EMU. Melissa Ferrick rolled through town on Saturday evening to do a *free* show as a fund raiser for the LGBT Resource Center. The crowd pretty well filled the ballroom, but overall, it was a small crowd for someone who is sooooo cool. I love her -- "mangina" and all (sorry, inside joke for those who were there). She is goofy, loud, irreverent, and spastic in ways that totally appeal to me and I'm impressed by her ability to tell stories while tuning and then integrate those stories into her songs -- a rockingly good live show, she is. The evening also gave me a chance to catch up with a friend who has been out of town for much of the winter, though I probably stayed up too late again.


Sunday morning I finally made it back to my pre-surgery weight levels while lifting at the gym. I've been cautious, since the right hip is still weaker than the left, but I'm coming up on 4 months since the surgery and have been fairly active so I thought I'd test it out. It worked, at least for squats... I'm still hesitant on lunges, since that leaves the hip out there pretty unprotected on its own holding all my weight and then some. Was back on target for chest, triceps, biceps, and shoulders as well. Yay!


After a shower, I played with the kids a bit and was going to take a quick nap, but E decided to brush my hair... Having my hair brushed is one of those small yet great pleasures in life.... and it was just as good as a nap, I decided.


Sunday afternoon found me out with Bike Ypsi folks. A dozen riders made it out this time, including a couple of new folks. We made use of the Ford Blvd bike lanes and then headed around Ford Lake for sixteen or so miles and lots of sunshine.


I left the BY people to ride into Ann Arbor and meet up with W and the kids for Festifools. It was a significantly larger happening than last year and they created quite the party by circling up and down Main Street. W is inspired to make his own giant puppet -- for camping, music festivals, and just those odd times with the kids when one wants a 10ft tall puppet to parade up and down the street.


Another shower, pizza, and polishing off the taxes rounded out the evening. I'm a tiny bit sore (mostly from the yard work... that core aerator is heavy machine), more than a little bit sun/wind-kissed, and ready for a good long sleep.

TAG

(yes, this is a re-run... but I'm doing it for the Injector)


TAG...I'M IT!!...(tagged by Stacey)

Here are 10 weird, random, facts, habits or goals about me.


1) I am incredibly indecisive, which I cover for with high activity levels.

2) I am fruit fussy and I hate berries in particular... and in my world, cherries count as berries (don't give me shit, I know they are really stone fruits).

3) The best job I ever had was a summer spent working as a trail guide at a horse stable. I made no money and worked 13 hour days but rode beautiful creatures through the woods for hours and hours.

4) I like moving water... waterfalls, rivers, oceans, babbling brooks.

5) I love to be read to sleep.

6) I learned to swim really well early on because the bottom of natural bodies of water kind of freak me out.

7) I actually hate history museums, despite being a historian and all.

8) I am an excellent parallel parker -- despite not having much eye/hand coordination.

9) I don't really understand how televisions and such work... oh sure, W has tried to explain it to me but that usually just sends me off into the most peaceful sleep...

10) I can wrap my right arm around behind my head, under my chin, and touch my right ear.

BTW, I am disappointed that no one has yet offered to read me to sleep.