PlazaJen: Passion Knit

Well, it's nearly Camp Cupcake time for Martha, and someone I know just finished the perfect scarf for her to wear up at the Big House. I say move over, because I was looking through MSL's catalog, and she had this fantastic pumpkin, one of those sturdy carvable foam kinds, and it had holes drilled in it and you studded the pumpkin with suckers. It was awesome! And $45! (on sale now for $39, and that does include 200+ lollipops!) I thought, Self, we can make that! And we did! For $8. I have a foam pumpkin that I drilled (willy-nilly, not in the Martha Orderly Fashion) and then filled with mini tootsie pops. Two bags of tootsie pops: $3. One pumpkin half off at Michaels: $5. Drilling time: 15 minutes. Admiration from my husband and dogs, and today, my co-workers: Priceless!
I went home angry, stewed angrily to sleep, over getting my review & those who will be giving it & the timing seemed less than coincidental. Today, I decided I DO NOT CARE. I have the choice. It is on my plate but I decide if I will eat it or not. Today, I do not eat the slop. However, I am perfecting the art of moving it around on my plate for the appearance of consumption. I am tired of feeling vulnerable to other people's notions of who I am, who I should be, and what I should be doing. When I get tired, I get very, very bristly & my armor goes up - AND - more importantly, I become dangerous. Did you see the glint of light off my incisor when I smiled just now? It is symbolic. That same glint will be there when I give my Academy Award performance in my performance review, just like it will be there when I interact with the people around me who insist that slop is really truffles, caviar and expensive goose liver. (Pate is not typing out correctly and I can't get the little accent on the "e")
Speaking of Pate', Pierponts has the most fabulous (and expensive) appetizer: foi gras on french toast baguette (it's savory. It is the greatest most decadent thing, ever. I saw the executive chef make it on a local news show one Saturday morning, and when we went for DS' birthday, I had to try it. I mentioned seeing the chef to our waiter, who told the chef, who came out to our table - and made us a special chop on request. I love feeling like royalty!