Literary Luminaries

Tonight is the eighth and final night of Chanukah.

As an uncle said, we remember "the re-dedication of the alter which was defiled by the Syrian Greeks for 2 years. After this we could once again bring korbanot (offerings to Hashem)." And also, "the miracle of the cruse of pure oil that they found which was supposed to be only for one day and lasted 8."

Miracles I've had in my own past eight days: Holiday Bonus, Extra Balance on my Phone Bill, Extra Balance on my Gas Bill, and a little extra in the coffer after paying rent, thanks to a good Holiday so far at work.

Yesterday, the store sold its first E-Book. Unfortunately, if you have a kindle, you won't be able to read anything we sell, because that is how Amazon does business.

Anyways, it is perhaps miraculous that histories can be passed along these days through the digital world. It does require quite a bit of energy to move around these bits of information, but Caesar had to die so that Rome could live, amirite? Am I right?

In honor of Cleopatra: A Life, I am spending the latter half of my day off to watch the 4 hour epic.
And it feels right for the day. For how many histories have been written and rewritten through the centuries? Isn't it something how long human beings have been running around reading, righting and rythmaticking?

So as we prepare all 9 lights in our Chanukiot ce soir, let's take a moment to reflect on history, so that we may consider the future.

And also, maybe someone would like to get me this as a present. (LOL, j/K)

But seriously folks. In the fine tradtion of legends (after all, this is the anniversary of John Lennon's tragic murder), lets all take a moment for The Cleopatra of Soul, Aretha Franklin had a bummer diagnosis. May she live it up mightily in these days, with fine china and royal processions all over the place.
Here she is in her natural divinity.

Word Economy

I think it's hysterical that the National Deficit is 1.3 trillion dollars.

That's 12 zeros. Isn't it remarkable? I mean, I think if you're going to get to spending that many zeros, you ought to be able to multiply numbers with that many decimal places without a calculator, or at least, recite that many digits of pi from memory.

Pi is a tasty number and I sure missed sharing it with my family this past week.

Thanksgiving is a big one for us Weinkles. Living all over the continental U.S. puts a burden on regular visits, so we put our energy into bringing 30 people together on a windy beach. It's miraculous and beautiful. Messy in a good pit barbeque kind of way. Fun fact: BBQ comes from the description of the rooster we used to run through the spit, beard to tail. Barbe a Queue.

Here is what I cooked:
Lemon-Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Curry Sour Cream garnish.
Ginger Garlic Kale

PB Krispy Bars


...one turkey carcass later I made a sweet and savory broth with what loads of kale and sweet potatoes I had left.

The surviving sweet potato, was tossed to the cuisinart. sliced some onion, salted, peppered, curried, double egged and mashed potato mixed (in lieu of plain ol' flour.)
Sweet Potato latkes. boom.