Happy 2008

I've been thinking about 2008 for so long now that I have a hard time thinking about it as the new year. Part of it is a work-related thing--I tend to think about academic years, so this is 2007-2008. The other part of it relates to a major life event I had assumed would occur in 2008, although now it looks like that won't happen for another two years. Not to say that acquiring the Viva wasn't a major life event, but, you know.

We hosted a party last night. Although the guests left before 2:00, I stayed up until 5:00 because that's how I roll. And also, I was afraid that if I went to bed too soon after consuming multiple martinis, the room would spin. So, I'm tired today, which is my lame excuse for this half-assed blog entry:

• If you host a New Year's Eve party, it's really good to have a crazy Greek dude there who will drink lots of shots and tell your fortune for you.
• I appreciate 80's music, but I don't miss it.
• Mr. Banality is hung over. Wanna know how I know this? He's taking a nap. For real.
• I have "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" by John Mayer running through my head. Why? I don't know.
• Bobby Flay, you convinced me that flatbread with white bean hummus and carmelized onions would be a good idea, but it wasn't so great. And now I have a bunch of leftover not-so-great flatbreads with white bean hummus and carmelized onions in my refrigerator. You're a jerk, Bobby Flay.
• You know you've had a good party when you get some good quotes out of it. My favorite: I'm workin' the little smokies.
• Party hats and horns really do make things more festive.
• Yesterday I hit a squirrel in the head with a walnut. The impact caused a hideous thunking sound. The squirrel took the walnut and ran off. I was worried that although the squirrel seemed fine at the time, it would later become disoriented and drop dead due to traumatic brain injury. Mr. Banality has been trying to reassure me by explaining that the squirrel's brain is so small that if the walnut had caused serious damage, the squirrel would have died immediately. Also, squirrels get hit in the head with walnuts all the time and suffer no ill effects. I'm feeling more optimistic about this squirrel's prognosis.
• Mr. Banality and I usually have a pretty empty refrigerator. This is probably because I hate to cook and he's not a picky eater (e.g., yesterday he finished the leftover "sandwich spread"). Now we have a refrigerator full of leftover party food that we'll be eating for weeks on end. So, if you drop by for lunch, be prepared to have baked brie with cranberries and several dozen tiny smoked sausages smothered in barbecue sauce. And regardless of what you'll be drinking, you'll be having a lime wedge in it. Because I have several thousand of them sitting in a ziploc baggie in my produce drawer.
• Does anyone know a recipe that uses leftover champagne? I'm sure there's a champagne jell-o salad out there somewhere. Oh, wait, I know a recipe: it's called a mimosa. That workshop on Friday morning might be more tolerable than I originally thought.
• Mr. Banality is up from his nap and is now on the treadmill in the basement. I'm not sure, but I think he might be an android.