Happy Dysfunctional Holidays

I’m liking our new Pagan Winter Solstice Singalong tradition.

Dear God. We’re watching Shirley Temple movies. Somebody come and shoot me.

Ooh, I’m watching The Ruling Class (1972) with Peter O’Toole. Wow.

@karen marie doesn’t want to know: We’ve got The Fighter queued up.

Take heed! This could be you!

(Scroll down to second story)

Ten seconds left. I’m about to have a fucking heart attack.

. . . . .

I LOVE JAY FEELY!!!!!!

@Benedick: I’m sorry, but Ambassador Shirley Temple Black is my hero. I’m not sure why (I have teh drunk and Firecracker just handed me my ass in several hands of Nerts). But whatever. My point (I think I have one), no this isn’t a point, but what I wanted to share was that my mom used to roll my damp hair around her fingers so I’d have Shirley Temple curls. But I called her “Curly Temple” cuz I was three years old. I didn’t get to tap until I was a tween when I refused to go en pointe. So, like, yeah. I wanted to be Shirley Temple, goddammit.

Here’s my contribution to the Xmas festivities.

@Benedick: @karen marie doesn’t want to know: @Dodgerblue: Our teevee died on the 22nd. Mr. SFL is going to brave the masses tomorrow and go to one of those electronic stores and buy a new one. Note that this fancy teevee lasted 18 months, the prior one to that lasted more than 18 years.

@SanFranLefty: Boo!

I’m thinking about streaming My Life As a Dog, but I might go to sleep on a documentary instead.

TJ/ Hey. So I made the kids some banana caramel syrup for their french toast. I wanna try it with apples, but I’m afraid I’m going to burn the brown sugar and butter while I wait for the apples to soften. Any ideas on how to avoid scorching the sugar? I’m using 1 or 2 gala apples, 1 stick of butter and 1/2 c of brown sugar.

@JNOV: Ooh! Ooh! How do you make the banana caramel syrup? Coincidentally, I ran out this morning for French toast makings myself — plus BACON!!!!11! And I also got bananas!

Please post that recipe!

French toast is going to take a while as the bread has to soak for several hours, so I got time.

Copied from Epicurious:

Cut 2 bananas into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Combine 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter, 1/2 cup golden brown sugar, and 1/4 cup water in heavy large skillet. Boil over medium-high heat until mixture thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract and sliced bananas. Remove syrup from heat.

Yum! Oh, I accidentally used 1/2 c butter. Meh. I also made fresh whipped cream and put some powdered shuggah on those bad boys. Once this hangover is over, we’re going to stock up provisions for teh snowpocolypse.

How are you feeling?

SNOWPOCALYPSE NOW!

@JNOV: It came. It went.

Typical man.

@Benedick: Heh. We’re looking at about a foot. NOAA is forecasting up to 17″ for you at the homestead, if that’s we’re you are. NJ is getting slammed.

Shirley T was certainly a phenom and very impressive woman in her mature years. Interesting to see her at this remove. Her ‘childishness’ seems entirely fabricated and more than a little creepy. It reminds me of M Monroe’s ‘sexiness’, another entirely fabricated construct. Indeed it looks like Monroe – the most boring performer in the movies – based more than a few of her mannerisms on Temple. In the movie we watched she was perhaps 8 and was already too old for the story and was playing younger. Her ability was extraordinary and she was by no means a one-trick wonder. She’s one of Strich’s favorite performers. She was able to personify the very worst aspects of American ‘optimism’ and ‘positive thinking’ at a time when blood should have been running in the streets her movies wanted us to think that if we all just bucked up we’d find a millionaire too. Did she come first or was it Annie?

@Benedick: Good points all.