Tag Archive | mr. strivingcynic

slip into an upgrade…

Aug6

A month or so ago, mr. strivingcynic faced the dilemma many of us face….his 10+ year old car needed repairs, so many that he began to do the “repair or get a new car” debate. He took stock…weighed his options…and three days later came home with a new car (a Hyundai Tucson…).

I watched his grappling with interest. My car is about 11 years old and has about 127,000 miles on it. I haven’t thought twice when it came to repairing it the last few years because I never considered the “get a new car” option. I’ve always said I wanted to drive it until it could be driven no more, but the fact is, there will be a tipping point where I probably make the same decision as mr. sc.

The problem is, watching him in his new car makes the idea of a new car very seductive to me.

1. The new car smell. It’s been more than a month and it’s still there.

2. The upgrades. Mr. sc had a 10 year old honda civic. My car is a two-door ford focus*. I was thrilled to have cupholders and a cd player, but now mr. sc can play music from his iPod, can somehow hook his phone up to the stereo system and tell his car to call me (freaky). The ac is strong and plentiful, unlike mine, which plays hide and seek.

3. The free three month trial to Sirius radio. I’m getting such a kick out of the 80s station with its original mtv veejay djs. I love that there’s good music/radio to be found readily rather than having to hunt around for five minutes for something I want to listen to only to have it go to commercial.

4. The car looks nice…inside and out…it hasn’t been dinged up or had gum wrappers (some with gum) wadded up and stowed in various places.

5. It’s fun to drive around in it…and to experience the “firsts.” Oh..it’s raining…first windshield wipering! First gas tank filling! And one day in the not too distant future..first turning on the heat.

front end of my focus

But then I remember…the downsides. My focus is paid off…all those new car perks literally come with a price (and I don’t think my payments for future car will be less than what I paid for the focus). I don’t look forward to another monthly bill. Also, I am thinking about something a little more in the crossover/suv territory for the next car…meaning gas will cost me more (something mr. sc has run into). And that Sirius subscription? After the trial period is over, you start to pay for that too (I don’t remember the cost, but it’s still money that isn’t necessary to spend). So, as much as I’m seduced by the seductive bits…I figure I will wait and see what goes on with my car, and with offers for cars, before I take the plunge.

Although now that I have cars on the brain, I think it’s possible I could be driving something new in one year’s time…but by then I will have come up with a plausible account of why it’s more practical for me to have done so!

*I liked the two-door hatchback because it was sporty…but these are really long doors. I have to live in fear of me or a passenger hitting another car with them when trying to get in or out. It’s a pain…also, when I got the car I lived alone and didn’t really have potential backseat riders.

Also, I got the focus because the lease was up on my previous car, so I didn’t have to agonize about the “right time.”

What have your “time to get a new car” experiences been like? What “seduces” you the most about a new car?

a wrap-up

Jun28

Remember way way back in February, when I showed off my horrendous gift-wrapping skills (handy-dandy link)? Well…I managed to go several months without another present giving occasion where I had to wrap the present (I either had things shipped/wrapped and once I [and the recipient] got lucky and mr. strivingcynic did the wrapping). But last week…the time had come. It was mr. sc’s birthday…and there were two boxes and a book that needed wrapping.

I’m happy to say, this round of wrapping went a lot better than the last one (little to no puffiness/paper bunches, no hair under the tape…). So..thanks and on to the…okay, I guess you might want to see proof that my wrapping skills were better. Fine.

ready to be wrapped

So, something I learned from the last time that I put into play here. Most of the time, you will need to cut excess paper. Trying to accommodate the size of the box often means that more paper is going to be cut than is needed…but that excess paper makes things awkward when wrapping…so snip snip!

see, that’s me cutting away

And let me just say, extra points to me for photographing with one hand while cutting with the other!

and box one is done!

I’m willing to admit, the stripes on the wrapping paper helped when it came to cutting and lining up cut edges.

If you look at the upper right hand corner, you’ll see I had a [non]observer

he’s pretending to not pay attention, but we all know that cats love the sound of crinkly wrapping paper

box two, for your viewing pleasure

Okay…I can see this one wasn’t as nicely lined up as the first one, but it’s not bad.

The third one is where I got a little loopy. Since it was a book…and I had all the excess paper from before, I decided to challenge myself to wrapping the book using the excess paper. And of course, none of it totally covered the book…so this is what I (and mr. sc) got:

yep, I even made a “bow” with paper scraps

I knew I’d never get anything to line up, so I went for more of a pattern on this one.

The result? Mr. sc complimented my wrapping! Of course, he still tore it off….but it was nice to know my effort was noticed.

Interestingly, this was my first wrapping job on the new kitchen table, which is smaller than the previous one. It was manageable, but I will admit to missing the extra surface space from the previous table. Also, you’re getting some nice views of our new place mats! A total bonus!

Is there an “occasional” skill like wrapping presents that you’d like to improve on? Have you done any “creative” wrapping?

adventures in kitchen decorating

Jun4

We are, bit by bit, making changes and progress in the kitchen. Last year we got rid of the wallpaper the previous owners had chosen and painted the kitchen terracotta orange (2 posts about that process if you want to read them…the “in-process” post and the “done” post. Earlier this year, we got a new dishwasher, stove, and microwave (the previous dishwasher no longer worked, and the stove had a nonfunctioning burner or two). We’ve targeted the pink formica counter tops as being the next to go…once all that was done, we’d look for a new table and wall decor.

But our plan changed a bit the other day when I suggested we head up to Ikea sometime “just to get ideas.” Ha! Shame on me! Everyone knows it’s impossible to go to Ikea without buying something…and we were no better. We actually did “just get ideas” about certain things, but when we saw and liked a kitchen table that came with four chairs, we started talking purchase.

Here’s our “pre-Ikea” kitchen table (another holdover from the previous owners). It’s really big (usually there are two of us, but we need room for a third for when strivingcynic teen is staying with us, which is frequently). Also, the bench seating takes up a lot of space, and didn’t do good things for my back. Also, the bench was a temptation…as in “put things on me…they can stay here for a long time!” There were also some ugly cushions on the benches (they matched the wallpaper. seriously), but I took them off before taking this photo.

our eating area (recycling area to the right)

Buying a new table also meant we had to buy something else.

the bench seats served as storage (for my cookbooks) as well

Mr. sc and I have a lot of books, so there really wasn’t another place for my cookbooks. Of course, I rarely ever tried to look at them once they went into the benches, even though I’d always like to try cooking more and would like to use them. We had decided a baker’s rack might be a good solution.

So, at first we had liked some wood shelves, but they weren’t baker’s racks and once we found the table we liked we weren’t sure how the woods would work out. At the very end of our Ikea hike (if you’ve never been to one, they make you walk…), we saw a rack we liked in the outdoor/plant section. We thought it would suit our needs perfectly.

And here’s the new eating area.

new table and baker’s rack for the books

notice the intrepid feline explorer between the table and rack…

The table and chairs were actually shown with beige cushions (a separate purchase), which I didn’t want to use. I tend to like pops of contrast color, so I thought navy blue cushions would work with the orange walls. We didn’t see any placemats we liked so we’re using ones we already had for now. I suspect we’ll try to find something in that contrast range.

Two funny things: 1. Everyone looks bigger to me now at the kitchen table thanks to the change in scale. 2. Now I feel as if the walls really need something on them. There’s just so much wall that needs something to break it up…it’s too much/too intense on the orange…but I think it’ll look great with some wall art. We’re also thinking a plant stand/fake plant in the back corner. Also, the recycling has now moved to out of sight.

We’re pretty happy with it so far (and the price tag for the table, chairs, cushions and rack was a little over $200…Ikea rules).

Have you experienced Ikea and have you ever made it out of there without buying something? As you’ve made decorating changes, has that made you want to make other changes?

when cookies take over the kitchen

Apr26

When I was growing up, I never became a Girl Scout. It wasn’t like I (or anyone in my family) made the choice for me not to become a Girl Scout, it just never happened. I remember being in the Brownies (a pre-Girl Scout thing) for a year, but don’t know why I stopped.

I wonder sometimes if I missed out , if some of the qualities my life lacks (a positive, can-do spirit; a knowledge of knot tying [that might be more Boy Scout]) could have come from time as a scout (to be fair, I was never much of a joiner, so any organized girl-power boosting activity might have done it). But, one thing that gives me major Girl Scout envy…..the cookies. Access to all those cookies.

Right now, as if to make up for this area of childhood neglect, our household has been overrun by Girl Scout cookies. You see, mr. strivingcynic’s daughter is in the Girl Scouts, and we decided to support her by going for about 8-10 boxes. Between the three of us, we have divergent tastes–I love the Samoas/Caramel Delites; sc teen and I both love peanut butter cookies and thin mints; mr. sc is partial to lemon flavorings; and there are one or two other types we agree on as well. When we ordered these boxes, we knew we’d have issues figuring out where to put all the cookies.

And then comes the complication. You see, a colleague of mine also has a daughter who is a Girl Scout…and in past years, I’d get my cookies from him (usually going for a box or two of thin mints [my favorite] and a box of Samoas, all of which I prefer to freeze because I think the cold enhances the flavor for some reason). So, this past year, he brought in the sign up sheet for cookies…and I didn’t sign up. I never explained to him about mr. sc’s daughter. I took a day off work and when I got back, my colleague explained that the day before was the last day to order and he was afraid that since I didn’t know that, that I’d miss my chance for cookies. So, he’d ordered two boxes of thin mints on my behalf. I knew he’d acted kindly so I didn’t have the heart to tell him about my 10 imminent boxes.

The other week, I had two boxes of thin mints on my office chair. They have joined our cookie collection (they’re thin mints, no way am I giving them away). And there’s no other way to say it. We have a lot of cookies.

in the meantime, I can make mosaics with the boxes

We’re all making a heroic effort to get through them. We’re just so brave (at least I didn’t have to be a Girl Scout to acquire bravery).

playing dominoes with the boxes isn't so much fun, though

Is your kitchen overrun by a particular product? Do you have another suggestion for how I can play with the boxes?

tales of the unsavvy: technology trepidation edition

Apr23

Every once in a while, I forget my own tendencies…like that facing situation x always makes me feel y. I’m in the midst of a good reminder about this.

I know I’ve brought up my technological “unsavvy” before in this blog. Every time I deal with having to learn a new technology, it takes me out of my comfort zone, and I struggle to adapt and adjust. Mr. strivingcynic was telling me about how he’d once read that when it comes to technology purchasers, there are four types of people….and he remembered that two of them were the one who goes out immediately and gets it, and the one who thinks about it for a long time, and then when they decide to get it, go for the latest/most upgraded version. We both fall into the latter camp.

Which brings me to my happy reminder of my tendencies. I was fortunate enough to get a little bit of extra money lately (I pick up occasional freelance editing work) and decided to funnel it to something I’ve been thinking about….an iPad. Yep…the idea of being able to play with my iPhone in a larger setting lured me in. So, as is my usual process…I thought about it, I looked at the apple store online…I thought some more. My firm decisions were that I wanted the black iPad and a blue case for it. I was pretty sure I wanted the latest version…but some of the other options confounded me.

And they probably would have continued confounding me, except mr. sc made the wise suggestion we head to an apple store and talk to someone, which is what we did this weekend…and as the result, I am now an iPad owner.

as you can see, I held firm to my "blue cover" decision

Aside from the confusion (which clearly, I resolved). I was excited that I got an iPad….until I started playing with it, at which point I went into the, “hey this is new to me and how do I? why do I? what about?” phase I go through with any technology…”why did I get this?” I wondered…and then I remembered.

When I got the iPhone…it was the same thing. I was happy, intimidated, scared, put off, unsure, overwhelmed (and there’s always the part where I think the technology is too nice/too new for me and I don’t deserve it for some reason). A week or so later, I was charmed, and by a month, I was wondering how the heck I ever got along without it.

gotta keep the iPhones charged and happy...

So, now that I’ve remembered my early, fearful, phase and I’ve had a little more “exploration time” (I’ve been getting the digital versions of all my magazine subscriptions–holy cow it’s amazing), I’m back into awe with a little intimidation. I suspect within a month, we’ll be wondering how the household survived without a tablet. And I’m learning to accept that my unsavvy ways lead me to initial discomfort, but that’s what helps me move forward.

a magazine page on the iPad (and you can see, I held firm on my choice of black)

So, less than 24 hours in, my iPad pros and cons

Pros: bigger interface than the iPhone, portable, stand-uppable (using the case as a prop), can read magazines, has more potential for video watching

Cons: two screen related–there’s a glare under lights and my fingerprints are visible everywhere (obviously, these aren’t iPad specific), just what I’m noticing. Also, you have to decide on purchase whether you just want wifi connectivity or wifi with the possibility of 4G (which costs more)…I decided to go for the latter even though I only intend to use it with wifi…but if the situation comes up where I would need to buy a data plan, then I would need to have the capability. But, I think that was the right choice.

And I think this move out of my comfort zone was a good choice as well.

How do you approach the use of new technology? Do you embrace it or fear it?

quintessential Jersey

Apr5

When you grow up in New Jersey, there are certain experiences you assume other Jerseyans have also had. Been “down the shore” (yep, even to Seaside Heights); been held up in massive traffic jams on the turnpike or parkway; have sworn allegiance to Jersey tomatoes (nothing better); have dealt with non Jerseyans telling you Jersey sucks because they once spent two hours at Newark airport (I wish I were kidding about that one). I think the “You’re from Jersey, what exit?”  and “Joisey” jokes from my teenaged days have finally bitten the dust, because over the last decade,we’ve been getting a lot more street cred.

Like many New Jerseyans, I’ve had a love-hate relationship with being from New Jersey. In high school, I couldn’t wait to get the hell out…which I did. Then I came back…and ended up staying…and ended up developing Jersey pride.

So, I’m proud to say that on Tuesday night, I added another notch to my “Jersey belt.” Yep…mr. strivingcynic and I headed way the hell up the turnpike to what is now called the Izod center, but what I remember growing up was called the Meadowlands. Our objective?

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucccccccccce!

That’s right, we saw Bruce Springsteen in concert….and we did it the “right way” to do it as New Jerseyans. We saw him in New Jersey.

Now, I should explain, unlike mr. sc (who has seen Bruce before), I am not an avid Bruce fan. Mr. sc has all his albums/cds…I only recognize the songs that play on the radio. People always expect you to be a Bruce fan if you’re from NJ, but I never got into his music growing up, or later. I always liked hearing what I heard, but felt no need to investigate further. This in no way, however, diminishes the Jersey pride that I, like my cohorts, take in Bruce. He’s someone we’re all proud of. (I’d say I feel the same way about Bon Jovi, another group I was never a big fan of the way a lot of my classmates were).

To be fair, I had actually seen Bruce once before….in New York. I went to a Sting concert at Madison Square Garden in the 80s and at one point some guy came out on stage and started singing with Sting. I turned to my friend and said, “Who the hell is tha.aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh! Omigod it’s Bruce Springsteen!!” But, aside from that random moment, nothing.

The concert itself was a lot of fun. The audience had that “We’re seeing Bruce in Jersey” good vibe feeling to it. Bruce has a lot of energy…after watching his running around stage (and the way he used the microphone stand as if it were a piece of exercise equipment [actually it reminded me of a friend of mine who takes pole dancing classes....] I have to say, the man is in great shape).  Mr. sc and I and most of the audience were standing for most of the concert. And you know, “Born to Run” brought the house down (as it should)!

And of course, now I get to say, “Yes I’m from New Jersey. And of course I’ve seen Bruce Springsteen in concert!”

What singers is your town/state/province/country known for? Have you seen them in concert?

it’s supplementary

Mar10

I’ve mentioned more than once (more than 20 times, I’m sure), that mr. strivingcynic and I have a hard time resisting the library book sale. You may remember that we visited one not too long ago, after which I displayed my haul with the same level of pride that strivingcynic kitty displays when he walks around our place with one of his toys in his mouth (it’s mine! all mine!).

Well, last weekend, mr. sc and I went looking for trouble. We headed out to the same used bookstore we’d gone to for one of our first dates (it was two years last week, so incredible to believe). We’re just going to look, we told ourselves. We really won’t buy anything unless it’s super special…it’s just a nice drive on a pretty day.

Needless to say, we both failed. Not miserably…but we each managed to come out with about six books (mr. sc will say one of them was for his daughter and somehow doesn’t count.

Now, before I go into the books I ended up buying (for about 5 bucks!), let me remind you of some of the books I got at the library book sale.

library book sale books

“Prep, by Curtis Sittenfeld (I got her American Wife, yet to be read, at the last book sale), ….The Likeness and Faithful Place by Tana French (never read her, but these looked good, so I’m hoping…), Ethan Frome… by Edith Wharton”

One thing that had bothered me at the library book sale was that I was fairly certain there was another Tana French book that came before The Likeness (I think Faithful Place has nothing to do with either). I prefer not to read books out of sequence, but I didn’t want to buy the other book (In the Woods) for full price when I don’t even know if I like French. I figured I’d try to pick up In the Woods at the library. So, I had a look at the mysteries in this book store, but they didn’t have anything by French. And then I went to look at trade paperbacks…and there it was. The only Tana French book and it was the one I didn’t have! For me, this is pretty much as good as it gets.

But then, poking around, I found another book by Curtis Sittenfeld that I’d never heard of called The Man of My Dreams. Now, again, I’ve picked up her books used because I’ve heard they’re good…so I’m hoping I’ll like her since I now have three of her books.

Finally, in the classics room they had some Edith Wharton. From time to time, I post pictures of when mr. sc went to visit her property The Mount at Lenox, Massachusetts, in spring 2010 (I recommend visiting). Wharton is one of those writers who I haven’t read much of (but when I think about it, I’ve read more than I realize) and would like to read more and know more about. They had several of her paperbacks, but I either already had those books, or the books were not in good condition (like they’d fall apart if you actually read them). And then I found The Buccaneers. From the back I learned it was her unfinished last book (I remember they did a Masterpiece Theater version in the 90s that I’ve never seen). Apparently, this one has been “finished” by another author.  I’m very intrigued.

Edith Wharton's library at the Mount

So, even though mr. sc and I broke our rule (I’m now uncomfortably close to 100 unread books….), I was thrilled to be able to supplement my collection. The other books were Josephine Tey’s The Daughter of Time (a classic mystery), Atonement by Ian McEwan (I’ve already seen [and cried during] the movie) and a book called The Position by Meg Holitzer (it just looked interesting).

fresh prey!

Please tell me your book hunting victory stories (or defeats). How many books are in your “to read” pile?

a bit of nice

Feb20

After asking my readers to look at my crappy gift wrapping skills in my last post, I thought I’d show some nicer pictures in this one. Not surprisingly, none of these are things I had any hand in making!

a very yummy bread pudding

This (made by a family friend), was so good. It was sweet, with apples and pineapple juice, and tart with cranberries. It went back into the oven before serving and got a nice crust. I was very happy!

so pretty..

Mr. strivingcynic sent me these beautiful flowers for Valentine’s day. I love the colors.

a closer look

My camera (or possibly my nonexistent photo editing skills) don’t really do the colors justice. It is definitely a “lift” having flowers around. They were actually delivered to me at work (I thanked the delivery guy so much it was as if he’d gotten me the flowers..), but I decided to bring them home (especially good since they’re lasting through the weekend). By the way, yes, that’s the corner of a composition book in the photos. Do they bring back memories?

these are quite excellent

Mr. sc and I found ourselves at Trader Joe’s again last week. I’ll admit it….I walk around TJ’s hoping that I’ll see something that is a) new to me and b) too good to pass up. Usually these things work out well, although a few weeks’ ago’s wasabi seaweed snack purchase, not so much. I walked, I looked, I picked up, I inspected, I put things down. I was intrigued by things like their kettle corn cookies, falafel chips, and chocolate covered potato chips. But what you see in the picture was what got put in the cart. They call them “Pinachios” and they are pistachio and white chocolate cookies. And they are….well, as I said, quite excellent. I think it’s the pistachio that lured me in…I think usually white chocolate is combined with macadamia nuts. I can assure you, this pairing works as well.

and of course, strivingcynic cat is an essential for any "nice pictures" post

Sc cat just loves to bask in the morning sunbeams. Sometimes he looks at me and gives little “pet me, play with me” mews. When I do, sometimes he just closes his eyes and arches a little…sometimes he quickly gets up and gallops across the room (no doubt thinking “Sucker!”). He’s definitely smile inducing.

What picture(s) would you post for a “bit of nice”? What’s your favorite cookie combination?

winter sleepy musings post

Jan14

Oh. The weather has taken a turn for the cold. For all my love of Northern Exposure and wanting to travel to Alaska, the cold makes me just want to hibernate. I want to be like strivingcynic cat and find a nice, happy sunbeam to lie in and not move for a few hours.

he's found his sunbeam

Actually, we’ve had some pretty warm days lately, but it’s gotten a little colder, which makes me take stock of my “what will protect me from the cold” winter weather gear. This week has seen me wearing a layer of long underwear under my clothes (genius), double socks to bed (okay, I’ve been doing that all along), and wristlets (I think that’s what they’re called…fingerless gloves that cover the entire wrist). I’ve worn my warm faux fur lined boots to work (I’ve changed into my work shoes at the office).

And then there’s the tea. I always love tea, but once the weather gets colder I basically keep drinking it all day. I also bring a water bottle that I intend to drink all day too, but I end up never touching it (and to be fair, the tea is decaf).

My habits change in the winter. I eat less ice cream (I still eat it though). I still go for desserts, but I go more for cake, cookies, chocolate. I have almost no interest in getting fresh air; the winter blahs set in.

Good thing there are things that put a smile on my face. Seeing that there’s a little more light in the sky in the morning and evening, hot chocolate, warm blankets, and of course, this guy:

still there!

What gets you through the cold, winter days? When do you break out the winter gear and what are your favorites?

let the wrapping paper fly

Dec29

So, I’m finally ready to talk about Christmas!

All of us were up, fed, and the adults properly caffeinated and then it was present opening time. Mr. strivingcynic got a lot of clothes and books, both of which made him happy. He is now the proud owner of two zip-up cardigans that will help keep him warm at work, which is always cold in the winter.  Strivingcynic teen got dvds, some books about movies, clothes, and a stocking full of candy and notepads (she loves stationery/office supplies). [Everyone got other gifts as well, but my memory fades quickly].

I got lots of lovely presents. Some open front cardigans (wonderful for my [also cold] work place), books, DSW (shoe store) gift cards. Sc teen gave me a box of chai that I’m drinking as I type. And then there are the coffee related gifts. You see, one thing I asked for (that I’ll admit, I found about through my blog reading) was a milk frother so I could make “fancy” drinks. All that tea I have? Well the ones I drink with milk can now be lattes. Turns out that handheld frothers can be bought for a few dollars (although I gather they often don’t last), so I was excited to get the frother.

Little did I know what was in store. I couldn’t help noticing a rather large box in the pile with my name in it. And when I opened it, I was shocked to see a Keurig coffee maker (another thing I know appears on blogs a lot, but not something I asked for. Mr. sc knows of my love of morning coffee and made a very good guess). He also got me a 48 variety pack of coffee to go with it.

I’m very excited by this, and I’m planning to get some variety of filter that allows you to make ground coffee that doesn’t come in one of the special k-cups (I’m currently investigating the kinds out there. I figure getting such a filter will let me use the coffee I already have and then I won’t be throwing away a cup every day). I’m having fun playing with the Kuerig, trying different coffees, and making lattes! The only downside for me is that I was so proud to use my newly learned throwing away coffee filters technique, but now there are no more filters.

an early Keurig and frother effort (with cinnamon on top)

[So, this photo is staged. The frothing was done before the milk was added to the coffee, but I didn't think to take an "in progress" photo. You get the idea].

And of course, strivingcynic cat got a present, and not just a present, but a *successful* present (ie, one he doesn’t ignore).

a wand with fuzzy boas thingy!!

What’s also good about this present is that it’s something that we can play with with sc kitty. I constantly vow to play with him more, but don’t always live up to my promise (I know, how could I?). Seeing how much he enjoys chasing after the flying boas (he appears to be more of a “birder” than a “mouser” so I don’t trail it on the ground as often as I wave it in the air) makes me feel good, and it’s good stress relief for me and energy release for him!

thanks mom! I won't totally ignore this one!

And of course, present unwrapping was only the beginning. In the afternoon we went to my father’s where we opened more presents, ate a ton of food, and for some reason watched Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. My dad and his wife’s strategy was appetizer food…so there was veggies and dip, cheese and crackers, quesadillas, turkey meatballs, potato pancakes, brilliant. Dessert included the gingersnaps and chocolate chip bars I brought, almond cheesecake, mincemeat pies, and zucchini bread. And I’m happy to say leftovers were brought home!

What do you think of sc cat’s new toy? Would an “all appetizer” Christmas work for you?