My hubby is sick - bronchitis or some similar evil chest/throat/cough-inducing thing. He's at the doc now, and fter I get offline I'm wiping down every handle, doorknob, and nonporous surface AGAIN in antibacterial spray.

Chicago artist and teacher Ed Paschke passed away this weekend. Apparently, he died in his sleep on Thanksgiving.

While I was never a huge fan of his imagery and style, I always admired him as a person and teacher because he did so much to help young artists in the area. He was also a professor of art at my alma mater.

Anyone who drove the southbound Kennedy expressway a few years ago may recall the Bigsby & Kruthers mural near bucktown which had Paschke posed next to none other than Michael Jordan...that pretty much sums up his level of influence and value to the Chicago art community. I am certain his presence will be greatly missed.

I had to post again after re-reading my rather gushy (albeit totally sincere) hometown post. Lest you envision me as some rosy-cheeked, perm-haired Mommy in an appliqued holiday sweater, I can assure you that I was donned in my usual pseudo-Urban-boho finery, black microfiber messenger bag in full effect. (And I posted a pic in my profile for proof!)

Anyway...

(warning: the following post is likely the most treacly entry to date. diabetics beware!)


From the title of my blog, there is an implied melancholy, the feeling of geographically-detached identity crisis.

But yet again, my little "Village" that I now call home has reminded me why I live here.

Hey, I nearly forgot to share my personally created recipe for low-carb/low-calorie cranberry sauce.

Just a quick note to all my blogger buddies around the country and all over the world:

I wish everyone a healthy, happy and peaceful Thanksgiving holiday. If you don't celebrate T-day in your neck of the woods, then at least have an enjoyable weekend.

Good luck to everyone who will attempt to do any shopping on this insane weekend! ;)

(items in BOLD were highlighted by me for emphasis.)

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - McDonald's Corp. (MCD) said on Monday President and Chief Executive Charlie Bell had stepped down to focus on his cancer treatment and that Vice Chairman Jim Skinner would replace him.

The world's largest restaurant chain said Skinner, a 33-year company veteran, would take over immediately as CEO. The company also named McDonald's USA Chief Executive Mike Roberts as president and chief operating officer.

Bell was diagnosed with colon cancer shortly after taking over as chief executive seven months ago, prompting the company to expand Skinner's duties and broaden other McDonald's managers' roles. Bell replaced former CEO Jim Cantalupo, who died suddenly of a heart attack in April.

McDonald's, which two years ago had been struggling with declining sales and poor customer service, was reinvigorated by Cantalupo's plan to improve service and expand its menu with entree-sized salads and other healthier fare.

Despite the uncertainty that has surrounded its top post, the chain's flagship U.S. business has continued to post better-than-expected monthly sales results.

©2004 Reuters Limited.

My note: contributing factors to colon cancer: diet low in fiber and high in saturated fats.

Believe it or not I used to be a strict vegetarian. But I did it the "right" way - not just pasta and rice and stuff but I would cook lots of legumes (lentils, beans of all sizes...) and soy and other non-breathing foodstuffs to create "protein chains" that mimic what you'd get from animal protein sources.

But the irony is that for holidays, as a single gal in the City, I'd make Thanksgiving feasts (WITH Turkey, gravy, etc.) that would always receive accolades from my other single city-dweller 20-something pals.

I have always been a good cook when it comes to meat dishes. So when I changed my eating habits (no regrets there; it works better for me and my digestive quirks and nutritional needs today) I became an even BETTER cook of meat dishes, sauces, gravies, and the accompanying vegetable side dishes.

Although our family is small, once and a while (i.e. - when there is a SALE on oven-stuffer roasters) I will roast a whole chicken or small turkey for Sunday dinner. The "hassle" of roasting a whole bird for me used to be basting it with melted butter, and then getting the poultry seasoning or herbs to "stick" to the skin to flavor it during the cooking process.

Usually if you follow cooking instructions and baste frequently during cooking, the bird doesn't dry out. However, I have developed a much more efficient, healthful, and hassle-free way to prepare a whole bird (or even a cut-up chicken, etc) WITHOUT the butter.

I rinse and dry the bird with paper towels, per package directions. Then place it in the raosting pan and... spray it all over with PAM/Cooking spray!!!! It is a fine mist so the thin layer of vegetable oil coats each pore of the bird and really seals it up. Then I sprinkle some dried Herbs Du Provence (oryou can use "Poultry seasoning" blend, which is similar) and roast it with NO basting until near the end.  You get awesome meaty (not buttery) drippings for gravy-makings and a PERFECT, JUICY bird every time! Try it!!!

Whenever I lose patience or otherwise find myself dancing that slow-burn of irritation at my spouse for some display of male quirkitude or another, I have to merely look around my house and remember what I love about that guy.

He is possibly more handy, clever, and mechanically-inclined than anyone I know.

Yes, of course he has many other endearing attributes: some physical (*wink wink*), some personality-oriented.

But from managing to fix a very hard-to-reach broken shifter cable on my Taurus, to setting up a wireless home network and secure web server, to managing to fix a 60-year-old rusted-out plumbing emergency with nothing more than pvc cement, a bucket and some hand tools, I cannot be more impressed with his Uber-manliness.

I find nothing more emasculating than a man (or woman, for that matter) who is utterly helpless when a "fix-it" siutation arises. My dad is handy, and although now a well-paid executive he still does everything from mowing the lawn, to fixing things around the house to basic car maintenance.

My hubby's dad is also very handy and resourceful, and he was adamant about passing on those life skills to his sons.

Not only is he a natural Mr.-Fix-It, he's pretty much a guru when it comes to anything electronic or computer-oriented.

FINALLY! Some payback for the utterly disgraceful thievery of everyday-folk-mutual fund investors (I was one of them!!!!!) by Philadelphia-area based Harold Baxter and Gary Pilgrim. (see link to stories at end of post)