HAPPY WEEKEND! hope you feel the crisp autumn air

Right now I'm not working but I realize that work can be tough. You've worked hard all week. Most of you have even had difficult commutes...

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So the least I can do is wish you a happy weekend and chat with you about some things.

We are finally using all the pumpkins we've been acquiring from our CSA and we're making this rich soup (but we'll tweak it by roasting the pumpkin/squash first and substituting out cream with potato).

I know this pumpkin soup will only fuel my need for more pumpkin items. I honestly think I would thrive in this Trader Joe's challenge.

I've mentioned before that Neil and I bet on the spreads of all the weekly football games - well I haven't mentioned that this year I've either tied or WON - EVERY SINGLE WEEK!! I only say this now because I worry my lucky-well has run dry. I picked the 49ers minus 8 points last night... in the final seconds Harbaugh made a wise football decision terrible gambling decision and declined a safety so that instead of a push, I lost! I figured I'd brag now incase the rest of the games play out in a similarly painful manor. (THIS is why people say don't gamble - even when its for household chores)

Louis C.K. endorsed a recent stand-up performed by Tig Notaro. Then I got to hear part of it on a (really great) episode of This American Life "What Doesn't Kill You." Finally I read this article with rave reviews of Tig's set. Okay, okay, okay, already, I'll spend $5 and listen to the full thing for myself!

And since I'll never tire of endorsing This American Life - this weeks episode "24 Hours at the Golden Apple" was delightful! It fell into one of my favorite categories - the ones that tell everyday stories of everyday people. Yet this one was special because its about an all night diner in Chicago. As a girl that worked night sifts in that fair city, I spent off-nights "keeping schedule" in the exact same places with my fellow nurses. Here's to Rachel and Laura and Sara and bottomless coffee and really strange people at 3 am!!

Just learned that the smart, funny blog Adulting got picked up as a show via JJ Abrams! I'm ignoring all context and expecting it to resume with Felicity in her mid-twenties. In case you're counting, that's one more young woman getting her own show... you almost have to expect that haters gonna hate.

This weekend, we plan to take a long walk in Highland Park so we can glimpse a broad view of changing leaves along the Pittsburgh hillsides. After years of running these paths, it will be nice to bundle up and walk the hills - maybe even with a warm drink in hand. Maybe I'll even stop on one of the benches to cheer on the running people that look like they might puke ("hey I used to be you, I know you can make it!")

I'm really fascinated by all the endless possibilities that a 3D printer provides. Have you heard they are working on printing viable transplant organs!?! In the meantime, someone 3D printed this $240,000 lightbulb. Well done, innovation, way to go there.

I just love watching this youtube video of Eleanor Roosevelt when she was on the game show "What's My Line?" For the first 6 minutes she absolutely looks miserable! Then when they finally ask her about the UN, she lights up like a christmas tree!! What a lady! I fear she would have been unfairly critiqued by media networks had she been in the White House today.

Speaking of politics today, my friend Tom wrote a post that gave me such a great new perspective on things. Nothing like remembering the good ol' days of dueling pistols to feel happy for "attack" ads on TV.

I eluded to this in my last post - I'm reinstating my nursing license! This doesn't mean I will certainly go back into hospitals, or even definitely work as a nurse. This does mean I will keep my RN, BSN in my pocket just in case. It also means I have 30 hours of continuing education online classes and tests to complete in 11 days!  (so I'm going to learn a lot and I can't wait and I might share factoids with you)

Finally - I'll send you out with a song for your weekend... (warning you can't un-see this)

shaq + karaoke + purple velour  = no idea what an actual dove sounds like