Jenn Martinelli Blogging in Boston

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

...about what kind of roasting pan I can use to cook my turkey.

Martha, can't you just send me the whole kit and kaboodle, turkey included? That's what I'd pay $79 for.

Just a preview for now, folks. Real pictures to come. Following the theme for the past several years, today it is the 1970s.

OK, here are the rest...

So this year Melissa and I got a new victim, er, participant, Amy, and our theme was the 1960's. I was going to get all crafty and make a pillbox hat but that just didn't work out, so Melissa teased my hair and styled it quite beautifully. The photos don't quite do it justice, it's more impressive in person, as are her hair and Amy's.

I heart Halloween and I'm glad we've come up with a theme that's easy to follow from year to year. We're already planning for the 70's next year. Of course, at some point we might catch up with ourselves... then what happens, I wonder. Do we try to jump ahead in time or start a new theme? Hmmmmm.

See below for this Halloween and years past.

Melissa, me, and Amy, 1960's

A closer look at my hair. Things I have learned today about 60's hair and makeup:

1. It really takes a lot to keep that hair so high! Mine has plenty of body to spare but had to be repaired a couple times and has fallen flat again now at the end of the day. I think I probably should have slept in rollers or something crazy like that.
2. Gold eyeshadow gets everywhere. Like on your black dress for instance.

Melissa and me last year, 1950's

Melissa and me in 2005, 1940's

Hi, I live in a city. In a city lots of people live very close to each other. In many areas there are not large open areas. Therefore, it might be a good idea not to do things like shoot off illegal fireworks in a tiny park in said city.

In related news, someone at work just told me about an idiot in her neighborhood (also in the city) blowing a giant hole in the street with a firework. Genius.

But here's my story:

I took my dog out sometime between 9 and 10 I think, I'm not sure precisely when it was but it was before the fireworks at the Esplanade.

We were just across the street from the Phillips Street Park when I saw a big group of kids come running out of there fast. I was pretty sure I knew what was about to follow and lo and behold, fireworks! Tons of them, very loud, very big - not little firecrackers, the big kind. You know, the kind that will blow your hands off. Bad enough already, I'm thinking nice adults in these kids lives and where are the cops? but worst of all, poor Billy is just about having a literal heart attack.

Here's a tip: dogs don't like very loud scary noises that sound like, oh, I don't know, bombs, guns, grenades... basically the end of the world.

I didn't have a very sane reaction. I was trying to comfort Billy but there was no comforting him. He was basically panicking, trying to drag me in every which direction, none of which of course made the sound any scarier since we can't run at 50 mph. I felt so so bad for him and I was so angry at the stupid kids.

I steered Billy toward home which was also the same direction the kids were running in, so I was yelling things like, "Thanks a lot you fucking shitty kids!" and "Fucking dickheads!" and "Where the fuck are the cops?" and God knows what else. Every sane person around was looking at me like I was a nutcase except for another woman who was also out with her dogs who were also scared to death. She had a cell phone and was calling the cops. I think she saw where the kids went so I hope some of them got caught.

Besides being so so angry I just kept thinking what is wrong with these kids? Even if I had access to fireworks as a kid I never would have set them off for the following reasons:

1. Fear of blowing myself up
2. Fear of blowing someone else up
3. Fear of blowing someone's house or car up
4. Fear of my parents fucking killing me
5. I'm not a goddamn asshole

Hey, I'm not an idiot, I know people get illegal fireworks. When I was a kid my neighbors would always set them off in their yard. But guess what? My neighbors had 2 acres of land and behind them was a giant cornfield. Also the ADULTS set them off, not the kids. Also, the adults set them off about 300 yards from any other living thing.

Obviously there's some awesome parenting going on in this situation last night.

I got back inside with poor Billy and Heather was there saying, "Cleo is never going to go outside again." Apparently she had just been stepping out the door with Cleo when the fireworks went off and needless to say, Cleo bolted back inside. She was shaking on the floor in the apartment.

Happy Fourth! Thanks for being assholes, kids! My dog thanks you! I wish I had been crazy enough to grab one of you. Maybe you would have liked a dog bite as thanks.

I meant to post something earlier but I was too crazy busy all day.

So what did we do for Valentine's Day? We ate tacos which required no trip to the store because we already had everything we needed, and then I made heart shaped cookies which were quickly eaten.

I was going to have us eat out but it was too freaking miserable. Once I got home I had no interest in leaving again! Tomorrow morning is going to SUCK.

At least my very kind friend Melissa is picking me up in the morning because she is surely a saint.

Today was kind of a crap day at work - lots of people were pissed about the weather, lots of annoying stuff related to the weather was happening, everyone seemed to have a little cloud over their heads. Of course, then a certain lovely Tara came by with cupcakes which made the end of the day better. Hooray for cupcakes, that's what I say. I'm sure all my readers will agree.

Well I'm kind of rambling and I'm up too late, so I'm off to bed now.

Hey, here is a fun little how-to to make a 3-d paper snowflake. Random holiday fun.

When I was in college Clementine and I would make paper snowflakes and put them all over our dorm room. Dork-a-rific, right? Don't worry, we decorated for every holiday. I think we did things like made mardi-gras masks for our stuffed animals for mardi-gras. Um, yeah.

We're nerds.

My favorite quote from that very first South Park, "The Spirit of Christmas":

"You're such a fat fuck, Cartman, that when you walk down the street, people go, 'Goddamn it, that is a big fat fuck!'"

That show is just so wrong. And this is the wrongest of the wrong. I love it.

Melissa and Jenn, Halloween 2006.

Oh, yes, I have dressed up. Melissa and I have a theme going again this year and because she made part of my costume this year, it's better than last year's. ;)

I'll post pictures as soon as we take a couple.