Things that happened to me today

So, today is/was December 21st 2008...the Solstice...or for those who are more into the inherent awesomeness of things the Soul-stice. As such it was the shortest day of the year, nevertheless I was determined to get my money's worth. Ain't nobody can shortchange me out of nothing, no way no how.

And so I commenced the day by waking up and looking out my window to see that the old bitch continued to be dropping shitty white stuff from the sky. This has been going on nonstop since Friday afternoon and I was about ready to see it stop. Angie was planning on taking the Downeaster up to NH to do Christmasy stuff for the day...so I offered to drive her to North Station...given the weather the way that it was, I couldn't have her trek out to take the T. The roads were a complete juncque show...expectedly so I suppose. I arrived back at home eager to make sure I didn't get a sniff of the great outdoors for the rest of the day.

After yet another unbelievable breakfast of cholesterol-laden fare, I settled in for the football watch that defines most Sundays. Today's would be different however. Week 16 of the NFL season is Fantasy Football Championship week. With teams clinching their divisions and resting guys for the playoffs, it doesn't make sense to have Fantasy games on week 17 because there is a good chance the best guys won't be playing. I happened to be lucky enough to be in the Championship game in one of my leagues playing against our friend 'monde, whose team I also drafted. This would be the overarching theme of my football watching schedule for the day, but with only one guy playing in the 1 o'clock games and the only early game on here being the Patriots blowout, I decided to do something productive and wait for the late games.

And so I decided to make rice balls. Also known as arancini in Italian (meaning little oranges), these things are the single greatest hot snacks/appetizers you will ever taste. I was practically raised on them. Every pizza place in Brooklyn, if not all of New York, carries these things...and cheap. Its name pretty much describes it. It's a ball of rice, stuffed with meat or cheese, breaded and deep fried. Sounds pretty simple and maybe not all too enticing to those who may not be lucky enough to have tried them. The problem with Boston, aside from the complete impossibility of getting anywhere in the city cheaply and quickly at the same time, is that there are very very few places that sell rice balls...and it is a shame. I mean this city likes to eat...it has a nation of young college kids who would love to have something else to get from the local pizza joint. Why don't rice balls make any waves in Boston? I don't get it. And since I can't really find them anywhere convenient, I have to make them on my own.

So I whipped up a batch of risotto and incorporated a good amount of parmagiano reggiano. Let that cool for a bit and then added a touch of homemade pasta sauce and a beaten up egg. I added some breadcrumbs as binder, rolled them up in to balls and breaded them and then dropped the little lovelies into a vat, or a small pot, of fucking hot oil. What comes out just minutes later is pure gold...seriously. These things were beautiful. Topped with some sauce they are all I really needed for the rest of the day. I was a happy camper.

Rejoining the football world, I was happy to see the Falcons dropping the hammer on the Vikings but very disappointed to see that my fantasy team was putting up a sub-par performance against 'monde's squad. Disgusted to an extent, and contradictory to my previously mentioned desire to not set a foot outside for the rest of the day...I decided to take myself to Mass.

Now, I am not a zealot. I was raised Roman Catholic and went to Catholic schools my whole life...including now. I don't agree by any stretch of the imagination with a lot of the stuff that the Christian right advocates...and I have very serious misgivings about the Catholic church's own stances on a number of issues. That said, I still like to go to Mass. It feels like home, it is comfortable, it gives me a chance to think in a way that I don't usually do. It gets me out of the house and makes me feel somewhat productive. And it is literally right around the corner....as is Christmas figuratively. Not a bad time to go. So I pulled my collar up and headed out into the cold. Man, was it shitty...awful. It was nice though because it was small, and we were in the basement instead of the big church upstairs...no music...very peaceful. Then when the priest, a young Boston guy...very chill, was walking out he said that he felt weird processing out without a song and recommended Silent Night. It was actually a pretty sweet moment in my day...and if I had to pick a high point, I think this was it. You have those moments during the Christmas season where you finally feel the real spirit of Christmas. This was mine and I was happy to have it...as sappy as it sounds.

The rest of my night was uneventful to a point. My Giants were on in Primetime and my best player is on the Giants. This game had huge implications for my fantasy match-up as 'monde had Steve Smith. The game was back and forth, with Carolina looking to be in control. But my guy, Jacobs, punched it in twice in regulation, including the game-tying score to essentially force overtime. In the overtime period, I was down 5 points and change. I needed 6 to win essentially. After exchanging possessions, the Giants marched downfeld and when the team lined up at the goal-line, I was holding my breath hoping that Jacobs would get the ball. Sure enough, he did, and he scored. With the score the Giants won the game & clinched home-field throughout the playoffs,,,,and I won my fantasy championship. I couldn't have scripted it any better. 180 bucks ain't half bad for sitting on your couch and watching some football.

While this was going down, Angie was trying to make her way back from NH. I had been checking travel advisories for her throughout the night, and despite the snow, there was nothing saying her train back home (scheduled to arrive at 10:25) would be running late...but of course it was. So after sitting in the car with her increasingly impatient Dad for 1 hour and 57 minutes, the train came. Now it looked like she wouldn't be getting in until after midnight, I offered a ride instead of making her take a cab...which in and of itself is a dicey proposition even in good weather. At about midnight I went outside to work on my car (yes, the incredibly admirable spot-clearing I perfirned yesterday was quickly undone by more snow and freezing rain). The entire thing was encased in ice...front back, top sides. I thought I was going to have to piss on my door to get it open at all. So I began chipping away at the fucking thing. After waking up half the block, I said fuck it, called Angie and told her I was sorry but that it would take me forever to free the thing and that she should take a cab home. After settling in at home for a few I got another call...there were tons of people and no cabs. What the fuck is wrong with this city? Trains are always coming in...the weather sucks, people need rides....why why why are there never cabs hen you need them? Where the fuck do they all go. I hate this goddamn place sometimes. This would NEVER happen in NYC...NEVER. That said, I went back outside...now it was 12:30 and my previous conviction to not go outside for the rest of the day was looking downright foolish. So for the second time today, I started hatcheting away at my ice-block of a Hyundai....after about 20 minutes and waking up the other half of the block, I realized I had left my phone inside and went to retrieve it. ...surely enough Angie had managed to get a cab after all and my two trips to the car were rendered completely unnecessary. I am not really looking forward to doing again tomorrow at all....but at least the day will be just that little bit longer and easier for me to get my money's worth, and I have to think that's all I can really ask for.

&Ry