Michelangelo Dun It

OMGYOUGUYS. It's all going to be fine, according to what Facebook tells me is trending right now:

Yep. Totally normal. 

Apparently she's been spotted in LEGGINGS. Everyone SHOULD be talking about this.

Now let's get back to PXSD. It was a REALLY good day. For one, because I ate THE BEST CHRISTMAS SANDWICH OF ALL TIME, but also because after, Hannah and I went to the Royal College of Surgeons to hear a talk entitled 'An Anatomical Whodunnit? The Tiger Bronzes by Michelangelo,' all about these guys:

Do you think my deodorant's working?

In a nutshell, these uncredited bronzes have been attributed to Michelangelo for a variety of reasons, one of which is anatomical. So we got to hear the academic authority on the subject, Dr. Peter McSmartface Letters Letters Letters, tell us all about Michelangelo's approach to musculature in art and how these are perfect examples. It was all very interesting (more than I've made it sound) and also he spent some time on slides involving the words 'coiffured and blow dried pubes' - along with lovely examples of styles throughout art history - so I feel like I've pretty much peaked in art lecture quality and will never have to go to another one again. This guy has really raised the bar:

In both art history AND top tie-man-ship.

Then, after leaving the lecture hall, all giddy on learning, we cut through the magical Lincoln's Inn, which has to be London's Most Literal Place: 

'What should we call this one?' 'Old Buildings.' [. . .] 'Yeah, alright.' 

'No, but really, shouldn't we try harder?' 'Do you or don't you want to get to the pub, John?' [. . .] 'Fair enough.' 

 [ . . . ] 'Ah, forget it.'

And then of course, there's The Chapel. Is there anything more calming than a quiet London chapel in the middle of the afternoon? They just make you want to sit and breathe for a while:

In . . . and out.

And there's always the Stained Glass Comedies when you're done being contemplative: 

 Meet Wolverine, I've Lost My Kitten, Can't Touch This, and She Did What?

Highly recommend. Best Stained Glass Reality Show you've seen yet this year.

Heading into work now - this book is getting REAL and I'm expecting some executions soon - so keep on keeping on, comrades, and see you tomorrow!

Big hugs and lots of love,
Esss

This world doesn't deserve cats.

Well, America, you've done it. You've made me CRY OVER POLITICS. This is an all-new low. I am honestly heartbroken. I've written and re-written a dozen statements that I keep deleting because it's all been said before and it's not enough and I can't assign words to the despair that threatens to break me and yet here I am, trying anyway. This is just like Brexit all over again: I did not expect humanity to do its worst and yet it just keeps topping itself. It's not that America has elected a Republican; it's that they've elected a bad man.

This New Yorker article by David Remnick sums it up nicely:

All along, Trump seemed like a twisted caricature of every rotten reflex of the radical right. That he has prevailed, that he has won this election, is a crushing blow to the spirit; it is an event that will likely cast the country into a period of economic, political, and social uncertainty that we cannot yet imagine. That the electorate has, in its plurality, decided to live in Trump’s world of vanity, hate, arrogance, untruth, and recklessness, his disdain for democratic norms, is a fact that will lead, inevitably, to all manner of national decline and suffering.

So.

Women of America, stay safe.

2016, we're no longer on speaking terms.

Big hugs and lots of love,
Esss

Massive Anticipation + Crippling Anxiety = AWESOME DAY

OMGYOUGUYS. Happy Pret Christmas Sandwich Day!

So yesterday Wolf had gone to Pret to try and find the Best Christmas Sandwich of All Time for me but he couldn't find it ANYwhere so I went to the website to find out what cruel torture the Universe was inflicting and saw THIS:

A THANKSGIVING one, too?? Then I crashed as quickly as I soared: I was on the wrong website. This is Pret USA. Hmph. That's cool, youguys, go ahead and enjoy that. Whatever. 

So then I went to the real Pret site (yeah, that's right, I said it) and found THIS:

YOUGUYS. YOUGUYS. This is TODAY. And then my friend Di sent me this last night: 

Honestly, now the anticipation is just too great.

And even BETTER - because clearly I can't talk about this enough - I just went to the Christmas menu on their website and they have NINE CHRISTMAS SANDWICHES THIS YEAR. NINE. There's even a ham hock and sprout macaroni cheese one.

In other news, I also think other things are happening today, like an Election. I see good polls and then I see bad polls and then I see good polls and the emotional rollercoaster has got me in a tailspin. America, be good today. I want to come back and visit and I don't want things to get weird between us.

Alright, I'm officially overstimulated by all the day's potential. I need to go take a hot shower and maybe have a wee rock under the bed. Have a great, calm day!

Big hugs and lots of love,

Essss

On Halloween in Japan, PPAP, and of course a cat

OMGYOUGUYS. Let's talk about Halloween in Tokyo for a minute. Mainly, about what a big deal it is. Everyone loves it, and they all dress up. And not just for a party in the evening like we do, but for the entire WEEKEND. Presumably because they can, which is an approach to life I can only applaud. Days before Halloween, people are out, doing normal stuff - taking the train, shopping, dining - except in FULL COSTUME. Without a smidge of self-consciousness. It's magical. Like stepping into Alternate Reality Tokyo.

One night - our last, sob - we were out after dinner and this man walked into the room. I regret that I only caught the last five seconds of his performance, but LOOK at this madness:

YES. He was doing Pen Pineapple Apple Pen. Which I had never heard of before this*. Our friends showed us the below in explanation, because there are not enough words in the English language that could possibly describe this adequately:

A song that hasn't left my head since.

Also, we bought a bag of these: it didn't even matter what they tasted like, because they're ZOMBIE SNACKS, and that's just not a thing you miss a chance to try:

Cheetos, youguys. That's what they tasted like. Fluorescent pink zombie cheetos. No wonder they're crying.

Between Halloween and the Cat Parade, we couldn't have gone to Tokyo at a better time. I had my face painted more in two weeks in Japan than I have my entire life. 

Speaking of the Cat Parade (check out that smooth transition): can you believe the perfection that is this costume? 

I don't even know what my favourite part is. The Mister Meowgi obi? The tail? The fortune cat necklace?

One last thing before I go: last night's butter chicken recipe for Linda! It was RIDICulously good. Wolf can totally keep his rackets, and even buy new ones if he wants. 

Off to Mega Work Monday! Wish me luck; I'm hoping to power through a massive chunk of this book today. It's really GOOD so far! 

Big hugs and lots of love,

Essss

*Shocking, I know. I'm usually so in touch. 

Unsupervised selfies and Sunday Funday

OMGYOUGUYS. Much shenanigans in the past 24 hours.

1. I left my phone unsupervised last night, and this happened:

I don't know if you can tell, but the birthday party was good.

2. In a fit of productivity this morning - and in an effort to take advantage of what may well be the last sunny day of the year - Wolf swept the back garden while I put away and covered the outdoor furniture for the winter. And in so doing, I found some old rackets in the garden shed. The following conversation ensued:

Me: What are these? * points to racket-shaped spiderwebs * 

Wolf: My squash rackets!

Me: You play squash?

W: I used to. 

Me: Like, what, ten years ago? Can we get rid of these?

W, with complete indignation, as though I suggested we murder the neighbor's cat and have it for supper: No, of course not!

Me: But you'll never use them.

W: I might! Someday!

3. I can't stop thinking about Christmas sandwiches and I want to know why the nearest Pret is miles away. 

The sun appears to have gone already, which makes me happy. Sundays are made for being lazy and snuggly and I want to light the fire and wrap myself in a blanket and it's hard to do all that when blue skies are blinding you through the window. GO AWAY, SUN! You're ruining EVERYTHING! 

Wolf's making kashmiri butter chicken in the slow cooker and there are not words for how good it smells. Guy is on fire today. I guess he can keep his rackets. Also, this: 

IT'S A CAT RIDING A WOLF DISGUISED AS A CAT, YOUGUYS.

Okay, time to get that fire roaring and nestle down with the old edit. Happy Sunday, all! 

Big hugs and lots of love,

Essss