Lindt Truffles are Disgusting
Something has to be done. You see, I hate most advertising and try to avoid as much of it as possible. Probably that has something to do with working in the industry for so many years. Those that make a toxic product generally are wise enough to steer clear of it in their personal lives. How many cigarette executives do you think smoke tobacco these days?
When I signed up for a WordPress blog a few years ago, there was some mention of the possibility of a few occasional ad placements. And at the time, even those would only be served to people who weren’t logged on WordPress users. Since I’m not trying to make any money at this game it seemed foolish to spend cash to insure against advertising placements that didn’t exist.
Then, several months ago, ads finally started to appear. They weren’t that obtrusive. It took the form of a still from a video underneath every post. Most of the videos were fairly entertaining, and they went to support a platform that was doing right by me. No harm, no foul.
Recently though, I am noticing a real change in ad placements on the FLB, and it’s making me assess my options moving forward. Maybe you’ve observed a new ad unit at the top of the page and a subsequent one at the top of the right hand column. Perhaps if those ads were for Chipotle or Applegate Farms I might not be so upset.
However, they are not in support of a product in which I believe. No, they are for Lindt chocolate truffles. So since they are so interested in my audience, perhaps now is a good time for me to explain exactly what I think of their product.
The Blerch
Have you heard about The Blerch? According to The Oatmeal, this “fat little cherub” is a “fat lazy beast.” And when the long distance runner in the comic is out burning calories, The Blerch follows along saying, “Slow down, Captain Speedypants! Let’s go home! We’ve got gravy to eat and naps to conquer!” For the record, I love gravy. And naps.
The Oatmeal paints The Blerch as a monster. But clearly it’s an angel. I for one have decided that the only way to come to peace with The Blerch is to embrace it and not fight it.
To wit, on Friday was the annual holiday party at the Institute for Advanced Study. Most of the time I try to eat modestly. Perhaps those periods of moderation are successful because I know that it won’t be too long until I let go and enjoy a bacchanalian feast of excess. This certainly qualifies, so I thought I’d share what that looks like.
Wine, Cookies, Cheese, Beer and Fish
Today is it. The very last day for envelopes to arrive before I randomly shuffle, distribute and send out the City Dining Cards. Even if you tried to FedEx me an envelope, it would still get here too late.
Right now I’ve got thirteen. I won’t tell you who sent me the self-addressed stamped envelopes because some of you have asked to remain anonymous. Perhaps one or two last stragglers will arrive with the mail later today.
I just started opened the growing pile of mail last night, and was so touched by the personal notes and holiday cards that some of you enclosed. Thank you.
Speaking of correspondence, sometimes I get emails from people who want me to plug events. Sometimes I find out about events that I want to plug regardless of being left off the media mailing list. To deal with such affairs, I used to run a feature on Sundays called Sell Out Sunday. But you may have noticed that the FLB has started taking Sundays off. So these days, I have no idea what to call it. For now, I’ll keep the name because I just find it hard to let things go.
Before going any farther, why don’t you whip out that calendar? You’re gonna need it.
Hippo Crates
So there’s this famous quotation from Hippocrates. He said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” It’s a shame that modern farmers decided to take him literally.
Wait. Stop.
I’m not going to play the “Blame a Farmer” game. For today’s post let’s lay the blame at the feet of the pharmaceutical industry, because they’ve been doing something for far too long: adding subtherapeutic doses of antibiotics into animal feed.
Yes, the pig that is now your fancy braised pork belly dinner most likely munched on medicine to help keep it healthy in the confines of its factory farm. But the medicine-food also had another cool feature in that it helped to speed the market-weight growth of the animals.
What could possibly go wrong?
Well, after years of wringing their hands over the potential public health crisis that could come about from bacteria growing stronger and more resistant to antibiotics, the FDA is finally doing something.
The headline reads, FDA Takes Steps to Phase Out Antibiotics in Meat but that is a much rosier version of the truth than what’s actually happening on the ground. So what is the FDA actually doing?
The Three Worst Christmas Treats
Sure, they aren’t Christmas cards, but still it feels good to get a lot of mail from the FLB readers who entered the City Dining Card giveaway.
There are other things that are helping to usher in the Christmas spirit as well. The Institute has put up all kinds of Christmas decorations in Fuld Hall and in their famous cafeteria. And after yesterday’s snowstorm (that cancelled school) everything in Princeton is covered with a soft two-inch layer of white.
I can’t recall if I’ve ever confessed to loving the smell of Christmas. To me, the smell is simply that of fresh cut conifer trees. As a secular Jewish kid growing up in Brooklyn Heights, we never had a tree ourselves, but attended lots of tree trimming events. The smell really brings me back.
This year, since Little Miss Fussy isn’t in a Jewish school, she’s actually learning Christmas songs and was getting excited about going to the tree lighting ceremony. Me? I’m excited about the holiday party coming up at IAS on Friday. I just hope I can shake this head cold by then.
But there are Christmas treats that I’m decidedly not excited about, and thought I’d share.
Slinging Soup
Soup season is here. Even down in Princeton it’s snowing. Finally, winter is beginning in earnest. As it turns out, Young Master Fussy loves soup. Just yesterday, I thinned out a bit of my chicken stock to make him a cup of clear broth (with some buttered toast on the side). This was the young man’s breakfast, and he was in heaven.
For weeks I’ve been staring down the remaining three pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes and a couple leftover leeks that were purchased as part of the Thanksgiving shopping. Perhaps there are other folks out there who would look at leeks and potatoes and see something else other than soup, but not me.
There was just one small problem. Well, maybe two.
Born This Way
Some years, birthdays are amazing. Other times, good intentions don’t seem to pan out.
I can’t even remember how old I was for one of my favorite birthday celebrations. It was when I was living out in California, and in a year when my birthday fell on a Saturday. I decided that I was going to open and close my favorite pub, The Albatross in Berkeley. When it opened, I walked in the doors, and didn’t leave until they kicked me out. Throughout the day, people came, brought food, hung out, and left. The party was organic, free-flowing mass of good times and great friends. And in the end, there was just me and the future Mrs. Fussy who graciously took me home.
Then there are birthdays like the big one last year. I got lobsters for everyone, sparkling wine for the adults, and we all sat down for a very special supper. Except it turns out the kids don’t like lobster. Who knew? Disaster was averted, and both Mrs. Fussy and I feasted on two lobsters each, but it didn’t quite go as planned.
Kids add a real element of uncertainty into any event. This year, I’m going to do most of my celebrating on Saturday. But the twist is that I’m going to do it alone. Maybe the movie Defending Your Life has buried itself too deep in my psyche.
Chanukah Regrets
Where did Chanukah go? It sped by this year and now it’s over. Okay, technically today is the last day of Chanukah and it officially ends at sundown tonight. But there is no more lighting of the menorah. There are no more presents.
It’s nothing but Christmas from this point out.
For me, it was the least fulfilling Chanukah in many years. As a kid I would judge the relative merits of each Chanukah based on the number (and value) of presents I received. Today, as an adult, I look back on how many latkes I was able to stuff in my pie hole.
One of the great things about my congregation in Schenectady is the annual latke dinner. I’ve been to a few latke dinners at other synagogues in the region, and they just don’t compare. Don’t tell the rabbi, but it’s one of the reasons we joined Gates. Do you know how many latkes I had this year in the diaspora of central Jersey?
AskTP – Once More Around the Sun
I’m getting older. Can’t say anything about wiser. But older, definitely. Friday is the birthday, and like Thanksgiving, I’m making it up as I go along. For dessert of the birthday dinner, there will be custard. On Saturday, I may end up treating myself to a day at the pinball museum on the Jersey shore.
Please, please tell me that it hasn’t been corrupted by any of those reality TV show personalities. I can’t imagine Snooki plays the silver ball, but maybe The Situation is all over it. What the hell do I know?
I do know that I would like to go into the next year of my life without a lot of reader questions hanging over my head. So like I’ve done periodically in the past, I am fulfilling my commitment to answer all questions asked (with proper punctuation) in the comments section. Yes, most of these answers are a little late. But I never promised the answers would be timely.
For those unfamiliar with this semi-regular feature on the FLB, do not be alarmed that the links preceding each question all go to the same spot. It’s not a bug, it’s a feature. And I like to call it the mystery link of the day.
Now without any further ado, onto the questions.
FUSSYlittleBLOG 