Strange things are afoot

Well, only one strange thing in particular. I have had a yahoo! account for a really long time (long in email world, anyway) - it's going on 8 years. I got it when I first moved to London, because we could only access our school email (my very first email address ever) through this weird little window thing that got on my nerves. It's definitely no longer my primary email address, but it's sort of comforting that it's still there...and eventually I will post pictures on my flickr account, and then it will actually be used. I check it every other day or so, just to clean out the spam and occasionally read an article from the NY Times emails that I still get there.

Then yesterday, I tried to log in, and was informed that my password was incorrect. Now, I had just gotten an email in another account (linked to that one) that a yahoo password was changed, but I just assumed it was junkmail as I hadn't changed anything. So then I tried to do the whole "I forgot my password" routine with the computer, but it kept telling me that the verification information I entered wasn't correct. Now, I did have to try about 6 different zip codes (I have moved a LOT in 8 years), but even then, had no luck.

Fast forward to this morning, where I received yet another email in the other account, informing me that my password was changed again, and then I got an email FROM MYSELF telling me the new password. It basically said "Hi Ellie. Here's your new password." I tried to log in and...it worked. I promptly changed all of the information back to my own (the zip code was definitely no place I have lived) and did all the security stuff I had been putting off for a while now. But how weird is that? As far as I can tell, they didn't send any messages to anyone. I keep looking at all of the different sites I visit that are associated with the email (amazon, flickr) but nothing seems to be affected. I had still already notified the Yahoo! people to explain the craziness.

So if you notice a spike in weird spam, maybe that's why they hacked my account. Or just really borrowed it for a while.

Happy Valentine's Day

Now, let me be upfront. This is not my favorite "holiday." It's not that I am sad or lonely because of it, but mostly because I think Valentine's Day is silly.* Silly in an oversaturation of diamond commercials and 1-800-flowers ads, how does one express one's love in relation to chocolate sort of way. I've mentioned this before, so I won't belabor the point.

But on the other hand, I am all for the food holidays. Christmas and Thanksgiving are of course included in these, as is Halloween (candy!) and Easter (my dad makes this killer chicken with walnut sauce...). I suppose St. Patty's is included, if you consider green beer a food, and don't forget 4th of July, which usually involves some sort of barbecue with lots of sides, at least in Texas. All this is to say, I enjoy eating, and eating for an occasion - well, I do enjoy theme parties too. So Valentine's Day: everything is either pink or red (love that) and there are many scrumptious treats everywhere you turn. For instance, I am going to a little get-together tonight, where there will be fondue (mmm...melted cheese to dip things in...) and other treats. I made red cupcakes with a creamy, fluffy icing. I'm sure there are many people planning to go out to fantastic restaurants for a romantic evening. So despite all of the hype and ugly heart-shaped jewelry running around, Valentine's has my approval for celebration (as if it needed, right? But I give it nonetheless).

So bon appetit, mes amis, and have a delicious Valentine's Day!

*In the spirit of full disclosure, I should mention that I do not have a Valentine, so perhaps my views will change when one appears. Somehow I doubt it.

Brr...it's cold in here

So after all of these ridiculous people COMPLAINING that it was way too warm for wintertime, the winter arrived. To the tune of a negative 6 wind chill. I cannot cope with this people, I just can't. Heat, particularly heat that is dry and desert like and not humid, I can deal with. This cold thing is not fun at all.

I'm trying my very best to winterize my wardrobe, but currently own maybe 4 things with wool in them. Everything else is cotton! Who would buy a wool sweater when they live in Austin? Not me! And now I regret passing by those incredibly reduced sweaters on the sale racks (because no one else would buy them either)...just think how warm I could be had I only thought ahead.

Yesterday people were going to walk to a nearby neighborhood for lunch, and asked if I'd like to join. My response was something along the lines of: "Are you out of your mind? I brought my lunch and will be staying where it is warm, until I am forced to go into the cold to go home. I will not voluntarily leave for any reason. ANY reason." And then these well-intentioned but looney people attempted to explain to me that it was SO much warmer now than it had been the day before. Yes, because the day before was the -6 day, and yesterday the high was a balmy 25. So I'm supposed to do what now, break out my flip-flops and t-shirts?! It's still freezing. The snow is still not melting. The wind is still painfully cold. Call me when it's 75.