ArkansasTraveler

hasn't quite settled into the fact that the end is almost here.

finally bit the bullet...

is caught up with most everything today except passing on happy birthday wishes — belated to Eric Wilkerson, and current for Eric Harrison. Best wishes for a great year ahead for each of you!

is starting to crave a food that's smoky, rich, and spicy. He's thinking of black pepper caramelized walnuts, but what other treats would you fine folks suggest?

will be searching for boxes now...

is anxious to get through with the two remaining ads for this week's section. Melissa Williams John, one of them is waiting for you...

frankly just wants to skip straight to tonight's eggnog.

Happy Birthday to a couple of fine folks around the building at work... Enjoy the day, Andrew Cozart and Harold Equality Hughes!

will continue to cross his fingers, through this Thursday morning at 9:00...

is starting the day with strong coffee and some Hank Sr. on Pandora. It's one approach to this water-logged Tuesday, he supposes.

enjoys how some simple ingredients can come together for not-so-simple results.

is cruising homeward to the sounds of some Space Age-infused Gershwin... Skylab's share of 'Red Hot + Rhapsody' is near-perfect listening for a typically tumultous mid-week.

From the Wikipedia article on the number 36... Jewish tradition holds that the number 36 has had special significance since the beginning of time: According to the Midrash, the light created by God on the first day of creation shone for exactly 36 hours; it was replaced by the light of the Sun that was created on the Fourth Day. The year ahead looks pretty good, if this is any indication. Thanks to all of you for the kind wishes!

is beginning to breathe easier after certain events of the last few days which left them resembling nothing so much as the Mariana Trench, at moments.

knows it's early, but for some reason he'd really like a chocolate fried pie to go with his mid-morning coffee. Or perhaps, he just needs an equivalent sugar rush to make it through the rest of this week.

did not realize he works just six blocks away from such a good glass of iced tea.

is craving some sort of of southern-by-southwestern food fusion. During breakfast, he figures that would probably be something on the order of Mexican chocolate grits with toasted pecans.

hopes Kristin Stewart, Wally Waller, and Conrad Harvin have each had (and continue to have) a great birthday today!!!

thinks his cucumber-peppermint-lime soda may actually have the intended effect. He just shivered. Seriously.