I had to look. I just had to.

Few women can really pull off a shaved head (my friend Shawnee is one of them), but when it comes down to it, I think Britney Spears does okay.

What am I talking about?

I know too much about you

It’s true. In this era of Myspace and Livejournal, it seems I know people I’ve never met, I’m caught up with people I haven’t talked to in years, and I somehow remain at the fore-front of all gossip without ever actually speaking to anyone about anything (few things are more telling than that “Status:” bar on a Myspace profile. Has somebody inexplicably changed theirs from “Married” to “Single” overnight? There’s a whole story in that, there really is).

How does this work exactly? I’m not sure. But it’s fascinating.

And, of course, this means that you know too much about me.

Redefining the grading "curve"

My dad sent this to me and it made me laugh. I thought it might make you laugh, too:

At last, an objective grading system!

My new favorite cookies

I know they sound weird and gross, but trust me: they’re amazing. (I wish I could say that I don’t say that lightly, but I do: I say that all the time. Recently, I’ve said this about avgolemeno soup, that song by 16 Horsepower–the one with the concertina, concertinas in general, the Temple Bar’s house wine, and Jonathan Safran Foer.)

But, without further ado, I give you:

EARL GREY TEA COOKIES

In a food processor (or mixer) combine:

• 1/2 c. (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 3 T light brown sugar
• 2 T granulated sugar
• a scant 1/4 t kosher salt
• 1 t vanilla
• 4 t finely ground Earl Grey tea (cut open 4 tea bags and extract tea; or use loose tea; grind it to a powder in a blender or clean coffee grinder)

Process to a light fluffy paste, 20-30 seconds. Remove the lid and add:

• 3/4 c. plus 2 T flour
• 3 T cornstarch

Pulse until the dough begins to clump together and the mixture is fairly uniform, 8 to 10 times. Gather the dough together into a rough ball, kneading a few times if necessary.

Shape the dough as desired into rounds (sliced from a chilled log) or press into a pan; chill. Bake in a preheated 325-degree oven until the edges are barely colored.

(I stole this recipe from Sally Schneider’s The Improvisational Cook. This book is also amazing.)