Scarleteen is "committed to delivering the best contemporary teen sex ed on the net since 1998" and I think they may have succeeded.

I had a dream about a buffet last night. Fasting is getting to me, and it's only been two days. Kir says he doesn't know if he's going to make it through Ramadan. Apparently around four in the afternoon, I get all dazed and indecisive. And annoying.

Must stop thinking about food.

Hate Ramadan.

You know, all the entries for the next 26 days are probably going to sound like this. Maybe you should all go read someone more coherent, like Wendy at Pound.

Savage Love is brilliant this week.

So, yesterday was Thanksgiving. It was great; we had five people over and made as many traditional foods as we could manage. Ian and Gulnara made a pumpkin pie - a joint effort. It came out really well. Kir and I made creamed corn, two roast chickens, mashed potatoes, and broccoli. Mmm. Broccoli. I went to Mir about 5 minutes after the store opened to make sure I could get some and the sight of broccoli actually made my heart leap. I mean, Butterfinger bars and York peppermint patties in Ardus are all well and good, but broccoli - broccoli is the bringer of joy.

The meal took four hours to prepare and cook, and things got pretty hectic at the end. Highlights included burning myself on the oven rack while basting chicken and the sudden explosion of a bag of chives as one edge hit a hot burner. It all came put well, though, with the exception for the gravy which was rather frightening. (Mom says I needed more flour and water) Kelly came over early for no apparent reason, but she did dishes and helped us cook, so it was all good. We assigned her to making stuffing, though, and she completely ignored the recipe and forgot all the ingredients. At the last minute we added all the stuff that had been left out and luckily it was still good.

After dinner, we all sat around, drank tea, and then watched movies and played Risk. I was winning at risk when all the players noticed it was 11:30 on a work night and they had to go home. Kelly stayed to help us clean up - we can't decide if she was being nice or if she's interested in Ian, who also stayed. I think it was the final marker for me that Tashkent has truly become home. When Ian said grace, he talked about being far from family and having found family here. He was right, and it's a good feeling. It felt like Thanksgiving yesterday - not a pale imitation of thanksgiving or a bunch of people playing at it, but actual Thanksgiving.

And I have a lot to give thanks for.

I have a boyfriend. I have a new job. I have a puppy, and a great apartment. In a movie, this would be the point where I get a terminal illness. I find myself knocking on wood all the time.

Lots of time to do aimless things at work today. Currently reading about unbranding.

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USAID is one of many donors for the project I work for. The views expressed herein are the author’s own views and do not necessarily reflect those of the author’s employer or especially those of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. And I mean it. I probably give the US government heart attacks.