I was just struggling in the front door with my groceries, hungry and hot and tired, when I heard faint strains of “Greensleeves” in the distance. ICE CREAM VAN!* I was out the door in a flash. I found him around the corner, surrounded by all the old people from the neighborhood. It was hilarious. Two minutes later, I was back at home with my choc top. Perrrrrfect.

* I should explain for my Yank readers that ice cream trucks here are all vans, and they all play “Greensleeves.” They don’t sell crappy pre-packaged ice cream bars either, but instead have a soft serve machine and make cones with all types of candies and sprinkles on top.

And now I should explain for my Australian readers that Americans have the “ice cream truck,” which is often a little squarish truck. They don’t seem to have a signature tune that they play (at least, not where I grew up in Indiana). Rather than make cones on demand, instead they have a freezer full of prepackaged Popsicles and ice cream bars. A lot of them are designed to look like character faces, and they’re often really badly done.

Matthew Baldwin (of Defective Yeti) often posts board game reviews, and today he posted a list of games he calls “Friendship-Enders”. I can’t believe he didn’t include Monopoly! I have played Monopoly with the Snook exactly once, and I never will again. Let’s just say SOME PEOPLE take it way, way too seriously. (“Don’t you understand? The red properties are the KEY TO THE GAME! I’ve read articles where statisticians have worked this out! If you sell him that property, that Scottish bastard will WIN and I’ll NEVER TALK TO YOU AGAIN.”)

Dulche de Leche Cheesecake Squares
I was just telling the Snook about my newfound resolve to cut down on refined carbs and to focus on protein for dinner and healthy snacks throughout the day — when I stopped in mid-sentence. Because I just saw this. And all my resolve flew out the window. Oh my goodness…

Mmm, pancakes. Those are actually kind of brilliant. (Link courtesy of not martha.)

The Electoral Compass. You answer some quick questions and it tells you which of the US presidential candidates matches up to you the best. I now have official confirmation that I am probama.

Well. Linus says OS X is “utter crap.” Awww, whatever. Sounds like somebody is annoyed at all the Linux switchers. I’m also amused that the things he cites as the most exciting developments in Linux – green credentials and mobile computing such as the One Laptop Per Child project – are stuff the average consumer user couldn’t give a crap about.

Edited to add: After discussing it with the Snook, I’m going to take back my bitchiness. Linus was addressing a Linux developers’ conference, and his quotes indicate that he was really talking more about the underpinnings of an operating system than its UI. So really, he was quoted out of context just to make for a bit of sensational reporting. I’ll cut him some slack.

Is Obama a Mac and Clinton a PC? That’s probably a good encapsulation about why I have warm fuzzies towards Obama and not towards Hilary, despite the fact that I think she’d do a good job.

My favorite part of last night’s Biggest Loser initial weigh-in was when Rachel, the hard-core dyke, realized that she’s 85kg heavier than her tiny girlfriend. “Oh my God!” she said. “I must squish her!” HA! 🙂

The Other Andrew has posted his photos from the opera, and they’re all awesome. He got a great boob shot of me, a SUPER CUTE one of me and Snookums, and a hilarious one where I’m belting out the national anthem. (I had had some wine by that point.)