Lazy Thursday

You know that post-holiday ennui that sets in the first week in January? No matter whether you’re usually sad to see the old year go or you’re relieved that December’s craziness is finally behind you, I’m willing to bet that you've probably experienced a bit of a letdown as you navigate the first days of the new year and try January on for size.

For me, at first, it never seems to fit quite right. This year I’ve found myself quoting Emily Dickinson:

There’s a certain Slant of light,
Winter Afternoons —
That oppresses, like the Heft
Of Cathedral Tunes —

When I experience this — what Emily also calls “Heavenly Hurt” — I’ll confess that my first inclination is to put on comfortable clothes. If I’m at home, that means my favorite fleece pullover and, for good measure, a ballcap. If a bag of chips or a block of cheese is nearby, then all the better.

With all this in mind, consider the Thursday Table gathering from January 4: pizza, soda, and vino at Jack’s house, no cooking required. Comfy attire was de rigueur — I think Jack (at right below) was basically in his jammies, though I wasn’t far behind:

(Hey, never let it be said that I was too vain to post an unflattering pic of myself, okay?)

Now, about the pizza. As far as the roommate and I are concerned, Adriatico’s (on OSU’s campus at Neil and 11th) is some of the best grub that money can buy in Columbus. Deep-dish pizza with garlicky overtones and an oregano-laced crust . . . well, that’s amore, you know? They don’t deliver, but it’s worth the hassle of parking on campus for carry-out.

A word of warning, however: order the “Buckeye” size pizza at your own peril. At 18 by 24 inches, it’s a serious slab of pie — three square feet, to be exact! — and more than enough food even for four men with healthy winter appetites. Needless to say, there were plenty of leftovers. What you see in the pic below is what was left after we made our best attempt at this cheesy monstrosity:


(Note that this pizza is so big that it requires at least three of the little plastic doohickeys to keep the box lid from sagging. And yes, that’s a mainstream Australian merlot we’ve uncorked. We’re not exactly connoisseurs.)

Our first Table of 2007 ended with a round of the television edition of “Scene-It,” the DVD game for airwave addicts. Jack was the runaway winner, with yours truly making a pathetic fourth-place showing. At least I had my slippers with me.

More updates to come — free of fast food and restaurant fare, honest! And here’s a toast to a January replete with comfort, wrapped in a cozy blanket and full of good food.