Just two for now. First, ice cream. I've loved ice cream for as long as I can remember -- no big deal there. But in my family ice cream wasn't only a summer treat; we gobbled it year-round. Our stash was nestled in the deep freezer, which was in our basement, which was accessible only by exiting the house and walking the length of the patio. I remember darting outside many a time in winter, with bare feet flying through the snow, to fetch some ice cream to feed my sweet tooth! Later, in grad school, I'd horrify most of my friends by enjoying an ice cream cone in winter on the long post-lunch walk back to our offices. They seemed unpersuaded by my pointing out that snowflakes just added to the fun, and that it's much neater to eat ice cream when it isn't dripping all over the place. Got a lot of weird looks from passersby too, so I was definitely in the minority.

Over the years I've become more picky about my ice cream. Sure, in desperation I'll eat pretty much anything that isn't too horridly artificially flavored, but living in Graeter's country raised the bar on what constitutes really good ice cream. Years of making homemade ice creams and sorbets contributed as well. The result is that nowadays, unless I can get a quality ice cream, I'd rather not eat it (and Breyer's barely makes the grade, at least in the flavors I've tried).

I've just discovered what might be ice cream mecca for me: the Mora Iced Creamery. Top-notch ice cream and sorbets made from premium ingredients, and an environment designed to help one relax and savor that cold, sweet goodness. Mora is kind of far away, and I'd need to have my gustatory sense back to fully appreciate a visit, but I sense a pilgrimage in the offing. Perhaps in the summer so I can get an ice cream and cantaloupe sorbet ...

B.W. Richardson celebrates Serenity's debut today in DVD sales by calling it the best film of the year. I haven't seen many movies this year, but I agree with him. It's probably the best pro-freedom film I've seen in several years. As Richardson points out, there are many deep exchanges in Serenity that pass by before one can fully appreciate them. I remember trying to file away several such moments while watching it on opening day, and failing because there were simply too many, and the movie as a whole was too engrossing.

Richardson also nails exactly why I like Serenity so much:

But Serenity and its predecessor, the beautiful but short-lived TV series Firefly, have something more: A message about the hard costs and glorious benefits of liberty.

I'm hoping I'll be able to manage a second viewing soon.

If you're wondering about Sunni's Salon for this month, here's a brief update (in addition to a semi-spoiler in the preceding rambles). Just one piece remains to be completed in what has shaped up to be a double issue -- fitting since I was unable to deliver a November issue. I think you'll find it worth the wait! Its absence last month led me to realize that doing it is currently one of my favorite things ... but I'm giving stuff away again. I'll shut up now.