I wish I was British (but Americanz can haz more hyperlinkzzz)

(feel free to read this post in any sort of British accent you like) (and I may accompany it with a video of my doing so in future)
So yes. One reason I wish I was British is because I've been watching Downton Abbey (BBC show set in World War I England). I just started this season, so haven't even seen the first season yet. - ! - I added that exclamation point as an after-thought, because I really don't think it's so shocking but when I say it to people who've been watching the show from the beginning, they are - rather - shocked! The first season, so I hear, is better than the second season. But I'm enjoying the second season quite a lot, thank you very much. So kindly leave me to bollocks. No - that can't be right. Bollocks are balls I believe. Don't leave me to balls - but do leave me.
No don't. Please stay - and kiss me hard on the mouth just as a servant comes in and drops our tea.  Heirlooms shattering hither and yon, she picks up the pieces with shaking hands and blurts out that my cousin, my childhood love whom I continue to love - young Lord Bendenlilly, has died, tragically, in an accident involving a roadster and a panel truck that collided en route to The Front.
Like so many shows about worlds I'm only vaguely familiar with, I don't always follow. I have trouble understanding and remembering their names and keeping up with how they're related; though they are, it seems, all related somehow.  Regardless - I find it enriching.
But it's not just that show. What about Adele? . How cute is she? And her accent? And her moxy?? And whatever the British equivalent for moxy is. Pluck? Yes it's pluck. I'm sure of it. I had pluck once.
OH don't be a ninny. I shan't be. I'm dreadfully sorry. I still have pluck and moxy and will hang onto both as long as I can.
Also - many other people wish they were British. All you have to do is type "I Wish I Was British" into Youtube and you'll see entries like: I wish I was British or I really wish I was British.
But - they're just kids. What they know could fit on the head of a pin. Not like me - a grown woman. What I know would completely cover the heads of many giant pushpins - like these - from the super-sized website Great Big Stuff.
I find that as one ages, one can't help gathering more knowledge - unless one goes to a great deal of trouble not to do so, don't you agree?
Oh - honestly. It's not that I don't want to be American. For I can't begin to imagine being anything else, not really. Though I can imagine having a National Healthcare Service like this - its not perfect but they'd never give it up - as opposed to this - we spend more but our results aren't that great - and finally - there's this - brought to my attention by the instructor of my (seriously - terrific) "How to Blog" class: It's an adorable blog by a man from Norfolk. It proposes to, in the words of the author, provide: "... regular interesting articles about the fact that NOTHING EVER BLOODY HAPPENS TO ME!" And from what I can tell thus far - He succeeds! Not much happens yet it's very interesting! Could an American do that? Possibly. But the accent helps. So do read his blog in a British accent as well, if you like.
But truly - if I were British - could I put this many hyperlinks in one blog post without becoming a laughing stock? Probably not. Which is why I shall remain American. Hand over heart. 

Consider it Fixed

Yes. I know how to fix the economy. I could do it tomorrow. Tonight even. And so could my fellow running mates I'll bet - or the fellows I'm running against. Are they my running mates? It sounds weird all of a sudden to say that. I think "running mate" is the guy I'm running with once I'm "the nominee", right? So - the other guys, the ones who will NOT be the nominee, the other fellows - what are they? Candidates? They wish. Ha. Well that's what I'll call them for now. They're all good guys too. Just not as good as me.
And that brings me back to my point. Here's why I can fix the economy - because I know how to do it. And that's really "it" in a nutshell and all you need to know. Capesh? That's a "mafia word" that people say in big cities. I just threw that in so you'll know I can relate to big city people AND to real Americans too. Because I will be everybody's President. Not like that black guy - I mean blah - that's what I really said, that blah guy - (Because he's really boring) not black (though he is that too). That blah guy only wants to be the President for people who like "arugula" and read a lot of "books". But I wouldn't know arugula if it bit me on the leg. (is that what it is? A bug? It sounds like a bug!) And as for books - sure - I can read a lot of books, but I only need to read One. And that's the only One you need to read too. And its the only One you will read when I'm President. And that book is The Bible. Anyway - so the reason I can fix the economy, aside from the main reason: that I know how to fix it - is because I'm really just the best candidate! And the most handsome one too!!
I know, I know - that other guy is supposedly the most handsome one. And I guess he's handsome in a really obvious, almost "too handsome" way. But I also know that women don't really like men who are that handsome. Not really. They may "pretend" to like them if they run into them at Cici's pizza or a church function - but really - they kind of hate him. And that's why (both men and women) are trying so hard to not pick him. See where I'm going with this? It's OK if you don't.
You don't need to see where I'm going. Just lay back and let me drive. That's what I tell my wife and she does and my gosh she loves it.
Believe me. Don't ask her, because you don't need to ask her because I'm telling you. I know her very well and she wouldn't mind because she doesn't mind anything I say or do. That's one of the many, many things I love about her! And you'll love her too because she will be the kind of First Lady who doesn't insist on being "First". She'll probably ask to have her title changed to just "Lady". But I will insist that she at least lets us to call her "Special Lady" - because that's what she is.
How'd I get "off topic" and start talking about my wife? That happens to me a lot. She's really got a hold on me. And I've got a hold on her.
And I want to get a hold on you too. I want to hold you America. To hold you and fix your economy and get that monkey of birth control off your back and end ALL regulations on everything because God is the Great Regulator and He'll handle it. OK!  You got me - that's the reason I know I can fix the economy. Because He is really the one who will fix it.
Hey? Are you crying? Don't cry. Come here ... Shhhhhhhh ...  America. You look so pretty in the light that shines out of my eyes. Just be quiet, shhhh ... and lay back and let me drive, while I introduce you to my Awesome God and ... my gosh - you will love it.

Why Deluxe Rice?

Yes - why indeed. Why start a new blog? Why call it Deluxe Rice? Why all that and more? I'll resist the overused "Why not?" - and the truly hackneyed "Because it was there". (which doesn't even apply since it wasn't "there" til I created it) - Instead, I'll be so un-hip and un-ironic as to just answer the question(s). Straight up.
Because I want a forum. A platform. A place to write more than a status update on Facebook or a Tweet and a place to link to my status updates and my (still quite infrequent) tweets. A place to work things out - to engage - and to write in a more public way. A place to (what did my friend Eevin say?) to expand my brand? - develop my brand? - get a brand? - something like that. And - truth be told - I accidentally deleted my old blog - "Works Well With Others".  It's a tedious tale of accidentally having two gmail addresses and trying to get rid of one and Google being very odd and control-ly about the whole thing. Who cares. I've moved on.
So why that name -"Deluxe Rice"?
According to the  Visual Thesaurus, (one of my favorite websites) synonyms for "deluxe" are: sumptuous - luxurious - grand - and so on. (Why not have goals?)
I also like the word's retro sound and its "diner menu" trick of making anything it's attached to sound fancy.
And "rice"?  I love rice. All kinds of rice. Brown, black, red, white, long grain, short grain, medium grain, and so on. Synonyms for rice (other than the obvious "grain") include - "sift" as in "to check and sort carefully" and "sieve" - as in "to separate out. To examine in order to test suitability". I like the notion that "rice" is both a noun and a verb, and that as a verb it implies careful analysis that results in a better, more nutritious product. That's what I like to do with information - with the things that "set me off" - with politics, with food, with people's behavior - with anything that interests me really. I like to examine it - to sift it - to "rice" it. So there you go. Deluxe Rice. It sounds delicious. Special. Valuable even. And that's my goal. To serve "Deluxe Rice" to anybody that wants a bowl - or a bite - or a bucket full if you like. Eat up.