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Yes, folks, it's true. I'm starting a pizza blog as well.

Now, you might think your old pal has always loved the cheesy pie, and you'd be right. Oh, how I crave it!

While certainly not my first encounter with the Snack of the Gods, I remember one particularly formative experience...

As a youngster, I was allergic to shellfish--a severe detriment here in Maryland, where the crustacean is king. Family gatherings would often feature steamed crabs, and I could not partake, and that made your pre-vegetarian buddy a little sad. Fortunately, I would get treated to an alternative meal instead. Once, when I was a wee lad of but 5, there was a crab feast at my aunt and uncle's house. My mom ordered me a large cheese pizza from Village Sub all for myself...and I ate nearly the whole blasted thing. I think I was just trying to prove a point--I'll show those crab eaters!--but I kept it down. I was hooked, but oh! what tummy pain!

Q: So, Nora, what have you been up to?
A: Oh, not much. Working and not working, sleeping and not sleeping, reading, sweating, not cooking, and taking cold showers.

Q: Whatcha reading?
A: Well, I just finished re-reading Tipping the Velvet and last weekend I ripped through All the Pretty Horses, the writing style of which reminded me of Faulkner, but somehow I was able to stand it--can't say the same for Faulkner. I'm late to the party on Cormac McCarthy, and I've wanted to read The Road ever since that guy I interviewed with at The Retail Bookstore back in September mentioned that he was loving it (you can always trust employee recommendations of that sort) but I am concerned I will lose some cred reading an Oprah book. She ruins everything. But still...the book existed before she picked it, and there's some comfort in the fact that a post-apocalyptic novel of ruination and devastation will be in the hands of many people more used to things like guest appearances by Dr. Phil or Best Friend Gail. Right now I'm tackling Anna Karenina. Little light beach reading, you know...