I added a new genius to the list last week. My friend Mary Ellen has started a blog where she'll be listing recipes from her culinary endeavors.

This is somewhat humorous because Mary Ellen used to be the only person I knew who made me look like an adventurous eater. We used to sit in some of this country's fanciest restaurants while traveling together for work and eat fries. While in Denver on business many moons ago, we visited a Taco Bell in a stretch white limo. We haven't worked together in almost 10 years, but still meet every few months for breakfast at Sneddon's in Lambertville, where shredded home fries with melted cheese always finds its way onto our plates.

But we've both come a long way and have expanded our acceptable foods list exponentially. Among other things, I now eat red meat (after abstaining for 12 years) and Chinese food (after just saying no for 35 years); she eats all sorts of meats (formerly a no-no for her). She's become rather experimental in the kitchen and has decided to share the results of her efforts.

Irony aside, enjoy her culinary masterpieces. We'll be enjoying some risotto and white wine tonight along with the two-hour season finale of Lost. And celebrating the fact that I don't have to work again until next Tuesday.