Cheesy Mustard Pretzel Dip

OMG guys... my computer this week went all sorts of splodey. It all started with a video game, as thinkg are wont to do in this household. I was trying to play a video game and everything was laggy and jumpy (video game lag is what it's called when the game starts looking like a series of still photographs instead of a moving movie), so I decided to buy a new video card.

I get the new video card delivered, but it doesn't want to work with my monitors. I have old monitors. Well, okay then, let's order a new monitor. While I'm waiting for the new monitor to arrive, the mouse decides it no longer wishes to move the cursor left & right because up & down is the only way to go. Okay, order a new mouse.

Part of the problem with the mouse is that it was constantly getting cat hair stuck in the works, so I was always having to pull out the hair with tweezers, which scratched up the works inside. The cat hair was a problem because I had a fabric mousepad and the hair would weave itself into the fabric, then worm into the mouse.  Well I don't want this to happen with the new mouse, so I order a new mousepad.

New mouse arrives and the very next day, the power supply dies. The power supply takes the electricity from the wall outlet and distributes it to the various parts of the computer. If the power supply ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.

So by Friday I've got a video card but no monitors, a mouse but no mousepad, and no power supply.  UPS guy delivers the monitor, (No, I don't want to discuss home-based coffee-selling businesses, thank you, you can go now Mister UPS Man), I run out to Best Buy to get a power supply, and when I come back Fedex gives me the mousepad. After a flurry of unpacking and 2 hours spent setting everything up, ("what do you mean, No Boot Disk Found????"), my house looks like Circuit City exploded all over it and I'm finally ready to go: new video card, new monitor, new mouse, new mousepad, new power supply.

Isn't that cool?

That your computer can break, that things can fall apart, but it's so easy to just go out and buy new parts and pop them in. Honestly, that level of self-sufficiency feels really cool. If you've never stuck your hand inside a computer's gizzards, I highly recommend you do so. Make sure you unplug it first.

Special shout-out to my friend Mike, who played the very important role of holding my hand via text, making me feel, well, less alone in my stress. ("Yes, I've checked the SATA cables twice, it's still not booting up!")

So here's some pretzel dip. It's easy, it's yummy, and if you like dipping food in stuff, it's really good! Recipe adapted from Jensfavoritecookies.com.

Ingredients
1/2 cup brown or spicy mustard (not plain yellow mustard nor dijon)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup greek yogurt or sour cream
2 tablespoons horseradish or wasabi
1/4 cup dark soda (cola, root beer, Dr Pepper...)
1½ cups shredded sharp cheese (cheddar, or cheddar jack mix)

1) Add all ingredients to a small pot and cook on medium/low, stirring constantly, until the cheese is melted and everything is combined. Bonus points if you let it sit too long and parts start to caramelize.
2) Serve warm with pretzels or breadsticks.

See? Isn't that easy? And pretty tasty too!

Lunch!