Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Love/Hate
Hate:Having to wipe pee off the toilet seat at work before I use it. (I'm a hoverer but, still, that's gross.)
My Anatomy/Physiology II class. It's late at night twice a week and booooring. It makes me realize that I really don't care about G Proteins or the clotting functions of platelets. It's just memorization for the sake of memorization and I find it uninteresting. (So the question is, why the hell do it? Because I thought that physical therapy might be a cool job for me. But I really think I'd be happier/more engaged in a feminist, visual arts, culture, or literature class. Question is, what master's degree would I get and what job? Ugh. This is my ultimate quandary in adult life so far and I'm not getting closer to the answer.)
Being told how to live my life by other people. I've had enough preaching in my lifetime, thankyouverymuch. [Note: this has nothing to do with the above rant on career issues. Advice is welome in that area. Actually, advice is welcome about most things - if I ask for it.]
Not being able to drink because it messes up my temperature charting.
Love:
This novel that I'm reading. I have Monday off for Labor Day and am seriously thinking about starting it from the beginning and reading it all the way through uninterrupted. It's that good. I'm about 3/4 of the way through it and I'm totally taken by every character - their personalities, their conflicts, their histories...it's all so poignant and real.
My husband's gorgeous blue eyes, especially when he wears a blue tee shirt (that fits perfectly over his pecs and shoulders...rwar!) that makes them pop out even more.
The unconditional love and companionship of my cats.
30 Days because it makes you see other people's perspectives and, hopefully, reconsider your own. |
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Scenes from a Saturday Morning
Lazy Saturdays...how I love thee.Friendly readers, I thought I'd share with you the peaceful moments of my day so far.
I went to the study to do some budgeting and checkbook balancing and Cambridge decided to help out, as she usually does. As you can see Neville was not far away.
We've had this tacky globe pencil eraser for a while now and we never use it, so I'm going to bring it to Goodwill today along with the two bags of clothes I cleaned out of my closet recently. Apparently Neville wanted to check it out before I gave it away.
Then Cambie made out with it for a while.
Then all three of us lounged around on the rug for a while enjoying each other's (and the globe's) company.
I love cat feet. They make me smile.
Then the children got breakfast.
And I made banana bread for us.
While Huz went to get our CSA veggies for the week.
Then I played with the kids on the bed after making it and putting away my dirty clothes from the day before.
This totally needs to be on the front of a horror novel or something.
Then my little angels...
...innocent and adorable as they are, began their daily activity of cat-on-cat fighting action. It began innocently enough with some nice hand holding.
Then some kissing.
Then things got heated.
The stand off.
The Cambie lunge.
The counter attack.
Pinned while Neville looks around, demonstrating his total lack of interest and brute strength.
Still pinned, but fighting back.
Still pinned and wondering when it will end.
This is the last shot of the fight before they took off down the hall after each other.
And so ends my peaceful morning. Thanks for watching! |
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Food Art
Heirloom beans that we shelled for soup one night last week:
Orange sun tea:
The smoke from the oven makes for interesting sunbeam photos:
|
Monday, August 21, 2006
Digital Dreams
I had a dream just before waking up this morning. It was really trippy.The alarm went off and I reached over, hit snooze, and grabbed the digital thermometer (like I do every morning). After in my mouth a minute, it started making high-pitched beeps so I took it out and looked at the display (everything was totally normal at this point). It read 97.8, then it started to scroll and more words appeared: 97.8...10% protein* found...pregnant...likely a boy.
When I woke up, my two immediate reactions were, "damn, I wanted a girl" and "I wish I had a thermometer that actually told me all of that info!"
WEIRD, huh?
*Protein!? Whacky thermometer, don't you mean hCG!? |
Friday, August 18, 2006
Breakfast
I love breakfast. I'd go out for breakfast every weekend if I could, or at least linger a while in the kitchen preparing something yummy like Belgian waffles, muffins, or German apple pancakes. Without much time in the mornings before work, though, a bagel with cream cheese (organic, naturally), a cup of tea (or coffee if Huz happens to be up and has made some - I always steal a cup because I'm too lazy to make on my own), and a bowl of cereal or oatmeal have to do.But this morning? This morning! I had a wonderful breakfast that was both pleasing to my tastebuds and to the clock. I had one fried egg (cage free and grain-fed, naturally), two pieces of toasted whole-grain, whole-wheat bread (the chunkier the bread is with oats and nuts and seeds, the better) with raw honey on one and black raspberry jam on the other, and a sliced and salted homegrown tomato. Ahhhh. So good. I don't know if my tomatoes are heirlooms or what (I bought it as a small plant at Home Depot and it didn't have a label), but it was mottled red and green inside and had a fresh, almost citrus quality to it. It was fantastic!
|
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Rafting Trip 2006
Nobody had any comments for me about my rafting trip (boo hoo!), but I'm still going to share photos. I forgot my camera, so these are mostly taken by my friend.Side-splitting laughter on the ride down.
Sexy man in the backseat.
Beautiful German friend.
Friends during breakfast at the most country bumpkin place I've ever seen - they even had a prayer journal for you to sign your name in as you walked into the place.
Crazy rafting crew before the wetness ensued.
|
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Tuning In
I can't dance, but I'm definitely watching the finale tonight. I votedfor Benji but would also be pleased if his cousin won. Travis was really very good, but lacks some maturity that I think is needed for the title. I also enjoyed Donyelle when she danced with Benji, but other than her beautiful eyes and a good booty to shake, she's just not as sharp as the others. I've been watching all season and I just have to ask, what's up with the host's wacky outfits? Also did anyone else notice how crooked her nose is when she wore her hair up that one night?
[Benji won but it really could have been either him or Travis. Both were great to watch - Benji for his great personality (both while performing and in his interactions with other dancers and the judges) and great Swing/Ballroom moves and Travis for his long, lean contemporary moves. Both have a great future ahead of them I'm sure.] |
Nothing's Wrong
A friend emailed me today and wondered if there was something wrong because I haven't posted much lately. Nope, nothing's wrong. There's just not a lot going on right now (or I'm too lazy to post about it).My tomatoes are getting red (I took pictures this morning and will post them tonight) which causes me great excitement. This doesn't mean that I'm not already up to my eyeballs in tomatoes due to our CSA membership, but these babies are mine, damn it! I planted them, pruned them, watered them, cried over them, and re-planted them. They better be really freakin' good is all I have to say. I need to figure out exactly when you're supposed to pick them - when are they ripe - which exact shade of red should they be? Any suggestions? The mint plant continues to thrive (mojitos? check. mint iced tea? check. pick some and dry it for winter? no but I will.) as does the basil, rosemary, and parsley.
In TMI news, I think I may have finally ovulated this month. It's my fourth month off the Pill and since I've had right abdominal pain as well as an elevated temperature for the past four days, I think my pipes may be working again. Rusty, perhaps, but working. Only time (and further charting) will tell.
What else? Oh, yes. I have a fantastic husband. He made a very special evening for me last night complete with a romance CD he made (he used to make me mixed tapes in high school - everyone sigh in unison, "oooohhhhhh how swwweeetttt.") and a full body massage with some mighty good non-sleep activity following. Needless to say, I'm all smiles today! |
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Categories
I've added a Categories section to my sidebar for your perusing delight, but have only put the last 2 months on there so far. More to come. |Monday, August 14, 2006
War Wounds Are So Worth It
I gave my friend's husband a black eye this weekend and I swear it wasn't payback for all the damn Draw Four's he kept giving me in our raging Uno game the night before.We had an A.W.E.S.O.M.E. time rafting yesterday. Even if I gave Patrick a black eye with my paddle (totally on accident) and even if the back of my arm is bruised after flying out of my raft seat in into the dudes (Huz and Thunder) sitting behind me. We had a great rafting guide (didn't hurt that he was the best looking one out there) who sensed that we were a crazy group and would do anything wild he suggested on the river. We flipped our raft over by steering ourselves into a white water area sideways and on the count of three throwing ourselves to the left, which tipped that baby right over and threw all 6 of us out [I'm not sure how our guide managed to keep a hold of the raft and ride it upside down for 10 minutes after this, but he was cool like that] then we swam/floated down the river for a while. Lydia and I managed to do some awesome moves on our float down. It was radical, like this. We also did 360's through some pretty swift moving water and sideways again through a rough area which threw 2 of us out (Patrick and Emily) and me off my seat, but not out. Then Lydia (who was a rafting virgin) and I got to "ride the bull" through the last 2 or 3 rapids which meant we got out of our seats and straddled the front of the raft hanging on for dear life and we went through some sinus flushing areas (literally). It was great fun and I want to do it again - right now!
The drive down was also great - lots of stupid jokes and side-splitting laughter (my favorite thing in the world). We crammed into one hotel room (we're so naughty) and played some Uno, drank cheap beer, and teased each other about no stealth baby-making allowed once the lights went out.
Thanks for a great time, guys! I look forward to out next adventure. Let's make reservations soon. |
Friday, August 11, 2006
Friday
At last. It's Friday. I love this day - I love it come 4:00p.m. when I'm high-tailing it out of the office, that is.What's been going on? Not much. I've found awhole bunch of cool new sites that I'm reading. Most of these are inspiring me to keep being artsy, as well as to find some cool thrift shops in Nashville. (I used to go thrifting all the time in highschool; it was my best friend's and my favorite past time. We'd find the funkiest 70s clothes we could find and then wear them proudly to school, defying the current trends and styles. But this only lasted a year or so - I wasn't cut out to be a hippy. It hurt my legs.)
Huz and I and four of our favorite friends are hitting the road tomorrow. We're going to see what Tennessee has to offer by way of white water rafting. Even though I'm from Colorado, I've only actually gone rafting once before. It was a few years ago and Huz and I had a blast. You know how they take those pictures of you from the bank in order to get as much money as possible from your wallet that day? Well both our mouths were wide open in every shot they took, so I expect the same this time. I'll let you know how the rafting adventure, the sharing of one hotel room with 5 other people, and the 3 hour drive in which one of our friend's insists we watch a lame movie go when I get back.
Until then, have a fantastic weekend.
[p.s. I don't want to go to thrift shops to buy 70s clothing anymore, but I want to find cool treasures and be economical at the same time. Read this; you'll understand.] |
Monday, August 7, 2006
Food Math
The coolest invention
plus a few apples
plus my new cast iron skillet equals a gloriously big and juicy blackberry cobbler.
It was great this time around. Phew!
See more Food Math here. |
Thursday, August 3, 2006
The Neighbor and His Yard
After telling a co-worker (not the non-voter, in case you were wondering) about the conforntation with Mr. I-Walk-My-Dog-Anywhere-I-Please, she told me I should buy one of these and walk it through HIS yard. Now that's what I'm talking about! |Miscellany
Okay, what gives? I've had a really bad headache since Monday afternoon and it's getting old at this point. It's not as bad as it was on Tuesday (I went home after working only a few hours and ended up taking 3 naps throughout the afternoon), but I'm still having residual pain (at least the photophobia is gone). I think it's a hormone-related migraine and I hope it doesn't become a monthly thing. (Remember when I asked you what to expect when I came off the Pill? This is one of them, as is increased acne. Oh, how I'm loving this. NOT.)I neglected to register to vote when we moved here last year so I'm missing out on the local elections today. I feel like shit about it because I care about society and our laws even if I don't follow politics religiously like some do. I don't want to be a dumb shit who plainly states (as my co-worker did today) "I don't vote. I never do." Period. End. Don't question my stupidity. At least that's how I perceived it. And now I'm following suit by neglecting to register in time to make my voice heard. I suck.
I get pissed off easily but am a wuss when it comes to confrontations. Case in point: my neighbor dude got a dog a few weeks ago and has made it a routine to walk said dog into and completely through my yard every morning. This means that as I sit and eat breakfast each day, he walks right by my big bay window in the dining room scaring the shit out of me. Okay, I have a total issue with this. WTF!? This is MY yard, mother fucker, not YOURS. Why are you in my space everyday like it's no big deal? He lets his dog piss and poop in my yard and then continues walking out to the street like that's what my yard is for - a convenient path to the street. This has been making my blood boil for some time, so I decided to confront him this morning after it happened again. My heart was pounding, but I did it anyway because I figured it was worth it. I went up to him and nicely said, "Hey there. I know you're just walking her, but I feel a little imposed on when you walk through my yard every day." He said, "Oh, well she needs to pee, but I clean it up if it's poop." I'm thinking - well, that's just dandy of you to clean up her shit, but my yard is not the dog park, ass hole! I said, "I understand that, but I have a big window looking out onto our yard and I look up and all of a sudden there's a guy right there, you know? I just feel like there's no dividing line between your yard and my yard anymore." He mumbled, "Okay, I won't do it anymore." I thanked him and then said "sorry," which I totally shouldn't have because I'm NOT sorry! HE should be sorry for assuming my yard is open to the public. GAHHHHH. My heart was pounding as I got in my car and drove to work. I am such a wuss, but I'm proud of myself for finally talking to him about it.
[@#&@&!! I just talked to Huz and lame neighbor is now banging on the drums all day. Guess that's my payback for bitching about my yard.] |
Wednesday, August 2, 2006
On Cooking: Boxes, Cans, and Crisco
I do not cook from boxes. If I want to make a cake, out come the flour, sugar, and eggs. I don't reach into the cupboard for a freaking box. That's gross and it's cheating. I also do not cook from cans. Using canned vegetables, other than diced tomatoes or tomato sauce/paste, is gross. It is inevitably mushy and tastes like shit - salty shit. Finally, I do not cook with shortening...until the other day. And, oh, the regret.See, apparently shortening goes bad (read: rancid) and I wasn't aware of this. That's why when I pulled out the tub of Crisco from the dark, forsaken rear of the cupboard I didn't think twice about how old the gunk actually was. Thinking about it now, I realize that it was at least 3-4 years old because I know I didn't buy it here in TN and I probably bought it several years before moving to our last Chicago apartment. It had a slight odor when I was measuring 2/3 of a cup of it for a would-be awesome dessert, but I figured, "This white fatty goo reeks, guess that's why I don't use it". Wrong, so wrong.
I proceeded to make my gloriously large cast iron skillet blackberry cobbler that consisted of three layers (crust, creamy berry filling, and crumbly streusel topping) and took an hour and a half to cook. I let it cool for the called-for half hour, scooped some out onto 2 plates with vanilla ice cream on top and took a big bite. I stopped mid-chew and realized that it tasted like the Crisco smelled - like butt. Big stinky butt.
AAAAAGGGGGHHHHHH.
I was embarrassed and angry because it was such a waste - 6 eggs and 2 bags of blackberries down the drain, not to mention my time.
I did the unthinkable and bought some more Crisco because I am determined to try this thing again. But I think I'll put a big sticky note on the Crisco tub with the date of purchase this time. If 6 months go by and it's still in the cupboard, into the trash it goes (sans expensive berries this time). |
Tuesday, August 1, 2006
I Don't Know Whether to Say "What's New?" or "Oh, Shit!" to This
"Nashville, TNSpecial Weather Statement Until Aug 01 2006 05:00 PM CDT
...Hot and humid weather forecast across middle Tennessee today through Thursday...
Strong high pressure aloft will remain over middle Tennessee today and persist into the latter part of the week. High temperatures are forecast in the mid 90s over the western 2/3's of the mid state...and combined with high humidity...heat indices are expected to rise to between 100 and 105 in the afternoon.
People should attempt to schedule strenuous outdoor activities during cooler parts of the day such as the mornings. Drink plenty of fluids...stay in an air-conditioned rooms [sic]...stay out of the sun...and check up on relatives...neighbors and pets."
weather.com |
