Mild Brick for your munching pleasure today.
Let's talk about food. Most importantly, poutine. Nookie graciously indulged my curiosity about this bizarro product and I'm quite excited that I've lost my poutine virginity. Chris and I cooked up some homemade fries & a pan of poutine mix. I tasted the poutine before the fries were done & wow-it was probably the best gravy I'd every tasted-very flavourful. Then we put it on fries. *boggle* It was GREAT by itself, but can't say it enhanced my fry eating experience. Perhaps we need to go buy some cheesecurds (it is WI after all) and try the full poutine experience. This shall be on tap for the weekend. Of course, this is coming from me, who likes to dip my fries in BBQ sauce. <----freak.
Did you know a simlar version of this is sold in America as "Disco Fries"? I was reading online & found this little nugget. Never heard of them.
Cookies.
What are your very favorite cookies?
Do you make good cookies, or prefer to eat other people's?
Do you have a favorite place to buy cookies (bakery style)?
What is your favorite pre-packaged cookie (i.e., Oreo, Chips Ahoy, etc)?
Have you discovered the joy of baking with parchment paper?
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Monday, February 27, 2006
Green
An easy Monday thread. Enjoy some garden veggie cheese spread on crackers & tell me about your favorite green things, or general green things in your life.
Friday, February 24, 2006
How My Beliefs Were Born
Deep End Delight: Salami Cheese. I've never decided if I like the stuff or not. It's mild colby or cheddar with bits of salami in it, if you've never had the chance to try.
Anyway, all this deep talk lately has inspired me to post about my belief system.
I think one reason I tend to be tollerant of other's beliefs is because my current beliefs are quite different than those I grew up with.
My parents were closet racists. Every once in awhile, the N word would slip out. They grew up in Peoria IL and had my oldest sister when school integration was happening. The didn't want her to go to an integrated school with so many "Ns."
So they picked up the family and moved to a tiny Wisconsin farming community. I recall one black/African American family in our town. Everybody knew & liked them. It was pretty clear though, that us girls should never bring home anything but a white boy. We didn't directly talk about it, but they'd tell stories of old family friends having daughters that married "some Mexican" or other ethnicity.
But it was the 90s & I had MTV and Rolling Stone. I thought different was cool. Hip Hop was popular, homosexuality and AIDS were the big social issue and I considered myself very accepting of all cultures/sexual orientations, etc. Ironically, to my knowledge, I never met a homosexual person and had VERY limited contact with any person from a non-white background. Finally, at 16, I started to gain more exposure as I traveled to Washington D.C. and even around the state independently.
I finally had enough experience to challenge my dad on some of his sterotypes and I think he realizes it's not cool to say that stuff around me, or others, even if I didn't change his beliefs.
I went through a time when I think I became a little more racist inside. I was spending a lot of time in Milwaukee. I noticed my line of thinking was changing...assuming black poor didn't care enough to have jobs...that we all have the same opportunity, etc. Through some college courses and just growing up, becoming more aware of the realities of life, I realized I can't just look at those issues based on race. It's largely a socio-economic.
And then there is politics. My mother was Republican and my father was a democrat. I don't recall them talking about it, at least in front of us. My father was a high school grad & mom was a high school drop out. High brow conversations weren't the norm and we didn't live in an area that was obviously effected by the economy unless it had to do with farming. The only political education I received was from tv, newspapers and a few high school courses.
I always identified more with my mother's life and therefore always assumed the Republican side was the right side for me. I identified reasons why, but they were naive and not based on real experience. When I became an age where I was directly impacted by many policies and through college and working for state government, I became much more educated and aware of how policies effect everyone. I find myself more candidate stance/issue oriented than identifying with any party now.
And religion....My mother was a non-practicing Methodist & my father's family was strictly Catholic. Until I was about 10, we went to a large Catholic church most Sunday's and had Sunday dinner at my paternal grandmother's house. I was never taught much about my religion, although I went to CCD classes and had my first communion. The only thing that sticks with me is learning about The Good Samaritan and learning my Hail Mary's and The Lord's Prayer. Well, and standing up & kneeling a lot in church. And the monotone, yet bellering Father during services. At about 10 years old, I recall my father and his mother having a falling out, but didn't know about what. We quit going to church.
I grew up religiously ignorant. I went to some youth group activities and a few church services with a teenage friend, so got to see another religion at work. However, I really didn't understand it all. In college I examined a few other religions loosely (often in culture based courses). Then I married into a family of Methodist ministers. I studied up a little bit. I found the bible to be a good story, with some consistencies over cultures and other religions, but don't buy into it. After some soul searching and self-education, I've discovered I'm agnostic. I haven't told Chris's family, but Chris knows. I'm certainly not the most educated on the subject, so can't call anyone else's beliefs in their higher power ridiculous. The only thing I feel strongly about is that the Bible was not meant to be taken literally.
In short (ha), I think my family, generation and physical location shaped so much of who I was and see how similar circumstances can color others opinions & beliefs. I can only hope I'll continue to learn & grow, and hope others have that same stance.
Anyway, all this deep talk lately has inspired me to post about my belief system.
I think one reason I tend to be tollerant of other's beliefs is because my current beliefs are quite different than those I grew up with.
My parents were closet racists. Every once in awhile, the N word would slip out. They grew up in Peoria IL and had my oldest sister when school integration was happening. The didn't want her to go to an integrated school with so many "Ns."
So they picked up the family and moved to a tiny Wisconsin farming community. I recall one black/African American family in our town. Everybody knew & liked them. It was pretty clear though, that us girls should never bring home anything but a white boy. We didn't directly talk about it, but they'd tell stories of old family friends having daughters that married "some Mexican" or other ethnicity.
But it was the 90s & I had MTV and Rolling Stone. I thought different was cool. Hip Hop was popular, homosexuality and AIDS were the big social issue and I considered myself very accepting of all cultures/sexual orientations, etc. Ironically, to my knowledge, I never met a homosexual person and had VERY limited contact with any person from a non-white background. Finally, at 16, I started to gain more exposure as I traveled to Washington D.C. and even around the state independently.
I finally had enough experience to challenge my dad on some of his sterotypes and I think he realizes it's not cool to say that stuff around me, or others, even if I didn't change his beliefs.
I went through a time when I think I became a little more racist inside. I was spending a lot of time in Milwaukee. I noticed my line of thinking was changing...assuming black poor didn't care enough to have jobs...that we all have the same opportunity, etc. Through some college courses and just growing up, becoming more aware of the realities of life, I realized I can't just look at those issues based on race. It's largely a socio-economic.
And then there is politics. My mother was Republican and my father was a democrat. I don't recall them talking about it, at least in front of us. My father was a high school grad & mom was a high school drop out. High brow conversations weren't the norm and we didn't live in an area that was obviously effected by the economy unless it had to do with farming. The only political education I received was from tv, newspapers and a few high school courses.
I always identified more with my mother's life and therefore always assumed the Republican side was the right side for me. I identified reasons why, but they were naive and not based on real experience. When I became an age where I was directly impacted by many policies and through college and working for state government, I became much more educated and aware of how policies effect everyone. I find myself more candidate stance/issue oriented than identifying with any party now.
And religion....My mother was a non-practicing Methodist & my father's family was strictly Catholic. Until I was about 10, we went to a large Catholic church most Sunday's and had Sunday dinner at my paternal grandmother's house. I was never taught much about my religion, although I went to CCD classes and had my first communion. The only thing that sticks with me is learning about The Good Samaritan and learning my Hail Mary's and The Lord's Prayer. Well, and standing up & kneeling a lot in church. And the monotone, yet bellering Father during services. At about 10 years old, I recall my father and his mother having a falling out, but didn't know about what. We quit going to church.
I grew up religiously ignorant. I went to some youth group activities and a few church services with a teenage friend, so got to see another religion at work. However, I really didn't understand it all. In college I examined a few other religions loosely (often in culture based courses). Then I married into a family of Methodist ministers. I studied up a little bit. I found the bible to be a good story, with some consistencies over cultures and other religions, but don't buy into it. After some soul searching and self-education, I've discovered I'm agnostic. I haven't told Chris's family, but Chris knows. I'm certainly not the most educated on the subject, so can't call anyone else's beliefs in their higher power ridiculous. The only thing I feel strongly about is that the Bible was not meant to be taken literally.
In short (ha), I think my family, generation and physical location shaped so much of who I was and see how similar circumstances can color others opinions & beliefs. I can only hope I'll continue to learn & grow, and hope others have that same stance.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Being the Winner
Carey says she wants provolone & Ritz crackers and her wish is my command.
Are you competitive? Do you know someone that is?
Does it drive you INSANE? It drives me insane.
Are you competitive? Do you know someone that is?
Does it drive you INSANE? It drives me insane.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
quick question
There are two bloggish peeps that I don't know who they are, but you all have them linked. Who are Stephanie & Alice? I feel so clueless.
You may now go back to your regularly scheduled topic below.
You may now go back to your regularly scheduled topic below.
Friendship Style
First, in honor of the great, beautiful, humorous, intelligent Nookie, we are having cheesecurds...with french fries and poutine! She is THE BEST! But you already knew that.
IRL, aside from in-person friendships born from the net, what kind of friend are you? How do you maintain your friendships? Are you friends satisfied with that? Do you like having a lot of friends, or a handful? Has this changed over the years? If so, why?
Whew. I don't mean you have to answer all those questions, just things to ponder as you respond.
IRL, aside from in-person friendships born from the net, what kind of friend are you? How do you maintain your friendships? Are you friends satisfied with that? Do you like having a lot of friends, or a handful? Has this changed over the years? If so, why?
Whew. I don't mean you have to answer all those questions, just things to ponder as you respond.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Bad habits
I was home sick yesterday. I was in no mood to make you cheese. Today, I'm serving herbed chevre with french bread.
So what are your bad habits?
Mine are:
Snacking on the weekends
My cuticles are dry & flaky. I pick at them when they are like that.
Procrastination
So what are your bad habits?
Mine are:
Snacking on the weekends
My cuticles are dry & flaky. I pick at them when they are like that.
Procrastination
Friday, February 17, 2006
Help me plan my weekend
Jarlsberg today...although Bob doesn't get any *evil eye*
I only have two MUST DO things this weekend (deliver a Tastefully Simple order and deliver a dryer to my dad). Otherwise, I have no definite plans.
So here is a list of tasks I need to do at some point this winter. Pick three for me.
1. Start seeds indoors for certain flowers & veggies
2. Clean closets
3. Organize basement
4. Scrub bathroom floors on hands & knees
5. Clean exterior of kitchen cabinets
6. Organize cabinets in laundry room
7. Work on sanding the used butcher block rolling cart I have in the basement
8. Watch March of the Penguins
9. Organize Tastefully Simple carp (paperwork, display products, etc)
I only have two MUST DO things this weekend (deliver a Tastefully Simple order and deliver a dryer to my dad). Otherwise, I have no definite plans.
So here is a list of tasks I need to do at some point this winter. Pick three for me.
1. Start seeds indoors for certain flowers & veggies
2. Clean closets
3. Organize basement
4. Scrub bathroom floors on hands & knees
5. Clean exterior of kitchen cabinets
6. Organize cabinets in laundry room
7. Work on sanding the used butcher block rolling cart I have in the basement
8. Watch March of the Penguins
9. Organize Tastefully Simple carp (paperwork, display products, etc)
Thursday, February 16, 2006
I wet my pants.
..well, just the legs....by walking through some big piles of snow.
I think we should have grilled cheese and tomato soup for todays yucky weather. No throwing the grilled cheese at a homeless person though, mmmmay?
I had a productive morning. It snowed about 1-2 inches overnight, so the commute in was ok. Went to my bosses house to work on some grant proposals for 3 hours. Felt good. Then I went outside to leave. The truck was covered in about 6 inches of snow....In 3 hours time. And the snow brush/scraper? Is at home. I had to use an umbrella to swipe at the snow. I drove the oh, 1.5 miles to work & saw three cars stuck in the middle of the road, a USPS truck stuck on a corner and I almost saw a dead student that ran out in front of me when I had a green light & he had a "don't walk" sign. Apparently he was feeling lucky.
Thank cod I had the truck. Now, I need dry pants.
I think we should have grilled cheese and tomato soup for todays yucky weather. No throwing the grilled cheese at a homeless person though, mmmmay?
I had a productive morning. It snowed about 1-2 inches overnight, so the commute in was ok. Went to my bosses house to work on some grant proposals for 3 hours. Felt good. Then I went outside to leave. The truck was covered in about 6 inches of snow....In 3 hours time. And the snow brush/scraper? Is at home. I had to use an umbrella to swipe at the snow. I drove the oh, 1.5 miles to work & saw three cars stuck in the middle of the road, a USPS truck stuck on a corner and I almost saw a dead student that ran out in front of me when I had a green light & he had a "don't walk" sign. Apparently he was feeling lucky.
Thank cod I had the truck. Now, I need dry pants.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Last Night & Cheating
Two separate subjects...don't worry. :-) Have some fried mozzarella sticks.
We had a fun night on Valentine's Day. We both got haircuts (wild, I know). Then we hit State Street (downtown Madison). First stop: Buffalo Wild Wings (formerly BW3s). It was stupid-busy due to it being .35 wing night. We did manage to grab a table though & played trivia, ate wings & drank lots of big beers. Watched gaggles of college girls walk by eating ice cream. Saw a drug deal take place between a mentally challenged woman & large man. Ah, good times. Then it was off to a funky Mexican bar/restaurant for Sangria. Then to my very favorite bar: Paul's Club. It's dark, lots of leather couches & chairs, and a fake tree that encompasses the whole bar. Outstanding bartender & drink selection.
By then we were schnookered and headed back to the hotel. And that's all you need to know.
;-)
On a completely unrelated note, the professor I work with had me investigate a graduate student's potential plagiarism. It was for a class paper, so not an article or dissertation, but still not good to be a plagiarising grad student. At least four pages of material was verbatim plagiarised from three different sources. Found it just by using Google. Ugh. I don't envy the professor, nor the student. I'd feel more sympathy for the student if it were an undergrad & it was a general course, but this is a graduate student in the course of their intended career.
I think I shall nibble on a cookie from my cookie basket. There are truffles, too.
We had a fun night on Valentine's Day. We both got haircuts (wild, I know). Then we hit State Street (downtown Madison). First stop: Buffalo Wild Wings (formerly BW3s). It was stupid-busy due to it being .35 wing night. We did manage to grab a table though & played trivia, ate wings & drank lots of big beers. Watched gaggles of college girls walk by eating ice cream. Saw a drug deal take place between a mentally challenged woman & large man. Ah, good times. Then it was off to a funky Mexican bar/restaurant for Sangria. Then to my very favorite bar: Paul's Club. It's dark, lots of leather couches & chairs, and a fake tree that encompasses the whole bar. Outstanding bartender & drink selection.
By then we were schnookered and headed back to the hotel. And that's all you need to know.
;-)
On a completely unrelated note, the professor I work with had me investigate a graduate student's potential plagiarism. It was for a class paper, so not an article or dissertation, but still not good to be a plagiarising grad student. At least four pages of material was verbatim plagiarised from three different sources. Found it just by using Google. Ugh. I don't envy the professor, nor the student. I'd feel more sympathy for the student if it were an undergrad & it was a general course, but this is a graduate student in the course of their intended career.
I think I shall nibble on a cookie from my cookie basket. There are truffles, too.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
To All the Bloggers I've Loved Before
GIANT CHEESETRAY! I can't even begin to tell you about all the exciting cheese I laid out for you all today. I made sure each of your favorites is here. Enjoy!
A tribute to my blogger friends (I hope I captured those I visit fairly often):
Sonya: I love your wild, fun side
Bob: I love your explosive personality
Catt: I love you for being so giving of yourself
Lights: I love your optimism & ability to tell funny stories
Boo: I love your sense of family & love you exude
Vols: I love you for sharing so much of yourself with us and your sensitivity
Zombie: I love your craziness & the way you made groundhog's day come alive for me :-)
Seana: I love how you make everyone feel comfortable
Glow: I love you for your celeb gossip & I way loved your wedding dress
Luna: I love how your dad is so special to you & you share that with us
MTW: I love how you make us ladies feel so good
Carey: I love your range of emotions and that you are always sincere (unless michelle is blabbering)
Rose: I love how your tenacity inspires me
Puffy: I love that you are a Woman of the Year
Momma: I love how friendly and goofy you are.
Nutzy: I love h0w you spend so much time reading our blogs
Ukrocks: I love that you continue to grow
Augie: I love that you are a breath of fresh air
Coco: I love your Canadianess & your two kiddos
Monsty: I love the shine you exude and your little All Stah
Nookie: I love that you are one of the best all around people I know
HD: I love your intelligence & hotness
Boner: I love that you are a dedicated family man & dedicated online friend
Jen: I love that you are so self-aware
Buggy: I love your leadership, sincerity & silliness
Woe: I love your friendliness and ikaika spirit (see, I used a Hawaiian word!)
Dobie: I love your beautiful home & relaxed way
Debs: I love your enthusiasm & am way jealous that you are cruising right now
Tkit: I love your inner warmth & determination
CTSL: I love your passion for relationships, both friendly and romantic
Lasann: I love that you WILL live a long happy life
Arkie: I love your sense of humor
MM: I love your smutty self, even when you aren't smutty!
To all those that I just haven't discovered (I know some of you are out there, I just need to find you!): I love that I'll someday get to share in the little piece of your life you share with the blog world.
*smooches* and Happy Valentine's Day!
A tribute to my blogger friends (I hope I captured those I visit fairly often):
Sonya: I love your wild, fun side
Bob: I love your explosive personality
Catt: I love you for being so giving of yourself
Lights: I love your optimism & ability to tell funny stories
Boo: I love your sense of family & love you exude
Vols: I love you for sharing so much of yourself with us and your sensitivity
Zombie: I love your craziness & the way you made groundhog's day come alive for me :-)
Seana: I love how you make everyone feel comfortable
Glow: I love you for your celeb gossip & I way loved your wedding dress
Luna: I love how your dad is so special to you & you share that with us
MTW: I love how you make us ladies feel so good
Carey: I love your range of emotions and that you are always sincere (unless michelle is blabbering)
Rose: I love how your tenacity inspires me
Puffy: I love that you are a Woman of the Year
Momma: I love how friendly and goofy you are.
Nutzy: I love h0w you spend so much time reading our blogs
Ukrocks: I love that you continue to grow
Augie: I love that you are a breath of fresh air
Coco: I love your Canadianess & your two kiddos
Monsty: I love the shine you exude and your little All Stah
Nookie: I love that you are one of the best all around people I know
HD: I love your intelligence & hotness
Boner: I love that you are a dedicated family man & dedicated online friend
Jen: I love that you are so self-aware
Buggy: I love your leadership, sincerity & silliness
Woe: I love your friendliness and ikaika spirit (see, I used a Hawaiian word!)
Dobie: I love your beautiful home & relaxed way
Debs: I love your enthusiasm & am way jealous that you are cruising right now
Tkit: I love your inner warmth & determination
CTSL: I love your passion for relationships, both friendly and romantic
Lasann: I love that you WILL live a long happy life
Arkie: I love your sense of humor
MM: I love your smutty self, even when you aren't smutty!
To all those that I just haven't discovered (I know some of you are out there, I just need to find you!): I love that I'll someday get to share in the little piece of your life you share with the blog world.
*smooches* and Happy Valentine's Day!
Monday, February 13, 2006
Flowers
It's almost lunchtime, so I'm serving some creamy mac & cheese.
Given the season, I'm seeing lots of flowers around. So let's talk flowers.
1. What kind of flowers are your favorite to give or receive?
2. What color rose is your favorite?
3. What is one of your favorite garden flowers?
4. Do you like carnations?
5. What is your stance on dandelions? Weed or pretty lawn decor?
6. Flowers at funerals. Waste of time or pretty tribute?
Not sure this is the most man friendly topic. Guess it depends on the man.
Given the season, I'm seeing lots of flowers around. So let's talk flowers.
1. What kind of flowers are your favorite to give or receive?
2. What color rose is your favorite?
3. What is one of your favorite garden flowers?
4. Do you like carnations?
5. What is your stance on dandelions? Weed or pretty lawn decor?
6. Flowers at funerals. Waste of time or pretty tribute?
Not sure this is the most man friendly topic. Guess it depends on the man.
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Fired.
Chris didn't pass his test last night at our pt job & was fired. So now, I have to quit, too. I say "have to" because we'd have to start taking two vehicles to work 3 days (one of them being a truck) and it's a long drive. Financially, it doesn't make sense for only one of us to work a second job. Plus, he doesn't want to look for another pt job, so I don't want to be the only working extra.
I'm sad, a little angry and extremely frustrated.
I'm sad, a little angry and extremely frustrated.
Friday, February 10, 2006
My two stresses
Now serving nachos with oodles of melty cheese! Ole!
You may recall my sister's problems with the dickweed husband that she keeps kicking out & taking back in. Well, she's been letting him come back around & he's been having violent fits. He punch another wall, broke dishes, etc. I don't think he cares a bit about the kids & doesn't bother physically harming them. He comes back around to yell at my sister and try to win her back by blaming her. Real effective.
Someone finally called social services, worried about the three boys. My sister doesn't know who called and is freaked. I'm actually glad someone called. It has been a real wake-up call to her. She's terrified to lose the kids. Since dickweed is in a "first offenders" program, he gets hauled back to court if he violates any of his terms and then goes on probation.
I won't go into anymore details, but while I know her stress is infinitely larger, it stresses me, too. I'm going to look back on last years OT thread about this subject, as I remember lots of peeps who had been through abusive relationships had great advice that helped me get through.
Second stressor is the pt job. Chris isn't passing his training tests. When he gets frustrated, his attitude gets horrible. So now what? If he doesn't want to continue, I'm in a pickle. I could stick with the job, but I'd have to drive into Madison seperately thus costing us more in gas & wear on the car. Or I quit & we are back at square one, fighting about our amount of debt & lack of money.
*sigh*
You may recall my sister's problems with the dickweed husband that she keeps kicking out & taking back in. Well, she's been letting him come back around & he's been having violent fits. He punch another wall, broke dishes, etc. I don't think he cares a bit about the kids & doesn't bother physically harming them. He comes back around to yell at my sister and try to win her back by blaming her. Real effective.
Someone finally called social services, worried about the three boys. My sister doesn't know who called and is freaked. I'm actually glad someone called. It has been a real wake-up call to her. She's terrified to lose the kids. Since dickweed is in a "first offenders" program, he gets hauled back to court if he violates any of his terms and then goes on probation.
I won't go into anymore details, but while I know her stress is infinitely larger, it stresses me, too. I'm going to look back on last years OT thread about this subject, as I remember lots of peeps who had been through abusive relationships had great advice that helped me get through.
Second stressor is the pt job. Chris isn't passing his training tests. When he gets frustrated, his attitude gets horrible. So now what? If he doesn't want to continue, I'm in a pickle. I could stick with the job, but I'd have to drive into Madison seperately thus costing us more in gas & wear on the car. Or I quit & we are back at square one, fighting about our amount of debt & lack of money.
*sigh*
Thursday, February 09, 2006
The Asian Pear
I suppose they would go well with camembert & sliced baguette.
I'm not such a fan of these, but Chris picked some up last weekend. He'd never had them & didn't know I wasn't a fan of the asian pear. I choked one down yesterday.
I need to look them up on the web. Are they a hybrid of a pear & apple? I always assumed so. But maybe they are just a native fruit to Asia? That would explain the asian part. Or did some asian researcher develop the hybrid? So many questions, so many yucky asian pears.
Tell me about yoru favorite fruits. You don't have to get all exotic on me unless you want to.
I'm not such a fan of these, but Chris picked some up last weekend. He'd never had them & didn't know I wasn't a fan of the asian pear. I choked one down yesterday.
I need to look them up on the web. Are they a hybrid of a pear & apple? I always assumed so. But maybe they are just a native fruit to Asia? That would explain the asian part. Or did some asian researcher develop the hybrid? So many questions, so many yucky asian pears.
Tell me about yoru favorite fruits. You don't have to get all exotic on me unless you want to.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
A few random things
Brie en croute. That's random.
I'm reading A Million Little Pieces. I can see why he lies...who could remember all those details when you are a drug addict? That doesn't mean I agree with what he did. I've voiced my views on that numerous other times elsewhere. But I'm trying to put all that aside while I read it.
What I'd like to say is that I'm getting sick of books about self-loathing. I've read a few in the last year & it's getting old fast. Of course, I wonder if I'd be more receptive to this book if I knew someone struggling with an addiction. I know an alcoholic, but not intimately. I guess I'm very lucky in that regard.
I'm getting very excited for Valentine's Day. Chris is throwing a little wrench in my plans by talking about taking Wednesday off work. I talked myself through it & realized it will work either way.
I brought a mac & cheese lean cuisine & a low fat microwave chicken burrito for lunch. It's too much, yet one on it's own wouldn't be enough. Right? I know, I should've brought one & some raw veggies. Like I have time to cut up veggies.
If you've read OT, you know I watched the Afterglow video by INXS today. I got chills. I love the song, I love JD & I love how hot he looks in the video. The other band members look good, too, but were almost non-existant in the video.
Enough rambling.
I'm reading A Million Little Pieces. I can see why he lies...who could remember all those details when you are a drug addict? That doesn't mean I agree with what he did. I've voiced my views on that numerous other times elsewhere. But I'm trying to put all that aside while I read it.
What I'd like to say is that I'm getting sick of books about self-loathing. I've read a few in the last year & it's getting old fast. Of course, I wonder if I'd be more receptive to this book if I knew someone struggling with an addiction. I know an alcoholic, but not intimately. I guess I'm very lucky in that regard.
I'm getting very excited for Valentine's Day. Chris is throwing a little wrench in my plans by talking about taking Wednesday off work. I talked myself through it & realized it will work either way.
I brought a mac & cheese lean cuisine & a low fat microwave chicken burrito for lunch. It's too much, yet one on it's own wouldn't be enough. Right? I know, I should've brought one & some raw veggies. Like I have time to cut up veggies.
If you've read OT, you know I watched the Afterglow video by INXS today. I got chills. I love the song, I love JD & I love how hot he looks in the video. The other band members look good, too, but were almost non-existant in the video.
Enough rambling.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Four Things
I was tagged by momma, augie & seana. *smooch* ETA: The daily cheese! Have some gouda.
Four jobs I've had (I'll pick the most interesting..funny my current didn't make the list):
1. Magazine stocker at grocery store
2. Adhesive tape salesperson
3. Johnson Wax customer service rep (through a temp company for only a year)
4. Cashier/cook/etc at Dairy Queen & KFC
Four movies I can watch over and over:
1. Top Gun
2. Ferris Beuhler's Day Off
3. Dead Poet's Society
4. Pulp Fiction
Four places I've lived:
1. Winona, MN
2. Union Grove, WI
3. Madison, WI
4. Spring Green, WI
Four shows I love:
1. Lost
2. The Office
3. What Not to Wear
4. Good Eats
Four highly-touted TV shows I detest:
1. CSI & any of its demon spawn
2. Mystery Science Theatre 3000
3. Sex & the City
4. ER
Four books I'd recommend to anyone, anytime:
1. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Piccoult
2. The Davinci Code by Dan Brown
3. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
4. The Hobbit by JRR Tolkein
Four places I have vacationed:
1. Carribean Islands (cruise hitting San Juan, Aruba, Curacao, Tortolla & St. Thomas)
2. Niagara Falls, Ontario
3. New Orleans, LA
4. Denver, CO
Four of my favorite dishes:
1. Shrimp Cocktail
2. New Orleans BBQ shrimp
3. Grilled Rib Eye or New York Strip steak
4. Grilled BBQ-sauced chicken
Four sites I visit daily:
1. blogger
2. rtvw
3. channel3000 (local & national news)
4. Yahoo (for email & silly news)
Four places I would rather be right now:
1. cruise to anywhere warm & sunny
2. bed
3. camping somewhere warm
4. California wine country
And I'm tagging:
Ack-everyone has already been tagged!
I tag thndrkttn so she'll start her blog. Anyone else need prodding?
Four jobs I've had (I'll pick the most interesting..funny my current didn't make the list):
1. Magazine stocker at grocery store
2. Adhesive tape salesperson
3. Johnson Wax customer service rep (through a temp company for only a year)
4. Cashier/cook/etc at Dairy Queen & KFC
Four movies I can watch over and over:
1. Top Gun
2. Ferris Beuhler's Day Off
3. Dead Poet's Society
4. Pulp Fiction
Four places I've lived:
1. Winona, MN
2. Union Grove, WI
3. Madison, WI
4. Spring Green, WI
Four shows I love:
1. Lost
2. The Office
3. What Not to Wear
4. Good Eats
Four highly-touted TV shows I detest:
1. CSI & any of its demon spawn
2. Mystery Science Theatre 3000
3. Sex & the City
4. ER
Four books I'd recommend to anyone, anytime:
1. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Piccoult
2. The Davinci Code by Dan Brown
3. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
4. The Hobbit by JRR Tolkein
Four places I have vacationed:
1. Carribean Islands (cruise hitting San Juan, Aruba, Curacao, Tortolla & St. Thomas)
2. Niagara Falls, Ontario
3. New Orleans, LA
4. Denver, CO
Four of my favorite dishes:
1. Shrimp Cocktail
2. New Orleans BBQ shrimp
3. Grilled Rib Eye or New York Strip steak
4. Grilled BBQ-sauced chicken
Four sites I visit daily:
1. blogger
2. rtvw
3. channel3000 (local & national news)
4. Yahoo (for email & silly news)
Four places I would rather be right now:
1. cruise to anywhere warm & sunny
2. bed
3. camping somewhere warm
4. California wine country
And I'm tagging:
Ack-everyone has already been tagged!
I tag thndrkttn so she'll start her blog. Anyone else need prodding?
Monday, February 06, 2006
Valentine's Day
Serving flambe'd Kaseri cheese! Something fancy for my topic today.
I've been toiling about what to get Nolay for Valentine's Day. Gifts are weird for guys for Valentine's Day. Especially him. I can never really tell if he likes a gift unless it's something he's specifically asked for.
I feel, given our bad 2005 relationship year, we need to DO something romantic. So I decided, since we work our pt job til 10 that night and usually have a 45 minute drive home, I'd get a hotel room in Madison for the night. Might spark some romance we've been sorely lacking. So I went on priceline & got a 3-star hotel (Radisson) for $35. It's right near his work, so we can sleep in on Wed. a.m.
Now, of course, I'm second guessing my idea. Is this something that only women would appreciate? How can I make this something he really appreciates? I think I'll keep it a secret & pack a bag without him knowing. I'll slip him the key during work on Tues. night.
Anything I can do to the room ahead of time that is cheap, yet romantic? I'm thinking a bottle of wine (could do champagne, although might waste some...I don't need a hangover). If I work hard, I could make a romantic cd & bring a cd boombox to the room. Not sure MTV or the clock radio would be the most romantic. :-)
Wish I could've afforded a whirlpool suite. Maybe in the morning we can hit the hotel whirlpool.
I've been toiling about what to get Nolay for Valentine's Day. Gifts are weird for guys for Valentine's Day. Especially him. I can never really tell if he likes a gift unless it's something he's specifically asked for.
I feel, given our bad 2005 relationship year, we need to DO something romantic. So I decided, since we work our pt job til 10 that night and usually have a 45 minute drive home, I'd get a hotel room in Madison for the night. Might spark some romance we've been sorely lacking. So I went on priceline & got a 3-star hotel (Radisson) for $35. It's right near his work, so we can sleep in on Wed. a.m.
Now, of course, I'm second guessing my idea. Is this something that only women would appreciate? How can I make this something he really appreciates? I think I'll keep it a secret & pack a bag without him knowing. I'll slip him the key during work on Tues. night.
Anything I can do to the room ahead of time that is cheap, yet romantic? I'm thinking a bottle of wine (could do champagne, although might waste some...I don't need a hangover). If I work hard, I could make a romantic cd & bring a cd boombox to the room. Not sure MTV or the clock radio would be the most romantic. :-)
Wish I could've afforded a whirlpool suite. Maybe in the morning we can hit the hotel whirlpool.
Friday, February 03, 2006
Update on the job & life
Let's have some Alouette cheese spread (if you haven't tried it, head to your fancy cheese aisle) in the garlic & herbs flavor. It will give us great morning breath.
First, I have some housekeeping. I'm not sure if Nookie noticed her honor as the only linkage on my blog. HistoryDetective (best.picture.ever) noticed . No wonder he's in grad school. Such a smarty pants. I wish I could visit you blog more, HD, but I usually only access it from work & am afraid of someone walking by & seeing mancandy photos. Hence, that explains why I haven't cruised by Sonya's blog lately either. I'm not a fuddy duddy, I'd just hate to have someone figure out my internet addiction & fire me. :-)
Week one of the new pt job is almost over. Today is the first day I've felt drained. Two more weeks left. There was some confusion over the training schedule and whether it went two or three weeks. It's three weeks at 5 days/week. Rather unfair for those of us that signed on for pt jobs.
The job itself is fine. I think we'll like it once we are out of training. Training just requires a constant stream of talking & it wears on the voice. Chris and I were among the three people with 100% on our screen macro test last night so we got to bug out 15 minutes early. When we got to the car he admited he kind of cheated. What a dork.
Things with Chris and I are going well. Some of you know that last year we hit a rough patch. It was a combination of him needing some counseling due to work-related stress and also just a lot of things from his past that were piling up. We also have some marital stuff to work on, but we are making a conscious effort to deal with that on our own. I can't remember the last time we had a full blown argument, so that is good news!
Have a great weekend!
First, I have some housekeeping. I'm not sure if Nookie noticed her honor as the only linkage on my blog. HistoryDetective (best.picture.ever) noticed . No wonder he's in grad school. Such a smarty pants. I wish I could visit you blog more, HD, but I usually only access it from work & am afraid of someone walking by & seeing mancandy photos. Hence, that explains why I haven't cruised by Sonya's blog lately either. I'm not a fuddy duddy, I'd just hate to have someone figure out my internet addiction & fire me. :-)
Week one of the new pt job is almost over. Today is the first day I've felt drained. Two more weeks left. There was some confusion over the training schedule and whether it went two or three weeks. It's three weeks at 5 days/week. Rather unfair for those of us that signed on for pt jobs.
The job itself is fine. I think we'll like it once we are out of training. Training just requires a constant stream of talking & it wears on the voice. Chris and I were among the three people with 100% on our screen macro test last night so we got to bug out 15 minutes early. When we got to the car he admited he kind of cheated. What a dork.
Things with Chris and I are going well. Some of you know that last year we hit a rough patch. It was a combination of him needing some counseling due to work-related stress and also just a lot of things from his past that were piling up. We also have some marital stuff to work on, but we are making a conscious effort to deal with that on our own. I can't remember the last time we had a full blown argument, so that is good news!
Have a great weekend!
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Your Morning "Entertainment"
Help yourself to the plate of fresh mozzarella & sliced tomatoes drizzled with a balsamic basil olive oil.
Tell me about your morning radio/tv listening.
Chris flips the tv on for about 5 minutes to catch the weather...if we have time. In the car, we have almost an hour commute, so we switch between a few radio stations. Madison radio surprisingly sucks. Our top 3 favorites:
WJJO is a hard rock station with a morning show trio of Johnny (muscle head rocker), Greg (middle aged family man-does all their "bits", plays guitar), and Mary (30-something hot mom, does sports & weather). Hard rock is not my #1 choice for a format, but they are really just out to have a fun morning without being really nasty. They pick on Johnny a lot & that makes me smile.
WMMM is a mellow adult alternative station. They play lots of interesting local and regional stuff mixed in with some Dave Matthews Band, Elvis Costello, etc. I like their format. Jonathan & Kitty are ok. I like him better than her. Kind of mellow, but silly. Jonathan is hot after Lisa Loeb & went to NY last week to try & get a date with her. I haven't listened for a few days, but pics are up on the web. They did a little date (not sure if it will be on #1 Single reality show) and even ran into U2's The Edge: http://www.madison.com/mmm/html/jonathanandkitty.html
Charlie FM plays a weird mix of 80s-current music. I kind of like it, but once in awhile you say, "Whatthefuck?" There is no morning show & that's fine with me.
I don't mind morning shows in general. I like the ones by hometown people. We had "Rover's Morning Glory" out of Ohio on a station recently (now defunct...turned Country format). I hated all of them but Chris kind of liked it.
So what do you listen to? TV, radio, Sirius? The coffee pot gurgling?
Tell me about your morning radio/tv listening.
Chris flips the tv on for about 5 minutes to catch the weather...if we have time. In the car, we have almost an hour commute, so we switch between a few radio stations. Madison radio surprisingly sucks. Our top 3 favorites:
WJJO is a hard rock station with a morning show trio of Johnny (muscle head rocker), Greg (middle aged family man-does all their "bits", plays guitar), and Mary (30-something hot mom, does sports & weather). Hard rock is not my #1 choice for a format, but they are really just out to have a fun morning without being really nasty. They pick on Johnny a lot & that makes me smile.
WMMM is a mellow adult alternative station. They play lots of interesting local and regional stuff mixed in with some Dave Matthews Band, Elvis Costello, etc. I like their format. Jonathan & Kitty are ok. I like him better than her. Kind of mellow, but silly. Jonathan is hot after Lisa Loeb & went to NY last week to try & get a date with her. I haven't listened for a few days, but pics are up on the web. They did a little date (not sure if it will be on #1 Single reality show) and even ran into U2's The Edge: http://www.madison.com/mmm/html/jonathanandkitty.html
Charlie FM plays a weird mix of 80s-current music. I kind of like it, but once in awhile you say, "Whatthefuck?" There is no morning show & that's fine with me.
I don't mind morning shows in general. I like the ones by hometown people. We had "Rover's Morning Glory" out of Ohio on a station recently (now defunct...turned Country format). I hated all of them but Chris kind of liked it.
So what do you listen to? TV, radio, Sirius? The coffee pot gurgling?
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Things You Should Never Take My Advice On
Here's your toothpick. Help youselves to cubes of medium cheddar.
Never come to me for information/advice on:
-Clothing stores. I'm usually in a complete rut when it comes to clothes shopping.
-Foregin Travel. I've only been on the Canadian side of the Falls and to some Carribean islands
-Guacamole. Not a big avacado fan. I'm ok if they are small & diced, but don't puree them for me.
-Animal care. Our cats rarely go to the vet. I don't know anything about other animals, other than what I hear about dogs from my BIL.
-Techie stuff. I have a Palm, but don't use 90% of the features. I have a laptop for typing documents, web surfing and loading digital photos from my easy digital camera. I have a memory stick which I don't use that often. Nice when I do need it, though.
-Budgets. I find them incredibly boring and they never work out completely anyway.
-Historical dates. I remembered them for my history tests (I was always an A student), then immediately forgot them. The World Wars are about the only ones I can tell you.
-New music. I used to be so musically hip. I was big into alternative bands of the 90s. Huge cd collection. Now? I buy what I know, or what I've heard on the radio & liked.
What shouldn't I ask YOU about?
Never come to me for information/advice on:
-Clothing stores. I'm usually in a complete rut when it comes to clothes shopping.
-Foregin Travel. I've only been on the Canadian side of the Falls and to some Carribean islands
-Guacamole. Not a big avacado fan. I'm ok if they are small & diced, but don't puree them for me.
-Animal care. Our cats rarely go to the vet. I don't know anything about other animals, other than what I hear about dogs from my BIL.
-Techie stuff. I have a Palm, but don't use 90% of the features. I have a laptop for typing documents, web surfing and loading digital photos from my easy digital camera. I have a memory stick which I don't use that often. Nice when I do need it, though.
-Budgets. I find them incredibly boring and they never work out completely anyway.
-Historical dates. I remembered them for my history tests (I was always an A student), then immediately forgot them. The World Wars are about the only ones I can tell you.
-New music. I used to be so musically hip. I was big into alternative bands of the 90s. Huge cd collection. Now? I buy what I know, or what I've heard on the radio & liked.
What shouldn't I ask YOU about?
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