July 28, 2004
Our true selves
Yesterday, at the gym, I was looking through the most recent issue of Seventeen magazine. They have a new section about faith. I am impressed that such an important aspect of our lives is now to be a regular feature of "America's most-read young women's magazine."
July 26, 2004
Disconcerting things of downtown
It's early evening, late afternoon, whichever you want to look at it. Which means that, nineteen floors above the street, I can hear the scary we're- going-to-heaven-and-you're-not people singing at the bus stop. They set up a mic and just go out at it. It being singing loudly, or ranting about how all on the street are going to hell. Or both. Neither seems like a very effective way to attract souls.
Which reminded me of another disconcerting thing downtown - an establishment that's recently opened. It's called Detox. What do you think it is? Just guess?
If you said "cafe," (which I bet you didn't,) you'd be right.
If you said "Korean restaurant," (which I bet you didn't,) you'd be right.
If you said "sports bar," (which I bet you didn't,) you'd be right.
Their sign brags of leather couches. I can see a bakery case inside. There are neon beer logos in the window. I find it all a strange combination. And when you slap the name Detox on it, it really makes me wonder if maybe when the owners were flipping through the dictionary, randomly choosing a name, the pages didn't stick together.*
*Like the episode of Friends, where Rachel mistakenly puts beef in the trifle.
July 22, 2004
What I've been up to
Last night, I slept 12 hours! Twelve! Hours!
I dragged through all of yesterday, and when I finally made it home, I lay down on the couch. The last thing I remember is Jerry's monologue at the beginning of Seinfeld at 6:30. Other than a 4 am move to bed, I slept until 6:30 this morning. Making up for lost sleep
Tuesday was quite the day. I got up at 3:45, so that I could make it somewhere for 4:45 for the morning news. A coworker and I did short interviews each half hour until 7:00. Then I went to the office for less than hour. Then I went and did a training. Then I went to another press event. By the time that was done, I'd pretty much put in my day at work. But I still went back to the office for a couple of hours.
When I got home, I catnapped before going to pick up Sam. After a pitstop at home , we enjoyed a nice anniversary (our second!) dinner. We went to a lovely place on the beach, with a neat tree on the lanai. After dinner, we walked around a bit, but had to return to the car when my legs stopped moving properly and I started slurring my words. Just in case you don't know me, no alcohol was involved in this loss of faculties.
Hopefully, last night's marathon sleep will make today productive.
July 19, 2004
Voila! Quinoa!
These days, it's been rather warm and humid, and I don't always want hot food. But I'm not a huge fan of cold starches with vinegar, e.g., your standard pasta salad. I recently made a cold quinoa dish and thought I'd share.
Ingredients (the amounts are estimates, and just a guideline)
Quinoa - 1-1/2 cups
Water - a scant 3 cups
Fava beans - 1 can
Tomatoes - 2, chopped
Parsley - 1/2 cup, chopped
Red onion - 1/4 cup, chopped
Garlic - 2 cloves, minced
Mint - dried, or fresh and chopped
Bragg's- a couple of squirts
Olive oil - T?
Salt
Pepper
Put quinoa and water in pot over high heat. Bring to boil, then cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Fluff and let cool. I suggest spreading onto a baking sheet to increase exposed surface area, speeding up the cooling, and reducing possibility of mushiness.
I had dried mint, and was serving the dish soon after preparation (didn't want dry pieces in the food), so I used it in the above step, letting it cook.
Mix all components together.
Eat. Recieve compliments.
July 14, 2004
Wrote it? Check
Ever seen Pieces of April? Remember how she writes things down and then crosses them out as she does them? Except that she really does the thing, writes it down, crosses it out?
That's me today. Just as I'm going to do something, I write it down, so that I can check it off and feel a sense of satisfaction when I'm done with the task.
Strange, you say? Whatever gets me through the day, I say.
July 12, 2004
Per
Have I been living under a rock, while everyone else runs around in the sunshine shouting, "per?"
As in, that shirt is percool.
Please, tell me, have you used "per" in place of "very?" As my brother tells me, I'm no longer cool, but it seems that if this really were in use, I would have heard it somewhere. Has it been used on Gilmore Girls (my source for cutting edge references), but just went over my head?!
Little thing #1921
An advantage of having an actual office:
I don't feel compelled to cover my mouth when I cough. I just type and hack at the same time. Un-public-healthy of me? I don't care. I'll live up office life until the time I return to a cubicle.
July 11, 2004
Adventures with clothes
Overheard this weekend, on a shuttle bus to an arts festival:
8/9-year-old girl: Mama, this is the baby's first adventure!
Mama: I'd say birth was quite the adventure for him.
Girl: (not to be deterred) I mean his first adventure with clothes!
July 08, 2004
Two interesting items
Literary Reading in Dramatic Decline, According to National Endowment for the Arts Survey
I'd like to write a long and meaningful entry about the importance of books in my life and how sad this press release makes me, but must focus on a few other things right now.
Also, here's an article about a guy truly obsessed with the 'bucks. I think I'll bring him up next time Sam questions my draw to the green circle. He recently (teasingly?) said we should move back to New Orleans so I'd stop my 'bucks habit. (Reasons behind this will have to be explained later.)
July 07, 2004
Mixed bag
Still talking about bags, Shokufeh?
No, just seemed an appropriate title. But now that you mention it, I did have a conversation regarding purses with two male coworkers, while we were in the elevator. Somewhat unusual.
Anyway, as I was going to say, before I was so rudely interrupted by my subconscious...
Last week, I got slammed by spam comments. It was a brief attack, from various IP addresses. The names used were plausible - except that most real commentors use only one name, not first and last, or first, middle, and last. But the really interesting to me was that there were some actual gems in the comments, if not the websites that were being advertised. For example:
Friendship make[s] prosperity more shining and lessens adversity by dividing and sharing it.
Contents* of side pocket of purse
*In going through the pocket and making this list, I threw away some of the items, so now this would really be the previous contents
July 06, 2004
It's that time again
Tonight, I've got a date with The Amazing Race. I've been looking forward to this day for a while. The race might qualify as my all-time favorite show.
Okay, maybe my obession with it doesn't quite compete with that displayed by my crazy teenage self when it came to Growing Pains, but it comes close. And I never cried and beat my chest when it came to Growing Pains. Except when I missed it.
A new life
I married into a great family. As of this morning, it is one person bigger - Sam's brother and his wife welcomed their first child into the world. We now have four nieces. I hope it's not too far from now that we get to meet this wee one.
July 02, 2004
Breakfast pizza
This morning, I'm eating something I haven't had before - breakfast pizza. It's topped with scrambled eggs, mushrooms, potatoes, and cheese. Yummy!
July 01, 2004
Recent Books
Last night, I stayed up late finishing The Rice Mother. I really enjoyed it - I always appreciate a story that's told from different people's points of view (or should that be point of views?). It follows an Indian Malaysian family from the 1920s through the 1990s. Sad, but gripping.
Below are the two books I read prior to this one. Notice a theme?
The one on the left was really interesting to me - as outlandish as it was at times, there was a truth to it and its focus on the ties of family. The one on the right was a quick read, akin to watching a tv movie instead of seeing a film.
Thanks to Anissa for turning me on to Photobucket!