| 8/31/2005 |
101 in 1001
|
A quick post and then the list. This was actually a hard list to make. I started out slow. Once I wrote a dozen or so, I found that I was actually moving right along. I started looking at other people's lists to see what they had wrote and to come up with some inspiration for ideas. I was worried. Were there not a lot of things that I wanted to do with my life? No... I have plenty of things. I was torn between putting things that were 'important' considered global contributions (#9) and things that were purely just fun for me (#43). So there is a good mix of both. Looking over the list, I'm surprised I haven't done some of these already. As I was looking at other 101 in 1001 lists I was surprised that some people had never done/seen/accomplished some things. (Ex. See snow) They are listed in no specific order of important. I did try and rearrange them a little so the ones that were related were together.
As I complete these 101 goals, I'll probably make a page for them specifically. Easier to keep track that way and also share the stories of some of the more entertaining tasks.
My 1001 days start... NOW!!!
The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.
The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (i.e. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (i.e. represent some amount of work on your part).
Inspiration:
This seems like a good way to set realistic goals and remember some of my hopes and dreams that I'd like to accomplish. They are listed in no specific order. If I complete all 101 in 1001 days, then I hope I am a better man not for having done such a thing, but for what I've learned along the way.
Start Date: Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Deadline: Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Tasks completed: 0
1- Be a better friend to people in my life.
2- Go to Europe again now that I am older and able to appreciate the experience
3- Get reacquainted with friends that I've lost touch with. Dave Burman... Sarah Loseke... where are you? (Completed 10/18/2005)
4- Buy a new (to me) car.
5- Pay for someone's meal behind my in the drive thru line.
6- Maintain a job at the place I work. This sounds odd, but technically, my job is finished around September 2007.
7- Join, support, and actually attend an organization, club, or group.
8- Make a charitable donation.
9- Volunteer my time in a charitable way.
10- Save 5 dollars a day for 3 months.
11- Start working out twice a week.
12- Lose 10 pounds to weigh less than 200 pounds again.
13- If I'm going to weigh more than 200 let it be muscle.
14- Stop biting my fingernails for at least two months so that I can...
15- Get a manicure.
16- Get a pedicure while I'm at it.
17- Get a professional massage.
18- Take a photography class.
19- Publish a photo I've taken (besides on my blog).
20- Take a Photo Log of my life for a week.
21- Make a list of my 100 Favorite Songs.
22- Own copies of my 100 Favorite Songs.
23- Make a list of my 100 Favorite Movies.
24- See Natalie Merchant in concert outside the city/state I live.
25- See Ben Folds in concert outside the city/state I live.
26- See Train in concert outside the city/state I live.
27- Complete a gallery of 26 Things.
28- Go to New York City.
29- Go on a cruise.
30- Go to Mardi Gras. I know I could do/see the same things there almost any time of year, but to be able to say I attended Mardi Gras is worth a place on the list.
31- Go on a whale watching trip.
32- Go to a museum that I've never been to before.
33- Go to the top of the Space Needle.
34- Go to Canada.
35- Go to Mexico.
36- Attend the US Open Tennis Grand Slam
37- Join a local tennis club and play more often.
38- Compete in the Cornhusker State Games in tennis.
39- Start classes towards my Masters degree. I'd say complete my Masters, but speaking frankly and realistically I do not see it happening in three years. If it does? Great!
40- Give up apartment life for life in a house.
41- Plant an herb garden.
42- Make a photo book to give to my friends.
43- Sing "Mrs. Robinson" by Simon & Garfunkle, "Smooth" by Santana, or "Come Fly with Me" by Frank Sinatra, at a karaoke bar.
44- Jog 15 miles a week.
45- Complete a 5K run.
46- Buzz my hair. SHORT! Just to see what it would look like.
47- Eat sushi. Real sushi, not the stuff you find packaged at Super Target. What was I thinking?!
48- Take a trip with my brother, just the two of us, to someplace neither of us has been.
49- Attend a Huskers football game at home.
50- Throw a game night party and invite my friends.
51- Take a cooking class.
52- Create my own dish.
53- Cook for someone who doesn't live with me at least once a month for as long as I can.
54- Learn to bartend. Not to be a bartender, but this seems like one of those skills that are fun to know, but not very useful in everyday situations. ONLOOKERS: "Quick! Help her! She's trapped under the car." ME: "I can't move the car, but do you want a mojito?"
55- Take a wine tasting class.
56- Bake a pie.
57- Vote in every election I'm eligible to vote in.
58- Take a trip by train.
59- Take a romantic vacation.
60- Take part in a Mystery Dinner Party
61- Stay in a fancy hotel even if it is for just one night.
62- Order room service.
63- Get a puppy.
64- Sleep outside under the stars.
65- Have something published on McSweeney's
66- Win a contest.
67- Visit 5 states that I've never been to before.
68- Buy a laptop.
69- Watch all the episodes of Inuyasha
70- Be in the audience of a television show.
71- Have a meaningful conversation with my Father.
72- Make a Family Tree.
73- Go to the dentist. (I actually dreaded putting that one on the list)
74- Try a new cuisine of food that I've never had before.
75- Send an angry letter to someone (some place) that has dislocated my chi.
76- Send a positively glowing letter to someone (some place) that I was impressed with.
77- See a midnight movie at the Dundee.
78- Skinny dip.
79- Try to not eat meat for a week. Just to see if I can.
80- Try to not eat carbs for a week. Just to see if I can.
81- Go a month without drinking soda. (Completed 10/13/05)
82- Build a piece of furniture. (Not from a box at the store)
83- Get a couple bins to use a recycling bin.
84- Try Geocaching
85- Shave off my goatee for a month. (I haven't in almost 8 years.)
86- Get a tattoo.
87- Ski.
88- Actually complete all the video games I own. I own quite a few PS2 games, but I've not solved them all. Why is this important? Closure.
89- Eat at a Hard Rock Cafe.
90- Host a month party, event night, game night, etc...
91- Take vitamins regularly.
92- Send birthday cards to my friends and relatives. Not e-cards.
93- Get recertified in CPR.
94- Read 3 books a year. (I don't read that much now).
95- Write a hand-written letter to someone once a month.
96- Be true to myself. Vague? Trust me. I'll know when I've done this.
97- Give away any old clothes that I no longer wear.
98- Attend a professional musical.
99- Buy something from an infomercial.
100- Build a snowman.
101- Fly first class.
|
|
I posted this @ 8/31/2005 12:53:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
| 8/30/2005 |
SISTER SURROUND by The Soundtrack of Our Lives
|
I've been talking about some songs that have meant a lot to me or that bring up vivid memories. Along the same lines I thought I'd share how I feel about music in general. I know I've mentioned this before, but I love music. I credit music (specifically high school band) to helping bring me out of my shell. I am always hearing new music that I will immediately love. Some songs I warm up to over time. Other songs I have complete disdain for the moment I hear the first few words. I am a self-proclaimed music snob. I like other music snobs. I can relate to them pretty easily. Even if we disagree on the music we are snobbish about. Music snobs of every possible kind, gather 'round!
I can think of two or three people that I've known that couldn't name their favorite song. If they were put on the spot, the only answer they would most likely come up with would be that they don't really have a favorite song. I'm somewhat surprised when I hear this from someone. How can you not have a favorite song? At least a song that you like for whatever goofy reason. Maybe you like jingles. Do you know what words came after "In the land of Dairy Queen..."? It may never be number one on any chart, but hey... it's a song at least. The song you danced to at your wedding? The song your high school class choose? Something!
Some of my best friends are the people that will start singing Total Eclipse of the Heart if they are asked to 'turn around." There is a special connection when a person will finish a lyric or quote because they are in tune (no pun intended) with your way of thinking. Sometimes just a regular every day sound will remind me a song. When I was working at McDonald's during college, one of the food timers would start several of us singing "Tainted Love."
One of my favorite memories from when I went to Las Vegas with my friend Chris was walking back to our hotel room at 3AM and singing every tune that popped into our head. Tired? Yes. Drunk? No. Showtunes. Old standards. Alternative. You name it and we were probably singing it.
When we were roommates, Chris turned me on to a lot of music that I was previously unfamiliar with. He likes a lot of dance and techno music. He also likes Simon and Garfunkle. We'd be driving somewhere and it would go from Goldfrapp's "Tip toe" to SnG's "Sound of Silence." I can't imagine that happens a whole lot to just any random person. Much in the same way that Angie turned me on to 10,000 Maniacs and R.E.M., he demonstrated remixes of songs can become whole new songs.
A former co-worker had a minor in Music Theory. She had a lot of technical knowledge about how songs are created. She said it made it difficult for her to appreciate music on a basic level anymore. Most music had taken on a very gray sameness. Verse. Chorus. Verse. Chorus. Bridge. Verse. Chorus. She could tell you the basics of music tempo and time signatures and key changes and chords. Her love of music was on a very technical level. As a result she would say that music had to be very different and inventive to grab her attention.
I love sharing my tastes in music with my friends. What am I listening to right now? What song am I replaying over and over? I take pride in being able to name a song within the first few seconds or even with just an opening chord. I've always said that life should have a soundtrack. Like in the movies, the right song at the right moment can make the moment all that more special.
If you see my bopping my head but there is clearly no music playing. Just ask me what song I'm 'listening' to. I've always got a song in my head.
Now: Sheryl Crow's cover of GnR's "Sweet Child o' Mine" |
|
I posted this @ 8/30/2005 11:34:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
| 8/28/2005 |
UNCONSCIOUS MUTTERINGS
|
- Girlfriends:: Boyfriends
- Here to stay:: Stuck
- Call me:: Blondie
- Frustrated:: Fed up
- Public school:: Private School
- Glitch:: Bug
- Cheese:: 'n' Rice
- Director:: Producer
- Pivotal:: Axial
- Exclusive:: Only Found Here
|
|
I posted this @ 8/28/2005 02:05:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
| 8/26/2005 |
TWO ALL BEEF PATTIES from McDonald's Commercial
|
When I was in college I worked for McDonald's for five years. As a result I feel that I've more than adequately paid my debt to the fast food industry. I was always a good employee (well up till the last few months). I was fortunate to work for a great guy who managed the place. He was serious when he needed to be, a smart-ass when he could be, and the loudest son-of-a-bitch that you'll ever meet. The man had two volumes of voice. Loud and Post-Rock Concert.
"We can hear just fine, Ron! You don't need to shout." Truly. The man never needed to make use of a headset to communicate to other headset wearers. He could be plainly heard anywhere in the store. Anyway...
As a result of my time spent at the hamburgerlian gulag I feel I have a better appreciation for what people who are fast food employees go through on a day to day basis. From the manager who has to placate the irate customer to the employee who was stuck cleaning the toilets. Been there. Done that. Have the "Zesta Burger" promotional pin to prove it.
Drive thru was what I was best at. I could sack-up and hand-out five or more complex orders and not break a sweat. Saturday lunch rush? No problem. Town Holiday? Sign me up! I was courtesy enough to not over stuff a bag. I gave out as many napkins as I could without being wasteful. I would sack your fries upside down or lay them in the bag so you wouldn't be able to remove them from the bag without spilling out. I folded over your bag three time so that you could leave it sitting on your passenger seat and it wouldn't completely unfold letting the what little precious heat remained in the fries once they left fry bin.
But now... What has happened to fast food? Has the industry determined that we, as consumers, are in such a hurry that we don't want our bag folded. Or that we don't need more than one napkin for an entire meal. Or that we are going to flip our shit out if we don't have our order in less that 60 seconds. Truly? Because what is happening as a result is that our food is getting cold faster. We are taking up more time in your drive thru as we check for accuracy and ask for more napkins.
I don't mind waiting for fresh food (fries specifically). It's only polite to tell me so.
My favorite comment came from a lady at McDonald's who handed me my large iced tea and said, "Sip slow. You're fresh fries are cooking." I laughed heartily and thanked her sincerely for the laugh and hot fries.
At Taco Bell they've found 'loop holes' to common issues by having bags with handles and pretty well insulated wrappings. No need to fold. Food stays as warm as it could for fast food. They even have the number of items printed on the ticket. Great idea! That way the person handing out the food has an exact idea how many things should be in what he is handing out.
Mistakes will happen. This I understand. This I accept. Yet, there is no need to speed up the entire process at the sake of making more mistakes. The people working now are just as human and prone to error as they were 10 years ago. Don't verbally flog them because the forgot your churro. There is crazy pressure from power-tripping managers to make sure they are getting as many cars as possible through their drive thru in an hour. It's insane.
Go back to amenities. Go back to 'timely', but not 'rushed'. Go back to the simple things that made people want to come to your place to eat.
Ok now for my Not A Good Employee Story.
I was close to graduating from college. I had three months to go. My plan was to move once I graduated and I already had plans and ideas in the works. I had been talked to several times about whether or not I was interested in continuing a career at McDonald's. Upper management training was called Humburger University. I shit you not. I've had friends who went and came back with a glazed over Pod People look in their eyes. It's scary. I would always tell them frankly and honestly that I was glad to work there until I graduated and found a job in my career field.
By this time, our store had been privately bought. Rules had changed. Hatches were battened down. Shit was hitting the fan daily because of insane pressure coming from power-hungry, and money-hungry, owners. Costs were being cut. Shifts were being minimally staffed to save on labor costs.
One particular night, I was one of two shift managers on duty. I was working drive thru while a new but able employee was manning the front counter. It was typical that Friday nights were busy, especially during high school football season. This was no different of a night. The game ended and the rush began. Buses of players and fans inside. A line of cars stretch through drive thru and around the building. There was nothing to be done, but take it one order at a time.
Customers were getting impatient in the drive thru. Luckily the ones inside could clearly see our staffing issues. My blood pressuer was rising as angry car after angry car pulled up to the window and voice a complaint. I apologized as best as I could and did what I could to get them their food. Fries only cook so fast. Thinking of the pressure the owner had us under I finally snapped.
The next car that came up to the window noticed manager on my nametag. "Is this how you think a drive thru should be run? What about 'fast food'?"
My response was not quite as amiable as in previous occasions. "If you think you can do better, I can get you an application."
Once it left my mouth I could see the private meeting with the general manager that I would eventually be having. The gentleman did lodge a complaint, as was his right. I don't blame him at all for doing so. The general manager, when he heard about my stunt was 'understanding' but also playing 'boss'. I couldn't be doing such things. Yadda yadda yadda. True true. Though, our numbers that night were great and we did oodles of business. It lended me a little credibility for asking for more staffing. |
|
I posted this @ 8/26/2005 01:22:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
|
101 in 1001 sorta...
|
I've come across something called 101 in 1001 on various blogs. You make a list of 101 things that you want to do in 1001 days (just under three years). You have to write them clearly and specifically so they can be easily determined to be completed or not.
I've already made a list of 100 Things About Me that I like to look at every now and then just to see what's changed since when I wrote it. I felt like amending it once or twice, but I think that it is a good marker in Time for where I was in my life. That's not something I want to disturb.
I've heard about people making lists and even writing whole books about things everyone should do before they die. I've flipped through the book at Borders, but overall it just seems too abstract. No matter what I may like to profess, life is short and I'm a terrible procrastinator. If I say I want to go to Europe again before I die, I could very easily put that off till senility hit and I'd forgotten about it.
1001 days is a little more doable. I am writing a list, but I don't want to publish it to the world yet. I'm giving thought to what I want to put on it. Not procrastinating! I just don't to give it words yet. Because then it becomes real. There's no escaping it then. So by putting this to words I"m reminding myself that I said I would do this... and I will! I swear. It takes a while to come up with 101 things that I want to do. Reasonable things. Not "walk on the moon" things.
If I started today (which I'm not) 1001 days would put my deadline at May 23, 2008.
Here are a couple examples of others 101 in 1001 lists. |
|
I posted this @ 8/26/2005 12:17:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
| 8/25/2005 |
HYPOCRITE by Guttermouth
|
I'm not unfriendly. I'm really not. I just am not good with small talk. When I make the attempt to engage people in conversations I get over-shares. Yet, if I don't at least politely acknowledge a person's comment I'm being rude or aloof. I've not found that nice balance yet. This combined with my inability to take a compliment without downplaying it with excuses doesn't make for typically good social interactions. Which makes for an interesting hypocritical situation, as you'll see.
My car was in the shop for some minor blinker repairs. So I drove Kaz's car. It's fancy compared to my Jeep, so I'm nervous driving it.
As I left work and headed to the car, a random employee shouted, "Nice car." I responded graciously with a "Thanks" and drove away. It's not even my car, but it wasn't worth explaining.
On the way home, while stopped at a red light, I noticed a man in a Geo Tracker staring at the car. Nervous, I checked my mirrors to see if I could notice anything wrong. Was the gas tank open? Did I hit something and have a huge dent? Why was he staring? At the next light I got my answers.
Tracker Man: "How do you like your Acura?"
Me: "It's nice."
Tracker Man: "It's the TL, right."
Me: *unsure look on my face thinking, *It's not my car. I'm not for sure. "Yeah it is," I said with faux confidence.
Tracker Man: "GPS Navigation?"
Me: "Yeah."
Tracker Man: *says something that I couldn't understand.*
Me: I fake an answer, "Yeah. It's pretty nice."
Tracker Man: "Did you keep the XM Radio?"
Me: Does he sell them? Is he trying to make a last minute business deal. "Yeah, I did. I didn't think I'd want it at first, but it's convenient."
Tracker Man: "Yeah. My wife has my car today and it has XM Radio. I turn on the comedy station and laugh all the way home."
The light turns green.
Tracker Man: "See ya!"
I'm sure he was just being friendly and conversational. I resisted the urge, twice in one day, to go into a rambling explanation about how it's not really my car and that my Jeep is in the shop getting it's oil changed and blinker fixed. It's not that I can't do either by myself, but the blinker lightbulb was rusted in there and no force I could produce would get it out. So it was just easier to put mine in the shop for the day and drive a different car. But then I'd be doing what... ah well. Anyway. You see my situation.
What annoys us in others is what we are afraid to acknowledge in ourselves.
Ooo... Did it just get deep in here? |
|
I posted this @ 8/25/2005 09:18:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
|
MANIC MONDAY by The Bangles
|
The year was 1986. I was 11 years old when the song was released. I was in love with music even then. I can remember going to the Alco-Duckwall with my Aunt to see what songs were available as a single on 45s. "Different Light" was the first piece of music that I had ever owned. Records were still readily available, cassette tapes were the wave of the future.
Friday Night Videos was one of my favorite shows. Cyndi Lauper, Tina Turner, Stevie Wonder, Duran Duran and The Bangles were all staples on Friday Night. The show had various comedic hosts, but that wasn't what I wanted to hear. I wanted to see the flaming orange hair of Miss Lauper as she flailed around town announcing to the world what girls just wanted. Soon, a new love took over. The all-girl musical stylings of Susanna Hoffs, Michelle Steele, Debbie Peterson, and Victoria Peterson. The Bangles. They were the cool girls in school who cut class and whom you thought probably smoked. Part misfit. Part poet. Part rebel.
I had to have more!
VCR? Not yet. My best friend for music was my hand-held bright red tape recorder. I would hold it up to the TV and record an entire program. Vigilantly I would stand guard over my tape recorder. Silently shushing anyone who walked by who might disrupt the purity of my Memorex. I would take these songs (television commercials included) with me when I went on vacation. My bag was packed, including at least a dozen various episodes of Friday Night Videos and the cartoon I loved at the time, Dungeons & Dragons. For weeks prior to going on vacation and since seeing The Bangles on TV I scoured every store. I had to find their album. I had to take it with my on vacation. I was rewarded one Sunday afternoon at our local Alco-Duckwall. A tragic sight to behold was my awaited cassette held prisoner in the too-hard-to-chew-through plastic security bracket the stores used. Prior to its purchase, it took all I was not jump over the counter, grab the store clerk by the ears, and demand she find me a tape recorder in-house for which to hear my preeecioussssss.
I took it home, locked myself in my room, grabbed my little red tape recorder, and listened to the entire album repeatedly until dinner.
Vacation time arrived. As we made the ten hour drive across the plains of Nebraska to our Wyoming vacation destination, I hid in the back of the family van clutching my little red recorder playing and replaying Manic Monday. I imagined myself in the my own version of the Manic Monday video, as I stared out the window, lost in the music. Susanna was singing just to me.
For two weeks while away from most modern conveniences, that little red recorder playing Manic Monday was my lifeline to civilization. |
|
I posted this @ 8/25/2005 09:16:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
| 8/23/2005 |
DIVINE THING by Soup Dragons
|
I've never been a big fan of most soups. Even if I've ever told you that I like soup, I was most likely lying to not offend something you've made or gone out of your way to do. There is something about a meal in liquid form that I can't quite embrace. Now, please not that as I am saying this I am qualifying what a soup is. I don't dislike all soups. It probably shouldn't be a meal. I ate it even though I was probably hoping you'd make a burger or a nice salad instead.
"But I've seen you wet yourself over french onion soup at Italian restaurants." Not as a meal. I wouldn't order delicious delicious french onion as my main entree. It is a soup. No getting around it. Like I said, I'm not a big fan of "most soups." I've actually used it as a dip. It's great with a big thick slice of buttery garlic bread. It's almost like an au jus, but with onions.
"What about chili?" the masses shout. Chili is chili. It is not a soup, in my mind. Chili should be thick. You should need a fork to eat it, because of all the chunks of tasty goodness that lurk beneath a very thin layer of liquid that has pooled at the top. It should not be mainly liquid with a few chunks of meat or bean. That would be a soup, not a chili.
"What about chicken noodle soup? Haven't you had a sick day in your life?" Chicken noodle is fine, if that is what you like. Everyone makes it slightly different, but I can't get over the notion that the broth (chicken water) typically tastes like a salty chicken died in the soup, rather than died to be the soup. I'd take the chicken and noodles without the broth, but then is it really soup anymore? I'd argue that it isn't. (see: chili)
Ok, so I admit there are exceptions. There are exceptions to every rule. For example, the first time I tried Chicken Enchilada Soup was at Chili's. I was having dinner with some friends and co-workers. Everyone raved about how good their Chicken Enchilada Soup was. I just HAD to try. I wouldn't be allowed to leave without at least trying a small cup.
I'd envisioned a steaming bowl of what was probably the juice drained out of a bowl of chili, with chicken, cheese, and some of those festive multicolored corn chips sprinkled in for looks. What I got was a warm bowl of smoothly melted cheesey-tomatoey sauce with chunks of chicken, rice, onions, and tortilla chips. I'm sure there were other things in there, but that is the main ingredients that I remember.
You can eat it with a soup spoon. It is too liquidy to use only a fork. There are lots of various chunky good things like a chili. Is it enough to make a meal out of it, if you had a big enough portion? It's saucy and cheesy like a dip. Are they not just feeding us a bowl of queso with chicken? Whatever it could be classified as it was good.
Since then I've found and modified my own version of Chicken Enchilada Soup. It may be too sultry some days to feel like digging in to a big bowl of piping hot goodness. Yet, some days you may not even care. Just crank up the air conditioning till your uncomfortably cold and need to wear a jacket. Then enjoy a bowl of...
CHICKEN ENCHILADA SOUP
1 pound of chicken tenders
1 can of chicken broth
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 can of fiesta nacho cheese
1 can of milk
1 jar of enchilada sauce
4 burrito-sized tortilla shells
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of rice
1 4oz. can green chiles (optional)
fresh cilantro (optional)
Ok. Now. If you've ever read a recipe of mine then you will know that I don't measure the best. Cooking is like art in my opinion. If it doesn't have to be exact, then don't do it exactly. Draw your lines however you want them.
If you use the bigger cans of soup then just use one. I'm referring to the small 12oz (?) size, not the family size.
Dice up your chicken and toss it into a pot. Pour in enough chicken broth to cover the chicken pieces, two cans should do it. Put it over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Remove the chicken and shred it using two forks. Cover with foil and set aside.
In a big pan combine the cream of chicken, fiesta nacho cheese, enchilada sauce, and milk. Use one of the empty cans to measure out one can of milk. Don't leave this unattended. The milk and cheese can burn easily is not monitored. Add the chicken to the mixture. Stir the mixture to make sure the cheese is fully melted, and everything is combined and heated through. The rice should be soft.
Now here's the trick with the rice. You can add 1 cup of rice to the mixture when you combine everything else OR you can prepare your own style of rice and simply add it to the finished soup. The choice is yours. I like using Lipton Taco Rice and adding it when I serve the soup.
Cut your tortillas in half and then into one inch strips. Place a couple layers of them in the bottom of each bowl. This would also be the time to add the rice to your bowl if you prepared your own rice separately. Salt and pepper to taste.
You spice of the soup by adding a can of green chiles as you are heating the soup. Garnish with fresh cilantro. |
|
I posted this @ 8/23/2005 11:08:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
| 8/19/2005 |
SOMETIMES I DON'T MIND by The Suicide Machines
|
The song is actually about a dog. Trust me.
A few years ago Chris's parents gave me a Scooby Bobble head for Christmas. Since I love Scooby Doo it was a no-brainer of an idea. I loved it! It was one of those bobble heads that I'd typically seen as a dalmation. I'd never seen a Scooby before then. I put it on my dashboard. He accompanied me everywhere for the next three years. He jammed along with the same music I did. He agreed with me when I'd ask him what he thought. He always had a sly smile on his face. He was the conversation piece of anyone who rode in my vehicle.
After years of sun exposure Scooby Doo wasn't so brown anymore. He was taken on a distinct Scooby Dum gray that wasn't appealing at all. I had the brilliant idea to get a brown marker and color Scooby. The first marker I found seemed almost too light. It was more copper than brown. It had been so long since I'd seen his original color. Would copper be to light? I did a test patch on a part of Scooby that wasn't normally visible. It looked ok, but... Meh...
 I found another brown marker that was definitely brown. A couple days ago I decided to take the plunge and color Scooby with the brown marker. The results were less than... Well take a look for yourself.
In some spots his fur was rubbing off leaving exposed 'skin' (molded plastic) underneath. In other spots his fur was soaking up too much color if I held the marker in the same spot too long. He ended up looking hyena-ed.
 I finally resigned myself to the fact that Scooby was no more. At least in this incarnation. He'd lived his life, and it was a good one. Luckily I had the sense to put him down rather than push him around like a garishly painted grandma in a retirement home parade. Though, I must say that the 'headless' view is a bit more disturbing. |
|
I posted this @ 8/19/2005 06:54:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
| 8/18/2005 |
SPICY SHRIMP PASTA
|
This is an easy recipe to put together. It's not very difficult to make, even if you're not a great cook. It's spicy, but not overly hot. You can adjust the heat with how much red pepper flakes you add.
2 pounds of shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1 lemon
1/4 cup of Italian parsley or cilantro
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cloves of garlic (chopped)
1 hefty pinch of coarse salt
olive oil
1 pound of pasta
Combine the shrimp with the parsley, red pepper flakes, garlic, salt, the juice of one lemon and enough olive oil to lightly coat the shrimp. Toss to coat the shrimp. While shrimp is cooking, prepare pasta according to box directions. Any pasta will work, but and 'string' (spaghetti, linguini, fettucini, or bucatini) pasta works best for a nice contrast in shape/size. In a skillet or grill pan, cook the shrimp on medium high heat. Set them aside and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
Once pasta is done, drain and add the shrimp. The heat of the noodles will reheat the shrimp if needed.
Serve with shredded parmesan and garlic bread. |
|
I posted this @ 8/18/2005 09:01:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
| 8/17/2005 |
WORST MEAL EVER
|
 ...............
Mario Batali..........Comic Book Guy
Iron Chef America..........The Simpsons
We know them. We love them. We just didn't know they were the same person. |
|
I posted this @ 8/17/2005 01:50:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
|
WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER by Queen
|
I've had the same personalized license plate for quite a few years now. It used to read LIV 4EVR. It was a reference to the Oasis song Live Forever as well as my love for all things Highlander. Great movie (notice I just used the singular form) and great show. It had it's flaws, but what didn't.
ANYWAY...
Currently my vehicle sports SWRDSMN, which is still an homage to Highlander, but also because I was involved in fencing at the time. It seemed like a good fit. I like it.
When people first saw the LIV 4EVR plate they had a reaction that followed a basic format.
THEM: "What's that say?"
ME: "Live forever."
THEM: "Does that mean something?"
ME: "Well, I like Highlander and it's also a song."
THEM: "Oh? What song?"
ME: "Live Forever."
THEM: "Never heard of it. What movie?"
ME: "Highlander."
THEM: "Never heard of it."
Not that SWRDSMN is any easier to figure out.
THEM: "What's that say?"
ME: "Swordsman."
THEM: "Does that mean something?"
ME: "Well, I like Highlander and I also fence."
THEM: "Fencing?"
ME: "Yeah. Like with swords."
THEM: "Never heard of it. What movie?"
ME: "Highlander."
THEM: "Never heard of it."
I will occasionally talk to someone who knows what it says and has a vague idea of what it might be in reference to.
When I still had LIV 4EVR on my vehicle I had a grocery clerk who was helping me out with my bags (I didn't ask her to, she just said they were 'required' to help). She commented, "Live forever. You know through Christ is the only way to truly live forever."
While I didn't disagree, I didn't think that was the moment to explain that it was intended as a reference to a movie where people lopped each others heads off.
With SWRDSMN the comments still occurred. Most people can figure out the word and then they draw their own conclusions from there as to it's meaning.
I was in bumper to bumper construction traffic in downtown St Louis when a guy motioned for me to roll down my window. Motioned is too calm of a word for the panicked, almost maniacal hand-waving that was going on. He was on my passenger's side and I don't have power windows. So it was a 'task' to lean over and roll down my window. I thought there might be a problem with my vehicle that he noticed. Why else would someone be trying so hard to get my attention?
GUY: "Are you in SCA?"
ME: "What?"
GUY: "SCA! Because of your license plate."
ME: "No. I fence."
He mentioned something about being in SCA himself. I think had we not been stuck in traffic, he might have asked more questions about fencing.
Yesterday, coming home from work, an SUV zoomed passed me and a guy shouted "THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!" from the vehicle. It's hard to tell if he was a fan or a moron. I suppose a good case could be made for both. In a weird way I was impressed that someone made the Highlander connection from my plates. Most people don't.
So to random motorist on the interstate, "Congrats! I applaud you on figuring out the reference." |
|
I posted this @ 8/17/2005 10:02:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
|
YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND by Carole King (Con't)
|
A good friend of mine from high school sent me the anecdote (below this post). Maybe it's just the mood I'm in, but it really struck a chord with me that I want to share.
While the story about the man and his dog at the Pearly Gates could probably be subbed with any number of Chicken Soup-esque tales. The overall point being that even though someone may not have much to say at the time or may not have the time to write much, you were still thought of.
Right after I graduated college and moved to Omaha there were several people that would forward jokes to me. I would write to them every so often, but all I ever got in return was an email that had at least two FWD in the subject. When I lost all my email address in a computer snafu and had to re-enter them into my address book I didn't include his email. I felt it was a friend I once had that we'd both moved on. People change.
I feel bad about it. I do! I say that my friends are like my family. There are some friends that know more about me than my family does. So for me to say that I'm not emailing a friend anymore because they never email me. That's a harsh thing to do. I've only had it happen once. Once was too much.
So this email stuck with me. Yeah. It may not be the long winded overly detailed email that I was hoping for. I was at least thought of enough to be included. As our lives change so does our 'free time'. I'm just glad that I am still on these people's email address lists.
Now, go hug your damn kids... |
|
I posted this @ 8/17/2005 08:57:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
|
YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND by Carole King
|
A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them. After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight. When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side.
When he was close enough, he called out, "Excuse me, where are we?"
"This is Heaven, sir," the man answered.
"Wow! Would you happen to have some water?" the man asked.
"Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up."
The man gestured, and the gate began to open.
"Can my friend," gesturing toward his dog, "come in, too?" the traveler asked.
"I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets."
The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog.
After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence.
As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book.
"Excuse me!" he called to the man. "Do you have any water?"
"Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there, come on in."
"How about my friend here?" the traveler gestured to the dog.
"There should be a bowl by the pump."
They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it. The traveler filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, then he gave some to the dog. When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree.
"What do you call this place?" the traveler asked.
"This is Heaven," he answered.
"Well, that's confusing," the traveler said. "The man down the road said that was Heaven, too."
"Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's hell."
"Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?"
"No, we're just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind."
Soooo..
Sometimes, we wonder why friends keep forwarding jokes to us without writing a word.
Maybe this will explain.
When you are very busy, but still want to keep in touch, guess what you do? You forward jokes. When you have nothing to say, but still want to keep contact, you forward jokes. When you have something to say, but don't know what, and don't know how, you forward jokes. Also to let you know that you are still remembered, you are still important, you are still loved, you are still cared for, guess what you get?
A forwarded joke.
So, next time if you get a joke, don't think that you've been sent just another forwarded joke, but that you've been thought of today and your friend on the other end of your computer wanted to send you a smile.
You are all welcome at my water bowl anytime |
|
I posted this @ 8/17/2005 08:49:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
| 8/12/2005 |
RIGHT TO BE WRONG by Joss Stone
|
I wanted to share some amusing searches that brought people to my blog.
"What to where to a wedding reception" - I'll tell you what NOT to where. Because, trust me. There is nothing more embarassing as showing up in the same outfit as the bride. WOO!!
"bite my nails" + "live in london" - Equals another lonely Saturday night watching reruns of Benny Hill and eating Hagen Daas.
"what flowers do i get for mothers day" - Mom, I told you. I didn't have the money to buy you a whole bouquet. I thought you liked the hand-made card bedazzled by glitter and elbow macaroni.
"comical retrospective of 1984 -orwell" Big Brother is watching! Except Sunday from 7 to 10pm, becuase he's hooked on Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy. |
|
I posted this @ 8/12/2005 01:31:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
| 8/11/2005 |
I BEG YOUR PARDON by Kon Kan
|
Randomness, ahoy!!
Humpty Dumpty Stolen From Florida Home Best line: "We will not only bolt him, we will secure him back to his wall," Fuller said. "We will pen him up. There's always one bad egg who spoils it for everyone else."
Tell me you didn't see an egg joke coming.
Mike's reaction to most of the links I pass along falls somewhere in the realm of thinly veiled annoyance with occasional amusement. Yet the next couple of links are just too funny or odd NOT to share.
Stuff On My Cat
Museum Of Food Anomolies
Have you ever wondered What Waldo is up to these day? McSweeney's |
|
I posted this @ 8/11/2005 12:37:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
|
A CAMPFIRE SONG by 10,000 Maniacs & Michael Stipe
|
When I worked at McDonald's I was frequently scheduled to close. I've always been a night owl, so it didn't bother me to be up till 1am. If it meant I was at work and the people I was closing with were my friends, I didn't mind at all. I'd look forward to it.
One of my favorite people to work with was a friend since high school, Angie. We hung out with the same people in high school and had similar tastes in music and movies. She was a riot to be around. Bold. Irreverent. Hilarious. Intelligent. Some of the best moments I had while working there involved Angie in some respect.
Frequently as we closed, someone would bring in a stereo and some cassettes or CDs. Sometimes everyone would bring in their own music and way to play it. You could have country going in the back while someone did dishes, "dive" as it was called. The shift manager could be figuring out the bookkeeping while listening to R&B. Top 40 or Alternative could be heard up in the front of the store. Everyone rarely agreed what radio station or CD to play.
It was on of those type of nights that Angie brought in her boom box and her collection of CDs. She had a bunch of R.E.M., Pearl Jam, and a band I'd never heard of before, 10,000 Maniacs. Their album Our Time In Eden was out and getting some decent airplay of at least two of their songs. So I'd not heard much about 10,000 Maniacs other than that. I thought there were a new band. I was surprised to learn that they'd been together for quite sometime and OTIE wasn't anything new. More mainstream? Yes. But, certainly not new.
Angie's love for R.E.M. and all things Michael Stipe demanded that she play A Campfire Song again and again and again. It was from their album In My Tribe. It has some other great songs on it, but the one that brings back the strongest memories is A Campfire Song. I always think of Angie and late nights at McDonald's. Repeating just the bridge of the song so we could hear Michael Stipe sing. I unofficially credit her with turning me on to some of the greatest bands I've heard.
his oldest pain
something is out of reach
and fear in life
something he wanted
there'll not be time
something is out of reach
his oldest pain
he's being taunted
and fear in life
something is out of reach
there'll not be time
that he can't beg or steal
nor can he buy
|
|
I posted this @ 8/11/2005 10:31:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
| 8/10/2005 |
IS IT LIKE TODAY by World Party
|
Flower posted a (rhetorical?) question asking if "you believe in intuition." She goes on to talk about a 'feeling' she's had.
It started me thinking about times in my life where I've had senses of deja vu or what Spidey Sense moments. Hinky. You know something is going to happen, but you aren't quite sure what. Depending on the sense, it might be big or it might just be personally important.
I'll get feelings of deja vu and stop dead in my tracks and 'predict' what's going to happen next. I've never kept stats on if I'm right or not. Though, if I was right a lot I'd think it'd be notable or memorable.
I think of the scene in The Matrix where Neo notices a black cat walk by a doorway. Twice. He mentions it offhandedly and Switch explains that it's typically caused when something in the matrix has been changed. I'll think about it and then laugh. Stopping briefly to look around for approaching agents.
When we have that feeling of impendence, are we worried about something? Are we pessimistically expecting the other shoe to fall? Are we trying to predict the unpredictable?
I'm a worrier. One of the more prominent traits I inherited from my Grandmother. Thanks... Typically it plays out as just trying to be prepared. Good, bad, or otherwise. Sometimes it can be pessimistic. "Things are just going too good." As the air grows thick with Anvils of Irony waiting to drop.
When I get a feeling like that, I'm not hoping something will happen. Though, I wonder if it's not all part of a self-fulfilling prophecy. You in essence create something that could say you were feeling might happen.
You jinx yourself?
I'm just hypothesizing out loud. |
|
I posted this @ 8/10/2005 09:35:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
|
DON'T YOU FORGET ABOUT ME by Simple Minds
|
I've often said that life should have a soundtrack. I've always been a huge music fan as long as I can recall. There are some songs that when I hear them I can recall specific moments in time that I've associated with certain songs. So I thought I would occasionally recount memories associated with some of my favorite songs or band. Perhaps other people will be inspired to do the same.
So what more obvious song other than "Don't You Forget About Me" by Simple Minds. I think most people, who know me, would be able to associate "Don't You" with me.
I first heard the song like most people as part of the soundtrack to The Breakfast Club. I loved the movie. I've been there with the whole teen angst movie and could relate to what was going on with the characters in the movie. So I loved the movie. I loved the music.
The song is prominently played at the end of the movie when criminal John is walking across the football field, while brainy Brian voice-overs the lesson they learned during Saturday detention. The image freezes when John throws his fist in the air.
Every high school has it's cliques. I wasn't preppy. What's the opposite of jock? I wasn't a gear head. Or a stoner. Or a drama major. I would say I was a band geek, but the group of friends I hung out with weren't all band geeks. I don't think the group I was friends with was an particular named group. We always sat by the snack machine. The "Snackers"?
When I signed people's yearbooks or handed out senior pictures, I signed them with the title of the song. I'm sure a lot of people didn't get the song/movie reference. I'm sure many thought it was just the desperate plea of a high school nobody who wanted to keep in touch after graduation. While that was partly the case, it was also what I felt was 'my phrase' to use. Yeah. I was all kinds of cool. I was. Shut up.
When I graduated high school I sat on the trunk of my car and just stared at the school for a while. I left and Don't You Forget About Me was playing on the radio. I drove around for a while before going home. I didn't want to go back to school and sit there for a while longer, but I didn't want to go home either. That would mean it was actually over. I wanted to remain in that moment of limbo for a little while longer.
It was an overcast day, when I bought my second car. The weather looked like it was thinking of raining, but couldn't decide. So it was humid and gray. My Grandfather was in the car with me. As we left the dealership "Don't You" began to play. I'm not sure my Grandfather understood why I cranked up the volume. I tried to explain this was 'my' song. It was lost on him.
I've commented before how I will take the long way home in order to completely hear the song when it is on the radio. I've got it playable on a CD somewhere. Yet, there is something to hearing a song because someone else played it that makes it seem more special. I've got several versions of the song. Cover versions. I think I even have an a capella version by a professional college choir.
When I lived by myself, I would turn the music up way to loud and dance around he apartment as I got ready for work or an evening out. Anyone who saw me would probably think I was being attacked by a swarm of bees, judging from the way I was moving.
I like to christen certain moments with the song. New cars. New apartments. It's like a good luck blessing on the moment.
Silly? Probably. But like I said... I'm talking soundtrack of my life. |
|
I posted this @ 8/10/2005 08:06:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
| 8/08/2005 |
SLOPPY BURGERS
|
Sloppy Joes are quick and easy. Burgers are... well who doesn't like a good burger?!
This is somewhere inbetween a sloppy joe and a hamburger.
1 pound ground beef
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
1/2 cup dried minced onion
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese or Pepper Jack
1 pkg. (8) hamburger buns
1 (16 ounce) jar dill pickle slices, drained.
Preheat the oven to 350.
Cook the ground beef, adding in the dry onion soup mix and minced onion once it gets going. Once the meat is browned drain off any excess grease. Combine the meat mixture with the mayo and cheese.
Place the bun bottoms on a baking sheet. Spoon some of the mixture onto each buns. Add a layer of pickles to each burger. Replace the tops. Cover the sheet tightly with foil and put in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
The buns will crisp up as the pickle juice adds tons of flavor to the burger. You won't need ketchup or mustard for this burger!
Kaiser rolls, potato buns, or onion rolls are work well for regular bun substitutions. |
|
I posted this @ 8/08/2005 11:15:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- Complexion:: Skin
- Teach:: the world too sing
- Back to school:: Fall
- Months:: Days
- Nominate:: Emmy
- Favorite curse word:: Dammit!
- Concerned:: Worried
- Better:: luck next time
- Escalate:: Well... If we are going with the first word we think.
- Unveil:: Display
WHAT?! I just glanced at it and I thought it said something else!! |
|
I posted this @ 8/08/2005 10:55:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
| 8/05/2005 |
IN MY HEAD by Queens Of The Stone Age
|
| I'm pretty sure the restroom at work wants to kill me. Or at least injure me. It's not a very big restroom. Just a small room, barely big enough to hold a toilet and sink/mirror, and trashcan. So far, I've banged my head on the waste-high trashcan. (My fault.) Had the stick on air freshener fall from the mirror and hit me on the head. (Not my fault.) The industrial toilet paper roll dispenser release has come unlatched and the door has hit me on the head. (I don't see how that can be my fault.) Lastly, the water is boiling hot. (Could be no one's fault, but it started happening about the same time as all other occurances.) The water is seriously hot. Boiling! You could make coffee with water directly from the tap. No amount of cold water can counteract it. The whole faucet feels hot from the water just waiting to scald. |
|
I posted this @ 8/05/2005 11:39:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
| 8/04/2005 |
WHEN DOVES CRY by Prince
|
Can I ask what the big deal is? What is the controversy with Dove ads? I understand what's been said by certain reporters not liking to see "fat" women on billboards. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, piggish included. A person can like whatever type of man/woman they want to like. Some ads are meant to be sexy, just as some ads are meant to be funny or informative. Not everyone has the same idea of what is sexy, funny, or informational. So marketers try to appeal to what they believe consumers most likely want to see. This can be both good an bad, depending on your views of advertising and mass marketing.
But why is this even an issue? These women aren't professional models who sport size nothing bodies. That doesn't make them fat. As far as national averages go these models sizes (6 to 12) are actually slightly under the average consumers size (12 to 14). So why is it such a big deal that they have normal looking women in an ad? Are we, as a buying nation, so uncomfortable that when we see regular sized people promoting a product that we don't know how to respond?
Not only are these ads staying away from the ridiculously glamorous, but they are also showing women relaxed and smiling. Comfortable with themselves. They are not portraying them as body image expert and author Ann Kearney-Cooke says, "...like objectsÂwhich is important since objectification can lead to violence against women."
Ok.. So. Bonus! What's the big deal then?
When I worked on a crisis hotline and we'd get girls that would call in and talk about eating disorders or body image issues, one of my first questions was where were they seeing/getting such ideas that they had to be or look a certain way. Typically the answer was the media. Magazines. Television. Movies. All of which were places were you could regularly find rail thin women posing as Jane Everday. Many teenagers didn't understand that not everyone will, should, or could look like the women they see in the media.
Magazines, like Cosmo, telling women what size they should be. Unrealistic images of women in supposedly commonplace situations. No wonder people would startbelievingg what they see, to be the way everyone should be.
So the Dove ads? Keep 'em! They're great! Can't get enough of them. |
|
I posted this @ 8/04/2005 11:27:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
|
BEANS & CORNBREAD by Louis Jordan
|
I'm in love with Rachel Ray. If you've ever watched the Food Network, I'm pretty sure that you've at least seen a commercial for one of her four shows that she has running. That's even more than Emeril has in the line-up and he is (though I'd say 'was') the Frontman of the network.
I've always enjoyed cooking. Though, I really never got a chance to put it into action until I moved out of my Grandparents house and took on a job where cooking was part of the deal. I worked in a group home with eight guys and a set of house parents. As an assistant I'd heard from other Assistants, stories about bad things happening if you left your food or drink unattended for too long. As a result I always carried more soda/beverage glass with me wherever I went in the house. If I left it, I'd pour it out and get a new drink. It wasn't paranoia, it was just smart thinking. Any of the guys might still be upset because I got onto their case about their behavior earlier in the day. Why take the chance? The same line of thinking with the food. Except on a larger scale, because everyone would be eating the same food. I wasn't going to take any chances.
It also 'helped' that of the two sets of house parents I worked with, one set was a pregnant wife and a husband who didn't cook much other than breakfast foods. The second set the wife literally couldn't boil water. No lie. Boiling noodles was difficult. The husband only grilled, but we didn't have a working grill. Thus he didn't cook. I wanted to eat. So I took over the cooking responsibilities. I quickly grew accustomed to making easy meals for (at most) 13 people in one sitting. Of course, I had help from the guys in the house, whoever was on kitchen duty that week.
What started out as necessity, then became more entertainment. I was trying to cook new things. I was coming up with different ideas and menus. I wasn't creating dishes, per se. Just getting more into the idea of cooking and what to make with what.
When I left that job for another one (that didn't require me to work 70 hours a week), I wasn't cooking for a dozen people anymore. Yet on more than one occasion my roommate and I had plenty of food for days. I was stuck in large group mode. I've calmed down since then and now only cook for two. But I still love to cook.
When I started watching Rachel Ray and her 30 Minute Meals, I really was inspired. "Hell, I could do that. That's simple." Fancy-looking dishes that took less than an hour to make. Wow! Though, what takes her 30 minutes takes me about 45, but you get the idea...
Rachel is so much fun. She's lively. She's funny. She's goofy. She has great stories. On her show $40 a Day, she is always running around various hotspots looking for food, folks, and fun. I'd love to go on vacation with her. She would be a fun person to play Texas Hold 'em with. You know she'd be a great person to go dancing with. Not only would she the first person on the dance floor, but she'd grab you by the arm and have you laughing on the dance floor before you even knew what to say.
She could come over and we'd make margartias, and play poker. She'd start off playing goofy like she didn't know what was going on, only to lure you into a false sense of security. Then someone would suggest playing for real money and Rachel would haul out the big guns and complete clean everyone out. She'd send you a Christmas card, but not one of those hand-stenciled home-made paper ones like Martha would try to pawn off on you. She'd send you a funny one with Santa writing his name in the snow. She'd call you up and tell you to turn it to MTV, because Lindsay Lohan is on a public bender on the MTV Movie Awards. You'd call her and watch The Price Is Right together, and she'd always know the price within 5 dollars because she shops like the credit card is stolen. I'm sure we'd be BFF!
I love Rachel Ray. And as soon is the restraining order is lifted I'll give her a call and invite her over for brunch. |
|
I posted this @ 8/04/2005 11:05:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
| 8/01/2005 |
PHOTOGRAPH by REM & Natalie Merchant
|
It is said that the average person will have five careers in their lifetime. This has changed from the one job lifestyle that was common twenty-five years ago. I would say that I've had two careers so far. While they are both sorta kinda in the same field, they aren't really. Youth Worker/Counselor. Researcher. I like the idea of having a good steady career. Yet, there are so many things that I wish I did more of or could do as a career.
I consider myself to be rather artistic. I like art and photography. I can go to a gallery or museum and even though I may not know the fancy way of describing a painting, I can tell you what I like and why I like it. I have a basic understanding of composition, lightning, and themes and such things, but not enough to really use it correctly. I'd love to have disposable income that I can spend on cameras and film and all the things that go into photography. A hundred shots for the one perfect picture. I don't think I could make it a career.
I'll see other peoples photography and see the beauty in such simplicity of some pieces. I say to myself, "I can do that. That isn't difficult." Not in a way that I'm putting down the photography, but because I think that I see such common scenes everyday that are beautiful in their own way. Howard Buffet has a series of photographs displayed around the hospital. They are typically international looking locales, portraits of people, nature scenes. They are simple and beautiful. It all seems so easy.
I've taken some photos that I am proud to show. Yet, most of those were taking almost randomly. I wasn't setting out that day take a shot of anything in particular. I just took my camera with me. Which I suppose is part of the deal. If I don't have my camera when I see something that I think would make a good photo then, what's the point. I don't think I could make a career out of photography, but like most people who have hobbies, I don't want a career out of it. I want it to be something that I can do that is fun. Something that I could display if I'm proud of what I've taken, but not because of an expectation.
You might be reading this and think... "and this affects what?" Well, if I take more photos, I might be apt to display more photos. So if you see more photos, this is the thought process that I went through to get to that point. |
|
I posted this @ 8/01/2005 11:59:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- Risks:: Chances
- Abdominal:: Pain
- Radiant:: Light
- The usual:: Suspects
- Mix and match:: Apparel
- Wireless:: Router
- Remedial:: Math
- Mile:: Meter
- Long lost:: Cousin
- Only one:: Calorie
|
|
I posted this @ 8/01/2005 06:51:00 AM.............Need a link?..........
|
|
|
|
|
|
