Welcome Home/Show & Tell

This seems to be the "all-the-rage" video on CNN and
other news sites. I've seen it twice and damn in that
kid doesn't make me teary-eyed...

http://wm.kare.gannett.edgestreams.net/news/news/33007_249447_home_kare.wmv?213436524624

Attachments

I made my scallops last night. They were alright. Expensive little suckers!

 

So. Another one of my friends is probably going to be moving (far) away. Anne, who is in the same grad program as me, has pretty much got a standing job offer in Arizona once she graduates. Apparently, she impressed the hell out of the recruiter (who is the principal of the school) at a job fair. All she has to do is go out there, see if the school is to her liking and accept.

 

I'm quite honestly sad about it all. Not about her getting a job (obviously very good), but because it means another of my good girl friends (and they're not so many) is moving away. My best friend Tania already lives out there (but she wants to move back - don't know when).

 

The other Anne (I went to the UK with last fall) hardly ever talks to me anymore. Every time I try to set something up with her she's too "busy".

 

Kristi is just legitimately busy it being her first year of teaching. And she's got a man.

 

C lives in MN. Nuff said.

 

I totally feel like crying. And this was before my co-worker decided to inflict further torture by listening to a crappy station filled with sappy 80s (Berlin, Elton John, Barry White....etc.)

Fish Food

So, people, anyone got any especially excellent seafood recipes for me to try? Keep in mind, I'm not much of a fish eater, so I am looking for good "intro" recipes using mild types of fish (i.e. I think salmon smells, I'm not ready for that yet!) that are also low carb-friendly.

 

I've had a weird craving for scallops lately. I think I'm going to go buy some tonight and make them. I have a recipe in a cookbook by Nigel Slater, or some bacon-wrapped recipe from the Food Network.

Criminal

It is CRIMINAL to be inside on a day like today. It is freaking gorgeous outside. Curse work! Of course, next weekend is going to dive down to the 40s again (about 30 degrees colder than it is right now).

 

I was so tired - didn't sleep well. I took a nap out in my car for lunch. Then I went to the Starbucks for a coffee frapuccino light. Yeeeumm. I feel more human now.

 

I need to seriously decide on if/when/where I am going to take a short vacation this summer. Like now. Rawr.

 

Have lost around 5 lbs already since going back on Atkins (March 14). I can't wait for the first two weeks to be over after this Wednesday. I can start putting fruit (berries) back into my diet. Last night I made mock mashed potatoes (cauliflower instead). They turned out a lot better than the last time I tried to make them. You have to use a little bit of cream cheese in them. Still, not as good as this one restaurant I had them out. Unfortunately, said restaurant is no longer in business! Damn!

 

I should be on target to get back into my favorite capris this May.

Sunday

The weather today is unbelieveably gorgeous. One of
those spring days that are so welcome after what
seemed like a late-coming/long-staying hellacious
winter.

It's got to be mid-70s today. Almost HOT, even. (Of
course, we've also got a severe weather alert...damn.)
I walked out this morning in jeans and a t-shirt, but
went right back in to put light slacks on instead.

Ran a few errands, then went to the Wright Woods
forest preserve. Absolute heaven. The parking lot was
full - lots of people were out enjoying the fine
weather.

I had one of my folding chairs stashed in the trunk -
excellent. I took it out and sat myself under an oak
tree to read one of my school books. I got a fair
amount of sun, I'd say.

Home now for a little bit, before going to yoga. I got
my hands all muddy; I planted some lavender seeds I
bought at Whole Foods. I'm hoping they grow big and
tall and muy fragrant.

I'm trying to decide whether or not to ride my bike.
It is getting cloudy out, and with that severe weather
alert the last thing I want is to get stuck riding
home when it's Noah's fucking flood out.

Have to post pictures of the forest preserve. Springs
days like today make me think of Haiku. I came up with
one driving home. All you could hear from the ditches
were frogs.

Spring rains flood rivers
Green grass and blossoming buds
Frogs croak symphonies

Another weekend

But why do they go so fast?

Went to yoga again this morning and sweated like a
pig.

Went to Target with my mom for a little Easter
shopping. I guess (one of) my aunt(s) has asked if we
want to come over for Easter dinner - - which is rare.
We just don't usually do holiday dinners with them.
The crazy grandma will be there too.

Went to work for a couple hours (sucky) because we're
so behind and I wanted to get this one particularly
troublesome file done while it was quiet.

Came home and then cooked dinner. I made a recipe from
George Stella's Low Carb Cookbook: shrimp scampi,
substituting spaghetti squash for the pasta. Not too
shabby!

Stop bugging me

I wish people would fucking fill out the forms they're supposed to fill out, and use the damn forms they're supposed to when creating documents.

 

If one more person comes in here asking for me, I'm gonna FLIP.

 

P.S. Signed up for the Miller Lite Ride for the Arts in Milwaukee this June. Sort of like Chicago's Bike the Drive, except this one you have a selection of distances to do. For some god awful crazy reason I am doing the 50 mile ride (the only one longer is the 75 mile). My ass and my hoo-ha is going to HURT. I wince just thinking about it. I'm riding with some people from work (one of whom wants me to do a sprint-tri with her, but I dunno about that).

 

Yesterday I went to Bally's after work and rode the stationary bike. I can do about 21 miles in an hour. Not bad, but not good either IMO. I've got to crank that up. I'd like to be able to do 25 miles in about 45. Is this realistic? Does anyone who rides regularly know? Keep in mind I'm no professional cyclist!!

 

Looks like my workout regimen will consist of lots of yoga and lots of biking for the next couple months.

 

Since last week's (Wednesday) doctor appointment and going back on Atkins, I think I've lost about four pounds. Good. Gots to keep going. I especially need to fit back into my cute capris before the weather gets super warm. If I lose another 10 lbs, I should be able to do that.

Puppy Dogs

I don't know if you all read this when it originally came out, but up in St. Paul, some poor girl's dog was missing. She eventually received a gift-wrapped box filled with Valentine's Day candy...and her dog's severed head.

 

Talk about disgusting and scary. The dog was a therapy dog, too.

 

They now have a suspect in custody. Good. One less freak on the streets!

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070323/ap_on_re_us/dog_beheaded;_ylt=AnuxlebbeWsdzXQSb5Ap3dJH2ocA

Bad ideas

Since going back on the Atkins, I've bought a few of the no sugar candies.

 

Yesterday, I made the mistake of eating too many. See, some of them will give a "laxative effect" if they have too many sugar alcohols.

 

Laxative effect? I felt like my gut was getting twisted and yanked.

 

Gas? Gas is not funny when you're in a lot of pain.God.

 

Never again!

Song and Dance

There's a contractor that works in my group. She moonlights as a vocalist. She wants to name her group "Sparkle Motion".

 

WTF?

 

At first I thought she was yanking my chain with that name. Now I'm not so sure.

 

You can't much more 80s with "Sparkle Motion" unless you wanted to call yourself "Jem, Truly OUTRAGEOUS!"

 

Jeeeeesus.

Things that are good

Crystal Light "On the Go" packets in the new Cherry Pomegranate flavor. YUMMY. Makes my water taste GOOD. Plus it's got some kind of vitamin boost in it. Yay. Healthy.

Lunch

I was going to get the chicken in the cafeteria at work, but it looked pretty sad and pathetic. I ran out and got a baaaaad combo italian beef/sausage. (Didn't eat the bun because of ye old Atkins).

 

And then I had lime jell-o.

 

What a lunch.

 

Beats my breakfast. I had one of those Atkins shakes. That thing was watery and tasteless. The Slim-Fast Low-Carb shakes are much better. I'll have to get more of those at Walgreens tonight.

Brits

Hee! I'm watching Food Network and they have this new show Chefography. I just watched something on Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa) and now they are doing Nigella Lawson.

She cracks me up. Oh, the accent and the sauciness! I didn't know she came from such a posh background.

Cookery

Well, I finally got around to trying a recipe in the
Nigel Slater book the Mum got me a while back.

Sad to say: it was a fish recipe.

Now, let it be known that typically I don't eat fish
unless it is fish sticks, fried (fish n chips), tuna
(canned) or shrimp. However, periodically I get the
idea into my head that I should try to eat more fish
since it's "healthier". And every time...bleh!

I just can't cook fish worth a shit.

and one more thing...

Dame Judi Dench RULES.

That is all.

You Know My Name

I love St. Patrick's Day. Everyone is Irish on St.
Patrick's Day! (But I am on my Dad's side.)

Had some whiskey (not true Irish whiskey, but cut me
some slack).

ALSO....picked up a copy of Casino Royale at
Blockbuster. Damn, I was actually surprised at how
good it was. Dude, Daniel Craig is okay in my book.

Eva Green is beautiful when she's not dressing herself
up as some kind of Goth-emo freak.

Damn good pie!

Holy mother of god, people. Guess what show is FINALLY seeing its second season see the light of DVD-release-day?!?!

 

TWIN PEAKS

 

Armageddon must be soon. Because, seriously, I thought I'd never live to see the day.

Birthdays

My niece is 13 today. T H I R T E E N. I'm getting old. I got her a birthday card and it was all about "you were a baby and now..." yada yada yada. I underlined "baby" and then wrote: Sorry I let you fall off the couch that one time, but you were so squirmy and I think it was more your fault.

 

I'm such a nice aunt, aren't I?

 

Her "golden birthday" will be Sweet Sixteen. That's pretty cool. Only to be surpassed by mine, which was "21". I'll have to remember to buy her a crapload of balloons on that birthday and have them delivered to her school.

Grey's A should be Grey's F (F for Failing and Fucked Up)

You know, I am so glad I haven't been watching Grey's Anatomy, because last night would have surely pissed me off.

 

BIiiiiig surprise (not) at what happened. How trite. I never liked Heigl's character to begin with - too much of a goddamned prima donna.

 

LAME. I think this has effectively quashed my wanting to watch the show for the rest of the season (possibly forever).

 

Go read recap over at TWP if you want to know the latest shagging misery.

Buffy Comics

All hail the return....

HAIL!

It was an enjoyable read. I managed to snag the very last variant cover at the shop - - about two minutes before someone came in desperately wanting it. Ooops. Speaking of variantage, I was reading up the word on Darkhorse and Comics Continuum. Okay, WTF is with making Willow look like a frumpy fraulein in the variant of #4?And then we have a realistic looking giganto Dawn in the regular cover...

She's long since been bad ass - make her look so. They obviously did for the smokin desktop!

I think I'll have to ask the shop to reserve me one reg AND one variant cover for each issue. Oh lord, my Buffy obsession is experiencing a revival. People, you do NOT know how much money I used to spend on Buffy crap. It was obscene.


Issues 6-9 are supposed to be Faith. I just hope they actually get someone who can properly draw her. It's being written by Brian K Vaughn (Y: Last Man). SCHWEET.