Knitting

Ok, I am all thumbs at knitting. Knitting is a
goddamned bitch. I can get the initial stitches on for
the first row OK, and I get how to transfer them
between needles to create additional rows...

I am JUST SO SLOW. And klutzy. I don't have good
coordination holding both, moving the blank needle AND
moving the yarn around all at the same time.

GOD, crochet is so much easier. Fucking hell.

If I have to go through anymore orientation or training within the next three months at work, I will choke a bitch. At least the group I was with was amusing. At some point, we were talking about clinical trials with humans and how much volunteers are paid. This one (foreign) woman had mentioned a really low figure which others didn't believe. She said "Oh, well I had paid $200 [I think for Northwestern University students] for sperm..."

I was kind of looking at the table during this conversation, but at that point, clearly without thinking, I snorted and blurted out:

"Usually, they're doing that for free!"

Just after it finished coming out of my mouth, I had an OH SHIT DID I JUST SAY THAT OUT LOUD AT WORK in front of COMPLETE STRANGERS? moment. And then the room just busted up laughing.That woman in particular, and a guy across the table from me were both "GOOD one!"

Our trainer was a little more shocked and she was like "OOOOKay, I just lost control of the class. Let's bring it back, people!"

I swear to God, I was having to try not to laugh hysterically for the next ten minutes.

Also

• bought knitting needs (C, at some point, I will have to tell you the many things I would like to do!)
  
• am fucking exhausted
• shout out to all you Lent observing people: every time I happily eat of flesh today and every Friday until E-Day, I will think of you. thanks for "more beef for me!" (and wine and chocolate and swearing and everything else - except for sex which I am obviously not getting anyway - that you all give up)
  
• am wondering if I should put off any potential short holiday break until May when it's my birthday. i know it's going to depress me this year and I might be better off getting away from it all at that time
  

Feed Me Yarn

http://www.yarnmarket.com/

 

If anyone feels like giving me gifts for no reason, a nice gift certificate for YARN, GLORIOUS YARN, would not be unappreciated.

 

Buddha stared at me the whole time I was winding a ball of yarn last night. I kept staring back at him, because I thought he was going to try and pounce on it.

weather

Break out the shorts - it's going to be 49 degrees next saturday they say! wooooo!

Seriously, i am so sick of winter. I am DOOOOONE with it. Another month and hopefully it'll be more humane out.

Grey's

I'm so sorry, but Meredith is being a goddamned wimp!
SUCK IT UP. BOO FRIGGIN HOO!

Marie Antoinette

My god, this film is just visually gorgeous. I
wouldn't want to think about how long it took to get
all the hair and makeup done, though.

LOVE IT.

And holy crap, Kirsten Dunst is just drop-dead
gorgeous. She looks absolutely stunning all done up in
the period costume.

Anna Nicole Smith Dead

This qualifies as breaking news in our society?

No joy

My orange and blue heart is broken.

 

I saw the cover to the Sun-Times today and just about wept. It was the saddest picture ever of Urlacher walking off the field with his head down.

 

Goddamn fucking....he whose name shall not be mentioned!

Bears

OMG. I am going to fucking give myself a heart attack
over this game.

I have a paper yet to write about Jane Austen's Pride
& Prejudice. I can wax eloquent on this novel, no
problem; I just have the attention span of a gnat
right now before the game.

I went to yoga this morning at 7:45 and it was a
disaster because I was just not mentally there.

Super Bowl

Man, I don't know how much longer I can take of this
"pre-game" crap. I'm practically screaming at tv and
print coverage.

I just want the hype to end and the game to be played.
I want the Bears to win.

I want Rex Grossman to have the game of his life so
the critics will finally shut the hell up. Yes, I've
ragged on Rex, but damn, give the boy some credit - he
IS in the Super Bowl. He's certainly no worse than how
Brett Favre started out and look how everyone reveres
him now?!

Urlacher - crush Manning! CRUSH CRUSH CRUSH KILL KILL
KILL. Oh, and please rip off the finger that hurts him
on his wittle throwing hand.

Hester, return some punts for TDs, baby.

I would say much more about other players, but I'm
getting antsy.

GO BEARS!

- Bear down, Chicago Bears! Make every play clear the way to victory!
- Bear down, Chicago Bears! Put up a fight with a might so fearlessly!
- We'll never forget the way you thrilled the nation with your T formation.
- Bear down, Chicago Bears, and let them know why you're wearing the crown
- You're the pride and joy of Illinois. Chicago Bears, bear down!

Dr YANG!

I love Dr. Yang.
(raises hand) "I can swim three lengths of my parents'
pool without taking a breath!"

Meredith's mom is a fucking goon. Seriously. She annoys the shit out of me. AND WTF?! Addison is fucking McManWhore again? That's PATHETIC.

And Yang is fucking awesome again.

And, unsurprisingly, Meredith's mom is back to cuckoo Alzheimer version. That was the dumbest episode plot line ever.

Cookery and other things

I made another batch of Moro Blood Orange Marmalade
today. Today, however, I threw in a few glurgs of
tequila.

Now, I christen thee "Moro Blood Orange Tequila
Sunrise Marmalade"!

I watched the final part of Masterpiece Theatre's Jane
Eyre production while doing it. Holy fuck, did they
massively edit the book. Things are so glossed over -
anyone who hadn't read the book would have NO fucking
clue how people got from point A to point B. They
don't even explain where the hell St. John is at the
end, either!

AAAAAND..I still don't get how St. John is pronounced
"Sin-jin"? Oh, those crazy English. I mean, yes, I
know it's supposed to be pronounced that way (and it
kinda sexes the name up), but...WHY?

You leave this world like you entered it: with nothing

So, yesterday my mom told me that my grandpa is dying of lung cancer. This is in addition to my grandma who has been slowly dying of breast cancer (I think). They live in Bonita Springs, FL. (These are my slightly psychotic and bigoted paternal grandparents. The ones my mom and aunt went to see the 2005 hurricane season and who didn't want to fucking evacuate during Rita or something.)

Now, my grandpa was the one, along with my great aunt Lily, that was taking care of grandma. Obviously that is not happening anymore. Grandpa is in a hospice right now. My Aunt Mary called tonight from Arizona to say that granpda is probably not going to make it until Monday. He must have had lung cancer for a while now and just not known it (he's been feeling sick for a long time, but stupidly wouldn't go to a doctor, just like my grandma, which is why SHE is dying of a different cancer too!). So he's crashing pretty fast now.

Once he goes, my dad is going to Florida and bringing my grandma back up to live with him for however long she's got. He's looking to hire someone to live in-house as a caretaker. She doesn't want to be in a home, and I don't blame her, not with all the geriatric care problems these homes seem to have. Her house is going to have to be cleaned and sold and that is going to be a big fucking mess. My aunt and I discussed that. This is the house that my aunt and mom had to clean last time because it was infested with palmetto bugs (i.e. GIGANTIC FUCKING COCKROACHES), and my aunt has since paid for a regularly visiting exterminator. They just couldn't take care of the place any more.

I don't necessarily feel bad about the whole dying thing. They're old, and as I've mentioned often in the past, I do have beef with them for being really stupid and bigoted. What my dad is doing? Another big example of how he (and by extension, my mom) has always dropped shit to help them out even while being treated like second class family. I am still angry at hearing how my grandpa (not my biological grandpa, but the only one I've known) was making crack-ass remarks about Mexicans while my mom (A MEXICAN) was slaving away trying to help them out the last visit. They have always treated my dad and our family as secondary to my Uncle Otis (dad's older sibling) and Aunt Mary's family. We're just the Beaners; they're the chosen Aryans as I like to call it.

Is it my UNCLE AND AUNT taking grandma in? Hell no. Don't get me wrong, I like my aunt, but I think my uncle gets away with shit. He's retired and has more money and a bigger fucking house(s). Why the fuck isn't he doing this? Because my dad has the bigger heart apparently, even though I know grandma (his own mother) can drive him up the fucking wall.

[Incidentally, I'm scared by how similar I am to my dad at this point. I got his temper and lack of tolerance for bullshit, that's for sure. I guess I'm seeing more clearly how my dad just sacks up and takes even the crappy stuff other people won't do. We bitch and moan about it, but we get it done. I guess this means it will only take me 30 more years to mellow out...better keep doing the yoga.]

I'm going to have to go over to my dad's and help clean out the two other bedrooms in preparation for the move. I have some stuff in storage in one of them. He said not to worry about it yet, but hell, better do it now. Grandpa isn't going to be living much longer which means Grandma is going to have to be moved up here lickety-split. What a fucking mess. I'm going to have to suck it up and help. I'm angry about how they've acted, but I need to get over it enough to be civil. They're old and dying.

A day, a week, a month, a year: eventually time runs out and what do you have left?

Seriously, fuck this existential bullshit. I'm going to get a whiskey.

Borracho y loco

I love it.

Letters from Anne Frank's father surface - Yahoo! News

Letters from Anne Frank's father surface - Yahoo! News

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Grin and Bear it - NFL - Yahoo! Sports: "Chicago attacked the weather with bare arms and Saints QB Drew Brees with naked aggression. They knocked him down, sacked him, beat him, pounded him and caused a fumble, an interception, a safety and probably post-traumatic stress disorder. "

Aaaaah ha hahahahahaha!

Reggie Bush, eat my shorts

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Bears :: Defense proves experts wrong: "''I told him it was unprofessional of him to do that,'' Ogunleye said. ''He's a rookie and he's a hell of a player; he's going to be a hell of a player in this league. For him to look back and point -- he had no class. I swear I was a second away from punching him. I'm glad I didn't.''"

That's what we call Karma, people.

BEARS!

OH MY GOD! I LOVE MY BEARS! Finally, Rex started
clicking AND our defense played with an iron fist.

Looking to the SUPER BOWL!!

God, either team - Colts or Pats - is going to be
nasty. Colts would be Midwest Rumble. Pats - Superbowl
85 Redux but Brady is a stone cold killer.

What up, Homey?

Finding space

I managed to drag myself out of bed this morning (a SATURDAY) and go to early yoga at 7:45. I found myself thinking two thoughts in particular during practice:

Know your limits...
...but push

Wendy worked us hard and I was dripping sweat onto my mat well before the halfway point. This is the level 1/level 2 class and there were a number of advanced persons in the class today. These two lithe ladies, in particular, right in front of me, who popped right into headstands like it was as easy as standing on their two feet. I tried not to gape. I asked Wendy to help me into a headstand because that is my goal for right now. I want to nail a headstand. I can get into it, but I can't hold it without a spotter. I don't have the core strength. I am going to have to do a lot of sit-ups and focus on working my core a lot more. It was at that point that I realized most of my ability right now in yoga is based on leg and toe strength (trying to grip the mat and not move) and sheer stubborness. Sorta needs to be the abdominals more!

And then we proceeded to move into more varied handstands. HOLY FUCKING SHIT, people. I can't even explain it. I wish I had a camera. One is called crow pose. This other chick at the end just popped right into this pose, balancing on her hands/elbows bent with her legs splayed out in a V to the side in the air. It was amazing. I was just trying to do the very very basic one where you are balanced on your bended arms with your legs bent to the side, close to the body. I could almost do it to the left side (much more flexible on that side, like obscenely so), but I just flopped onto my back and lost it. I laid back on my mat and just sighed. It was pretty funny, actually. Wendy, the teacher, was saying to go back into downward dog or something, saw me flop and said "Or...you can go into [corpse] pose..." I managed to weakly raise my right hand & do the peace gesture, and people started laughing. Like I said, practice was vigorous, but it definitely was not a "if you can't do this, you suck" kind of thing. Yoga, no matter how much I am envious of the people who can just go into these ridiculous flying poses, is not about competition. Some day, I am going to get into one of those hand balancing things and it will rock. Just have to practice.

Here's one of the poses we (or I tried) to do later: Bakasana Crane Pose. I can almost almost get all the way down in this next one if I use my left leg as the lead. The Asian lithe lady in front of me just went into this like it was nothing: Hanumanasana (Monkey Pose).

It was just fucking crazy, but in a good way. Seriously, I think I'm going to blow whatever tax refund check I get on buying more yoga classes.
The yoga studio rules, Wendy rules and I will someday get a headstand without a problem.

Now if I could just get my niece (almost 13) to go with me. She's such a fucking rubber band, I bet she could do half this shit already. She does tumbling and cheerleading as it is.

I was so energized after class, and in a happy mood.

A Packer fan, a Viking fan and a Bear fan

A Packer fan, a Viking fan and a Bear fan

 

A Packer fan, a Viking fan and a Bear fan were all in Saudi Arabia, sharing a smuggled crate of booze. All of a sudden the Saudi police rushed in and arrested them. The mere possession of alcohol is a severe offensein Saudi Arabia, so for the terrible crime of actually being caught consuming the booze, they were sentenced to death.

 

However, with the help of very good lawyers, they were able to successfully appeal their sentence down to life imprisonment. By a stroke of luck, it was a Saudi National holiday the day their trial finished, and the extremely benevolent Sheik decided they could be released after receiving just 20 lashes each of the whip. As they were preparing for their punishment, the Sheik suddenly said, "It's my first wife's birthday today, and she has asked me to allow each of you one wish before your whipping.

 

The Viking fan was first in line (he had drunk the least), so he thought about this for a while and then said, "Please tie a pillow to my back." This was done, but the pillow only lasted 10 lashes before the whip went through. The Viking fan had to be carried away bleeding and crying with pain when the punishment was done.

 

The Packer fan was next up (he almost finished an entire fifth by himself), and after watching the scene, said "All Right! Please fix two pillows on my back. But even two pillows could only take 15 lashes before the whip went through again, sending the Packer fan out crying like a little girl.

 

The Bear fan was the last one up (he had finished off the crate, but before he could say anything, the Sheik turned to him and said, "You support the greatest team in the world, your team has some of the best and most loyal football fans in the world. For this, you may have two wishes!"

 

"Thanks, your most Royal highness," the Bear fan replies. "In recognition of your kindness, my first wish is that you give me not 20, but 100 lashes."

 

"Not only are you an honorable, handsome and powerful man, you are also very brave," the Sheik says with an admiring look on his face. "If 100 lashes is what you desire, then so be it. And your second wish? What is it to be?" the Sheik asks.

 

"Tie the Packer fan to my back."

 

GO BEARS!!!!!

Sex, and those of us not having it...

This is a weird article that popped out at me today: No
Sex, Thanks

I practically died when I saw the headline and the
blurb.

Let's see, this February 1st it will have been THREE
YEARS since I last did the (full) deed. I messed
around, obviously, when I was dating the last jackass
in 2005, but we never got groiny. Kind of difficult to
get groiny when you're in the basement of his parent's
house worried about whether or not his six year old
daughter is going to wander downstairs...NEVER AGAIN.

And before that time in my life, I had a bout where I
went six years.

This kind of happened to me. I didn't go out choosing
to be all pure and chaste, that's for damn sure. I've
had chastity foisted upon me by the universe. E.G.,
the universe wherein most men are pigfools and I'm too
damn busy with life to be bothered. I don't get the
whole jesusy-people "save yourself" thing for marriage
or god, or whatever. Those people are nuts and are in
DESPERATE NEED of a shag even more than I am.

As it is, I hardly remember what a penis is or where
you'd stick it.

IN OTHER (non-sexual) NEWS: I missed my year
anniversary of Buddha's Return! JANUARY 13th last
year, I got a call from the shelter saying Buddha had
been brought in after he escaped from my house the
first weekend in October 2005.

Contentment(?)

So, last week was the first week of my "organization" experiment. I put together a schedule for the week and tried to adhere to it.

 

I did pretty well, but already went through an adjustment. By Friday, I was zonked. I tried to get up early that day to do the gym before work, but I was actually dizzy when I tried to get up. I decided then and there that I'd better sleep the extra hour! Besides which, I probably needed a no-exercise day at that point.

 

To recap:

Monday (early) gym

Tuesday class in the evening

Wednesday - yoga pm

Thursday (early) gym / homework evening

Friday - rest

Saturday - was going to get up and do early yoga, but couldn't because I had trouble falling asleep Friday night. went to yoga in the afternoon instead.

Sunday - oops, didn't exercise, it was Bears playoff game!

 

And today I got up bright and early again to hit the gym! (And also escaped some nasty traffic because of the snow I bet.)

 

Soup!

People,

I just made the bitchingest pot of minestrone. I'm
impressed, and it's not even my favorite soup to make
usually. I don't know what exactly I did differently
this time, but it is RICH and tastier than ever.

Yeeeeuuuum.

Breakfast Happiness

Earl Grey Bravo tea from Adagio Teas
Two slices of toast with cream cheese and orange
marmalade

*content to do nothing*

HOLY

HOLY FRIJOLES! Beckham is going to play for LA Galaxy. Dude, soccer places are gonna go crazy with the girls next season...

 

Posh n' Becks watch, US version, here we go. Dude, if they play Chicago Fire, I may have to actually go.

Nothing but complaints tonight...

Not surprisingly, the Jane Austen seminar was chock
full o' poufters. Taught by this old guy with patchy
white spare hair (think in the style of a newly
fluffed baby chick), with an enormous pot belly who
incessently strutted across the room AND wearing a
plaid shirt.

See? I'm not picturing Jane Austen taught by some guy
who looks rather like he should be chawing on a stalk
of wheat, looking over a field in the middle of Iowa.
Because that's what he looked like.

He was amusing for the first 15 minutes, but then he
got on my nerves. Our syllabus is the most free-form
thing I've ever seen, and until we read a book
(starting with P&P), we didn't really have anything to
discuss. He was like "Well, I can stretch out what I
have to say to about an hour..."

OH GOD. Please, just don't. (But he did.) See, if you
have nothing to teach the first week of class and
we're not going to discuss anything, then don't
fucking waste my time yapping at me about YOU and YOUR
history and WHY you - you, farmer Elmer Fudd looking
type - are a "Janian". Because really? I don't care. I
seem to be getting quite narcissistic and "don't waste
my time"-y as I get closer to 30. It's getting really
bad.

Eeeeegads.

Any my left jaw still hurts. *whimper*

First Class

So, history class is going to be a lot of reading. BUT
MAN, do I have to say this: goddamn fucking
undergrads! (GFU, henceforth)

I know it's elitist and snobby, but it's fucking true.
Fucking undergrads are so babyish and "oh my god! what
about this? what about that? how can I get this done!"
*rolls eyes*

Seriously, once you get to graduate level, it's like
you're looking at babies who don't even know how to
shit in their diapers. People, fucking grow up. This
one chick KEPT ASKING QUESTIONS - dumb ones (I am not
one of those people who ascribe to the "there are no
stupid questions", because HELLO THERE ARE) - and then
it was about stuff the professor was going to cover if
she would have just held on to her britches for like
five minues.

Class is packed, too. I just want to survive it, get
it done and get my history endorsement.

Now I gotta print out a shitload of documents from our
library reserves. Come on Organization 07, baby, don't
fail me now. I mean to keep up and straight on my shit
this semester.

Note to self: New bookbag

And I think this is the bad ass I want: <a
href=http://www.ebags.com/products/index.cfm?modelid=75052&sourceid=GOOGFEED01>Jansport
Air Cisco</a>

Tuesday...Death March

I blame my friend Anne for introducing this term into
our collective lexicon.

Death March (Noun): day of the week in which one
works, or otherwise spends a useful day doing things,
then proceeds to take 6 hours of class in the evening.
Often results in feeling like "the living dead". Has
carry over effect into the next day, if not all days
leading into the weekend wherein one can reasonably
expect to catch up on sleep.

Oy. So, work in the new gig was fairly boring today.
That's primarily because it's the first day and lord
knows the only thing you do at a Fortune 500 on the
first day is fill out paperwork, read SOPs and other
training until you're blue in the face. Give me a
week, maybe then I'll have an opinion. I'm hopeful
that once I get into the work that all will go well.

Am at school now and all I have to say is: JANE
FUCKING AUSTEN, BITCHES! *a-hem* I can't wait. I
really hope it's good. It was between this or the
Shakespeare course. But really, how could you go wrong
with either?

Well, that sucks...

So today was my last day in the admin gig. I started
to freak out a little towards the end. I'm going to
miss a lot of the people, just not the job y'know?

I dropped off one box of my stuff at the new digs:
bleeeh! Utterly no privacy! That's going to bite. My
group is my manager (who shall be christened
"Eyebrows"), and
three other people. We're all in one interior room -
so no windows. Ugh. No natural lighting.

No cubicles, no privacy. I have my back to...you
guessed it, my manager. Who can see straight onto my
computer screen.

No Yahoo email, no iTunes...certainly no LJ! Totally
sucks. It's going to be an interesting eight months to
say the least.

I just hope I can say that it sucks, and not ME. I
want to do a good job.

In other news: I got a freaking letter from Trinity College
Carmarthen! I saw the UK postage and thought it
was my Mum, but then noticed the postmark said
Carmarthen and thought that very strange. It's an
alumni letter! They're trying to start an alumni
association for all the Americans that have gone
through the college (my undergrad had an exchange
program with this school). FANTASTIC! I hate my
undergrad, but dude, Trinity College was the best
fucking semester of my LIFE. I wish I'd stayed an
entire year. I am so going to reply.

And now, I already have. That poor chick who sent the letter is going to be like
WHO IS this yappy person!

Scent-a-licious

I figured it out. Agent Provocateur's "Eau Emotionnelle" perfume smells like lingerie. You know, that sexy silky scent va-va-voom? Just like that.

Hooray for Me

Today is my last day in the "old job". Tomorrow I embark upon a non-admin assistant job! Now I'm nervous and hope I don't fuck it up.

 

Jaw is better today. No one yet has taken up on my offer to see my gross teeth. Wussies.

 

Speaking of the "organization" '07, I went to bed last night just after 9pm. That was difficult. Had to remind myself to turn off the damn tv, don't grab a book, and turn out the stinking light. Seriously. I didn't feel like I was going to get much sleep, but I must have. I woke up on time with my alarm this morning at 4:50am. I had my bags and clothes laid out and was out the door by 5:10am to get to the gym. The place was already busy; they must have opened a little before their stated time of 5:30. Still wasn't as busy as it gets after work hours. Hustled onto an elliptical trainer and got my workout done by 5:59. Schweet. Got ready and went to work. It was weird, but not unpleasant to be awake and fully about by 6:50am. Very little traffic, no fuss! Got to work by about 7:20am. Actually cold today, too! I wonder if we'll get snow again this season. Watch it, we'll probably get dumped on in April.

 

Well, today I give myself an "A" for staying on schedule. And yesterday, too. I went to yoga at 4:30 and felt the best I had since before the dentist. The real test of the schedule will probably be getting to bed tonight and getting up tomorrow. I'm for shit at getting to sleep when I'm starting a new job AND a semester. Usually get too nervous to sleep. NOT TONIGHT! TONIGHT I MUST SLEEP! (I'm hoping the fact that I got up before the asscrack of dawn today will help me fall asleep at 9pm tonight.)

 

Must get back to work. Frantically trying to finish some things today.

 

Present watch: already got one farewell gift. I think there are others. Wheeheee.

To me mum

Good luck on the first house-hunting foray (but weren't you thinking of building?).

In other news: still tired. Still cranky. I think I am going to try and go to yoga this afternoon in the hopes that it will get me out of this funk.

Made cheddar cheese soup today. It's alright. I'd rather be eating "chewable" food as opposed to drinkable food though.

I might fart around and so some exercises out of this Latin workbook I have. Got to keep going on this whole "Organized '07" kick.

Cranky

I'm tired of the discomfort from this stupid surgery.
The left corner of my mouth is cracked, I'm going to
have to smooth some salve on it. My jaw still aches.

And I'm fucking tired of popping pills every fucking
half hour it seems. I had no idea that I would have to
take so many pills just for this.

We've Got To Get Up and Organize

So, I just went to CNN and saw this tasty headline:
"Ex-Joint Chiefs of chairman: Military ready for
gays".

I'm not even going to bother to read that. My first
reaction from that headline was "OH, gee, NOW they're
ready for THE GAYS(!) because they're running out of
people for suicide/car bomb fodder in Iraq."

Not that I'm cynical or anything. Obviously.

Jesus fucking HYPOCRITICAL BASTARDS.

And the other DUH headline: "FBI: Workers saw prisoner
abuse at [Gitmo]." Well, DUH.

In non stupid world news, I made myself a schedule. I
suppose this could be a resolution of sorts. I need to
be more organized. I need to GET TO BED at a decent
time from now on. I would like to get up early and
work out at the gym BEFORE work so I can do other
things (like homework) afterwards. I almost feel
really dorky for making this schedule, but I want to
give it an honest try for a couple of weeks and see if
I can do it.

<a
href="http://pics.livejournal.com/feigenbaum_04/pic/00023s9q/"><img
src="http://pics.livejournal.com/feigenbaum_04/pic/00023s9q/s320x240"
width="320" height="140" border='0'/></a>

Update Two on the Lack of Wisdom Teeth

I snoozed away for a couple hours this afternoon. I'm
feeling pretty good for the most part. The doctor did
a really good job. I didn't want to take the Vicodin;
I wasn't really hurting all that much and the Advil
seemed to be doing fine. I finally decided to take one
Vicodin just so I wouldn't suddenly have blinding pain
an hour or so later and wished I had taken it.

Not feeling too loopy, either, which is better. In
fact, Buddha looks more like the one who took Vicodin;
he's sacked out on the bed, with his head on a pillow.
He's been by me the whole afternoon.

The back of my mouth, obviously, and my jaw is sore,
but not unbearably so. I had some chicken broth with
noodles and carrots/celery a little bit ago. The
veggies were soft enough to smoosh up against my
palate with my tongue.

But man oh man, I have such a craving for pepperoni
pizza right now I want to die.

My arms feel kind of heavy and lethargic for some
reason. I don't quite get that. Oh shit, I think I was
supposed to take some penicillin. I'd better get on
that right now.

My friend Anne called to see how I was doing. She
wants to see my gross teeth that I saved. There's
still schmutz (tissue?) on them a little bit. I should
scrub them up before they go on any world tour. That
is funky shit, with the roots going in opposite
directions. I should take a picture and post it.

Semester textbooks

I just spent the better part of TWO HOURS ordering my
text books online. I had ELEVEN books to buy this time
out. Ouch. My friend Anne called me from the bookstore
to tell me what mine were today. Rule #1: avoid
college bookstore whenever possible as it ridiculously
overpriced compared to any number of online vendors.

I ended up buying from four different vendors:
Half.com, Alibris, B&N, and Amazon. Even with the
shipping charges at each place, I still came out
better. One book was $15 at B&N, but at Alibris, it
was $5 + 3.49 shipping, so that definitely made up for
the shipping charge and then some.

And one ancient book was SO EXPENSIVE everywhere, but
I got it for $3.30 through a vendor on Amazon. SWEET.
Of course, half of the books I ordered aren't going to
get here until 1/16...I seriously hope those aren't
going to be ones I have to read for 1/17's class! Oh
well. It's not like any of the Jane Austen books are
going to kill me. If need be, I can read the ones I
don't already have at the library. I imagine the
special editions we had to buy are for the commentary
or what not. I can read that shit later.

History of Africa course:
1. Magomero: Portrait of an African Village
2. Slavery and Reform in West Africa: Toward
Emancipation in 19th Century
*both 1 & 2 from Amazon for $28.45
3. Histories of the Hanged: the dirty war in Kenya and
the end of Empire - from B&N for $4.50 awesomeness
4. History of Africa - from Half.com for $23.25

Jane Austen Seminar:
1. P&P, A Longman Cultural Edition
2. Northanger Abbey, A Longmann Cultural Edition
3. Persuasion, Norton Critical Edition
4. Mansfield Park, Norton Critical Edition
5. S&S
*1-5 all from B&N $48.56
6. Emma - from Alibris for $8.45
7. Cambridge Companion to Jane Austen - from Half.com
for $21.24

Zee grand total of $134.35. Definitely not as bad as
it could have been.

And did anyone else know ISBN numbers are going up to
13 digits? Weird.

ALSO-ALSO: In preparation for my leaving the
department, I have been trying to help people remove
me from their travel arranger, expense report, etc.,
profiles and put in the new temp. I was helping one
guy today, and when I went to look in his favorites
tab to see if he had the damn sites bookmarked so I
wouldn't have to type them in longhand, I saw
something else that was bookmarked.

KAMA SUTRA

EWWWWWWWY! Ok, I'm not "EWWWWWWY"ing the subject
itself, just DUDE! it's your WORK COMPUTER. And I
don't need to know that about that particular person.
SKANK to the Y. I was all suave like I didn't notice
anything, and moved on (not like I clicked on it after
all), but holy fucking shit. That could get you in
trouble at work.

Cooking

One thing I am going to try and do more of is to cook
decent meals. I need to stop eating out and eating
crap.

Plus I gotta get some use out of that Joy of Cooking
book - other than the sweets section of it!

Tonight I am making Irish Stew - ya hey! It's still
got an hour to go though.

Later this week I will make Cheddar Cheese Soup.

Stollen

My mom is making stollen now. Yes, I mean NOW - at
2:30 am. She was going to make it days ago, but has
been sick. (I just hope she's not developing that
god-awful hacking cough I had a while ago. I've been
pestering her to go to the doctor.)

So, I guess since she's feeling slightly better and
has spent all her time resting, she must have felt
that it would be okay to bake like six of these
freaking things off at this time of night/morning.

The house does smell good though. Rich and buttery and
fruity. Stollen is kinda fruitcakey ingredient-wise,
but whereas I would not touch fruitcake, I will eat a
piece of this. Possibly "tomorrow" with my tea at
breakfast.

Controversial opinions and tea

So Saddam is to be executed soon. In a weird way, I feel bad for the dude. But that's not to say I think he's a good guy - no, he most definitely isn't (ask the Kurds or Kuwaitis). HOWEVER, he was, like much of the Mideast is, treated like a pawn by our government. If you ask my opinion, they should also be hanging Rummy right alongside him. Anyone remember the smiling picture of Rumsfield shaking hands with Saddam? Um yeah. That's because at the time, our illustrious government thought it would be great to arm Saddam to use him against the Ayatollah. So now, after having first created the criminal (or at the least arming him up the wazoo) we feel free to kill and dispose of him. Very convenient.

We should have left well enough alone EVERY country in the Middle East. Because now, after having played just about every country there against each other, we're screwed.

In other, less political news, I got an IngenuiTEA, mug and some teas from Adagio. If you're seeing this post on Blogger, the background is in fact from Adagio Teas. Dude, I am so impressed with my little IngenuiTEA! And I'm still very much (surprisingly) in love with the Earl Grey Brava. The Kuicha green tea however? Ugh. Not to my liking.

Reminisce

I probably spelled that wrong, but I'll go back and fix later.

 

God. I am finally - LONG overdue - reviewing the photo books I am trying to make of my August/September trip to Ireland the UK. Shutterfly is having a big discount sale and I need to get these things developed!

 

I am finalizing my Scottish photobook. It was nice to have some time away from it - I have been able to go back and cut out some photos that really weren't all that good and to redo layouts.

 

I am taking some of my saved paper information and inputting it into the captions.

 

The effect of all this has been making me absolutely heartsick. I want to go back SO BAD. Especially to the Isle of Skye. I wasn't all that impressed with the tour I took - - it was good for being short on time, but the things we absolutely ran through without time to enjoy them were shameful. I could spend days on certain trails. I have been backhunting information on some of the places we hit and GOD! The things we could have done if there'd only been time (and money). If I were rich, I would spend every damn summer doing something different. A hike here, a climb there...

I can't stand it

I am so fucking bored. Companies should just GIVE us the time off between Christmas and New Year's. It's absolutely ridiculous. It's not like anything is getting done. There is only one other person here besides me right now. Only five other people came in for my department today. Four of whom have already left for the day. I am leaving at 4:10pm on the dot. I didn't take a lunch, so I'll still get in my eight hours today.

 

GOD, I wish I'd had enough vacation left over so I didn't have to be here. I'll be here tomorrow, but not Friday, thank god.

 

Fifteen more excruciating minutes. Then I'm gone. Home to get my gym bag, then a quick trip to the mall to return a gift perhaps, and then most definitely the gym to burn off my crazed energy. No yoga tonight - I definitely don't have the attention span for it tonight.

Home made candies

I got the latest (75th anniversary) edition of The Joy of Cooking and am having a little crazy fun.
I made turtle candies. Eat your hearts out bizatches!

Looks rather like something a turtle shat out, but ... really, it's tasty. I MADE the caramel. From scratch.

Friday before Christmas

I'm at work. And it's dead. There are like four people in my department here. Maybe five?

 

I have brought in my crocheting and damn if I won't just sit here on my ass - until they hopefully let us out at 2pm - until the day is done.

Anglophilia

I really am getting to be a disgusting Anglophile and "Britphile". I'm about to drop a ridiculous amount of money on Ireland / England / London / Scotland / Wales calendars.

 

I was already a calendar freak to begin with. There's just something about the New Year and "time to get a new calendar!"

HOLY FRIJOLES!

Some people at work got together and got me a $100 gift certificate for the YOGA STUDIO!!

 

*is amazed*

 

Ok, I'm having second thoughts about leaving this admin gig for the christmas crap alone.

Wah wah wah fuck Laura Bush

Let me take a moment here to say how much I DON'T give
a rat's ass that poor little Laura Bush had skin
cancer? She's from a family of rich thugs currently
living a parasitic existence off the backs of the
wretched and stooped - us. All while debasing our
rights.

She's got access to the best medical care. Who gives a
FUCK.

I say it's too bad Georgie poo didn't get it himself!
He already IS a cancer. A cancer on the face of the
earth.

Email cleanup

I had a ridiculous number of emails that needed to be cleared out. Over 300 - - now I am down to a tidy 76. I should be working on my goals and growth planning documents at work. Bleh. So booooring!

 

It's remarkable how chipper I am now that I know I am getting out of the secretarial gig. I just hope it's not a "out of the frying pan and into the fire" thing, because well...that would just suck. 10.5% pay raise wouldn't be worth hell on earth.

 

More on that gig later...

 

Also: made Alton Brown's peanut brittle recipe last night. Holeee Shiiit. It's good and I'm not even a peanut brittle fan. I made people at work little goodie cartons (out of chinese take out boxes I bought at Michael's Craft stores) and put some of the brittle in them. Spicy!

Cookies

I have cookies and you don't.

I also have a killer backache you wouldn't want from
bending over and wielding a rolling pin all fucking
afternoon.

I have made so far: chocolate macaroons, peanut
blossoms (they look like boobs), sugar cookies, and
poinsettia cookies (what a pain in the ass).

I am maybe half way through the doughs I made.






This is a pic of my mom's tree she finally put up.




And some ornaments on it...



And this garland she has of cats carrying puddings cracks me up.

Job

I got the job! (well, one of three that I'd seriously applied for.)

 

Here's hoping it doesn't suck!

'Devin Can't Wait' a reel football classic

Devin Hester is the sickest kick returner...EVER. I cannot believe the man!!

December 12, 2006

BY JAY MARIOTTI Sun-Times Columnist ST. LOUIS -- If a game could be reduced to watching Devin Hester nodding and talking to himself, bobbing his head while awaiting a kick that he can deliver to the house any time whatsoever, you'd have no worries. We are witnessing maybe the greatest returner ever, the most pulsating No. 23 in Chicago since You Know Who, and I am tempted to place him in a cocoon and forget about the rest of the Bears, including Rex Grossman.

''It looks like the gates of heaven just opening up for me,'' said Heaven Devin.

Call him unfriggin'believable. Call him the freak of freaks. Call him Gale Sayers, Deion Sanders, a miracle in stick-on eye black. Give him a nickname, too, like Billy (White Shoes) Johnson. All you need to know about Hester, as he returned two more kicks for touchdowns Monday night and blew away the NFL single-season record and every St. Louis ghost in his path, is that the normally humdrum Lovie Smith was boogeying down the sideline after his 96-yard sprint in the fourth quarter.

And talking, at long last, about maximizing the rookie's sizzle by playing him on offense. I mean, duhhhhh. Get Hester as many touches as possible. Be creative and wild. Because you are watching football's most exciting player, a dizzier blur than Reggie Bush and Vince Young, a kid who made hair grow on Tony Kornheiser's head during a 42-27 victory that temporarily eased Bears angst everywhere.

A shout-out to Neon Deion''It's about time we start looking at him as an offensive player,'' Smith volunteered late in the night. ''Devin has made as much impact as any rookie. He's made so many big plays.''

So many, in fact, that he evoked images of Neon Deion, the flamboyant flash who has spent time teaching Hester the return trade. Aren't you the new Neon Deion, kid, doing those Sanders dances as America lapped it up? ''That was a little shout-out to him,'' Hester said. ''I was thanking him for the time I spent with him and for him being my mentor.''

Chicago thanks him, too. For Hester is saving a season. Like Sanders, Heaven Devin wants to be the most feared guy in the league, and with a 94-yard kickoff return in the first half and his crowning blow late, can anyone dispute the claim? With a Band-Aid placed on the Grossman issue, we can better appreciate the miracle of Hester, who now has six kick return for scores. Think of all the electric return men through time, and it's stunning to think he has more TD returns after 13 games than Deion, White Shoes or anyone else put together over a season. With the Bears trailing 6-0 and begging for an early jolt, Hester provided it, whipping around the left side, flipping on the turbochargers and high-stepping into the end zone. He saves his best work for national audiences, fueling the Arizona comeback with an 83-yard punt return for a score and defining the victory over the Giants with his 108-yard return of a missed field goal.

Why, oh, why do other teams even kick to him?

''It's the NFL,'' Hester said. ''Teams aren't going to bow down to one player. One player can't beat the other team.''

Wanna bet?

I cannot write entirely after Hester, not after Grossman answered a call to either play like a legit NFL quarterback or get out of our lives. What we've always liked about the guy is his poise, and if it wobbled like a weeble the last two months, he recovered it in time to restore some measure of faith he might not collapse in the playoffs. It would be dumb to make any rash proclamations, but for now, until the next game, a quarterback who had committed more turnovers since Oct. 15 than 31 NFL teams -- only Pittsburgh was worse than Rex, 22-18 -- needn't worry about trading his job for a backwards cap.

Rex did not choke. Not only did his passer rating soar from 1.3 into double digits, it climbed to 114.4, which should stop the newspapers from splashing his name across the front page like a civic epidemic and calm down amateur shrinks trying to psychoanalyze his entire being.

''I was able to relax. It was easy,'' Grossman said. ''There was a lot of pressure on me to do that -- I had to do it. Efficient, decisive, got the ball out of my hand, went to the right guy, played with a sense of rhythm and efficiency. Obviously, I wanted to respond the way the coaches were backing me.''

His leash just grew a little longer, as Smith was only happy to rub in our faces afterward. ''Rex Grossman went through a lot. His game has been dissected by everyone who knows football,'' he said. ''There was a lot of pressure on him, and he stepped up to the plate.''

Who couldn't appreciate the joy in Grossman's step as he raced off the field after the Muhammad score, raising his arms? Who didn't notice Griese patting him on the helmet after Berrian's TD? The idea now is to maintain the vibe and momentum and transport it to the playoffs.

Rex responds. Again, in the volatile world of Rexdom, it's just one good performance, giving him three in his last eight games. Batting .375 might win a batting title, but it's not going to win you a Super Bowl. Let's see what happens in the winter blur of Soldier Field two of the final three regular-season games before declaring, once and for all, that he's a better postseason idea on January lakefront weekends than Griese. But you have to like how Grossman responded when an entire football nation was waiting for him to bomb out.

It helps when he has a weapon like Hester, who would help the quarterback immensely. With Nathan Vasher's absence, Hester was filling in at cornerback and beaten on an early touchdown pass. But you know he's a special talent when he responds with an instant TD. It has reached the giddy point where Bears fans, numbering in the thousands, let out a chagrined ''awwwwwww'' when Hester called for fair catches as a punt returner.

''It's just vision,'' he said.

Can his eyes see Miami, his old college town, host of Super Bowl XLI?

Jay Mariotti is a regular on ''Around the Horn'' at 4 p.m. on ESPN. Send e-mail to inbox@suntimes.com with name, hometown and daytime phone number (letters run Sunday).

Super Hero Weekend

I've had Superman Returns and Batman Begins on,
non-stop practically, this weekend.

Background ambience for while I struggle to finish my
semester crap. I am writing up one last final for that
god awful community college course. I just can't be
bothered. It was a retarded course! I don't want to
write a damn fucking thing.

But, back to hot men in tights and other form-fitting
apparel...

I love contrasting Batman and Superman in these two
movies. One is so dark and gothic - the other so light
and hopeful. I really need to go and splurge on the
TPBs of Bruce Wayne: Muderer? and Fugitive . I got all
the single issues back in the day, but never bought
the TPBs. I've gotten rid of the single issues. And
WTF? His bodyguard ended up an OMAC? Jay-sus.

I live and dream in the hope that I will one day
witness a Batman/Superman movie with both Bale and
Routh. Gaaaah, eye-caaaaaandyyyyy! "Hawt"!

And a congrats to the <a
href=http://redrighthand.net>Shin-Kickee</a> for
finally making it to California...

New xmas stocking (#2)

Second time around, I finally got it right. Had to start from the bottom up as opposed to top down. But it looks great! The main color is "paprika" - a lovely red color. I have granny sqaures in brown, a cream w/ brown threading, and a tricolor mix yarn that's green/cream/sparkly.

Yoga

Oh my goodness. I went to Total Body Yoga for the first time this evening.

Absolutely wonderful! The first class for new people is free. It was so relaxing and calming. Not that I don't love my video, but it's nice to have an actual instructor(s), that will walk around and correct your posture when needed.

Also funny? One of my high school classmates is an assistant instructor. I was like "hey!" And also got an impromptu quick neck massage with something that smelled fantastic. Whatever it was is apparently from the Bath and Body Works.


I signed up for a ten class pack. I really want to go as much as I can so I can learn to do more. I asked my mom to get me another pack of classes for Christmas. Yaaaah!

Xmas ornaments

I think I got the Irish dancer as a present from one of my friends.




This is one of the ornaments I purchased while over in England (last Christmas time). I probably got it at the gift shop next to Westminster. I'm now regretting that I didn't buy other ornaments while I was there in September. Damnit! My set of Henry VIII and his six wives are now my favorite ornaments. (But I've had them since 1999, I think.)

Cookie Recipes - My Favorites

Spreading holiday cheer and fat hips everywhere. Have
fun jogging. And for the love of god, don't ever let
me catch anyone using imitation almond or vanilla
flavoring.

If you're in a hurry like I usually am, you can chill
doughs in the freezer in a third of the time normally
required.

This is the Pillsbury Recipe my mom has had forever.

MAKE-AHEAD COOKIE MIX

1 1/2 cups Butter, softened
1 Tblspn Salt
2 tsp Baking Powder
6 cups All Purpose Flour

In very large bowl, combine butter, salt and baking
powder; using electric mixer, blend well. Lightly
spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. (Do NOT
scoop or sift flour.) Add flour to butter mixture;
blend until fine crumbs form, scraping bowl often.
Store tightly covered in refrigerator up to 4 weeks.
YIELD: 8 CUPS MIX.

There are about 10 different cookies you can make out
of this, but we always made the almond butter sticks
and peanut blossoms since they were the most popular.

ALMOND BUTTER STICKS

3/4 cup Sugar
2 tsp Almond Extract
1/3 cup + 1 Tblspn Butter, softened
6 oz cream cheese
2 cups MIX
1 egg, separated (reserve white for glazing)
1/4 cup sliced Almonds (I typically use more)

Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a cookie sheet (long
rectangle works best). In small bowl, stir together
sugar and almond flaoring; cover and set aside. In
medium bowl, combine 1/3 cup butter, cream cheese, and
egg yolk; blend until smooth. (Dip measuring cup into
cookie mix; level off.) Stir in mix. Knead on floured
surface about 25 strokes until pliable. Roll or press
out to a 12x12 inch square. Spread with 1 tablespoon
butter. Cut dough in half*; place one half on greased
cookie sheet. Spoon sugar mixture to within 1/2 inch
of dough edges. Place remaining dough half, buttered
side down, over sugar. Press edges tightly to seal.
Brush with slightly beaten egg white; sprinkle with
almonds.

Bake 22 - 30 minutes until golden brown. Cool at least
30 minutes, remove from cookie sheet.

Cut pastry in half lengthwise and in 1/2 inch strips
crosswise. 48 cookies.

* My mom and I never cut the dough in half. We just
make sure to cover half with sugar, then fold the
unsugared half over and seal down: similar to calzone
or empanada. Less to fuss with this way.

PEANUT BUTTER (and PEANUT BLOSSOM)

2 cups Mix
1 cup firmly packed Brown Sugar
1/3 cup Solid Shortening
1/2 cup Peanut Butter
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1 Egg

Preheat oven to 375F. (Dip measuring cup into cookie
mix; level off.) In large bowl, combine all
ingredients; blend until smooth. Shape dough into 1
inch balls; place on ungreased cookie sheets and
flatten with fork crisscross fashion. Bake 7-11
minutes until edges are golden brown. Cool slightly;
remove from cookie sheet. About 4 dozen.

PEANUT BLOSSOMS: Roll balls in sugar; place on
ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 9-12 minutes until light
golden brown. Remove from oven; immediately top each
cookie with a HERSHEY'S KISS, pressing down firmly so
cookie cracks around edge. About 4 dozen, which will
disappear quickly...

*****end of Pilsbury Mix*****

SUGAR COOKIES
1 Cup Butter, softened
1 1/2 cups Confectioners Sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar

Mix thoroughly butter, egg, sugar and flavorings.
Blend in flour, soda and cream of tartar. Refrigerate
2-3 hours. Heat oven to 375F. Roll dough to 1/8 inch
thick and cut into desired shapes. Bake on ungreased
cookie sheets for 7-8 minutes or until golden brown at
edges.

I like to eat the raw dough. My mom said it would kill
me. I'm still alive, so there.

CANDY CANES (for Tania)

These are a pain to make. MAKE SURE THE DOUGH IS
CHILLED or forget it. Work very quickly with the dough
or your hands will warm it too much (run your hands
under cold water and then pat dry to keep them cool).
Also, I have never been able to make just one teaspoon
stretch into a four inch rope without it ripping.

1 cup butter
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
dash salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp red food coloring
peppermint glaze (optional, recipe follows)

In a large mixer bowl beat butter till softened. Add
powdered sugar and beat till fluffy. Add egg, vanilla,
peppermint extract and salt. Beat well. Add flour and
beat till well mixed. Divide dough in half. Stir food
coloring into one half. Cover each half and chill
about 30 minutes or till easy to handle.

For each cookie, on a lightly floured surface shape a
teaspoonful of plain dough into a 4 inch rope. Repeat
with a teaspoonful of red dough. Place ropes side by
side and twist together. Pinch ends to seal. Form
twisted ropes into a cane. Place canes 2 inches apart
on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake in a 375F oven for 8-10 minutes or till done.
Remove and cool. If desired, brush with Peppermint
Glaze. Makes 48.

PEPPERMINT GLAZE: Stir together 1 cup sifted powdered
sugar, 1/4 tsp peppermint extract, and enough water
(4-5 tsp) to make of brushing consistency.

GINGERBREAD TEDDY BEARS

Good for stress relief. Pretend they're someone who's
ticking you off: bite off their heads. I think using
molasses gives a more interesting flavor.

1 cup butter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup dark corn syrup, light corn syrup OR molasses
4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 beaten egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
miniature chocolate chip pieces
decorating icing (optional)

In a saucepan combine butter, brown sugar, and corn
syrup or molasses. Cook and stir over medium heat till
butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Pour into a
large mixing bowl and cool 5 minutes. Meanwhile,
combine flour, cinnamon, ginger, soda and cloves.

Add egg and vanilla to butter mixture and mix well.
Add the flour mixture and beat till well mixed. Divide
the dough in half. Cover and chill at least two hours
or overnight.

To make each teddy bear, shape dough into one 1 inch
ball, one 3/4 inch ball, six 1/2 inch balls, and five
1/4 inch balls. On an ungreased cookie sheet, flatten
the 1 inch ball to 1/2 inch for body. Attach the 3/4
inch ball for head and flatten to 1/2 inch. Attach the
1/2 inch balls for arms, legs and ears. Place one of
the 1/4 inch balls on head for nose. Arrange remaining
1/4 inch balls atop ends of arms and legs for paws.
Use miniature chocolate pieces for eyes and navel.

Bake in a 350F oven for 8-10 minutes or till done.
Carefully remove and cool. If desired, pipe on bow
ties with Decorating icing. Makes 16.

DECORATING ICING: Combine 1/2 cup sifted powdered
sugar and enough milk or light cream (about 2 tsp) to
make of piping consistency. Tint with one or two drops
food coloring.

MERINGUE TURTLEDOVES

People with think you're a freaking genius, but it's
easy. If your store has them, buy a jar of just egg
whites. Better and easier than cracking a whole bunch
of eggs and not knowing what to do with the yolks.

2 egg whites
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
miniature semisweet chocolate pieces

Line a large cookie sheet with brown paper, parchment,
or foil. In a small mixer bowl beat egg whites,
vanilla and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.

Put egg white mixture in a decorating bag fitted with
a 1/2 inch round tip, filling bag half full. Beginning
at head end, squeeze bag gently, moving tip in a
clockwise direction to form a question mark with egg
white mixture. For lower body/wing, continue squeezing
as you move tip about 2 1/2 inches to the right, back
left, then right again, releasing pressure as you pull
up tip. Repeat with remaining mixture. Place miniature
chocolate pieces on head for eye and beak.

Bake in a 300F oven about 15 minutes or till done -
EDGES SHOULD BARELY BE BROWN. Turn off oven and let
cookies dry in the oven with the door closed about 30
minutes. Makes about 24.

Sick of making doves? Just pipe big rounds and bake as
usual. Better: Pipe a bit, stick in some chocolate
pieces, pipe over. Chocolate meringue surprise.

Little Known Fact

When I was in ballet, I was cast as Happy in our recital production of Snow White & the Seven Dwarves.

 

What a miscast. I should have been Grumpy.

 

If they'd had "Bitchy, Fuck the World", I should have been that, too.

Can't sleep

I've been sleeping like crap lately. My brain is too
full. And I don't want to go to work tomorrow. I hate
it. I hate my team. It's going nowhere, our project is
dead in the water (even if others refuse to see it),
and our so-called leader...isn't.

And my co-worker and fellow admin got a promotion to
another department while I got turned down. I feel
trapped. Every time I've thought about it this
weekend, I've wanted to burst into tears and
hyperventilate. I haven't felt this bad about work
since I used to work at WaMu back in 02-03.

I have utterly no desire to do the admin gig anymore -
not even until next August when I'll student teach.
Who in their right mind wants to stay and admin
assistant? It's a dead end mindless job. I am far too
smart for it; and that's not meant as a boast. Just
statement of fact: I'm bored out of my fucking mind
and hate picking up other people's stupid shit.
Baby-sitting for adults.

And school is just depressing the hell out of me right
now as well. Two dumb classes this semester. I pray
next semester is better, but I have to figure some way
of passing this one first. Once I found out I was
going to be ridiculously bored this semester, my brain
tuned out and I haven't learned a damn thing.

I've been watching an episode and Prime Suspect and
then Wooster & Jeeves. Send me to England, please.

I am going to finish this teacher program and then
some how, some way I am clawing my way into a teaching
position overseas.

Last night

Close up of a tree in Deerfield Commons.

Turkey and Po-Tay-Toes

Turkey Time is almost upon us all. Last night I asked my mom what the plan is for next week.

 

The dreaded response: going over to my brother's. Gaaah. My sister-in-law cannot cook. Well, she can, it's just not up to my standards. About ten minutes after being told this, I whined: ARE YOU MAKING THE STUFFING? to my mom. Her response: I don't know. Me: *desperate intonation* YEEEEEEEEEEEESSSS???

 

I can cope with whatever turkey my SIL makes - the turkey doesn't really matter to me. I don't eat too much of it. Besides which, my mom is going to be helping her make most of it anywya.

 

I may have to sneak in and do a covert mashed potatoes rescue operation. That's another thing that amazes me, my SIL makes mashed potatoes that are the separated at birth twin to Elmers Glue. Disgusting. And my brother likes them too. Mashed potatoes are supposed to be FLUFFY!

 

But then again, they also like Republicans. Republicans=Gluey Mashed Potatoes, Gluey Mashed Potatoes=Republicans. I see a depravity correlation, don't you? It's so obvious.

 

My mom, or me probably, will also be making the pies because we always do. SIL doesn't even make those at all - she usually winds up with a pie from the Jewel. Blech.

 

Yes, I am being a food snob. But it's THANKSGIVING. One of two times per American calendar year where if you're going to pig out, it should be on really good food. Embrace your inner food snob.

 

SO:

 

Stuffing must be made by the mom.

Pies: me or the mom.

Mashed taters: sneak save by moi.

Red wine: ME

Roasted parsnips and carrots (seriously so good): me

and maybe some of Giada's Green Beans: me

 

Those who bring that damned green bean casserole with the onion thingies MUST DIE.

Money money money (I don't got any)

I have just paid off my Target credit card. The evilness is no more! I couldn't schedule it online though - it kept giving me an error because it hadn't fully processed the one payment I made the other day. I had to call up account services and schedule it over the phone.

 

The good news is that, since I got it scheduled today, I don't have to pay a finance charge. Woot.

 

Of course this means I am broke for the week, but...NO MORE FINANCE CHARGE!

 

Now I just need to tackle the BoA loan. The finance charges on that piece of shit are ridiculous. I just got my new statement online today and it slapped back on a ridiculous amount of money in financing. I hate not getting to spend it on something fun, but this makes me more determined than ever to use my profit-sharing check from work against this in a couple weeks. That will knock out a little more than half the outstanding balance and kill a good bit of that financing.

 

CAN'T I STILL WIN THE LOTTO?

Mac

I want a new Mac! Damnit.

I heard choirs of angels while reading this. For real.

There are just some damn funny bits in this write up. My favs in bold.

IN OTHER NEWS: I migrated to the beta version. NOW they tell me I can't post comments on non-migrated blogs. Thanks jackasses.

Bears have horses to win in slop

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- At least there should have been mud. It could have flown up from behind the shoes of rookie Bears kick returner Devin Hester like pixie dust from the hooves of a Kentucky Derby winner.

Hester's 108-yard hesitation touchdown return of Giants kicker Jay Feely's missed field goal in the fourth quarter made the score of this huge game 31-20 Bears, and it stunned the Giants into submission.

The final score would be 38-20 as the Giants had nothing left.

''They're supposed to be the best team in the NFC, according to some people,'' said Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher, speaking snarkily of the Giants. ''I guess we are now.'' [OOh, I think Brian is feeling testy.]

No kidding.

On this nasty night with diehard fans at Giants Stadium wearing everything from winter parkas to garbage bags to ward off hypothermia, the erratic early play by both teams would have gone better with muck.

But there was Hester, catching the field-goal attempt at the back of the end zone, then standing like a statue for one terrifying beat, then two beats, messing with the Giants' minds, scaring Bears observers half to death, looking indecisive and innocent, then setting sail up the right sideline, riding a tidal wave of Bears blockers to the house. [No shit. I was watching and going 'WTF is he doing?']

''I probably wouldn't have done it if I saw them coming after me,'' said Hester, meaning the lulled-to-sleep Giants field-goal blockers.

''He had to stay there a while to set up his blocks, he told me,'' is how coach Lovie Smith put it.

''No! Absolutely not!'' said Bears general manager Jeranted Hester to run out of the end zone rather than safely down the ball. ''When he got to the 50, oh, yeah, I was all behind him.''

The 7-1 Bears were in a showdown with the 6-2 Giants, and everybody knew this was serious.

The big injuries have started to occur for all NFL teams, the halfway point is past and people would like to know who has actual Super Bowl aspirations.

Maybe it was the odd footing on the fiber-and-rubber-pellet turf here in the Meadowlands that made the Bears look so feeble at the start.

The cold rain came down sporadically, and there were fumbles all night long.

But the Bears moved for one whole yard on their first series, before quarterback Rex Grossman was intercepted by Giants defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka, who ran the ball back to the Bears' 1.

This looked like Wrong Rex all over again.

Right Rex, the quarterback who sparkled in five of the Bears' seven previous wins, seemed nowhere to be found.

The Grossman who had stunk it up against the Cardinals and Dolphins, who looked weak in the win against the Vikings in Week 3, seemed back for a permanent stay.

But ''we weathered the storm,'' noted Grossman, who finished with 246 net passing yards, three touchdowns and a 105.7 passer rating.

At the start, the Bears' ground game was absent, as well.

In that first quarter, running backs Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson combined for a grand total of one yard.

If there had been mud, it could have partially obscured the fact that after Jones gained 13 yards on the first three carries, he and Benson went backward 12 yards on the next four carries.

When the Giants moved ahead 13-3 with a little over two minutes left in the half, it seemed the Bears, who have a lot fewer injured starters than the Giants, were done.

Without a running game, and without a quarterback who can produce points in bad weather, how is any Bears team supposed to flourish?

The seven wins had come against teams that had losing records as of last week.

The first eight games may have been nice for the Bears, said the Sunday New York Times, but this contest ''is their true unveiling.''

Forgive New Yorkers for thinking everything is about them, that nothing matters until it's done on their stage. [Blah, blah, blah New York New Schmork. We've got better pizza, too.]

But why not go along with the sentiment?

With less than two minutes to go in the first half, Grossman abruptly shed his ugly suit and put his victory clothes back on.

He hit wide receiver Mark Bradley with a two-yard touchdown pass to cut the Giants' lead to 13-10, and after that he and his mates were smoking in the rain.

Message sent''It was a strange game,'' Grossman said of the slow start, strong finish, frequent turnovers. ''But the weather being what it was, the level of intensity, the promotion -- all that was part of it.''

It's possible the Giants, who lost star offensive tackle Luke Petitgout to a broken leg during the game, were already minus so many key players that this was an unfair match from the start.

But young Eli Manning looked far less competent than young Grossman, and, as far as we know, there was nothing wrong with Eli's body. [Young? YOUNG? Eli looks like he's twelve and his teeth are fucking atrocious. As someone commented to me: you have a bajillion dollars and you can't go to a DENTIST?]

Grossman ran some plays from the shotgun, and it seemed he might want to put the thing in his mouth and pull the trigger because the Bears looked out of sync in that formation. [Ouch. True dat.]

But the Hester return -- so reminiscent of Nate Vasher's 108-yard, wait-a-moment-then-run-for-a-TD return from last season -- was the explosion that put New York and everyone else on notice.

Injuries are part of this brutal game.

The Bears will get their share, and more.

But at 8-1, the Bears are for real, for sure.

And clean as can be.

DA BEARS!

THAT'S MY BOOOOOOY!!! HESTER AND VASHAR! WE OWN YOUR MOTHERFUCKING LONG ASS RETURNS FOR 108 A PIECE, BITCHES!

OMG, now it's like we can do no fucking wrong. It's like two different Bears teams took the field, 1st half vs 2nd....fucking hell.

Oedipus Rex Redux

Patti Davis: Bush’s Father Issues - Newsweek National News - MSNBC.com

Duh Factor (out of 10): 11 (a la Spinal Tap)

I knew this a long time ago. Many others did. Where have you been? Junior has always been trying to prove his pee-pee is bigger than Daddy's.

WOD: Subpoena

Subpoena is a sexy word, isn't it? I can just imagine it strutting in to a room, untz-untz music thumping, wearing a garter belt and black fishnet pantyhose (the kind with the black line up the back), and then proceeding to whip the shit out of evil GOoPers. Of course, half of them are probably secretly into the whole S&M thing and they might actually like having to be dominated by Mistress Subpoena.

*cough*

Election leaves Bush to bob on blue wave - Politics - MSNBC.com: "More troubling for the White House is that with control of the House, Democrats will now be in control of the committees with oversight of its operations, a function they accused Republican chairmen of abdicating. Those committees will be led by some of the most senior Democrats hailing from the party’s liberal wing, and they will have subpoena power."

Today's word "Subpoena"! Brought to you by the letters "S" and "M" and partially funded by Latex.

Vaya Con Dios

This? Is Fucking HYSTERICAL. If you're not laughing with the tears streaming down your face at "Turn over a new page", you should be dead and buried. Because that is satire GOLD.




*Cough*

Democrats, Number One with a Bullet.

Na na na naaaa, na na na naaaa, hey hey heeeey good bye!

NY TIMES: There was only one explanation for the crazy-quilt combination of victories around the country that gave the Democrats control of the House of Representatives last night: an angry shout of repudiation of the Bush White House and the abysmal way the Republican majority has run Congress.

Like many of my friends (and fellow Americans), I am ECSTATIC at the election results. Absolutely ECSTATIC. It even looks like we will have a slim majority in the Senate. I don't believe Virginia has officially been called for Webb, but it's looking better and better. IT'S OFFICIAL: VIRGINNY IS OURS, BAYBEE! AND SO IS THE SENATE!

The media coverage is right: this vote was a repudiation and punishment of the radical right and especially Bush. I haven't looked at voter turnout numbers, but my gut tells me that Bush and his cronies finally pushed moderate Americans too far. Far enough so that we had a high turnout.

Let's face it: American voters are lazy. If *anything* good could be considered to come out of Bush's hateful tenure, it's that people might have finally woken up to the fact that if you don't participate in democracy, it dies - horribly - and that leaves you vulnerable to being steamrolled by a corrupt cabal. PEOPLE, VOTE. This is your right and people have died, and continue to die, for that right.

NY TIMES: The Republicans created their defeat by focusing obsessively on the right-wing “base,” ostracizing not only the Democrats but their own party’s more moderate legislators. The conflict between the extremist House and the conservative Senate created a phony center, far to the right of the general public’s idea of where the middle ought to be. Yesterday, moderate Republicans in heavily Democratic states were done in by their party’s excesses. In Rhode Island, more than 60 percent of the voters told pollsters that they liked their Republican senator, Lincoln Chafee. But he was soundly defeated anyway....

Low turnout by the average, middle of the road American, is the only explanation (other than YES, I still believe the GOP stole and lied heavily in the last major election) I have for how such a small, angry and out of touch group of so-called religious extremists managed to vote in these Republican psychos. Too bad those people are finding out that their officials only played them for fools. Those officials weren't interested in being religious or morally upstanding. They just wanted power. This is why you keep religion and the state separate: because it is all too easily corruptable and alienates the rights of countless others.

What else? Rumsfeld resigns. HA HA HA. Not that I feel sorry for the bastard, but he's being made into a scapegoat. I bet Bush is thinking if he sacrifices Rummy, the heat will be off of him. WRONG. Bush is still responsible.

Also: Bush now talking "bipartisanship" and "cooperation"? Give me a fucking break. If you were so interested in bipartisanship, you would have been working with Dems when you first started! You're only doing it now because you got spanked by the American voting public, YOU GODDAMNED FUCKING USELESS TWIT. Jackass. You've ignored the wishes of the public - the public you are supposed to be a SERVANT of - because you wanted your own little dictatorship. Bush is still a hypocrite and a lying sack of shit. Georgie, this is what you call a "reality check". Welcome to it, jackass!

I'm excited for "Madame" Speaker Pelosi. It's about damn time for the ladies. However, I disagree with her heartily about: any effort to impeach the president "is off the table," she assured the nation before TV cameras, but she also said American voters "spoke for change and they spoke for a new direction for all Americans." Madame, this man is a criminal who has broken nearly every law we have. He has spit upon the Constitution. He should be tried for treason.

If Madame Pelosi and the Democrats can take power without "rancor" as she put it, and work with the GOP...more power to them. I just wouldn't trust those bastards any further than I could throw them. Remember, these are the same assholes who held power for 12 years through treachery and deceit, who laughed at you and the American public in the open. Twelve long years of making this nation the hated laughing stock of the entire world. It's going to be hard to win people's trust again.

Someone posted Dear Dismayed Conservatives over at DU.

I think I can agree with nearly every one of those statements. (With the exception of "respecting [certain] beliefs". As someone pointed out in a reply, I sure as hell wouldn't respect someone spouting racist or sexist beliefs, for example.) Sure, I want to rub people's noses in it a little (after TWELVE LONG YEARS OF BULLSHIT, who can blame me?), but come on. WE are not the enemy. We never have been. We're Americans as well. Those idiot politicians played us off eachother for their own personal benefit.

I just want clean government. I want to be able to live my life as I see fit, without government needlessly getting involved. I sincerely hope the Democrats act better with power than these sorry elephant's asses ever did.

You can call me a "bleeding heart liberal" if you like, but guess what: at least that means I have a heart.

I'm so BLUUUUUUUUE!

*screams happily* DEMS WON THE HOUSE! DEMS WON THE HOUSE!

 

I would be happier if Duckworth had beaten that shit Roskam, and Seals had beaten Kirk (?).

 

Apparently, we're doing a recount in Montana for the Senate? We may yet win that one, but we'd still need Virginia and I haven't heard about that state.

 

To my Euro friends: guess what? We may actually have some brains left in this country!! *screams and dances again*

 

I saw one post of a Brit newspaper: damning verdict on Bush. You damn right. Bush SUCKS ASS. But I knew that before it became the popular thing to hate Bush.

 

I am so freakin happy.

 

I am "amused" (in the bloodthirsty way) at how Bush is now calling for Democrats and Republicans to work together. Yearh right, you fucking meglomaniac bastard. Where was cooperation for the past EIGHT YEARS from Republicans since the GOoPers took control of the houses in 94? It's always been "me me me!" I highly doubt they'll change. THey'll probably be MORE babyish and evil than ever...

In the "AWESOME DITTY CATEGORY": Daily Kos: Voting Experiences Open Thread #6

Daily Kos: Voting Experiences Open Thread #6: "A short Ode to Karl 'Guy' Rove (1+ / 0-)
Remember remember the 7th of November,
Voter suppresion and plot.
I see no reason why voter suppresion
should ever be forgot...
I know, I know I've posted this before, but I think this should be our mantra come tomorrow even if the Dems take the House and Senate by a landslide.
by londubh on Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 01:23:08 PM PST
[ Reply to This |Recommend ]"

Taking a break from the serious...

Report: Britney Spears files for divorce - Celebrity News - MSNBC.com

Well, took her long enough.

Hughes for America - Ohio once again fails its voters

Hughes for America - Ohio once again fails its voters

Ohio, Ohio. Goddamn Republicans.

GET OUT THE VOTE!

What are you doing reading my blog?

GO OUT AND VOTE, DAMNIT! DEMOCRACY NEEDS YOU!

In other news: more of the same old shit. Republicans are acting like thugs, par for the course, in an attempt to suppress the vote. If we don't boot them now, fight them tooth and nail, we'll probably wind up having to right-hand-salute like the Nazis. (Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it, after all.)

GET RID OF THE RETHUGS!

SAVE THE COUNTRY: VOTE DEMOCRAT TOMORROW

Sick of the lying, the thieving, the deception...the murdering and mayhem brought on by Bush Co? THEN VOTE DEMOCRAT TUESDAY!

And if you're living in an area that's getting "robocalled" : REPORT IT! Here's how: STOP ROBO CALLING BY THE RNCC. This is voter suppression! Make em do the perp walk!

Looking for reasons to vote DEM? Visit: Democratic Underground.

When a party or person is so caught up with absolute power that they will lie and cheat their way through an election (oh hell, it's plural elections by this point), it is time for them to go [to jail]!

"Stay the Course"? Bush and his cronies don't give a damn what real people care about. They just want power. Kick them out. Our country can be so much better!

I continue to love Keith Olbermann at MSNBC.


Olbermann: Where are the checks, balances?

Bush has been 'making it up' for too long, and the people have let him

Updated: 10:02 p.m. MT Nov 6, 2006

We are, as every generation, inseparable from our own time.

Thus is our perspective, inevitably that of the explorer looking into the wrong end of the telescope.

But even accounting for our myopia, it’s hard to imagine there have been many elections more important than this one, certainly not in non-presidential years.

And so we look at the verdict in the trial of Saddam Hussein yesterday, and, with the very phrase “October, or November, Surprise” now a part of our vernacular, and the chest-thumping coming from so many of the Republican campaigners today, each of us must wonder about the convenience of the timing of his conviction and sentencing.

But let us give history and coincidence the benefit of the doubt—let’s say it’s just “happened” that way—and for a moment not look into the wrong end of the telescope.

Let’s perceive instead the bigger picture:

Saddam Hussein, found guilty in an Iraqi court.

Who can argue against that?

He is officially, what the world always knew he was: a war criminal.

Mr. Bush, was this imprimatur, worth the cost of 2,832 American lives, and thousands more American lives yet to be lost?

Is the conviction of Saddam Hussein the reason you went to war in Iraq?

Or did you go to war in Iraq because of the weapons of mass destruction that did not exist?

Or did you go to war in Iraq because of the connection between Iraq and al-Qaida that did not exist?

Or did you go to war in Iraq to break the bonds of tyranny there, while installing the mechanisms of tyranny here?

Or did you go to war in Iraq because you felt the need to wreak vengeance against somebody, anybody?

Or did you go to war in Iraq to contain a rogue state which, months earlier, your own administration had declared had been fully contained by sanctions?

Or did you go to war in Iraq to keep gas prices down?

How startling it was, sir, to hear you introduce oil to your stump speeches over the weekend.

Not four years removed from the most dismissive, the most condescending, the most ridiculing denials of the very hint at, as Mr. Rumsfeld put it, this “nonsense.”

There you were, campaigning in Colorado, in Nebraska, in Florida, in Kansas -- suddenly turning this ‘unpatriotic idea’ into a platform plank.

"You can imagine a world in which these extremists and radicals got control of energy resources," you told us. "And then you can imagine them saying, 'We're going to pull a bunch of oil off the market to run your price of oil up unless you do the following.'"

Having frightened us, having bullied us, having lied to us, having ignored and rewritten the Constitution under our noses, having stayed the course, having denied you’ve stayed the course, having belittled us about "timelines" but instead extolled "benchmarks," you’ve now resorted, sir, to this?

We must stay in Iraq to save the $2 gallon of gas?

Mr. President, there is no other conclusion we can draw as we go to the polls tomorrow.

Sir, you have been making this up as you went along.

This country was founded to prevent anybody from making it up as they went along.

Those vaunted Founding Fathers of ours have been so quoted up, that they appear as marble statues: like the chiseled guards of China, or the faces on Mount Rushmore. But in fact they were practical people and the thing they obviously feared most was a government of men and not laws.

They provided the checks and balances for a reason.

No one man could run the government the way he saw fit -- unless he, at the least, took into consideration what those he governed saw.

A House of Representatives would be the people's eyes.

A Senate would be the corrective force on that House.

An executive would do the work, and hold the Constitution to his chest like his child.

A Supreme Court would oversee it all.

Checks and balances.

Where did that go, Mr. Bush?

And what price did we pay because we have let it go?

Saddam Hussein will get out of Iraq the same way 2,832 Americans have and thousands more.

He’ll get out faster than we will.

And if nothing changes tomorrow, you, sir, will be out of the White House long before the rest of us can say we are out of Iraq.

And whose fault is this?

Not truly yours. You took advantage of those of us who were afraid, and those of us who believed unity and nation took precedence over all else.

But we let you take that advantage.

And so we let you go to war in Iraq to oust Saddam or find non-existant weapons or avenge 9/11 or fight terrorists who only got there after we did or as cover to change the fabric of our Constitution or for lower prices at The Texaco or…?

There are still a few hours left before the polls open, sir. There are many rationalizations still untried.

And whatever your motives of the moment, we the people have, in true good faith and with the genuine patriotism of self-sacrifice (of which you have shown you know nothing), we have let you go on making it up as you went along.

Unchecked and unbalanced.

Vote.

GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK.

London

You'd think in one of my past lives that I lived in London, for how much I fucking love it, but so far no word on that!

I'm finally going through my shutterfly account and trying to organize a photo book. God, looking through those pictures makes me feel so nostalgic. I adore London. I was looking through the pictures saying SEND ME BACK!!

*sigh*

British Mum, I miss you!

A lesson for the Right Wingers out there...

With all the noble and virtous right wingers out there dropping like flies, I feel now is a good time to make a suggestion.

Perhaps we should send them all a copy of a play by Moliere that points out the definition of hypocrisy.


Moliere's Tartuffe:

"CLEANTE
That is the usual strain of all your kind;
They must have every one as blind as they.
They call you atheist if you have good eyes;
And if you don't adore their vain grimaces,
You've neither faith nor care for sacred things.
No, no; such talk can't frighten me; I know
What I am saying; heaven sees my heart.
We're not the dupes of all your canting mummers;
There are false heroes--and false devotees;
And as true heroes never are the ones
Who make much noise about their deeds of honour,
Just so true devotees, whom we should follow,
Are not the ones who make so much vain show.
What! Will you find no difference between
Hypocrisy and genuine devoutness?
And will you treat them both alike, and pay
The self-same honour both to masks and faces
Set artifice beside sincerity,
Confuse the semblance with reality,
Esteem a phantom like a living person,
And counterfeit as good as honest coin?
Men, for the most part, are strange creatures, truly!
You never find them keep the golden mean;
The limits of good sense, too narrow for them,
Must always be passed by, in each direction;
They often spoil the noblest things, because
They go too far, and push them to extremes.
I merely say this by the way, good brother."

IF

If I had a fucking DOLLAR for every time I saw the Repukelicans use the following in their ads against Democrats:

 

"Will raise taxes!!!"

 

"Is soft on terror!!"

 

Jesus Christ. These asswipes really don't get it, do they?

 

I'm sorry, who are the assholes spending billions of dollars on a farce of a war - one we have to moral justification for? And who have no fucking plan to end it? No bid contracts for Halliburton, etc., etc., etc.?! Who impedes investigations of corruption even now?

 

Who said "Mission Accomplished" THREE YEARS AGO? Nothing has been accomplished, unless you count Iraq spiraling into civil war and creating a terrorist recruitment hotbed an "accomplishment"?

 

Who are the ones who still haven't found Osama Bin Laden -- years after our fearless leader said "wanted dead or alive"? Yeah, we've been super focused on that.

 

Who are the ones who verbally attack and malign respected war veterans and fucking cripples who dare question their absolute immoral "authority"? Who dodged service while advocating war (i.e., chickenhawking) Yeah, that's right: Republicans. (And for those of you who think Kerry was mocking the troops, get real. He was mocking the President.)

 

Who are the biggest self-hating closet homosexuals ever? Ha ha, those would be Republicans, too. See, if people would just mind their own bedroom business and/or admit they like a little assfucking every now and then, I really think the world would be a happier place.

 

*drum roll*

 

Thank you, I'll be here through November 7th...and beyond.

Money (changes everything)

I love figuring out bills on payday...NOT. At least I've got most of my shit sorted and dated for the month.

 

I finally picked a new mobile phone for my "new every 2" plan with Verizon. I got a RAZR phone for free (my company gets a discount on plans as well). Schweet. Looks like I can even get a plan with 50 more minutes at the same price of my current plan.

 

Our company profit sharing statements came out today. We don't actually get the money until December 7th, which is stupid if you ask me. Most people use that for holiday gifts; it should come out the week before Thanksgiving so people can use it on the mega-sales. I thought I wasn't going to do as well as last year, but our profit percentage was up and I forgot that I had a full year in whereas last year I did not. (Gets determined from Oct-Oct, not Jan-Jan.) It seems like a nice chunk of change...until you realize the fucking rethug government has yet to take out their 40%. FUCKING BASTARDS.

 

If I actually received what is on my statement, I would have booked my next trip to England and it would have been swank. Now, I'm so disheartened I will just pay down one loan I have.

 

Did a tarot reading for myself last night about whether or not I have a shot at that other job as a document specialist. Keep your fingers crossed, that's all I'm saying.

 

And your toes.

Keith Olberman For Prez

Crooks and Liars » Olbermann’s Special Comment : There is no line this President has not crossed — nor will not cross — to keep one political party, in power.

Oh my god. Seriously, Keith Olberman? I think I love him. This should be shouted from every rooftop. And every rabid right winger should be shown this non-stop until they finally get some sort of clue of how evil Bush Co is, and how they are partly to blame for following him like a pack of bitches.

Silly, silly Cheeseheads

Clark developing into one of NFL's top tight ends - Chicago Bears: "Packer backer: Green Bay receiver Donald Driver told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the Packers (3-4) still can make up a four-game deficit in the NFC North and catch the first-place Bears (7-0), who he believes were exposed two weeks ago in a one-point Monday night victory over the Cardinals.
“It’s never over,” Driver said. “(The only team) really playing well is Chicago and I think Arizona showed they're not that good of a team, either. It's a battle. But sooner or later if we have to meet them again, that's the last game of the season, that's Chicago, so we're hoping by that time they lose five or six games and we're right in the hunt with them.”"

Someone's brains have got more holes than Swiss CHEESE.