Sunday, November 30, 2008

One word - Part Deux

Hey! These are fun!!

What wakes you: Son
Your initial look in the mirror reveals: Foofy
You usually first put on: Slippers
Your closet: Big
Your mood before 11am: Cross-eyed
The first thing you look at online after email: News
Something you tend to snack on: Crackers
What you see out your front door: Mountains
Your takeout menus: None
Number of boxes of tissue out in your home right now: Three?
The way you sneeze would read: AHHHH-shooooo!
Number of times a day you probably brush your hair: One
The most predominant thing in your pantry: Cans
A smell commonly coming from your kitchen: Mmmmm!
How you sort your books: Sort?
The way you keep your place in a book: Fold
Something you hide when people come over: Clutter
Number of people normally at your table during dinner: Three
Something you put on your nightstand before bed: Book
How high you pull the covers when you go to sleep: Chin

Friday, November 28, 2008

For Black Friday

Umm...yeah. Please...not a gift I want for Christmas.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Am a Geek

Am such a geek. After cooking a delishus feast for my family today, I spent the remainder of the day turning this:

into this:

all while consuming copious amounts of this:

mmmmm...delicious, delicious wine...

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Funny Pants

Heh...Julie's got some pretty funny pants stories going on. If you've ever had a funny/embarrassing/humiliating incident with your pants, take a look.

It'll make you feel better. Or at least laugh.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Amazing

Amazed: that we are destitute enough that E's school sent us a food basket for Thanksgiving.

Proud: Not too proud to accept it.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Observation

Just marking time...



Your Observation Skills Get An A



Hardly anything gets by you...

You have a great memory and eagle eyes

Friday, November 21, 2008

Out of town

I am in Virginia interviewing for a job. I can't decide if I want it to go well or not.

God I don't want to move...

Thursday, November 20, 2008

One Word

A meme:
Single word answers only.

  1. Where is your cell phone? Table
  2. Where is your significant other? Bed
  3. Your hair color? Blonde
  4. Your mother? Dead
  5. Your father? Also
  6. Your favorite thing? Boy
  7. Your dream last night? Eh?
  8. Your dream/goal? Happiness
  9. The room you’re in? Living
  10. Your hobby? Crafting
  11. Your fear? Sadness
  12. Where do you want to be in six years? Content
  13. Where were you last night? Sofa
  14. What you’re not? Thin
  15. One of your wish list items? Car
  16. Where you grew up? Seattle
  17. The last thing you did? Email
  18. What are you wearing? Comfy
  19. Your T.V.? Old
  20. Your pet? Snuggly
  21. Your computer? Warm
  22. Your mood? Stressed
  23. Missing someone? Yes
  24. Your car? Overworked
  25. Something you’re not wearing? Make-up
  26. Favorite store? Not
  27. Your Summer? Unsatisfying
  28. Love someone? Family
  29. Your favorite color? Coral
  30. When is the last time you laughed? Laughed?
  31. Last time you cried? Earlier

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Wordless Wednesday - Despair

Not my photo, but somehow so appropriate...

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Keep It Going

Meaningless drivel to keep up with the "Post Every Day" crap...
Yeah, it involved alcohol...
What's going on Down Under this week...?

And, finally..."The squirrel is my savior, I shall not want..."


Monday, November 17, 2008

I'm Goooood!




You Have Very Healthy Relationships



You are an amazing friend, partner, and family member.

You always take other people's feelings into account, and you're never selfish.



Your relationships are based on mutual respect.

You respect the people you love, and you only love people who respect you in return.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Dumb questions

I am sitting here on a nice Sunday afternoon looking out at some golfers on the golf course while filling out my unemployment (stupid) quetionnaire and thinking to myself, "Why do these stupid dumb ass ridiculous recruiters/HR people/whatever ask such stupid questions? The one that is particularly bugging me is:

"What are you looking for in your next job?"
Dumb, dumb question to ask someone who is unemployed.

My answer? A paycheck, dumshit.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Chicken Stir-Fry

I made the best dinner last night. I wish I had taken a picture of it so I could post it here but I hadn't planned on blogging about it so I didn't. Oh well. I'm gonna blog it anyway.

It was kind of a stir-fried chicken but it had just the right amount of 'heat' (for me anyway) to make it really yummy. I think it was just at the edge of E's 'heat' index...if it had been any spicier I don't think he would have liked it, but he said he liked this. I'm gonna make it again.

I kind of took a couple of recipes and put them together and then I substituted stuff because I didn't have what the recipe called for on hand and had to improvise.

  • 1 pound chicken (I had a 20 oz package of chicken tenders so I froze half and used half)
  • 8 oz angel hair pasta (I didn't have any angel hair so I used regular spaghetti)
  • 2 c. fresh broccoli
  • 1/2 c. Kraft Asian salad dressing (okay...I didn't have any of this stuff but I had Soy Vey teriyaki sauce...and I used almost 1/2 c. of that and a splash or two of Newman's Own salad dressing)
  • 1/4 t. garlic powder
  • 1/4 t. ground ginger (didn't have any so I skipped this)
  • 1/4 t. red pepper flakes (this was just enough for me...if you need more heat, bump it up)
  • 1/3 c. dry roasted peanuts (didn't have any of these so I toasted some slivered almonds instead)
  • a couple of green onions, sliced

First I put the water on to boil for the pasta. While I was waiting for that to come to a boil I used my wok to dry-toast the almonds. When they started to brown I poured them into a bowl. Then I cut up the chicken. E doesn't chew meat (or something...I don't understand it...) so I cut the chicken up very small. When the water was boiling, I broke the pasta in half, tossed it in and gave it a little stir. Then I cleaned the brocolli (how do you spell that???) and cut it into flowerettes.

Then I started to stir fry the chicken. I dribbled a little of the Newman's Own into the wok while I cooked the chicken thinking it might add some flavor (I couldn't tell if it made a difference). For the last 3 minutes or so of cooking the pasta I tossed the broccolli (that doesn't look right...) into the pot.

Combine the dressing(s) and spices. After the chicken is done, pour the dressing mixture over the chicken and let it cook for a minute or so. Drain the pasta (and that unspellable green vegetable) and then dump it in the wok with the chicken. Stir it all up a bit. I thought the sauce looked a little soupy so I took a tablespoon of cornstarch, mixed it with a little water and dumped that in. Then let it cook for a minute or so.

You can then put this yummy concoction on a pretty platter. I just put the wok on the table. Sprinkle the peanuts almonds and green onion over the top.

Friday, November 14, 2008

The Movie of my Life




The Movie Of Your Life Is A Black Comedy



In your life, things are so twisted that you just have to laugh.

You may end up insane, but you'll have fun on the way to the asylum.



Your best movie matches: Being John Malkovich, The Royal Tenenbaums, American Psycho

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Just Junk

The goody bags at children's parties. Who invented these? It must have been some psycho nutjob who had no kids. They are always filled with various pieces of junk. And if your kid's room looks anything like my kid's room, junk ain't exactly needed there (disinfectant and an industrial-strength vacuum cleaner, maybe, but more junk? I think not...).

But the thing is, kids love junk. I realized this as I stood with my kid in front of one of those banks of candy/junk machines you find where ever young children congregate. You know the junk machines...where there are little pieces of junk toys folded up into a little plastic egg? Yeah, those.

Well last weekend I was the desperate mother trying to talk a recalcitrant child into getting more sugar , more sugar, more psychodelic-colored sugar as he pressed his little nose to the bank of junk machines.

Me: E don't put your money in that. That is just junk. Here, look at the pretty fluorescent colors on all this sugary crap.
E (pointing to junk in junk machine): I want this.
Me: E, it is just junk. Here, don't you want to spoil your lunch?
E (lower lip starting to quiver): I want this.
Me: *sigh*

Ten minutes after we get home, he comes to me and asks if I can fix the toy that he got.

Junk. What a load of crap.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Weekly Word Challenge - Hands & Feet

This week's words for Weekly Word Challenge were, well, too hard for me so I am digging back to last week and going for Hands and Feet.


Hands:
Feet:

Monday, November 10, 2008

Sunday Funnies...on Monday

What Obama really meant by change...

hehehe...

Sunday, November 09, 2008

Not Proud

I am not proud of my country electing a black man as our next president. I know it is very historic. It is stupid that it took so long.

I am glad that the people in my country voted their conscience and did not factor the color of our new president's skin into the equation. That is the true meaning of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech.

For that I am proud.

Saturday, November 08, 2008

Saturday 9 - The Best of What's Around

1. What's the best new website you've found?
Hmmm...I've been wasting spending a a lot of time on Sudoku.

2. What's the best movie you've seen?
This is hard to answer a I love many movies. A real variety too. I love "Mame" (the one with Lucille Ball and Beatrice Arthur), "Chicago", "Casablanca", "Gone With the Wind" and "The Shawshank Redemption". Also "Madascar", "Happy Feet", "The Incredibles", and "Ratatouille".

3. What's the best quote you know?
The poor man is not he who is without a cent but he who is without a dream.

4. What's the best book you've read?
This is hard. I would say "The Time Traveler's Wife" simply because that is the only really good book I have read lately. I also like "The Kite Runner".

5. What's the best thing someone's done for you?
Probably the surprise baby shower I was given by some of my co-workers. It was a total surprise. I had no clue.

6. What's the best thing about your job?
Heh...getting paid. What I wouldn't give for that right now.

7. What’s the best CD you own?
Unplugged Eric Clapton

8. What’s the best new TV show you watch?
Eh...don't watch much 'new' TV. I just discovered "Jericho" which is, I think cancelled but is really really good. I also really like "Burn Notice" and "The Starter Wife" both on USA network.

9. What’s the best car you’ve owned?
My favorite car would be my bright red 1990 Toyota Celica, standard transmission. I loved that car.

Friday, November 07, 2008

Three Beautiful Things

To combat the Friday Funk, I am gonna post 3 things that made me happy today.

1) The smile on my son's face as I tickled him awake this morning.

2) The sound of my cat's purring as he sleeps next to me.

3) The scent of the air freshener that I put out today.

Thursday, November 06, 2008

Weekly Word Challenge - Then & Now

The words for this week were Hands & Feet. I don't wanna do them this week so I am going to reach back a couple of weeks and do Then & Now.

Then: Here is my beautiful little boy at about 7 months old.

Now: Here he is a week ago after he fell asleep in our bed.

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Wondering...

Since black (men) were given the vote in 1865 and women were given the vote in 1920, does that mean it will be 55 years before there is a woman president?

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

It's Over

Well McCain just gave his concession speach so I guess this long, long campaign is finally over. I think I am a bit torn. Though I did vote for Obama, I still did like McCain. There were just too many things in the Republican platform that I couldn't support. I liked Obama's economic plan better, but I just don't see how he can do it.

I have many doubts about his ability to carry out his campaign promises though. I wish him all the luck in the world and I sure as hell hope this country can get out of this economic funk, but I am really sceptical.

All I can say is God bless America. And God bless this big blue ball of ours.

Back to whining, bitching and moaning tomorrow.

Monday, November 03, 2008

Bad Blogger

I find it exceptionally hard to blog when things are going badly. That somehow seems counterintuitive, that the act of writing here should be an unburdening. Some people whose blogs I read are in a very bad place emotionally and they write very often, sometimes more than once a day, but me? No.

I guess because I try to keep this a rather lighthearted place. Though really looking back on some of my older posts, the times when I was down were really some of my better stuff. Oh, well.

Right now things are going very badly. I am going to have to close out an IRA to pay my mortgage this month. I haven't had a good interview in over a week.

And B and I are fighting quite a bit. Loudly. In front of E.

I am in a very bad place right now.

Sunday, November 02, 2008

Weekly Word Challenge - Plain & Adorned

In an attempt to use the photos that I took for the WWC and yet in my stupidity and laziness failed to post, I shall attempt to catch up using my somewhat halfhearted attempt at participating in NaBloPoMo again this year.

The words were Plain and Adorned.

Dog, Plain and simple.

Dog, Adorned and unhappy. No, your dog really does not want to wear this.
Pleeze git dis off me. I iz not happy now.

Saturday, November 01, 2008

Absolutely the last Halloween post....

...will be a wussy mostly-pictures-post-because-I-am-too-lazy-to-try-to-think-up-actual-words-and-shit.

Here is the beginning of our pumpkin-carving activity:

And, yes, here is the eventual product of said pumpkin-carving activity.
Shut up! I was just glad to get it done with all of my fingers intact and no eyeballs dripping blood.