Blog links

I like Google Reader, because I can sort of peek at what's going on in the world when I'm :::cough::: not taking a smoking break at work. You know. In the time that I would be smoking, since I don't smoke, I surf just a little.

One bad thing about Google Reader is that you don't see who other people link to, unless you jump into their blogs.

I'll forgive various people who never post (Shamus and John, you bastards) and keep them in my links if they get their act together. (Steve, where are you?)

I added the Dilbert Blog to my sidebar links (Scott is hilarious). I'm still trying to figure out what's up with Magnum.

At any rate... please tell me two blogs you have discovered lately that you like. Comments, people!

Hydrospeed

Maybe I'll try this sport next

http://www.pac-sports.com/en/hydrospeed.htm

...right after my next trip on the space shuttle....

One reason

I don't go camping:

http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Dishes-on-a-Camping-Trip

Bears vs. Carly => bears will have a big dinner...

I found a kayak I like on Dick's website... around $700 for everything so it's possible I could get one next year (they ship after 2-3 weeks so why bother this year? plus, I'm broke right now...)

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2228186&cp=2367826.2672651.2674153.2291570&view=all&parentPage=family&searchId=2291570

I'm not worried about buying a kayak to hold "gear"... tents, etc. All of my bedding will be back in my room at the Sagamore, thanks. Each condo even has a fireplace. What?

***

I broke free (temporarily) today from Mommy Guilt and snuck out to go swimming. Alone. No wave pool, no long foam noodle battles, just me and Dierks. Bliss, for 90 minutes.

***

My hip is better. It's been almost two weeks. I'm not sure how I effed it up (aside from thinking that Sgt's explaination of "crappy running form" probably covers it). I need to start running again. I mean I neeeeeeeed to. Because yesterday I was thinking "oh my god, it's almost Christmas". That right there my friends, is proof that running keeps me from going over the falls. But not to worry, I will start with walking. I've got 10 weeks until the Komen race.

To all my male friends

http://www.utilikilts.com/

Apparently kilts are becoming fashionable out in Seattle.

Just say no.

(website got slammed today)

A perfect day

In 1791, Thomas Jefferson wrote "Lake George is without comparison the most beautiful water I ever saw. Its water is limpid as crystal and the mountainsides are covered with rich groves of fir, pine, aspen, and birch down to the waters edge".

Kayaking was great, I absolutely loved it. Except I was a little spazzy; instead of a straight line my boat was often swizzling. Dammit. I may have hit my brother in law's boat several times; I actually almost put the front end of my boat up and on his once. He's a very good sport.

For those of you who know the Sagamore, we started on the north side of that island, went around it clockwise, then down along the west side of the lake in the general direction heading toward Million Dollar beach (but not very far down, the water was too choppy). Then we went back, ducked under the bridge that goes to the Sagamore from the mainland, and went up north an hour or so. Finally I decided I'd had enough (to my BIL's relief) so we went back. We spent about 3 1/2 hours on the water (I'd still be there if I could).

I am soooooo putting "buy a kayak" on my list of life goals.

The Sagamore

I mean, really. Just go.

No, really

Problems of dimwitted starlets aside, this shit is pretty cool...

http://www.alcoholmonitoring.com/products/bracelet.html

I'd rant about how our culture glamourizes all of the celebrity/ party / gossip culture, and so then we NEED inventions like this, but frankly I'm too tired. (Posh can take her fake boobs and float back to London on them, for all I care.)

Planked again

Today I didn't grill the other package of cornish game hens from Dinner by Design. The grill won't light the last two days, even though there is gas in the tank ... I am a little tired of these cornish hens getting the better of me. So I threw them in the oven and showed THEM who's boss. Yes I did. They were tasty. Not necessarily $10 worth of tasty, but I'll find out next time I'm in the market. (Two and a half hens plus spice rub can't cost THAT MUCH.)

The plank is sitting on my counter, laughing at me. Yeah, kinda just like you are, right now. I think the grill found out I was feeling up other (much bigger) gas grills at Lowe's last night, and it's pissed at me.

On the upside I stopped by DbD this afternoon, and the owner whipped up some peach grapefruit relish for me, so I now have two more packages of Mahi-mahi in my freezer, which is awesome.

Mr. Carly said he wanted a new hoe, and we actually had a few laughs about that on the way to Lowe's. Laughing isn't something we do a lot of lately. ::::thud::::

We left with the hoe, and a window washer for my son - a combo sponge and squeegee, he did the windows today... (I am going to teach him how to do all the things around the house that I wish his father was doing. Mwahaha. Oh shit, is that why we don't laugh together anymore? D'oh.)

I also got a shelf for the little tv that will go next to my treadmill this winter, and some batteries. So in the end (ha) that hoe cost $150. Bitch.

We passed through the kitchen display area and I saw a demo set up that I liked, and so I asked for a small brochure with that particular style of cabinet in it. Dumbass... the clerk thought she had a live one and gave me 3 catalogs totaling up to about two pounds, despite my protests. I hope she's not counting on me to make a commisison for the next five years or so. I've got kids with really nasty dental x rays to deal with first.

Well, almost time to find out if I'll have to continue seeing Rory's giant gums on Food Tv, or if it will be Ms. Fancy Schmantzy. Hmm. Not sure I care. But it's kind of like, you read all of these books about this boy wizard and you have to find out if he lives. Or something like that.

PS:
iBlend? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg1ckCkm8YI (Now if only Paris still had her hand on it. )

Only slightly spoiled

I bought a pair of these for $20 even though I don't skateboard... they're C1rca's if you care.

So, I just read the last page. Yes, of THAT. Don't worry, I'm not going to tell you. Geez. But it was fun to just walk up, flip open to the last page, and know(and watch the clerk roll his eyes).

Thanks for your feedback on, well, my aching back. I decided I'm taking this coming week off and only walking. (Except for my kayaking adventure that is planned for Wednesday.)

Ciao, everybody!

Not feeling blogadocious

these days...

• ran yesterday, hurt afterward (hips).... not happy. Been running for almost 9 months now, wtf, half of my clothes still don't fit.
• bought a new Alton Brown cookbook (it's a couple of years old) about baking. His Bill Nye sort of mad scientist still entertains me.
• still don't know what's up with my job... these things never move quickly, but I'm pessimistic.
• every day I have off, it rains like crazy... hey, great fun this summer, huh kids??
• got my "kit of the month" from Lisa Bearnson, and I'm crazy happy with it (makes 75 scrapbook style greeting cards/ 20 gift card holders, and several other goodies, cost $40)
• still singing most Sundays, even though choir is officially on vacation. I would rather be up there... some of the songs are slightly rough but Betty and I did one this past weekend that seemed to go really well in my mind, and one of my neighbors made a point to compliment me, which made me VERY happy.
• can someone explain to me why I can't click on the Edit HTML tag anymore? this will be a PITA this fall - I use a separate blog for our PTO's minutes.

that's all I've got...

Looks like we're 2 - 1 - 1

Another meal from Dinner by Design. Salmon patties. Or, shall we say, "bits of salmon that are supposed to stay together in a hockey puck configuration, but really seemed disinclined to do so" ?

I was supposed to set them in a skillet in a little bit of olive oil and flip once. Hahahaha.

Well, the chunks were tasty. But the tartar sauce completely separated from being frozen. It looked nasty and there was no way I'd even consider eating it. (Think runny egg yolks with green chunks. Mmmm, tasty.)

The funny thing is, we have 3 more of these little bundles of joy in my freezer. I'm toying with just treating the next batch something like a big blob of hamburger and stir frying it. Let the flakes fall where they may.

I almost counted it as a win, because it was yummy.... but the tartar sauce just killed it. So to review,

• Alfredo pasta and chicken and veggies - good
• Mahi mahi with peach /grapefruit relish - awesome
• Cornish hens - bad (due to cooking failure - lack of directions for grilling w/o plank)
• Salmon patties - good, sauce bad.

Happy weekend everyone.

iRun

This seems to be my safest alternative for self-tranquilization.

Things at work are iffy. I took a gamble, and it could go either way... really well, or really badly.

Certain things frustrate/annoy me, over and over, a little too often. The only alternatives I've seen so far have aspects that make them not any better than the particular problems I'm wishing to address.

So rather than just standing still in the quicksand or banging my head on the nearest tree, I slap on the sneakers. I lurch and stumble and frankly, the next day my hips and back ache a little. But it's something.

Happy fucking Friday the 13th. Were you expecting sneaker haiku? Oh well.

Last night I found out that a NICU baby I thought was pretty damn cute is now in foster care. Which is actually a good thing, given the situation. It just sucks that there's a situation.

Sometimes I feel like I'm stumbling around there without a clue when I'm volunteering, but a nurse made me feel a little better this week, telling that I did help one mom (who frankly I thought was not impressed with me in the least, best case, or I thought perhaps I had even offended her with with my fumbling helpfulness... ) It turns out she was happy with what I'd done for her, but of course she is not in a place in her life where she could be all friendly. Not that she owes me anything. I just don't want to leave someone worse off than when I found them, so I'd been feeling a bit guilty or something vaguely like that.

A close friend of mine pointed out something to me. When I'm really upset I avoid thinking about my own issues and do something nice for someone else instead. So I guess that's one reason why I want my NICU work to yield something positive. So I can say "yeah, this part of my life is fucked up, but see over here, I did this, and it was good." Is this a coping mechanism, or just plain avoidance? I'm tired of feeling like I'm right on the edge, and my life is about to either fall into pieces, or FINALLY get on the right track and head in the direction I want it to go. Limbo is a sucky place to be.

I guess I'd better go put those sneakers on.

Catlalog fun

http://www.whatonearthcatalog.com/cgi-bin/hazel.cgi?randomizer=189805671&action=detail&item=AX5862 Crikey... his pants are too tight


http://www.whatonearthcatalog.com/whatonearth/Item_Pick-Your-Nose-Paper-Cups_VE8462_ps_srm.html Too funny.

I don't think this will fit in my home: http://www.whatonearthcatalog.com/whatonearth/Item_Worlds-Biggest-Piano-Mat_AV3432_ps_srm.html

For my favorite drummer(s): http://www.whatonearthcatalog.com/cgi-bin/hazel.cgi?randomizer=906441317&action=detail&item=AX5512

(PS. WTF, Blogger? I can't jump between the Edit HTML tab and the compose tab. You suck.)

Things I wish I could have done in NYC

It occurred to me this morning that I didn't get to do several things that I wanted to in NYC last month.

• check out the concourse level of Rockefeller center
• visit St. Patrick's Cathedral
• spend an entire day at one of the museums
• see a broadway show
• shop in Macy's
• stay...

Success

Tonight we had the mahi mahi from Dinner by Design. Here's my photo...

We were all VERY happy with how it tasted. None of us have ever had mahi mahi so that was fun.

I rolled it in Italian style breadcrumbs before I sauteed it. All I did was pan fry it (couldn't grill... massive thunderstorms tonight.... I was going to call my friend Evan and see if he was out in the boat...) so that was simple.

The peach/pink grapefruit salsa was delicious. Now if I could just remember what else was in it! That's the only downside of making six things at once.

Success! Who needs a damn cornish hen anyway??

Mike Turino

This morning I dropped my kids off at a friend's house for the day. I've never been to her house so I google mapped how to get over there, and I brought a print screen with me in the Jeep.

We pulled in to the driveway of #11 WhateverStreet and got out, with tote bags (snacks, juice, bathing suits....)

We rang the bell and nothing happened. (She has two kids so I expected them to appear quickly at the door.)

Hmmm.

After a minute or two I rang again and after a while we heard the thump of approaching feet. But they sounded like big feet.

Double Hmmmm.

A guy opened the door and stared at me. I was pretty sure I'd never seen him before in my life, and I think I'd remember. I've met Amelia's husband, but only once, but I'm pretty sure he didn't change THIS much in a few short months.

I was telling Suzy about this at lunch time and she interrupted at this point and said "Did he look like Mike Turino?"

Eh?

We then had a whole conversation about Mike Delfino, the plumber from Desperate Housewives. I don't know Mike Turino, but I'm sure he's hot too.

I said "I think you mean McSteamy, coming out of the shower when McDreamy was talking to Addison. Towel, steam, six pack abs."

Except it wasn't. This guy was older, balder, and had the wrong kind of six pack evidence if you know what I mean.

There was a lovely beater car in the driveway, and he was looking at my kids (carrying full tote bags, remember) and clearly thinking "I didn't kill that rabbit". (*)

SO I asked "Um, is Amelia here?" feeling pretty sure I knew the answer. In a thick irish brogue (I swear) he said "I thin' ye got the wrong house." He didn't finish with "....Luv" but he might as well have.


We made it back to the car before dissolving into hysterical laughter. My kids, fortunately, are used to my brand of stupid and found it very funny that we were supposed to be at #33, not #11. It was all right on the printscreen....




*A 90-year-old man said to his doctor, "I've never felt better. I have an 18-year old bride who is pregnant with my child. What do you think about that?"

The doctor considered his question for a minute and then said, "I have an elderly friend who is a hunter and never misses a season. One day when he was going out in a bit of a hurry, he accidentally picked up his umbrella instead of his gun. When he got to the Creek, he saw a rabbit sitting beside the stream. He raised his umbrella and went, 'bang, bang' and the rabbit fell dead. What do you think of that?"

The 90-year-old said, "I'd say somebody else killed that rabbit."

The doctor replied, "My point exactly."

How not to grill

Step 1... go all the way to a place where other people chop and prep things, and pay $10 for 3 halves of cornish game hen with some spices rubbed on.

Step 2... fail to notice when stuffing the freezer that the hens you're leaving out require a soaked plank in order to grill. Well, make that notice and decide to grill them anyway, because soaking would take too long so we'll use that plank with the OTHER hens some other day.

Step 3... preheat grill and forget to turn off middle section when placing hens on grill. Becuase, you know, indirect heat might have been successful.

Step 4... walk back into house and deal with other things. Idly notice the large puff of smoke when THIS flareup happens...



... but be far enough away to not be able to do a damn thing about it. Resign self to the inevitable humilation of someday losing a throwdown with Bobby Flay.

Aieeee. The pasta alfredo with veggies was very good though.

My freezer is stuffed

Today I went to Dinner by Design. I'm struggling with the right word to sum it up because "fun" is a little bit too bouncy and "pleasant" sounds stupid.

My daughter and I had some time together, and that was nice, and we joked a little and got silly here and there, but it was work. It took an hour and a half to make six entrees.

The chicken pesto pasta was one of the easiest things. The spaghetti was already cooked, and we mixed in some chopped frozen carrots and broccoli, plus a bit of mozzarella, and then took alfredo sauce that was already made, mixed in some pesto, and something else I can't remember. Maybe garlic. (We worked for an hour and a half on six recipes so it's a little blurry.) Put it in foil pans, slap a label on them, and done. No chopping, cooking the pasta or the chicken, etc. Nice. It must be a HELL of a lot of prep work, or they get all the veggies prechopped and frozen. I dunno. I wasn't completely impressed with how much chicken went in. Didn't seem like enough for 6 people.

Next we made bourbon bbq chicken. The chicken breasts (bone in) were frozen, so they were easy to handle. We basically just mixed a bbq sauce from scratch with ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, etc. The chicken goes back in ziplock bags and is now back in my freezer. (Not much marinade goes in the bags but you bring home a small container of it so you can baste while grilling)

The mahi mahi looks really tasty - a salsa with peach and grapefruit to go on top. I was kind of hoping to try that tonight, but I let my daughter pick (and, the fish fit in my freezer, the pan of alfredo didn't. )

The nice thing was that I could take each entree I made and split it in half. (They charge $10 total extra for the half size foil pans but it's worth it.) My kids are going to be a little hesitant to try some of the things I made, so I more or less said "Ok, you're going to try a few bites of the third portion each time, and I'll have your stupid boxed Kraft macaroni and cheese made too if you bail out on it. No worries."

The hardest one was the salmon patties, that my daughter had a REALLY hard time forming. I felt like maybe there wasn't enough egg or something to hold it together.
(OF COURSE that was what I double ordered....)

Tonight we're trying the plank grilled cornish hens, and the pesto pasta. Film at 11.

Glamorous Bananas

So. A question.

If I download a song and have to pick between the "clean" and the explicit version, am I a bad mother for letting my 13 year old listen to the explicit one because that's the version I like better?

Am I being realistic or hypocritical if I tell her that a certain word/phrase is gauche/impolite and then let her hear a song that uses it, knowing that she'll come across that version of the song anyways with friends, or elsewhere (the bus driver plays hardcore rap on his radio, for crying out loud, with a busload of little catholic school kids)?

What's worse - to let her know what a "naughty" word or phrase means, or to let her be naieve when other kids her age probably have that particular knowledge? I mean, I'm not showing her porn online or anything. But if I explain what U + Ur Hand means, am I an indecent freak (ditto for thinking the song is funny)? If she likes songs by Fergie and Gwen Stefani instead of Hannah Montana am I obligated to censor her music tastes in order to be a "good mother"?

Do I have enough catholic guilt going on in this post, Poly?

Words of wisdom from the old guy

I heard an interesting little clip on Sirius/198 today; Hef talking about reinventing himself and that he has done so multiple times in his life.

What I took away from it is a reminder that you can reinvent yourself at any point in your life. How you look/act, what you do with your time. Common sense, but how many of us stop to think about that once in a while?

Pondering begins.

Remember sugar cubes?

Did you ever drop a sugar cube into a cup of water right out of the microwave?

It sinks to the bottom. Thousands of bubbles surge up. Then the sugar cube withers and vanishes before your eyes.

When you're cranky, it's hard not to identify with that sugar cube. Pity party for two, anyone??