Monday, November 28, 2005

I am smart as fuck!

Here is a good thing to do when you have lots of leftovers of (1) marinated tofu and (2) mixed roasted vegetables: mince them all up and make potstickers. It is time-consuming, but delicious and it will impress all your friends, hint hint.

potstickers!

Yumy yum.

Saturday, November 26, 2005

The breakfast report.

This week that is all about food is nearing a close. It has been a pretty nice, low-key weekend, with my family mostly just hanging out and a few basic activities like watching a DVD and going thrifting occurring. And I am tired, so these sentences are crap.

We haven't actually been obsessiong over food. I overbought, of course, so anyone who wants copious leftovers I will describe shortly should let me know. Monday will be a feast. I have to say, for all my efforts to the contrary, the best meal I've had this weekend (as far as deliciousness is concerned) was at Habibi in Fremont. If you skip the falafel sandwich and get a big platter and some appetizers, that shit is amazing. The falafels and hummus and tabbouli and foule are incredibly flavorful and delicious, so you don't even mind that you're scooping them up with white flour pita pockets. (Probably still better quality than the ones at Falafel's Drive-In. I am really on a tear with the Falafel's hate lately!)

So, anyway, the Thanksgiving feast. It wasn't a lot of work considering the amount of food, but it was far too much food. Of course it was. Who makes too *little* food at Thanksgiving? Weirdoes, that's who. Weirdoes and poor people who have no choice because cans are small and that is sad but anyway. However, most dishes went over well with most of the attendees, although my brother only ate his penne with smoked salmon cream cheese sauce and pronounced it bland, which it was.

The menu:
-Baked sockeye salmon (yum)
-Marc's marinated tofu cutlets with a 2-to-1 ratio of orange to pomegranate juice
-Vanilla-glazed acorn squash, baked with rosemary instead of thyme (tasty)
-Mixed vegetables, tossed with garlic and basalmic vinegar--included carrots, japanese eggplant, fennel bulbs, zucchini, portabello mushroom, red bell pepper, and brussels sprouts
-Vegan smashed red potatoes with garlic and rosemary (Kevin's contribution)
-Barley, wild rice, and pomegranate pilaf--same as last year, except doubled, and I cooked it with too much water, so it was a lot mushier
-Red onion and peanut pakoras, courtesy of my coworker-friend who joined us (awesome)
-Mixed greens with sunflower sprouts, tomato, cucumber, grated beet and carrot, and a fat-free dressing made with greek yogurt, garlic, and fresh herbs
-Vegan apple-cranberry pie prepared by Kevin (delicious)
-Weird low-fat whipped topping with fresh strawberries for mom
-Storebought pecan pies for Paul

Yesterday we all took a trip to Thrift Town in Fremont, which was so much nicer than the thrift stores I've visited in Silicon Valley. I got some mugs and a sparkly mesh shrug for my Christmas party ensemble. They had good prices on stuff, not just marking it up for the hell of it, and it was actually organized by size in most places.

Today we are going to Campbell so Paul can see Good Night, and Good Luck and my mom and I can wander around and I can show her my soon-to-be new neighborhood. Then they get on a plane and go home, not to be seen again until I arrive in Portland on Dec. 23.

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

The flames went higher.

Last night, we went to see Walk the Line. It was decent--the expected plot structure and characterization was present, because apparently Hollywood can't make a biopic about extraordinary people without resorting to ordinary crutches, but the music was great. The dialogue wasn't terrible. The acting was good.

I've read at least half of Cash: The Autobiography--and I'll probably go back and re-read it and actually finish it sometime soon--so I remembered some of the source material. The movie is about the story of Johnny and June, and they do a good job of focusing on that. I mean, but of course they do, because it's the obvious love story. Why would they go into Johnny's relationships with the other musicians and music business people (about whom he writes at length in the book)? How would that make a good feature film, anyway? So I'll give them props for taking the frequent path and keeping focused on that, if such a thing merits props.

I did like how they showed "Ring of Fire" was June's song about falling for Johnny. I always loved that, and it seems like a lot of people don't know it.

The thing that bothered me with the triteness of the storyline and characterization was this: if I had no idea who Johnny Cash and June Carter were, would I believe this story? Or would it just be another load of mainstream movie bullshit? And I don't think I would believe. It comes off as the same old love story crap you see in every shitty romantic comedy where the guy is a gigantic asshole the strong, smart woman falls for despite herself. At least the movie didn't go long enough to show how loving the asshole was all the woman needed to become the beautiful, wonderful person she never knew she could be.

And, oh, hell yes, I am projecting. Just a little. And their story may actually have been just like that. It's just something I don't believe in and I hate to see and it comes off as totally fake. They fail to show us exactly why June would fall for Johnny.

Anyway. Oh, and speaking of biopics, we tried to watch Finding Neverland the other day. Boring. Turned it off.

Sunday, November 20, 2005

It's official.

I'm moving on Dec. 10. I need to make the arrangements for the truck and getting everything else set up (PG&E, Comcast, etc.), but I've got time. I have to pack and I have to figure out what I need. Anyway, it looks like my 24th birthday plans include nesting, and god knows I love to nest.

I signed the rental agreement and all accompanying forms yesterday. I'm going to rent a small truck for hopefully little money and get my stuff from Milpitas to Campbell in a few hours' time. The big shit is a couch, a bookcase, a gigantor TV and stand for gigantor TV, table/desk, plastic filing cabinet, 1 to 3 chairs, futon frame and mattress, and possibly the kitchen chopping block/cart thing. On their own, a few of these things could fit in my car, provided I made about a half-dozen trips. However, there are enough large items (couch, bookcase, possibly the futon frame) that merit a truck rental that I'm going to get them all at once. Much more economical.

I think I have enough pots and pans. I bought a cheap but surprisingly difficult to bend set of flatware at Ikea and I have probably enough dishes and glasses to hold me for awhile, until I want to get creative. I probably need more dish towels and I will definitely need a vacuum. I might replace my current desk for something more space-efficient and sturdy. I also need a coffee table, since I imagine when people come over to eat (which WILL happen now, at least for a handful of work lunches because I will be RIDICULOUSLY CLOSE), that's where it will happen. And I am certain I will need a few lamps and probably a shower curtain.

Yes, I am using my blog as a kind of scattered mental shopping list.

Kevin wants to give me the DVD-RW console because he never uses it; I have asked him to sell me the LCD I've been using for months, too.

I don't know. I am looking at money and I am going to be fucked really soon, but it will all work out after that. Plus I fixed my W-2 so I should get at least a meager tax refund. (I used some IRS calculator thing months ago that said I would owe money, and I am not having any of that. Did you know that if you don't make shit and you live alone and own nothing, despite what the W-2 worksheet might indicate, you shouldn't put down any deductions? Isn't that awesome?)

Anyway, what's going on? Today I need to finish cleaning the house in anticipation of Thanksgiving guests, watch some Netflix rentals so I can send them back, and eat food that is not from a restaurant, good lord.

I had a good day yesterday. Kevin helped me scrub some nasty shit in the kitchen, then I took off to sign the rental agreement and hung out with the Editor for the rest of the day, which is always awesome. We ate at Yiassoo, which is a DELICIOUS Greek fast-food-type Greek restaurant across the street from my new apartment--their pitas are handmade, always served warm and golden, and don't fucking fall apart like the pita pockets used at lesser establishments (*cough*Falafel's Drive-In*cough*); the falafel is up to snuff; the hot sauce is smoky and spicy and delicious and contains not a whiff of ketchup (*cough*). Then we watched Anchorman at his house because he was just horrified that I hadn't seen it already. But that was not enough laughter for one day, because then we went to see Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic at the Camera 12, which was so fucking hilarious it made me feel guilty and thoughtful.

Also, Entourage is pretty all right. "Let's hug it out, bitch" is classic.

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

Stopgap measures.

I haven't blogged a lot lately. This is the opposite reaction to the breakup I thought I would have, but I don't know that it's an entirely bad thing. Well, not writing much is, I suppose.

I am tired as fuck today because last night I went to see Camper Van Beethoven in Santa Cruz. Thanks again to the Editor (do I even know anyone else anymore? well, yes, I do) for making sure I was well prepared to enjoy their set. There was much rocking out. Even Kevin came, which was out of character for him, but I think he is trying to change his character a little.

There was, of course, some traffic irritation in the form of the exit from Highway 85 to get onto Highway 17 was completely blocked off, so I had to take a little tour of West San Jose in the middle of the night and try not to get too lost before I could sleep, but I managed.

What else. Went to Santa Cruz on Sunday as well, this time just to visit the ocean, eat at Dharma's, and see Shopgirl. The Editor has magic powers, so we didn't pay for it, which was fortunate because the movie was awful, awful, awful. If pressed, I will go into further detail. Don't bother with this movie, even if you think you will like it, because it is boring, horribly written, horribly acted crap. And Steve Martin is lecherous and creepy. It may have soured me on future viewings of LA Story, that's how gross he was to me in this movie.

Okay, so you don't have to press for further detail.

On Saturday, I was going to hang out with my friend from work, but she got tied up following her roommate to every major shopping center in Silicon Valley, so I had an unusually pleasant evening with Kevin instead. We went to the wildlife refuge in Alviso again, which was quiet and stunning. There was one spot I think we could have lingered forever, it just felt so peaceful. We went to Ikea, where I bought some random crap for my future kitchen, then ate at Amarin Thai in Mountain View, which was delicious despite running out of brown rice.

My DVDs and TV shows are piling up: I only got through Veronica Mars season 1/disc 1 and Margaret Cho: Revolution over the weekend, but still have Live Flesh and Finding Neverland sitting here, as well as last night's Gilmore Girls and House and I'm taping tonight's America's Next Top Model and Veronica Mars. Plus, of course Netflix is sending more more stuff.

Thanksgiving is next week. I'll have to get cracking on the cleaning and food prep this weekend.

Saturday, November 12, 2005

More damn photos.

This is an embarrassment of riches for you photo-loving fools, isn't it?

So, I drenched my hair in some Garnier Nutrisse this morning, and here's how it turned out.

emily, dyed

emily, dyed

And now I would like to present, for your further viewing pleasure, Kevin.

kevin in a mohawk hat

How awesome is that?

Friday, November 11, 2005

While the dust settles.

It's been a very long, emotional, productive, exhausting, interesting week. Kevin has been going through the stages of grief and appears to have reached acceptance quickly, which is wonderful because now we're getting along well. I mean, we're talking like we haven't in forever. Not that this changes anything, but it makes me (and, I hope, him) feel better about the situation. And for once in my life, I think we'll be able to stay friends.

Which is that as of now, I am moving out in a month. I just received word that my application for an apartment in Campbell was approved. It was pretty much the only place I actually looked at, due to a successful combination of price ($700/month for a 413 sq. ft. studio, full kitchen, bath, and walk-in closet), location (two blocks from the Pruneyard, where I frequently find myself anyway, and 2.5 mi. from my office), and non-shittiness. So now I have a week to cough up $500 for a deposit and I can pay the pro-rated first month when I move in mid-December.

What's a better 24th birthday present than newfound independence?

Monday, November 07, 2005

Because I said I would.

Here is a photo of me dressed as a bunny.

emily is a bunny

And here is a close-up of the sticky note that provided the inspiration for my costume.

my coworker says this is a picture of me

Thank you and good day.

Sunday, November 06, 2005

Burying the lead.

I don't actually know how to write this, despite thinking of what to say for a long while now. I'm having an interesting weekend.

And it's not like I've really done anything. I was supposed to go see John Vanderslice last night, but that didn't happen. Instead I hung out with the Editor and Jenn and watched Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, among other things, which was highly entertaining. I also listened to the CD the Editor made me of the Loud Family, which is fucking awesome. Really. This blog is turning into some kind of "Look what my friends told me to listen to this week that I now love!" freakshow.

I'm not doing this right.

Last night I broke up with Kevin. It was a long time coming. You all know it. I feel a lot better having done it. I'm gonna move out when I can find a place.

There's no good way to end this, anyone can see.

ETA: The first person to ask me when I'm moving back to Seattle gets the biggest evil eye I can muster.

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Boo.

I spent Halloween doing some trick-or-treating of my own, except mine involved the exchange of cold, hard cash for electronics. That's right: I was buying a TV and a stereo receiver from guys who posted on Craigslist.

So I am now the proud owner of a 27" Panasonic TV/VCR/DVD combo unit, although the DVD player is broken, which is fine since I have a DVD player. I also drove up to Fremont and got a Pioneer stereo receiver, which has been verbally guaranteed to work and, hey, I know where he lives. I haven't set up any of this stuff yet, though, because that requires effort and I am tired.

I dressed up as a bunny in the office. I mean, I wore bunny ears and a puffball tail. There are pictures, which I will share with you as soon as someone sends them to me. A handful of other people did a much better job dressing up, though--my boss, the one who wears all black, all the time, wore an off-white vintage dress with big, gauzey belled sleeves that, with the right angle, are fairy wings; the guy who tells me I look like a bunny without the ears and tail wore a lot of spandex and called himself a Crime Fighter; one PM had a chicken costume. Awesome.

Now everyone is sick at work. My cold has been downgraded to low-level congestion and the occasional hack.

Only about three groups of trick-or-treaters rang my bell last night. I suspect I missed the bulk of them while I was getting the stereo. I even burned a copy of 26 Monster Songs for Children special for the kids! Oh, well. One strange thing did occur, though: someone left a big jack-o-lantern on the hood of my car, facing away from the street. The candle was burning and everything. They left the lid on my moonroof. I felt it was kind of ominous; the conclusion on #n00n was: "Cool!"

Is there any significance to an anonymously-gifted jack-o-lantern?