Sorry for the lame SNL reference. I am video-starved since I sent back all three DVDs on Monday and have yet to receive confirmation from Netflix that they've returned. If I don't hear anything by this coming Monday, it's Report A Problem time. How sad.
The Life Aquatic has arrived in the Milpitas second-run theater, and as promised, Kevin will go see it with me. He WILL. Except that he knows Tuesdays are $1.50 days, so that is when he wants to go. Not on the weekend, when we have all day and it's $3.50. Because that is such a financial burden for the pleasure of seeing a film in the theater. Pbbbt. My main problem with Tuesdays is my evenings are already booked solid with all my favorite TV shows (although I must admit Gilmore Girls' merits are waning), but I can tape them/download them if necessary, I guess. It's just stupid.
Oh, and I'm full-time at work now. Yay! I was also wrong, apparently, about when my benefits kick in: it's 90 days after I started working for the company, period. Meaning in March, I can go get my allergies fixed, get all those valuable girly exams, and possibly even make sure my eyes aren't getting significantly worse. So these are all good things. And work is busy, which is also good.
Today I went to McCarthy Ranch, which is a group of giant chain stores near the 880/237 interchange in Milpitas. There's a Borders, Best Buy, Michael's, and motherfucking Wal-Mart. There is also a Loehmann's, where I picked up a simple (not lacy! Hate the lacy!) black Wacoal bra for $25. I am afraid I will still need to go to Macy's or something in hopes of finding one with wider straps because this might not be the best solution, but it's preferable to the shitty Balis that are disintegrating in my underwear drawer. And there's a Ross, where I have bought many things, including a pair of dark gray pants today for under $3 which are quite nice-looking and comfortable. They were on clearance for $9, but rung up for $3. Score!
Speaking of deals, it only cost me $118 to register the Civic here. Astonishing. What's worse, though, is they did not even want to see my proof of insurance or smog pass. My license arrived in the mail, however, and I am bright red and glasses-free in it. Just awful.
Absolutely nothing else is happening. I made some the fragrant coconut milk chickpea stew from this book my mom sent me, A Beautiful Bowl of Soup, and I was so disappointed. It was horribly bland, despite having everything going for it. I'm going to try to fix it today, but god, it was so sad. There were two freaking serrano chilies, chopped up with the seeds and pith and everything, and it was still bland as hell. Sorry, mom. The other thing I made from that book was better (Moroccan carrot-chickpea something, yellow from the turmeric).
Saturday, January 29, 2005
Sunday, January 23, 2005
Netflixes of this past week.
Better get up to date. Better keep up with the onslaught of films. Hah.
Last week, we had a bunch of documentaries.
Keep the River On Your Right was pretty interesting, but didn't grab me. Strange, considering it is supposed to be about cannibalism. It wasn't, though, really; it was about an artsy New York anthropologist and artist who spent time among remote tribes, some of whom had cannibalistic rituals.
Dark Days, about the people who lived in shantytowns in the New York train tunnels, was fascinating and eerie, but not as bleak as it could have been, which was good. Although their homes were taken away, many of them were able to resettle themselves in apartments, thanks to the Section 8 program. Pretty affecting stuff, though.
Rivers and Tides I'm finally watching now. I enjoy the photography, but I feel I missed out by not seeing it on a movie screen, where the images could wash over me and envelop my vision space, instead of floating uncomfortably on the periphery on a 13" screen. It's very, very slow, but neat.
I also got the second disc of the first season of Chappelle's Show—having rented the first months ago from Reckless—and of course, it was funny as hell. But anyone who has cable and watched Comedy Central religiously (i.e., everyone I know but me) already knew that.
And because Kevin has been obsessively playing Tron 2.0 for the PC and exclaiming how much it is just like the movie, I rented Tron. Which Kevin liked even more than he remembered and I thought was weird and didn't always follow.
And yes, my car passed the smog check. I am awaiting proof of insurance. I paid more than I wanted to for both, but fuck it.
Last week, we had a bunch of documentaries.
Keep the River On Your Right was pretty interesting, but didn't grab me. Strange, considering it is supposed to be about cannibalism. It wasn't, though, really; it was about an artsy New York anthropologist and artist who spent time among remote tribes, some of whom had cannibalistic rituals.
Dark Days, about the people who lived in shantytowns in the New York train tunnels, was fascinating and eerie, but not as bleak as it could have been, which was good. Although their homes were taken away, many of them were able to resettle themselves in apartments, thanks to the Section 8 program. Pretty affecting stuff, though.
Rivers and Tides I'm finally watching now. I enjoy the photography, but I feel I missed out by not seeing it on a movie screen, where the images could wash over me and envelop my vision space, instead of floating uncomfortably on the periphery on a 13" screen. It's very, very slow, but neat.
I also got the second disc of the first season of Chappelle's Show—having rented the first months ago from Reckless—and of course, it was funny as hell. But anyone who has cable and watched Comedy Central religiously (i.e., everyone I know but me) already knew that.
And because Kevin has been obsessively playing Tron 2.0 for the PC and exclaiming how much it is just like the movie, I rented Tron. Which Kevin liked even more than he remembered and I thought was weird and didn't always follow.
And yes, my car passed the smog check. I am awaiting proof of insurance. I paid more than I wanted to for both, but fuck it.
Emily has a tendency to blow up.
And when Emily gets mad, sometimes she refers to herself in the third person. But mostly she just swears a lot and stomps around.
I would like to detail the retarded little things which are building up to make me an angerball this weekend:
I have a list of errands to run today: smog check ($50, goddamn!), bank (money for smog check and vegetables), farmer's market, gas, post office to pick up the California income tax booklet. After doing these things, I plan on cooking and doing the California taxes by hand, because the online stuff is stupid because I didn't live here all year.
However, these things are all set aside until one other thing can happen: I need to get my parking brake down.
Kevin, when he drives me car like last night, which is sort of an irritating story of its own, sometimes sets the parking brake as high as it will go. I have never set it that high because I didn't realize it actually went that high. The maximum for me is something like two notches below that. And um, when he sets it that high, I can't unset it. It's physically impossible. The first time it happened, I was on my way to work and I had to drag him out of bed to unset it. You can imagine how bitchy I was about this.
So anyway, it's almost 11 a.m., the market closes at 1, and who the hell knows when the smog check place closes (I'm guessing 4). Kevin is, of course, still in bed, despite my shrieking at him. (Who doesn't love waking up to that shit?) So I have to wait and possibly cut out some of the planned errands.
The smog check must be done. I'm going into the DMV Tuesday morning and I have to have proof of insurance and a smog-happy certificate to show them before they'll let me give them an assload of cash in exchange for not getting pulled over for expired tags or something. Smog checks, from what I understand, should run around $30; everything I'm finding, even with coupons, even at test and repair stations (note for people who don't live here: those are supposed to be cheaper than the test onlies. This system is so ridiculous I can't stand it), is at least $40 and most places aren't open Sundays. One place I called answered the phone with fax sounds. So it's down to Mr. $50 Smog Check Place.
And then there's insurance. I hate my quotes. All of them. And the next person to ask me if I've checked Progressive gets a scowl. Because yes, I have, and their rates are the worst and their comparisons are useless. But I will buck up and slap down some money for something, I swear.
Yesterday it took three computers to convince TurboTax that a browser in existence was "compatible" with their software. But that was all done very quickly after that, so I'll live.
Oh, he's up. I'm out.
I would like to detail the retarded little things which are building up to make me an angerball this weekend:
I have a list of errands to run today: smog check ($50, goddamn!), bank (money for smog check and vegetables), farmer's market, gas, post office to pick up the California income tax booklet. After doing these things, I plan on cooking and doing the California taxes by hand, because the online stuff is stupid because I didn't live here all year.
However, these things are all set aside until one other thing can happen: I need to get my parking brake down.
Kevin, when he drives me car like last night, which is sort of an irritating story of its own, sometimes sets the parking brake as high as it will go. I have never set it that high because I didn't realize it actually went that high. The maximum for me is something like two notches below that. And um, when he sets it that high, I can't unset it. It's physically impossible. The first time it happened, I was on my way to work and I had to drag him out of bed to unset it. You can imagine how bitchy I was about this.
So anyway, it's almost 11 a.m., the market closes at 1, and who the hell knows when the smog check place closes (I'm guessing 4). Kevin is, of course, still in bed, despite my shrieking at him. (Who doesn't love waking up to that shit?) So I have to wait and possibly cut out some of the planned errands.
The smog check must be done. I'm going into the DMV Tuesday morning and I have to have proof of insurance and a smog-happy certificate to show them before they'll let me give them an assload of cash in exchange for not getting pulled over for expired tags or something. Smog checks, from what I understand, should run around $30; everything I'm finding, even with coupons, even at test and repair stations (note for people who don't live here: those are supposed to be cheaper than the test onlies. This system is so ridiculous I can't stand it), is at least $40 and most places aren't open Sundays. One place I called answered the phone with fax sounds. So it's down to Mr. $50 Smog Check Place.
And then there's insurance. I hate my quotes. All of them. And the next person to ask me if I've checked Progressive gets a scowl. Because yes, I have, and their rates are the worst and their comparisons are useless. But I will buck up and slap down some money for something, I swear.
Yesterday it took three computers to convince TurboTax that a browser in existence was "compatible" with their software. But that was all done very quickly after that, so I'll live.
Oh, he's up. I'm out.
Saturday, January 22, 2005
Self-medicating with fresh local produce.
You know, having basically no friends in this area, a boyfriend who works late, and a job where not much happens makes for a lonely, sad little Emily. This fact has been made readily apparent to me in the last week when, in conjunction with what I can only assume is the nasty thoes of PMS, I cried on two occasions and was sullen and pissy with Kevin and incommunicado with almost everyone else. I'm a lot of fun.
Anyway, I kept trying to think of ways to put this that weren't "woe is me" crap when I realized this is a bunch of "woe is me" crap, which doesn't make it any less legitimate that I'm not feeling very happy, but it's not much fun to read.
I did do one enjoyable thing this week, though. On Tuesday, my sister and I visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium of loveliness. No stories, just reporting that something pleasant and different occurred. Pretty drive via Gilroy, cool fish, quality time with the one peer who's known me the longest (I guess that's fair to say).
But, yeah, I'm feeling a little peppier now—after last night, which was a disaster of driving to Downtown San Jose to find an Ethiopian restaurant that doesn't exist and going to bed without dinner, because, again, I'm a lot of fun—having been productive most of the day. I cleaned the kitchen, did dishes, filed my federal income tax return, and did some mad cooking.
Here is what I made. It turned out pretty well. Also, cutting things like onions and spaghetti squash with my big chef's knife? Awesome.
Green Vegetable Soup
1 or more leeks, chopped
2 russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 or more head of broccoli, cut into florets
1 1/2 c. frozen peas
bay leaf
4 c. vegetable broth ("Better than Bouillon" brand comes recommended)
small handful chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Put the leeks, potatoes, and onion in a pot with the broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes, stirring often. Add broccoli and peas, boil, simmer another 10 minutes and keep stirring. At this point, if you enjoy pureeing things in a blender or food processor, you can, but I prefer to skip the mess of all that and let the potatoes disintegrate into the broth and have a nice, chunky soup. Add the seasonings shortly before serving.
This recipe comes from The Greatest Ever Vegetarian Cookbook, although I've certainly fudged the details. Oh, and if you didn't notice, there is no oil involved, so this is probably reasonably diet-friendly if your diet is not wretchedly anti-potato. Also, be careful with the salt and the broth, because sometimes the broth can be too salty or totally unsalted.
Spaghetti Squash with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
1 spaghetti squash
1/4 marinated sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
bunch of fresh basil
3-4 cloves of garlic, smashed
1/8 c. toasted pinenuts
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds and pulp. Place them skin-side up in a baking pan with approximately 1/2 c. of water and roast at 350'F for about 40 minutes or until cooked. You should be able to stab a fork in there and, when it's done, turn it over and pick at the flesh with a fork. It should be tender and the strands of squash will come out. This is totally a lot of fun. If you have a big squash, you might want to use only half for this particular dish and play around with the other half.
The pesto is fairly self-explanatory: chop up basil a bit, smash garlic, and put them in a little chopper/blender/mortar bowl with the pinenuts; mince into a pesto-y delight. Put it in a tub you'd like to keep it in, stir in salt and pepper, cover with a little olive oil.
When you have these components ready, toss the squash strands in a bowl with some pesto and the sun-dried tomatoes. It is mild and pretty tasty. Should go well with any number of dishes.
Yay.
So this week I'm doing the car registration crap, which is going to cost a lot of money and make me sad. Sadder, anyway. But for now, I have food. Yay for food.
Anyway, I kept trying to think of ways to put this that weren't "woe is me" crap when I realized this is a bunch of "woe is me" crap, which doesn't make it any less legitimate that I'm not feeling very happy, but it's not much fun to read.
I did do one enjoyable thing this week, though. On Tuesday, my sister and I visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium of loveliness. No stories, just reporting that something pleasant and different occurred. Pretty drive via Gilroy, cool fish, quality time with the one peer who's known me the longest (I guess that's fair to say).
But, yeah, I'm feeling a little peppier now—after last night, which was a disaster of driving to Downtown San Jose to find an Ethiopian restaurant that doesn't exist and going to bed without dinner, because, again, I'm a lot of fun—having been productive most of the day. I cleaned the kitchen, did dishes, filed my federal income tax return, and did some mad cooking.
Here is what I made. It turned out pretty well. Also, cutting things like onions and spaghetti squash with my big chef's knife? Awesome.
Green Vegetable Soup
1 or more leeks, chopped
2 russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 or more head of broccoli, cut into florets
1 1/2 c. frozen peas
bay leaf
4 c. vegetable broth ("Better than Bouillon" brand comes recommended)
small handful chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Put the leeks, potatoes, and onion in a pot with the broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes, stirring often. Add broccoli and peas, boil, simmer another 10 minutes and keep stirring. At this point, if you enjoy pureeing things in a blender or food processor, you can, but I prefer to skip the mess of all that and let the potatoes disintegrate into the broth and have a nice, chunky soup. Add the seasonings shortly before serving.
This recipe comes from The Greatest Ever Vegetarian Cookbook, although I've certainly fudged the details. Oh, and if you didn't notice, there is no oil involved, so this is probably reasonably diet-friendly if your diet is not wretchedly anti-potato. Also, be careful with the salt and the broth, because sometimes the broth can be too salty or totally unsalted.
Spaghetti Squash with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
1 spaghetti squash
1/4 marinated sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
bunch of fresh basil
3-4 cloves of garlic, smashed
1/8 c. toasted pinenuts
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds and pulp. Place them skin-side up in a baking pan with approximately 1/2 c. of water and roast at 350'F for about 40 minutes or until cooked. You should be able to stab a fork in there and, when it's done, turn it over and pick at the flesh with a fork. It should be tender and the strands of squash will come out. This is totally a lot of fun. If you have a big squash, you might want to use only half for this particular dish and play around with the other half.
The pesto is fairly self-explanatory: chop up basil a bit, smash garlic, and put them in a little chopper/blender/mortar bowl with the pinenuts; mince into a pesto-y delight. Put it in a tub you'd like to keep it in, stir in salt and pepper, cover with a little olive oil.
When you have these components ready, toss the squash strands in a bowl with some pesto and the sun-dried tomatoes. It is mild and pretty tasty. Should go well with any number of dishes.
Yay.
So this week I'm doing the car registration crap, which is going to cost a lot of money and make me sad. Sadder, anyway. But for now, I have food. Yay for food.
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Ray and faux-faux ham sandwiches.
Since it's Tuesday, the cheap theater has $1.50 movies all day, and Ray is one of them. And since we're not even close to being bogged down at work, I had the day off, and TV now officially sucks during the day, so... what he hell, right?
It was pretty good, I thought. The ending was overwrought, but the music was naturally fabulous and Jamie Foxx was believable (to my untrained eyes). I liked it. And it was cheap! Cheaper than a rental, and in the theater!
Kevin and I also tried the Vietnamese sandwich place on Abel at Calaveras, which turned out not so good because his "vegetarian ham" was not so vegetarian, in fact. I thought maybe it was just remarkably meat-like faux ham, but no, on closer inspection, it was totally real meat. I gobbled my faux (I hope!) shredded pork up too quickly to offer a share, so I can tell you it was tasty.
An irritated and hungry Kevin later told me he wanted to "boycott" the shop and drop the sandwich remains on their doorstep with a note about vegetarian vs. real ham. I told him that was probably overkill for a $1.75 sandwich.
We also took a misty sunset walk in the Palo Alto Hills area (er, I think; it's a big hill in Palo Alto, anyway), the Monte Bello Open Space. It was lovely, but we didn't have long to walk before it started getting dark. We'll go again sometime, though. The drive up is long and winding roads with plentiful opportunities to drive yourself into a ditch, like one woman we saw.
Anything else? No? Good.
It was pretty good, I thought. The ending was overwrought, but the music was naturally fabulous and Jamie Foxx was believable (to my untrained eyes). I liked it. And it was cheap! Cheaper than a rental, and in the theater!
Kevin and I also tried the Vietnamese sandwich place on Abel at Calaveras, which turned out not so good because his "vegetarian ham" was not so vegetarian, in fact. I thought maybe it was just remarkably meat-like faux ham, but no, on closer inspection, it was totally real meat. I gobbled my faux (I hope!) shredded pork up too quickly to offer a share, so I can tell you it was tasty.
An irritated and hungry Kevin later told me he wanted to "boycott" the shop and drop the sandwich remains on their doorstep with a note about vegetarian vs. real ham. I told him that was probably overkill for a $1.75 sandwich.
We also took a misty sunset walk in the Palo Alto Hills area (er, I think; it's a big hill in Palo Alto, anyway), the Monte Bello Open Space. It was lovely, but we didn't have long to walk before it started getting dark. We'll go again sometime, though. The drive up is long and winding roads with plentiful opportunities to drive yourself into a ditch, like one woman we saw.
Anything else? No? Good.
Sunday, January 09, 2005
OK, I liked it.
It wasn't the most super amazingest best deepest movie EVAR, in fact, it wasn't really a movie that required a lot of thought on my part. Thanks to the overhypedness, I could figure out where the non-linear plot was coming from immediately. But I did like it.
I'm still not caught up on movies, though. Need to see The Life Aquatic. Screw the critics. Hope it ends up in the cheap theater.
I'm still not caught up on movies, though. Need to see The Life Aquatic. Screw the critics. Hope it ends up in the cheap theater.
Once again, my silence speaks volumes.
So now that I've got the house basically settled, the job basically settled, and must have the car things resettled for California purposes by the end of the month, I'm realizing how little outside of those things I have to do, and it makes me have nothing to write about.
There aren't even new episodes of TV shows I can rant about. Nothing.
The only thing happening at work is something that I find quite engrossing, but everyone I've yammered at about it looks extremely bored, so yeah. We are rewriting the QA manual, which was in desperate need of an overhaul. It is a project that allows me to do stuff I'm good at and also emphasize stuff I've learned about the job. Anyway, I'm not bored, so screw you all.
I'm just bored with everything else in life.
Netflix is working beautifully, of course. We finally watched Osama last night, which was very sad but good and not quite as horribly awful to watch as you would imagine. (I mean. It's awful to watch, but it isn't as blatantly violent and terrible as some other movies are.) It made me feel sad on a level that an American movie, even one on the same topic, couldn't approach. No sappiness, no ultraviolence, no scenery chewing, no swelling strings over a montage of overlaid images.
Also watched Garden State the night before, which was pretty good, but not amazing (sorry). I did enjoy it, though. Some good stuff.
Today I have Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which I'm convinced I must make my own mind of BUT the hype and criticism surrounding it will no doubt drown out my ability to make an unbiased impression. So, nuts to all of you who have blathered about the film and nuts to me for being too poor/cheap to go see it before all the talk.
My 8" chef's knife is a thing of beauty, also, if I didn't already mention it. I don't know how I've used those dull monstrosities for so long. I can even sort of chop onions without crying too much (I used to just quarter them and put them in the chopper). Even so, I haven't cooked nearly enough lately. I must get back into the habit.
We did check out two restaurants we'd never been to this weekend. The first was a vegetarian Southern Indian restaurant in Santa Clara, where we gorged ourselves on two platters. Most of it was pretty tasty, although there were a few minor issues. One of them was that, to me, at least, there was simply more food than I could stand to sample without being way too full. But now we know, and if there is a next time, we can order more wisely.
The other was a Thai restaurant on the end of a strip mall here in Milpitas, which was not very good. Kevin is also convinced that the waiter didn't like us or was afraid of us or something. It is in the same strip as an Indian restaurant we have been to that's pretty good, and a Vietnamese sandwich shop with a few tofu-based options we want to try. Vietnamese baguettes are so freakin' cheap, I don't know how we couldn't.
So, there you go. I just blabbed about the two things I always blab about: crap I'm watching and food I'm eating. And now it's time for me to get some breakfast (yes, at 11:30 a.m.) and watch some stuff.
There aren't even new episodes of TV shows I can rant about. Nothing.
The only thing happening at work is something that I find quite engrossing, but everyone I've yammered at about it looks extremely bored, so yeah. We are rewriting the QA manual, which was in desperate need of an overhaul. It is a project that allows me to do stuff I'm good at and also emphasize stuff I've learned about the job. Anyway, I'm not bored, so screw you all.
I'm just bored with everything else in life.
Netflix is working beautifully, of course. We finally watched Osama last night, which was very sad but good and not quite as horribly awful to watch as you would imagine. (I mean. It's awful to watch, but it isn't as blatantly violent and terrible as some other movies are.) It made me feel sad on a level that an American movie, even one on the same topic, couldn't approach. No sappiness, no ultraviolence, no scenery chewing, no swelling strings over a montage of overlaid images.
Also watched Garden State the night before, which was pretty good, but not amazing (sorry). I did enjoy it, though. Some good stuff.
Today I have Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which I'm convinced I must make my own mind of BUT the hype and criticism surrounding it will no doubt drown out my ability to make an unbiased impression. So, nuts to all of you who have blathered about the film and nuts to me for being too poor/cheap to go see it before all the talk.
My 8" chef's knife is a thing of beauty, also, if I didn't already mention it. I don't know how I've used those dull monstrosities for so long. I can even sort of chop onions without crying too much (I used to just quarter them and put them in the chopper). Even so, I haven't cooked nearly enough lately. I must get back into the habit.
We did check out two restaurants we'd never been to this weekend. The first was a vegetarian Southern Indian restaurant in Santa Clara, where we gorged ourselves on two platters. Most of it was pretty tasty, although there were a few minor issues. One of them was that, to me, at least, there was simply more food than I could stand to sample without being way too full. But now we know, and if there is a next time, we can order more wisely.
The other was a Thai restaurant on the end of a strip mall here in Milpitas, which was not very good. Kevin is also convinced that the waiter didn't like us or was afraid of us or something. It is in the same strip as an Indian restaurant we have been to that's pretty good, and a Vietnamese sandwich shop with a few tofu-based options we want to try. Vietnamese baguettes are so freakin' cheap, I don't know how we couldn't.
So, there you go. I just blabbed about the two things I always blab about: crap I'm watching and food I'm eating. And now it's time for me to get some breakfast (yes, at 11:30 a.m.) and watch some stuff.
Monday, January 03, 2005
Why it's a good thing I'm going full time this month.
Besides the slight pay raise, guaranteed 40 hours a week, and health care after 90 days, the idiots at KRON stopped the 2 p.m. airings of Cagney & Lacey that were the highlight of my lame TV-watching afternoons.
Does anyone have recommendations for inexpensive but decent quality daypacks and hiking boots? I'm in the market. My budget is under $100 for both items, which I've found at REI-outlet.com, but I want to shop around and solicit opinions.
Also, if you cared about the lyrics contest... I added the answers to the original post. Scroll away.
Does anyone have recommendations for inexpensive but decent quality daypacks and hiking boots? I'm in the market. My budget is under $100 for both items, which I've found at REI-outlet.com, but I want to shop around and solicit opinions.
Also, if you cared about the lyrics contest... I added the answers to the original post. Scroll away.
Sunday, January 02, 2005
Resolute.
I'm not promising anything, but with the dawning of a new year comes a supposed clean slate. A bed to make. A new opportunity.
Whatever your metaphor, it is the time that people seem to make resolutions, or state goals for the new year. I don't think I had any, per se, last year, beyond "travel." Which I did a little of. I mean, I got my passport stamped a few times, went to a few places that are currently in ruin after the tsunami, crossed off a few more states from the 50, hiked to the top of a mountain, and drove over a few state lines with all my earthly possessions. I traveled from student to working suburban yuppie, and now I'm stagnant. A little older, but maybe not much wiser.
I resolve to get out of debt and be a financially responsible adult. I resolve to continue doing all I can in the choices I make to be environmentally responsible. That includes not rolling my eyes every time Kevin installs a compact fluorescent bulb in my desk lamp. I resolve to do well in my job. I resolve to make friends in this area, but not forget those in Seattle, because fuck, do I miss them.
I resolve to get out of the house more often, for things that don't include grocery shopping, work, and extraneous Target visits. I resolve to visit the places in the Bay Area that make it cool, and try to forget that most of the time I'm surrounded by suburban San Jose drudgery. I resolve to try to like the drudgery more, anyway. I resolve to force Kevin to force me to go for hikes. Maybe even try camping again. But we'll stick to hiking for now, because I've never not enjoyed a hike.
I resolve to cook more often and really work at being excited by the variety of healthy, delicious foods that have the potential of coming out of my kitchen. I resolve to try to grow at least one pot of tomatoes on my back porch, because I fuckin' love tomatoes. Herbs would be nice, too.
I resolve to fix this allergy shit and visit my mom.
And I resolve to get my hair cut so it stops irritating me.
Whatever your metaphor, it is the time that people seem to make resolutions, or state goals for the new year. I don't think I had any, per se, last year, beyond "travel." Which I did a little of. I mean, I got my passport stamped a few times, went to a few places that are currently in ruin after the tsunami, crossed off a few more states from the 50, hiked to the top of a mountain, and drove over a few state lines with all my earthly possessions. I traveled from student to working suburban yuppie, and now I'm stagnant. A little older, but maybe not much wiser.
I resolve to get out of debt and be a financially responsible adult. I resolve to continue doing all I can in the choices I make to be environmentally responsible. That includes not rolling my eyes every time Kevin installs a compact fluorescent bulb in my desk lamp. I resolve to do well in my job. I resolve to make friends in this area, but not forget those in Seattle, because fuck, do I miss them.
I resolve to get out of the house more often, for things that don't include grocery shopping, work, and extraneous Target visits. I resolve to visit the places in the Bay Area that make it cool, and try to forget that most of the time I'm surrounded by suburban San Jose drudgery. I resolve to try to like the drudgery more, anyway. I resolve to force Kevin to force me to go for hikes. Maybe even try camping again. But we'll stick to hiking for now, because I've never not enjoyed a hike.
I resolve to cook more often and really work at being excited by the variety of healthy, delicious foods that have the potential of coming out of my kitchen. I resolve to try to grow at least one pot of tomatoes on my back porch, because I fuckin' love tomatoes. Herbs would be nice, too.
I resolve to fix this allergy shit and visit my mom.
And I resolve to get my hair cut so it stops irritating me.
Flatline.
So that contest looks dead. Hello? Anyone?
I don't know. I'm bored as hell and don't have to go to work until Tuesday. Tomorrow, I need to return this mattress pad to Target that I bought, washed, and discovered that the stated care instructions ("Machine wash and dry") were inadequate. The damn thing collected all the lint from its washer load, then the dryer melted the skirt part that holds it to the mattress. What a piece of shit. Got what I paid for, I guess.
Netflix has been good to me so far. I've made an insane queue, including a few with unknown release dates, and will be sending back at least two tomorrow. My mom has requested I review everything I get, preferably in a separate blog, but I think I'll just make notes in here. I don't think I could muster full-on reviews of everything.
But so far I've seen Maria Full of Grace, which was every bit as quality as I was told to expect, and The Office reunion/finale/Christmas special, which was a most satisfying end to that fantastic series.
We did jack shit for New Years Eve, as usual. I was talking to Aja about this: I can recall all NYE events since 1999, at least, and nothing freaking happens. Well, for '99, my then-boyfriend, his brother, and I went to First Night Tacoma, which was pretty fun, but usually, nothing. The past three years, I've greeted the new year with a snore--though last year it was a snore outside Tokyo.
I also haven't cooked much of anything since I've been home, though a vegan pesto made with fresh basil and a bit of nutritional yeast turned out well, and so did the chickpea and spinach soup I made tonight, which was a sort of hummusy soup with potatoes that I quite liked.
And it's raining in California. Like the state is having an identity crisis.
I don't know. I'm bored as hell and don't have to go to work until Tuesday. Tomorrow, I need to return this mattress pad to Target that I bought, washed, and discovered that the stated care instructions ("Machine wash and dry") were inadequate. The damn thing collected all the lint from its washer load, then the dryer melted the skirt part that holds it to the mattress. What a piece of shit. Got what I paid for, I guess.
Netflix has been good to me so far. I've made an insane queue, including a few with unknown release dates, and will be sending back at least two tomorrow. My mom has requested I review everything I get, preferably in a separate blog, but I think I'll just make notes in here. I don't think I could muster full-on reviews of everything.
But so far I've seen Maria Full of Grace, which was every bit as quality as I was told to expect, and The Office reunion/finale/Christmas special, which was a most satisfying end to that fantastic series.
We did jack shit for New Years Eve, as usual. I was talking to Aja about this: I can recall all NYE events since 1999, at least, and nothing freaking happens. Well, for '99, my then-boyfriend, his brother, and I went to First Night Tacoma, which was pretty fun, but usually, nothing. The past three years, I've greeted the new year with a snore--though last year it was a snore outside Tokyo.
I also haven't cooked much of anything since I've been home, though a vegan pesto made with fresh basil and a bit of nutritional yeast turned out well, and so did the chickpea and spinach soup I made tonight, which was a sort of hummusy soup with potatoes that I quite liked.
And it's raining in California. Like the state is having an identity crisis.
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
Lyrics Game, Part 2!
This time, the theme is: songs from CDs I took with me to Christmas!
I'm doing the first lyrics, first song with lyrics I can make out well enough to transcribe, as long as the first lyrics do not give away the name of the song, which would be indicated with "...". Some of these should be extremely easy. Some might not be. Um, and some aren't so much lyrics as samples or talking or what have you. Post your answers in the comments to receive credit: song title and artist. Album title if you know it.
ETA: The contest is now over, due to lack of responses. I'm adding the answers now.
1. "Liar, liar, with your pants on fire." Tom Waits, "Heart Attack and Vine"
2. "Gonna find a way to get home strong, gotta find a way back home." Mojave 3, "Bluebird of Happiness"
3. "I stepped onto the (unintelligible)way. I was looking for the pirate ship." Slint, "Breadcrumb Trail"
4. "He's just what people say he is." Plan B, "Rich and Greedy"
5. "People say they ain't got ... I got ... They go like this." The Gossip, "Rules for Love"
6. "... brings the dawn in. It's just a restless feelin' by my side." Velvet Underground, "Sunday Morning"
7. "This ... plan is random at best. This ..., how much more can I take." Built to Spill, "Strange"
8. "When I sat down on the bed next to you, you started to cry." Wilco, "At Least That's What You Said"
9. "Inside you're pretending, crimes have been swept aside." Portishead, "Mysterons"
10. "Thought I felt a chill, thought an underrated skill." Lambchop, "Daily Growl"
11. "Here comes the hardest part, but I don't need you, I can break my own heart." Track Star, "Feet First"
12. "Buy more stock in ... Millionaires will always woo." The Magnetic Fields, "Roses"
13. "My name is ..., my mother birthed me down a dry ravine." The Decemberists, "Leslie Anne Levine"
14. "Whoa, baby, you can walk, you can talk, just like me." Talking Heads, "Thank You for Sending Me an Angel"
15. "Don't fall in love with me yet, we've only recently met." The Magnetic Fields, "Absolutely Cuckoo"
16. "It's a ..., this life. Tryin' to make ends meet, you're a slave to the money, then you die." The Verve, "Bittersweet Symphony" (for the record, i cannot fucking believe no one knew that one.)
17. "..., mistakes, misfits. Raised on a diet of broken biscuits." Pulp, "Mis-shapes"
18. "Hey, I can't find nothin' on the radio. Yo, turn it to that station." REM - Radio Song (Aja)
19. "Have you ever been all right? Set up every single night." 764-HERO, "Oceanbound"
20. "If travel is searching, and home what's been found, I'm not stopping." Bjork, "Hunter"
21. "Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine." Patti Smith, "Gloria"
22. "You walked into my house last night. I couldn't help but notice a light that was long lost still burning strong." Beth Orton, "Stolen Car"
This is missing three albums, two because the lyrics are too obscure to hear, and the other because it's too freaking obvious to believe ("Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band").
I'm doing the first lyrics, first song with lyrics I can make out well enough to transcribe, as long as the first lyrics do not give away the name of the song, which would be indicated with "...". Some of these should be extremely easy. Some might not be. Um, and some aren't so much lyrics as samples or talking or what have you. Post your answers in the comments to receive credit: song title and artist. Album title if you know it.
ETA: The contest is now over, due to lack of responses. I'm adding the answers now.
1. "Liar, liar, with your pants on fire." Tom Waits, "Heart Attack and Vine"
2. "Gonna find a way to get home strong, gotta find a way back home." Mojave 3, "Bluebird of Happiness"
3. "I stepped onto the (unintelligible)way. I was looking for the pirate ship." Slint, "Breadcrumb Trail"
4. "He's just what people say he is." Plan B, "Rich and Greedy"
5. "People say they ain't got ... I got ... They go like this." The Gossip, "Rules for Love"
6. "... brings the dawn in. It's just a restless feelin' by my side." Velvet Underground, "Sunday Morning"
7. "This ... plan is random at best. This ..., how much more can I take." Built to Spill, "Strange"
8. "When I sat down on the bed next to you, you started to cry." Wilco, "At Least That's What You Said"
9. "Inside you're pretending, crimes have been swept aside." Portishead, "Mysterons"
10. "Thought I felt a chill, thought an underrated skill." Lambchop, "Daily Growl"
11. "Here comes the hardest part, but I don't need you, I can break my own heart." Track Star, "Feet First"
12. "Buy more stock in ... Millionaires will always woo." The Magnetic Fields, "Roses"
13. "My name is ..., my mother birthed me down a dry ravine." The Decemberists, "Leslie Anne Levine"
14. "Whoa, baby, you can walk, you can talk, just like me." Talking Heads, "Thank You for Sending Me an Angel"
15. "Don't fall in love with me yet, we've only recently met." The Magnetic Fields, "Absolutely Cuckoo"
16. "It's a ..., this life. Tryin' to make ends meet, you're a slave to the money, then you die." The Verve, "Bittersweet Symphony" (for the record, i cannot fucking believe no one knew that one.)
17. "..., mistakes, misfits. Raised on a diet of broken biscuits." Pulp, "Mis-shapes"
18. "Hey, I can't find nothin' on the radio. Yo, turn it to that station." REM - Radio Song (Aja)
19. "Have you ever been all right? Set up every single night." 764-HERO, "Oceanbound"
20. "If travel is searching, and home what's been found, I'm not stopping." Bjork, "Hunter"
21. "Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine." Patti Smith, "Gloria"
22. "You walked into my house last night. I couldn't help but notice a light that was long lost still burning strong." Beth Orton, "Stolen Car"
This is missing three albums, two because the lyrics are too obscure to hear, and the other because it's too freaking obvious to believe ("Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band").
Because I'm unoriginal...
The Christmas Round-up of Champions -- Listmaking 1 and 2.
I gave away very few gifts this year, because I have been mostly unemployed, and also I suck, and also I had no idea so many people were going to give me gifts.
Mom: a 75-piece Dremel tool set for her birthday (shared with Margot), stocking stuffers including a few strange greeting/postcards, fat-free candy, Altoids gum, smelly soaps, Burt's Bees lip balm, and David Sedaris's Holidays on Ice
Margot: two books, "An Unquiet Mind" by Kay Redfield Jamison and "Slaughterhouse Five" by Kurt Vonnegut. She loves books about mental illness and has never read Vonnegut, which I thought was a horrible oversight on her part.
Paul: A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More
Kahnya and Putyda: three Dr. Suess books, "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish," "Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?" and "A Fish Out of Water." I read the first two to Kahnya at bedtime, which she enjoyed. I also made Tida a sock creature that looks very strange.
Kevin: we exchanged gifts a few weeks ago, actually, but I gave him the Seinfeld box set, a book about hiking trails in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and a pair of slippers.
So, now contrast that with stuff I got, and from so many people! I feel loved. And rude for not reciprocating.
Mom: Always a generous Santa. I got an 8" chef's knife, kitchen scraper, some cookbooks, another 6 months of Netflix, all four seasons of Mr. Show, the Nikki McClure 2005 calendar, a heated lap blanket, probably several other things I am neglecting to mention, and of course, the beach house and the food and the driving to Seattle when she didn't need to just so I could see my friends before I went home again. On top of that, she gave me $100 to "have fun" on New Years Eve. I am a lucky girl.
Margot: candy and other small goodies, licorice for Kevin, and two books, "Naked Pictures of Famous People" by Jon Stewart and "May Contain Nuts," which has several comedic pieces in it.
Paul: "Left of Cool" by Bela Fleck and the Flecktones
Kahnya and Putyda: no gifts for me, they were just cute and I got to hang out with them and aren't babies precious awwww.
Kevin: master of the practical gift I am too cheap to buy myself, he got me a fabulous toaster oven and a new computer case into which every part fits so the power supply isn't propped up on a piece of cardboard, hovering over the open case. This one also lacks ex-boyfriend karma and is pretty silver.
Kevin's dad: "America: The Book" by Jon Stewart and others for my birthday, and a warm and fuzzy fleece-type jacket for Christmas.
Kevin's mom: a heated blanket so I stop shivering in bed and subscriptions to two of my favorite magazines, Bitch and Seed.
Sarah: a pretty scarf and some nice smelly soap
Sarah's mom: bath gel and a scrubby
Josie: soap and a scrubby
Uncle Ken and Aunt Deb: a pretty purse
Kevin's sister: warm socks
I think that is a fairly exhaustive list. In less tangible gifts, I was able to spend time with Josie and Christine down at the beach, which was a lot of fun, and then they took me to the bus station so I could go to Olympia and spend time with my aging grandparents. The next evening, I got to go to Seattle and see my Uncle Ken, Aunt Deb, and cousin Sheila, who is my age and contemplating doing a teaching program in Japan after she graduates with her English degree this year. Then I got to spend a few hours with Jana, Lindsay, Graylan, and Chris, see Jana and Chris's truly fabulous new place, and eat at Neelam's on Greenwood, which was every bit as good as I remembered.
I may have more stories later, but until then... I'll post another stupid lyrics game in a bit. Maybe this one will be easier.
I gave away very few gifts this year, because I have been mostly unemployed, and also I suck, and also I had no idea so many people were going to give me gifts.
Mom: a 75-piece Dremel tool set for her birthday (shared with Margot), stocking stuffers including a few strange greeting/postcards, fat-free candy, Altoids gum, smelly soaps, Burt's Bees lip balm, and David Sedaris's Holidays on Ice
Margot: two books, "An Unquiet Mind" by Kay Redfield Jamison and "Slaughterhouse Five" by Kurt Vonnegut. She loves books about mental illness and has never read Vonnegut, which I thought was a horrible oversight on her part.
Paul: A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More
Kahnya and Putyda: three Dr. Suess books, "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish," "Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?" and "A Fish Out of Water." I read the first two to Kahnya at bedtime, which she enjoyed. I also made Tida a sock creature that looks very strange.
Kevin: we exchanged gifts a few weeks ago, actually, but I gave him the Seinfeld box set, a book about hiking trails in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and a pair of slippers.
So, now contrast that with stuff I got, and from so many people! I feel loved. And rude for not reciprocating.
Mom: Always a generous Santa. I got an 8" chef's knife, kitchen scraper, some cookbooks, another 6 months of Netflix, all four seasons of Mr. Show, the Nikki McClure 2005 calendar, a heated lap blanket, probably several other things I am neglecting to mention, and of course, the beach house and the food and the driving to Seattle when she didn't need to just so I could see my friends before I went home again. On top of that, she gave me $100 to "have fun" on New Years Eve. I am a lucky girl.
Margot: candy and other small goodies, licorice for Kevin, and two books, "Naked Pictures of Famous People" by Jon Stewart and "May Contain Nuts," which has several comedic pieces in it.
Paul: "Left of Cool" by Bela Fleck and the Flecktones
Kahnya and Putyda: no gifts for me, they were just cute and I got to hang out with them and aren't babies precious awwww.
Kevin: master of the practical gift I am too cheap to buy myself, he got me a fabulous toaster oven and a new computer case into which every part fits so the power supply isn't propped up on a piece of cardboard, hovering over the open case. This one also lacks ex-boyfriend karma and is pretty silver.
Kevin's dad: "America: The Book" by Jon Stewart and others for my birthday, and a warm and fuzzy fleece-type jacket for Christmas.
Kevin's mom: a heated blanket so I stop shivering in bed and subscriptions to two of my favorite magazines, Bitch and Seed.
Sarah: a pretty scarf and some nice smelly soap
Sarah's mom: bath gel and a scrubby
Josie: soap and a scrubby
Uncle Ken and Aunt Deb: a pretty purse
Kevin's sister: warm socks
I think that is a fairly exhaustive list. In less tangible gifts, I was able to spend time with Josie and Christine down at the beach, which was a lot of fun, and then they took me to the bus station so I could go to Olympia and spend time with my aging grandparents. The next evening, I got to go to Seattle and see my Uncle Ken, Aunt Deb, and cousin Sheila, who is my age and contemplating doing a teaching program in Japan after she graduates with her English degree this year. Then I got to spend a few hours with Jana, Lindsay, Graylan, and Chris, see Jana and Chris's truly fabulous new place, and eat at Neelam's on Greenwood, which was every bit as good as I remembered.
I may have more stories later, but until then... I'll post another stupid lyrics game in a bit. Maybe this one will be easier.
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
The end.
Since I'm leaving in a couple hours for the holiday, the Lyrics Game is now over. Aja won with four answers, and Julie came in second with three. Congratulations, guys! You win the satisfaction of knowing you were right!
1. Frank Black - Los Angeles*
2. Minus the Bear - Monkey!!!Knife!!!Fight!!!*
3. Thirft Store Junkies - Thrift Store War
4. Local H - Bound to the Floor*
5. Carly Simon - You're So Vain*
6. Old 97s - Nightclub
7. The Impossibles - This Is Fucking Tragic*
8. The Pills Kick In - Apologize
9. Super Furry Animals - Juxtapozed with U
10. Gravy Train - Hella Nervous
11. The Mountain Goats - See America Right*
12. The Refreshments - Banditos
13. Built to Spill - Girl
14. Ben Folds - Make Me Mommy*
15. Rjd2 - Ghostwriter*
16. Blondie - Divine
17. Luna - Friendly Advice*
18. Dead Kennedys - Chickenshit Conformist
19. AC/DC - TNT
20. Ween - Piss up a Rope*
The asterisk indicates ones that were guessed.
I don't have much to tell, except that on Sunday, Kevin and I went to Point Lobos with his mom for her birthday and saw a freakin' WHALE. It was a gorgeous day to boot.
We had no work today, basically, so I came home around noon. Kevin is supposed to come home at 3:30 and take me to the airport. I am hoping I can avoid checking my luggage, but I think it might be just slightly oversized.
1. Frank Black - Los Angeles*
2. Minus the Bear - Monkey!!!Knife!!!Fight!!!*
3. Thirft Store Junkies - Thrift Store War
4. Local H - Bound to the Floor*
5. Carly Simon - You're So Vain*
6. Old 97s - Nightclub
7. The Impossibles - This Is Fucking Tragic*
8. The Pills Kick In - Apologize
9. Super Furry Animals - Juxtapozed with U
10. Gravy Train - Hella Nervous
11. The Mountain Goats - See America Right*
12. The Refreshments - Banditos
13. Built to Spill - Girl
14. Ben Folds - Make Me Mommy*
15. Rjd2 - Ghostwriter*
16. Blondie - Divine
17. Luna - Friendly Advice*
18. Dead Kennedys - Chickenshit Conformist
19. AC/DC - TNT
20. Ween - Piss up a Rope*
The asterisk indicates ones that were guessed.
I don't have much to tell, except that on Sunday, Kevin and I went to Point Lobos with his mom for her birthday and saw a freakin' WHALE. It was a gorgeous day to boot.
We had no work today, basically, so I came home around noon. Kevin is supposed to come home at 3:30 and take me to the airport. I am hoping I can avoid checking my luggage, but I think it might be just slightly oversized.
Friday, December 17, 2004
The Song Lyric Game.
My brother did this, and he hardly listens to any music with lyrics, so here's my list. These are taken from a playlist sitting in my home directory. For fun, let's just use the first lines of the songs.
Post your answers in the comments and if you lack a blogger account, please leave your name. I'll try to cross these off as they're answered.
Also, you get extra points if you discover any mishearings (i.e., "'scuse me while I kiss this guy.").
1. "I met a man, he was a good man, sailin' and shorin'..." Frank Black - Los Angeles (Aja)
2. "'It's getting late,' she said. She touched my face. 'Let's stay out late as we can.'" Minus the Bear - Monkey!!!Knife!!!Fight!!! (Julie)
3. "They're fightin' on the aisle and they're fightin' on the floor."
4. "Born to be down, I've learned all my lessons before now." Local H - Bound for the Floor (Aja)
5. "You walked into the party like you were walking onto a yacht." Carly Simon - You're So Vain (Mom, who won't post a comment)
6. "1,800 miles from this ol' nightclub, a girl is turning 22 today."
7. "We've come to feel so cold." The Impossibles - This Is Fucking Tragic (Aja)
8. "I could be wrong and still I argue when I'm weak."
9. "It's easy when you know how to get along with a..."
10. "You make me nervous."
11. "I was driving up from Tampa when the radiator burst." The Mountain Goats - See America Right (Aja)
12. "So just how far down do you wanna go?"
13. "Sitting 'round the railroad station, reading books 'bout intimidation."
14. "Oh, mommy, she touched me, mommy!" Ben Folds - Make Me Mommy (Christine, because Kevin was too lazy to come post the ones he knew)
15. "B-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-back again my nizzle." Rjd2 - Ghostwriter (Sammy was close enough)
16. "Not of this world, entirely."
And four more to round it out:
17. "Cover my face with roses, cover me head to toe." Luna - Friendly Advice (Julie)
18. "Punk's not dead, it just deserves to die."
19. "See me ride out of the sunset on your color TV screen."
20. "My dinner's on fire while she watches TV." Ween - Piss Up A Rope (Julie)
Some of these are a little obscure, while others will be obvious to certain individuals. Have fun.
Post your answers in the comments and if you lack a blogger account, please leave your name. I'll try to cross these off as they're answered.
Also, you get extra points if you discover any mishearings (i.e., "'scuse me while I kiss this guy.").
1. "I met a man, he was a good man, sailin' and shorin'..." Frank Black - Los Angeles (Aja)
2. "'It's getting late,' she said. She touched my face. 'Let's stay out late as we can.'" Minus the Bear - Monkey!!!Knife!!!Fight!!! (Julie)
3. "They're fightin' on the aisle and they're fightin' on the floor."
4. "Born to be down, I've learned all my lessons before now." Local H - Bound for the Floor (Aja)
5. "You walked into the party like you were walking onto a yacht." Carly Simon - You're So Vain (Mom, who won't post a comment)
6. "1,800 miles from this ol' nightclub, a girl is turning 22 today."
7. "We've come to feel so cold." The Impossibles - This Is Fucking Tragic (Aja)
8. "I could be wrong and still I argue when I'm weak."
9. "It's easy when you know how to get along with a..."
10. "You make me nervous."
11. "I was driving up from Tampa when the radiator burst." The Mountain Goats - See America Right (Aja)
12. "So just how far down do you wanna go?"
13. "Sitting 'round the railroad station, reading books 'bout intimidation."
14. "Oh, mommy, she touched me, mommy!" Ben Folds - Make Me Mommy (Christine, because Kevin was too lazy to come post the ones he knew)
15. "B-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-back again my nizzle." Rjd2 - Ghostwriter (Sammy was close enough)
16. "Not of this world, entirely."
And four more to round it out:
17. "Cover my face with roses, cover me head to toe." Luna - Friendly Advice (Julie)
18. "Punk's not dead, it just deserves to die."
19. "See me ride out of the sunset on your color TV screen."
20. "My dinner's on fire while she watches TV." Ween - Piss Up A Rope (Julie)
Some of these are a little obscure, while others will be obvious to certain individuals. Have fun.
Thursday, December 16, 2004
Tomato soup.
It's delicious and worth waiting for, although I don't know why I did.
I've been wanting tomato soup and grilled cheese for two days now. I just needed to make the soup, which is... insanely easy.
Here:
-olive oil/butter (for sauteeing)
-one medium or two small onions, minced
-two or three cloved of garlic, crushed and minced
-a bay leaf
-large (28 oz.) can of tomatoes--the best would be a Muir Glen Organic fire-roasted variety, but you can make do with a lesser canned tomato as long as it's packed in water and not puree.
-appx. half a can of tomato paste
-diced zucchini or other vegetable, if desired
-1/2 c. dry white wine or sherry
-salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste
Saute the onions and garlic in oil/butter until softening, then throw in the zucchini, if you're using it, and the bay leaf. Open the can of tomatoes and drain all liquid into a 1-quart measuring cup. Top off with water until you have 3 cups of liquid. Set aside. Now chop the tomatoes if they are not already diced and stir them into the pot along with the tomato paste. Then add the wine and liquid, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to simmer for awhile. Add salt and pepper shortly before serving. Tastes good with a dollop of hummus, too.
So that's what I had for dinner, along with a bit of salad and a grilled cheese--sprouted wheat bread with some of the Mediterranean blend cheese from Trader Joe's.
Mmmmm.
I've been wanting tomato soup and grilled cheese for two days now. I just needed to make the soup, which is... insanely easy.
Here:
-olive oil/butter (for sauteeing)
-one medium or two small onions, minced
-two or three cloved of garlic, crushed and minced
-a bay leaf
-large (28 oz.) can of tomatoes--the best would be a Muir Glen Organic fire-roasted variety, but you can make do with a lesser canned tomato as long as it's packed in water and not puree.
-appx. half a can of tomato paste
-diced zucchini or other vegetable, if desired
-1/2 c. dry white wine or sherry
-salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste
Saute the onions and garlic in oil/butter until softening, then throw in the zucchini, if you're using it, and the bay leaf. Open the can of tomatoes and drain all liquid into a 1-quart measuring cup. Top off with water until you have 3 cups of liquid. Set aside. Now chop the tomatoes if they are not already diced and stir them into the pot along with the tomato paste. Then add the wine and liquid, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to simmer for awhile. Add salt and pepper shortly before serving. Tastes good with a dollop of hummus, too.
So that's what I had for dinner, along with a bit of salad and a grilled cheese--sprouted wheat bread with some of the Mediterranean blend cheese from Trader Joe's.
Mmmmm.
Monday, December 13, 2004
"Moreso" is not a word and other lessons learned.
I'm 23 now, and I can admit when I've made a mistake.
"Moreso" is not a word. Until today, neither my boss nor I had any idea that was the case. We'd both used it as a word many times, then today the subject came up, so we consulted several dictionaries and Google, all of which shot us down.
I'm SO CONFUSED!
Heh.
We spent my birthday in Santa Cruz, mostly with Kevin's dad and his girlfriend. We hiked around Nicene Marks for a couple hours, made curry, and ate a crazy chocolate mousse cake thing from a local bakery that was to die for. (Really. It could probably kill you. But it was really good.) Then Kevin and I did a little Christmas shopping at Bookshop Santa Cruz and visited his mom before heading home in the wee hours of the morning.
I convinced him to come see I Heart Huckabees with me on Sunday afternoon. It's playing at the second run theater for a trifling $3.50.
Also, his coworkers have set up a website where they can ask him questions about being vegan. They call him Tofu. It's very amusing, but I'm not sure I'm at liberty to share the link. And also, it's Monday, which is a night of extremely terrible network TV, and I am watching probably the worst of the lot, which causes me to yell at the TV.
There are two work-related holiday parties this week, one of which requires me to dress up and socialize in the evening. Obviously, Kevin is not going to join me, because he doesn't do that kind of thing. The other one is a lunchtime potluck and Secret Santa gift exchange. I got a present for someone I barely know. I'm going to make hummus and bring pitas and pearl tomatoes.
This is a very boring entry, no? I don't know. There's isn't that much to discuss. I should go make some food involving this odd assortment of vegetables floating around my kitchen: beets (with greens), cauliflower (which I chopped up and froze yesterday, so it's not an imperative), zucchini, spinach, mixed greens, snow peas, and a yam. I'm thinking of roasting a few of those things, or making a beet-based soup and cooking some barley. I don't know.
GOD I hate these fucking McDonald's commercials. Almost as much at the Old Navy Christmas jingles. Those make me want to throttle my TV.
"Moreso" is not a word. Until today, neither my boss nor I had any idea that was the case. We'd both used it as a word many times, then today the subject came up, so we consulted several dictionaries and Google, all of which shot us down.
I'm SO CONFUSED!
Heh.
We spent my birthday in Santa Cruz, mostly with Kevin's dad and his girlfriend. We hiked around Nicene Marks for a couple hours, made curry, and ate a crazy chocolate mousse cake thing from a local bakery that was to die for. (Really. It could probably kill you. But it was really good.) Then Kevin and I did a little Christmas shopping at Bookshop Santa Cruz and visited his mom before heading home in the wee hours of the morning.
I convinced him to come see I Heart Huckabees with me on Sunday afternoon. It's playing at the second run theater for a trifling $3.50.
Also, his coworkers have set up a website where they can ask him questions about being vegan. They call him Tofu. It's very amusing, but I'm not sure I'm at liberty to share the link. And also, it's Monday, which is a night of extremely terrible network TV, and I am watching probably the worst of the lot, which causes me to yell at the TV.
There are two work-related holiday parties this week, one of which requires me to dress up and socialize in the evening. Obviously, Kevin is not going to join me, because he doesn't do that kind of thing. The other one is a lunchtime potluck and Secret Santa gift exchange. I got a present for someone I barely know. I'm going to make hummus and bring pitas and pearl tomatoes.
This is a very boring entry, no? I don't know. There's isn't that much to discuss. I should go make some food involving this odd assortment of vegetables floating around my kitchen: beets (with greens), cauliflower (which I chopped up and froze yesterday, so it's not an imperative), zucchini, spinach, mixed greens, snow peas, and a yam. I'm thinking of roasting a few of those things, or making a beet-based soup and cooking some barley. I don't know.
GOD I hate these fucking McDonald's commercials. Almost as much at the Old Navy Christmas jingles. Those make me want to throttle my TV.
Monday, December 06, 2004
Songs that made my year.
Not a best-of list by any means, just music that got to me. That had an attachment.
1) "The New Year," Death Cab for Cutie. I started off 2004 by traveling to Asia and getting my passport stamped for the first time. The song is appropriate, and the album it's from kept me company on a few lengthy journeys from one point to another. They may be a Northwest band, but this song and this time I will forever associate with southern Thailand.
2) "Cry Me a River," Justin Timberlake. Am so not kidding, either. Heard this so many freakin' times during my three weeks abroad, I couldn't help but like it. Actually, it could be another Justin Timberlake single, for all I know, I just can't remember the names of any other song.
3) "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea," Neutral Milk Hotel. In a blatant attempt to revive my ailing indie cred... heh. During my two months of doing nothing before spring quarter, I picked up the guitar again a few times. This song's chord progression is simple (G, Em, C, D) and I always go back to it. It's all I can remember anymore.
4) "A Cautionary Song," the Decemberists. Or anything off Castaways and Cutouts, really, although I am fond of their most recent album, too. I forced my mom to listen to it on our long road trip for the 100 miles I drove I-80 across Nevada.
5) "Fit But You Know It," the Streets. I can't explain my attraction to this song. Gabe sent me the album, and I listened to it, liked it, but mostly forgot it, until this song got airtime on KEXP, and it got stuck in my head on a pretty regular basis.
6) "Hummingbird," Wilco. The more I listen to Wilco, the more I enjoy the shit out of them. They're just fucking good. This song is all super Beatlesque, but the harmonies are lovely.
7) "Mad Bombers," Plan B. I rented the movie "Network" and realized the voice samples in this song are from that movie. Awesome. Also, I saw Plan B perform at Bumbershoot after the Laptop Battle--who knew you could perform music with a laptop?--and they were pretty rad.
8) "Monkey Gone to Heaven," the Pixies. Because it's the motherfucking Pixies, and I saw them, bitches.
9) "Such Great Heights," the Postal Service. Oh, god, this goes on every indie chick's list from this year and last, but whaaaatever. It's great city driving music.
10) "Hallelujah," Jeff Buckley. Who would've known my mom and I could find common ground in music (aside from certain Beatles albums and Simon and Garfunkel)? May he rest in peace.
11) "Found a Job," Talking Heads. Hee. If you're not doing what you love... then something isn't right. Words to live by, especially when you're desperately seeking employment. And direction.
12) "See America Right," the Mountain Goats. I did a lot of driving this year, and I listened to one Mountain Goats CD repeatedly. It wasn't this one, but I still like the song.
How should the year end?
1) "The New Year," Death Cab for Cutie. I started off 2004 by traveling to Asia and getting my passport stamped for the first time. The song is appropriate, and the album it's from kept me company on a few lengthy journeys from one point to another. They may be a Northwest band, but this song and this time I will forever associate with southern Thailand.
2) "Cry Me a River," Justin Timberlake. Am so not kidding, either. Heard this so many freakin' times during my three weeks abroad, I couldn't help but like it. Actually, it could be another Justin Timberlake single, for all I know, I just can't remember the names of any other song.
3) "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea," Neutral Milk Hotel. In a blatant attempt to revive my ailing indie cred... heh. During my two months of doing nothing before spring quarter, I picked up the guitar again a few times. This song's chord progression is simple (G, Em, C, D) and I always go back to it. It's all I can remember anymore.
4) "A Cautionary Song," the Decemberists. Or anything off Castaways and Cutouts, really, although I am fond of their most recent album, too. I forced my mom to listen to it on our long road trip for the 100 miles I drove I-80 across Nevada.
5) "Fit But You Know It," the Streets. I can't explain my attraction to this song. Gabe sent me the album, and I listened to it, liked it, but mostly forgot it, until this song got airtime on KEXP, and it got stuck in my head on a pretty regular basis.
6) "Hummingbird," Wilco. The more I listen to Wilco, the more I enjoy the shit out of them. They're just fucking good. This song is all super Beatlesque, but the harmonies are lovely.
7) "Mad Bombers," Plan B. I rented the movie "Network" and realized the voice samples in this song are from that movie. Awesome. Also, I saw Plan B perform at Bumbershoot after the Laptop Battle--who knew you could perform music with a laptop?--and they were pretty rad.
8) "Monkey Gone to Heaven," the Pixies. Because it's the motherfucking Pixies, and I saw them, bitches.
9) "Such Great Heights," the Postal Service. Oh, god, this goes on every indie chick's list from this year and last, but whaaaatever. It's great city driving music.
10) "Hallelujah," Jeff Buckley. Who would've known my mom and I could find common ground in music (aside from certain Beatles albums and Simon and Garfunkel)? May he rest in peace.
11) "Found a Job," Talking Heads. Hee. If you're not doing what you love... then something isn't right. Words to live by, especially when you're desperately seeking employment. And direction.
12) "See America Right," the Mountain Goats. I did a lot of driving this year, and I listened to one Mountain Goats CD repeatedly. It wasn't this one, but I still like the song.
How should the year end?
I can never go home again.
I'm not saying that like I can never go back to the Pacific Northwest and see people, or like I'd never even consider moving back. I just mean it in the philosophical sense, that home is an idea, and once you leave, you can never get it back.
It's a weird feeling, knowing you've left what felt like home. Knowing things are now different, I mean, really different. And that, in a small way, I have to mourn that idea of home, just as I did when I left Portland, as I did when anything major changes. A part of what was will never be again.
I'm getting used to it still. San Jose isn't a place I can really call home. Maybe someday, but right now, it's just the place I am. Kevin is more than the person I'm with, of course, but the place itself lacks that sense of meaning that makes a home. My whole identity, at least, many superficial parts of it, have been so altered that it will take time for the dust to settle and my self to re-emerge.
I know this is right. I know that it had to happen. I took graduated steps out of the nest and into adulthood. The order and the time were right.
Here in my room, I am surrounded by reminders of home. The sheets on the windows I used at the two previous houses. One was from my freshman dorm, the other from my sister's childhood bed. A poster in Russian from Christine, another of the Gossip, a band I saw with several friends on multiple occasions. A sketch of San Francisco my dad drew when he was in college. The vibrating hula frog my parents brought me from their last vacation together. The sarong I bought in Kuala Lumpur for too many ringgit, no matter how much haggling Meesh and Winnie tried. Dozens of framed pictures, mosting scenery, from car trips, family vacations, and old neighborhoods. A sculpture I made in 8th grade, my two best friends at my side; a painted dish from an ex-boyfriend's friend in Ann Arbor; a ceramic kitten from the Japanese teachers I worked for one summer. A collection of music that marks almost every day of the last nine years.
I keep these things around to let myself believe some part of the home I left still exists.
But here, it's as though I am barely born. The youngest in the office, alone and lost and hardly fearless in my navigation of these suburban streets, finding my way.
There is ration, and there is truth. And I hope I can measure out the appropriate amounts of each as fuel in the journey onward.
It's a weird feeling, knowing you've left what felt like home. Knowing things are now different, I mean, really different. And that, in a small way, I have to mourn that idea of home, just as I did when I left Portland, as I did when anything major changes. A part of what was will never be again.
I'm getting used to it still. San Jose isn't a place I can really call home. Maybe someday, but right now, it's just the place I am. Kevin is more than the person I'm with, of course, but the place itself lacks that sense of meaning that makes a home. My whole identity, at least, many superficial parts of it, have been so altered that it will take time for the dust to settle and my self to re-emerge.
I know this is right. I know that it had to happen. I took graduated steps out of the nest and into adulthood. The order and the time were right.
Here in my room, I am surrounded by reminders of home. The sheets on the windows I used at the two previous houses. One was from my freshman dorm, the other from my sister's childhood bed. A poster in Russian from Christine, another of the Gossip, a band I saw with several friends on multiple occasions. A sketch of San Francisco my dad drew when he was in college. The vibrating hula frog my parents brought me from their last vacation together. The sarong I bought in Kuala Lumpur for too many ringgit, no matter how much haggling Meesh and Winnie tried. Dozens of framed pictures, mosting scenery, from car trips, family vacations, and old neighborhoods. A sculpture I made in 8th grade, my two best friends at my side; a painted dish from an ex-boyfriend's friend in Ann Arbor; a ceramic kitten from the Japanese teachers I worked for one summer. A collection of music that marks almost every day of the last nine years.
I keep these things around to let myself believe some part of the home I left still exists.
But here, it's as though I am barely born. The youngest in the office, alone and lost and hardly fearless in my navigation of these suburban streets, finding my way.
There is ration, and there is truth. And I hope I can measure out the appropriate amounts of each as fuel in the journey onward.
Saturday, December 04, 2004
Temperature out of control.
This morning, it's 47 degrees Fahrenheit inside my house. I did not want to get out of bed, but I also can't stand to stay in bed with nothing to do when I'm no longer sleepy.
So I got up and turned on the heat, just enough so I don't freeze my leg hairs off (although perhaps that would be a reasonable hair removal method), came in here, and realized Kevin had moved my computer from the old case to this shiny new silver case, in which every component fits. It was a birthday or Christmas present.
See, last night, we both decided we weren't sure if our gifts to each other were reasonable (given the other person's gift) or extravagant, so we just got it all out of the way. I know. But we weren't going to be together on Christmas and, really, what's waiting another week for the birthdays? I know. Dorks.
The other thing he gave me was a nice convection toaster oven. I baked potatoes. Now I can make toast in the mornings without having to struggle with the lever that always pops up three times, then stays down until my toast is practically burned. It has a dehydrate mode that requires an additional set of racks, but that is still cool. I could make my own dried fruit! Why this excites me, I have no idea.
I gave him the Seinfeld box set (it was on sale at Fry's, but still a lot...only it's a much better deal as a set than as individual seasons), slippers, and a book on hiking trails of the Santa Cruz Mountains, which I hope we can use in the spring. His gifts to me were more extravagant, but in proportion to income or how much we'd normally spend on gifts or whatever, it came out even.
Okay, and the thing everyone actually cares about: work. Well, maybe you don't. Maybe you're just glad I'm not going to be whining about the wretched job application process anymore. Maybe you think I can't complain about being broke (but mister, you'd be wrong). But I'm going to tell you anyway.
Work is going to be a good thing. I like the people I'm working with, including my boss, in whose office I sit. The job has a steep learning curve and I can tell I am catching onto more and more every time I get my hands on something. At first I felt very, very dumb, but now I am pretty sure I'll get it. My boss tells me it will take six months to a year to learn everything, or enough that things will be truly my responsibility. (Not that I won't go full-time for that long, just that's how long it will take to really get it.)
It is almost a culture shock to be in an office with grown-up people all of a sudden. The politics of people at school are wildly different, in my experience, and the pool is a lot smaller. I am also the youngest person there, which gets a certain amount of ribbing. People take hourlong lunches to a variety of nearby establishments. Everyone complains about traffic. I don't know. I've grown up with a certain set of unconscious and conscious expectations about the office environment, so it's weird to step into that reality.
That, and the thermostat tends to be way up there, so stepping into the chilly noon or evening is kind of pleasant.
Coming home to it sucks, though.
Especially the water. No wonder I don't want to do the dishes.
So I got up and turned on the heat, just enough so I don't freeze my leg hairs off (although perhaps that would be a reasonable hair removal method), came in here, and realized Kevin had moved my computer from the old case to this shiny new silver case, in which every component fits. It was a birthday or Christmas present.
See, last night, we both decided we weren't sure if our gifts to each other were reasonable (given the other person's gift) or extravagant, so we just got it all out of the way. I know. But we weren't going to be together on Christmas and, really, what's waiting another week for the birthdays? I know. Dorks.
The other thing he gave me was a nice convection toaster oven. I baked potatoes. Now I can make toast in the mornings without having to struggle with the lever that always pops up three times, then stays down until my toast is practically burned. It has a dehydrate mode that requires an additional set of racks, but that is still cool. I could make my own dried fruit! Why this excites me, I have no idea.
I gave him the Seinfeld box set (it was on sale at Fry's, but still a lot...only it's a much better deal as a set than as individual seasons), slippers, and a book on hiking trails of the Santa Cruz Mountains, which I hope we can use in the spring. His gifts to me were more extravagant, but in proportion to income or how much we'd normally spend on gifts or whatever, it came out even.
Okay, and the thing everyone actually cares about: work. Well, maybe you don't. Maybe you're just glad I'm not going to be whining about the wretched job application process anymore. Maybe you think I can't complain about being broke (but mister, you'd be wrong). But I'm going to tell you anyway.
Work is going to be a good thing. I like the people I'm working with, including my boss, in whose office I sit. The job has a steep learning curve and I can tell I am catching onto more and more every time I get my hands on something. At first I felt very, very dumb, but now I am pretty sure I'll get it. My boss tells me it will take six months to a year to learn everything, or enough that things will be truly my responsibility. (Not that I won't go full-time for that long, just that's how long it will take to really get it.)
It is almost a culture shock to be in an office with grown-up people all of a sudden. The politics of people at school are wildly different, in my experience, and the pool is a lot smaller. I am also the youngest person there, which gets a certain amount of ribbing. People take hourlong lunches to a variety of nearby establishments. Everyone complains about traffic. I don't know. I've grown up with a certain set of unconscious and conscious expectations about the office environment, so it's weird to step into that reality.
That, and the thermostat tends to be way up there, so stepping into the chilly noon or evening is kind of pleasant.
Coming home to it sucks, though.
Especially the water. No wonder I don't want to do the dishes.
Sunday, November 28, 2004
Holiday recap.
Things went well, I think. The food was delicious, the company was enjoyable, and the heat is working.
In addition to my aforementioned planned dishes, Margot made a cranberry sauce with pomegranate seeds, fresh orange juice and sections, fresh ginger, and cinnamon. It was very interesting and tasty with the halibut. My mom ended up preparing the potatoes since we had about three dishes getting whipped up in a frenzy to serve warm, and they were damn tasty. The the little white buttercream potatoes worked well with the vegan sour cream and chives, mmm.
My attempt at modifying the recipe for aromatic vegetables so they would be roasted seemed to work well: I toasted any whole spice seeds (cumin, coriander, and peppercorn, in my case), then crushed in a mortar bowl, then cooked with the minced onion, olive oil, cinnamon stick, and pre-ground spices in a big pot before adding the chopped vegetables, stirring to cover, and removing from the heat. Then I put them all in a foil-lined 9x13" cake pan, covered with another layer of foil, and roasted at 450'F for probably 40 minutes or so, until things seemed cooked. The fresh herbs were added just before serving. I didn't use potato or chickpeas, but it seemed like a pretty good side dish this way.
My mom met both Kevin's parents and they seemed to get along. We offered the beach house to Kevin's family for a couple days after Christmas, since it sounds like his sister wants them all to come to Portland.
Yesterday, mom and I went to the Winchester Mystery House, at her request, and did the full estate tour. It was pretty cool, though mom said she felt like David Sedaris when he was visiting the Anne Frank house: that all this cool stuff was going to waste, and how could she get ahold of it to use. Kevin took my brother mini-golfing, hee. We all then visited a used bookstore, Streetlight Records, and got Ethiopian for dinner before taking them to the airport. I was impressed that my brother even consented to trying Ethiopian food, although he couldn't finish because the kofti was too spicy for him.
Today, I am meeting my sister in Mountain View so she can go to Target and Ikea on the way up to the city, where I will then help drive some of her things that are hard to hand-carry seven blocks to her new place.
I need coffee.
In addition to my aforementioned planned dishes, Margot made a cranberry sauce with pomegranate seeds, fresh orange juice and sections, fresh ginger, and cinnamon. It was very interesting and tasty with the halibut. My mom ended up preparing the potatoes since we had about three dishes getting whipped up in a frenzy to serve warm, and they were damn tasty. The the little white buttercream potatoes worked well with the vegan sour cream and chives, mmm.
My attempt at modifying the recipe for aromatic vegetables so they would be roasted seemed to work well: I toasted any whole spice seeds (cumin, coriander, and peppercorn, in my case), then crushed in a mortar bowl, then cooked with the minced onion, olive oil, cinnamon stick, and pre-ground spices in a big pot before adding the chopped vegetables, stirring to cover, and removing from the heat. Then I put them all in a foil-lined 9x13" cake pan, covered with another layer of foil, and roasted at 450'F for probably 40 minutes or so, until things seemed cooked. The fresh herbs were added just before serving. I didn't use potato or chickpeas, but it seemed like a pretty good side dish this way.
My mom met both Kevin's parents and they seemed to get along. We offered the beach house to Kevin's family for a couple days after Christmas, since it sounds like his sister wants them all to come to Portland.
Yesterday, mom and I went to the Winchester Mystery House, at her request, and did the full estate tour. It was pretty cool, though mom said she felt like David Sedaris when he was visiting the Anne Frank house: that all this cool stuff was going to waste, and how could she get ahold of it to use. Kevin took my brother mini-golfing, hee. We all then visited a used bookstore, Streetlight Records, and got Ethiopian for dinner before taking them to the airport. I was impressed that my brother even consented to trying Ethiopian food, although he couldn't finish because the kofti was too spicy for him.
Today, I am meeting my sister in Mountain View so she can go to Target and Ikea on the way up to the city, where I will then help drive some of her things that are hard to hand-carry seven blocks to her new place.
I need coffee.
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