1. Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, and find line 4.
He had only one name for these two kinds of work: gardening.
2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can. What can you touch?
kitchen table chair (with no cover on it, since i washed a M-induced stain off of it yesterday and it's drying)
3. What is the last thing you watched on TV?
The Office Season 1 (we don't have TV, just rented movies)
4. Without looking, guess what time it is.
8:15
5. Now look at the clock. What is the actual time?
8:09
6. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?
M pushing his popping car around while he crawls, the air conditioner (yes, even at 8:09 in the morning), my tummy growling
7. When did you last step outside? What were you doing?
about and hour ago to drive R to his bus stop
8. Before you started this survey, what did you look at?
my blog to see if anyone had visited this early in the morning
9. What are you wearing?
some brand new jean capris i found on sale yesterday at old navy, a green, white, blue and yellow striped polo and bare feet
10. Did you dream last night?
yes, but i'm not sharing
11. When did you last laugh?
a few minutes ago when M was eating, he's pretty funny with food!
12. What is on the walls of the room you are in?
a calendar, a picture of Jesus Christ, a very large painting of tulips, a clock, some bookshelves, and very funny note from my 7-year-old sister who spelled things like "guys" as "gise", and "few weeks" as "fyu weeks"
13. Seen anything weird lately?
R and i had N and K over last night (his brother), and while we were talking a cricket hopped out of the kitchen onto the carpet. primitive killing urges then activated in the males and they proceeded to smash it with a flip flop
14. What do you think of this quiz?
hopefully i'm not sounding too boring because of it
15. What is the last film or video you saw?
The Producers (the new one with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick)
16. If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy?
mine and R's freedom from the student loan powers-that-be, a new car (probably a Saab), a trip to Italy, to Carmel (CA), to Hawaii, and many other amazing places. i'd also buy lots of clothes, for the whole fam. i'd also pay for my sister's beauty school tuition, and for her car.
17. Tell me something about you that I don’t know.
i used to bite my nails until last year, and since then i've had nice long nails that i can paint and use for scratching backs, and that i can drum on the table, etc.
18. If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do?
i would magically reverse the effects of global warming (i just read an article on this at the NYTimes site)
19. Do you like to dance?
i hope so
20. Comment to George Bush:
i won't get into this here
21. Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?
Zooey Lyn
22. Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him?
Well, I DO call him M, but if we have another I'll imagine to call him Colter James
23. Would you ever consider living abroad?
absolutely
24. What do you want God to say to you when you reach the pearly gates?
it's okay, you did just fine
25. 4 people who must also do this quiz on THEIR blog: blah blah blah blah
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Lazy Sunday, OR The Happy Nappies
i'm currently skipping church due to M's crazy sleep habits, which have only been exacerbated by his mouth deciding to sprout 3 new teeth, all next to each other creating one bumpy, red, sore set of gums. so church is at 2, and M fell asleep at 1:30. of course. but i can't bring myself to wake him up, poor thing. he's just a tiny little guy trying his best to behave while his teeth race to the surface. i wish they'd hurry up. so while he snoozes i'll relate to you all, my most surreal night out EVER, which was last night, and is something i can't stop thinking about:
I had the most amazing dining experience of my life! R and I were invited to Mastro's Steakhouse, where there are attendants in the bathroom, the waiters wear tuxedos, and they have a Personalized Iced Seafood Tower on the menu. The dinner was courtesy of R's hiring partner, who evidently has lots of money, since my halibut was $35 and R's prime, prime rib (yes, 2 primes) was around $40. and that's just the main dish...
we had lovely green salads with lots of exotic cheeses (i.e. Gorgonzola, i know it's not really that exotic, but i've never had it before), lobster mashed potatoes, creamed spinach, sauteed veggies, and then our steaks and lamb and fish fillets served on 400 degree plates plopped in front of you while still sizzling. then of course there was the warm butter cake for dessert: caramelized sugar crusted cake topped with raspberry syrup and vanilla ice cream and berries and whipped cream, which we all ordered after hearing the waiter describe it and proclaim that it was the best thing on the menu. this food was even better than my favorite thing ever: sushi at Yuri's in CA. i was full and happy and sleepy.
however, the food aside (did i mention it was the best food ever?) it was also one of the most uncomfortable things i've ever done. i'm not used to tuxedoed waiters hovering about and recommending lavish desserts with an air of culinary superiority. i'm not used to R needing Jay's advice on proper tip amount for using the restroom during dinner. and i'm certainly not used to living the rich life on summer internship weekends while having had regular conversations with R about paying off student loans, etc. and the strangest part of all was that everyone else, even R, was more okay with it than me. and i don't mean this in the "exalted poor" sense, like i felt guilty for enjoying an expensive meal. i was just plain out of place, like a little kid swinging her feet off of a too tall chair. but tom and his wife were old pros, it seemed, and 2 other couples were already working for the firm and used to it (i'm guessing), and even R has been out to lunch several times already in his workin' clothes.
basically i was finally backed into a corner with a real adulthood situation (with no way out) and it was weird. but at the same time, i'm glad it's over and i can do it again in the future without near-paralyzing anxiety. instead i'll be a regular, expecting this type of thing on birthdays and anniversaries. i've mentioned this to R and his eyes got really big. then he laughed and realized i was kidding. mostly. but seriously folks, if you have the means, i highly suggest it. yummm!
I had the most amazing dining experience of my life! R and I were invited to Mastro's Steakhouse, where there are attendants in the bathroom, the waiters wear tuxedos, and they have a Personalized Iced Seafood Tower on the menu. The dinner was courtesy of R's hiring partner, who evidently has lots of money, since my halibut was $35 and R's prime, prime rib (yes, 2 primes) was around $40. and that's just the main dish...
we had lovely green salads with lots of exotic cheeses (i.e. Gorgonzola, i know it's not really that exotic, but i've never had it before), lobster mashed potatoes, creamed spinach, sauteed veggies, and then our steaks and lamb and fish fillets served on 400 degree plates plopped in front of you while still sizzling. then of course there was the warm butter cake for dessert: caramelized sugar crusted cake topped with raspberry syrup and vanilla ice cream and berries and whipped cream, which we all ordered after hearing the waiter describe it and proclaim that it was the best thing on the menu. this food was even better than my favorite thing ever: sushi at Yuri's in CA. i was full and happy and sleepy.
however, the food aside (did i mention it was the best food ever?) it was also one of the most uncomfortable things i've ever done. i'm not used to tuxedoed waiters hovering about and recommending lavish desserts with an air of culinary superiority. i'm not used to R needing Jay's advice on proper tip amount for using the restroom during dinner. and i'm certainly not used to living the rich life on summer internship weekends while having had regular conversations with R about paying off student loans, etc. and the strangest part of all was that everyone else, even R, was more okay with it than me. and i don't mean this in the "exalted poor" sense, like i felt guilty for enjoying an expensive meal. i was just plain out of place, like a little kid swinging her feet off of a too tall chair. but tom and his wife were old pros, it seemed, and 2 other couples were already working for the firm and used to it (i'm guessing), and even R has been out to lunch several times already in his workin' clothes.
basically i was finally backed into a corner with a real adulthood situation (with no way out) and it was weird. but at the same time, i'm glad it's over and i can do it again in the future without near-paralyzing anxiety. instead i'll be a regular, expecting this type of thing on birthdays and anniversaries. i've mentioned this to R and his eyes got really big. then he laughed and realized i was kidding. mostly. but seriously folks, if you have the means, i highly suggest it. yummm!
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Blockbuster Online vs. Netflix
A pal has challenged me to persuade her to adopt Netflix into her life. I am a former Blockbuster Online user, and current Netflix user. Here is my report:
1. (Disclaimer): R and I used Blockbuster Online from last September until about 2 weeks ago. Since September we've used one free trial of Netflix (in February). So I'm much more familiar with Blockbuster Online than with Netflix.
2. What is the SAME for both Blockbuster Online and Netflix:
--if you want the deal where you can have 3 movies out at once and have an unlimited number of movies to rent per month, the cost is almost exactly the same for both services: $19 and some change (after taxes)
--they both use a queue where you save names of movies and put them in priority order
--they both have very large selections of movies
--they both ship movies fairly quickly, usually in 2 days
--they both allow you to pay online and view your payment history very easily
--they both allow you to change your address very easily, and the changes are effective immediately
--they both charge month to month and allow cancellation at any time
3. What I LIKED about Blockbuster Online:
--they gave you 2 e-coupons every month to use at a Blockbuster store nearby for one free rental each
--if you got a wrong movie/damaged movie in the mail, you could notify them and get a replacement disc/next movie sent the very same day (you didn't have to wait until you returned the wrong/damaged movie)
--their website was very user friendly and visually pleasing (to me)
4. What I DISLIKED about Blockbuster Online:
--their website, while nice looking, didn't function that well, especially in my queue; there were several times where I wanted to receive a DVD set in order and it would arrive out of order; also, sometimes the movie in position #1 would be skipped for no reason and you would get #2 or #3...frustrating!
--the availability of DVDs was sometimes bad and you'd have to wait until more copies became available (one time it took 2 weeks)
5. What I LIKE about Netflix:
--the availability of every DVD I've put in my queue so far has been "available now" and ships immediately
--the shipping is more consistent than Blockbuster; i've always received DVDs on the day they are supposed to arrive, never later
--they recommend movies to you as you add them to your queue and as you rate them looking around the site; i've come across a few already that seem like good recommendations
--i've had no trouble with the website functioning; my queue hasn't made a mistake so far, even with DVD sets in order
6. What I DISLIKE about Netflix:
--if you have a damaged disc and DON'T want the same disc sent again you can't get the next movie in your queue until the damaged disc is returned
--if you DO want another copy of the disc sent, it doesn't ship until the next day from when it's reported
--no e-coupons, since they only do online renting
--I've already had to report 3 discs damaged and ask for replacements; i'm hoping this is a fluke, since they were all from the Twin Peaks Season 1 collection
In conclusion: I think that I like Netflix a little better, mostly due to the non-messing-up they manage with my queue order. It's nice to get what I actually want. I also prefer getting the movies a little quicker than with Blockbuster, and also having the better availability with the movies i choose. I'll probably stick with them at least for another month or so.
1. (Disclaimer): R and I used Blockbuster Online from last September until about 2 weeks ago. Since September we've used one free trial of Netflix (in February). So I'm much more familiar with Blockbuster Online than with Netflix.
2. What is the SAME for both Blockbuster Online and Netflix:
--if you want the deal where you can have 3 movies out at once and have an unlimited number of movies to rent per month, the cost is almost exactly the same for both services: $19 and some change (after taxes)
--they both use a queue where you save names of movies and put them in priority order
--they both have very large selections of movies
--they both ship movies fairly quickly, usually in 2 days
--they both allow you to pay online and view your payment history very easily
--they both allow you to change your address very easily, and the changes are effective immediately
--they both charge month to month and allow cancellation at any time
3. What I LIKED about Blockbuster Online:
--they gave you 2 e-coupons every month to use at a Blockbuster store nearby for one free rental each
--if you got a wrong movie/damaged movie in the mail, you could notify them and get a replacement disc/next movie sent the very same day (you didn't have to wait until you returned the wrong/damaged movie)
--their website was very user friendly and visually pleasing (to me)
4. What I DISLIKED about Blockbuster Online:
--their website, while nice looking, didn't function that well, especially in my queue; there were several times where I wanted to receive a DVD set in order and it would arrive out of order; also, sometimes the movie in position #1 would be skipped for no reason and you would get #2 or #3...frustrating!
--the availability of DVDs was sometimes bad and you'd have to wait until more copies became available (one time it took 2 weeks)
5. What I LIKE about Netflix:
--the availability of every DVD I've put in my queue so far has been "available now" and ships immediately
--the shipping is more consistent than Blockbuster; i've always received DVDs on the day they are supposed to arrive, never later
--they recommend movies to you as you add them to your queue and as you rate them looking around the site; i've come across a few already that seem like good recommendations
--i've had no trouble with the website functioning; my queue hasn't made a mistake so far, even with DVD sets in order
6. What I DISLIKE about Netflix:
--if you have a damaged disc and DON'T want the same disc sent again you can't get the next movie in your queue until the damaged disc is returned
--if you DO want another copy of the disc sent, it doesn't ship until the next day from when it's reported
--no e-coupons, since they only do online renting
--I've already had to report 3 discs damaged and ask for replacements; i'm hoping this is a fluke, since they were all from the Twin Peaks Season 1 collection
In conclusion: I think that I like Netflix a little better, mostly due to the non-messing-up they manage with my queue order. It's nice to get what I actually want. I also prefer getting the movies a little quicker than with Blockbuster, and also having the better availability with the movies i choose. I'll probably stick with them at least for another month or so.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
strange movies you should all see
Mystery Men is a very ridiculous movie that i happen to love. i was introduced to this choice movie back at BYU when i was dating R. he and his roommates (P and J) somehow got me to see it and i fell in love. i remember that P's sister, HATED it and warned me about my agreement to see it. i admit it's weird, it's hated by some, but mostly it's just a heartwarming tale of some misfit superheroes and their wacky adventures.
this movie is also loved by my husband R (obviously) who for the first time, was a real father on Father's Day this year. so i subsequently bought him (among other things like a striped tie and some reese's pb cups) a DVD copy of this movie and am currently watching it. it's so funny! just to give you a taste of it: Ben Stiller (aka Mr. Furious) is currently apologizing to William H. Macy (The Shoveler) very angrily, and then asks him if he's seen his address book since he stormed off. "It's denim, says 'hang loose' on it, picture of a kitten..." Yeah, like i said, ridiculous. yet funny. I challenge you to go and rent this movie and see what i mean. some of you may have already seen it, and for this i commend you.
other shows i've been watching and enjoying lately: Twin Peaks Season 1 (very david lynch-y), Whale Rider (SO exellently good), Serenity (visually cool looking), The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe (definately did justice to one of my favorite books), and Seinfeld Season 6 (always a pleasure, regardless of season number). On it's way from netflix as we speak is The Office, which ryan and i have both never seen. we tend to like renting things from TV to watch after The Boy goes to bed and R is home from work but homework free (for the next 2 months). we rent tv shows because we have no tv stations to speak of, not even basic cable. as long as you're willing to wait for your favorite shows to be released on DVD it's quite the money-saver. plus, no commercials!
well, the mystery men are about to go have their end-of-movie battle with the evil Casanova Frankenstein, and i must give moral support. happy viewing :)
this movie is also loved by my husband R (obviously) who for the first time, was a real father on Father's Day this year. so i subsequently bought him (among other things like a striped tie and some reese's pb cups) a DVD copy of this movie and am currently watching it. it's so funny! just to give you a taste of it: Ben Stiller (aka Mr. Furious) is currently apologizing to William H. Macy (The Shoveler) very angrily, and then asks him if he's seen his address book since he stormed off. "It's denim, says 'hang loose' on it, picture of a kitten..." Yeah, like i said, ridiculous. yet funny. I challenge you to go and rent this movie and see what i mean. some of you may have already seen it, and for this i commend you.
other shows i've been watching and enjoying lately: Twin Peaks Season 1 (very david lynch-y), Whale Rider (SO exellently good), Serenity (visually cool looking), The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe (definately did justice to one of my favorite books), and Seinfeld Season 6 (always a pleasure, regardless of season number). On it's way from netflix as we speak is The Office, which ryan and i have both never seen. we tend to like renting things from TV to watch after The Boy goes to bed and R is home from work but homework free (for the next 2 months). we rent tv shows because we have no tv stations to speak of, not even basic cable. as long as you're willing to wait for your favorite shows to be released on DVD it's quite the money-saver. plus, no commercials!
well, the mystery men are about to go have their end-of-movie battle with the evil Casanova Frankenstein, and i must give moral support. happy viewing :)
Thursday, June 15, 2006
weekend in sedona
last weekend i made the decision to abandon my baby for a few hours and join R at his work's weekend retreat in sedona. sedona is in the middle of red rock country. so grandma came to babysit and i drove up there and met lots and lots of very accomplished people. i kind of felt like i was at a bizarre job interview. at the end of the summer, based on R's work the next 8-10 weeks, they might offer him a job for post-graduation. so i felt like maybe i could sweeten the deal for them if they met me and i was wonderfully witty and memorable, etc. hopefully this was accomplished, because i started having such a good time with those crazy folks that i mostly forgot my goal to be charming and instead just laughed with them all night. those attorneys know how to have a good time, who knew! here is my report:
1pm: M is down for a nap, grandma arrives, i depart and drive for two hours. about 1 hour into the drive i get cut off by a grandpa and honk angrily at his boat of a car.
3pm: arrive to the hilton lunch deck where the "taco challenge" is underway. a young clerk is attempting to eat 30 taco bell soft tacos in 1 hour. he looks very sick. i meet lots of people, most of which are friendly and dressed in silly outfits made for playing golf (which they had just finished an hour or two before). R has ordered me a Reuben sandwich. yummmmm!
4pm: lunch disperses and R and i go to see our room. i change into a swimsuit and shorts and head over to the spa for my deep tissue massage. oh baby, i'm excited! R goes to the gym while i get my robe and flip flops from the counter. i change into the robe and head into the "stillpoint lounge" to find mental serenity while waiting for my appointment. 2 other ladies are there talking about their salt scrubs and facials. I read a book called "doing nothing and doing it well" or something like that. i feel very zen-like and wise.
4:30pm: my masseuse comes to get me and i finally get my massage. she is now my new best friend. afterwards she offers me a cup of cucumber water. surprisingly cucumbery.
5:30pm: in a relaxed stupor i find the whirlpool with the jets already running and sit in it for 20 minutes. finally i drag myself out to the gym to fetch R. he has done every lift available in the weight room and is then sore for the next three days. this was the most entertaining when he said "ow" for each stair he climbed at home after we returned.
6:45pm: changed into "business casual" for dinner. we go out for drinks and hors d'oeuvres. i meet a few more people, including a somewhat recovered taco challenger. then we all go to the dinner hall to sit down.
8:00pm: for the next 2 or 3 hours R and i are eating and talking. mostly i just remember being impressed with how much people knew about broadway. i've only heard of the show Wicked, but none of the others he spoke of. i realize that i am uncultured swine.
10:00pm: R and i are party poopers and go to sleep in our fabulous beds. best pillows ever!
4:30am: we get up to drive home so i can breastfeed miles when he wakes up at his usual 6:30ish.
6:30ish: we get home and knock on the door to see M looking a little confused as to why we're knocking on the door in the first place. 10 minutes go by and he starts clinging to both of us, having just realized that we DID, in fact, leave him at home and he's shocked and appalled.
so that was my first time away from M for longer than an hour and a half. according to grandma he woke up from his nap and was completely fine with us being gone. he stayed that way through the rest of the day, tromped around the house with grandma and grandpa, and went to bed like a good little boy. so i guess he won't die without me, and that's good to know :) more massages for me.
1pm: M is down for a nap, grandma arrives, i depart and drive for two hours. about 1 hour into the drive i get cut off by a grandpa and honk angrily at his boat of a car.
3pm: arrive to the hilton lunch deck where the "taco challenge" is underway. a young clerk is attempting to eat 30 taco bell soft tacos in 1 hour. he looks very sick. i meet lots of people, most of which are friendly and dressed in silly outfits made for playing golf (which they had just finished an hour or two before). R has ordered me a Reuben sandwich. yummmmm!
4pm: lunch disperses and R and i go to see our room. i change into a swimsuit and shorts and head over to the spa for my deep tissue massage. oh baby, i'm excited! R goes to the gym while i get my robe and flip flops from the counter. i change into the robe and head into the "stillpoint lounge" to find mental serenity while waiting for my appointment. 2 other ladies are there talking about their salt scrubs and facials. I read a book called "doing nothing and doing it well" or something like that. i feel very zen-like and wise.
4:30pm: my masseuse comes to get me and i finally get my massage. she is now my new best friend. afterwards she offers me a cup of cucumber water. surprisingly cucumbery.
5:30pm: in a relaxed stupor i find the whirlpool with the jets already running and sit in it for 20 minutes. finally i drag myself out to the gym to fetch R. he has done every lift available in the weight room and is then sore for the next three days. this was the most entertaining when he said "ow" for each stair he climbed at home after we returned.
6:45pm: changed into "business casual" for dinner. we go out for drinks and hors d'oeuvres. i meet a few more people, including a somewhat recovered taco challenger. then we all go to the dinner hall to sit down.
8:00pm: for the next 2 or 3 hours R and i are eating and talking. mostly i just remember being impressed with how much people knew about broadway. i've only heard of the show Wicked, but none of the others he spoke of. i realize that i am uncultured swine.
10:00pm: R and i are party poopers and go to sleep in our fabulous beds. best pillows ever!
4:30am: we get up to drive home so i can breastfeed miles when he wakes up at his usual 6:30ish.
6:30ish: we get home and knock on the door to see M looking a little confused as to why we're knocking on the door in the first place. 10 minutes go by and he starts clinging to both of us, having just realized that we DID, in fact, leave him at home and he's shocked and appalled.
so that was my first time away from M for longer than an hour and a half. according to grandma he woke up from his nap and was completely fine with us being gone. he stayed that way through the rest of the day, tromped around the house with grandma and grandpa, and went to bed like a good little boy. so i guess he won't die without me, and that's good to know :) more massages for me.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
paranoia paranoia, everybody's coming to get me...(name that song)
is anybody else concerned with their nonstick teflon pans releasing toxic gases? maybe you'll think i'm paranoid, and maybe you'll be right, but i'm still one of those worriers who is, in fact, worried about this very thing. i've heard talk of the problem on the radio, the TV, and just now, online while checking the new york times. just fyi, the concern that i've been hearing about is that if anything with a nonstick surface made of teflon is heated up to 700 degrees then it releases said toxic gases. you may be thinking that is very unlikely to happen, but since all the hoopla has been going on, some tests have been done. so don't dismiss my paranoia yet please. thank you. so it turns out that an empty pan left on a burner set to high can reach 700 degrees in as little as 3 minutes. reading this bit of info was where i had a medium-sized mental "yikes!"
and now that i know the problem is real, and that we are currently using teflon coated things, i have a little task that's been added to the relatively-long-term agenda in my mind. i know we have no money to replace pans, and i know that if we get nonstick non-teflon pans this summer it means that we'll have to drive them all back to MI come August, etc. so i don't have a plan or anything. i just know that eventually it'll be worth it for me to purchase new pans. sigh. in the meantime, i'll just be very careful with the ones we've got. no more absent-minded, leaving empty pans on high-cookin' burners, toxic gases cooking for me.
according to the author of the article i just read (which is on the nytimes.com "10 Most Emailed Articles" list on the main page) he recommends Le Creuset most of all as replacement pans, or secondly Cephalon pans. so i visited good old amazon and filled my wish list with some fancy pants Le Creuset cast iron pans and will hope for the best come September 11 of this year. not because it's a national day of remembrance for obvious reasons, but because that is my unfortunate birthday date. so maybe this year i'll remember and enjoy new cookware at the same time.
and now that i know the problem is real, and that we are currently using teflon coated things, i have a little task that's been added to the relatively-long-term agenda in my mind. i know we have no money to replace pans, and i know that if we get nonstick non-teflon pans this summer it means that we'll have to drive them all back to MI come August, etc. so i don't have a plan or anything. i just know that eventually it'll be worth it for me to purchase new pans. sigh. in the meantime, i'll just be very careful with the ones we've got. no more absent-minded, leaving empty pans on high-cookin' burners, toxic gases cooking for me.
according to the author of the article i just read (which is on the nytimes.com "10 Most Emailed Articles" list on the main page) he recommends Le Creuset most of all as replacement pans, or secondly Cephalon pans. so i visited good old amazon and filled my wish list with some fancy pants Le Creuset cast iron pans and will hope for the best come September 11 of this year. not because it's a national day of remembrance for obvious reasons, but because that is my unfortunate birthday date. so maybe this year i'll remember and enjoy new cookware at the same time.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Cookin'
so this week i have suddenly become motivated to cook. this is actually more of a "forced into it" type of thing. M is in that weird in between stage where he should be eating more grownup versions of food, but can't really chew anything either. so i purchased a baby/toddler cookbook that i'm trying out. and since the purchase, i've now learned what leeks are and what parsnips are. basically leeks are onions and parsnips are carrots. i wonder why i always feared these two vegetables before i knew what they were. i guess i see recipes calling for some unknown thing and freak out. (pep talk:) but, self, it's not so bad. you just go to the store and ask the produce guy. okay *exhale*
even though leeks and parsnips are now familiar to me and no longer scary in recipes, there are still many other ingredients that frighten me. (i'm looking in the cookbook for another example...) how about rutabagas (huh?) or Edam cheese (what?). in my cookbook's defense, i'm sure once i've tried these two things out i'll feel much more comfortable with them. but for now i'll stick with the being frightened and putting them in the category of weird unknown food. i love how the cookbook seems so nonchalant about these things too, as if it's no problem for me to just go and get a rutabaga, and as if i know what it even looks like! it's kind of like Martha Stewart in her various magazines and shows that usually include extravagant recipes. virtually every one (of her recipes, not her various magazines and shows) calls for creme fraiche. what the H is creme fraiche?!! and even if i find out what it is, i'm sure it's not at the grocery store, so what now? huh? pretentious recipes.
even though leeks and parsnips are now familiar to me and no longer scary in recipes, there are still many other ingredients that frighten me. (i'm looking in the cookbook for another example...) how about rutabagas (huh?) or Edam cheese (what?). in my cookbook's defense, i'm sure once i've tried these two things out i'll feel much more comfortable with them. but for now i'll stick with the being frightened and putting them in the category of weird unknown food. i love how the cookbook seems so nonchalant about these things too, as if it's no problem for me to just go and get a rutabaga, and as if i know what it even looks like! it's kind of like Martha Stewart in her various magazines and shows that usually include extravagant recipes. virtually every one (of her recipes, not her various magazines and shows) calls for creme fraiche. what the H is creme fraiche?!! and even if i find out what it is, i'm sure it's not at the grocery store, so what now? huh? pretentious recipes.
Saturday, May 27, 2006
M de Curioso
so this week has a been an eventful one. you'd think the week before would stick out in memory more, since we moved from MI to AZ and undertook many other changes in routine: new job, new apartment, etc. but no, M has seen to it that this week is much more exciting, at least for this particular mother. first of all, i must tell you all that M has achieved a few non-funny and real accomplishments, you know like they list in The Parenting Books. these include saying "hi" (about 5 days ago), waving (yesterday--to his dad!), and standing up without holding on to anything (everyday this week). and there's nothing funny about that.
this week, however, M has managed to give me my very first laugh-out-loud moment as a mother. i feel like a real mom! sure, i've smiled and laughed at him before. but this was the first time i ever looked up, saw what was going on, and then almost peed my pants laughing. here's the scenario: i was in the kitchen and so was M. i had been doing laundry and there was an empty laundry basket on the floor nearby. so i'm surfing the internet, etc., checking the email, and i hear him playing with the basket, scooting it around on the floor and things like that. then i hear frantic crying along with the same playing noises. i look over and see quite a sight. there's nothing but an upside down laundry basket hopping around and two chubby little legs poking out from underneath, kicking like crazy. M was stuck. his chubby arms were not long enough to free him, and so he cried out to his laughing mother and she saved him. the end.
later on the same day, i was sitting at the kitchen table and heard similar ruckus over by the base of the stairs. M had, within a couple of hours, managed to get himself into yet another scrape. he had climbed onto the first step and grabbed onto the baby gate. but stepping up is a lot easier than stepping down. so he was holding on for dear life and looking over his shoulder and yelling. also pretty darn funny if you ask me.
the last funny thing is something he technically started doing before this week. but this was Funny Week, so i'll mention it here. every day we try to read a stack of books at some point during that day. M likes to sit there and listen, and even turn the pages by himself. but then his inner cave-baby sets in and when i say the words "the end" it's time for him to hurl the book to the floor with a very manly throw. every time. it's a sweet story about the littlest duck who grows up and then has an egg of his own sitting in the grass, and we've learned something about the circle of life. turn the page, the end, WHAM!, next book please. pretty entertaining.
the weirdest part about this is that M seems so old because of these things. my admiration of him used to be solely cuteness and sweetness based. but now it's growing into more. now my admiration includes his agility and curiosity. and speaking of curiosity: M makes the Curious George face at least 3-5 times per day. you know the face where one pointer finger comes up to the mouth and George seems to think: "it's time to go see what's going on over there"? well, that's the face that i see on my child. it's pretty great :) especially considering the whole thing from start to finish. make the curious face, try something out, get stuck, mom laughs, baby cries, all is well. being a mom. good times.
this week, however, M has managed to give me my very first laugh-out-loud moment as a mother. i feel like a real mom! sure, i've smiled and laughed at him before. but this was the first time i ever looked up, saw what was going on, and then almost peed my pants laughing. here's the scenario: i was in the kitchen and so was M. i had been doing laundry and there was an empty laundry basket on the floor nearby. so i'm surfing the internet, etc., checking the email, and i hear him playing with the basket, scooting it around on the floor and things like that. then i hear frantic crying along with the same playing noises. i look over and see quite a sight. there's nothing but an upside down laundry basket hopping around and two chubby little legs poking out from underneath, kicking like crazy. M was stuck. his chubby arms were not long enough to free him, and so he cried out to his laughing mother and she saved him. the end.
later on the same day, i was sitting at the kitchen table and heard similar ruckus over by the base of the stairs. M had, within a couple of hours, managed to get himself into yet another scrape. he had climbed onto the first step and grabbed onto the baby gate. but stepping up is a lot easier than stepping down. so he was holding on for dear life and looking over his shoulder and yelling. also pretty darn funny if you ask me.
the last funny thing is something he technically started doing before this week. but this was Funny Week, so i'll mention it here. every day we try to read a stack of books at some point during that day. M likes to sit there and listen, and even turn the pages by himself. but then his inner cave-baby sets in and when i say the words "the end" it's time for him to hurl the book to the floor with a very manly throw. every time. it's a sweet story about the littlest duck who grows up and then has an egg of his own sitting in the grass, and we've learned something about the circle of life. turn the page, the end, WHAM!, next book please. pretty entertaining.
the weirdest part about this is that M seems so old because of these things. my admiration of him used to be solely cuteness and sweetness based. but now it's growing into more. now my admiration includes his agility and curiosity. and speaking of curiosity: M makes the Curious George face at least 3-5 times per day. you know the face where one pointer finger comes up to the mouth and George seems to think: "it's time to go see what's going on over there"? well, that's the face that i see on my child. it's pretty great :) especially considering the whole thing from start to finish. make the curious face, try something out, get stuck, mom laughs, baby cries, all is well. being a mom. good times.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
After I copied Mhuff, I got to looking, and here's another/a couple more favorite(s)
| Your Linguistic Profile:: |
| 65% General American English |
| 20% Yankee |
| 5% Dixie |
| 5% Upper Midwestern |
| 0% Midwestern |
| You Are 41% Vain |
 You're a little vain, but more than anything you have a healthy amount of confidence. Thinking the world of yourself is great. Just don't think less of those who aren't as pretty as you! |
| Your Political Profile: |
| Overall: 45% Conservative, 55% Liberal |
| Social Issues: 75% Conservative, 25% Liberal |
| Personal Responsibility: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal |
| Fiscal Issues: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal |
| Ethics: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal |
| Defense and Crime: 75% Conservative, 25% Liberal |
| Your Italian Name Is... |
 |
I copied Mhuff for this funny/cool thing
| You Are a Glazed Donut |
 Okay, you know that you're plain - and you're cool with that. You prefer not to let anything distract from your sweetness. Your appeal is understated yet universal. Everyone dig you. And in a pinch, you'll probably get eaten. |
I have to say that i hope i'm not really that plain. i know that at least R would disagree with this, and i know from the constant accusings from him in the "you're the craziest sweetie" vein. but i must admit, glazed donuts are, without a doubt, my absolute favorite. oh man, that's sooooo weird, how'd they know??
Friday, May 12, 2006
moving the chubber...and some other stuff, too.
don't worry, R and i call M "the chubber" in an affectionate way! it's becoming less applicable now that his weight is continuing in the 50th percentile vein from month to month. but i think we can still get away with it since his head is in the 90th percentile and holding. plus, who cares about percentiles, the child looks like a chubber! just look at him on the new ofoto "3 May Photos" album. hopefully you were emailed with the invite there to see them. if not, email me and i'll send it to you. for some reason i can't get them directly onto my blog right now :(
so tomorrow i go to the airport with M and we fly off to AZ for the summer. i'm pretty excited actually, but not as much as i anticipated i would be a few months ago. i pictured leaving ann arbor and thinking "good, no more snowstorms. and we're not sticking around for a humid summer, phew!" but instead, it's soooo gorgeous here. it's been raining occasionally, but for the last month everything has bloomed and greened and basically stayed 70 degrees and wonderful. go figure. but AZ is great too, in spite of the heat. for example, M will swim for the first time ever (not including baths, which he thoroughly enjoys). we even were at tj maxx a few days ago (you know how they have the name brand clothing, but it's super cheap? well they do.) well, i was browsing and saw these tiny Izod swim trunks that were all stripey and the right size. so M will be stylin' in the new pool!
a goal i have for this summer is to read more than i did last summer. so pretty much reading anything at all will put me over the mark :) my first order of business will be to finish les miserables before i lose my momentum. then i'll continue with other selections next on the list. i would like to know what y'all are reading right now, just to see if anything stikes me as "the next book". so far i think i'll go with "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote next. it's in the air, what with the movie Capote and everything. besides, i'm curious since R said it was a good one. happy reading!
so tomorrow i go to the airport with M and we fly off to AZ for the summer. i'm pretty excited actually, but not as much as i anticipated i would be a few months ago. i pictured leaving ann arbor and thinking "good, no more snowstorms. and we're not sticking around for a humid summer, phew!" but instead, it's soooo gorgeous here. it's been raining occasionally, but for the last month everything has bloomed and greened and basically stayed 70 degrees and wonderful. go figure. but AZ is great too, in spite of the heat. for example, M will swim for the first time ever (not including baths, which he thoroughly enjoys). we even were at tj maxx a few days ago (you know how they have the name brand clothing, but it's super cheap? well they do.) well, i was browsing and saw these tiny Izod swim trunks that were all stripey and the right size. so M will be stylin' in the new pool!
a goal i have for this summer is to read more than i did last summer. so pretty much reading anything at all will put me over the mark :) my first order of business will be to finish les miserables before i lose my momentum. then i'll continue with other selections next on the list. i would like to know what y'all are reading right now, just to see if anything stikes me as "the next book". so far i think i'll go with "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote next. it's in the air, what with the movie Capote and everything. besides, i'm curious since R said it was a good one. happy reading!
Thursday, May 04, 2006
dancin' dancin' dancin' dancin'
this may not seem super-duper neat to anyone, but tonight i'm teaching a modern dance class. and the class is free, and it's at our church building, which is also free. plus it's with friends, so we all know each other and want to be there. it turns out that here in Ann Arbor, several people whom i go to church with dance. and some are so good as to teach classes so that we can have a different one every week and all get together. now, the reason this is cool is...well, just try to go find a dance class at a studio somewhere that's exactly what you want to take and also free. okay, point made.
so we've all been taking turns teaching. so far we've had clogging class, ballet class, yoga class, and now modern dance class. now i love modern, obviously, having majored in it, but the truth is that i've really been drawn to yoga lately. it's one of those things where i feel great afterwards, but have a hard time, well, actually DOing it :) and since i've taught it a couple of times now, i'm really getting into it again. i wish that i knew a bunch of people who happened to live nearby and who were also into yoga and wanted to get together a few times a week and would come and get me out of bed saying "okay me, it's time for yoga. i know you're tired, but you know that it's good for you and you feel better when you do it regularly. so let's go get stretchy and meditate-y". wouldn't that be heaven? :) anyways, i guess for now i'll just have to teach occasionally and practice in my front room occasionally.
if anyone who is reading this is thinking to themselves: "hey i like yoga, i should do it more often" OR "i've never done yoga, maybe i should try it" then please enjoy my new discovery at the library last week. it's called The Yoga Bible by Christina Brown and it has color pictures and detailed instructions for tons of poses. it's a really great book, and have since bought a copy from amazon.com :) so basically it's hooray for yoga, i highly recommend it.
so we've all been taking turns teaching. so far we've had clogging class, ballet class, yoga class, and now modern dance class. now i love modern, obviously, having majored in it, but the truth is that i've really been drawn to yoga lately. it's one of those things where i feel great afterwards, but have a hard time, well, actually DOing it :) and since i've taught it a couple of times now, i'm really getting into it again. i wish that i knew a bunch of people who happened to live nearby and who were also into yoga and wanted to get together a few times a week and would come and get me out of bed saying "okay me, it's time for yoga. i know you're tired, but you know that it's good for you and you feel better when you do it regularly. so let's go get stretchy and meditate-y". wouldn't that be heaven? :) anyways, i guess for now i'll just have to teach occasionally and practice in my front room occasionally.
if anyone who is reading this is thinking to themselves: "hey i like yoga, i should do it more often" OR "i've never done yoga, maybe i should try it" then please enjoy my new discovery at the library last week. it's called The Yoga Bible by Christina Brown and it has color pictures and detailed instructions for tons of poses. it's a really great book, and have since bought a copy from amazon.com :) so basically it's hooray for yoga, i highly recommend it.
Sunday, April 16, 2006
M experienced his first egg hunt on saturday. here he is picking his egg up which happens to match the color of his shirt for this photo-op. it took some mild convincing that the egg was more important than say, eating handfuls of grass or picking up sticks to examine closely. he also enjoyed his paper bag/easter basket which made lots of noise on the long drive home from the church. all in all, a lovely warm, sunny day to "find" 2 plastic eggs and eat the starbursts that were found inside :)
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
American Apparel
so there's this new store down at the really congested part of ann arbor where you have to parallel park and pay the meter, etc. but i still like going down to that area, even after all the car hassles, because they have neat stuff around there. example: American Apparel. it's this cool store that was started in LA and it's sweatshop free, which makes me feel good. but the thing i like best is that you walk in and it's like hanes stuff out of it's packaging. there are simple types of shirts in all sizes and in every color, and they're all together. and then there's skirts, pants, etc. there's even a little baby area where you can get onesies that aren't white or pastel!
i think that whole idea really appeals to me on an OCD level where i get satisfaction just knowing that everything is accounted for. you know, the every color, every size, every style, all on it's individual rack, and all in this clean little warehouse type store with just racks of clothes and hardwood floors and cool photographs everywhere. who knows why, but very satisfying to this eye :) plus it doesn't hurt that it's right across the street from Potbelly's which is the bestest sandwich shop EVER! so yeah, i did both of those things with R and M on st. patrick's day, and an funny drunk guy told us how cute M was while we were in line for a sandwich after the shopping. good times. www.americanapparel.net
i think that whole idea really appeals to me on an OCD level where i get satisfaction just knowing that everything is accounted for. you know, the every color, every size, every style, all on it's individual rack, and all in this clean little warehouse type store with just racks of clothes and hardwood floors and cool photographs everywhere. who knows why, but very satisfying to this eye :) plus it doesn't hurt that it's right across the street from Potbelly's which is the bestest sandwich shop EVER! so yeah, i did both of those things with R and M on st. patrick's day, and an funny drunk guy told us how cute M was while we were in line for a sandwich after the shopping. good times. www.americanapparel.net
Thursday, April 06, 2006
getting married
so my very good friend Shashi is getting married! she's dated another good friend for a long time, since high school really, and he proposed to her this week! said proposal was in san diego where they both live and work and go to school (and live right by the beach=jealousy from me). in relaying the story of the proposal, shashi talked about making a commitment, a really real commitment, and then seeing a host of events happen because of it. i love to hear stories like this. you know, about things falling into place, stories about finally seeing the whole of a situation and the ease of understanding settling comfortably over everything. it's happened before to me. and maybe that's a litle philosophical for 7 am, but oh well. it's sort of given me a desire to seek that on my own again. M is such a wonderful little person, but when he first got here it was quite the adjustment. i didn't feel too much ease at the beginning. but that gradually changed, and recently i feel like i'm where i should be with M and R and michigan and being a mom. the clarity is returning. so i guess this morning i'm just thankful shashi notices things like that, and can put them easily. it's made me a grateful-for-my-tiny-family-even-though-i'm-sleepy K this morning. and on top of it, i'm so happy for shashi and spencer! congratulations to you both! and i love you both so much :)
Saturday, April 01, 2006
New with M
- M is learning how to chew little stars for the first time, while making his signature bad face! He also endured having his mom get way too excited about the weather getting slightly warmer (like in the 50s) and immediately popping him into his cute little overalls! I couldn't help myself, it was something i've wanted to do for a long time. and a few weeks before, R and i documented his very first haircut complete with up close hair display. However, these three pictures are all a little overdue, since as i'm looking at them, i'm realizing that they're a few weeks old. but here he is recently anyway.
- in other M news, this child has the best internal clock i've ever seen. first of all, he handles travelling to CA and AZ really well, which is quite the time zone change from all the way out here in the Eastern Time Zone. but we'll get where we're going, and he just goes to sleep or wakes up according to local time as if it's no problem at all. meanwhile, R and i are all messed up for days. so, the most recent reminder of his extraordinary ability was last night with the time change. i thought i would try putting him down for bed and hour early so that when we lost the hour at night he would wake up at the correct new time. i didn't really expect my plan to work (i.e. tossing and turning for an hour and then falling asleep or something like that), but it did. he fell asleep early and woke up perfectly on time. so that means that i am currently writing this with a little person happily crawling around my feet :)
- in some non-miles related news, i am reading a book right now called The Trial which is sort of like reading a series of dreams. so far i've only read a few chapters, but they're strange. the premise of the book is that a man is arrested and is unable to find out why, even by the people arresting him. he then tries to find out and etc, read the book yourself. in other book thoughts, i just reread Catcher in the Rye for the first time since high school and subsequently realized that i didn't really pay attention when i read it the first time. but i thoroughly enjoyed it this time through. the book is hilarious, but i think i was too young and shocked by the evil swear words to enjoy it the first time. good old high school...
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Milestones
Little M started crawling this week! unfortunately we can't post any videos of him, but there is a photo to come later of him in action :) he also has mastered being able to get to sitting all by himself and stay there indefinitely. he especially enjoys this when he's not quite in agreement with bedtime or nap time arrangements. So R and i are in the process of baby-proofing, which isn't as bad as i thought it would be. but then again we haven't had a baby-related crisis involving dishes or Cd's or something yet either. i'm sure we will at some point. another one of M's tricks is that while crawling he sometimes likes to stand on hand and feet and then push up onto his tippie-toes and balance there. lately he's even taken to balancing on one foot (toe) while doing this. so we may have some type of acrobat on our hands!
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