It is so, so hard to get out of bed when it's dark outside. Ughghgh. I'm draaaaaggginggggg...
I wish![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
adelagia hadn't introduced me to Merlin until like, 10 seasons down the line, so I would have that much more to watch. Now I have to impatiently wait for new episodes to air! Argh! This does not work well for my instant gratification personality. I'm also trying to get Jade to watch the show. She may start this weekend. I'm totally obsessing about this show now, I've even loaded my fave episodes onto my iPod. Edit: The Internet is useless and failing me. Isn't ANYone doing amusing recaps of this show a la Television Without Pity??! I've half a mind to start doing my own!
Remember the other day when I mentioned I had baked really awesome bread using instant yeast? I finally made a post about it on my food blog. ( Here's a preview photo. )
Restaurant Week in Seattle is Oct. 17-28, and I made a bunch of placeholder reservations at the places I wanted to go to, thinking it was only wishful thinking. But actually I have made plans to go to almost every single one! Yay!! There are still two reservations that I haven't confirmed plans for, so if anyone is interested in going to either Dahlia Lounge or Mistral Kitchen, let me know!
I wish
adelagia hadn't introduced me to Merlin until like, 10 seasons down the line, so I would have that much more to watch. Now I have to impatiently wait for new episodes to air! Argh! This does not work well for my instant gratification personality. I'm also trying to get Jade to watch the show. She may start this weekend. I'm totally obsessing about this show now, I've even loaded my fave episodes onto my iPod. Edit: The Internet is useless and failing me. Isn't ANYone doing amusing recaps of this show a la Television Without Pity??! I've half a mind to start doing my own!Remember the other day when I mentioned I had baked really awesome bread using instant yeast? I finally made a post about it on my food blog. ( Here's a preview photo. )
Restaurant Week in Seattle is Oct. 17-28, and I made a bunch of placeholder reservations at the places I wanted to go to, thinking it was only wishful thinking. But actually I have made plans to go to almost every single one! Yay!! There are still two reservations that I haven't confirmed plans for, so if anyone is interested in going to either Dahlia Lounge or Mistral Kitchen, let me know!
cooking & watching
Oct. 4th, 2010 10:15 am
Cooking stuff:
I am so proud of myself, it's ridiculous. I made my own kimchi!!
Tonight I'm going to attempt to make eun daegu jorim, that delicious black cod dish I talked about in another post. Unfortunately, the recipe I have is not a 'real' recipe that's tried and true, but is someone's guestimation. Also, I was in H-Mart getting ingredients for this and for the kimchi, and the fish monger dude seemed totally perplexed by the idea of daegu jorim. He instead recommended whiting, which I've never had before, but which I took his advice on, since they didn't have black cod anyway. I know from multiple sources that you *can* make this dish with any firm, white fish. The problem is that the fish is HUGE. I don't think it will fit whole into any of my pots, which means I'm going to have to chop it up myself (it was frozen whole and rock solid when I bought it, so the seafood dept couldn't do it for me).
I've also baked a really, really awesome artisan bread using instant yeast. You basically have to use the yeast sparingly so that it has a very slow/long fermentation time, like you're using a sourdough starter. The recipe I made takes 23 hours, lol. But only 20-40 minutes of that is active time, where you're doing something. The challenge is that you do have to do things at certain times, so you have to make it a point to be home during those times. It was SO GOOD. The book it comes from has been on my wish list awhile, I kick myself that it took me so long to actually get it. I'll share a pic when I get it off my SD card! ( Here's the recipe, in case you want to make it, or just see what that 23 hours includes. )
Watching stuff:
Saw a great movie with K. last night: Winter's Bone. It was bleak, bleak, bleak. You think you know poor and then you see a movie like this and you learn how little you actually know. The entire time I was watching, I was counting my many blessings. And wondering how people can find the will to go on when there's little to no happiness to be found anywhere, when you have to eke out an existence, when all life hands you is crap on top of crap. It's when I'm confronted by people who live with these circumstances, and yet find the will and the desire to keep living, that I really see/understand what survival instincts are, and how strong they are. I guess this movie won a bunch of awards at Sundance, and I can see why. The acting was great -- v. impressed with this Jennifer Lawrence gal, and John Hawkes, who many of us know better as Scully's stalker Phillip Padgett.
I've also finally watched (500) Days of Summer. I enjoyed it immensely until about 3/4ths of the way through, when they kind of lose me. Jade pointed out that the movie is apparently based on a true story so I guess I can work past it, but I don't have to be happy about it.
And finally -- I'm on S2 of Merlin!!! ( Spoilers. )
I am so proud of myself, it's ridiculous. I made my own kimchi!!
Tonight I'm going to attempt to make eun daegu jorim, that delicious black cod dish I talked about in another post. Unfortunately, the recipe I have is not a 'real' recipe that's tried and true, but is someone's guestimation. Also, I was in H-Mart getting ingredients for this and for the kimchi, and the fish monger dude seemed totally perplexed by the idea of daegu jorim. He instead recommended whiting, which I've never had before, but which I took his advice on, since they didn't have black cod anyway. I know from multiple sources that you *can* make this dish with any firm, white fish. The problem is that the fish is HUGE. I don't think it will fit whole into any of my pots, which means I'm going to have to chop it up myself (it was frozen whole and rock solid when I bought it, so the seafood dept couldn't do it for me).
I've also baked a really, really awesome artisan bread using instant yeast. You basically have to use the yeast sparingly so that it has a very slow/long fermentation time, like you're using a sourdough starter. The recipe I made takes 23 hours, lol. But only 20-40 minutes of that is active time, where you're doing something. The challenge is that you do have to do things at certain times, so you have to make it a point to be home during those times. It was SO GOOD. The book it comes from has been on my wish list awhile, I kick myself that it took me so long to actually get it. I'll share a pic when I get it off my SD card! ( Here's the recipe, in case you want to make it, or just see what that 23 hours includes. )
Watching stuff:
Saw a great movie with K. last night: Winter's Bone. It was bleak, bleak, bleak. You think you know poor and then you see a movie like this and you learn how little you actually know. The entire time I was watching, I was counting my many blessings. And wondering how people can find the will to go on when there's little to no happiness to be found anywhere, when you have to eke out an existence, when all life hands you is crap on top of crap. It's when I'm confronted by people who live with these circumstances, and yet find the will and the desire to keep living, that I really see/understand what survival instincts are, and how strong they are. I guess this movie won a bunch of awards at Sundance, and I can see why. The acting was great -- v. impressed with this Jennifer Lawrence gal, and John Hawkes, who many of us know better as Scully's stalker Phillip Padgett.
I've also finally watched (500) Days of Summer. I enjoyed it immensely until about 3/4ths of the way through, when they kind of lose me. Jade pointed out that the movie is apparently based on a true story so I guess I can work past it, but I don't have to be happy about it.
And finally -- I'm on S2 of Merlin!!! ( Spoilers. )
I made a super awesome tomato bisque last night. It's kind of a lot of work for a simple tomato soup, but that's just because I think a tomato soup should be really fast and easy. Making your own though is so, so, so much better than anything you can get premade at the store. Plus! I got to try out my new immersion blender.
===
I have some very good news. It's about my mortgage. I know, you're riveted now.
My mortgage is through Chase. I'm sure, like any company, people have had good and bad experiences with them. For my own part, I've never had any problems. I hesitate to say that means it's been positive; it's not like I've gone around ecstatic that they're my mortgage company or anything.
However, I am now cautiously optimistic that sometime in the next two weeks, I will be able to say that I've had a really positive experience with the company.
Last week, I got what's known in some circles as "the magic Fedex letter" from them about their "mortgage rate reduction program." From what I can tell of what I've read by others who have gotten the letter/offer as well, it's a targeted program, sent to a select group of mortgagees who've always paid their bill on time, still have equity in their home, the home's their primary residence, etc. etc.
Essentially, the letter is FedEx'ed next business day, and you have like 4 days to respond to it. The offer is for Chase to lower your existing mortgage rate (mine was 5.875% for 30-year fixed) to a more current rate (for me, it was 4.625% for 30-year fixed) with zero closing costs. Basically, they're just going to lower your interest rate for nothing.
It sounds too good to be true, right? I was certain it was a scam. So I did my online research and nope, it's totally legit. Nothing official from Chase on why they would do such a thing, though there are forums speculating (generally accepted thinking is that Chase wants to prevent their best customers from possibly refinancing with someone else, so they can keep those customers and look good to investors).
There's no appraisal or anything. Once you talk to someone on the phone to accept the offer, they send you a good-faith estimate. If you want to proceed (and there are very few reasons not to, if any), you send them two documents: a signed authorization for disclosure and a copy of your homeowner's insurance policy to prove you have it. That's it. They then contact you to set up a closing date when you sign all the papers (that's where I am now, I sent my two docs yesterday and am now waiting for someone to call me to set up the closing date). On average they are closing people within 2 weeks.
This might be the first time I have ever gotten anything good come of being a good citizen (or schmuck, depending on how you look at it) and paying my bills on time. Usually you get exactly nothing for that. You get breaks if you're a problem child who can't pay your bills (usually due to living outside your means, but also other, better reasons), so they'll work with you to lower the amount of what you actually owe, which is a really fucked up system, but whatever. Or, you know, you'll get more by switching to a new phone company or whatever, instead of being a loyal customer. Which, again, fucked up. But finally, Chase is giving a reward for good behavior. What a concept! (And yes, of course they get something out of it, too. But that's true of everything.)
===
Now in not-so-great news: I locked my keys in my car yesterday. Specifically, they were left in the ignition of the Pontiac. I didn't even realize until hours later, when I was going to take Talis to the park and was hunting high and low for my keys.
My only excuse is that it's nearly impossible for me to get locked out of my Lexus, which I've been driving some form of for the last 3 years, so there are certain habits I've developed. Like, I never, ever have to take my keys out of my purse to drive/lock/unlock my car. So I've lost the habit of pulling keys out of ignitions and putting them in my purse or realizing when they're not with me. Now that I have the Pontiac, I've had to relearn that automatic reflex, but obviously it's still not second nature to me.
The good news is that because of the Pontiac, I do have roadside assistance (I might've mentioned this -- trialing Allstate Motor Club for 2 months for $1.99/month). Of course, I was imagining that I would use this for towing, not locking my keys in the car, but whatevs, still possibly the best $2 I've ever spent.
It took 40 minutes or less from the time I called Allstate to when I had my keys back. They sent someone who came to my house (luckily the car was just parked outside and I hadn't locked myself out at, say, the Mukilteo Lighthouse) within like 15 minutes. That was pretty awesome. It wasn't awesome for poor Talis, however, who didn't get to go to the park after all because it was starting to get dark when I was hunting for my keys, and by the time it was all over it was actually dark.
===
I have some very good news. It's about my mortgage. I know, you're riveted now.
My mortgage is through Chase. I'm sure, like any company, people have had good and bad experiences with them. For my own part, I've never had any problems. I hesitate to say that means it's been positive; it's not like I've gone around ecstatic that they're my mortgage company or anything.
However, I am now cautiously optimistic that sometime in the next two weeks, I will be able to say that I've had a really positive experience with the company.
Last week, I got what's known in some circles as "the magic Fedex letter" from them about their "mortgage rate reduction program." From what I can tell of what I've read by others who have gotten the letter/offer as well, it's a targeted program, sent to a select group of mortgagees who've always paid their bill on time, still have equity in their home, the home's their primary residence, etc. etc.
Essentially, the letter is FedEx'ed next business day, and you have like 4 days to respond to it. The offer is for Chase to lower your existing mortgage rate (mine was 5.875% for 30-year fixed) to a more current rate (for me, it was 4.625% for 30-year fixed) with zero closing costs. Basically, they're just going to lower your interest rate for nothing.
It sounds too good to be true, right? I was certain it was a scam. So I did my online research and nope, it's totally legit. Nothing official from Chase on why they would do such a thing, though there are forums speculating (generally accepted thinking is that Chase wants to prevent their best customers from possibly refinancing with someone else, so they can keep those customers and look good to investors).
There's no appraisal or anything. Once you talk to someone on the phone to accept the offer, they send you a good-faith estimate. If you want to proceed (and there are very few reasons not to, if any), you send them two documents: a signed authorization for disclosure and a copy of your homeowner's insurance policy to prove you have it. That's it. They then contact you to set up a closing date when you sign all the papers (that's where I am now, I sent my two docs yesterday and am now waiting for someone to call me to set up the closing date). On average they are closing people within 2 weeks.
This might be the first time I have ever gotten anything good come of being a good citizen (or schmuck, depending on how you look at it) and paying my bills on time. Usually you get exactly nothing for that. You get breaks if you're a problem child who can't pay your bills (usually due to living outside your means, but also other, better reasons), so they'll work with you to lower the amount of what you actually owe, which is a really fucked up system, but whatever. Or, you know, you'll get more by switching to a new phone company or whatever, instead of being a loyal customer. Which, again, fucked up. But finally, Chase is giving a reward for good behavior. What a concept! (And yes, of course they get something out of it, too. But that's true of everything.)
===
Now in not-so-great news: I locked my keys in my car yesterday. Specifically, they were left in the ignition of the Pontiac. I didn't even realize until hours later, when I was going to take Talis to the park and was hunting high and low for my keys.
My only excuse is that it's nearly impossible for me to get locked out of my Lexus, which I've been driving some form of for the last 3 years, so there are certain habits I've developed. Like, I never, ever have to take my keys out of my purse to drive/lock/unlock my car. So I've lost the habit of pulling keys out of ignitions and putting them in my purse or realizing when they're not with me. Now that I have the Pontiac, I've had to relearn that automatic reflex, but obviously it's still not second nature to me.
The good news is that because of the Pontiac, I do have roadside assistance (I might've mentioned this -- trialing Allstate Motor Club for 2 months for $1.99/month). Of course, I was imagining that I would use this for towing, not locking my keys in the car, but whatevs, still possibly the best $2 I've ever spent.
It took 40 minutes or less from the time I called Allstate to when I had my keys back. They sent someone who came to my house (luckily the car was just parked outside and I hadn't locked myself out at, say, the Mukilteo Lighthouse) within like 15 minutes. That was pretty awesome. It wasn't awesome for poor Talis, however, who didn't get to go to the park after all because it was starting to get dark when I was hunting for my keys, and by the time it was all over it was actually dark.
I made some really awesome espresso-chocolate shortbread cookies over the weekend. I didn't actually expect them to be that good. I ate them with an Americano for breakfast this morning, and I really needed all that caffeine because I am DRAGGING this morning.
===
I found all the reviews that I wrote for various XF episodes way back in the day (11 years ago), because when I first got into fandom I created a fan site rather than writing fanfic. Boy, are some of those reviews embarrassing. I didn't try to pretend like I was a completely objective observer; I definitely was into MSR, however sometimes I tried for at least a semblance of talking about the merits of each episode outside the MSR, with varying degrees of success. Sometimes though, I didn't even bother to try.
There's also "Time Out of Joint," the WIP that I was working on with Brandon Ray. It's one of the stories I was proudest of, except that midway through writing it, I lost interest in XF and Brandon didn't feel much like working on it either. He was a good friend of mine, but once our interests diverged we didn't keep in close contact (that seems to always happen with me). A few years after I'd dropped out of fandom I heard that Brandon had passed away unexpectedly. It still flips me out every time I think of it. In any case, part of me feels like I should finish TOoJ, because we put in a lot of effort on it, it was a good story, and it seems like a complete waste that it'll never be finished. But another part of me feels that writing/finishing the story without Brandon would be wrong, and in any case, I don't have any notes or anything from that time period anymore, so I'm not clear where we were going with it, what should happen, etc. I'd have to make it all up on my own, which seems like a lot of effort for someone who hasn't written XF fanfic in a decade. I try to think of what Brandon would want me to do, and I'm pretty sure he'd just say, "Do whatever you want. :-)" He drove me inSANE in many ways, but at the end of the day he was the first person I ever met online, he was a good friend of mine, and I miss him.
===
Tonight I think I'm going to attempt a dish that I've been wanting to try ever since I saw it. It's a lot of freaking effort for what amounts to roasted tomatoes and spaghetti, but it looks and sounds wonderful. I just need to eat lunch extra late or something so that I can wait the 2 hours it will take to make the damn thing.
===
I found all the reviews that I wrote for various XF episodes way back in the day (11 years ago), because when I first got into fandom I created a fan site rather than writing fanfic. Boy, are some of those reviews embarrassing. I didn't try to pretend like I was a completely objective observer; I definitely was into MSR, however sometimes I tried for at least a semblance of talking about the merits of each episode outside the MSR, with varying degrees of success. Sometimes though, I didn't even bother to try.
There's also "Time Out of Joint," the WIP that I was working on with Brandon Ray. It's one of the stories I was proudest of, except that midway through writing it, I lost interest in XF and Brandon didn't feel much like working on it either. He was a good friend of mine, but once our interests diverged we didn't keep in close contact (that seems to always happen with me). A few years after I'd dropped out of fandom I heard that Brandon had passed away unexpectedly. It still flips me out every time I think of it. In any case, part of me feels like I should finish TOoJ, because we put in a lot of effort on it, it was a good story, and it seems like a complete waste that it'll never be finished. But another part of me feels that writing/finishing the story without Brandon would be wrong, and in any case, I don't have any notes or anything from that time period anymore, so I'm not clear where we were going with it, what should happen, etc. I'd have to make it all up on my own, which seems like a lot of effort for someone who hasn't written XF fanfic in a decade. I try to think of what Brandon would want me to do, and I'm pretty sure he'd just say, "Do whatever you want. :-)" He drove me inSANE in many ways, but at the end of the day he was the first person I ever met online, he was a good friend of mine, and I miss him.
===
Tonight I think I'm going to attempt a dish that I've been wanting to try ever since I saw it. It's a lot of freaking effort for what amounts to roasted tomatoes and spaghetti, but it looks and sounds wonderful. I just need to eat lunch extra late or something so that I can wait the 2 hours it will take to make the damn thing.
OK all you people who live in Seattle and enjoy food: Restaurant Week is back again! Oct. 17-28 (minus Fri. & Sat.). WHO'S WITH ME?? $25, 3-course meal, awesome restaurants! You know you want to go! I am keeping that entire week+ open so I can go to as many as possible. <g> So let me know if you're interested and we shall plan to go. There are a few restaurants I want to hit for sure -- Dahlia Lounge, Mistral Kitchen, Spring Hill -- but am also open to anything.
===
Speaking of food, I've actually been cooking quite a bit, and have just posted a big roundup about it here.
===
Dealing with some work insanity the past couple of days. Sigh. And I so tried to avoid having this happen. I wish my work didn't so often consist of making sure other people do their jobs. You're not in control of your own destiny when that's the case, and there's a lot of sitting around worrying about how other things are going so that your bigger picture can fall into place. The good news is that everything went well, despite Murphy's Law coming into play.
===
Did someone recommend Patricia Gaffney's To Have and To Hold to me? Was it maybe when I was talking about Laura Kinsale's Seize the Fire and that novel's bastard of an anti-hero? I ask because it was apparently in my library queue so I picked it up yesterday. But what I found odd was that it was an "inter-library loan" (meaning not one of the 16ish libraries in the Sno-Isle library system that basically share a catalogue) -- it's from Harvard-Westlake School in California. O.o How random is that? For that reason it cannot be renewed, so I pretty much have to read it right away (there is a serious back up in my reading queue).
The problem is that there's another one I also have to read right away -- I just got Tongues of Serpents! I think there's a big waiting list for it right now, so I probably won't be able to renew and if I wanted it again would have to wait in the queue all over. It always takes me a page or two to get back into reading a Temeraire novel, because of the language. But it's cool because once I'm back in it, it reads like any other book.
===
I finally caved and bought the BSG series on Blu-Ray. There's conflicting reports on exactly what's included (The Plan y/n?), so I'll have to see when it gets here if it's missing anything.
Finally on S6 of XF. I know a lot of people didn't like that season... but I don't know why. It's hands down my favorite season. Almost every episode is totally rewatchable (unlike the second half of S5, after Bad Blood). I guess I like the lighter fare, though I will admit that the lighter fare wouldn't be as good if all the dark stuff hadn't happened to them before that. Still, just last night I saw Triangle, the two Dreamlands, and How the Ghosts Stole Christmas, and I'm only on disc 2! I LOVE YOU SEASON 6, I DON'T CARE WHAT ANYONE ELSE SAYS.
===
And the VERY LAST TV Show Meme!! I started this way back in June. Wow. O.o I took my sweet time with it, didn't I?
Day 30 - Saddest character death
Since this is potentially spoilery, ( my answer behind a cut. )
===
Speaking of food, I've actually been cooking quite a bit, and have just posted a big roundup about it here.
===
Dealing with some work insanity the past couple of days. Sigh. And I so tried to avoid having this happen. I wish my work didn't so often consist of making sure other people do their jobs. You're not in control of your own destiny when that's the case, and there's a lot of sitting around worrying about how other things are going so that your bigger picture can fall into place. The good news is that everything went well, despite Murphy's Law coming into play.
===
Did someone recommend Patricia Gaffney's To Have and To Hold to me? Was it maybe when I was talking about Laura Kinsale's Seize the Fire and that novel's bastard of an anti-hero? I ask because it was apparently in my library queue so I picked it up yesterday. But what I found odd was that it was an "inter-library loan" (meaning not one of the 16ish libraries in the Sno-Isle library system that basically share a catalogue) -- it's from Harvard-Westlake School in California. O.o How random is that? For that reason it cannot be renewed, so I pretty much have to read it right away (there is a serious back up in my reading queue).
The problem is that there's another one I also have to read right away -- I just got Tongues of Serpents! I think there's a big waiting list for it right now, so I probably won't be able to renew and if I wanted it again would have to wait in the queue all over. It always takes me a page or two to get back into reading a Temeraire novel, because of the language. But it's cool because once I'm back in it, it reads like any other book.
===
I finally caved and bought the BSG series on Blu-Ray. There's conflicting reports on exactly what's included (The Plan y/n?), so I'll have to see when it gets here if it's missing anything.
Finally on S6 of XF. I know a lot of people didn't like that season... but I don't know why. It's hands down my favorite season. Almost every episode is totally rewatchable (unlike the second half of S5, after Bad Blood). I guess I like the lighter fare, though I will admit that the lighter fare wouldn't be as good if all the dark stuff hadn't happened to them before that. Still, just last night I saw Triangle, the two Dreamlands, and How the Ghosts Stole Christmas, and I'm only on disc 2! I LOVE YOU SEASON 6, I DON'T CARE WHAT ANYONE ELSE SAYS.
===
And the VERY LAST TV Show Meme!! I started this way back in June. Wow. O.o I took my sweet time with it, didn't I?
Day 30 - Saddest character death
Since this is potentially spoilery, ( my answer behind a cut. )
what am I, a happy meal with legs?
Aug. 3rd, 2010 09:22 am
Okay... I had a traumatizing experience yesterday. Despite the fact that mosquitoes love me and I almost always have several bites on various parts of my body, I've never taken especial precautions to prevent them. I just figured it was a fact of life. But now I need to make it a point to cover myself up from head to go when I go out in the garden. I need to buy some sun clothes and wear them. For the first time ever, I SAW a mosquito feasting on me. I've never seen that before. They usually bite me and I don't notice until the swelling starts. It totally freaked me out to see it sitting there, EATING ME. And yes, now there is a hot lump on my arm where it had treated me like a juice box. THAT IS SO GROSS.
===
Have you ever had deep fried pickles? They are so yummy. I had them for the first time a couple months ago -- I was super skeptical, but after the first bite I was completely sold. I failed at making them in my Actifry, but I love them enough that maybe I'll try making them the old-fashioned way. Or just make excuses to go to the People's Pub in Ballard for an excellent plate of them.
Also, I made this cocoa-nana bread the other night. Chocolate and banana, mmm.
===
TV Show Meme, Day 18 - Favorite title sequence: Dexter
DESPITE the first few frames showing a mosquito feeding on Dexter, the rest of it features a lot of food. Delicious-looking food (even though it's supposed to make you think of death and murder). So I'm a big fan. I don't get sick of watching this title sequence. :))
===
Have you ever had deep fried pickles? They are so yummy. I had them for the first time a couple months ago -- I was super skeptical, but after the first bite I was completely sold. I failed at making them in my Actifry, but I love them enough that maybe I'll try making them the old-fashioned way. Or just make excuses to go to the People's Pub in Ballard for an excellent plate of them.
Also, I made this cocoa-nana bread the other night. Chocolate and banana, mmm.
===
TV Show Meme, Day 18 - Favorite title sequence: Dexter
DESPITE the first few frames showing a mosquito feeding on Dexter, the rest of it features a lot of food. Delicious-looking food (even though it's supposed to make you think of death and murder). So I'm a big fan. I don't get sick of watching this title sequence. :))
so very tired today
Jul. 28th, 2010 09:58 amDid I mention that I made Tres Leches Cake recently? I had it for the first time at Mistral Kitchen. It was sooooo good. They served theirs with strawberry sorbet. I wasn't that ambitious, but even plain it's wonderful.
I started reading Ursula K. Le Guin's The Beginning Place, and now I remember why I can't seem to get into her books... it's her writing. There's something about it that makes it difficult to follow. I'm constantly zoning out. I understand each individual word -- it's not like the writing is particularly dense or flowery -- yet when I read whole sentences or paragraphs they make no impression on me, they're utterly meaningless. This book is a 'teen' book, I'm only like 10 pages in, and this has happened about half a dozen times already. I go back and read the problem sentences verrrry slowly, but it doesn't usually help. I'm like, what is she trying to describe/say?! What just happened??
Lunch w/ the DG gals this weekend, yay! We're going to Maggiano's. Haven't been there in forever, hope they still have the take-home pasta thingy still.
TV Show Meme Day 15 - Favorite female character: Veronica Mars
What can I say about Veronica Mars? She's smart, sassy, and kick ass in every way. She doesn't have the perfect life but she doesn't allow herself to be a victim. She's confident in her abilities -- and if she isn't, she knows how to hide it well. She has an awesome dad. She never lets anyone get the better of her. She's played by one of the cutest actresses working today. And she manages to do all this and still be likable.
I started reading Ursula K. Le Guin's The Beginning Place, and now I remember why I can't seem to get into her books... it's her writing. There's something about it that makes it difficult to follow. I'm constantly zoning out. I understand each individual word -- it's not like the writing is particularly dense or flowery -- yet when I read whole sentences or paragraphs they make no impression on me, they're utterly meaningless. This book is a 'teen' book, I'm only like 10 pages in, and this has happened about half a dozen times already. I go back and read the problem sentences verrrry slowly, but it doesn't usually help. I'm like, what is she trying to describe/say?! What just happened??
Lunch w/ the DG gals this weekend, yay! We're going to Maggiano's. Haven't been there in forever, hope they still have the take-home pasta thingy still.
TV Show Meme Day 15 - Favorite female character: Veronica Mars
What can I say about Veronica Mars? She's smart, sassy, and kick ass in every way. She doesn't have the perfect life but she doesn't allow herself to be a victim. She's confident in her abilities -- and if she isn't, she knows how to hide it well. She has an awesome dad. She never lets anyone get the better of her. She's played by one of the cutest actresses working today. And she manages to do all this and still be likable.
Long weekend roundup
Jul. 6th, 2010 02:09 pmHad a pretty uneventful and relaxing weekend, though it passed by all too quickly. I thought 4 days would feel like longer.
My pets, especially my dog, would beg to differ about the weekend being "relaxing." Talis basically spent all of July 4 in his carrier kennel, hiding from the fireworks. The couple of times he ventured out, his entire body shook uncontrollably. It's the saddest/cutest thing. This happens every July 4, which is why I knew to take out the carrier kennel so that it would be ready for him to hide in. Jaime was only fazed during the particularly loud bangs (they're SO loud where I am that the big ones actually make the house shake, and things fall off the walls if not completely bolted on), and when those happened he hid under the bed. But he ventured out once in awhile -- unlike Talis, who was basically like, "I live in this carrier now."
I'm still not a Tweeter, but I do have an account -- sareaokelani -- for the day when I decide not to live in the Dark Ages anymore. I haven't even Tweeted once, lol. I checked the account today, though, and I was following 20 people/accounts! HowTF did that happen? I hadn't even heard of 99% of them! I wouldn't have followed them on my own (to be honest, I wouldn't even have known HOW to follow them until like 3 weeks ago), and no one else has access to my account. So how the hell did I start following them? Does Twitter just randomly add you to ones over time, or is there a way people can force you to add them, or what? I'm disturbed by all of these scenarios.
A few posts ago I shared some pics of my garden, including a lovely catnip plant I was growing in a pot. Well, it's no longer lovely. :-( It's been violated!! I went outside the other day and saw it had been knocked over. At first I thought it was the wind that had caused it, but it's a pretty heavy pot so that seemed odd as it hasn't been very windy. I turned it right-side up, and it was in a shambles. A few branches had broken off, some of it was just plain gone, as it no longer looked as full as it once did, and generally looked as if it had been mightily abused. And -- there was cat hair ALL OVER IT. Sigh. One of the neighborhood cats must've finally found it and made mad, fierce love to it, because the poor plant was looking positively wrecked. I could have wept. It had been growing so nicely. There's nothing I can do, though. I don't want to grow it indoors because it loves the sun, and my house doesn't get my sun. (Plus, in the house it'd be in danger from Jaime, or if I kept it in a room with the door closed, I'd probably forget to water it.) Outdoors, there's really nowhere I could keep it that would be out of the reach of a cat. For now I've placed it in between some tall weeds that keep growing back no matter how much I rip them out; hopefully it will offer some protection. I suppose I could try and put bird netting over it...
Speaking of the garden, I've had my second harvest from it. :-) I cut off the scapes from the garlic and made garlic scape pesto. I had some of it with farafelle and it was so. freaking. good. I've frozen the bulk of it (not that there was much) for later in the summer, when the tomatoes have hopefully come in. I was actually pretty productive in the kitchen this weekend, so go me. (BTW, K.'s verdict on my rocky road ice cream? "Best rocky road I've ever had." See Dad, SEE.)
Also, finished Empire of Ivory. It was very good and went quickly. It was only book 3 that really dragged on. Now I just have to hope the library queue for book 5 goes quickly. Of course, my turn still hasn't come up for Pride and Prejudice and Zombies... actually wait, I just checked my account and I don't even have it on hold. So I either imagined that I ever put it on hold, or my turn came up and I somehow missed it. Anyway, did you know that there's now a "prequel" to that book, but it's written by some other guy?
My pets, especially my dog, would beg to differ about the weekend being "relaxing." Talis basically spent all of July 4 in his carrier kennel, hiding from the fireworks. The couple of times he ventured out, his entire body shook uncontrollably. It's the saddest/cutest thing. This happens every July 4, which is why I knew to take out the carrier kennel so that it would be ready for him to hide in. Jaime was only fazed during the particularly loud bangs (they're SO loud where I am that the big ones actually make the house shake, and things fall off the walls if not completely bolted on), and when those happened he hid under the bed. But he ventured out once in awhile -- unlike Talis, who was basically like, "I live in this carrier now."
I'm still not a Tweeter, but I do have an account -- sareaokelani -- for the day when I decide not to live in the Dark Ages anymore. I haven't even Tweeted once, lol. I checked the account today, though, and I was following 20 people/accounts! HowTF did that happen? I hadn't even heard of 99% of them! I wouldn't have followed them on my own (to be honest, I wouldn't even have known HOW to follow them until like 3 weeks ago), and no one else has access to my account. So how the hell did I start following them? Does Twitter just randomly add you to ones over time, or is there a way people can force you to add them, or what? I'm disturbed by all of these scenarios.
A few posts ago I shared some pics of my garden, including a lovely catnip plant I was growing in a pot. Well, it's no longer lovely. :-( It's been violated!! I went outside the other day and saw it had been knocked over. At first I thought it was the wind that had caused it, but it's a pretty heavy pot so that seemed odd as it hasn't been very windy. I turned it right-side up, and it was in a shambles. A few branches had broken off, some of it was just plain gone, as it no longer looked as full as it once did, and generally looked as if it had been mightily abused. And -- there was cat hair ALL OVER IT. Sigh. One of the neighborhood cats must've finally found it and made mad, fierce love to it, because the poor plant was looking positively wrecked. I could have wept. It had been growing so nicely. There's nothing I can do, though. I don't want to grow it indoors because it loves the sun, and my house doesn't get my sun. (Plus, in the house it'd be in danger from Jaime, or if I kept it in a room with the door closed, I'd probably forget to water it.) Outdoors, there's really nowhere I could keep it that would be out of the reach of a cat. For now I've placed it in between some tall weeds that keep growing back no matter how much I rip them out; hopefully it will offer some protection. I suppose I could try and put bird netting over it...
Speaking of the garden, I've had my second harvest from it. :-) I cut off the scapes from the garlic and made garlic scape pesto. I had some of it with farafelle and it was so. freaking. good. I've frozen the bulk of it (not that there was much) for later in the summer, when the tomatoes have hopefully come in. I was actually pretty productive in the kitchen this weekend, so go me. (BTW, K.'s verdict on my rocky road ice cream? "Best rocky road I've ever had." See Dad, SEE.)
Also, finished Empire of Ivory. It was very good and went quickly. It was only book 3 that really dragged on. Now I just have to hope the library queue for book 5 goes quickly. Of course, my turn still hasn't come up for Pride and Prejudice and Zombies... actually wait, I just checked my account and I don't even have it on hold. So I either imagined that I ever put it on hold, or my turn came up and I somehow missed it. Anyway, did you know that there's now a "prequel" to that book, but it's written by some other guy?
BSG S4 & food blog news
Mar. 8th, 2010 02:31 pmSomething semi-cool has happened. A rep from cookware.com contacted me re: my food blog and is offering any item from that site up to $40 to either keep (if I do a review of it) or give away (as part of a giveaway contest on my food blog). The only thing about these sorts of promotions is that I feel kind of... well, bought. I'd feel compelled to give the product a good review, and $40 really isn't that much. When Jade and I used to write book reviews for Smallville novels (we were contacted in the same way, and given the books), the same thing happened. The reviews took a long time and what we were getting return was really nothing. As for a giveaway, I don't think enough people even read my food blog to make it worthwhile. The one thing I need to find out is if this is an ongoing, or one time, thing. If I could have regular giveaways or regularly get fun new kitchen equipment, it might be worth it. Still, it's always nice to be recognized, even in a small way.
( Finished BSG S4 and a bit of 'The Plan' )
( Finished BSG S4 and a bit of 'The Plan' )
