Tuesday, December 30, 2008

random posting

clearly i have the tv gods ear: there is a burn notice marathon on tv today!!!!! i asked for it a few days ago and voila. now if only i didn't have to work today.

einstein: had his surgery yesterday. he is now toothless by three. both of his top two front teeth (yes it sounds like a christmas song) and a molar from way in the back. his teeth look great though...nice and white and clean. we have to brush his teeth more often now. about two or three times per week, minimum. optimally daily. my only problem with the surgery are the side effects of the anesthesia. not only is my dog totally out of it....mopey and lethargic, but he has an awful case of gas now too. i swear he comes to see me, licks my feet and leaves. the only problem is that he leaves a colorless cloud of stench behind that lingers near the floor for a few minutes and miraculously floats up when he has left the danger zone. it really is unpleasant.

west wing imitates life: the news has been rife with reports on the gaza strip today. bombings for three days in a row and hundreds of people dead. at the same time, i've been watching the west wing on dvd and am just now cracking open season 5. it starts where season 4 left off with violence in the gaza strip. the president is working for peace with everyone against him. i imagine that's what's happening in the white house today in real life. either way, it's sad.

strange predictions: the wall street journal has a piece on a russian professor who has predicted the demise of the USA in 2010. he has predicted that the USA will go into civil war and be divided into smaller provinces. um. ok.

Sunday, December 28, 2008

christmas festivities 2

tv marathons: it's post-christmas tv marathon weekend. yesterday i was glued to an ncis marathon (love mark harmon) and today it's a csi: marathon. the only thing that could be better is having some hot chocolate. we have the mini marshmallows but no hot chocolate mix :( if only the prime network tv stations did marathons of current shows. actually, i kind of wish that burn notice was on this weekend, but i'm sure that will happen soon as the new season starts soon. it would totally rock if all of the marathons were on-demand because then i could just bypass commercials. on the other hand, then you wouldn't see some of the dumbest inventions such as a remote wifi finder which lets you detect where a wifi connection is available without opening your laptop (um....ok). or for a blanket with arms (cuz that's fashionable).

christmas recap: christmas was basically the same. tension in the household because mom is stressed with cooking and prepping for the big dinner. dad acting like a kid with his gifts because he just wants to try them out. and i'm playing peacemaker in the middle. mom and i were both sick so it was even more interesting because we were trying to get stuff done while feeling poorly. but it all went off without a hitch...well, after a second ham was purchased at the last minute. we had the day pretty well organized and actually had about 1 1/2 hours of break time where we were cleaning, setting the table or cooking anything. it was good to see friends and family at the dinner tables (4 of them to be exact) but it was nice when everyone went home. we had the annual leftover dinner the next night and BBFE (best boyfriend ever) and i spent some time fixing one of my dad's gifts. he couldn't get it installed properly and it took both of us about 45 minutes to diagnose and get done. we'll see how long it goes before dad calls for help again.

what i'm reading: i got a few christopher buckley books for christmas (as were on my list). i'm currently reading "boomsday" where the heroine suggests, on her blog, that people 65+ be incented by the government to commit suicide in order to 'fix' the social security deficit. buckley is a renown satirist and this is the second of his books that i've read. BBFE will agree that a few times, i just start laughing out loud because it's a well written story.

new cookbook: i'm also reading julia childs' "mastering french cooking volume 1". yes, there is actually quite a bit to read in a cookbook. she starts with an overview of how she became a french chef and moves into discussing cooking techniques, basic tools to have, how to solve cooking problems, etc. really enjoying that too.

what i'm listening to: on the audible side, i have three new cd's to burn off on to my ipod: lenny kravitz, ali farka toure, and pat metheny. quite different amongst all three but should be good if my past views on their albums hold true.

things that go through my head:
1. people that act out on their road rage are jackasses that deserve what they get. don't throw something at us and expect not to have the po-po pull you over!
2. vanilla is absolutely better than chocolate...especially french vanilla.
3. why are crafts such as sewing or needlework considered "fuddy duddy"?
4. why is my conversion vehicle considered a wagon? eewww.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

pre-christmas weekend

sick: well my small cold has turned into one nasty bugger. i haven't slept well for four or five nights now and even justin has slept on the couch a few nights. he says its cuz i snore too loud. he's probably right - i'm very congested and am having a hard time breathing. last night i think the cold moved into my chest. i've been coughing more and sound like i'm wheezing. it was really rough getting out of bed this morning.

pre-christmas party: as i write, we are in pennsylvania at justin's parents' house. we drove up yesterday to spend the weekend with his family. his mother also hosted a pre-christmas dinner for family. there were about 23 of us which is a bigger crowd than i am used to. but we sat with his sisters and their boyfriends at the "young adult" table. and i'm the oldest one of the bunch!! there's some interesting folks in this family. totally sweet and nice. but interesting. one aunt kept asking if my boyfriend is "a dreamboat to live with". a cousin is dating another first cousing (eeewww). and there's an adorable little cousin who loved petting einstein.

making dinner: as part of their christmas gift, we are making dinner for justins parents (and one sister who is in town). but honestly, i'm feeling so crappy that justin is doing all the work and i'm supervising. coq au vin and "sex cake" plus a salad and some crusty french bread. YUM! we'll see how the cake comes out. we needed a bit of white sugar, but his mom doesn't stock it so we're using raw sugar. perhaps it will work.

good things: shout out to nik for making a great dinner on friday night. while the chicken might have been a tad underdone, the evening was great. we both enjoyed ourselves. shout out to jen for being a flexible and understanding friend. this week truly has sucked because i'm sick and she's been great in allowing on me to cancel on her not once, not twice, but thrice.

things that go through my head:
1. when baking, YES it is critical to use a wet measuring cup for liquids and a dry one for dry things (like sugar). justin insists there is no difference and doesn't want to messy up more "stuff". we'll see how the cake comes out!

2. being sick sucks. i can't smell, i can't taste, i can't breathe.

3. my dog is the best dog ever. no if's, and's, or ruff's about it! he rocks.

4. ALL men really do enjoy farts. mostly when they are farting, but they appreciate a good one from other people too.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

wednesday morning blogging

apologies: ok...so clearly the promise to update my blog timely has totally been broken. but i am also sure that other than myself, i have only 1 reader. so...it's 6am and i think i'm coming down with a cold. this is sucky timing because christmas is right around the corner and i have tons of work to do before then. i've been working hard these last few weeks and i think the time and stress has finally taken its toll. but i'm really not trying to complain. i've been enjoying the work and enjoying the fruits of my labor. my house is a mess, but i've been happier....i hope others feel that way too.


holidays:
christmas should be interesting this year. its only the second year now where i have multiple "christmas celebrations". going home with my boyfriend to his parents' house and they're having a dinner with family. then back to richmond for a few days. after that, we leave on christmas eve to visit my family and will be there for a few days.


rules of attraction:
i continually am reminded that attractions are totally unexplained sometimes. that people who you wouldn't imagine together fall totally in love with each other with no rhyme, reason, or rationale. i'm not talking about my boyfriend and i only (although there are things that don't have reason)...but i'm talking about people in general. it honestly gives me goosebumps and hope every time i meet a couple who aren't totally obvious at first glance. and i LOVE hearing about how people meet. those types of stories my my heart melt, my eyes water, and my toes curl. there's something about hearing about chance enounters that brings out the romantic in me.

good things: shout out to our friend Nik the baker for providing fabulous cookies for the holidays. we've been debating the meaning of both tins (i.e. mine, yours, ours).

things that go through my head
1. why do they have to take a great tea like Constant Comment and make it "green"? It tastes like a$$ and i totally can't drink it.
2. yes...if the detergent lid on the dishwasher clicks open YOU are REALLY obligated to unload the dishwasher. but you CAN ask for help in finding out where things go.
3. more people should read "twilight". i can't get enough of the saga. if you're interested in seeing the movie, let me know (because my boyfriend won't go with me).