So. The idea behind shopping at Wal*Mart is to spend less money, ie: to save. Right?
So why is it every time we go we end up spending a small fortune? On things we probably do not really need, and could have probably saved the money for things we really do need?
Tonight, husband and I went to Wal*Mart for groceries we needed. We only needed a few things, really. Breakfast shakes. Cabbage. Vitamins for him. Toilet Paper. Cheese and crackers.
We ended up spending close to $200.
How can you tell me that we actually saved any money, when we bought an extra sensor for the Wii to go to his mother's house, a package of underwear for me, several bags of sugar-free candy, 100-calorie snacks for me, and Station Cash for EQ2?
Mind you, I'm not concerned about spending the money. We wouldn't spend it if we couldn't. But Wal*Mart has a racket going on, I'm telling you. You go in there for toilet paper and cabbage, and come out with a big-screen tv. And somehow, you think you've saved.
Showing posts with label NaBloPoMo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NaBloPoMo. Show all posts
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
Me he salvado!
I am saved! Saved that is, by the wonderful tools in the Audacity audio editing software I use for recording oral projects for school. I'm taking intermediate level classes now, Spanish 211 and 212, and pronunciation and comprehension is a big part of it. So we have to record ourselves reading passages. In this case, it was a poem by Bessy Reyna called Mientras tú.
Poema Mientras Tú de Bessy Reyna
Mientras túWhat saved me was the fact that in Audacity, I can easily edit the recording. As I read it, if I stumbled I just repeated the messed up part correctly, and continued on. Then at the end, I went through it and just cut out the parts that were bad, leaving me with a good recording. That's not to say it's excellent by any stretch. my pronunciation leaves a lot to be desired still. but I'm getting there. I imagine were I taking a traditional class, actually having to speak daily, I'd have better pronunciation.
llega a la casa,
abres una cerveza,
observas la televisión
mintras tú
te acomodas en tu sillón de siempre
comentas lo duro que se pasa en la oficina
ocultas la veces que le propusiste a la
secretaria una cita
las veces que con tus compañeros en el café
piropeaste a las mujeres
mientras tú
decides a cuál bar irás hoy
o te sumerges en el comercial y esperas la cena
ella
trata de olvidarse de los piropos de mal gusto
que soportó camino al trabajo
de las proposiciones del jefe y los clientes
ella
trata de preparar la cena
arreglar la casa
sonreír a los niños
y pretender que tus escapadas
son un juego pasajero
que tus caprichos son un juego pasajero
y que a pesar de todo ella es una
Señora feliz.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
NaBloPoMo July - Saved
This will be an interesting month, trying to post 31 days about something saved. There's so many meanings I could use, after all.
- to deliver from sin
- to rescue or deliver from danger or harm
- to preserve or guard from injury, destruction, or loss
- to store (data) in a computer or on a storage device (as a floppy disk or CD)
- to put aside as a store or reserve : accumulate
- to spend less by
- to make unnecessary : avoid
- to keep from being lost to an opponent
- to prevent an opponent from scoring or winning
- to maintain, to preserve
- to put aside money
- to avoid unnecessary waste or expense : economize
- to spend less money
- to make a save
Friday, July 4, 2008
Blueberry Bars and Homemade Granola
Blueberry Bonanza Bars
An almond crust is spread with blueberry jam and topped with crumbles of homemade granola.
Ingredients
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter , cold, cut into pieces
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups blueberry jam
Almond-Coconut Granola
Directions
Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with foil, allowing a 2-inch overhang. Coat with cooking spray. Set aside.
Process almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; pulse to combine. Add butter; process until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Lightly beat egg, egg yolk, and vanilla in a small bowl. With processor running, add egg mixture; process just until clumps form. Pat dough into bottom of dish; refrigerate until firm and cold, about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prick dough all over with a fork. Bake until edges are golden, about 25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
Spread jam over crust; top with granola. Bake until jam is bubbling and granola topping is browned, about 30 minutes. Let cool on wire rack. Lift out, and cut into 2-inch squares. Bars can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 1 day, or frozen up to 1 week.
Homemade Granola
Any favorite dried fruit can be substituted for the cherries.
Ingredients
Makes 8 cups.
Vegetable cooking spray
4 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried cherries
1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. In a large bowl, stir together oats, almonds, pecans, cherries, coconut, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, combine oil, honey, and sugar. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Drizzle syrup over oat mixture; toss with a wooden spoon. Pour granola onto sheet pan and spread evenly. Bake, stirring occasionally, until golden (about 25 minutes). Let granola cool completely on a wire rack. Break it into chunks and store in an airtight container.
An almond crust is spread with blueberry jam and topped with crumbles of homemade granola.
Ingredients
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter , cold, cut into pieces
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups blueberry jam
Almond-Coconut Granola
Directions
Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with foil, allowing a 2-inch overhang. Coat with cooking spray. Set aside.
Process almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; pulse to combine. Add butter; process until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Lightly beat egg, egg yolk, and vanilla in a small bowl. With processor running, add egg mixture; process just until clumps form. Pat dough into bottom of dish; refrigerate until firm and cold, about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prick dough all over with a fork. Bake until edges are golden, about 25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
Spread jam over crust; top with granola. Bake until jam is bubbling and granola topping is browned, about 30 minutes. Let cool on wire rack. Lift out, and cut into 2-inch squares. Bars can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 1 day, or frozen up to 1 week.
Homemade Granola
Any favorite dried fruit can be substituted for the cherries.
Ingredients
Makes 8 cups.
Vegetable cooking spray
4 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried cherries
1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. In a large bowl, stir together oats, almonds, pecans, cherries, coconut, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, combine oil, honey, and sugar. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Drizzle syrup over oat mixture; toss with a wooden spoon. Pour granola onto sheet pan and spread evenly. Bake, stirring occasionally, until golden (about 25 minutes). Let granola cool completely on a wire rack. Break it into chunks and store in an airtight container.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Zucchini Bread
My Special Zucchini Bread Recipe
A time-saving tip: if you have a food processor with the grating attachment, use it to shred the zucchini. It will perfectly shred three zucchini in about five seconds. On the flour front, this recipe calls for whole wheat pastry flour, it lends a nice, tender crumb to the zucchini bread - feel free to swap in unbleached all-purpose flour if it is more convenient or happens to be your flour of choice. Also, this recipe calls for curry powder, I also did a delicious version with a Raz el Hanout spice blend from one of my favorite local spice blend producers, highly recommended! Just swap in 1 tablespoon of the Raz el Hanout in place of the curry powder.
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts, plus a few to sprinkle on top
1/3 cup poppy seeds (optional)
zest of two lemons (optional)
1/2 cup crystalized ginger, finely chopped (optional)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 large (preferably organic) eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups grated zucchini (about 3 medium), skins on, squeeze some of the moisture out and then fluff it up again before using
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or apf flour)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon curry powder (optional)
Special equipment: two 1 pound loaf pans (5 x 9 inches)
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Butter the two loaf pans, dust them with a bit of flour and set aside. Alternately, you can line the pans with a sheet of parchment. If you leave a couple inches hanging over the pan, it makes for easy removal after baking. Just grab the parchment "handles" and lift the zucchini bread right out.
In a small bowl combine the walnuts, poppy seeds, lemon zest, and ginger. Set aside.
In a mixer, beat the butter until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat again until mixture comes together and is no longer crumbly. Add the eggs one at a time mixing well and scraping down the sides of the bowl between each addition. Stir in the vanilla and then the zucchini (low speed if you are using a mixer).
In a separate bowl, combine the whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and curry powder. Add these dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two batches, stirring between each addition.
By hand, fold in the walnut, poppy seed, lemon zest, and crystalized ginger mixture. Save a bit of this to sprinkle on the tops of the zucchini loaves before baking for a bit of texture. Avoid over mixing the batter, it should be thick and moist, not unlike a butter cream frosting.
Divide the batter equally between the two loaf pans. Make sure it is level in the pans, by running a spatula over the top of each loaf. Bake for about 40-45 minutes on a middle oven rack. I like to under bake my zucchini bread ever so slightly to ensure it stays moist. Keep in mind it will continue to cook even after it is removed from the oven as it is cooling. Remove from the oven and cool the zucchini bread in pan for about ten minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to finish cooling - if you leave them in their pans, they will get sweaty and moist (not in a good way) as they cool.
Makes 2 loaves.
A time-saving tip: if you have a food processor with the grating attachment, use it to shred the zucchini. It will perfectly shred three zucchini in about five seconds. On the flour front, this recipe calls for whole wheat pastry flour, it lends a nice, tender crumb to the zucchini bread - feel free to swap in unbleached all-purpose flour if it is more convenient or happens to be your flour of choice. Also, this recipe calls for curry powder, I also did a delicious version with a Raz el Hanout spice blend from one of my favorite local spice blend producers, highly recommended! Just swap in 1 tablespoon of the Raz el Hanout in place of the curry powder.
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts, plus a few to sprinkle on top
1/3 cup poppy seeds (optional)
zest of two lemons (optional)
1/2 cup crystalized ginger, finely chopped (optional)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 large (preferably organic) eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups grated zucchini (about 3 medium), skins on, squeeze some of the moisture out and then fluff it up again before using
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or apf flour)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon curry powder (optional)
Special equipment: two 1 pound loaf pans (5 x 9 inches)
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Butter the two loaf pans, dust them with a bit of flour and set aside. Alternately, you can line the pans with a sheet of parchment. If you leave a couple inches hanging over the pan, it makes for easy removal after baking. Just grab the parchment "handles" and lift the zucchini bread right out.
In a small bowl combine the walnuts, poppy seeds, lemon zest, and ginger. Set aside.
In a mixer, beat the butter until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat again until mixture comes together and is no longer crumbly. Add the eggs one at a time mixing well and scraping down the sides of the bowl between each addition. Stir in the vanilla and then the zucchini (low speed if you are using a mixer).
In a separate bowl, combine the whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and curry powder. Add these dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two batches, stirring between each addition.
By hand, fold in the walnut, poppy seed, lemon zest, and crystalized ginger mixture. Save a bit of this to sprinkle on the tops of the zucchini loaves before baking for a bit of texture. Avoid over mixing the batter, it should be thick and moist, not unlike a butter cream frosting.
Divide the batter equally between the two loaf pans. Make sure it is level in the pans, by running a spatula over the top of each loaf. Bake for about 40-45 minutes on a middle oven rack. I like to under bake my zucchini bread ever so slightly to ensure it stays moist. Keep in mind it will continue to cook even after it is removed from the oven as it is cooling. Remove from the oven and cool the zucchini bread in pan for about ten minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to finish cooling - if you leave them in their pans, they will get sweaty and moist (not in a good way) as they cool.
Makes 2 loaves.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Blackberry Limeade
Blackberry Limeade Recipe
Martha's recipe calls for ginger ale as the mixer (delicious!). I don't drink much soda of any sort - it's just too sweet for me, so I did a second batch with sparkling water as the mixer- great for those of you avoiding soft drinks. For some it might make sense to keep the components separate (instead of combining everything in one pitcher - making it easy to mix each drink to order. This way each person can control their own level of flavor/sweetness. Martha also includes a side bar of helpful notes related to this recipe - berries can be pulsed briefly in a food processor and strained. Be careful not to crush the seeds, as this adds a dirty taste to the blackberries. You can freeze blackberries in ice cubes for a nice accessory to the drink. The sugar syrup can be transferred to a metal mixing bowl set in a bowl of ice to cool it down quickly. For a wonderful frozen cocktail, puree ice and a jigger of gin with the blackberry-lime mixture in a blender.
4 cups fresh blackberries, or unsweetened frozen blackberries, thawed, plus extra for garnish
1 cup turbinado (raw) sugar or grated palm sugar
1 kaffir lime leaf, crushed, or 1 tablespoon grated lime zest
1 green cardamom pod, lightly crushed
1/2 cup fresh Key lime juice (about 8 -12 limes)
Thin lime slices, for garnish
2 cups ginger ale (hs note: or sparkling water)
Ice cubes
Lay a doubled piece of cheesecloth on a nonporous work area. (As the berries will stain a wide array of cutting surfaces and clothes, this may be best done outside or over newspaper and wearing an apron or smock.) Place the blackberries on top of the cheesecloth and gather into a bundle like a hobo sack. Hold the sack of berries over a glass, stainless steel, plastic, or ceramic bowl. Twist the top of the sack to squeeze the juice from the berries into the receptacle. (This will yield about 1 cup very strong, tart, dark juice.) Refrigerate the juice until needed; discard the purple mash.
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, 1 cup water, the lime leaf, and the cardamom pod. bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, or until the mixture is reduced to a thin syrup. Remove the lime leaf and cardamom. Allow the sugar syrup to cool and then chill it.
In a 1-quart pitcher, combine the blackberry juice, sugar syrup, and lime juice. Stir to combine and then refrigerate until cold.
To serve, stir the ginger ale (or water) into the pitcher, fill glasses with ice, and pour in the blackberry limeade. Garnish with slices of lime.
Serves 8.
Excerpted from Screen Doors and Sweet Tea by Martha Hall Foose (Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House, Inc. 2008)
Martha's recipe calls for ginger ale as the mixer (delicious!). I don't drink much soda of any sort - it's just too sweet for me, so I did a second batch with sparkling water as the mixer- great for those of you avoiding soft drinks. For some it might make sense to keep the components separate (instead of combining everything in one pitcher - making it easy to mix each drink to order. This way each person can control their own level of flavor/sweetness. Martha also includes a side bar of helpful notes related to this recipe - berries can be pulsed briefly in a food processor and strained. Be careful not to crush the seeds, as this adds a dirty taste to the blackberries. You can freeze blackberries in ice cubes for a nice accessory to the drink. The sugar syrup can be transferred to a metal mixing bowl set in a bowl of ice to cool it down quickly. For a wonderful frozen cocktail, puree ice and a jigger of gin with the blackberry-lime mixture in a blender.
4 cups fresh blackberries, or unsweetened frozen blackberries, thawed, plus extra for garnish
1 cup turbinado (raw) sugar or grated palm sugar
1 kaffir lime leaf, crushed, or 1 tablespoon grated lime zest
1 green cardamom pod, lightly crushed
1/2 cup fresh Key lime juice (about 8 -12 limes)
Thin lime slices, for garnish
2 cups ginger ale (hs note: or sparkling water)
Ice cubes
Lay a doubled piece of cheesecloth on a nonporous work area. (As the berries will stain a wide array of cutting surfaces and clothes, this may be best done outside or over newspaper and wearing an apron or smock.) Place the blackberries on top of the cheesecloth and gather into a bundle like a hobo sack. Hold the sack of berries over a glass, stainless steel, plastic, or ceramic bowl. Twist the top of the sack to squeeze the juice from the berries into the receptacle. (This will yield about 1 cup very strong, tart, dark juice.) Refrigerate the juice until needed; discard the purple mash.
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, 1 cup water, the lime leaf, and the cardamom pod. bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, or until the mixture is reduced to a thin syrup. Remove the lime leaf and cardamom. Allow the sugar syrup to cool and then chill it.
In a 1-quart pitcher, combine the blackberry juice, sugar syrup, and lime juice. Stir to combine and then refrigerate until cold.
To serve, stir the ginger ale (or water) into the pitcher, fill glasses with ice, and pour in the blackberry limeade. Garnish with slices of lime.
Serves 8.
Excerpted from Screen Doors and Sweet Tea by Martha Hall Foose (Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House, Inc. 2008)
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Chicken Salad Balsamic
Chicken Salad Balsamic
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Ready In: 15 Minutes
Yields: 6 servings
"The contrasting flavors of sweet apple, crunchy walnuts, savory chicken and tangy balsamic vinaigrette meld beautifully in this simple to prepare chicken salad."
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups diced cold, cooked
chicken
1 cup diced apple
1/2 cup diced celery
2 green onions, chopped 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
5 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large bowl, toss together the chicken, apple, celery, onion and walnuts.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar and oil and pour over the salad. Season with salt and pepper to taste and mix well. Let rest 10 to 15 minutes, mix again and chill.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2008 Allrecipes.com Printed from Allrecipes.com 6/29/2008
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Ready In: 15 Minutes
Yields: 6 servings
"The contrasting flavors of sweet apple, crunchy walnuts, savory chicken and tangy balsamic vinaigrette meld beautifully in this simple to prepare chicken salad."
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups diced cold, cooked
chicken
1 cup diced apple
1/2 cup diced celery
2 green onions, chopped 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
5 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large bowl, toss together the chicken, apple, celery, onion and walnuts.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar and oil and pour over the salad. Season with salt and pepper to taste and mix well. Let rest 10 to 15 minutes, mix again and chill.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2008 Allrecipes.com Printed from Allrecipes.com 6/29/2008
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Ceiling Fans Purchased: 2
Injuries: 1, so far. (Hurt my thumb on a search for the screw driver.)
Ceiling Fans Installed: 0
Today was Worldwide Knit In Public day, and I did celebrate, in my way. I knitted in public when we went to IHOP this afternoon. We had too many things going on for me to go to the event in Charlotte, sadly.
We had to go to the furniture store Jason's mom works at and order the new desk I'm getting for my room, and then after IHOP we went to Home Depot and picked out two ceiling fans, one for my office and one for the guest bedroom brandon claims as his room. Jason said that his dad insists that we can repair the ceiling fan upstairs pretty easily, so we're not going to replace it. Yet.
We also got a nice set of grilling tools, since we do an awful lot of grilling now, and living in the south as we do, that grill can get an awful lot of use. And we decided on the patio set we'd really like. Of course, it's $900 and teak. But I called my mom, and instead of getting a Wii (sad!) she's gonna send us a check to put towards our patio set. So that's really nice. And it accomplishes what she wants, which is to get us something we really want that we wouldn't buy for ourselves.
Injuries: 1, so far. (Hurt my thumb on a search for the screw driver.)
Ceiling Fans Installed: 0
Today was Worldwide Knit In Public day, and I did celebrate, in my way. I knitted in public when we went to IHOP this afternoon. We had too many things going on for me to go to the event in Charlotte, sadly.
We had to go to the furniture store Jason's mom works at and order the new desk I'm getting for my room, and then after IHOP we went to Home Depot and picked out two ceiling fans, one for my office and one for the guest bedroom brandon claims as his room. Jason said that his dad insists that we can repair the ceiling fan upstairs pretty easily, so we're not going to replace it. Yet.
We also got a nice set of grilling tools, since we do an awful lot of grilling now, and living in the south as we do, that grill can get an awful lot of use. And we decided on the patio set we'd really like. Of course, it's $900 and teak. But I called my mom, and instead of getting a Wii (sad!) she's gonna send us a check to put towards our patio set. So that's really nice. And it accomplishes what she wants, which is to get us something we really want that we wouldn't buy for ourselves.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Hooray!
Self-proclaimed prophet Yisrayl "Buffalo Bill" Hawkins, the founder of a religious sect in Abilene, Texas had said that on June 12, 2008 a nuclear war will begin. So .. yeah. He'd said it a couple of times, only to be ... believe it or not .. proven wrong. So .. June 12th has come and gone. And since I'm still here, and I assume you're still here, I can only assume that nuclear war did not indeed break out. So. Happily, we get to celebrate Jason's birthday!
That's right, today, Friday the Thirteenth, is my honey's birthday. And while sadly we did not get our advance copies of the new fantasy novel by Larissa Niec for his birthday, he did get some lovely little things .. and so did I! The little darling sent me some lovely little earrings. Jason and she are determined to turn me into a real girl, I swear it. I've gotten more jewelry in the last two years than I got in the previous twenty.
I'm supposed to be talking about home this month, for NaBloPoMo, and I've been a little slack. But I've actually been kinda busy with stuff I've been doing around the house. Not only did we get the big clunky desk finally out of my room, which made my room seem twice as big as it did before, I've gotten sheers on all the windows downstairs -including- my office, finally, and thile they're a little short, they do the job they're meant to do. We also cleared out a ton of crap out of the house, and just today I got rid of a bunch of boxes and trash and stuff from the whole 'new computer' process. Tomorrow, probably, we're going to put up the curtain rods in our bedroom so we can -finally- have curtains, and possibly even get some new ceiling fans. That is apparently going to be our birthday gifts from Jason's parents.
My mom and dad are giving us a Wii and probably a Wii Fit and stuff for Graduations and my birthday, and Jason's going to get, I think, a nice laptop bag since he's getting a laptop for himself. And I have a little pile of little somethings on his chair for him, waiting for him to come home. I don't know what we're going to do to celebrate other than that, though. We rarely really celebrate birthdays around here. I mean, we do, but we've reached an age where birthdays aren't really 'special' anymore. We'll see what he feels like. he's been working hard at the gym almost every day, so it's hard to do stuff after work, even though he does get our at 5:30 instead of 8-9pm.
That's right, today, Friday the Thirteenth, is my honey's birthday. And while sadly we did not get our advance copies of the new fantasy novel by Larissa Niec for his birthday, he did get some lovely little things .. and so did I! The little darling sent me some lovely little earrings. Jason and she are determined to turn me into a real girl, I swear it. I've gotten more jewelry in the last two years than I got in the previous twenty.
I'm supposed to be talking about home this month, for NaBloPoMo, and I've been a little slack. But I've actually been kinda busy with stuff I've been doing around the house. Not only did we get the big clunky desk finally out of my room, which made my room seem twice as big as it did before, I've gotten sheers on all the windows downstairs -including- my office, finally, and thile they're a little short, they do the job they're meant to do. We also cleared out a ton of crap out of the house, and just today I got rid of a bunch of boxes and trash and stuff from the whole 'new computer' process. Tomorrow, probably, we're going to put up the curtain rods in our bedroom so we can -finally- have curtains, and possibly even get some new ceiling fans. That is apparently going to be our birthday gifts from Jason's parents.
My mom and dad are giving us a Wii and probably a Wii Fit and stuff for Graduations and my birthday, and Jason's going to get, I think, a nice laptop bag since he's getting a laptop for himself. And I have a little pile of little somethings on his chair for him, waiting for him to come home. I don't know what we're going to do to celebrate other than that, though. We rarely really celebrate birthdays around here. I mean, we do, but we've reached an age where birthdays aren't really 'special' anymore. We'll see what he feels like. he's been working hard at the gym almost every day, so it's hard to do stuff after work, even though he does get our at 5:30 instead of 8-9pm.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Huh. Blogger must be hungry.
It totally ate a post.
WoW is down for extended maintenance. Like .. 10 hours is what they have scheduled. That's insanity. They weren't down that long last patch day. *sighs* But I guess it's a good thing. I've got to get this paper written.
I'm totally sliding on schoolwork this semester and I know why. Wow is sucking my brain. All the drama of the last few months has just totally sapped me. The crap with Andrea and Nich and Elisabeth stabbing me in the back .. well, they'll get theirs. If they don't think I'm a vindictive bitch, they've got another thing coming. I know how to get to people.
Is that a healthy thought? No, probably not. but after the shit they did to me, I feel totally justified.
Jason is trying to figure out if we can afford to go to Santa Fe with Larissa in the early part of next year. I'd like that, even if it's only a couple of days. He's also thinking we can switch things around so my paychecks go into a savings account rather than getting used to pay bills, now. Which would be nice.
WoW is down for extended maintenance. Like .. 10 hours is what they have scheduled. That's insanity. They weren't down that long last patch day. *sighs* But I guess it's a good thing. I've got to get this paper written.
I'm totally sliding on schoolwork this semester and I know why. Wow is sucking my brain. All the drama of the last few months has just totally sapped me. The crap with Andrea and Nich and Elisabeth stabbing me in the back .. well, they'll get theirs. If they don't think I'm a vindictive bitch, they've got another thing coming. I know how to get to people.
Is that a healthy thought? No, probably not. but after the shit they did to me, I feel totally justified.
Jason is trying to figure out if we can afford to go to Santa Fe with Larissa in the early part of next year. I'd like that, even if it's only a couple of days. He's also thinking we can switch things around so my paychecks go into a savings account rather than getting used to pay bills, now. Which would be nice.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Baseboards? I have baseboards?
I've not really seen much of my baseboards in months. We have so much clutter in this house .. usually because we have 3 people living in one-thousand square feet .. that we don't really see much of the baseboards. There's usually boxes and bags hiding them. Not permanently, but .. when one batch is tossed or moved to a proper place .. a new batch takes its place.
Jason and I spent today .. or at least the biggest part of it .. working more on cleaning. The gods awful pile of 'stuff' that had accumulated in front of the bookcase is now completely gone. A box is waiting to be donated to goodwill or somewhere, and another to be brought with him to work. We have two bags of knitting and weaving and spinning stuff - fiber, tools, etc - and a small pile of pictures in frames that came off the mantle that I need to find homes for.
The biggest visible improvements are the refigerator, which is cleaned out completely save for what should be in there, and the kitchen. I can't take the credit for that though. jason's parents came by to bring me what was left of the Thanksgiving ham, and his mom started working in the kitchen. And didn't leave until I actually had counter space again. I didn't ask her to do it. Didn't even expect it. but it's done, and I'm really thankful for it. I have an easier time -keeping- the kitchen clean .. the whole house clean in fact .. when it's been cleaned thoroughly.
Jason and I spent today .. or at least the biggest part of it .. working more on cleaning. The gods awful pile of 'stuff' that had accumulated in front of the bookcase is now completely gone. A box is waiting to be donated to goodwill or somewhere, and another to be brought with him to work. We have two bags of knitting and weaving and spinning stuff - fiber, tools, etc - and a small pile of pictures in frames that came off the mantle that I need to find homes for.
The biggest visible improvements are the refigerator, which is cleaned out completely save for what should be in there, and the kitchen. I can't take the credit for that though. jason's parents came by to bring me what was left of the Thanksgiving ham, and his mom started working in the kitchen. And didn't leave until I actually had counter space again. I didn't ask her to do it. Didn't even expect it. but it's done, and I'm really thankful for it. I have an easier time -keeping- the kitchen clean .. the whole house clean in fact .. when it's been cleaned thoroughly.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Ow my aching ... everything.
So, I realized that it's now after Thanksgiving, and after Thanksgiving means I need to start decorating. And since I never got around to decorating for the holidays last year, I really wanted to do it right this year.
So I started making room for the tree. In order to do that, I had to move -every piece- of furniture in the living room. Including lifting the tv to put it on top of the non-functional fireplace. But I think the new arrangement .. once all the clutter is gone .. will give us a lot more room.
When Jason got home ... after I told him he wasn't allowed to get mad for me moving everything around .. he helped me move his computer and stuff, and helped clean up a little. But now I can hardly move, so bed, I think, is in order. We're gonna try and clear out a buncha junk tomorrow, and maybe monday I can put the tree up. Hopefully, we left the lights on it. I don't really wanna re-string the lights.
So I started making room for the tree. In order to do that, I had to move -every piece- of furniture in the living room. Including lifting the tv to put it on top of the non-functional fireplace. But I think the new arrangement .. once all the clutter is gone .. will give us a lot more room.
When Jason got home ... after I told him he wasn't allowed to get mad for me moving everything around .. he helped me move his computer and stuff, and helped clean up a little. But now I can hardly move, so bed, I think, is in order. We're gonna try and clear out a buncha junk tomorrow, and maybe monday I can put the tree up. Hopefully, we left the lights on it. I don't really wanna re-string the lights.
Friday, November 23, 2007
They will get more!
Lord, why do people think that they have to do -all- their damned shopping this one day. Is it possible the stores are going to run out of things? hell yes. Probable even. but guess what. They will get more!
*sighs* At least I didn't have a heckuvalot to do today.
*sighs* At least I didn't have a heckuvalot to do today.
Thankful.
What am I thankful for?
Well, there's the usual. I'm thankful for my health. I'm thankful for my family, for my loved ones, and for my friends. I'm thankful to have a job that pays well and isn't stressful on my mind or my body.
I'm also thankful that I found out now what awful people my former guildmates are, instead of finding it out later on. I'm thankful... in an odd way .. that I was betrayed now, rather than learning six months from now and having my heart stomped on even more than it already was. I'm thankful I hadn't sent the gifts I'd intended to send to the bitch and her pussy-whipped husband. I'm thankful to have had the chance to find out who my real friends are.
I'm thankful for yarn. For the ability and knowledge to turn yarn into something amazing. I'm thankful for Larissa, who tought me how to knit. For Brandon, who let me teach him, and for my beloved husband, who indulges me in my obsession over fiber.
Well, there's the usual. I'm thankful for my health. I'm thankful for my family, for my loved ones, and for my friends. I'm thankful to have a job that pays well and isn't stressful on my mind or my body.
I'm also thankful that I found out now what awful people my former guildmates are, instead of finding it out later on. I'm thankful... in an odd way .. that I was betrayed now, rather than learning six months from now and having my heart stomped on even more than it already was. I'm thankful I hadn't sent the gifts I'd intended to send to the bitch and her pussy-whipped husband. I'm thankful to have had the chance to find out who my real friends are.
I'm thankful for yarn. For the ability and knowledge to turn yarn into something amazing. I'm thankful for Larissa, who tought me how to knit. For Brandon, who let me teach him, and for my beloved husband, who indulges me in my obsession over fiber.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
"You Picked Me"
"You Picked Me"
One, two, three
Counting out the signs we see
The tall buildings
Fading in the distance
Only dots on a map
Four, five, six
The two of us a perfect fit
You're all mine, all mine
And all I can say
Is you blow me away
Like an apple on a tree
Hiding out behind the leaves
I was difficult to reach
But you picked me
Like a shell upon a beach
Just another pretty piece
I was difficult to see
But you picked me
Yeah you picked me
So softly
Rain against the windows
And the strong coffee
Warming up my fingers
In this fisherman's house
You got me
Searched the sand
And climbed the tree
And brought me back down
And all I can say
Is you blow me away
Like an apple on a tree
Hiding out behind the leaves
I was difficult to reach
But you picked me
Like a shell upon a beach
Just another pretty piece
I was difficult to see
But you picked me
Yeah you picked me
One, two, three
Counting out the signs we see
The tall buildings
Fading in the distance
Only dots on a map
Four, five, six
The two of us a perfect fit
You're all mine, all mine
And all I can say
Is you blow me away
Like an apple on a tree
Hiding out behind the leaves
I was difficult to reach
But you picked me
Like a shell upon a beach
Just another pretty piece
I was difficult to see
But you picked me
Yeah you picked me
So softly
Rain against the windows
And the strong coffee
Warming up my fingers
In this fisherman's house
You got me
Searched the sand
And climbed the tree
And brought me back down
And all I can say
Is you blow me away
Like an apple on a tree
Hiding out behind the leaves
I was difficult to reach
But you picked me
Like a shell upon a beach
Just another pretty piece
I was difficult to see
But you picked me
Yeah you picked me
Sunday, November 18, 2007
"Ashes And Wine"
"Ashes And Wine"
Don't know what to do anymore
I've lost the only love worth fighting for
I'll drown in my tears
Don't they see?
That which show you, that which make you hurt like me
All the same
I don't want mudslinging games
It's such a shame
To let you walk away
Is there a chance?
A fragment of light at the end of the tunnel?
A reason to fight?
Is there a chance you may change your mind?
Or are we ashes and wine?
Don't know if our fate's already sealed
This day's spinning surface on a wheel
I'm ill with the thought of your kiss
Coffee laced intoxicating on her lips
Cut it out
I've got no claim on you now
Not allowed to wear your freedom down
Is there a chance?
A fragment of light at the end of the tunnel?
A reason to fight?
Is there a chance you may chance your mind?
Or are we ashes and wine?
I'll tear myself away
That is what you need
There is nothing left to say
But
Is there a chance?
A fragment of light at the end of the tunnel?
A reason to fight?
Is there a chance you may change your mind?
Or are we ashes and wine?
The day's still ashes and wine
Or are we ashes?
Don't know what to do anymore
I've lost the only love worth fighting for
I'll drown in my tears
Don't they see?
That which show you, that which make you hurt like me
All the same
I don't want mudslinging games
It's such a shame
To let you walk away
Is there a chance?
A fragment of light at the end of the tunnel?
A reason to fight?
Is there a chance you may change your mind?
Or are we ashes and wine?
Don't know if our fate's already sealed
This day's spinning surface on a wheel
I'm ill with the thought of your kiss
Coffee laced intoxicating on her lips
Cut it out
I've got no claim on you now
Not allowed to wear your freedom down
Is there a chance?
A fragment of light at the end of the tunnel?
A reason to fight?
Is there a chance you may chance your mind?
Or are we ashes and wine?
I'll tear myself away
That is what you need
There is nothing left to say
But
Is there a chance?
A fragment of light at the end of the tunnel?
A reason to fight?
Is there a chance you may change your mind?
Or are we ashes and wine?
The day's still ashes and wine
Or are we ashes?
Saturday, November 17, 2007
"Last Of Days"
"Last Of Days"
Something causing fear to fly
Rising like a dark night
In silence
Traveling like a broken boat
Heading for the sky
And I'm an island
I watched you disappear into the clouds
Swept away into another town
The world carries on without you
But nothing remains the same
I'll be lost without you
Until the last of days
The sun is in the east,
Rising for the beasts
And the beauties
I wish that I could tear it down,
Plant it in the ground to warm your face
I built myself a castle on the beach
Watching as it slid into the sea
The world carries on without you
But nothing remains the same
I'll be lost without you
Until the last of days
Until the last of days
Through walls and harvest moons
I will fight for you
The world carries on without you
But nothing remains the same
I'll be lost without you
Until the last of days
Until the last of days
Something causing fear to fly
Rising like a dark night
In silence
Traveling like a broken boat
Heading for the sky
And I'm an island
I watched you disappear into the clouds
Swept away into another town
The world carries on without you
But nothing remains the same
I'll be lost without you
Until the last of days
The sun is in the east,
Rising for the beasts
And the beauties
I wish that I could tear it down,
Plant it in the ground to warm your face
I built myself a castle on the beach
Watching as it slid into the sea
The world carries on without you
But nothing remains the same
I'll be lost without you
Until the last of days
Until the last of days
Through walls and harvest moons
I will fight for you
The world carries on without you
But nothing remains the same
I'll be lost without you
Until the last of days
Until the last of days
Thursday, November 15, 2007
i never felt so wicked as when i willed our love to die
And I'm not going back into rags or in the hole
and our bruises are coming
but we will never fold
and i was your silver lining
as the story goes
i was your silver lining but now im gold
hooray hooray im your silver lining
hooray hooray but now im gold.
And i was your silver lining
hop on my toys
well you were running through fields of hitchhikers
as the story goes
hooray hooray im your silver lining
hooray hooray but now im gold
hooray hooray im your silver lining
hooray hooray but now im gold
And the grass it was a ticking
and the sun was on the rise
i never felt so wicked
as when i willed our love to die
and i was your silver lining as the story goes
i was your silver lining but now im gold
hooray hooray im your silver lining
hooray hooray but now im gold
hooray hooray im your silver lining
hooray hooray but now im gold
but now im gold
but now im gold
but now im gold
and our bruises are coming
but we will never fold
and i was your silver lining
as the story goes
i was your silver lining but now im gold
hooray hooray im your silver lining
hooray hooray but now im gold.
And i was your silver lining
hop on my toys
well you were running through fields of hitchhikers
as the story goes
hooray hooray im your silver lining
hooray hooray but now im gold
hooray hooray im your silver lining
hooray hooray but now im gold
And the grass it was a ticking
and the sun was on the rise
i never felt so wicked
as when i willed our love to die
and i was your silver lining as the story goes
i was your silver lining but now im gold
hooray hooray im your silver lining
hooray hooray but now im gold
hooray hooray im your silver lining
hooray hooray but now im gold
but now im gold
but now im gold
but now im gold
Saturday, November 3, 2007
You Rule.
I got my grade for my essay today. I have to admit, I don't think I did as much work on the essay as I could have. I sort of wrote it half-assed and without a whole lot of planning.
I got a 194/200. That's a 97. That's an A. On a paper I really didn't try at.
I think most of all, his comments made me feel good.
That was part of the comments in the middle of the paper. This following bit was his comments at the end.
Now, the informal way the professor talks to us is a little weird for me, but I think it's his way of trying to encourage us. But what got to me is how impressed he seemed to be with what I didn't consider my best work.
I got a 194/200. That's a 97. That's an A. On a paper I really didn't try at.
I think most of all, his comments made me feel good.
I really admire the “scholarship” of this essay. The work you did with the editorial commentary really clarifies and strengthens your position. Your ability to synthesize that information into textual analysis of the particular story shows an extremely high level of reading comprehension and analytic / critical thinking skill. Well done.
That was part of the comments in the middle of the paper. This following bit was his comments at the end.
Dear Tania,
Usually, when someone says “I saved the best for last,” it is often empty rhetoric; however, here’s a case for the verity of that statement. Your essay did arrive last, and it WAS worth the wait. Thank you, thank you!
This essay shows such a high level of both reading and writing (including structure, format, documentation, and editing) skill that it is just simply remarkable.
What is even more gratifying is the plainly wonderful scholarship that went into it. Thank you. I can’t remember a more pleasurable read in student essays. You rule. cm
Now, the informal way the professor talks to us is a little weird for me, but I think it's his way of trying to encourage us. But what got to me is how impressed he seemed to be with what I didn't consider my best work.
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