Sunday, May 28, 2006
Yo-Yo vs. Roller Coaster & Unsensible Shoes
10:55 p.m. / 22:55
Some people describe their lives using a roller coaster metaphor. I prefer to compare my life to a yo-yo. It still has ups and downs, but it's much sillier, and doesn't imply so much excitement. Often times, the ups and downs are emotional, but other times it has more to do with my outlook on life.
Yesterday I was in Walgreens and Let's Live For Today by The Grass Roots started playing on the oldies station that was being piped through the store's speakers. Normally, I enjoy this song, but yesterday I found myself scoffing at the idea that it's best to not worry so much about money, careers and the future. ( "When I think of all the worries people seem to find /And how they're in a hurry to complicate their mind / By chasing after money and dreams that can't come true / I'm glad that we are different, we've better things to do / May others plan their future, I'm busy lovin' you (1-2-3-4) / Sha-la-la-la-la-la, live for today" ) I wondered where this adult and somewhat jaded reaction had come from. "Wow" I thought, "I'm really changing".
Later at home, I saw the red patent leather (well, plastic or rubber is more accurate) sling-back heels I'd purchased the night before. I remembered deciding to buy them even though I almost never wear anything red, and how silly I felt wearing them the rest of the night (at my friends' insistence). Okay, maybe I haven't become completely sensible after all. Sure I get excited about insurance and retirement savings plans, but I also really enjoy ridiculous shoes.
Some people describe their lives using a roller coaster metaphor. I prefer to compare my life to a yo-yo. It still has ups and downs, but it's much sillier, and doesn't imply so much excitement. Often times, the ups and downs are emotional, but other times it has more to do with my outlook on life.
Yesterday I was in Walgreens and Let's Live For Today by The Grass Roots started playing on the oldies station that was being piped through the store's speakers. Normally, I enjoy this song, but yesterday I found myself scoffing at the idea that it's best to not worry so much about money, careers and the future. ( "When I think of all the worries people seem to find /And how they're in a hurry to complicate their mind / By chasing after money and dreams that can't come true / I'm glad that we are different, we've better things to do / May others plan their future, I'm busy lovin' you (1-2-3-4) / Sha-la-la-la-la-la, live for today" ) I wondered where this adult and somewhat jaded reaction had come from. "Wow" I thought, "I'm really changing".
Later at home, I saw the red patent leather (well, plastic or rubber is more accurate) sling-back heels I'd purchased the night before. I remembered deciding to buy them even though I almost never wear anything red, and how silly I felt wearing them the rest of the night (at my friends' insistence). Okay, maybe I haven't become completely sensible after all. Sure I get excited about insurance and retirement savings plans, but I also really enjoy ridiculous shoes.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
This Time, You Really Won't Care
1:33 a.m. / 01:33
Unless my dad has begun reading my blog, which seems unlikely, no one but me will care, but feel that I have to mention that those things on either side of title on the previous post are not really quotation marks. It's a common mistake, but quote marks are not straight, they're curved. Those things are something else... inch symbols, I suppose. I'm not really sure what they are, but what they are not is quotation marks. I try to do my quote marks properly whenever I can, but I don't have any control (that I know of) over the appearance of my titles.
Unless my dad has begun reading my blog, which seems unlikely, no one but me will care, but feel that I have to mention that those things on either side of title on the previous post are not really quotation marks. It's a common mistake, but quote marks are not straight, they're curved. Those things are something else... inch symbols, I suppose. I'm not really sure what they are, but what they are not is quotation marks. I try to do my quote marks properly whenever I can, but I don't have any control (that I know of) over the appearance of my titles.
"Hmm... It Could Use Some Cholesterol"
1:26 a.m. / 01:26
I just finished making egg salad. I have a great recipe for it, but I kind of detoured from it this time. The problem was the eggs-- somehow I didn't get them done all the way. They were almost done. Really, I guess I could have used them, but eggs make me nervous. They MUST be well done. So, I cleaned out all of the slightly under-cooked yokes and made the salad just with the egg whites. At this point, I gave up on the quantities listed in the recipe and just threw different amounts of the listed ingredients in until it tasted half way decent. So, what I have now is low-cholesterol egg salad. It's healthier, I suppose, but not quite as tasty. It took extra time to clean out the yokes, some time was spent attempting to finish cooking some of the eggs (when they still weren't done I said screw it), and I'm a slow cook anyway. In other words, I slaved over this simple egg salad and it's not even right... not even as good as it should be. I can't believe I messed up EGG SALAD!
I just finished making egg salad. I have a great recipe for it, but I kind of detoured from it this time. The problem was the eggs-- somehow I didn't get them done all the way. They were almost done. Really, I guess I could have used them, but eggs make me nervous. They MUST be well done. So, I cleaned out all of the slightly under-cooked yokes and made the salad just with the egg whites. At this point, I gave up on the quantities listed in the recipe and just threw different amounts of the listed ingredients in until it tasted half way decent. So, what I have now is low-cholesterol egg salad. It's healthier, I suppose, but not quite as tasty. It took extra time to clean out the yokes, some time was spent attempting to finish cooking some of the eggs (when they still weren't done I said screw it), and I'm a slow cook anyway. In other words, I slaved over this simple egg salad and it's not even right... not even as good as it should be. I can't believe I messed up EGG SALAD!
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
In Case Someone Cares
11:27 p.m. / 23:27
Well, I care, but I already know what I'm about to explain. I have some doubts as to how much anyone who reads my blog (does anyone read my blog?) cares about what I'm going to explain, though. The link under "Stuff" that says The Julie / Julia Project is the blog Julie Powell wrote on during the project that resulted in the way awesome book I told you all to go read. The link under "Authors" that says Julie Powell is her current blog.
Also, the website for the Polyphonic Spree is actually much less cool than it was when I first posted the link, but I'll probably leave the link on here anyway, at least for awhile.
Well, I care, but I already know what I'm about to explain. I have some doubts as to how much anyone who reads my blog (does anyone read my blog?) cares about what I'm going to explain, though. The link under "Stuff" that says The Julie / Julia Project is the blog Julie Powell wrote on during the project that resulted in the way awesome book I told you all to go read. The link under "Authors" that says Julie Powell is her current blog.
Also, the website for the Polyphonic Spree is actually much less cool than it was when I first posted the link, but I'll probably leave the link on here anyway, at least for awhile.
Monday, May 15, 2006
Remodeling
1:35 a.m. / 01:35
Check out the links; I've been remodeling!
I decided that since I talk about books ALL THE TIME maybe I should provide some author links. I don't frequent any of these websites, but they can come in handy. There are some authors that don't seem to have websites, and also I think I've probably left some good ones off. For example, I will be adding J. K. Rowling at some point.
The music section is much the same as the authors section. I put a link on here months ago for The Polyphonic Spree, because they have a particularly cool website, but until now they were the only music link. I'm not really that big a fan of The Polyphonic Spree, in the overall scheme of things, though, and I decided I shoud add links for things I really like to listen to.
I have not tested any of these links yet. There are so many! Please let me know if any of them do not work properly.
Check out the links; I've been remodeling!
I decided that since I talk about books ALL THE TIME maybe I should provide some author links. I don't frequent any of these websites, but they can come in handy. There are some authors that don't seem to have websites, and also I think I've probably left some good ones off. For example, I will be adding J. K. Rowling at some point.
The music section is much the same as the authors section. I put a link on here months ago for The Polyphonic Spree, because they have a particularly cool website, but until now they were the only music link. I'm not really that big a fan of The Polyphonic Spree, in the overall scheme of things, though, and I decided I shoud add links for things I really like to listen to.
I have not tested any of these links yet. There are so many! Please let me know if any of them do not work properly.
Thursday, May 11, 2006
It Was... Good.
11:55 p.m. / 23:55
It's been several days now since I finished reading this year's Newberry Medal winner, Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins. I have no idea what to tell you about it. It was... good. I just really can't explain it. It wasn't really a page-turner, but it was entertaining it it's own unique way. The kids were all cool; I liked them. It was sort of a light coming-of-age story, or the beginning of one, anyway. It left an impression... at first I thought it hadn't really affected me at all, but no... it's days later and I'm still thinking about Debbie and Hector and everyone else in the book... almost missing them. It was well-written; I can say that much.
It's been several days now since I finished reading this year's Newberry Medal winner, Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins. I have no idea what to tell you about it. It was... good. I just really can't explain it. It wasn't really a page-turner, but it was entertaining it it's own unique way. The kids were all cool; I liked them. It was sort of a light coming-of-age story, or the beginning of one, anyway. It left an impression... at first I thought it hadn't really affected me at all, but no... it's days later and I'm still thinking about Debbie and Hector and everyone else in the book... almost missing them. It was well-written; I can say that much.
Labels: books
Monday, May 08, 2006
Do You Like French Food?
11:50 p.m. / 23:50
Well, it really doesn't matter if you like French food or not. Love it, hate it, don't give a crap about it, you still must read Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell. I really wanted to read this book, and I am so glad I did. It sounded good, but it was probably twice as good as I was expecting it to be. This is the kind of non-fiction that is almost stranger than fiction (my favorite non-fiction). I was expecting a nice little story. It turns out though that "nice" is not really the right word to describe Texan / New Yorker Julie Powell, or her book. "Good" works, but it's an understatement. You know what? Just go read it yourself. You'll laugh, occasionally be disgusted and best of all (well for me, anyway), you'll know what I'm talking about!
Well, it really doesn't matter if you like French food or not. Love it, hate it, don't give a crap about it, you still must read Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell. I really wanted to read this book, and I am so glad I did. It sounded good, but it was probably twice as good as I was expecting it to be. This is the kind of non-fiction that is almost stranger than fiction (my favorite non-fiction). I was expecting a nice little story. It turns out though that "nice" is not really the right word to describe Texan / New Yorker Julie Powell, or her book. "Good" works, but it's an understatement. You know what? Just go read it yourself. You'll laugh, occasionally be disgusted and best of all (well for me, anyway), you'll know what I'm talking about!
Labels: books
Is That Dead Cow On My Feet?
11:18 p.m. / 23:18
On the off chance you don't already know, I am a vegetarian. As part of being a vegetarian, I don't buy leather. I figure if I'm not going to eat the animal for nutrition, then I have no business wearing it for fashion.
I've been wearing my new athletic shoes to work on and off for about the past month. I had trouble picking out a pair, because, well, the leather issue, and then I'm only willing to pay so much, and then the pair that seemed perfect was not in my size. I finally found a pair I felt I could live with for the next year or so; until the next time I decide my shoes are getting a little ratty to be worn to work. Actually, it is surprisingly easy to get good non-leather athletic shoes. Most athletic shoes have so much reflective material, various woven parts, shiny plastic bits, etc. that it often happens there's no room left for leather.
This morning, after owning the shoes almost a month, I realized I had somehow bought a pair of shoes that might actually have dead cow (or worse) on them. I can't really tell for sure; I'm not exactly a leather expert. They're a major name-brand, which sort of increases the chances they've real leather on them, but does not make it certain. I checked for a materials label, but couldn't find them. I have to keep them now. In fact, it would probably be worse to get rid of them and buy new, definitely leather-less shoes. Now, though, my feet will never be quite totally comfortable in these shoes. I'm going to wonder every time I put them on. Why couldn't they have just had the pair I really wanted in my size?
On the off chance you don't already know, I am a vegetarian. As part of being a vegetarian, I don't buy leather. I figure if I'm not going to eat the animal for nutrition, then I have no business wearing it for fashion.
I've been wearing my new athletic shoes to work on and off for about the past month. I had trouble picking out a pair, because, well, the leather issue, and then I'm only willing to pay so much, and then the pair that seemed perfect was not in my size. I finally found a pair I felt I could live with for the next year or so; until the next time I decide my shoes are getting a little ratty to be worn to work. Actually, it is surprisingly easy to get good non-leather athletic shoes. Most athletic shoes have so much reflective material, various woven parts, shiny plastic bits, etc. that it often happens there's no room left for leather.
This morning, after owning the shoes almost a month, I realized I had somehow bought a pair of shoes that might actually have dead cow (or worse) on them. I can't really tell for sure; I'm not exactly a leather expert. They're a major name-brand, which sort of increases the chances they've real leather on them, but does not make it certain. I checked for a materials label, but couldn't find them. I have to keep them now. In fact, it would probably be worse to get rid of them and buy new, definitely leather-less shoes. Now, though, my feet will never be quite totally comfortable in these shoes. I'm going to wonder every time I put them on. Why couldn't they have just had the pair I really wanted in my size?
