Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Open Thread; Whatcha'll been doin'?
You may have noticed that I turned off anonymous posting. Only takes one rotten apple (as someone once said) and someone came in anonymously recently who posted a hot link to (can't really remember) maybe an internet gambling site. Thing is, this blog doesn't exist so that folks can get free advertising and even maybe infect innocent people who click on their offerings. So, not wanting to be responsible for inspecting every anonymous post, I turned off the option. Bottom-line is that I'm short on time; even thought about just deleting the blog for lack of time.
Been trip-planning and know what I'll be doing MOST days. I'll be spending some time the next few days making plans for the days I'd intentionally left open for various family members who just never got back to me. Got a funny Email from one uncle of mine who said the equivalent of "I'm happy to communicate with you via the internet, but I'm not so keen on you stopping by to see how we look these days." :-)
Got an Email from someone I met in San Francisco who finally checked out the blog and considered herself one of the characters I'd mentioned. Heh. If the shoe fits, I suppose...
My backyard garden has suffered tremendously from the extreme heat/drought that's been affecting the US, not to mention insect damage. I'd take a few pictures of the plight, but my monitor has again (after two years or so of being fine) moved into magnetized mode, so I can't see pictures without massive distortion. This malady is unexplainable and disappears as quickly as it appears...when it's good and ready. Last time it lasted about 6 months.
Still trying out new recipes. My experiment of the week is corning brisket. Did you know that corned beef was corned brisket? Who Knew? I'm not gonna smoke this piece of brisket after I corn it, but I will the point piece, and THAT will be pastrami. Looks like OTHER cuts of beef can be corned and corned/smoked, but brisket is the one I fell across first. MY recipe only requires 5-7 days of laying around in the salted spice mixture before slow cooking, so that's what's going on this week in my refrigerator. I don't even think I LIKE corned beef or pastrami, but Em does and I've really branched out in food experiments the past few years to include things I'd never thought I'd enjoy. #2 is the picky eater I was in my 20's...no onions, no peppers, no garlic; whatdya think I'm NUTS?
Went to see Miami Vice at the cinema yesterday. Don't know the names of the actors, but the white guy, IMO, is a whole lot sexier than Don Johnson ever was, and the black guy isn't nearly as sexy as the guy with the three first names was. I thought it was a good-enough movie, though; what could go wrong with sex and violence?
Gonna try and finish reading Angels and Demons before the weekend so I can return it to the library before we leave next Monday. It was due back today, but Em was able to renew it (only because no one else had put it on reserve). For some reason, I can spend HOURS in the AM reading about Hizbollah and other world news online, but sitting down with a dead-tree book puts me to sleep after only about one hour.
So, what's new with y'all? How did you cope with the heat-waves that hit the world this year; what have you done for entertainment lately; what's up with you that's not up with ME? Spill!
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7 comments:
Not much new with me. I've been doing a little more social things lately while I wait for the next session of school to start. Been laying out in the sun a couple days, cooked some dinners the past couple days, and started working out again. I even made plans to go run up some stairs at a tobbagin (don't know how to spell that) place with a girl I used to work with.
Also, if you didn't know, I have a birthday coming up soon. The big 2-5!!! I don't really have anything planned as of yet, but I'm hoping to atleast go out for a nice dinner or something. Scheduling has become a big problem for most of my friends since they work all week and I work all weekend. It makes it pretty hard to plan group events that everyone can come to. I might have to have 2 or 3 birthday outings just to feel like I've hung out with everyone I want to hang out with for my b-day.
But before we get all excited about that, there's an even BIGGER event than my birthday since this hasn't happened in several years. As you all know, MOMMY'S COMING!!! I'm pretty dang excited about that one if you couldn't tell.
Well, that's about the update for me. BTW, has anyone heard anything from #3? He seems to have been missing lately. No one seems to be talking to him ever.
Speaking of birthdays (get to the rest of your post later):
Happy Birthday, Diane!
"Your Horoscope for August 10, 2006
IF IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY
That you are not content with your life is a good sign. It may not seem that way, but your discontent will give you the energy boost needed to make the kind of changes necessary to turn your fortunes around. You may not have hit rock bottom exactly but you are certainly about to bounce back up again."
If you don't like that one, here's another one:
"If August 10 is your birthday
An appetite for change in your coming year will keep relationships from getting too stagnant, and careful thought will make sure the changes are worthwhile. Don't be afraid to change what needs changing - just be clear before you proceed. You are so convincing that it is crucial that you keep your goals aboveboard and don't use your abilities to manipulate or otherwise do harm, which inevitably creates negative fallout. You are capable of great sensitivity and nurturing, which will be most appreciated. Planning ahead will serve you well as long as you don't obscure your assessments with too much wishful thinking."
"It could be easy to lose yourself in one flight of fancy or another. Normally, clear ideas are easy but something could be holding you back. It may be hard to be logical or consistent. Considering this, you may want to involve yourself in some form of exercise before eating at the noon hour today. This should help to bring your energies into a working level until you get a focus. It is possible that you have recently achieved your ambitions or goals and it is now time to review and make new goals. It could also be that it is just the right time to have a better focus on where you want to be in the future. Staying in the present would be nice but it would also be like staying in the past. Time is moving--get with the program and move with the times. "
"
Aries (Mar 21 - Apr 20)Taurus (Apr 21 - May 21)Gemini (May 22 - Jun 21)Cancer (Jun 22 - Jul 23)Leo (Jul 24 - Aug 23)Virgo (Aug 24 - Sept 23)Libra (Sept 24 - Oct 23)Scorpio (Oct 24 - Nov 22)Sagittarius (Nov 23 - Dec 21)Capricorn (Dec 22 - Jan 20)Aquarius (Jan 21 - Feb 19)Pisces (Feb 20 - Mar 20) Thu, Aug 10, 2006Fri, Aug 11, 2006Sat, Aug 12, 2006Sun, Aug 13, 2006Mon, Aug 14, 2006Tue, Aug 15, 2006Wed, Aug 16, 2006
" You are never fully satisfied with what you have accomplished: no matter how good the efforts you have made and no matter how great the rewards you have earned you feel there is always more to achieve. The Sun in your sign means you won't lack opportunities to show what you can do. You have what it takes, so be amazing."
BTW, has anyone heard anything from #3? He seems to have been missing lately. No one seems to be talking to him ever.
That's the way he likes it, I think. I've tried to get him and even Silly-O involved in my trip-planning, but I can't afford to wait 9 days for a response to a simple option, so I gave up eventually. Que sera sera.
Speaking of SONS, Em's son is out of town for work when we arrive and won't return until Wednesday (same day his girls/wife return from Puerto Rico). So, Monday night, he'll be all alone in his son's house (assuming his son leaves the key with a neighbor) while I stay at your place, #2, and all alone there Tuesday (but at least with your car). He seems content with calling his son on Sunday to discuss the key need while I've been furiously trying to get details like this ironed out BEFORE we leave. It's not as though either of us have cell-phones, and I just learned today that Em's son doesn't have a HOUSE phone, so he'll not only be in an empty house with no transportation, he'll be in an empty house with no communication method.
If he can't reach his son on Sunday, do you have a piece of floor for him on Monday, #2?
I have a thought for your birthday present, #2 (based on your post here). Gonna get one for myself, as well, because they're cheap enough, and you KNEW your present would be something cheap because this trip is exhausting our $$$. We can both try them out during the Chicago trip. LOL. [I know it's KILLING you to try and figure out what it is]. It's a cheap toy.
What else? You're reserved and paid by Em at the Hostel for Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Unpaid expenses for you will include a 3-day CTA pass which we'll get at Midway and $3.00/night (2) at the Hostel because you don't have a membership card. I think the unlimited CTA pass is something like $9 or $12.00 for 3 days. So, it's gonna cost you something like $20-$25.00 to spend some time touring with your mom. I'm HOPING to absorb the expense of feeding us both. The hostel has a kitchen, we'll have the bus passes to get to Jewel, and I also have info on the cheapest places to eat in downtown Chicago if we don't feel like cooking.
I sent everyone but you (it seems) an Email on how you'll be traveling back south on Thursday evening via Rock Island and how they're to be there to meet your train. I have a whole file full of information on how/when to get from one place to the next while we're there, what time each event starts, blah blah. Only thing I DON'T know (from YOUR end) is what YOU'd like to get from the experience of being downtown for several days. I'm thinking that you MUST have heard of SOMETHING you'd like to experience that you haven't yet. We're gonna have stupid bus passes that give us free rein on the city for a few days. Your wish is my command in that regard. I just need to know what you desire, and we'll make it so.
ALSO, flight might be delayed a bit due to the terrorism in Great Britain that's raised threats in the US. Just sayin', so you might be a bit patient if we're not there on time.
No. 2: Got an Email last night from thereyago and he's willin' to pop for lunch on one of the days you're downtown. WOOHOO!
We humbly accept your offer, thereyago! Wednesday works for us and we'll call ya Tuesday to find out where to meet ya. Mighta been more fun for you to join us on Thursday 'cause we're bringin' a picnic lunch to Millenium Park and including Robert W. (Think my VSE support when I worked at the refinery). He and I have kept in touch all these years so it was a given that I'd include him in my Chicago plans.
Mighta been more fun, yet if you get to the Chicago loop for lunch on occasion you could look him up yourself without me spending $5.00 more on bread, cheese, lunchmeat, side salads, grapes, and water. j/k If you'd prefer to do Thursday, we'll certainly include you; if you'd like to do BOTH days...same offer. You buy one day; I buy the next...works for ME.
On Thursday (just to warn you), Robert suggested that he could "just find me" sitting on the grass somewhere outside the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. I don't think I look anything like he remembers me looking, but Who Knows? I also don't know if Beethoven's Emperor Concerto is a popular piece, but there's an open rehearsal between 10:00am and 12:30pm and Robert and I want to hear it. He's thinking he'll get there about noon because he works across the river these days. You're hailing from Indiana; I'd be interested in hearing your justification for this trip to Chicago. And them's the facts, m'am; nuthin' but the facts.
Got your Email regarding rain alternatives, no. 2, and addressed them in a reply. truth be told, though, it doesn't look like there will be ANY rain during that week in Chitown.
I like to shop for new clothing items previous to trips such as this, and I spent a whopping $63.00 at the thrift store yesterday. WOO-HOO! Heh. That was $13.00 beyond what I'd budgeted so Em paid for the $13.00. He thought I looked pretty cute in the "new" clothes, though...for a fat girl. lol.
What else? First offering of that corned beef is out of the frig, has been soaked in cold water for two hours and is in the slow-cooker with some potato and onion. Soaking meat in cold water for two hours didn't come easy to me. Who washes meat? Must remember that the meat had been marinating in a salty mixture and (the instructions said) the meat would be too salty if the meat weren't soaked in cold water changed regularly for two hours. I just do what I'm told in some of these recipes, particularly when I have NO CLUE on how stuff SHOULD taste...as in the case with Corned Beef. Second set of chunks get freed from the refrigerator tomorrow...to be soaked in cold water again, blah blah. Today's chunks are slow-cooking with some whole potatoes and onions. I'm not gonna do the cabbage; last time I made cabbage we both got diarrhea. Might include some apple tomorrow, just because I have it on hand and a recipe for apple corned beef in a slow cooker.
don't use your abilities to manipulate or otherwise do harm
Moi?? Never! :-D
Thanks for the birthday salute!
Corned beef. Mmmm!!! Love teh stuff! I've never made it but have eaten plenty of it. Now ya have me craving it. Oh, man. A nice, big corned beef sandwich with mustard and maters! *sigh* Oh, some swiss cheese, too! Is it swiss I like with CB? It's been so long, I'm not even sure I remember.
Sounds like Chicago had better prepare to be invaded soon. Hope you guys have a great time! We're supposed to be trying to go back for an IL visit around Thanksgiving this year but we need to pull gas money out of our butts first. We'll see how that goes as it draws near. Try to leave the state in one piece for us, though, just in case, k?
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