Today I needed to stock up on a lot of different things, so I worked out how to find them all in Nashville instead of moaning and groaning about how I don't have _____________ (fill in the blank with anything really) that was in whatever city I used to live in or frequent regularly.
My first stop was Frugal McDoogals, which is a wine and liquor store over near the Gulch area in Nashville. And before I talk about the store, can I just say that the Gulch is really getting to be pretty awesome? I went to a few shows at City Hall before they shut down, and while I'm sad about that, I'm pretty stoked that we're getting an Urban Outfitters. We're also going to get a Cantina Loredo- YAY! I've been to the one in Huntsville several times and their food is great but the best thing- ever- is the Mexican Brownie. And now I can get one right here in Nashville.** There are going to be a bunch of other shops and restaurants opening up down there, and I really hope that they do okay despite the economic outlook. It is a really cool little area.
Okay, so Frugal McDoogals is my new favorite store. I mean, my new favorite liquor store. The place is really big and had everything. The staff seemed really friendly, they carded me (AHHH, SO FLATTERING), and the prices were dirt cheap. I found some wine at Costco in Huntsville over Christmas that I really liked- the Francis Ford Coppola Russo table wine or something like that, and this place had it for $7.99 a bottle, even cheaper than Costco I think. So I stocked up on that. This will be a great place to go for wine. They also had lots of imported high-alcohol beer in fun bottles along with all the other regular liquor store stuff that I didn't even bother to price this time. I'll be back.
After that I went to the Costco on the other side of town which I hadn't been to before. It was packed- I sort of forgot that the Superbowl is tomorrow so people were there for FOOD and lots of it. Well so was I. I got 2 huge loaves of bread for $3.69, 6 monster bell peppers for $7, a flat of over 1 pound of blackberries for $4 (and they are huge and delicious), a pack of 12 fuji apples for $7, and almost 5 pounds of sirloin steak for $15.69. As soon as I got home I marinated some of the steak, but most of it I cut up into strips or cubes and froze. That has worked out really well with the chicken I got last week- I don't even thaw it, I just throw it in a pan and cook it for a little longer than usual. It is making meals and lunches really easy. I put a new link in my Blogroll over there ------> for Poor Girl Eats Well, which has a lot of great advice about cooking and eating on a budget. I think eating on a budget involves staying out of Costco. But I guess it's one of this examples of how a big payout turns out to mean spending less money in the long run? That's how it's worked so far. All I need to get at the grocery store tomorrow is onions (I can't get through a 10 lb. bag before they go bad), baking potatoes (ditto) soy milk (ummm, again, can't use up 3 cartons in a month), and yogurt. Because Costco doesn't sell my brand.
I also picked up 165 bandaids for $12. I did something dumb the other night- I was using the PedEgg (foot exfoliator thingy) and was vigorously (but, um, gently) (yeah right, who am I kidding?) going at my feet. Somehow the thing slipped and caught my middle fingernail in a blade and ripped a good chunk of it right off. OWWWWWWWWW. That thing hurt for 2 days straight. Anyway, why am I talking about this? Oh yes, because I had 2 bandaids left and thought that I really need to get better about keeping first aid supplies on hand. So I started with waaaaayyyy more bandaids than a single-person household will EVER need. (I am just tempting fate, aren't I?)
There will be more adventure this weekend! Tomorrow I'm heading over to the used bookstore that I've never been to, and I'm hoping they'll buy a lot of my old books and DVDs for a decent price. We shall see....
**Let me just stop right here and say, yes, it really isn't a mystery why I might put on some weight when I'm eating Mexican Brownies and pizza- I know my mom is laughing at me again. Last week she was laughing at me because I was whining about how I gained weight and then I was going to go have pizza. WELL I'd like to point out that it was a whole wheat crust with peppers, onions, mushrooms, olives, and hardly any cheese. Geez Heather- defensive much? Anyway, almost all of that weight was hormonal. Such a relief.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
25 Random Things
1. People on Facebook have tagged me for either 10 or 25 random things. So instead of thinking of so many random things about myself, I'm lumping them all together into 1 monster 25 randoms things about myself post. Because I can. Try and stop me. And I thought HEY, I can torture my blog readers with this mindless crap too! Lucky you! And if you're one of 2 or 3 people on Facebook who knows I have a blog, well, you are EXTREMELY special.
2. I have had a huge crush on Brian Williams since I saw him on SNL. Look! He's funny!
Who wouldn't love this guy? Incidentally, I saw him on Letterman last night and he said he's turning 50 this year. I'm turning 30 this year. Coincidence? I think NOT. (Clearly we are the only two people on the planet having birthdays that end in zero in 2009.)
3. While we're on the subject, I also have a crush on Yo-Yo Ma. It's awesome to watch a man do the work he loves.
4. And while we're STILL on the subject of more, uh, mature men, my sister would be very quick to point out that I also had a crush on Billy Bob Thornton. What can I say? The man has charisma.
5. I love the Sonic commercials with the guy and the girl in the car and he invariably says something stupid. They crack me up.
6. While we're talking about Sonic, I would get a Cherry Vanilla Coke from there every single damn day if I could. I haven't had one in months. They are the soooo good.
7. My favorite late-night talk show host is Craig Ferguson.
8. My favorite day-time talk show host is Ellen.
9. If I could live anywhere, regardless of cost, it would probably be London. With a vacation house in the Caribbean for winter. Because I'm not THAT much of a masochist.
10. Nashville is pretty darn nice too.
11. The last CDs I purchased were Cold Play, Taylor Swift, and Kanye West. I like to imagine I have a wide range in musical tastes, but, ummmm, I guess I just buy anything playing on the radio that catches my attention.
12. When I was a kid I was TERRIFIED of tornadoes, I'm not even kidding. I learned everything I could about storms and now I could probably be a meteorologist no sweat.
13. My ideal job would be Textile Artist. Not Meteorologist. They rhyme! (Yeah, this self centered post is getting to me and I'm starting to crack under the pressure. Half way through....)
14. I am a very private person. People probably think I'm a stuck up snob, but really I'm just shy.
15. I love to travel but hate business trips.
16. My very favorite show of all time has to be The West Wing. I keep trolling Amazon to see if they ever put the entire DVD set on sale. (They do not. Bastards.)
17. My very favorite guilty pleasure show is The Girls Next Door. It's funny, women tend to like this show and men hate it. The first 2 seasons are fantastic.
18. Speaking of which, my other dream job if I were a completely different person is Burlesque Dancer. Dita Von Teese is my idol.
19. I love living alone and need lots of personal space. I pity the man who will marry me one day. I pretend it's a phase and I'll outgrow it. (I know that's not true!)
20. I drink tea all the time, mostly to keep warm at work.
21. If I am in the car by myself I am probably singing.
22. Yes, I voted for Hillary Clinton. And then I voted for Barack Obama. I know, this is a big fat shock.
23. Oh my God I'm almost done with this thing. It has gotten out of hand. Ummmm... I almost never leave dirty dishes in the sink. They make me crazy and I just can't stand it.
24. HOWEVER, laundry I hate with a passion and wish I could do it less often.
25. I think these are the coolest smartest DUH idea I've seen in a long time: http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/gear/8e82/
So I tagged a whole bunch of people on facebook but I wouldn't do that to anybody here. It is EXHAUSTING. I'm going to have to go lie down and recover now.
2. I have had a huge crush on Brian Williams since I saw him on SNL. Look! He's funny!
Who wouldn't love this guy? Incidentally, I saw him on Letterman last night and he said he's turning 50 this year. I'm turning 30 this year. Coincidence? I think NOT. (Clearly we are the only two people on the planet having birthdays that end in zero in 2009.)
3. While we're on the subject, I also have a crush on Yo-Yo Ma. It's awesome to watch a man do the work he loves.
4. And while we're STILL on the subject of more, uh, mature men, my sister would be very quick to point out that I also had a crush on Billy Bob Thornton. What can I say? The man has charisma.
5. I love the Sonic commercials with the guy and the girl in the car and he invariably says something stupid. They crack me up.
6. While we're talking about Sonic, I would get a Cherry Vanilla Coke from there every single damn day if I could. I haven't had one in months. They are the soooo good.
7. My favorite late-night talk show host is Craig Ferguson.
8. My favorite day-time talk show host is Ellen.
9. If I could live anywhere, regardless of cost, it would probably be London. With a vacation house in the Caribbean for winter. Because I'm not THAT much of a masochist.
10. Nashville is pretty darn nice too.
11. The last CDs I purchased were Cold Play, Taylor Swift, and Kanye West. I like to imagine I have a wide range in musical tastes, but, ummmm, I guess I just buy anything playing on the radio that catches my attention.
12. When I was a kid I was TERRIFIED of tornadoes, I'm not even kidding. I learned everything I could about storms and now I could probably be a meteorologist no sweat.
13. My ideal job would be Textile Artist. Not Meteorologist. They rhyme! (Yeah, this self centered post is getting to me and I'm starting to crack under the pressure. Half way through....)
14. I am a very private person. People probably think I'm a stuck up snob, but really I'm just shy.
15. I love to travel but hate business trips.
16. My very favorite show of all time has to be The West Wing. I keep trolling Amazon to see if they ever put the entire DVD set on sale. (They do not. Bastards.)
17. My very favorite guilty pleasure show is The Girls Next Door. It's funny, women tend to like this show and men hate it. The first 2 seasons are fantastic.
18. Speaking of which, my other dream job if I were a completely different person is Burlesque Dancer. Dita Von Teese is my idol.
19. I love living alone and need lots of personal space. I pity the man who will marry me one day. I pretend it's a phase and I'll outgrow it. (I know that's not true!)
20. I drink tea all the time, mostly to keep warm at work.
21. If I am in the car by myself I am probably singing.
22. Yes, I voted for Hillary Clinton. And then I voted for Barack Obama. I know, this is a big fat shock.
23. Oh my God I'm almost done with this thing. It has gotten out of hand. Ummmm... I almost never leave dirty dishes in the sink. They make me crazy and I just can't stand it.
24. HOWEVER, laundry I hate with a passion and wish I could do it less often.
25. I think these are the coolest smartest DUH idea I've seen in a long time: http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/gear/8e82/
So I tagged a whole bunch of people on facebook but I wouldn't do that to anybody here. It is EXHAUSTING. I'm going to have to go lie down and recover now.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Edit!
It occurred to me today that my last post was a little presumptive. The Duchess? What Duchess? HEATHER WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
Georgiana was the Duchess of Devonshine (England) in the late 18th/early 19th century. She was buddies with Marie Antoinette and was a sort of scandalous character. She got out the vote for her chosen candidates for Parliament, had affairs with politicians, and did a lot of traveling between her husband's country estates and Europe. She was also a prolific letter writer. Note to self: if you want to be famous in the future, write loads of handwritten letters.
So, the book is called Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire. The movie based on the book shortens that up considerably to The Duchess. The movie was good, but screwed around with timelines a lot so you don't have nearly the sense of how important this person was in her time. If you like biographies, this is a great read.
And now it is time to buckle down for an ice storm. Maybe. I have a feeling that if I lived further north I would be much more concerned. The local news, however, is going crazy with this. SALT THE BRIDGES! CALL OUT THE POWER COMPANY! SAVE THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN!!!
Georgiana was the Duchess of Devonshine (England) in the late 18th/early 19th century. She was buddies with Marie Antoinette and was a sort of scandalous character. She got out the vote for her chosen candidates for Parliament, had affairs with politicians, and did a lot of traveling between her husband's country estates and Europe. She was also a prolific letter writer. Note to self: if you want to be famous in the future, write loads of handwritten letters.
So, the book is called Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire. The movie based on the book shortens that up considerably to The Duchess. The movie was good, but screwed around with timelines a lot so you don't have nearly the sense of how important this person was in her time. If you like biographies, this is a great read.
And now it is time to buckle down for an ice storm. Maybe. I have a feeling that if I lived further north I would be much more concerned. The local news, however, is going crazy with this. SALT THE BRIDGES! CALL OUT THE POWER COMPANY! SAVE THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN!!!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Ladies, Ladies
So today I did some exercising (I've done 23.5 miles this month, which means I'm ALMOST keeping up with my goal), and when I was done I turned the tape off and watched TV while I was stretching. Some channel was playing Ice Princess, which might be one of the worst movies EVER MADE. Joan Cusack plays the "Mean Mommy" role ("Professional athletes have a shelf life!") because clearly she just can't agree with her daughter's dreams. The most manipulative parenting I've ever seen on screen, and that's saying a lot. We all know people can't start college after the age of 18. Kim Cattrall plays the competition's mean mommy. It was really weird watching her in this role because I expected her to sleep with the judges Samantha style, all of them at once, to throw the score in her daughter's favor. I don't think she translates well to Disney fare. So I made it through about 20 minutes of that drivel, and I'm pretty sure I know the ending.
I finally finished "The Duchess" and let me tell you, that book was wayyyy better than the movie. That woman was a MESS. She gambled incessantly, and lied to her friends and banks to "borrow" money which she never intended to pay back. She was also one of the most influential women in politics ever, and it was interesting to read about those two sides of her- the political genius and the gambling wreck. Another interesting note: both she and her sister went abroad for several months to have their illegitimate children in relative privacy and no one was the wiser. It sounds like thanks to the work of the Victorian censors (who thought they were doing their ancestors a favor) it was hard to figure out just whose child was whose between Georgiana, her sister Harriet, and her "friend" Bess (who is another interesting character and probably needs her own biography). Back then it was not uncommon to go visit the continent for months (or years) and concealing a pregnancy was par for the course. Unreal. Can you imagine trying to do that now?
This weekend has been busy. Yesterday I did a two mile Walk Away the Pounds walk and then did a 20 minute dumbell routine from SparkPeople.com. (It's here if you're interested- there is also great 15 minute stablility ball workout- try it out.) I had bookclub and spent waaaayyy too long on Facebook. Today I went grocery shopping and prepped all of my snacks and veggies for the week. I even cut up chicken and froze it for quick meals later. I cleaned a lot, did laundry, walked 3 miles, and started another bookclub book. Tonight I'm making pizza for dinner and camping out on the couch to watch "Wuthering Heights" on PBS. It's going to be SO GOOD. I'm a sucker for 19th century British costume dramas.
Other things happening on Planet Heather:
I finally finished "The Duchess" and let me tell you, that book was wayyyy better than the movie. That woman was a MESS. She gambled incessantly, and lied to her friends and banks to "borrow" money which she never intended to pay back. She was also one of the most influential women in politics ever, and it was interesting to read about those two sides of her- the political genius and the gambling wreck. Another interesting note: both she and her sister went abroad for several months to have their illegitimate children in relative privacy and no one was the wiser. It sounds like thanks to the work of the Victorian censors (who thought they were doing their ancestors a favor) it was hard to figure out just whose child was whose between Georgiana, her sister Harriet, and her "friend" Bess (who is another interesting character and probably needs her own biography). Back then it was not uncommon to go visit the continent for months (or years) and concealing a pregnancy was par for the course. Unreal. Can you imagine trying to do that now?
This weekend has been busy. Yesterday I did a two mile Walk Away the Pounds walk and then did a 20 minute dumbell routine from SparkPeople.com. (It's here if you're interested- there is also great 15 minute stablility ball workout- try it out.) I had bookclub and spent waaaayyy too long on Facebook. Today I went grocery shopping and prepped all of my snacks and veggies for the week. I even cut up chicken and froze it for quick meals later. I cleaned a lot, did laundry, walked 3 miles, and started another bookclub book. Tonight I'm making pizza for dinner and camping out on the couch to watch "Wuthering Heights" on PBS. It's going to be SO GOOD. I'm a sucker for 19th century British costume dramas.
Other things happening on Planet Heather:
- I'm thinking about getting a tattoo for my 30th birthday.
- I'm doing some excercises in the "Shyness and Social Anxiety Workbook" and I think they're helping.
- I have gained almost 10 lbs since Christmas and it's making me furious. HOW? WHY???? This is why I'm hitting the exercise DVDs/videos pretty hard.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Snow and the Cat
It has been snowing all morning. The really perfect snow that keeps coming down in big flakes but doesn't ever stick to anything. SO PRETTY. I wanted to go outside and play, but since I had to work today (I believe my sister referred to my company as "racist"- have you ever had a real job* young lady???) I decided it might not project the most professional image possible.
Last week sucked work-wise (hello layoffs, I saw you coming but denied it, sorta like getting the flu), and I stayed remarkably busy, at least for me. I went out one night to a brew pub (technically for my bookclub but we talked about the book for maybe 20 minutes and I was there for almost 3 hours). Friday night the same people went to a friend's house to watch Battlestar Galactica, and I was a bit confused because I missed most of what happened at the end of the last season. I'll probably get the whole series on Netflix once it's all out on DVD and watch it all the way through. Annnnnywho, I met another really cool woman there and we're all planning to go bowling sometime soon. I love that I'm meeting so many like-minded transplants lately. I'm going out again tonight too, to try a new restaurant with a bunch of people. It's cold and parking is a bitch so we'll see how that all works out. Hopefully it will all be fun and delicious.
It was really cold last week (it didn't get above 30 degrees for a few days in a row) and there is a little white and orange stray cat that has been hanging around the parking lot freezing to death. She is really pretty but very timid and hasn't gotten within 10 feet of me, although she is interested in attention. I have a feeling someone moved out and left her behind, and if I can get her to come any closer to me I might take her in. (I keep saying her but really I have no clue whether this cat is male or female.) So, it's not like I've acquired any cat stuff or anything drastic like that (okay, I've gotten little cat treats to lure her in, but I SWEAR that's it). There's a good chance I'll never see her again since cats come and go pretty quickly here. But I have looked up the number for vets in the area just in case. I don't know how long this poor cat has been outside but she'd need a good looking over before she comes in. I've never really been a cat person but we'll see what happens. I am such a political nerd that I am taking the day off tomorrow to watch the Inauguration. I'm really excited to see it, and I'm not going to make do with CNN articles at my computer. Nope, instead I'm staying home all day watching C-SPAN, making "Inauguration Day Stew" (this just means that I happen to have carrots, green beans, and potatoes that really need to get used up, therefore: beef stew). I also have to finish that damn Duchess of Devonshire book because it's due Wednesday. I'm halfway through. Okay, tomorrow is cooking, inauguration, and about 8 hours of READING. Good thing I am taking a vacation day!
*And by real I mean one that is in an actual corporation that scoffs at things like National Holidays that post offices and banks would be closed for. We get the big ones: New Years Day, Memorial Day (check out that vacationless gap on the calendar, you'll probably beg me to quit my job), July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day (and the day after because they know no one is coming in on that day anyway), and Christmas. Just last year they canceled Good Friday but gave us Christmas Eve instead, which I was pretty happy about. SO, MLKJ day? Presidents day? Valentine's? Mother's day? The Harvest Moon day? Solstice? No. We will work and make money because TIME is MONEY and that is how the world works. You teachers and government employees can just kiss my jealous ass.
Last week sucked work-wise (hello layoffs, I saw you coming but denied it, sorta like getting the flu), and I stayed remarkably busy, at least for me. I went out one night to a brew pub (technically for my bookclub but we talked about the book for maybe 20 minutes and I was there for almost 3 hours). Friday night the same people went to a friend's house to watch Battlestar Galactica, and I was a bit confused because I missed most of what happened at the end of the last season. I'll probably get the whole series on Netflix once it's all out on DVD and watch it all the way through. Annnnnywho, I met another really cool woman there and we're all planning to go bowling sometime soon. I love that I'm meeting so many like-minded transplants lately. I'm going out again tonight too, to try a new restaurant with a bunch of people. It's cold and parking is a bitch so we'll see how that all works out. Hopefully it will all be fun and delicious.
It was really cold last week (it didn't get above 30 degrees for a few days in a row) and there is a little white and orange stray cat that has been hanging around the parking lot freezing to death. She is really pretty but very timid and hasn't gotten within 10 feet of me, although she is interested in attention. I have a feeling someone moved out and left her behind, and if I can get her to come any closer to me I might take her in. (I keep saying her but really I have no clue whether this cat is male or female.) So, it's not like I've acquired any cat stuff or anything drastic like that (okay, I've gotten little cat treats to lure her in, but I SWEAR that's it). There's a good chance I'll never see her again since cats come and go pretty quickly here. But I have looked up the number for vets in the area just in case. I don't know how long this poor cat has been outside but she'd need a good looking over before she comes in. I've never really been a cat person but we'll see what happens.
*And by real I mean one that is in an actual corporation that scoffs at things like National Holidays that post offices and banks would be closed for. We get the big ones: New Years Day, Memorial Day (check out that vacationless gap on the calendar, you'll probably beg me to quit my job), July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day (and the day after because they know no one is coming in on that day anyway), and Christmas. Just last year they canceled Good Friday but gave us Christmas Eve instead, which I was pretty happy about. SO, MLKJ day? Presidents day? Valentine's? Mother's day? The Harvest Moon day? Solstice? No. We will work and make money because TIME is MONEY and that is how the world works. You teachers and government employees can just kiss my jealous ass.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Impressions of The Golden Globes
Yeah, so I JUST said I probably wouldn't be posting for a while, but I lied. Last night I watched The Golden Globes on NBC, from Red Carpet Coverage to the end (except for the time around when Steven Speilberg got the Cecil B. DeMille award, I used that time to take a shower). I like to watch the Golden Globes because they're sort of laid back compared to the Oscars, and they don't have some host around who makes everyone uncomfortable.
The thing that really struck me about last night was how small the stage was. You get used to seeing HUUUUGE stages with monster sets, but this one was so small that some people, like Maggie Gyllenhaal and her dress, overwhelmed it.
Red Carpet: Quit talking about people's resumes. We don't care. Just talk about the important stuff- the dresses and the jewelry.
Does Brad Pitt EVER crack a smile? I found it funny that NBC got lots of shots of him, but I didn't know Angelina Jolie was there until the best actress award was announced. They both seem obnoxiously pretentious and unapproachable, and they've worked hard to give that impression.
I loved Eva Longoria's dress. It fit like a glove, and a lot of actresses need to re-think fit. You know, the actual designers of their dresses probably wouldn't mind lending a hand.
Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet both needed hair clips.
It was weird when Laura Linney thanked Paul Giamatti for his work in John Adams- to THUNDEROUS silence. Nobody clapped for the guy at all.
Glenn Close and I need to chat about wardrobe choices. And Drew B. and I need to have a heart to heart about hair style choices.
Christina Applegate's necklace was stunning. I want it for my birthday. I need to make very rich friends.
Sandra Bullock was hilarious- why hasn't she been in any movies lately?
The thing that really struck me about last night was how small the stage was. You get used to seeing HUUUUGE stages with monster sets, but this one was so small that some people, like Maggie Gyllenhaal and her dress, overwhelmed it.
Red Carpet: Quit talking about people's resumes. We don't care. Just talk about the important stuff- the dresses and the jewelry.
Does Brad Pitt EVER crack a smile? I found it funny that NBC got lots of shots of him, but I didn't know Angelina Jolie was there until the best actress award was announced. They both seem obnoxiously pretentious and unapproachable, and they've worked hard to give that impression.
I loved Eva Longoria's dress. It fit like a glove, and a lot of actresses need to re-think fit. You know, the actual designers of their dresses probably wouldn't mind lending a hand.
Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet both needed hair clips.
It was weird when Laura Linney thanked Paul Giamatti for his work in John Adams- to THUNDEROUS silence. Nobody clapped for the guy at all.
Glenn Close and I need to chat about wardrobe choices. And Drew B. and I need to have a heart to heart about hair style choices.
Christina Applegate's necklace was stunning. I want it for my birthday. I need to make very rich friends.
Sandra Bullock was hilarious- why hasn't she been in any movies lately?
Sunday, January 11, 2009
My Goodreads Review of The Thirteenth Tale
The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel by Diane SetterfieldMy review
rating: 3 of 5 stars
I LOVED the first 2/3rds of this book. It was riveting. I was totally taken in by the story, the writing style, and the words. I was fascinated because I couldn't figure out what the different time periods were supposed to be- still can't. There are cars and phones and sneakers but no internet or world wars or other markers of modern life. These were socially isolated people I was reading about, but I could relate to them. I loved the classic British 19th century themes that kept coming up- neglected children, incest, crazy relatives who are hidden away. Good stuff.
Anyway, that was the first couple of parts of the book. The last part felt like such a cop-out to me. Instead of making the story come together and make sense, there was a completely new character (well, sort of completely new) introduced to the story to neatly tie up all the loose ends, and after all the mystery I expected more. I was sitting there going through all of the characters in my head trying to puzzle out what happened, and it turned out to be none of them. The story comes to a close in such a way that even the cat is happy. And I didn't care about the cat! I think the only reason she wrapped up the book so tediously was to bring in an element of those old British Classics that have the summing up of the different characters at the end of the book. But I just found it so annoying that I threw down the book in disgust.
Bottom line: great for the first two hundred and fifty pages or so. Then I felt cheated.
View all my reviews.
This and That
Sorry for the sort of schizo posting lately. Being back at work for a full week was an adjustment, and things there have been slow so my brain gets sort of numb. It should pick up next week though. I'm figuring out ways to learn some new skills this year at work- I think it will pay off.
I have been reading this great book called "The Thirteenth Tale" that has me completely absorbed- it is sooooooo good! (Edited because I realized I can put my Goodreads.com reviews on here! Awesome!)
After I finish "The Thirteenth Tale" I need to read "The Glass Castle" (another book club book) which is supposed to be great. Then I have that biography that the movie The Duchess was based on- "Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire", but that I got after months on the library waiting list so I need to read that FAST because I can't renew it as it is on hold by someone else. I was going to take it back to the library and just re-join the holds list but I read the first page and it looks GREAT so somehow I'm going to have all of this stuff read in 10 days. Right. Dream big, I say. I did take back the John Adams biography because I was getting a little tired of it. And since so much was pulled from the letters he and Abigail wrote to each other I think I want to just get that book instead. Those two were insane correspondents. I don't think I've ever written so much in my whole life as they wrote to each other- school essays, blogging, letters, emails, and diaries included.
Last night I went out with one of my friends from work. We had dinner at PF Chang's where the waiter told us about all of the celebrities who come in (some lead singer of some band was there at the bar but I didn't really know who the band was so I didn't care). Then we went to see Gran Torino, which was a fantastic movie. I love Clint Eastwood films. They are exactly what I look for in movies. There's a good story, guilt, redemption, nice big sweeping themes tied into fairly small stories, and the pace is right. And they always feel a little old school to me. He was great in this movie. Go see it.
I've sort of tweaked my exercise New Years Resolution. I'm going to see if I can keep my number of miles walked at or above the day of the year it is. For example, today is the 11th day of the year and I've walked 11 miles. Ta Da! So far so good. I can do 2 miles every other day and then on the off days do strength training. I think strength training is the big weight-loss secret for me. I love to do it because you get results so fast (is that a bicep I see?) and you really feel like you're DOING something when you're so sore for the next 48 hours. I love that.
I know, I know, nothing major going on to write about. It could be a while before my next post. Winter is never a good time for me to keep up with this stuff. I'm more into reading and hibernating than writing or creating. So, sorry in advance....
I have been reading this great book called "The Thirteenth Tale" that has me completely absorbed- it is sooooooo good! (Edited because I realized I can put my Goodreads.com reviews on here! Awesome!)
After I finish "The Thirteenth Tale" I need to read "The Glass Castle" (another book club book) which is supposed to be great. Then I have that biography that the movie The Duchess was based on- "Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire", but that I got after months on the library waiting list so I need to read that FAST because I can't renew it as it is on hold by someone else. I was going to take it back to the library and just re-join the holds list but I read the first page and it looks GREAT so somehow I'm going to have all of this stuff read in 10 days. Right. Dream big, I say. I did take back the John Adams biography because I was getting a little tired of it. And since so much was pulled from the letters he and Abigail wrote to each other I think I want to just get that book instead. Those two were insane correspondents. I don't think I've ever written so much in my whole life as they wrote to each other- school essays, blogging, letters, emails, and diaries included.
Last night I went out with one of my friends from work. We had dinner at PF Chang's where the waiter told us about all of the celebrities who come in (some lead singer of some band was there at the bar but I didn't really know who the band was so I didn't care). Then we went to see Gran Torino, which was a fantastic movie. I love Clint Eastwood films. They are exactly what I look for in movies. There's a good story, guilt, redemption, nice big sweeping themes tied into fairly small stories, and the pace is right. And they always feel a little old school to me. He was great in this movie. Go see it.
I've sort of tweaked my exercise New Years Resolution. I'm going to see if I can keep my number of miles walked at or above the day of the year it is. For example, today is the 11th day of the year and I've walked 11 miles. Ta Da! So far so good. I can do 2 miles every other day and then on the off days do strength training. I think strength training is the big weight-loss secret for me. I love to do it because you get results so fast (is that a bicep I see?) and you really feel like you're DOING something when you're so sore for the next 48 hours. I love that.
I know, I know, nothing major going on to write about. It could be a while before my next post. Winter is never a good time for me to keep up with this stuff. I'm more into reading and hibernating than writing or creating. So, sorry in advance....
Friday, January 09, 2009
Suze Orman
Hi Everybody. Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan is available on Oprah.com for downloading until January 15th. It seems to have a lot of good insight into the economy and what we should all be doing to protect our money and our futures, along with a section called A Breif History of How We Got Here, which I'm finding very good because it explains exactly why our economy is in the dumps right now. Just thought I'd pass it on.... This is a 227 page BOOK, not just a list of helpful tips. Happy Reading! (Or at the very least, useful reading.)
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Foooood
I did all the shopping, chopping, and simmering of Rachel Ray's soup, and it was GROSS. Kale, I'm not a fan of yours. No offense, it's just a texture thing. Think hot, chewy lettuce. The recipe said to get baking potatoes but they never really broke down into starchy goodness, no matter how much I simmered. They just sort of sat there in grainy slices. Also, I'm not a big fan of cooked tomato chunks. Ewwwwwwwww. (Seriously, I have to blend up my tomato sauce so there are no distinguishable tomato pieces in it- so I knew this going in.) I ate about half a bowl of this monstrosity. Then, not wanting to throw it out since I'd dumped a jar of roasted red peppers in there that cost almost $4 (more than any other ingredient in this soup I might add) (also, it had to be pureed and it looked like I had committed murder in my kitchen and I was just not going to give up that easy), I got creative. I picked out all the kale and potatoes with some tongs, hauled out my hand blender, and blended it all up. And now I have some mighty fancy roasted red pepper and tomato soup. YUM! This I like, and I'll probably make it again.
I never realized until the moment how odd I am about food textures. Hunh.
I'm trying to eat cheaper. A couple of weeks ago I went to Costco and almost swooned at how low their prices were on bread, bagels, steak, and cheese. I mean, I know they're cheap but it just sort of hit me all over again. So I stocked up. The steaks were excellent, there were 4 to the pack so I froze two and cooked two. One steak can easily stretch over 3 meals- they are that huge- especially if I make stir fry or fried rice with beef. So that has turned out to be a really great bargain at $13 for a pack. I am trying to work more beans and rice into my diet. I was buying the Trader Joe's frozen microwavable rice, but then found the exact same thing at Kroger. Kroger is closer. Kroger wins. I bring my breakfast and lunch to work every day, so I plan ahead and make extra of whatever dinner is so I can throw it in my lunch bag in the morning. Today is... you guessed it! Roasted Tomato Pepper Soup! With a Costco cheese sandwich on Costco bread. And a bunch of Clementines because they are my favorite citrus fruit for eating. (This is a texture thing AGAIN- I hate peeling oranges because I'm a little OCD about the pith and I have to perfectly remove any white parts before I'll eat it. And that's just not worth the work. Maybe I should start cutting them up like grapefruits.)
I never realized until the moment how odd I am about food textures. Hunh.
I'm trying to eat cheaper. A couple of weeks ago I went to Costco and almost swooned at how low their prices were on bread, bagels, steak, and cheese. I mean, I know they're cheap but it just sort of hit me all over again. So I stocked up. The steaks were excellent, there were 4 to the pack so I froze two and cooked two. One steak can easily stretch over 3 meals- they are that huge- especially if I make stir fry or fried rice with beef. So that has turned out to be a really great bargain at $13 for a pack. I am trying to work more beans and rice into my diet. I was buying the Trader Joe's frozen microwavable rice, but then found the exact same thing at Kroger. Kroger is closer. Kroger wins. I bring my breakfast and lunch to work every day, so I plan ahead and make extra of whatever dinner is so I can throw it in my lunch bag in the morning. Today is... you guessed it! Roasted Tomato Pepper Soup! With a Costco cheese sandwich on Costco bread. And a bunch of Clementines because they are my favorite citrus fruit for eating. (This is a texture thing AGAIN- I hate peeling oranges because I'm a little OCD about the pith and I have to perfectly remove any white parts before I'll eat it. And that's just not worth the work. Maybe I should start cutting them up like grapefruits.)
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Duh
Yesterday I found this soup recipe, courtesy of Heather Bakes. So I made a big shopping list with ingredients for that, and also threw in some cheap healthy food from this NY Times Blog, and the list has been sitting on my desk here at work since yesterday. And every time I look at it, I keep thinking it says 32 oz of BUTTER instead of BROTH. And then I think "Why do I need 2 lbs of butter???" And then I realize that it says broth. I have done this 4 times now over the past 24 hours. I think it means I'm crazy.
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Okay, so I just can't shut up here these past few days. At least it feels like that, but I came across something interesting and I'm gonna share it, so pay attention!
Mike Rowe is the host of Dirty Jobs on the Discovery Channel. He's set up a new website that is calling on people to get back into the idea of WORK as a good thing, not something to be avoided. He says that the country's infrastructure is crumbling, enrollment in trade schools is declining, and there are jobs that need to be done to keep this country running, but no one is interested in doing them because they are blue collar jobs and not glamorous. And he would definitely know about jobs that are necessary- like plumbers and sewer workers and road builders and electricians and waste management workers, the list goes on and on. (And jobs that are disgusting enough to get on his show- roadkill remover or horse insemination? Anybody?)
Anyway, I just think it's really great that he's setting up a forum for this kind of conversation. The website is still under construction, but there are a few videos up. Watch "Here's the Plan" to get a feel for what he's talking about, as he definitely says it better than I ever could (it is his website after all). He's using his fame to get people to pay attention to a problem. He's a role model to high school age people so he'll have a lot of influence on career paths that aren't necessarily in the vein of "GO TO COLLEGE!" Check it out. Pass it on. It will be interesting to see where this website goes.
Mike Rowe is the host of Dirty Jobs on the Discovery Channel. He's set up a new website that is calling on people to get back into the idea of WORK as a good thing, not something to be avoided. He says that the country's infrastructure is crumbling, enrollment in trade schools is declining, and there are jobs that need to be done to keep this country running, but no one is interested in doing them because they are blue collar jobs and not glamorous. And he would definitely know about jobs that are necessary- like plumbers and sewer workers and road builders and electricians and waste management workers, the list goes on and on. (And jobs that are disgusting enough to get on his show- roadkill remover or horse insemination? Anybody?)
Anyway, I just think it's really great that he's setting up a forum for this kind of conversation. The website is still under construction, but there are a few videos up. Watch "Here's the Plan" to get a feel for what he's talking about, as he definitely says it better than I ever could (it is his website after all). He's using his fame to get people to pay attention to a problem. He's a role model to high school age people so he'll have a lot of influence on career paths that aren't necessarily in the vein of "GO TO COLLEGE!" Check it out. Pass it on. It will be interesting to see where this website goes.
The Perfect Morning
It's raining. I've got the paper, Dunkin Donuts coffee, Meet the Press on TV, an egg and cheese bagel, and new slippers.
Does it get better than this? I'm enjoying this last day of vacation, but to tell the truth I'm ready to get to work and get back into my routine. It sort of feels like the last day of summer vacation when you want to get back to school and see all of your friends and compare notes. (Ok, technically I was back to work on Friday but there was no one there and I left after 3 hours.)
Oh my gosh are we loving the new layout or what??? This is so much easier to read!
Does it get better than this? I'm enjoying this last day of vacation, but to tell the truth I'm ready to get to work and get back into my routine. It sort of feels like the last day of summer vacation when you want to get back to school and see all of your friends and compare notes. (Ok, technically I was back to work on Friday but there was no one there and I left after 3 hours.)
Oh my gosh are we loving the new layout or what??? This is so much easier to read!
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Happy New Year to Meeeeeeee
So, this year I've done what I always do around the New Year: clean and ruthlessly de-clutter. I had a revelation that as I am nearly 30, school projects that seemed so important 8 years ago really are just binders and garment bags taking up precious space. So, that 100 page report on the pros and cons of textile trade with Bangladesh in 2003? GONE. The ever so meaningful poems from some class I took in London more than 10 years ago? GONE. The sewing projects from draping classes? GONE. (I did keep a corset and some little embellishments from a couple of projects.)
Cluttery stuff I don't even look at any more that was just taking up space is out of here. CDs and DVDs that I've listened to or watched one time and put on the shelf are in the box for Goodwill. My filing cabinet has been reorganized and the old papers that are no longer needed have been shredded. My mattress has been vacuumed and I washed all of my bedding. Floors have been vacuumed and baseboards dusted. I even knocked together some shelves and boards into a workspace on my desk that houses my new flat screen computer monitor. My office supplies are boxed up and shelved within easy reach.
The count so far: 7 bags in the dumpster and a bag of clothes and two boxes of STUFF ready to go to charity. There is room on my bookshelves, room in my closets, and there are a lot of clean, clear surfaces. Hello 2009! I'm ready for whatever you have in store for me!
As for resolutions... I'm going to keep all the resolutions I made last year (exercise and finances). I did really well with those. Since I started tracking my exercise in March (I'm big on tracking things) I have walked 122 miles, along with 30 strength training sessions and 30 hour-long yoga sessions with stretching after everything. My longest break was almost a month in June/July (that was a bad month, exercise was way down on my list of priorities), and my longest streak was working out every day for 10 days in the beginning of September (I usually average every other day). 122 miles looks good, but really that's about a mile every other day, so this year I want to double that. My goal is to walk 250 miles this year. So far I've done, ummmm... 2. Huh. Guess I've got a ways to go.
My new resolution is to try to keep my nose out of other people's business, namely family drama. I technically started that one about 3 weeks ago, but when you think of a resolution it doesn't make sense to just wait around for the new year to implement it.
I think I'd better go knock out a couple of miles. 250 is a big number!
Cluttery stuff I don't even look at any more that was just taking up space is out of here. CDs and DVDs that I've listened to or watched one time and put on the shelf are in the box for Goodwill. My filing cabinet has been reorganized and the old papers that are no longer needed have been shredded. My mattress has been vacuumed and I washed all of my bedding. Floors have been vacuumed and baseboards dusted. I even knocked together some shelves and boards into a workspace on my desk that houses my new flat screen computer monitor. My office supplies are boxed up and shelved within easy reach.
The count so far: 7 bags in the dumpster and a bag of clothes and two boxes of STUFF ready to go to charity. There is room on my bookshelves, room in my closets, and there are a lot of clean, clear surfaces. Hello 2009! I'm ready for whatever you have in store for me!
As for resolutions... I'm going to keep all the resolutions I made last year (exercise and finances). I did really well with those. Since I started tracking my exercise in March (I'm big on tracking things) I have walked 122 miles, along with 30 strength training sessions and 30 hour-long yoga sessions with stretching after everything. My longest break was almost a month in June/July (that was a bad month, exercise was way down on my list of priorities), and my longest streak was working out every day for 10 days in the beginning of September (I usually average every other day). 122 miles looks good, but really that's about a mile every other day, so this year I want to double that. My goal is to walk 250 miles this year. So far I've done, ummmm... 2. Huh. Guess I've got a ways to go.
My new resolution is to try to keep my nose out of other people's business, namely family drama. I technically started that one about 3 weeks ago, but when you think of a resolution it doesn't make sense to just wait around for the new year to implement it.
I think I'd better go knock out a couple of miles. 250 is a big number!
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