Dancing about architecture

Last week in books

2011-09-18T17:04:00.004-05:00

Finished:

The Book of Lost Things, John Connolly: Liked it, but derivative. Very funny perspective on fairy tale speak: "ran away and was never seen again" = eaten and "happily ever after" = eaten quickly.

A Secret Rage, Charlaine Harris: Not bad, short and interesting, spurred questions about rape

Shakespeare's Landlord, Charlaine Harris: Neat intro to series, liked Lily Bard, will continue

Clean

2011-09-18T17:03:00.002-05:00

Why are my clean dishes supposed to smell of summertime showers? Everybody knows that clean smells like lemons!

Cheesecake Heaven

2011-09-16T16:45:00.002-05:00

is evil. To my thighs. Argh.

(It's across the street from my workplace, sigh.)

To be or not to be (a parent)?

2011-09-15T19:45:00.000-05:00

That is still the question.

The way I see it, I would:

a) Not be able to sleep late; and

b) Have to wear pants at home.

Hmmm...

I went to the woods to walk deliberately

2011-08-03T23:34:00.000-05:00

and instead I found screaming hordes at a beach. Not the impression I thought I would have of Walden Pond. Apparently, in addition to its historical significance to Massachusetts, nay, New England history and philosophy, it also serves at the local watering hole (literally) for the good citizens of Concord. Scratch that, it is actually the local beach serving the population of folk who are willing to pay the $5 entry fee. And, on a moderately hot day, that population is apparently legion.

The pond itself is lovely, and from its National Park photos I imagine that reservation is quietly stunning in the colder months. The educational nuggets presented on Thoreau, however, reveal him not so much to be the intrepid pioneer of civil disobedience as a sulky ne'er do well. Wikipedia is far kinder to him, for in reading the placards, I came to understand that he was considered to be the slightly touched son of a prosperous family, wiling away his time in, essentially, a treehouse.

Not quite what I expected.

The difference is

2011-07-23T20:46:00.000-05:00

Coming out of the gym, I am struck anew by the societally imposed? self-selected? awesome? inherent? differences between men and women. I emerge from a gloriously air-conditioned studio, having learned the fundaments of belly dancing (smile! move sinuously! back straight, chest out! embrace your inner goddess!) set to Egyptian and Latin pop music. Outside of the gym, two beefy, sweat-slick, vaguely military-looking men are taking turns heaving an enormous tire (almost as tall as me, so 5 ft in diameter, perhaps) up and down the fire lane in 100+ (heat index be damned, that's 100+ without accounting for humidity) heat. And yet we all "worked out." Hmmmmmm.

Struggling

2011-07-20T20:43:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it's difficult to keep up a happy face. After all, turning that frown upside down takes an act of defiance against gravity, and sometimes you get tired.

Lonesome

2011-03-09T02:40:00.005-05:00

Of course it's perfectly possible to have a thrilling and fulfilling life as a single person, without ever needing a permanent (human) companion of any sort. But once you have selected and locked in a life companion, it's a lot less fun to do even thrilling and fulfilling things without that person.

Kindergarten really does teach important lessons (gag). Sharing is fun.

Hello, World!

2011-03-04T23:46:00.000-05:00

It's been a long time since I've was on the Metro at night, especially a weekend night, and I marvel at the crowd as I squeeze into a packed train. Has young Washington gotten more attractive? Nope, I decide, it just wears a LOT more makeup and taller shoes.

Travelog 2010

2011-01-02T16:31:00.001-05:00

January: La Fortuna, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, and San Jose, Costa Rica

February: Fresnoish, CA

March: Los Angeles and northern beaches, CA

April: San Diego, CA

May: In preparation for...

June: Hong Kong, Macau, Beijing, Shanghai, and Xian, China; Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh, Malaysia, and San Francisco and Napa, CA and Clevelandish, OH.

July: Nowhere, thank god.

August: Phoenix, AZ, Bostonish, MA, and Philadelphia, PA.

September: Nada.

October: Nada.

November: Home, sweet home for Thanksgiving. Now that's something to be thankful for.

December: Denver, CO, San Fransiscoish, CA, and Clevelandish, OH.

OMFG, my kingdom for a shovel

2010-02-08T20:23:00.003-05:00

This depending on the kindness of others thing is getting old, surely for them as well as for us.

Plus, we're running low on cookie bribes and there isn't any flour left at the store!!

"A" it!!

2010-01-30T12:30:00.003-05:00

Haven't done that since I was, what, 8 or 9? But having friends over to play Nintendo is still AWESOME!

What I Learned in Couples' therapy

2010-01-30T12:29:00.002-05:00

"I don't think that your killing me is good for our marriage."

Wisdom!

Bad dreams

2010-01-04T20:32:00.001-05:00

Believing you are going to die and/or be eaten doesn't exactly make for a restful night.

Year of fun

2010-01-02T16:34:00.001-05:00

I can feel my youth rapidly receding in the distance. It's certainly not a mindset, because god knows that I often think, feel, and act like a giddy child, but a set of body aches, pains, and expanded consciousness. I'm more careful with myself than I used to be, because the weight of experience tells me OW OW OW to PAY ATTENTION, or I'll just pay.

Still, that doesn't mean that I am a washed up, haggard old lady (just yet). I've got plenty of fun left in me, and I intend to NOT spend it (all) mindlessly staring at my (huge, glorious, surprisingly wonderful, flat screen, wall-mounted, Wii-and-blu-ray-enabled) TV. Armed with friend-seeking intentions and Groupon, this should be a busy, productive, and enormously entertaining year. That's my only resolution, and I'm determined to stick to it.

**********************

Oh wait, I also resolve to practice my Mandarin. We really need to, since we are going to China this year. So maybe that's not a resolution so much as a travel necessity? Regardless, I post it here to throw my hat over the fence. SPEAK MOAR CHINESE already.

Travel 2009

2009-12-30T00:46:00.000-05:00

In sum -

January:
San Franciscoish, CA
Hopkins and all over southeastern Belize

February:
San Francisco and Sonoma, CA

March:
Sacramentoish, CA

April:
Sacramentoish, CA

May:
Sacramentoish, CA

June:
Montego Bay and Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Grand Isle and Burlington, VT
Hanover, NH

July:
Clevelandish, OH, X 2

August:
Bostonish, MA

September:
Chicago, IL

October:
San Jose and San Francisco, CA

November:
San Diegoish, CA
Long Island, NY

December:
Clevelandish, OH
San Luis Obispoish and Santa Cruz, CA

All in all, not a bad year. I've been all over, gotten a few new cities and countries under my belt (inclduing a thorough introduction to the Caribbean and finding out that I don't totally or at all hate it - may all years be filled with such personal growth), and still made it home every time in one piece. Hope I can say the same for next year's for more exotic travel plans!

New things

2009-11-12T20:28:00.000-05:00

Let's just call this the year (summer, really) of the avacado anding oyster mushroom. Previously, the former was in the " AW, YUCK!" classification (I'd hesitated to periodically try them again, as I generally do for disliked foods, because I figured that it really didn't hurt to not like at least one fattening food. Oh well.), and the latter was an unknown. Now, these beauties:

are diet staples. I love palate expansion!

Under 30

2009-10-22T21:13:00.000-05:00

for only a little while longer, and I am getting sadder and sadder about it by the day. Not only because of aging woes, but also because I just discovered an addendum to the Under-35 program I've been participating in at the Shakespeare Theater for the past few years. There are also several 30-and-under discount programs at various area theaters, and time is running out!!! I'm hoping to jump in on a few before the clock strikes, but I wish I'd found out about them sooner :(

Farmer bounty

2009-10-08T21:56:00.002-05:00

I talk the talk, but I don't always walk in the shoes I prize so highly. While I think it's awesome and wonderful and essential and terrific that there are local farmers' markets abounding, with plentiful, healthful produce available from local purveyors, I've never actually partaken of these glories close to home (on vacation, once in awhile, I'll take in a market for some local flavor and it usually is a great time and taste). So, only to keep a promise to a VERY close friend, nay, practically family, did I drag myself out of bed in the morning on the weekend to see what the close-by markets had to offer. (Technically, there is a Tuesday market on my way to work that I've been meaning to hit for...well, years, but I've never quite made it in early enough to justify to myself a side stop anywhere but Chipotle.)

So, this summer, I had this:

several times. Fresh-picked basil from the only prolific plants in our balcony garden, different varieties of heirloom tomatoes (some ugly, others crazily colored or striped, but all flavor-packed and delicious), and newly made cheese sold in cunning balls bought only after all the available options were sampled. Simple, yet fabulous.

So, yes I do so love the farmers' market. Now, if only they could arrange to open at noon...

9/8 Central

2009-10-06T22:20:00.002-05:00

Damn you!!!!!

Sadly, now I understand what that oft' heard phrase means - your shows are on at STRANGE times and you will miss seeing them by THISMUCH (er, an hour).

Argh.

Unprepared

2009-10-05T16:19:00.000-05:00

It turns out that 65 degrees in Chicago is different from comparable temperatures at home. While all the natives and those in the know are well into long coat season, the only long sleeved-item I have is my blue travel hoodie. It’s been everywhere with me this week. While it’s getting to see a lot of sights, I think it will be kind of...crusty by the time I get home. Ugh.

I got run over by a segway

2009-10-03T18:22:00.004-05:00

Thrice.

That's pretty much the whole story, but I will add that segway travel DOES look terribly funny, feels even weirder than it looks (and your legs do get sore because these are heretofor completely undiscovered territory in your musculature), and, even though it requires a helmet (see, still another activity I can do with a helmet! I am officially addicted!), is a rather magnificent way to tour Chicago. At night, specifically. I will further add, however, that falling off the segway and thereafter being repeatedly run over by the several hundred pound of machine (okay, probably not quite that much, but still, those things are REALLY heavy) swinging desperately in circles seeking its temporary but beloved master/operator is not really a highlight of the experience. Especially when you KEEP FALLING OFF. Note that this did not happen to anyone else on my tour. Argh.

And yet. Chicago nighttime segway tours will make you laugh, shriek, and possibly run over small (boisterously annoying) children. Seriously, look into it.

Flyaways

2009-09-28T23:52:00.004-05:00

So, they were right, those who call this place "the Windy City." I'm not sure how the natives do it, other than surrendering or arming themselves with helmet head, but my newly shorn head is enjoying its FREEDOM moment.

In the meantime, I've discovered that windswept hair really, really likes to get stuck in freshly applied lip gloss...

Office perk?

2009-09-23T15:53:00.004-05:00

I walked into the office kitchen and found the dishwasher chugging along. I gave it a wry, somewhat sour glance, thinking about our own, busted no-longer-just-a-dish-dryer at home. And then I gave it a more speculative thinking about our poor, broken dishwasher (who is just longing to do its job, I know it!) at home. Hmmmm, there could be some possibilities here...

Forgetful

2009-09-21T21:22:00.000-05:00

Isn't it funny how the vagaries of one forgetful moment can come to dominate the considerations of the following month? Almost makes one want to program an alarm into one's partner's phone.

Almost.

Allergy hunt

2009-09-20T23:15:00.001-05:00

An elimination diet/food journal really isn't that hard to do when you only eat a couple of different items. Thank goodness for small mercies, anyway.

Are eggs in a lot of things?

Sigh.

Gleefully yours

2009-09-18T15:55:00.000-05:00

Since the introduction of the nighttime pastime quality time, my TV-watching has dropped dramatically. While there was no coincidence (well, technically there is co-incidence, but it was by design) with this lower (and I'm still getting a steady diet of Netflix, I'm just not as devoutly being led by the nose by the major networks anymore) intake of the TeeVee, I still manage to keep up with my favorites and a few rather guilty pleasures (lookin' at you, Grey's Anatomy). It has become so reasonable that I wasn't threatened by either the originally planned or the actual shut off date of analog TV. We don't get broadcast TV anymore, but Internet viewing handily satisfies any viewing urges.

This season, there is one show that I could actually call "appointment television," assuming I did still have a TV signal. Glee is simply, the most compelling show since BVS. Like every band, orchestra, and choir dork that's heard of it, I am hopelessly hooked. It doesn't hurt that I'm a big fan of Ryan Murphy to begin with (Popular closed on a cliffhanger *shakes fist* and I've never quite recovered!!), but the cheesetasticness is such that I can NOT get enough. Singing! Dancing! Screechy teenage drama! Screech my-age-folks drama! Pretty people! Truly, something for everyone. I watched the pilot last spring, and...several times over the summer. Then I watched the director's cut of the pilot. Twice. FINALLY, when they started airing episodes, I've had appointment viewing at my work console for Thursday lunchtimes. With my new large screen, it is quite a midday treat!! With options for 5-minute pick-me-ups throughout the day/week/potentially year. Luv it. LURVE!!!

So, in summation, I like it, quite a lot. Go watch.

A new member of the family

2009-09-16T22:12:00.000-05:00

You know what that means - it's onsie (not misspelled) time!!!

I really don't get sick of making these. Squeeeeeeeeeee-cute!!!!!!!!!!

Eyeroll

2009-09-14T23:05:00.001-05:00

Don't you be rollin' yer eyes at me, missy! If you wanted to direct the conversation of this class, you have to Speak Up. It's certainly not my fault that I ask such fascinating questions!!

So far, I love my class! I actually looked at the homework and thought to myself, this is a GREAT assignment! (And then I told the teacher, which, I admit, was a little suck-uppy, but I really wanted to commend her on creating a useful and interesting exercise.) I'm really looking forward to the rest of the term. It's everything school should be!

Hoarding

2009-09-12T13:05:00.001-05:00

Alternatively titled: What??!! He likes Cheerios!!

I like to buy in bulk when things are on sale. I especially like it when I can stack the in-store sales with coupons, preferably coupons in the $0.50 - $0.95 range, so they can double or even triple (!!). We don't eat that many processed things, which does cut down on our coupon use, but when the stars all align, this can happen:

A good buy can make me SO HAPPY (and also talkative about my coup) and after scoring this particular deal I was positively full of glee.

I didn't know that I would grow up to be a normal girl who lusted after pretty dishes and high thread-count sheets, but I've always known that I would be a girl who longed for a pantry - the bigger the better. (In my more lucid moments, I do admit that I probably shouldn't be trusted with a pantry, much to my sorrow.) It's partly genetics (I think the hoarding instinct in my family indicates that we are descended from squirrels. The womenfolk, anyway.) and partly, er ~~cheapness~~thriftiness? I do so love a bargain!!

Spoiled

2009-09-11T16:54:00.000-05:00

You know that you've been spoiled rotten by the advances in modern genetic engineering for fruit when you look down at your (hand-cut into small chunks by a loving spouse) container of watermelon and sniff,

Ugh, seeds! I don't like seeds in my watermelon, so I ALWAYS buy seedless. ARGH! It is SO HARD to chew the watermelon and spit the seeds out! Hmmmph! I wonder if ANYTHING ELSE will go wrong with my day#%$%^^&!!!!

Image of summer

2009-09-10T23:00:00.000-05:00

Just call it Polynesian delight - the remains of a pan-Asian feast (potstickers, edamame, soba noodles) fronted by some fresh-squeezed pineapple juice with a kick (i.e., lots and lots of rum). The best part is definitely the "cup" left behind by the pineapple corer.

One reason to upgrade

2009-09-09T12:19:00.000-05:00

One more reason to wish for a much, much bigger house: if we have horrible, rude, annoying house guests, there is a place we can stash them/I can flee to. Right now in our one-roomed wonder I'm stuck with "going for a walk" (running away!) or "working at the office" (running away to a store!). Bleah.

Guesting II

2009-09-08T11:04:00.000-05:00

Notes to self:

Always asks hosts something about themselves (and then listen carefully, with a follow-up question[s]) at least once.

It's not necessary to prepare an agenda, but do be prepared to express an opinion on any offered agenda.

Also, it does help to have some idea of what you want to/can (are physically able to) do.

Yardwork follies

2009-09-07T15:46:00.001-05:00

Some thoughts on working in the yard with my folks:

Tree removal is not, I repeat, not for amateurs. Some things are worth paying for. Enough said.

Tree butchering, likewise, is not just for any yokel with a tiny chainsaw. Before the tree murder commences, one should at least have a google-knowledge of pruning and diseased-limb (only! No need to cut down the whole tree!) removal.

Lockjaw successfully avoided in the metal-saw deconstruction of an ancient, beyond-rusted (crumbling) swing set. Just barely. This time. I hope we don't see the same wheelbarrow-full of busted-up parts next time we come to visit.

You can't hoe through brickwork. Or foundation stone. Or expect me to. Really.

Gardens need to be watered. Even when it rains once a week. Otherwise, don't bemoan your lack of tomatoes.

Gardens need to be protected from deer/rabbits/woodchucks/giant marauding turkeys. If not, seriously, shut up about the no tomatoes thing. Take up bow hunting and everyone will be happier, I swear. Except maybe the turkeys.

Composting is easier when your take the peelings out of the plastic bag.

I think that fires should be put out, not allowed to burn themselves out...days later. Also, I think that there should be a maximum amount of lighter fluid allowed per burning experience. Finally, I'm not so sure you should be dousing the land with quite so much lighter fluid so close to the garden. Oh well, it really only matters if you're actually getting and eating the food from the garden.

Well, there are less mosquitoes now. Well done!

Less sucky than expected

2009-09-06T14:16:00.001-05:00

It could have been worse? Not nearly as painful as anticipated?

Which phrase damning with the faintest praise adequately expresses the relief I felt?

I don't feel bad about qualifying the most recent visit to the family home last weekend in such tones, since I used to dread family interactions with stress breakouts and tears and fears and threats to [insert drama] before I go through that again!!

Therefore, almost being killed with a chain saw and/or a falling tree branch (him, not me); not being able to breathe for a couple of days due to the mildew? mold? bad air in general? (also him, not me); being asked about pregnancy (me, not him); and dealing with random nattering anxiety (mostly me) wasn't nearly so bad. Especially considering that I still wonder, on occasion, how, exactly, I made it out of teenager-hood alive (and not having literally exploded from the stress and frustration of weathering much higher than average - both quantity and quality - parental worry and freak outs).

So, you know, progress. Yay!

A bad night

2009-09-05T12:16:00.001-05:00

[small voice] I didn't mean to poison him! [/small voice]

In fact, I felt fine and dinner actually tasted pretty good (he ate two big bowls). But it still follows that the only meal I prepared in an eon still left him weak and retching, miserable on the floor.

Ouch, for both of us.

5≤word(s) movie reviews

2009-09-04T12:54:00.004-05:00

Hamlet 2: horrified fascination, indeed

Becoming Jane: statuesque; Auestenesque; blahblahblah English countryside

Hellboy 2: Golden Army: cartoonishly stunning; everyone is immature

The Godfather 2: almost everybody dies, grimly

The Godfather: Eye-talians are mean, goal-oriented, successful

Twilight: she's more corpse-like than him!

Ghost Town: Crankypants ghost whisperer isn't funny

Center Stage: Turn it up!: surprisingly, I want more

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2: so much $$ for travel??!!

Step Up 2 the Streets: please, don't

Milk: eerie, affecting portrayal

Gone, Baby Gone: better because he chose poorly

3:10 to Yuma: almost everybody dies, rather awesomely

Mamma Mia!: utter singing and eyesore drek

Shaun of the Dead: grrrr, argh, delightful

John Adams: Wheaties-like, for dislikers of Wheaties

Jesus Camp: chillingly truthful

The Spanish Prisoner: neat process but kinda annoying!

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist: great if you're a teenager

Get Smart: more fun than you think

GI Joe: gorgeous ~~American~~ explosion and noisemakers

Up: odd but delightful

Terminator Salvation: unsatisfyingly intense and bleak(est)

Star Trek: don't worry, just enjoy

Angels and Demons: THanks is SO not RLangdon

Transformers 2: what -BOOM!- just happened??!!

Happy Potter 6: hormones don't help plot holes

Wolverine: RAWR! Hot (tempered) and head-scratchy

Outgrowing Restaurant Week

2009-09-03T12:03:00.001-05:00

I don't get too excited about Restaurant Week any more. The former seasonal occupant of far too much mind space (which of the most expensive places are running the promotion cross referenced with my current aspirational restaurant list and locational and/or convenience concerns) has now been relegated to the merest whisper of interest. I still take note of its occurrence, so I can make reservations (preferably during the extended RW days, so as not to have to contend with the hordes) at my favorite places. I do so love even the semblance of a bargain! Otherwise, I am, for the most part, disinclined to join the masses. I'm glad it still happens, and even more glad that so many more establishments are participating these days, so the next generation of DCish gastronomes are additionally incentivized to sample finer dining experiences around town. I don't, however, do much venturing past my own favorites. There were RWs where I went to 5-6 different places! Even with the deal and being that I've always lived and worked outside the city, it could become quite an investment in time and funds. And not all meals were hits, by a long shot. These days I'm less interested in trying new and exciting hotspots than revisiting wonderful places that I already know and love. Guess old fogeydom is just one more turn around the corner.

Profundity

2009-09-01T11:44:00.003-05:00

The most important question of the year is shaping up to be some iteration of

Have I made my expectations/needs/wants so perfectly clear that I can actually justify this rage I am feeling due to the offending party/ies falling short?

Since I fulfilled my somewhat ringer New Years' resolutions so completely and successfully, this has been the point of personal improvement that has come up most often, in a variety of situations, throughout the year. It has been especially galling because this is usually the first question that I ask others, when personal relationships seem to be veering off course and they are seeking advice/comfort. Naturally, my own righteous short-temperedness suffers upon closer examination of my behavior in the context of this vital question.

Probably the most important realization I have ever made is that people are not mind readers. Such a simple epiphany, but one, even after having been struck, that is not always easy to consider in terms of one's daily conduct. Since I want the whole world to revolve around my needs and desires, this obvious truth can be maddeningly difficult to accept, especially during fits of pique.

I continue striving to remember this one simple fact and behave according to my favorite advice.

It is quite a struggle.

Some, including myself, would whine that asking for certain things/behaviors diminishes or negates the value of achieving the desired result. While I can't deny that I feel this way about any number of things that make me feel cared-for and loved, I also can't deny that practicing the "if others truly want to please me they would/could figure out what I want" method leaves many opportunities for satisfaction on the table. Therefore, in an attempt to convert from a shrew with unreasonably high expectations for the world to a universally beloved and contented person, I am trying to explicitly state my specific wishes, in hopes of capturing the surplus happiness that has thus far gone untapped.

We'll see how it goes.

Notes to my traveling self

2009-08-31T13:31:00.003-05:00

There seem to be things that I systematically forget, to my traveling detriment, so I will try and enumerate them for further remembrance:

When traveling in a pair, the other half needs at least a half an hour to get going at any godforsaken hour in the morning. Seriously.

Try not to eat out the night before an early departure. If you must, try not to eat: too much, anything greasy, anything extraordinarily spicy.

Driving to/from BWI really only takes 55 minutes when there is no traffic. CALM DOWN.

The Daily lot at BWI is worth the extra $2/day.

Gold (lot) 21. It's where the family parks at Dulles!

There really isn't any significant wait for security at BWI at those ridiculous hours of the early morning. Heck, the lines to use the boarding pass kiosks at Southwest aren't all that bad, either. Still, it's nice to try and remember to check in (and print out the boarding pass) as close to 24 hours ahead of time as possible to get a better line assignment.

Eating McDonald's breakfast is delicious and extremely filling.

Eating McDonald's breakfast makes me feel greasy and slightly ill.

Fear not, there are Dunkin's at the MHT airport, both before and after security.

Especially for morning flights, do not count on Southwest to be running late.

For Southwest flights, STOP WORRYING that's you'll miss the flight. Worst-case scenario, they put you on the next shuttle. All other airlines, keep worrying away!!'

(When I started this post I didn't intend it to be a BWI/SW commercial, but I've had some wonderfully smooth experiences with them lately. They still can't do anything about the screaming babies, though.)

Marriage: Challenge edition

2009-08-28T20:37:00.001-05:00

I can't believe you made me eat your fart!

AGAIN.

Speaking of memories

2009-08-27T12:35:00.001-05:00

Heh, the title on the last post reminds me of how, after I graduated with my masters degree, I kept going around telling people I was now a Mistress of Science, dreaming up business cards with said title, thinking of using it professionally (what profession, exactly??!!)...it seemed really funny at the time. Once a dork, always a dork, I suppose. At least I can amuse myself!

Mistress of pain

2009-08-26T23:08:00.001-05:00

He drilled into my tooth and I didn't even flinch!! No Novocaine or numbing agent of any kind, and, while I was gripping the chair so tightly that I expected to see marks on the plastic and my body was so tense you probably could actually bounce things off of it, I didn't so much as wince. Am stoic and Vulcan-like!

Of course, he was operating on one of my dead, way-post-root canal teeth. He and all the staff kept saying how it couldn't possibly hurt, since the nerve had been long removed; they wouldn't be touching my gums; using a pain blocker would freeze up my nose for hours (itching that can't be relieved is a serious threat!!), but I Did. Not. Believe. As I am the queen of referred pain and have an extremely sensitive hurt = thrashing! reflex, and having experienced the ways of this particular dentist before (his track record to date is exactly 100% breaking promises of "it won't hurt a bit," and tends to giggle nervously -which is NOT reassuring - when you inform him that it does, in fact, still hurt like a sunuvabitch and thus are demanding MORE NOVOCAINE. NOW.), I told them to just shoot me up with the usual double dose. After a chorus of protest I did let them go for a trial drilling, sure I would be proven painfully right. Happily, I was wrong and so let them finish the job.

I'm glad I didn't force the issue (I'm not really sure I could have, anyway, but it was nice to try), but it was still very stressful. No matter how pain-free the procedure, having someone manhandle your gums, feeling a tool rooting around your mouth that screams like an army of cracked-out, pissed-off mosquitoes (nothing like the sound of the drill in your body to cut though the brain straight into the fear center), smelling the stink of metal-pulverized enamel, all the time anticipating a lance of white-hot nerve fire that would cause me to toss my head which would cause the doctor to drill my tongue and would...you get the idea - not fun. If I need any more incentive to floss every night and brush several times a day, I only need reflect on some of these not-at-all-misty-colored memories in the chair of (most of the time) pain.

I am Very Important - 3/27/09

2009-08-25T11:51:00.000-05:00

I only took two meetings today and they were both about food. Mine is a good workplace.

Selection - 3/25/09

2009-08-24T11:15:00.001-05:00

After much dithering, the location has been selected. I'd promised to go on a "vacation" without much "travel," so the general locale - either Mexico or the Caribbean - was already set. We just needed to pick a specific place. There are so many all-inclusives!! And based on sketchy Internet self-promotion it is very hard to tell which are good and offer the things we want. Sure, they might claim to offer all sorts of activities and edibles, but who really delivers? We spent a great deal of time on Trip Advisor, scrolling through a slew of mini reviews in a wide range of helpfulness.

Puerto Vallarta/Aruba? Our final choices. Not a terrible decision to make, but one I wanted made sooner than later. This whole putting off decisions that could be made NOW was making me nervous enough to make it into my dreams.

Hotel and airline points/cash? Again, not a terrible question, and even having the option is very nice, but still another consideration to factor in.

Layover/not? Not sure I want to leave large swaths of my honeymoon up to the whims of the air-traffic gods. And yet, there aren't that many places you can fly to directly from here. Especially for a reasonable price.

All-inclusive/ALL-inclusive? This one was pretty easy. Our Belize trip taught me about the many ways you don't want your all-inclusive vacation to be. Namely, having set meal times and limited menus and one place to eat and having to sign for every blessed morsel. Also, only offering rum, cheap vodka, and more rum to drink, and again, only at specific times/places. I like me some sparkling wine! Preferably available morning, noon, afternoon, and night. In multiple locations. Such as wherever I happen to be.

Lazy/super lazy? I was a little nervous at the prospect of not scheduling any activities. I like being active and seeing new things, and wasn't sure that an entire week of lying sopped on the beach, participating only in the sport of gluttony, was going to cut it. I wanted at least the option of off-site activities that I would want to do, just in case I couldn't take all the relaxation and would have to leave the reservation, possibly at short notice.

After all that deliberation, we chose...

Sandals Jamaica.

Cheesy? Oh yes.

Expensive? A bit.

Creative? Not at all.

Does it look like they will take care of us completely? OH YEAH :)

I'm trying to stack the odds in favor of my liking a "vacation." Here's to hoping it works!!!

Never say never

2009-08-21T11:32:00.001-05:00

I couldn't help myself.

I think I should quit again.

Procrastination reinforcement

2009-08-20T12:32:00.002-05:00

I've put off getting my work computer serviced for ages. It might have been a year...plus since I noticed that my battery dies after more than 10 minutes aways from a power source. I've just shrugged it off and made sure that I always carry my power cord around so I can feed my greedy vampire laptop at any given time. Didn't want to spare the 30 minutes or so that I would have to surrender my answer box! Well, now there's been a recall for stupid batteries Just Like Mine and we can get it replaced for free!! Our IT guy is very happy with me. So pleased, in fact, that I'm getting a wide- & flat-screen monitor to replace the behemoth that sits, unused, on my side table (they're going to haul the box monitor away as well) and I can bring my personal skinny monitor that I've been using back home. There it shall be used to play immediately many Netflix. Huzzah!

The politics of grinding - 3/22/09

2009-08-19T11:21:00.002-05:00

I thought the whole point of having a garbage disposal was so you could put things like eggshells, vegetable peelings, scrapings from a burned-out pot, and leftover rice down the drain. Churn 'em up, flush 'em down, no harm, no foul, and no fuss. It's the least you can do while living in an urban area where rats take the fun out of composting, right? I also know that oil and grease aren't supposed to go down the drain, but comes from the well of professional knowledge more than any specific homeowner knowledge.

Well, turns out that is all WRONG (except for the O&G part). Rice (!!), pasta, and starch, as well as vegetable peelings, shouldn't be sent down the drain. (Erm, so what is a garbage disposal for, exactly, in that case?) So sayeth the guy who got to shove a giant snake (Huge! Dwarfed our little guy!) using a turbo motor down our drain about 30 feet to clear a rather unpleasant blockage. Of course, this guy also said to pour undiluted bleach down the drain, so I might take his advice with a grain of salt, or three.

Boom. Pow! Crash.

2009-08-18T12:47:00.002-05:00

My, my, it's certainly been a fruitful summer movie season. There's been:

Star Trek
Wolverine
Terminator Salvation
Angels and Demons
Transformers 2
Up
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
GI Joe

That is not to say, however, that this summer's movie fruit has been beautiful, juicy, or delicious. What it has been is LOUD. With plenty of CGI. And not so much cohesive plot.

Star Trek was an extremely promising opener. It far exceeded my admittedly meager expectations, and I left the theater full of hope and optimism about the upcoming movie season. Little did I know, however, that the peak had already come and passed. Lots of this summer's movies can be described as whirly/peoplerunning/explosions!/kissing/betrayal/dizzying odes to somewhat controlled chaos.

It's been fluffy and fun, but I have to praise the heavens for student night and Entertainment book coupons. Without those price deferments, I might be less stoically philosophical about the disappointing blockbusters and slightly more bitter about the our significant time investment. I think I'm going to wish that 2010 is more like 2008, with fewer, but far awesomer bang-crunch movies like the Hulk, Iron Man, and Batman. Of course, 2010 will probably be an actual reprise of summer 2008, so I guess I should be hoping for good sequels...

Springtime in a bowl - 3/18/09

2009-08-17T13:38:00.000-05:00

I adore the hearty, savory fare of the colder months, but the advent of springtime means

colors! Delicious colors!!

Closeout

2009-08-16T13:46:00.000-05:00

or double hat trick.

I attended the entire season of performances at the Shakespeare Theater Company! They are so good to us. $10 can't even get you into a movie these days except on student night (love student night! Love even more that I legitimately claim student night!!), let alone in the presence of some of the finest actors of the day.

Romeo and Juliet - all boy edition. Weird at first, especially when the actors came out to do the chorus sections with dresses and makeup on but sans wigs. Once we got used to it, it was enjoyable and eminently believable (they ARE actors, after all) and definitely the most kinetic R&J that I've ever seen. The fighting scenes were extremely...vigorous.

Ion - happy, happy, all the day! Aren't Greek plays usually tragedies? This happy-go-lucky tale was easy to watch and enjoy. Not bad!

The Dog in the Manger - dark, brooding, angst of spiteful Spanish aristocracy. Interesting, but not really fun.

Twelfth Night - I love this play, almost best of all the comedies, and this was a beautifully designed set piece. The actors were all very pretty and the story is so FUN! What a wonderful way to ring in the New Year.

Design for Living - Oh my, slutty people in great costumes (the woman, especially, just looked like a flapper)!!! You wonder, are they going to go there? And yes, why yes, they are!!! Taken aback is a good way to describe my reaction. Another interesting, but strange play.

King Lear - Holy depressing Batman!!! Even if there weren't a 5-minute dirge section not-so-subtly mourning the casualties (in this case bodies. Lots of bodies. Piles of bodies of adults and tots, manhandled into a pit. It was a lot to take.), the outbreak of war and destruction and death of the entire principal cast is...daunting. No whistling of jaunty tunes on the way out of this one!! An impressive and apropriately weighty close to the season, though.

I'm feeling full, nay stuffed with culture!!!

Well-played, TSA - 3/15/09

2009-08-15T11:39:00.000-05:00

NOT.

I haven't traveled in awhile, but it seems to me that, if they are going to bother to have those ridiculous restrictions on liquids, they should at least be enforcing those rules. I didn't mean to sneak these aboard in my bags, but inadvertently sneak them I did. If only I could be as confident that they would miss my bottles of wine...

Speedy

2009-08-14T11:49:00.002-05:00

August may be miserably hot and humid, but there are compensations. The comparatively traffic-free roads make for short drive times and on-time (who, me??!!) arrivals. The light volume allows for stress-free zipping along and allows for more sleeping in before morning appointments (if you remember to factor it in). Whee!!

Still going

2009-08-13T11:15:00.001-05:00

It's funny posting all these old entries from the throes of LASIK and my recovery from the surgery. A little while ago I was tugging on a bag and caught the rebounding edge right in the eyeball. It HURT!! I wailed and clutched at the eye socket area for awhile, but the amusing aspect of the situation was that I first screamed (6+ months later, after the eye has completely healed, and thus there is no flap):

Ahhh, my flap!!!!

Sc(h)arf it - 3/10/09

2009-08-12T11:41:00.000-05:00

For some reason (snort) I thought Scharffen Berger chocolate came from Germany, but I was very pleased to learn that it is actually an American product. Specifically, a fine chocolate produced in what I term the new land of artisanally treated cacoa - the Bay area. Being able to choose from Ghiradelli, Guittard, and now, this, means that I will have no problems loading up on sweet treats to make up for not being home. I passed a Scharffen Berger stall while wandering about SF and couldn't resist:

They were absolutely delightful.

My favorite is the semisweet. The texture is slightly chalkier than some other brands, but the explosion of flavor is pure and intense. They didn't last long.

OW MY FLAP!!! - 2/28/09

2009-08-11T10:23:00.001-05:00

What do with soap in the eye when you:

can't rub you eye (don't disturb the flap!!!)

can't wash it out (don't get non sterile water on the flap!!!)

can't squirt saline at it (don't apply ANY pressure at/near/on the flap!!!)

Pretty much the only thing you can do is cry it out! Natural and/or artificial tears are permitted, at least.

Lucky (under the) stars

2009-08-10T11:49:00.000-05:00

It's always somewhat of a crapshoot, buying lawn seats at Wolf Trap in advance. With my super extra special early sale NSO tickets, however, the price is so low that it's not much of a risk. This year we booked two shows again in March for July, otherwise know as thundering gods' month.

The first night (Carmina Burana and assorted music from Fantasia) we got really, really lucky. A friend, at last minute, was not able to go, and offered up her Extremely Nice box seats (my favorite!) indoors. An upgrade of a lawn ticket got all of our party of three under the roof, not in time to miss the first, brief downpour (to which we sacrificed two blankets of longstanding, bye poor blankets!), but in good time to miss the steady deluge, accompanied (most theatrically) with thunder and lightning, appropriately enough, throughout most of the oratorio.

A week later, we were due on the lawn again. Despite obsessive hour-by hour updates from the Weather Channel, I wasn't sure we were going to make it and wasn't keen on getting wet again. We were, however, to meet others at the park, so didn't feel right backing out in short order. And, as it happened, the rain pushed back till the middle of the next morning, leaving us with muggy air and formerly heat drenched ground that was still good for a dry picnic under plenty of stars. Beethoven's Pastoral is always a delight (I see flying pastel ponies!), but the experience is particularly soothing when you are outside :)

Soothing breakfast - 2/27/09

2009-08-09T11:43:00.000-05:00

Turns out that just a sh*t load of sugar (and maple syrup and cinnamon and nutmeg and cloves and vanilla) makes the steel-cut oatmeal go down, in the most semi-delightful way!

I wish I didn't know - 2/24/09

2009-08-08T12:10:00.001-05:00

that the ENT (ears, nose, throat) system is actually the EENT (eyes, too) system. How do I know? I thought I was nuts, but the LASIK people confirmed that the vile, poison-like (not medicinal, which was another reason I was confused) taste in the back of my throat was caused by my many eye drops, none of which had been formulated, more's the pity, with a pleasant cherry flavor. Apparently, the eye drops (and, naturally, other eyeball secretions) can travel from your eyes to the back of your mouth in a matter of minutes. Yummy.

Chemical soup: LASIK edition - 2/22/09

2009-08-07T12:16:00.000-05:00

Before the surgery, I couldn't wear glasses for a month!! Ugh, there are definitely downsides to going with the most conservative surgeon.

Also, there were:

- drops to irritate my eyes so they'd produce more tears: effect, I was constantly "crying" (bonus: I can always complain that you are makin' me cry!)

- ointment to...tighten? the surface of my eyeballs, to prepare it for THE LASERS

- drops to lubricate my eyes and prevent dry patches

- steroid drops to...plump up my eyeballs? no clue what they did

- antibiotic drops

- healing-promoting drops

- still more drops for lubrication

The best part was, for the first few days, I had to use several of them every hour. I set my phone alarm and was seriously startled by how often that darn thing rang. It was like feeding a demanding baby (keeping in mind, to my great dismay, that a baby takes considerably longer to feed than putting in a few eye drops) or a mean gigapet. An eyeopening (har har) experience.

They burned my eyes with LASERS - 2/20/09

2009-08-06T11:57:00.002-05:00

and it felt mostly...odd.

I was pretty nervous going in. I sat in the waiting room all curled up upon myself, trying to be as ball-like as possible. The lady who came out post-op didn't help my anxiety. She was wearing the shades, leaning heavily on (I assume) her husband and son, groaning, staggering, grimacing, and begging for a drink. Just as my fear spiked, I was called.

First, they gave me a Xanax. Wonderful! Except that, after a very short consultation and the application of numbing drops (5-10 minutes at most) they were ready to go. There was no time for the drug to work! In addition, the surgeon actually made fun of me, laughing and promising blandly that it wouldn't hurt, I had nothing to worry about, etc., all the while dismissing the fact that he'd never had LASIK or even worn glasses (No, my eyes are GOOD, quoth the jackass).

The surgery suite was cold, as I'd been told it would be, but I did recognize the assistants as a couple of the girls who had administered my pre-op testing. It was very, very nice to see familiar, smiling, and sympathetic faces, especially since I was contemplating kicking my surgeon in the knee. They gave me a large, soft teddy bear to hold. It felt a little silly, but I buried my nose into his plushiness and calmed down. Marginally.

The jock, I mean, surgeon sat by my head and began fiddling with my eyes, poking them with tiny sticks (not kidding) to see if they were adequately numbed. I was startled when he began manhandling my eyeballs, and asked him "if he needed to be all up in my face." He laughed AGAIN (seriously, jackass!!) and snidely told me that the surgery would consist completely of him prodding and then cutting(!) at my eyes. Somehow, I'd managed to block out that reality in my imaginings of the process. Of course, the consultation managers only ever described the actual surgery in the vaguest of terms. All the talk centered around pre- and post-op routines and the results! The amazing results! Almost, but not quite guaranteed! Very little time was spent discussing the slicing and dicing of eyeballs. On purpose, I suppose.

Luckily, my eyes are not like my teeth, or he took me seriously when I asked for lots of numbing agent. He futzed around and I felt a great deal of pressure and some disorientation, but not actual pain. Just discomfort. Oh, and fear. Tempered somewhat, however, by the need for me to perform the vital task of staring straight ahead. I'm not sure if that is a necessary function or it just gives the patient something to do to feel like they are contributing to the process, but it did help.

About 10 minutes later, he leaned back, smiled (suddenly) benignly, and we were done! My eyes were liquid-y and felt strange, but it was nice to be released from the clamps and headgear. A quick check through the optometrist rig and we were all out the door. I expected to stand around a bit, talking post-op care or sitting in the dark and resting, like I'd heard from a friend. Instead, they popped on my sunglasses and hustled me out the door, telling me to go home NOW and sleep. I tried to protest, but they were fairly implacable, saying to just call after my nap if I had any questions or concerns...or pain. It wasn't terribly confidence inspiring, nor did it feel like there cared about me at all. More we have your $, we did your procedure, now go away.

However, about this time the Xanax did kick in, so I left without raising much of a protest.

I went home.

I slept (with eye guards taped onto my face, like an insect mask).

I woke up.

My eyes felt gritty and weird, but didn't actually hurt.

I could see!!!!!! Granted, it was through a haze of mucus-like gunk, but I could see the clock!

It was pretty neat :)

Stay cold! - 2/10/09

2009-08-05T23:14:00.001-05:00

It's been a gratuitously cold and wet February. Just a little longer, and I don't have to worry quite so much about rubbing open my to-be flap. Itchy eyes, itchy eyes, stay away! What was I think about scheduling my surgery for the end of February (aka, the start of allergy season)??!!

Close call

2009-08-04T11:48:00.004-05:00

My parking space is directly under a tree (white car, gummy tree, sigh), so I'm used to seeing leaves and other detritus (Bird. Poop.) on the car in the morning. Yesterday I noticed that there was a bit of leaf under the door handle, but I didn't think anything of it (I usually pull the junk off my car after work), got in, and drove to work.

On my way home, when I reached for the door handle, I noticed the leaf again. I went to brush it off and saw that

AH! EEK! A GIANT SPIDER! AIEEIEIEIEIEIE!!!

Good camouflage, that.

I screamed a bit, danced around, cursed, and thanked the heavens that I didn't actually GRAB A SPIDER thinking it was a leaf. I found a stick and encouraged the spider to take up new residence Far Away from my car, making sure to cut all cobwebby lines that would anchor it to the door handle and checking for an egg sac. I got in and imagined all the way home, itching, that I was crawling with baby spiders.

Ugh, I can still feel them now.

You're welcome!

Center Stage part deux

2009-08-03T02:12:00.001-05:00

We've gone from shouting at the TV,

Don't do it, Jody Sawyer, don't get on the motorcycle!!!

to

That's right, Kate Parker, you let Cooper Nielson ride off into the night All By Himself!!

Looks like someone was listening after all :)

Chemical soup: sinus edition - 1/28/09

2009-08-02T12:54:00.002-05:00

On top of the usual, plus residual anti-itching stuff, to combat a sinus infection, add:

Sudafed

Afrin

acetaminophen

Dayquil

Nyquil

Then, try to sleep. Good luck.

Not mites - 1/25/09

2009-08-01T19:01:00.000-05:00

Thank god. The first doctor was concerned that we might have chiggers or some other Central American burrowing things. AEIIIEEEEEEE!!!!! Being itchy is bad enough. Being itchy and having to imagine TINY ANIMALS under my skin would be too much.

Chemical soup - 1/21/2009

2009-07-31T13:51:00.001-05:00

So, our legs (and arms, and butts, and backs, and...) didn't make it back from Belize unscathed. In fact, the angry legions of bites numbered in the many of tens, nearly a hundred. Each. To stop the (MADNESS!!) itchiness, I applied, nearly constantly:

prescription-strength hydrocortisone

Sting-eze

triple antibiotic ointment

lotion, lots of lotion

Benadryl anti-itch

and took:

diphenhydramine (generic Benadryl - turns out, you're not supposed to take the pill form in addition to the topical Benadryl. Oops, oh well, still didn't make the itching stop)

loratadine

pseudoephedrine (why not?)

And you know what? All that, and it didn't matter. I scratched at those little, and not so little red welts during the day, in my sleep, ALL THE TIME, until they broke and bled. And then I SCRATCHED SOME MORE. I'm simply, what one would call, highly allergic with erm, reactive skin. Also, low impulse control. I expect the scars will last a long, long time :(

Seething

2009-07-30T13:21:00.005-05:00

I hate being painted as the bad guy, especially when the accuser is, basically, delusional.

Others may take affront to people being wrong, say, on the Internet, and yearn to correct them. I take a more global vision - I'm offended by people who are wrong in the world and long, strain to FIX THEM to my liking.

I read a lot of fantastical literature and always imagined that the lessons of extraordinary honor, valor, courtesy, and the responsibilities of gentle rulership had sunk into me. Now I fear that, if I did have the run of the world, my dictatorship would not be quite as benevolent as I'd thought...

We were there - 1/20/09

2009-07-29T01:27:00.000-05:00

Yeah, a while ago, but BLTN

*****************************

Before we ventured out into the cruel, cold morning (HA! Barely! It was really still night!), I thought furiously about what coat I could wear to afford me the most protection from the elements. I thought that the perfect coat would be long (i.e., cover my bum), windproof, dark so it wouldn't dirty easily, and have a hood. I reviewed my outerwear collection, but couldn't think of a single coat that would meet those desired characteristics, so wore my long, white peacoat and a wooley hat. No sooner than we'd arrived at the Metro when I saw someone wearing this actual coat:

Mine of course, was safely tucked at home, warm and roosting in my closet, alongside this coat:

Bah and fie!!! I am not going to brag about my wardrobe inventory skills for awhile...

I took pictures of the mobbed train cars and almost literally suffocating underground Metro experience, but they were a) depressing and scary and b) not good pictures. Suffice it to say that I've never been so sorry to be short in my entire life. I actually appreciated my, um, sturdiness, though, because it enabled me to hold myself upright several times when I could have been bowled over or shoved aside. Reaching the outdoors was another experience in mob surfing:

Our spot wasn't so bad, because it was so damn far back, but it was still a mite crowded. Getting in and out of these bathrooms was quite an interesting experience, especially while inside and listening to/feeling people clamber all over the top. I made the mistake of using the first one at a human traffic juncture. I was shut in for a short period because I couldn't get the door to open into the pressing crowd. That was unpleasant and more than a little disturbing.

These pictures also represent most of the sum of our views. We weren't really able to see the jumbotron to follow along the celebration, and we weren't really able to hear, so couldn't tell what had happened. Mostly, we just drifted around, exclaiming about the masses of people, chatted with out-of-towners, cheered when others cheered, and were very, very cold.

It was a neat day.

****************************

Those folks at the American History museum sure work fast. I guess they knew that, with all the people taking refuge in the museums during the inauguration, people might want to see some indoor acknowledgement of the day.

I wonder if they unveiled the new entry after he made the oath, or just kept it up all day like a done deal.

****************************

Swagalicious.

Murphy's law, swimwear edition - 1/19/09

2009-07-28T18:20:00.004-05:00

Blast from the past - originally written in late January 2009

**************************
Turns out, the only time of year there aren't tons of bathing suits in the stores is the week before you want to go on vacation in early January.

Sure, my makeshift bathing suits worked out really well (plenty of support for swimming and hiking!), but I was really annoyed to return home and be told that bathing suits were released in all of the department stores the week I left. Also, I found out that Target (the one! place I didn't check) has suits year-round. Of course, Target! I almost literally kicked myself.

Guesting

2009-07-27T23:54:00.000-05:00

Granted, I'm a pretty picky, anal person that likes to get her own way. That said, I do think there are basic rules of self-conduct for house guests. I tend to note behaviors in three broad categories:

a) outright bribery

b) appearance of helpfulness

c) charming amusement

a) What can I say? I'm easy. Bring me flowers, crappy chocolates, a bottle of cheap-assed TJ's wine, a tin of sardines, or a colander, and I'm yours. It really isn't the value of the gift, but the thought that counts. It does occur to me that this system could be abused by trash pickers and people trying to clean out their cupboards (Hey, let bring her this old can of pickled eggplant!; Oh look, a sock on the ground, she'll love it!!), but this policy hasn't burned me yet. I am also susceptible to dinners out or food brought back to the house.

b) No, I'm not the best housekeeper in the world by a long shot, but those who at least attempt to help maintain the present state of cleanliness are greatly appreciated. I consider offers to help clear the table, do the dishes, help with chores, and otherwise picking up after one's self to be a most basic form of politeness while being a guest in someone else's home. I'm not (yet) a crazy Midwesterner who expects people to disregard my declination of helpful offers and bustle about, hunting up some useful occupation while I clean. The offer, if genuinely meant (meaning, no grumbling if I take you up on it), is all I want.

c) Please entertain me. Or at least talk to me. It's nice when my guests interact with me so I feel less like a B&B keeper or superior, familiar servant, and an actual friend. Being (or at least trying to be) funny and/or interesting, and interested in the host, is a fundamental requirement of a good house guest who hopes to remain friends in the hereafter.

The rare, prized house guest contributing in all arenas pretty much receives an on-the-spot repeat invitation. A nice, normal visit may consist of one or two of these pleasing, qualifying behaviors. Woe, however, to the person who exhibits none of these marks of grace. Especially upon multiple occasions. Particularly when the visits result from begging favors of the host, rather than following an expressed invitation. That person is saving money on hotel fees at the cost of potentially losing a friend. I admit that thinking through and redefining these rules for myself has caused some introspection and I vow to do better as a guest in my own travels.

Incidentally, the thank-you note is a nice touch, but is not a make-it-or-break-it affectation for me. I came late to the world of thank-you notes, and thus am more sensitive to those folks who don't understand the joys of gratuitous thank-you-noting.

The End

2009-01-20T19:32:00.002-05:00

So Obama was sworn in and all the world rejoiced. Our problems are all over!!!!! There will be sweetness and unicorn and love and sparkly crap all across the land!!!! Thus heralds the end of my grumbleblog!!!

Or, you know, I got lazy.

I had a bunch of posts written, but never got around to posting them. I'll slowly catch up while trying to think of new things to say.

So.

Prepare to be backdated in the extreme!!!!!

Give Me NOODLES!

2009-01-19T23:45:00.000-05:00

The food in Belize wasn't bad. In fact, for resort food (so I'm told), it was quite good. I'm not, however, the kind of girl who enjoys a hunk of meat, a starch, and veg for every meal for a week, even if it's really nice food. There was usually a pasta choice, but who eats lasagna on the beach? Besides, I was really craving rice noodles. My beloved, slippery, chewy, soak-up-flavor-and-fat noodles. By the end of our trip, I was almost sick with wanting them.

We made it about 13 hours (mostly sleeping) before we hit our favorite little Thai place. Ummmmmmmm, thank goodness, noodles...

Please, go away!

2009-01-18T21:26:00.000-05:00

The day we got there it was pretty nice. Sunny, with a few clouds and a fairly brisk wind (which is deadly when it's 25 degrees out, but pretty nice when it's 85)...

and the next day it rained.

Rain in the jungle.

Rain in the other jungle.

Rain at the zoo. Rain outside the cave.

Rain at the resort.

Rain at the reef. (HARD rain on the way back in!)

Rain at the spa.

So, RAIN RAIN RAIN all week. Well, it was beautiful the last day.

(The folks at the resort kept aw-shucks laughing that it hardly ever rains during this time of the year. Seriously, kind of FUCK YOU Belize.)

We were just glad that we decided not to get married that week, after all. We were looking at all of the honeymooning couple staring miserably out at the rain and at each other and were thanking the heavens (heh, even as we were roundly cursing them) that it wasn't our perfect, special, life- and love-affirming trip of all trips. So, uh, very small well-played, us.

Adventuring

2009-01-17T22:29:00.000-05:00

sounded like a lot more fun when:

I didn't have to suffer a long (sometimes hours!) drive over bumpy and/or tortuously winding roads with very aggressive and yet somehow happy-go-lucky (read: carelessly careening) drivers

(Seriously, check out those potholes! And yes, we are
on the left side of the road. No, they aren't supposed to drive on the left side of the road.)

and the fun wasn't at the end of a long (several miles in the jungle! NOT thirty minutes!), hard hike. Without hiking boots (this was our own fault, but still, no fun) and the same return hike after the payoff. During which, of course, it would begin to rain, thus erasing our happy memories of said payoff.

Plus, they reinstated ziplining the day after we left. How annoying is that?

Buggy

2009-01-16T22:26:00.001-05:00

So, remember when I said there would be cause for not rejoicing in the land because we stopped at that ledge on top of the waterfall to take pictures? It's because of this:

Sure, it's expected that there will be bugs on a jungle trek. We even brought the bug spray with us so we could touch up throughout the day. When we reached the waterfall at the top of the mountain, however, it promptly began to rain. (In fairness, it was sunny and beautiful up till then.) We stayed in the waterfall pool for a little while, playing, but our joy was much (har har) dampened by the idea of the hike ahead. We quickly gathered our stuff together, threw on some (but not all, of our) clothes, and prepared to hike out without changing. We took a teeny tiny quick stop at the top of the another ledge of the waterfall, slightly lower down, to take some vista picture. the problem? We hadn't reapplied the bug spray after our swim and we stopped moving in order to take the pictures. BIG MISTAKE. In the ~5 minutes we were there, this happened:

It's hard to see, but those are blood blisters. Yummy!!! Counting later, I had over 60 bites from that hike. Want to see more? Here!

Gee, not itchy at all!

Also, it turns out that the calmer days at the beach featured sand fleas. Mean, bitey, omnipresent (at the POOL!) sand fleas that were only driven away by near-gale-force winds.

By the end of the trip, I had around 100 bites all over my body. Huzzah.

Newness

2009-01-15T23:33:00.001-05:00

5 adventures turns into a lot of new experiences. Some were variations on a theme of old experiences - jungle hiking (in the rain). Twice. It was neat because I'd never actually seen a tropical rainforest, outside of pictures, even though the promised "light walks" turned out to be anything but (more like jungle death marches. On steep clay hills. In the rain). The jungle looked mostly like this:

Which was heady and gorgeous and mysterious and dark and wonderful (until it started raining). The payoff from one of the hikes was a chance to swim and sit under a waterfall (in the rain). In addition, we got to stand at the top of another waterfall. The view was magnificent, but we had cause to regret our stopoff later. Still, it was a stunning (if cloudy) view of the area:

The prizes for most alien experiences, however, definitely related to the trying of new things. Such as rappelling down cliffs over the yawning mouth of a cave into a giant sinkhole. We went in front of this:

Starting from here (Oh my lord yes I was ASCEEEEERED!):

Like so:

If you look to the right, you can see our rope. Our very skinny rope.

So that was a very interesting and heart-pounding and lower-lip protruding (when I was pouting and almost crying in fear) and near-panic inducing experience. Pretty cool!

But!

That didn't even hold a candle to the brave new world of UNDERWATER! I'd never been snorkeling before, or, come to think of it, ever really opened my eyes under water before. Not much to see in pools, lakes, beaches, and rivers, but at a coral reef? Oh My! I actually shrieked a little (under water. Not good.). It had been churny and raining the day before (huh, imagine that), but they decided to take us out anyway (mostly because the previous day it had rained so hard that they cancelled the trip), but to me, it was the clearest, bluest water I'd ever seen! (Well, when you've got no basis for comparison...) The disposal camera wasn't great, but here's a glimpse of what we saw:

Those electric-blue darty blobs are fishes! Beautiful fishes! I saw clownfish-ish things and electric yellow sunfish and all sorts of silvery, slippery things.

I HEART snorkeling.

The weird brain-looking plants wave at you and long, trailing "fingers" catch you if you're not careful! I never understood the whole "teeming with life"aspect of coral reefs until now. So I was quite distressed when I wasn't paying attention and almost banged into pieces several times. But not quite! Of course, it rained, and trip back was miserable and freezing, and oh! when I first jumped into the water (and looked down and shrieked, promptly taking in a lungful of water) I freaked out and couldn't breathe or float, so scrambled back into the boat and demanded my life jacket back. I gather that is not strictly "cool" but so what? I could float again! Maybe next time, sans panic attack, I'll test everyone's assertion that floating in salt water is easy. Even so, this was my favorite new thing! I can't wait to try again! I hear really good things about snorkeling in warm, sunny places...

Our last new thing was my first-ever professional massage. It was sumptuous and glorious and positively coma-inducing and over way too fast, but naturally I didn't take any pictures of that.

;-)

Cloudy paradise

2009-01-13T19:13:00.001-05:00

Not terribly sunny, but still not bad...

Paradise

2009-01-12T21:23:00.003-05:00

I could get used to this.

Up in front

2009-01-11T23:24:00.000-05:00

First class on the way to vacation! If I'd been awake enough to listen a little more closely and be a touch ballsier, we would have flown in the front the whole way, but getting the international flight was pretty decent. I don't expect to get to do this many more times (USAir is mighty generous with the bump-ups, but doesn't really fly convenient times to CA, aka 90% of all my travel, so I switched over to United), so I enjoyed the experience to the hilt. I was also particularly proud to introduce my travel partner to the joys of first class. Unlimited mixed beverages, big, cushy seats, a variety of snacks, a meal, and a nearly private bathroom. Plus, bored flight attendants eager to relay information (yay, education!) about the scenic Mexican coastline...

A great start!

Last minute

2009-01-10T23:41:00.000-05:00

I was a fool to think that a day-before-vacation pop-in to the dress store for a quick, guilt-alleviating (I haven't exactly been proactive in the wedding prep department) look-see wouldn't result in finding Stuff I Like. I did manage to rule out a few dresses, but also found some genuine prospects, including a lace and chiffon (aiieeee!!) confection that I could actually picture myself getting married in (a first!).

All of which didn't lend to a quick visit. I stayed well after closing time, having missed out on my other trip-prep errands, sweaty, confused, and slightly panicked, trying to figure out if this was my dream dress, if so, how the hell to get it on time, in my size (apparently, 5 months is not enough lead time to order a dress), and if it would be worth the $...

Argh.

Giving due credit

2009-01-09T21:20:00.005-05:00

For the first time in years, ages, eons, I've passed my routine dental exam with flying colors. this is a cause for excitement because that means no emergency root canals or implant reattachments or cavity repairs...you know, the fun stuff. Plus, I got the kind, calm doctor that I really like. Not that I actually dislike the other dentist at the practice, but the fact that his reaction to causing pain is laughing (nervous laughter, to be sure, but still, not what you want to hear when red hot pain lances your jaw)...well, I find him slightly discomfiting.

The cause for this improved dental showing? I think it's this:

I got it a few months ago (hmmmm, probably time to change the brush head), and while it takes awhile to get used to (hypersonic tickles! And sprays foam everywhere if you aren't careful!), it does a good job. I still brush with a regular toothbrush in the morning, so I can have the "brushed hard" feeling, but my mouth feels extra sparkly clean at night when I use the fancy brush. The neatest thing is the recharger:

Look carefully, no wires! You place it like so on the base and electricity... magically? flows into the handle like so [scratches head]:

Still haven't figured that one out but it works! Highly recommended, even if it's a ridiculous lot of $ (you have to buy replacement brush heads every so often - it really saves when you put that off...indefinitely) for a toothbrush.

Surfeit

2009-01-08T22:28:00.000-05:00

After you try to off yourself with too much foie gras, this:

Lemon Souffle Cake with Créme Fraiche Panna Cotta and Pomegranate Sorbet

is the perfect antidote.

Or so you think, until they place these before you:

That wee box contains a pile of wee cookies and candies and jammy things. Which, when added together, make up more than an entire full dessert. The morning-after is a delight that I have become familiar with.

(There is something diabolical going on when you have to order dessert to be offered the gratis dessert treats. I've gotten them once without ordering a third course, but was denied another time. Why is it that, in schmancy places, you get FAR more amuses and palate cleansers and sweet finales when you've already ordered and consumed far more than you should/could? Don't they know about the law of diminishing returns? The law of finite stomach space? Don't they care??!!)

I think I might have to skip Gary Danko (sob) on my next trip out here. This is getting ridiculous...

Searching

2009-01-07T23:12:00.000-05:00

Usually I'm a plan-ahead, organized logistics, ready-to-roll kind of girl. I like to be prepared in an endearingly (I hope) classic scout fashion. Which is why I'm a little disgruntled that I was so thoroughly unable to anticipate that finding a new bathing suit in January might be...difficult.

It doesn't help that I'm picky about color and fit and price, though really, I didn't find any suits that I liked remotely enough to challenging any of these parameters. I thought that California might have a better selection, having hit the mall and a bunch of department stores at home to no avail. I dragged myself to a bunch of malls all across San Francisco...yes that's right, San Francisco, not Los Angeles. Guess what? Since SF has a climate roughly equivalent to the Mid-Atlantic, SF also chalks up an epic FAIL on wintertime bathing suit selection. I found a few a Nordstrom's and the Sport's Authority, but those didn't work out because I'm not a) rich or b) shaped like swimmer (HOW not!). (Also, ugly suits!!! Flowers on the bosom! Like headlight flowers!)

I think I'm going on vacation armed with my old suit and some synthetic tank tops. Hey, I used to swim in a cotton sports bra and underwear! Now that I've discovered the universe of synthetic sportswear, how could it be worse?

Here we go again

2009-01-06T23:59:00.001-05:00

San Francisco. Part XYZ.

Don't get me wrong, I love it here. It's beautiful (eh, usually. This time it was cold) and the people are nice and the food is delicious and the driving isn't too scary - oh, and I'd come here a zillion times before taking up my old Sacramento to Fresno route.

But going to the same place over and over again It gets slightly less fun each time.

The food was great, as usual. We hit some FANTASTIC Chinese food - eggplant casserole hot pot and pan fried noodles and fat dumplings and fluffy meat buns and piles of dim sum...I'm salivating just thinking about it. Dropped in at my favorite place (more on that later). Had some wonderfully fresh seafood (we found a restaurant that serves as many different preparations of fish as it does shellfish! And has a huge selection of smoked fish! Jackpot!) and I actually tried a raw oyster, finally (told you I wouldn't like it!! Of-the-sea just isn't a flavor that appeals to me). Managed to spend every penny of my per diem without resorting to candy "souvenirs."

Hmmmm, actually, strike that. On the strength of the food alone, excepting the semi-lousy weather, it was a great trip. Maybe next month's trip to SF will drag...

Moment of truth

2009-01-04T22:40:00.003-05:00

Short and sweet - I didn't follow through with most of last year's rather long list of resolutions, so screw that! This year, I'd like to accomplish just two things:

1) Get married (if for no other reason, to show up my mom, who doesn't think I can follow through with that, either) (Well, okay, I am also personally interested if I can pass this final hurdle in conquering my supposedly notorious gun shyness re: committed relationships)

and

2) be a nicer, calmer, more adult-like (with a splash of zen) person. When you get married, you're supposed to be an adult, so I guess I should practice acting like one. Though I still refuse to dress like one. Sweats (or really, sweats-equivalents) are all-the-time clothes!!!

We'll see how this short list thing works out!!!

So, Jenga

2009-01-02T23:42:00.000-05:00

is apparently the game of the masses and is rapidly making a comeback among my general age group (at least this week). Who knew? I won't bank on its continuing popularity, but I thought that breaking it out twice in a 5-day period warranted a notation.

When the surprising choice was first made, on New Year's Eve, I was taken aback, because all my memories of jenga take place poolside on a sultry July night, with all participants waving a personal bottle of Wild Vines (I'm strawberry!), aka ghetto wine. I simply had no context for playing the game sober, fully clothed, at home. As we set it up, they remarked on my half-hearted attempts to recreate the "drinking jenga" set (I know they have a version that is pre-marked up now, but I doubt the categories are the same as ours) - instructions to dance, drink, kiss, jump, drink, sing, strip, drink...you get the idea. As we drew out the blocks, we didn't follow all of our marching orders, but the group forced me to honor them with every command performance of the chicken dance. I pulled that damn block 4 times!!! Unfortunately, I believe at least one of the attempts has been captured on video...

It was surprisingly fun. Yes, drinking adds to the playful atmosphere (I think I've played nondrinking jenga a few times and it was much more serious - everyone puts on a frowny thinky face while contemplating and executing their move, plus there is more of a competitive edge - and far less fun), and, in the tradition of silly party games like twister and blind man's bluff and killer in the dark, people get dorky and silly and giggly and have an overall good time.

My personal objective in jenga is simply to Not Lose. I don't feel any need to be a hero and go after the tough ones - you know, taking the blocks that will make people groan because the tower is getting that much closer to teetering. This time, I added a goal of not getting the chicken dance. Didn't work (that would require a functioning memory!).

Giving kisses and back rubs (both personally and also ordering others to) are far less racy when old marriedish couples are playing. Still, same-sex action always raises a few eyebrows and potentially, pulses. The end-of-game crashing action is exciting, too. Very shout- and point-inducing, along with some classic hooting and drink-pounding.

I don't think we'll continue the domination of jenga in game selection as the year grows older, but it was a nice, slightly nostalgic way to welcome the new one! Happy New Year!

Travel 2008

2008-12-31T17:28:00.000-05:00

A boring, listy post, just for my own recounting. The sad thing is, since I didn't keep a record of my travels, I'll probably miss a few spots...

January:
Bostonish and the Franconia Notch, MA and NH

February:
Mexico City, Mexico
Los Angeles and coastal CA

March:
More Los Angeles and coastal CA

April:
Sacramentoish, CA

May:
Long Island, NY

June:
Bostonish, MA
Atlantaish, GA

July:
Lake Erie, OH
San Franciscoish, CA

August:
Vancouver and Whistler, BC, Canada
Charleston, SC

September:
Bostonish, MA
Napa and San Franciscoish, CA

October:
Santa Barbara and Lompoc (aka Sunnydale), CA
Clevelandish, OH
Long Island, NY

November:
Did I not travel at all in November? Is that even possible? Well, we did start the month in NY...

December:
Clevelandish, Ohio

That's all, folks! Let the 2009 travel season commence!!!

Fighting the good fight

2008-12-30T20:45:00.002-05:00

I love combating scurvy!

For lo, I have declared that there shall be none of that in this house!!!

Advice

2008-12-29T21:37:00.002-05:00

When most of the people in your life, spanning several different generations, are telling you the same thing, it might be time to listen.

Maybe my new year's resolution should be to reach a more zen-like state of dealing with difficult interpersonal relationships. It seems like everyone is doing (or trying to do) it....

Xmas 2008 and forevermore

2008-12-26T23:13:00.000-05:00

Currently: melancholy musing

Intruding on other folks' Christmas traditions still feels strange. I grew up in such an insular, decidedly non-formal (except for the interminable yearly posing for the annual pictures) family that anything else is still disconcerting. Even at my sister's house, when her other family is present and/or constantly dropping by...just weird. I know the old days are never coming back - nor would I want them to - but adjustment takes time, and I'm definitely not there yet. I might never be.

Being around a cohesive, friendly, mostly-to-fully-functional family feels very alien. The mores, the customs, the easy congeniality, not walking on conversational eggshells, not waiting for the fighting to erupt, not breaking apart every few hours to decompress from spending "quality time" together...if we ever had that, it's been a long, long time, and the intervening years of anger and dissociation have pretty much wiped those memories away. It's both refreshing and painful to be around, as the wise one points out, "what [I] always wanted." I feel very blessed to have this opportunity to make new family ties, even as I resent that my old family is never going to be close. Or even civil. Such divided feelings makes for a very ambivalent attitude towards the winter holidays. I wonder when, if that will change.

Uplifted

2008-12-24T23:00:00.004-05:00

Currently: muchly pained

Turns out, my ring scrapes against the bar when I lift weights. I only found this out yesterday. This is not indicative of me forgetting to wear my ring (which, I must say, I've been rather good about) - this is the first time I've attempted to lift since early spring, before the great back break of 2008. I managed to get through an entire Body Pump class only by using extremely light weights, and I still knew that my muscles (such as they are) would hurt like a sunuvabitch in the morning.

************************

I was right.

If I'd remembered that the house I was visiting had several flights of regularly used stairs, I might have sat out the 8-minute squat track.

Owie.

I can say that I'm being quite a bit more diligent about doing my stretches than I have been for some time...

************************

I've always liked to wear my bras a little tight, to better control my mighty bosom. When I was shedding the day's garments, as I was shaking free of the cumbersome clothing, I noticed that my boobs were sore. Not within the monthly cycle of soreness, but honest-to-goodness hurting. My first thought, naturally was that my propensity for tight clothing was finally coming due, damn that underwire! But, after a few experimental pokes, I established that my chest muscles were the body parts in pain, not the overlying architecture. Huh, hadn't felt that in a loooong time!

Ring around the rosie

2008-12-23T23:27:00.001-05:00

Pocket full of posies...

That's how the song is supposed to go. Not ring around the worm. Wormy. Wormful. Full of worminess. That being ME.

Sounds terrible, conjuring up images of wriggling, squiggling, burrowing parasites. Even though it has more to do with blossoming mushrooms (which is a rather cute image, hearkening to the days of Smurf) than a creature feature. Still, not exactly something you want to get, let alone give, because man! What a story for life! And possibly beyond.

I'd been crowing for awhile, joking that "[he] you gave me eczema!," drawing cheerily erroneous (so we thought!) conclusions about our shared epidermilogical tribulations. It was so confirmed even by my dermatologist (thus actually confirming that unshakeable worthless, preoccupied, can't-be-bothered-to-look-at-me, turnstile feeling). I had wondered, however, if the steadily spreading horde indicated the onset of a new plague. One glance by an all-knowing nurse-mother, and the fungal nature of the pox was revealed.

So, to sum, on the 2nd day of Christmas, my true love gave to me - two arms full of ringworm. I think it'll be coal in yer stocking this year, buddy...

Souping

2008-12-22T22:44:00.001-05:00

This winter's soup initiative is in full swing! In addition to a second take at the cauliflower (a little dark and spicy, almost curry and stewlike, instead of a more classically soupy texture), I tried to recreate a friend's corn chowder. It is a little southwestern and has gorgeous bright colors - great for lifting spirits during the dreary winter!

I didn't whirl the soup for very long, thinking that a coarser, chunkier texture might be fun to "chew". Next time, I think I'll test the mettle of my immersion blender.

I tried my hand at vegetable stock - we've been saving all the vegetable scraps and leavings from various dishes and I threw in some freezer-burned greens. It looked beautiful:

and the stock came out nice and dark, but it's a little sweet and doesn't have the depth of flavor of meat stock. Still, it should serve as a nice base for soups to come.

While the cat's away, I made some chicken soup just for me, using up the stores of turkey stock and freeing up some precious, precious quart containers. Ummmmmmm, warming and delicious.

I've learned to use celery! It's really not that bad, as long as you cook it down forever, and it's actually a nice filler for soups. I guess that's why everyone uses it...

All by myself

2008-12-20T21:38:00.005-05:00

After all this time, it's strange being alone in the apartment. It's different from being alone on the road, when I have a mission, distractions of travel, food to taste, and new surroundings to interest me. Home alone, however, is not a state I come back to easily. I've always been a mite scared of the dark, and loud, startling noises in a suddenly echoing apartment quickly lead to raging cases of the creeps. Sharing a one-bedroomed apartment hasn't been easy, but one of the consequences of success in living in such tight quarters (Yeah! I never thought it would last this long! Go tolerance!) is that the space feels hideously large and lonely when I am the sole tenant. And separation during the cold winter months - with no one to snuggle and no warm body to bury my freezing feet under - is especially painful.

On the other hand, I get to live like I have no parents. Late, novel-filled nights, terrible food (velveeta mac!), unmade beds, TV blaring, loud country music wailing in the background, clothes strewn about, not having to answer for my where- or when-abouts, no set meal times, and no harassment in the morning...

It's heaven and hell, all at the same time.

Follies

2008-12-19T23:25:00.000-05:00

The bad news is that I somehow managed to get lost for the third year in a row on the way to the ice skating party.

The good news is that I tried going a different way this year, to avoid getting lost...so at least I'm making new mistakes!

The day was unseasonably warm, so the rink was actually a very shallow lake atop some extremely slick ice. It was a skate at the risk of a wet bum night! Except for getting very sweaty, because I'd dressed for normal December temperatures, I managed to avoid becoming overly moistened. It's weird to skate when it's too warm to drink hot chocolate!!!

The burden of wisdom

2008-12-18T23:09:00.000-05:00

When arguing with siblings, if reason, facts, and logic aren't persuasive, what does that leave? Well, the oldest sibling can always fall back to the most natural default state - moral and general superiority.

And with it, the mantle of responsibility for guiding the younger generation. Sigh.

Thinner

2008-12-15T21:44:00.001-05:00

Sometimes procrastination and laziness are really not your friends.

Please contrast:

with

I could have switched them out any time for the past 11 months - the exact amount of time that flat screen monitor has been sitting, unused, in my office.
Seeing this

is knowing that the lost time and desk space was a travesty. Let that be a lesson to me!

(I love it so much!! Sqeeee!!!)

Gifting III

2008-12-13T20:30:00.000-05:00

The hunt for Xmas present is ON! Actually, it's almost over, since I buy stuff throughout the year when I see things I think my people will like. (Plus, On SALE!)

The trouble with gaining new family is that it doubles (or more!) the number of menfolk for whom I have to, if not actually buy for, worry about coming up with just the right present. I was already having a hard time with the ones I had...sigh.