He ran out on Saturday night and I haven't seen him since. I am making a flyer to paper the neighborhood and also have been looking for him and shaking a Pounces can. I put Cain in a carrier on the porch and my dirty laundry outside, in hopes of luring him to my house with familiar scent. He hasn't shown up, but neither has a pervert stolen my dirty underpants.
Prayers to Sts. Anthony and Francis have been said. Any hopes, advice and good wishes are welcome.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Sunday, July 29, 2007
The Use it Up Challenge, Or CSA Week 5
I did not pick up my vegetables this week, as I got a last minute chance to work an extra shift at work that ran until 8pm. My coworker and her husband are my secondary pickup peeps, but were unable to get there, and I didn't think to call my pal SuperC who is in the same CSA. Ah well. Dan supposedly has my bag, and I sent an email via the LEAF website, but I haven't heard back.
There's too much around here to cook and eat. I've introduced the Use It Up Challenge. New food items may be purchased if only they help me use up what I've already got. Yes, I realize this just continues the cycle. Hush.
Roto Chicken--Turned into chicken salad, which used from the stash: raisins, pecans, curry powder and mayo. Put the carcass in the freezer for soup, because I am constitutionally unable to throw away a carcass that can be turned into soup.
Apricots--Apricot-Cherry Chutney. Used: dried Bing cherries (the dried tart ones are better for eating), bourbon, cider vinegar, sugar, fresh apricots, cake spice, a star anise and a half a vanilla bean. And half an apple from the chicken salad recipe. I totally freehanded this recipe, and it seems okay--I forgot to add garlic, and went heavy on the vinegar.
Brown Sugar Icebox Cookies--Used: CSA pecans, homemade vanilla extract (oh, what else was I going to do with that extra vodka? Note to self--check the amount of vanilla extract you have on hand first!), brown sugar.
What hasn't been used up? The snow peas, kale, a cucumber--sadly, they fell to the fridge rot.
There's too much around here to cook and eat. I've introduced the Use It Up Challenge. New food items may be purchased if only they help me use up what I've already got. Yes, I realize this just continues the cycle. Hush.
Roto Chicken--Turned into chicken salad, which used from the stash: raisins, pecans, curry powder and mayo. Put the carcass in the freezer for soup, because I am constitutionally unable to throw away a carcass that can be turned into soup.
Apricots--Apricot-Cherry Chutney. Used: dried Bing cherries (the dried tart ones are better for eating), bourbon, cider vinegar, sugar, fresh apricots, cake spice, a star anise and a half a vanilla bean. And half an apple from the chicken salad recipe. I totally freehanded this recipe, and it seems okay--I forgot to add garlic, and went heavy on the vinegar.
Brown Sugar Icebox Cookies--Used: CSA pecans, homemade vanilla extract (oh, what else was I going to do with that extra vodka? Note to self--check the amount of vanilla extract you have on hand first!), brown sugar.
What hasn't been used up? The snow peas, kale, a cucumber--sadly, they fell to the fridge rot.
News of the Neighborhood
I was absolutely gobsmacked to see a "For Sale" sign on my neighbor's lawn yesterday when I walked home from work.
Yes, those neighbors. The performance arting, geodome building, dead baby garden planting, talking all night about nothing on the porch, party throwing neighbors.
On the one hand, I'm tempted to clean up my yard to help them sell. On the other hand, I'm tempted to throw a pig roast every weekend in order to disrupt any open houses.
I did however hatch out a plot of a romantic comedy novel that I should pen based on this development. Should I? I don't want to say any more, but I sketched the whole thing out last night while cooking and I think I could do a good job--think P.G. Wodehouse and Jane Austen tackling the woes of a declining Midwestern real estate market.
Yes, those neighbors. The performance arting, geodome building, dead baby garden planting, talking all night about nothing on the porch, party throwing neighbors.
On the one hand, I'm tempted to clean up my yard to help them sell. On the other hand, I'm tempted to throw a pig roast every weekend in order to disrupt any open houses.
I did however hatch out a plot of a romantic comedy novel that I should pen based on this development. Should I? I don't want to say any more, but I sketched the whole thing out last night while cooking and I think I could do a good job--think P.G. Wodehouse and Jane Austen tackling the woes of a declining Midwestern real estate market.
Friday, July 27, 2007
I Read Of The Book Electronic
Okay, so ever since I discovered that my Cleveland Public Library card allows me access to e-books and other electronic media, I have been very happy. It's good for finding something to read when the library is closed, or if you are perhaps a little embarassed by your reading tastes, and has lots of newer materials available.
Looking for ways to read using your computer? I've compiled some resources.
Daily Lit serves those pinched for time and looking to catch up on the classics by sending excerpts of classic literature and nonfiction via email or RSS. You pick how often you receive the sections, and read at your own pace. Fairly small selection, but it is searchable.
Full Books has a variety of out of copyright material, ranging from reference to classic to schlock. Online reading only, no searching, and it's all arranged alphabetically by title. But it has P.G. Wodehouse. You'll find some gems within.
World Wide School is set up for those who want to broaden their education and offers a variety of older children's materials, classic texts, and fiction. Again, online reading only, but it has a searchable index.
Munsey's is the place if you've got a love for old genre fiction. Tons of pulp and classic materials. You can download to a mobile reader or Adobe Acrobat or read online in HTML. Searchable by keywords, some books are tagged.
Baen Free Library offers the first books of several science fiction series for reading, along with discussion of whether this is good for writers and publishers or not.
And of course, Project Gutenberg the original e-publisher of free copyright material.
ENJOY!
Looking for ways to read using your computer? I've compiled some resources.
Daily Lit serves those pinched for time and looking to catch up on the classics by sending excerpts of classic literature and nonfiction via email or RSS. You pick how often you receive the sections, and read at your own pace. Fairly small selection, but it is searchable.
Full Books has a variety of out of copyright material, ranging from reference to classic to schlock. Online reading only, no searching, and it's all arranged alphabetically by title. But it has P.G. Wodehouse. You'll find some gems within.
World Wide School is set up for those who want to broaden their education and offers a variety of older children's materials, classic texts, and fiction. Again, online reading only, but it has a searchable index.
Munsey's is the place if you've got a love for old genre fiction. Tons of pulp and classic materials. You can download to a mobile reader or Adobe Acrobat or read online in HTML. Searchable by keywords, some books are tagged.
Baen Free Library offers the first books of several science fiction series for reading, along with discussion of whether this is good for writers and publishers or not.
And of course, Project Gutenberg the original e-publisher of free copyright material.
ENJOY!
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Blitzkreig Book Review, Part 2
Clubbing--Andi Watson & Josh Howard: And Minx Books is now 1::2 in the decent to crap ratio. Somebody have a word with the editor of that line, please. This book starts out with the interesting premise of Goth club girl Charlotte "Lottie" Brook getting caught with a fake id and being sent to spend 3 months with her grandparents working at their golf club in the Lake District, where she finds a little romance and a murder mystery to investigate. And then it suddenly turns into a ripoff of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode. Yes, really. I'm done with this line.
However, note to Genevieve--there is one very funny bit, a "country Goth" vs "city Goth" pissing match.
Girl Most Likely To--Poonam Sharma: This is a book that sent me on a weeklong rampage of asking the question "Do you think I'm retarded?" Because this book insults the reader by feeding her a drippy heroine, a plot that rampages through everything but the kitchen sink with the search for true love, gay friends finding love, straight friends getting a clue, thinking your one night stand taped your sex to sell on the internet, insider trading, a yoga retreat, meddling Indian parents, and a deus ex machina arrival of a career change from banking to writing. Hi, I'm the author and I'm going to distract you from the lameness and unrealistic plot of my tale and paper thin characters you care nothing about by throwing EVERYTHING at you. Then I can cross "wrote a novel" off my life to do list.
Honey, it's okay to be an underachiever if you do it well.
How Nancy Drew Saved My Life--Lauren Baratz-Logsted: Another book that insults the reader's intelligence, this time by giving us paper thin characters and a plot stolen directly from Jane Eyre. And no wink-nudge-nudge to let us know the author is doing something deft with that stolen plot. Nope, it's a lame naive heroine with a habit of sleeping with her employer, which is tragically trite when you're the nanny and a former child actress with AWOL parents and minimal education. Well, that explains her stupidity at least. And why she doesn't realize she's playing Jane Eyre.
And that title? Total bait and switch. Nancy Drew, her awesomeness and the real life lessons you can pick up from her books barely figure into the story. It's a case of a catchy title duping you into picking up the book, only to find there are barely words to describe its awfulness. Non-scatalogical words at least.
I realize not everything can be great, but there's no shame in being just good. This is just crap. I got the feeling Baratz-Logsted owed the publisher a book and just churned this puppy out to meet the deadline. If I had paid money for it, I do not know what I would have done. Thank you, CPL!
However, note to Genevieve--there is one very funny bit, a "country Goth" vs "city Goth" pissing match.
Girl Most Likely To--Poonam Sharma: This is a book that sent me on a weeklong rampage of asking the question "Do you think I'm retarded?" Because this book insults the reader by feeding her a drippy heroine, a plot that rampages through everything but the kitchen sink with the search for true love, gay friends finding love, straight friends getting a clue, thinking your one night stand taped your sex to sell on the internet, insider trading, a yoga retreat, meddling Indian parents, and a deus ex machina arrival of a career change from banking to writing. Hi, I'm the author and I'm going to distract you from the lameness and unrealistic plot of my tale and paper thin characters you care nothing about by throwing EVERYTHING at you. Then I can cross "wrote a novel" off my life to do list.
Honey, it's okay to be an underachiever if you do it well.
How Nancy Drew Saved My Life--Lauren Baratz-Logsted: Another book that insults the reader's intelligence, this time by giving us paper thin characters and a plot stolen directly from Jane Eyre. And no wink-nudge-nudge to let us know the author is doing something deft with that stolen plot. Nope, it's a lame naive heroine with a habit of sleeping with her employer, which is tragically trite when you're the nanny and a former child actress with AWOL parents and minimal education. Well, that explains her stupidity at least. And why she doesn't realize she's playing Jane Eyre.
And that title? Total bait and switch. Nancy Drew, her awesomeness and the real life lessons you can pick up from her books barely figure into the story. It's a case of a catchy title duping you into picking up the book, only to find there are barely words to describe its awfulness. Non-scatalogical words at least.
I realize not everything can be great, but there's no shame in being just good. This is just crap. I got the feeling Baratz-Logsted owed the publisher a book and just churned this puppy out to meet the deadline. If I had paid money for it, I do not know what I would have done. Thank you, CPL!
Monday, July 23, 2007
More Cooking Chat
Those salad greens I got from the CSA 2 Thursdays ago? Still good. I am finishing them up tonight.
Depending on if I am still hungry after that, I will have more roto chicky and steamed broccoli with lime dressing (recipe from 9/05 Everyday Food--1tbs lime juice combined w/ 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil, covering 1 1/2 lbs broc (my ass that is enough dressing for that much broccoli) w/coarse salt). I also have cherries for dessert. Speaking of cherries, I was talking with Genevieve and she mentioned that she would be grilling plums and apricots for her Saturday dessert, and so I bought some apricots myself today. Is there a more beautiful fruit? My favorite thing to do is apricot cherry pie or cobbler or whatnot. But I may also make some chutney. And I will grill them, I think--with vanilla or coffee ice cream?
Those little cukes from 2 CSA ago--made into quick pickles. Turned out well. Have to finish them.
The 2 huge zucchini--I am going to brave hot oil and make zuke fritters tomorrow.
This weekend, I made pork tenderloin with Coffee Bourbon Barbeque Sauce. I can attest that if you accidently put 1/2 cup cider vinegar in the pot instead of 2 tablespoons, you can increase the brown sugar to 3/4 cup and it will turn out fine. Thank you for the hint, Genevieve! It is so thin that it would make an excellent marinade along with a sauce, I think.
The good thing about having no working car is that it does force you to use up and be a bit creative in your cooking, since there's no running out to get stuff--a walk to the grocery for me is about 20 minutes each way. Later I will inventory the fridge, I promise.
Depending on if I am still hungry after that, I will have more roto chicky and steamed broccoli with lime dressing (recipe from 9/05 Everyday Food--1tbs lime juice combined w/ 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil, covering 1 1/2 lbs broc (my ass that is enough dressing for that much broccoli) w/coarse salt). I also have cherries for dessert. Speaking of cherries, I was talking with Genevieve and she mentioned that she would be grilling plums and apricots for her Saturday dessert, and so I bought some apricots myself today. Is there a more beautiful fruit? My favorite thing to do is apricot cherry pie or cobbler or whatnot. But I may also make some chutney. And I will grill them, I think--with vanilla or coffee ice cream?
Those little cukes from 2 CSA ago--made into quick pickles. Turned out well. Have to finish them.
The 2 huge zucchini--I am going to brave hot oil and make zuke fritters tomorrow.
This weekend, I made pork tenderloin with Coffee Bourbon Barbeque Sauce. I can attest that if you accidently put 1/2 cup cider vinegar in the pot instead of 2 tablespoons, you can increase the brown sugar to 3/4 cup and it will turn out fine. Thank you for the hint, Genevieve! It is so thin that it would make an excellent marinade along with a sauce, I think.
The good thing about having no working car is that it does force you to use up and be a bit creative in your cooking, since there's no running out to get stuff--a walk to the grocery for me is about 20 minutes each way. Later I will inventory the fridge, I promise.
The Introvert Advantage: How To Thrive In An Extrovert World--Marti Olsen Laney, Psy.D
Here's the deal: I am an introvert. Hell, I even come from a family of introverts. Together, we are completely happy sitting around and not talking. We don't need to be entertained. Family get togethers are often punctuated by at least one person vanishing for 15 minutes or so into another room for a little timeout.
I may be an introvert, knowing and proud, but even I picked up some insight from this book. Laney does a great job of explaining how the intovert experiences the world, how intoversion is different from shyness and social awkwardness, and giving good detailed strategies on working with your temperment and navigating relationships with extroverts. It's a thorough, excellent book for anyone with an introvert in their life. And it's a great book for introverts because she has some good strategies for managing your energy and breaking out of the ruts we often find ourselves in.
What did I pick up from this book? The fact that introverts gets just as overwhelmed by information as they do people contact, and we can wind up paralyzed by TOO MUCH! Which is a problem because we are people who want to know everything and think on it before committing to a plan. I recognized the problem; I just never connected it to being an introvert. And it's not lazy to be someone who needs a lot of downtime to process things. It reminded me of my favorite Andy Warhol quote about the machinery always working, even when you sleep. And my inability to multitask--sign of the introvert.
I may be an introvert, knowing and proud, but even I picked up some insight from this book. Laney does a great job of explaining how the intovert experiences the world, how intoversion is different from shyness and social awkwardness, and giving good detailed strategies on working with your temperment and navigating relationships with extroverts. It's a thorough, excellent book for anyone with an introvert in their life. And it's a great book for introverts because she has some good strategies for managing your energy and breaking out of the ruts we often find ourselves in.
What did I pick up from this book? The fact that introverts gets just as overwhelmed by information as they do people contact, and we can wind up paralyzed by TOO MUCH! Which is a problem because we are people who want to know everything and think on it before committing to a plan. I recognized the problem; I just never connected it to being an introvert. And it's not lazy to be someone who needs a lot of downtime to process things. It reminded me of my favorite Andy Warhol quote about the machinery always working, even when you sleep. And my inability to multitask--sign of the introvert.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Maybe I Need To Stop Reading So Much...
Slap me silly, sugar. I'm getting inspiration from the funny pages again.
Today's Mary Worth quote, from the otherwise lame Dr. Drew on his date with the (we can only hope!) nymphomaniac Dawn, "I heard it's best 'not to look back in anger or forward in fear, but around in awareness!'"
On the one hand, it's so true. On the other hand, it's Mary Worth. It just goes to show that wisdom crops up in weird places.
Today's Mary Worth quote, from the otherwise lame Dr. Drew on his date with the (we can only hope!) nymphomaniac Dawn, "I heard it's best 'not to look back in anger or forward in fear, but around in awareness!'"
On the one hand, it's so true. On the other hand, it's Mary Worth. It just goes to show that wisdom crops up in weird places.
Gee, Thanks a Lot!
Dear Plain Dealer,
You know, covering the parties and excitement and whatnot over the publication of the last Harry Potter book is news. It's a cultural phenomena.
However "obituaries" for the characters who die in the Arts section is not news. It's trying to hitch yourselves onto something extremely popular and being jackasses, not adding content or observation in any form. If you want to review the book and discuss the plot, review the book. Don't do half-measures bullshit.
And don't tell me I should just avert my eyes. Ever hear of the concept of "attractive nuisance?"
Your paper was only worth buying on Sundays for the comics and the circulars, I may even quit doing that now.
GRROOROROROOOWWWWRRRR,
Kerry
You know, covering the parties and excitement and whatnot over the publication of the last Harry Potter book is news. It's a cultural phenomena.
However "obituaries" for the characters who die in the Arts section is not news. It's trying to hitch yourselves onto something extremely popular and being jackasses, not adding content or observation in any form. If you want to review the book and discuss the plot, review the book. Don't do half-measures bullshit.
And don't tell me I should just avert my eyes. Ever hear of the concept of "attractive nuisance?"
Your paper was only worth buying on Sundays for the comics and the circulars, I may even quit doing that now.
GRROOROROROOOWWWWRRRR,
Kerry
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Golden Fancy--Jennifer Blake
Sometimes, I read books that are just plain bad. What effect that has on me depends on why the book is bad. Some books are carelessly written, and I tend to feel insulted by those. Some books I just don't get. Some books are just weird. Some books are just past their time.
This is a book that's past its time. It was written back in the late 1970's, when there was a big trend towards rape/forced seduction in the romance genre. I counted four attempted rapes and one actual rape, and the hero and heroine's TRUE! LOVE! 4 EVA! starts with the rape.
It's not really worth reading, except for one thing:
Crazy. Evil. Mormons.
Oh, yeah. Crazy Evil Mormons elevate a book from a complete waste of time to a slightly interesting waste of time.
They beat flat the previous Best Evil Religious in a Romance Novel, the Obnoxious Jackass Quakers from Flowers from the Storm. The Quakers only had smugness and guiltmongering to use against that book's heroine. The Evil Mormon has blood atonement. And stalking.
Right, so plotwise we have the lovely, yet mostly personality-free, Serena Walsh who was on a wagon train with her parents to start a new life in a mining town. They die, and the Mormons force her to continue on with them, when she attracts the attention of Elder Greer, who wants her as his fourth wife. Serena fights him off on Rape Attempt #1, and gets tossed of the wagon train, where she then gets picked up by Wade Dunbar, a man with a past and various business interests in the mining boom town of Cripple Creek. He's the one who rapes her, but then makes her his mistress.
Serena does many stupid things throughout the book, and so does Wade. They are supposed to have a deep love, yet they never have a conversation. Wade also leaves her multiple times to the machinations of his nutty female business partner Pearlie, who hates Serena because Pearlie's in love with Wade, and his nutty male business partner, who's "in love" and obsessed with Serena.And tries to buy her from Wade. Oh, and the Crazy Evil Mormon is still stalking her. The men in this book are such catches.
Now, I don't know how one can be so out of it one manages to give birth and not recall it (but hey, there might have been laudanum involved). I also don't see how a marriage performed when a woman is too sick to consciously consent and recall the ceremony can be legal even in 1891, but hey. In the end the h/h wind up together with their kid, really rich, and no one's been convicted of murder. All's happy.
And I just shake my head and am glad for feminism.
This is a book that's past its time. It was written back in the late 1970's, when there was a big trend towards rape/forced seduction in the romance genre. I counted four attempted rapes and one actual rape, and the hero and heroine's TRUE! LOVE! 4 EVA! starts with the rape.
It's not really worth reading, except for one thing:
Crazy. Evil. Mormons.
Oh, yeah. Crazy Evil Mormons elevate a book from a complete waste of time to a slightly interesting waste of time.
They beat flat the previous Best Evil Religious in a Romance Novel, the Obnoxious Jackass Quakers from Flowers from the Storm. The Quakers only had smugness and guiltmongering to use against that book's heroine. The Evil Mormon has blood atonement. And stalking.
Right, so plotwise we have the lovely, yet mostly personality-free, Serena Walsh who was on a wagon train with her parents to start a new life in a mining town. They die, and the Mormons force her to continue on with them, when she attracts the attention of Elder Greer, who wants her as his fourth wife. Serena fights him off on Rape Attempt #1, and gets tossed of the wagon train, where she then gets picked up by Wade Dunbar, a man with a past and various business interests in the mining boom town of Cripple Creek. He's the one who rapes her, but then makes her his mistress.
Serena does many stupid things throughout the book, and so does Wade. They are supposed to have a deep love, yet they never have a conversation. Wade also leaves her multiple times to the machinations of his nutty female business partner Pearlie, who hates Serena because Pearlie's in love with Wade, and his nutty male business partner, who's "in love" and obsessed with Serena.And tries to buy her from Wade. Oh, and the Crazy Evil Mormon is still stalking her. The men in this book are such catches.
Now, I don't know how one can be so out of it one manages to give birth and not recall it (but hey, there might have been laudanum involved). I also don't see how a marriage performed when a woman is too sick to consciously consent and recall the ceremony can be legal even in 1891, but hey. In the end the h/h wind up together with their kid, really rich, and no one's been convicted of murder. All's happy.
And I just shake my head and am glad for feminism.
Attack of the Broccoli, or CSA--Week 4
This week's CSA haul:
Broccoli--Broccoli is a vegetable I'm not super fond of. That is because I don't like the texture of florets. Just ew--they are squeaky and sort of bristle-like and big in you mouth. I do like broccoli stalks. They gave us what I would call spears, so I think it would be okay.
String beans
Small cuke
HUGE zucchini
Pecans--The suggested recipe is for a broc and pecan salad, but the idea does not make me leap with excitement.
Pattypan squash
Little red and white potatoes--perfect for potato salad, or broasting with a hunk of meat.
Any suggestions? I need ideas of things to make. I should post the contents of my fridge and run a contest.
Broccoli--Broccoli is a vegetable I'm not super fond of. That is because I don't like the texture of florets. Just ew--they are squeaky and sort of bristle-like and big in you mouth. I do like broccoli stalks. They gave us what I would call spears, so I think it would be okay.
String beans
Small cuke
HUGE zucchini
Pecans--The suggested recipe is for a broc and pecan salad, but the idea does not make me leap with excitement.
Pattypan squash
Little red and white potatoes--perfect for potato salad, or broasting with a hunk of meat.
Any suggestions? I need ideas of things to make. I should post the contents of my fridge and run a contest.
Terrible, Terrible Day
Reasons?
The Emmy nominations lists sucks. No love for Friday Night Lights, which sould have swept the acting and writing categories. No love even in the best guest actor categories for Derek Phillips and Liz Mykiel. Travesty.
Spoilers for Harry Potter witten on a big sign in front of Phoenix Coffee on Detroit. Wow. You're just being jackasses for the sake of being jackasses, no?
Got hit on in a very creepy fashion on the street.
Missed my original bus because Starbucks forgot my drink. This is actually not too bad, because I at least got the (hushed voice of awe, with glee) cinnamon sugar donut! and a free drink coupon for my trouble. And I didn't have to ask for it, but I was going to because of the missed bus factor.
And I have apparently been putting life and limb in jeopardy in the mind of my coworkers by taking the train to the Windamere station and walking the half a block to the library. So my bosses set me up with a ride tonight, which is nice, but still.
Hot and humid. I've been trying to ignore the siren song of Indian food, but I may not succeed.
I have something due for work tomorrow. What do kids like anyway? Sigh.
And Cain just puked.
Joy.
These are so incredibly first world problems.
I'm calling for Indian food. CSA be damned.
The Emmy nominations lists sucks. No love for Friday Night Lights, which sould have swept the acting and writing categories. No love even in the best guest actor categories for Derek Phillips and Liz Mykiel. Travesty.
Spoilers for Harry Potter witten on a big sign in front of Phoenix Coffee on Detroit. Wow. You're just being jackasses for the sake of being jackasses, no?
Got hit on in a very creepy fashion on the street.
Missed my original bus because Starbucks forgot my drink. This is actually not too bad, because I at least got the (hushed voice of awe, with glee) cinnamon sugar donut! and a free drink coupon for my trouble. And I didn't have to ask for it, but I was going to because of the missed bus factor.
And I have apparently been putting life and limb in jeopardy in the mind of my coworkers by taking the train to the Windamere station and walking the half a block to the library. So my bosses set me up with a ride tonight, which is nice, but still.
Hot and humid. I've been trying to ignore the siren song of Indian food, but I may not succeed.
I have something due for work tomorrow. What do kids like anyway? Sigh.
And Cain just puked.
Joy.
These are so incredibly first world problems.
I'm calling for Indian food. CSA be damned.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Clues That I'm A Grownup
My latest clue that I'm really a grownup and that I'm getting old is that when I realized that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was coming out this summer and I didn't care. I'm not buying a copy--matter of fact, I sold all my HPs several months ago. I'm number 981 on the Clevnet reserve list, and I'll be spoiled by the reviews, and I'll get around to reading it eventually, but eh. Just not interested.
Lakewood Public Library is showing the movies in order this week at 5:30pm, starting Tuesday night. I may hie my ass down there to catch the excitement. Harry and the Potters is coming to town too next week--free show at CPL Nottingham Branch. Whoo hoo! I may go to that, but I need to guage the chances of running into people I don't want to see.
Lakewood Public Library is showing the movies in order this week at 5:30pm, starting Tuesday night. I may hie my ass down there to catch the excitement. Harry and the Potters is coming to town too next week--free show at CPL Nottingham Branch. Whoo hoo! I may go to that, but I need to guage the chances of running into people I don't want to see.
No Dewey? Why The Hell Did I Put Myself Through Cataloging Then?
Because that was a semester of hell, I tell you.
When I was in NJ for Grandma's funeral, this library in Gilbert, AZ came up , and Dusie and Aces volunteered to go check it out for me. Such good sisters, willing to investigate library innovation for a good cause and Dunkin' Donuts latte monies. They were both appalled at the no Dewey/no identifying number--and keep in mind, my sisters, although college educated, are not big readers and do not have strong library habits. They also said that people in Gilbert are really stupid. We're really interested to see how this works out. My feeling is that while people say they're there to browse, that behavior applies to fiction. Nonfiction's a whole other bag, and I don't see the Barnes And Noble shelving model applying well to anyone who needs to do research, which even public library patrons need to do sometimes.
When I was in NJ for Grandma's funeral, this library in Gilbert, AZ came up , and Dusie and Aces volunteered to go check it out for me. Such good sisters, willing to investigate library innovation for a good cause and Dunkin' Donuts latte monies. They were both appalled at the no Dewey/no identifying number--and keep in mind, my sisters, although college educated, are not big readers and do not have strong library habits. They also said that people in Gilbert are really stupid. We're really interested to see how this works out. My feeling is that while people say they're there to browse, that behavior applies to fiction. Nonfiction's a whole other bag, and I don't see the Barnes And Noble shelving model applying well to anyone who needs to do research, which even public library patrons need to do sometimes.
Friday, July 13, 2007
CSA, Weeks 2-3
The CSA share is a great investment. Life is a little chaotic, so I haven't updated you on the goodness.
This week:
Garlic
Basil (I don't care for pesto, and not much for basil in general, so if anyone has ideas for alternate uses I'd appreciate it)
2 HUGE zucchini
6 ears sweet corn
6 or so pickling cucumbers (Kay from the farm said you can eat them in salad, but I might try a quick pickle method on them)
Snow Peas
Big bag of lettuce--I bought some more beets, so I am making more beet salad. Yum yum.)
The Romance Heroine came over for dinner last night and we had spicy chicken thighs with yogurt sauce ( Cooking Light recipe, couscous, and zucchini-corn-onion-red pepper saute. And we had the Lime Rum Shrub, which turned out awsome. You can drink it straight or mix it with ginger ale and add maraschino cherries and a little lime. Then, somewhat tipsy, we went to DQ. And then we played The Sassy Experience, which is somewhat lame.
Last week's CSA haul:
Garlic
1 big onion
2 cups popcorn
Zucchini
Cucumber
Kale
Shelling peas
And a pattypan squash, which I hate to say, but it is true--looks like a genital wart.
Off to cook some dinner!
This week:
Garlic
Basil (I don't care for pesto, and not much for basil in general, so if anyone has ideas for alternate uses I'd appreciate it)
2 HUGE zucchini
6 ears sweet corn
6 or so pickling cucumbers (Kay from the farm said you can eat them in salad, but I might try a quick pickle method on them)
Snow Peas
Big bag of lettuce--I bought some more beets, so I am making more beet salad. Yum yum.)
The Romance Heroine came over for dinner last night and we had spicy chicken thighs with yogurt sauce ( Cooking Light recipe, couscous, and zucchini-corn-onion-red pepper saute. And we had the Lime Rum Shrub, which turned out awsome. You can drink it straight or mix it with ginger ale and add maraschino cherries and a little lime. Then, somewhat tipsy, we went to DQ. And then we played The Sassy Experience, which is somewhat lame.
Last week's CSA haul:
Garlic
1 big onion
2 cups popcorn
Zucchini
Cucumber
Kale
Shelling peas
And a pattypan squash, which I hate to say, but it is true--looks like a genital wart.
Off to cook some dinner!
On Being A Hip Shusher
I think I hate the hip librarian stereotype more than I hate the dowdy librarian stereotype. Personally, I feel I'm halfway between the two, so I hope I transcend the stereotype.
In rebuttal, I offer these words from Caroline Graham from her address "The Common Novel In Libraries," published in the 1894 Proceedings of the American Library Association:
“If it be a problem with librarians why so many people in the world desire commonplace books, I suspect the answer is found in the fact that so many persons are merely commonplace people. This would be an appalling fact, if not for the fact that outside their own line of work librarians are often quite gloriously commonplace themselves, without feeling grieved about it. “ (p. 15)
Yeah, hmm. I think we should all remember that. The problem with being "hip" is that inadvertently or with intent, you tend to make other people feel bad about themselves. I've got no problem with individuality and a tart tongue, but I think it's important for the profession to realize that one of the most valuable tools we have is a ready smile and an honest interest in and ability to listen to others.
On a more personal note, I have handed in my final research paper. I am pretty sure that I will be all officially a Master of Library and Information Science as of next month. If anyone wants to read said paper, it's dull librarian shit on the "quality vs. demand" issue, but I put in some quality Kerry Snark.
In rebuttal, I offer these words from Caroline Graham from her address "The Common Novel In Libraries," published in the 1894 Proceedings of the American Library Association:
“If it be a problem with librarians why so many people in the world desire commonplace books, I suspect the answer is found in the fact that so many persons are merely commonplace people. This would be an appalling fact, if not for the fact that outside their own line of work librarians are often quite gloriously commonplace themselves, without feeling grieved about it. “ (p. 15)
Yeah, hmm. I think we should all remember that. The problem with being "hip" is that inadvertently or with intent, you tend to make other people feel bad about themselves. I've got no problem with individuality and a tart tongue, but I think it's important for the profession to realize that one of the most valuable tools we have is a ready smile and an honest interest in and ability to listen to others.
On a more personal note, I have handed in my final research paper. I am pretty sure that I will be all officially a Master of Library and Information Science as of next month. If anyone wants to read said paper, it's dull librarian shit on the "quality vs. demand" issue, but I put in some quality Kerry Snark.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Occupational Hazards
Dear Children,
Please do not puke on the floor of the library. Miss Kerry herself is a reflex puker with a tender stomach, and we wouldn't want ankle to ankle vomit soaking the carpet, would we?
Thank you,
The Management
Please do not puke on the floor of the library. Miss Kerry herself is a reflex puker with a tender stomach, and we wouldn't want ankle to ankle vomit soaking the carpet, would we?
Thank you,
The Management
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