Monday, January 26, 2009

25 Facts About Me

I was tagged by my friend LF (who does not have a blog, but luckily reads my blog), so I had to think long and hard about this.  As those who know me know that I analyze everything but me.  They may have impact on me, but me myself? I'm the great deluder (as opposed to the decider....).  So, here goes....

  1. I am a natural redhead - who helps it along because the grays are coming in fast and furious.  My grandmother had a glorious head of white hair at a relatively young age, my hair is similar, but it's coming in too slowly to let it go natural. 
  2. My eldest is autistic.  He's 18 now.  There is so much information available now for parents, but my ex and I had to figure out more than we should have on our own.  I always feel like I've made far too many mistakes.
  3. When I was a teenager I was a very preppy kid - I still have a strong preppy streak (DD calls me CT. Housewife), but the older I get the more left wing hippy I become - albeit a left wing hippy with a good job and a love of personal hygiene.
  4. I'm a good cook - a really good one, if I do say so myself.  My big sister is a chef, and I've learned a lot from her, but I've done pretty well on my own, too.
  5. I'm passive-aggressive when it comes to grown up activities. As for my small handful of readers or lurkers may know, I have had a lot on my plate the last few years.  Caring for a sick parent, single parenthood (see #6) to teenagers - one with issues - a stressful career fills up the glass to the top.  As a result, I let little stupid things go, like letting my EZ Pass get revoked, or forget to pick up dry cleaning for months, or let bills go sometimes.  I hate that about myself because its extended to health issues and I need to change it.
  6. I like my ex-husband more now than when we were married.  Mostly because I don't have to live with him - I've learned what issues in our marriage were totally my fault and what traits of his are the reason we drifted apart, but we've been on the same page as parents since day one, and as a result, our kids are very happy and very secure in their distributed family.
  7. I met my bestest when we were both 19 or 20, but neither of us remember it.  We met again about 10 years later and have been tight ever since.
  8. I have a secret crush on Keith Olbermann on MSNBC
  9. I hate to listen to music in the car - unless I'm on vacation. Otherwise, it's NPR all the time.  I love Talk of the Nation and Fresh Air.
  10. I like bold art - little pastels of flowers, impressionists or poker playing dogs don't appeal to me.  I also like black and white photography. Let's just say I'm running out of wall space.
  11. My mother was a model in the 50's.  She looked like Kim Novak.  I look like Mickey Rooney, imagine our relationship.
  12. I like the taste of liquor - now before you start thinking I'm a perfect candidate for AA, I mean I like classic cocktails where the spirit isn't masked by sugary sweet stuff.
  13. My favorite food is Spanish - I love the fresh seafood grills, paella and tapas.
  14. I love red wine - goes well with #13.
  15. I used to love a good cigar, especially when I was skinnier and wore CFM shoes  - it was a look! I pretty much abstain, but every once in a while DD's hubby can talk me into having one after one of their long dinners. I love it, but I sound like I should be working in phone sex the next day.
  16. I'm addicted to MSNBC
  17. I've had relations in unusual locations - and that's all I'm going to say.
  18. I got stuck in an elevator and to this day get a little nervous when the door shuts.
  19. I am great company whilst traveling, but dumb things often happen. I was chased down the Rock of Gibraltar (that's right kids, THE rock) by the RAF because I (along with a bunch of dumb American friends) was in the wrong place at the wrong time.  I spent the better part of a night in a Roman police station when my room was robbed and because of translation problems, they were starting to think that I was the criminal.  We finally figured it out.  I called the police in Key West, insisting that my car was stolen. After a couple of hours, we finally realized that I just forgot where I parked it (easy to do in Key West).  Many years ago, I had a budding Texan politician (not THAT one) declare undying love for me in New Orleans.  I had jumped on the last ferry for Algiers' Point while he was standing on the dock. We had met much earlier in the evening at Pat O'Brien's in the French Quarter. We were drinking margaritas. I leaned over to blow a kiss and dumped the entire contents of my handbag into the Mississippi.  Good thing I had my credit card and my license in the pocket of my pants. I never saw him again - I don't remember his name, but he was handsome :-)   Traveling with me is fun, but do it at your own risk.
  20. I love my job and had to leave it to realize it.
  21. I met the love of my life.
  22. I always wear one large silver ring - I have several of them and always wear one of them.
  23. I. CANNOT.SING. but I think I can...when I'm alone.
  24. I purge.  Not eating disorder (one look at me and you can tell), but to get rid of stuff. I accumulate, then when it gets to me, I have to throw everything that I haven't looked at for six months out.
  25. I'm on an unending search for the perfect mascara and perfect lipstick. I'm half convinced that the day I find them I will drop dead.....just kidding.

OK Devonshire, you're it.....

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Conservatives Everywhere Are Throwing Up Their Hands......

Pete Seeger, Bruce Springsteen and a million hopeful people singing "This Land Is Your Land" on the mall in DC..... It's the dawn of a new day.....  :-)

Saturday, January 17, 2009

When The Mundane is Beautiful

Today was mundane.  In a beautiful way.  Oil changes, buying a dish rack and a pan, going to the Asian market, and, laundry.  Today was my first day absolutely alone since before Christmas; I forgot my phone when I left in the house and I reveled in the fact that no one could reach me for a whole afternoon.   When I returned home I did talk to a couple of folks, but other than that, no contact.  I needed this day to be with myself.  I didn't listen to the radio,  I tuned out as much as I could.  The silence was nourishing - I felt my soul be restored by listening to my own rhythms, drifting to my own tune.

After my errands, I returned home and made dinner from the bounty purchased at the Asian market.  Of course my camera wasn't charged, so there aren't pictures to share.   They had wonderful mushrooms at the market, lemon grass and clementines.  I chopped up Chinese eggplant, green onion and garlic, grated fresh ginger, sliced shitake, crimini and enoki mushrooms, then cubed tofu, leftover pork tenderloin.  I made a stir-fry with soy sauce, mirin and a little fish sauce and red curry paste. 

Speaking of the pan, I have to spread the news.  I was walking through Macy's and meandered into the kitchen department (I love the kitchen department).  Macy's is discounting everything.  Now, I have a well stocked kitchen and do not need a thing, but I had been reading about the green pans and was interested in them. I looked at the clearance rack (which I love to do) and found a stack of Martha Stewart green pans. This isn't a Martha pan, but it looks similar:

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Well, I have to say that I'm in love with this pan.  I did a whole stirfry with less than 2 T of canola and there was no sticking; in fact the pan looked clean - it just  did a great job.  I will definitely look forward to using this pan in the future!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

300

 

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No, it's not the number of posts in my blog.  It's my car crash movie.  I LOVE 300.  Something about incredible abs and loincloths and slow motion blood spilling.  "This Is Sparta!" can make me positively dreamy.  Gerard Butler is hot in this movie, I don't care if there's more CGI than crunches at the gym.  I share this secret love with my daughter.  Not just for the man candy that is this movie, but also because it's so much fun to make fun of...or the little known facts about the movie.  The sleazy politician was played by Dominic West who was so good in "The Wire" on HBO, and Xerxes, the big Persian god with the piercings who is "kind" played the kind and quiet Karl in Love Actually (and that is one of the ultimate chick flicks - another all time favorite).  tonight, 300 was on HBO's On Demand...so of course we had to watch.

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Anyway, we love to make up dialogue as we watch (usually about their briefs, the abs, pointy beards and the like), cracking on the dialogue that is just a little over the top....toward the end of the movie, after they've gone through horrible battles, one son gets decapitated and one guy (the narrator) loses an eye...Gerard Butler's character turns to the one eyed guy and says......Are you ready?  and one eyed guy says of course sire....Gerard:...Good, because you have one talent that no other Spartan has.......

...to which R interjected....."you can sing...."

Morning Joe......

I am an insomniac....ever since I turned 40, unaided sleep is a dream.  Evidently, this runs in my family (another story for another time).  Because of this, getting up in the morning has always been a struggle for me.  Kids help, obviously, I need to get them out the door.   I hate morning TV, but having the thing blaring in the background gets me going.  During the elections, my sister got me hooked on Morning Joe on MSNBC.  Now, it's a love-hate thing. I cannot STAND Joe Scarborough, he's a pompous, conservative ass, but I just love when people prove him wrong. Like a couple of weeks back:

Delayed....But I've been Tagged!!

Deb over at Devonshire Design tagged me with bringing up the fourth photo in the fourth photo folder on my computer....so, here it is:

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I don't know why it's sideways here, but I can't get it fixed.  Basically, it's a photo that I sent to my sister explaining a new lamp purchase.  How exciting, huh?  Well, folks, it's a newer laptop and I've been so busy with work, I haven't uploaded many pictures lately.  It's so lame, I can't even tag anyone.......