Mt. Dew Musings

Baked Cheese Party Dip

2012-02-19T13:45:00.001-05:00

Was reminded of this recipe while going through ideas for next week's Daytona 500 party. This dip is incredible, and for awhile I had a hard time convincing friends to let me bring anything different to parties. Fair warning, it won't look or smell that promising before baking, but, have faith, and go for it! The original recipe called for hollowing out a loaf of bread, and using that to bake it in. But, I think it works a lot better, and is much less trouble, to bake it in a baking dish. It's great served with tortilla chips, French bread, and/or pita slices. The leftovers, if any, are great on toast or in sandwiches. Enjoy!

Baked Cheese Party Dip

2 T. butter
1 bunch green onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
16 oz. sour cream
12 oz. cheddar cheese, grated
1 can, 14 oz. artichoke hearts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute onions and garlic in butter until
onions wilt, do not burn. Cut cream cheese into small chunks.
Add cream cheese to onion/garlic mixture, stir. Add rest of the
ingredients, mix well. Pour into greased casserole dish. Cover
tightly. Wrap in couple layers of foil. Bake for 1 1/2 - 2 hrs.

I didn't even make it out of January!

2010-01-30T16:08:00.002-05:00

Yup, it's official, I'm a bust at the whole Project 365 thing. Too easily distracted by other projects and shiny objects. But, hey, let's be honest, looking at the couple of weeks worth of photos I did post, would you really want to be subjected to another 340 or so more of them?! On to bigger and more exciting things!

2010 Project 365

2010-01-02T11:59:00.002-05:00

Nancy inspired me, and so this year I'll give the infamous Project 365 a shot! What that means is that I'll try and remember to take and upload one photo each day during the year. I'm not convinced I lead an interesting enough life to make this an interesting project, but, I've heard it's great for practicing and improving your photographic skills, so I'll give it a go. In theory, I've added the widget correctly, so every few days when I upload the photos to my flickr account, it will also add them to this blog, over to the right. Don't worry, I'll try to get more interesting as time goes on.

A Christmas movie

2009-12-21T12:19:00.004-05:00

I just watched a holiday movie that I really enjoyed, "Noelle". I love little indie films and this one is visually poetic; with endearingly real characters; and thoughtful questions. If you have Verizon, it's currently On Demand. It's the story of a Catholic priest, who perhaps shouldn't be one, and how we relate to the "people side" of life. After watching it, I read some reviews and was surprised at how many Catholics took it to be anti-Catholic. I actually thought it was respectful of the responsibility and dedication required of someone in the priesthood. I wonder how often we are over-sensitive, thinking that things reflect badly on us when they do the opposite? It was originally titled "Mrs. Worthington's Party", so don't let that part of the trailer confuse you. I also like the fact that the lead actor is also the screnwriter, that always makes things more interesting. (And, is it just me, or does he look like a young Robert Redford?) Anyway, check if out if you're looking for something to watch.

A new blog!

2009-10-11T09:08:00.002-04:00

Yeah, I know, what am I doing starting a new blog, when I can't keep up with this one?! I was bored last weekend (translation = didn't feel like doing the chores I SHOULD have been doing) and decided to start a new blog based on my love of foreign movies. On my "REEL PASSPORT" blog I talk about foreign movies and tv shows I've watched, and give you little video clips to watch. Hopefully you will see something that looks interesting and give it a watch. There are so many great films and shows out there that Americans don't know about, and it's nice to watch stuff that isn't mass produced in the Hollywood mold. I only include stuff I've actually watched, and that is available on DVD online at places like Amazon and Ebay. So check it out! Here's a sample from each category:

ROMANCE

(5) BRIDE AND PREJUDICE

This is a fun, colorful, and musical, Bollywood treatment of Pride and Prejudice. There's a little something for everyone...colorful locales and costumes, music and big dance numbers, comedy, romance, etc. AND, SAYID FROM "LOST" DANCING!!! It's great... kind of corny lines, improbably situations, and some wooden acting here and there... but it's just so cheerful and colorful that its endearing. And probably the only movie where you'll see an musical number including mariachi singers, a gospel choir and baywatch lifeguards all mixed together on the beach...lol.

SUSPENSE

(1) SMILLA'S SENSE OF SNOW

1997 thriller based on a Danish novel. Smilla, an expert on snow, becomes involved in the mystery surrounding a child falling off a rooftop. Plenty of intrigue and suspense, leading to an increasingly far-fetched, but entertaining explanation. Notable for its cast:

* Julia Ormond as Smilla Jasperson
* Gabriel Byrne as The Mechanic
* Richard Harris as Dr. Andreas Tork
* Jim Broadbent as Dr. Lagermann
* Tom Wilkinson as Prof. Loyen
* Robert Loggia as Moritz Jasperson
* Vanessa Redgrave as Elsa Lübing

DRAMA

(7/8) ONCE WERE WARRIORS/WHAT BECOMES OF THE BROKEN HEARTED?

It is no exaggeration to say that "Once Were Warriors", a 1994 film from New Zealand is one of the most powerful movies I've ever seen. This gut-wrenching film explores the effects of alcohol, poverty and violence on an urban Maori family. It literally takes your breath away at points, and you won't soon forget it. Not for the faint of heart, but, such an achingly important message about how families can destroy those they love the most. This is considered one of the all time great movies from this market. Great soundtrack, also.

Thanks to Gavin for letting me know that a sequel, "What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?", was released in 1999. Although good, it is no where near the quality of the first movie, and it seems that the critical acclaim of "Once Were Warriors" led producers to amp the sequel up with more Hollywood-like, less realistic violence and subplots. It is an interesting look into the New Zealand gang culture, and despite being a bit of a disappointment compared to its predecessor, it does have some moving parts. I was touched by the relationship between the fresh out of jail, lifetime gang member, and a local single mother, but, it was a relationship tinged with sadness and doom.

The lead actors, while not well known in Hollywood circles, are acting royalty in New Zealand.

* Beth Heke - Rena Owen
* Jake "the Muss" Heke - Temuera Morrison

COMEDY

One of my all time favorite films. This 2000 British movie tells the story of Grace. Her comfortable, genteel life is thrown into disarray when her husband dies, and she discovers he had lost all of their money. Her one great talent, gardening, leads her to a money-making opportunity when she is asked to nurse a sick plant....a marijuana plant, back to health. Before Craig Ferguson was a late night TV host he was an actor, and in this movie he teams up with Grace to salvage her finances and keep her home from foreclosure. Hilarious film.

* Brenda Blethyn
* Craig Ferguson

TV

(3) MCLEOD'S DAUGHTERS

I love, love, love this show. It ran on Australian television from 2000 to 2009, and I snapped up each season as they were released here in the states. [They are all available on region one dvds, from amazon, ebay, borders, etc.] This series had it all...drama, humor, romance, adventure, etc. The scenes below are not the best ones, because the best ones involve info that will give plots away. But, they are still great and give you a taste for the show. The premise is that rancher Jack McLeod had a daughter, Claire, with his first wife, then another daughter, Tess, with his second wife. When he divorces and Tess and her mother leave, the two sister, then children, are out of touch until Jack dies when they are adults. Claire has remained on the ranch, Drovers Run, and Tess is a big city girl, hoping to own a restaurant. Notified of Jack's death, she assumes they'll sell the ranch and she'll get half the money. But, it doesn't work out that way, and she moves to Drovers. We meet the wealthy Ryan neighbors and all sorts of other locals. When the male ranch hands revolt at the thought of taking orders from females, they're all fired, and Claire and Tess build up an all female team to run the place. This is a wonderful show.

Fat free, low sugar chocolate cake!

2009-09-25T01:13:00.002-04:00

I tried the famous Harry Eastwood Deep chocolate cake recipe today, and my verdict is that it's pretty darn good! For those of you who aren't familiar with the concept, her recipe replaces all fat in the cake with......beets! Yuppers, my hands are a delicate purplish pink from grating the beet, but it did the job. The cake is also low sugar, just 3/4 cup in the entire cake, in part because the beets add some sweetness, and also I think from the ground almonds in the batter. The cake is then iced with a deep chocolate glaze of dark chocolate, honey and coffee. Coffee also is an important ingredient in the cake itself, as it makes chocolate's flavor pop. Here's the picture from the cookbook. I didn't take any good pics of my cake because we were all distracted by the birthday candles with flames that matched the colors of the candles....ooohhhh, look at all the pretty colors......., yeah, we were easily distracted.

Cheap eats

2009-08-23T14:12:00.022-04:00

I had an almost full bag of unbleached white flour that I wanted to use up, instead of storing. So, I decided to make a batch of gluten (sometimes called seitan). Gluten is the protein that's left when you wash away the starch in the flour. It's a great non-meat source of protein (approx. 31 grams of protein per 4 oz. of gluten), with no cholesterol or saturated fat. And, it's probably the cheapest form of protein you can find...a 5 lb bag of flour costs around or under $2. To make the most efficient use of my time, I usually try to cook 10 lbs of flour per batch, and then freeze some, but today I just wanted to use up the remains of the 5 lb bag. Give it a try, it's cheap, yummy and versatile.

Main ingredient: Unbleached flour

You will need a larger bowl than you think you will, but, remember that it will need to fit in the fridge for a few hours, so I find that a large stock pot is often better than a bowl. Empty the flour into the bowl/pot.

Slowly mix in enough water to form a soft dough, similar to bread dough. [You always want to wash your hands before handling food, but, when making gluten, you especially want to make sure they are clean, and that you also rinse off all traces of soap].

Using your hands, knead the dough, trying to mix in all traces of flour, until smooth. Use a spatula to scrape any dough down from the sides of the pot.

Fill pan with enough water to completely cover the dough,

Put water covered dough in fridge overnight.

Sit pot in the sink and pour off most of the water. Start filling with new water and gently kneading dough. What you are doing is gently washing away the starch, which is white, and you will be left with protein. This is why at first, your water will look almost as white as milk, and your dough will be very soft.

At this point the dough will be so soft that you will have a hard time picking it up.

Keep the water gently running into the pot, continuing to knead and rub the dough in your hands. Knead out any small hard pockets of undissolved flour. Periodically drain out the water and refill. Be careful not to let the soft pieces of dough drain out with the water. The dough will start getting firmer, and easier to hold in your hands.

As the dough gets firmer, start kneading all the small parts together, forming one ball of dough.

You are done when the water is almost, but not quite, clear. If you washed it completely clear, your gluten would be a bit tough. After you've made a few batches of gluten, you'll get used to how soft/tough you prefer the final product.

Take the ball of gluten out of the water, and set on plate. At this point you will look at the small ball of dough and wonder why you just exerted all that effort for such a small return. Don't worry, it won't stay this small.

Take a sharp paring knife and cut the dough into small pieces the size of a sausage patty, and flatten with your hand. Keep them slightly separated so they don't stick together.

Grab another large stock pot, or wash out the one you used for the dough. You are now going to simmer the pieces of dough in a broth, which will flavor it. Gluten takes on the flavors it is cooked in, making it very versatile. I used my favorite Asian broth, made of water, cooking oil, soy sauce, onion, celery, garlic, and brown sugar (no ginger, I got ahead of myself in the picture, I'll need it if I make teriyaki.) I also frequently make a chicken like broth, use whatever flavors you prefer.

Drop the pieces of dough into the boiling broth, then stir occasionally as you cook over medium heat for an hour. At first you will barely see the dough in the broth.

Only 8 minutes or so into cooking and you can already see the gluten pieces puffing up as they cook. Keep stirring gently every now and then. Toward the end of the cooking time start making sure that the liquid is not cooking dry.

The pieces will have absorbed most of the stock and are now firm enough to slice. The soy sauce in the Asian stock makes the finished gluten fairly dark, it will be lighter if you use a chicken flavored or vegetable stock.

You now have a batch of finished gluten. It can be added as is to things like vegetables and rice, sliced and sauteed, breaded and fried, ground into vegeburger, etc. It also freezes well. I may slice this batch and make it into teriyaki.

Here's a link if you want more gluten recipes or the specifics of the Asian broth.

Acrylic album

2009-08-15T09:23:00.003-04:00

I played around with making an acrylic scrapbook album for the first time, and really enjoyed it. It was a birthday gift for my sweet cousin, Shauna. Just remember the best bit of advice I had, overheard from someone's conversation at the scrapbooking convention....plot your acrylic album from the back, keeping in mind what you'll see when all layers are stacked together and you can see through all of them.

Cardboard box aviation

2009-08-15T09:17:00.002-04:00

Josh and Luke wanted an airplane made out of cardboard boxes, and their request had specific requirements...it had to have controls, and room for a pilot and passenger. Luckily I had a huge memory foam mattress box sitting downstairs, so I went to work with an exacto knife and duct tape. In retrospect, I'm not sure that the duct tape was the best method of holding everything together. It's not as permanently sticky as I'd hoped, and tends to peel off too easily. Certain areas, like the wings, would probably benefit from the judicious use of a staple-gun. We started out with chairs in it, but they took up too much room, and were too high for the control panel.

It's about time!

2009-03-01T01:00:00.002-05:00

{Cyndy, skip this post unless you've caught up to season seven!)

We've been waiting more than six seasons for this to happen! It's about time!

Bento update

2009-03-01T00:30:00.003-05:00

Well kind of an update, I'm so far behind on blogging that this is new even though it took place a few weeks ago! I tried making a few bento lunches (below). What I discovered was that I had ordered the wrong size box, one that was intended for a small child, so it was hard to fit things in it. I ordered two new boxes in the correct size and now need to play with them. It's amazing how much healthier you eat when you pack your own meal.

How observant are you?

2008-11-19T22:21:00.002-05:00

Do you Bento?

2008-11-15T22:31:00.003-05:00

One of my fellow Crackpats (thanks, Maureen!)recently posted about Bento, the absurdly cute lunches that Japanese mothers compete to pack for their offspring. Adults can have Bento, too, but it's the kids that seem to get the masterpieces. These moms get up at the crack of dawn to toil away with vegetable peelers, knives, rice and egg molds, and a dazzling array of other culinary tools and props. I find this fascinating, since despite my love of cooking, I'm doing good most mornings to just get out of the house more or less respectably dressed. I don't have time to fuss with it now, but after my trip to China and the holidays are behind me, then I just may get myself some of those cute tools and a Bento box and give it a try. Here are a few of my favorite Bento examples, and some websites with more info:

Cooking Cute
Just Bento
Adventures in Bento making
My Culinary Journal
JBox

Tis the season

2008-10-15T19:42:00.006-04:00

I know I usually keep the political stuff on my other blog, but oh well, it's going (or "go-in" if I want to do a Palin impression, lol) here tonight. Check out all the cool pumpkins at http://yeswecarve.com. Mine got added tonight.

I'm going to have to carve a new one, though, after seeing all the great ones on the website. I've got a big case of pumpkin envy.

McLeod's Daughters

2008-09-28T20:56:00.005-04:00

I know, yet again I'm spending too much time on YouTube. As you may know, McLeod's Daughters is one of my favorite tv shows. It's an Aussie import, and is currently airing the final season, Eight, on tv down there. I've watched all six of the seasons that have been released here in the US so far. And, since another fav, Lost, is on hiatus until February of NEXT YEAR (not that I'm bitter or anything), my friend Beth (who has a massive crush on "Nick", the blonde Ryan brother on McLeod's Daughters) and I have turned our weekly Thursday night viewing parties into McLeod Daughters nights. We manage to watch 4-5 episodes each week and are just starting season four. My Aussie friend, Gavin, rolls his eyes and says "You do know, you couldn't go to any farm in this country and really find it run by a group of gorgeous women like that!" To which I reply, yeah, and you couldn't go to any police station or hospital here in the US and find it staffed totally by gorgeous hunky doctors or cops, that's why it's TELEVISION! It's a great show, and available on Amazon or Ebay. And I have to take a moment to say thanks to the Koch president of marketing, who has been so patient every time I've emailed to find out when the next season would be released!

Sadly, Lisa Chapell (second from left), the actress from New Zealand, playing Claire decided to leave midway through the show, to pursue her singing career.

An aging meme

2008-09-28T20:45:00.002-04:00

Once again I steal inspiration from the Noble Savage, thanks Amity! Read the parts in bold, and then finish the sentences:

At a certain age women should stop worrying about what everyone else thinks!

At a certain age men should realize that being an adult can be more fun than being a teenager forever

When I was a kid I thought I would get married, have a houseful of kids, be a mirror image of my mom.

Now that I am older I wish I had realized earlier how quickly time goes by.

You know you are too old to indulge your first impulses when shopping when the teenagers at the mall are buying the same things you’re attracted to.

You know you are too young to “act your age” when doing that would bore you silly.

When I was in high school I listened to the music of Blondie, Abba, Fleetwood Mac, Beatles, Stones, Journey….

Nowadays I find I like the music of the Stones, Roy Orbison, KD Lang, KT Tunstall, Katie Melua, Amy Winehouse, Robert Plant/Allison Krause, Big Brovaz, ….

On my last birthday I didn’t do much. I think I probably took the day off and got a pedicure or caught a movie.

On my next birthday I want to either totally ignore it or throw a big bash, I’m turning 50. How did that happen? But, I know ignoring it won’t make it not happen. But throwing your own birthday party seems egotistical. Wanna throw it for me?

The best birthday present I ever got was trips to the Nut Tree in CA.

The first time I felt grown up was learning to cook.

The last time I felt like a kid was last week when I put one of my Hello Kitty bandaids on my cut finger.

When I read lots of historical biographies in grade school it changed my life

Last year was a disjointed blur. I keep thinking it will get better, will it?

Next year I hope to be settled in a place I can think of as “home”.

Read this book!

2008-08-31T21:17:00.003-04:00

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. Is that a great title or what?! I'd never heard of the book, but ran across it when I was hunting for an audio book to listen to on a drive up to PA this weekend. What a lucky find! I love this book, and having only managed to get 2/3 of the way through it on my trip, I had to sit down this evening and listen to the last three hours, so I could see how it ended. You can click on the title to read the Amazon description, but take my word for it, it's charming, funny, heartbreaking, informative, and enthralling. What more could you ask for?

Cute

2008-08-23T09:53:00.004-04:00

I know, I am such a baaaad blogger (hangs head in shame)! I am so hit or miss about it. I truly admire bloggers like my friend Jessica, or The Pioneer Woman, who are so consistent about posting. But, then they also have alot more interesting stuff to say! Anyway...

I stumbled across the cutest website/shop. It's Wu and Wu, and they sell adorable retro play kits. Why do all of my friends with kids that age have boys at the moment and not girls. I think the little girls I know right now are probably just slightly out of this age range. I love the retro artwork and details in the kits, check them out for that little girl on your gift list. Or think outside the box and buy one for youself, I just might!

Movie time

2008-06-27T10:53:00.002-04:00

A meme swiped from the Noble Savage, how many have you seen? (Ones I've seen are bolded):

1. Pulp Fiction (1994)
2. The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-03)
3. Titanic (1997)
4. Blue Velvet (1986)
5. Toy Story (1995)
6. Saving Private Ryan (1998 )
7. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
8. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
9. Die Hard (1988 )
10. Moulin Rouge (2001)
11. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
12. The Matrix (1999)
13. GoodFellas (1990)
14. Crumb (1995)
15. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
16. Boogie Nights (1997)
17. Jerry Maguire (1996)
18. Do the Right Thing (1989)
19. Casino Royale (2006)
20. The Lion King (1994)
21. Schindler’s List (1993)
22. Rushmore (1998 )
23. Memento (2001)
24. A Room With a View (1986)
25. Shrek (2001)
26. Hoop Dreams (1994)
27. Aliens (1986)
28. Wings of Desire (1988 )
29. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
30. When Harry Met Sally… (1989)
31. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
32. Fight Club (1999)
33. The Breakfast Club (1985)
34. Fargo (1996)
35. The Incredibles (2004)
36. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
37. Pretty Woman (1990)
38. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
39. The Sixth Sense (1999)
40. Speed (1994)
41. Dazed and Confused (1993)
42. Clueless (1995)
43. Gladiator (2000)
44. The Player (1992)
45. Rain Man (1988 )
46. Children of Men (2006)
47. Men in Black (1997)
48. Scarface (1983)
49. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
50. The Piano (1993)
51. There Will Be Blood (2007)
52. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad (1988 )
53. The Truman Show (1998 )
54. Fatal Attraction (1987)
55. Risky Business (1983)
56. The Lives of Others (2006)
57. There’s Something About Mary (1998)
58. Ghostbusters (1984)
59. L.A. Confidential (1997)
60. Scream (1996)
61. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
62. sex, lies and videotape (1989)
63. Big (1988)
64. No Country For Old Men (2007)
65. Dirty Dancing (1987)
66. Natural Born Killers (1994)
67. Donnie Brasco (1997)
68. Witness (1985)
69. All About My Mother (1999)
70. Broadcast News (1987)
71. Unforgiven (1992)
72. Thelma & Louise (1991)
73. Office Space (1999)
74. Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
75. Out of Africa (1985)
76. The Departed (2006)
77. Sid and Nancy (1986)
78. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
79. Waiting for Guffman (1996)
80. Michael Clayton (2007)
81. Moonstruck (1987)
82. Lost in Translation (2003)
83. Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (1987)
84. Sideways (2004)
85. The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005)
86. Y Tu Mamá También (2002)
87. Swingers (1996)
88. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
89. Breaking the Waves (1996)
90. Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
91. Back to the Future (1985)
92. Menace II Society (1993)
93. Ed Wood (1994)
94. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
95. In the Mood for Love (2001)
96. Far From Heaven (2002)
97. Glory (1989)
98. The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
99. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
100. South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut (1999)

Shoe love

2008-06-20T20:45:00.003-04:00

I have been hunting down this pair of shoes for months! At one point I tracked down one pair in Maryland that was the right size....and the store only had the left shoe. Then I found a shoe made out of the same fabric, but that store only had a RIGHT shoe in 6 1/2! What's with people buying or stealing just one shoe?! But, I got them, and of all places, I found them on facebook, go figure!

Take me to your leader

2008-06-14T12:42:00.003-04:00

Can't forget the song that played a big part in my life in some unexpected ways. I actually met my good friends and future Nashville housemates, Lowell and Brian through this song. They lived in the apartment below me in Takoma Park,and one day Lowell had this cranked up on their stereo, thinking I was at work. I was actually taking a nap on my couch, situated just about exactly over their stereo. I called down to find out what the song was because I liked the catchy tune. He was so relieved I wasn't mad about the noise that he lent me the cd, lol.

Hallelujah

2008-06-14T02:09:00.004-04:00

I love this song, and have been in a mood to listen to it a lot lately. Here are a few of my fave versions ...

Loving Eddie Izzard

2008-06-13T12:59:00.001-04:00

Been watching a lot of Eddie Izzard lately, he makes me laugh no matter how many times I've seen his stuff...

Happy Birthday Mom!

2008-05-24T22:10:00.002-04:00

My mom celebrated her 80th birthday today, and we had a special lunch over at friends Rick and Beth's place. Happy Birthday!

Please pray

2008-05-24T08:52:00.004-04:00

Pray for Steven Curtis Chapman and his family. They lost their youngest daughter, Maria Sue, in a horrible accident Wednesday evening. My heart breaks for what all of them, and especially Maria's brother, must be going through. May they be wrapped in the love of God, family and friends.

An Engineer's Guide to Cats

2008-05-24T08:35:00.001-04:00

So very true!

Books!

2008-05-11T01:09:00.003-04:00

I suppose, reading this blog, you'd be forgiven for thinking I never pick up a book, as I talk so often about other things like movies, dvd's, music, tv, etc. But I LOVE reading, and practically grew up at the library and used book stores. (I am however, completely incapable of returning library books on time, so sadly don't make use of that facility anymore.) Saw this meme on The Noble Savage's blog, so thank's for the idea, Amity!

Below is a list of the top 106 books tagged “unread” on LibraryThing. The rules:

bold = what you’ve read,
italics = books you started but couldn’t finish
~~crossed out~~ = books you hated
* = you’ve read more than once
underline = books you own but haven’t read yourself

1. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
2. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
3. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
4. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
5. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte*
6. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
7. The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
8. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
9. The Odyssey by Homer
10. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
11. Ulysses by James Joyce
12. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
13. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
14. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
15. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens*
16. The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco*
17. ~~Moby Dick by Herman Melville~~
18. The Iliad by Homer
19. Emma by Jane Austen
20. Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray
21. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
22. The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
23. The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
24. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
25. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
26. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
27. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
28. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
29. Life of Pi by Yann Martel
30. Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond
31. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
32. Foucault’s Pendulum by Umberto Eco*
33. Dracula by Bram Stoker*
34. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
35. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers
36. Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley*
37. Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
38. Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
39. Middlemarch by George Eliot
40. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
41. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
42. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
43. The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
44. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
45. Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson
46. American Gods by Neil Gaiman
47. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
48. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
49. Wicked by Gregory Maguire
50. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce
51. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde*
52. Dune by Frank Herbert
53. The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie
54. Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift
55. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
56. The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas*
57. The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen
58. The Inferno by Dante Alighieri
59. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
60. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
61. To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
62. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
63. Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
64. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon
65. Persuasion by Jane Austen
66. One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey
67. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
68. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
69. Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
70. The Once and Future King by T.H. White
71. Atonement by Ian McEwan
72. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
73. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
74. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
75. Dubliners by James Joyce
76. Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
77. Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt
78. Beloved by Toni Morrison
79. Collapse by Jared Diamond
80. The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo
81. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
82. Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D.H. Lawrence
83. A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
84. Les Misérables by Victor Hugo*
85. Watership Down by Richard Adams
86. The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
87. The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman
88. Beowulf by Anonymous
89. A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
90. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig
91. The Aeneid by Virgil
92. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
93. Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence
94. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
95. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
96. Possession by A.S. Byatt
97. Tom Jones by Henry Fielding
98. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
99. Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon
100. The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
101. Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
102. Candide, or Optimism by Voltaire
103. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
104. The Plague by Albert Camus
105. Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy
106. Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier

After completing this list, I think it's obvious that I (a) don't read as much as I should, and (b) have issues with Jane Austen.... I love her stories, and enjoy the movie adaptations tremendously, but her writing style puts me to sleep. I know, I know, that's almost enough of an admission to get my femininity license revoked, but it's the sad truth.

My parent's 50th anniversary slideshow

2008-04-22T23:57:00.003-04:00

The picture portion of the powerpoint presentation from my parent's 50th anniversary party. I'll add the music if I ever figure out how!

Kindness

2008-04-12T09:45:00.002-04:00

I was visiting friends yesterday and was sitting in the kitchen chatting. Josh, 3 yrs old, noticed that I had left my cellphone and bottle of water in the living room. He brought them in to me, so I could have them next to me on the kitchen table. When his mom and I thanked him for being so helpful, he looked at us very seriously, and said, "I'm a kind person." It was said so seriously, thoughtfully, and matter of factly. Little kids are often such good reminders of the basics, of what's really important. They don't see the shades of gray we often seem to have to wade through.

Long, long ago...

2008-03-19T22:14:00.002-04:00

Been feeling nostalgic this evening, meandering around youtube. Lots of good music from my past...

I can't count how many times I saw them do this dueling drums bit in concert, and the Breakfast in Hell song...

LOVED Grover, can't believe he never made it big...(and yes, this is who I named my cat after, lol)...

And yes, I have to admit I DID see Stryper in concert back in their heyday, even met them backstage. No group of guys should have hair as good as they did...

I love this book

2008-03-09T11:17:00.002-04:00

I was so excited to get a brand new copy of Paul Gallico's "Snow Goose" this week. Most of my copies have been battered old copies, scavenged at used book stores, as it's been out of print more than in. It's one of the first books I truly fell in love with. Short, simple, breathtakingly beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. Hallmark Hall of Fame made a wonderful film adaptation years ago, but it's never made it to video/dvd due to years of legal wrangling between Hallmark and the author's family. A big film company was set to start work on a big screen version complete with big name cast last year. Alas, budget and scheduling problems have apparently sunk that project, perhaps permanently. If you've never read it, grab a copy now and read it!

Too many legs!

2008-01-04T21:52:00.000-05:00

I know, I know, I fall back on youtube too often. But, I keep finding things there that amuse me or remind of things. Cyndy and I loved the BBC sitcom "Coupling", and this episode storyline about Jeff still makes us LOL...

Movies!

2008-01-04T20:35:00.000-05:00

Had a chance over New Year's to indulge in one of my favorite pastimes - foreign films! This first one is a Japanese film called "Hula Girls". It's based on a true story... think the Jamaican bobsled movie, except, instead of Jamaica, substitute Japan, and instead of bobsleds, substitute hula dancing!

Also found a gem of a little Danish film, called "Italian for Beginners". I bought the DVD without any clue about what the movie was about, guessing from the cover art that it might be a slapstick comedy. It's actually a sweet, gentle, poignant little movie, filmed in the Danish Dogma style. I really loved it.

Back when Funny was funny

2007-12-16T10:44:00.000-05:00

I was channel surfing while waiting for someone, and stumbled across this scene from the old "I Love Lucy" show. Remember that? It takes me back to childhood when being home sick from school, or rainy vacation days, meant watching this and other shows like "The Andy Griffith Show", "Bonanza", "Gomer Pyle", "The Dick van Dyke Show", etc. (It also reminded me that I've always had a huge crush on William Holden.) And it made me sad, because I miss the days when comedy depended on humor, not today's easy way out of four letter words, crassness and sex, sex, sex.

Stop the Madness!

2007-12-15T12:49:00.000-05:00

As the election year gears up, let’s clear up a few things. I’m already starting to get blitzed by well (and not so well)-meaning friends, relatives and acquaintances with “humorous”, serious, angry, pleading, cajoling, etc., political emails. In an attempt to spend less time hitting the delete button, let me clarify some points:

(a) I left the Republican party for good reason, I am not a fan of Ronald Reagan, and I think Dubya is not far short of being the anti-Christ. So if your political ponderings come from that direction, take me off your email list, as they will only be deleted, after reflexive eye-rolling.

(b) I’m not a Democrat. Nope. Just because you aren’t in one party doesn’t automatically mean you are a member of the other. And I’m not planning on becoming one any time soon, so any pleas, missives, or explanations as to why I should sign up will also be deleted and end up in my cyber trashcan.

(c) Nope, I won’t donate money to you and/or your campaign anyway.

(d) No, I won’t forward your email on to everyone in my address book, why would I do that to them?

(e) Over the past few years and during the last election, my dad and I traded amusing anti-Bush emails/websites with a small group of like-minded friends. You know who you are and are welcome to continue.

Vegetarian Turkey, Mock Turkey, Fake Turkey ...

2007-11-19T21:16:00.000-05:00

Have been wanting to try making a vegetarian turkey, and today's potluck at work was a good excuse to do it. I made it up as I went along, and was glad to discover that it tasted pretty good. I wasn't gentle enough when I was moving it back and forth from the oven for basting, and it's little legs broke. Next time I think I'd either support them with some foil, or put a dowel in them, but I propped them back up after baking and it looked fine. If you want to give it a try, here's the recipe I came up with:

Vegetarian "Turkey"

1 16 oz bag stuffing mix (I used Pepperidge Farms Herb)
water/butter as called for on stuffing pkg.
Handful dried cranberries
4 lb roll of Worthington's frozen Smoked Turkey soyameat, thawed
1 red onion
3/4 lb or so, carrots (I just used the baby ones, already cleaned!)
2 small cans mushrooms, drained
generous splash soy sauce
Poultry seasoning or roasting rub
1 can dried breadcrumbs, unseasoned
Olive oil
Maple syrup
Paprika

Mix stuffing mix per directions on pkg, adding dried cranberries, set aside.

In food processor, grind up soy turkey, onion, carrots and mushrooms, place in large bowl. Add soy sauce, poultry seasoning to taste, and bread crumbs. Use hands to knead until throughly mixed.

Lightly oil large roasting pan and mound stuffing firming in middle, forming rounded oval. Gently cover stuffing with flattened handfuls of turkey mixture, until entire mound of stuffing is covered. Smooth firmly with hands. Keep adding turkey mixture, smoothing and shaping to form "turkey" shape. Make sure legs are supported by bottom of pan and extra foil if needed. Could also run a small dowel through legs for extra support if wanted.

Mix olive oil with small amount of poultry seasoning/herbs and paprika (to give turkey a deeper color) and gently baste. Place in 350 oven for about 90 minutes. Baste one more time with olive oil mixture, then again towards end and after removing from oven, with maple syrup mixed with some paprika. Enjoy.

My personality DNA

2007-11-10T21:31:00.000-05:00

Better late than never

2007-11-03T20:20:00.000-04:00

Finally joined the world of the mp3 player. I'm always a few steps behind when it comes to the latest techno toys. Just spent a couple hours downloading more music than I'll be able to listen to in ages....Franz Ferdinand, Big Brovaz, some soundtracks, Maroon 5, Sugababes, KT Tunstall, etc. So much more I want to add. What is it about music that has such power? I don't know, but I know I would be a sadder person without it.

What she said

2007-10-30T21:48:00.000-04:00

I found it!

2007-10-06T18:18:00.000-04:00

The picture below is one I grabbed from another website, but it shows an idea I'd seen somewhere and loved - using pretty teacups for scoops in clear glass sugar and flour canisters. I never realized how hard it was to find just the RIGHT canisters, though! As all my friends will attest to, I'm a pretty darn good googler, but I spent hours online and hadn't be able to find the ones that were exactly what I was looking for. Then where do they turn up? Down the road at IKEA! And, they were cheap too, even better! I won't start using them til we move, but that gives me time to find the perfect teacup/scoops.

A few clips only an Eastenders' fan would love...

2007-09-30T23:06:00.000-04:00

These made me laugh and brought back some good memories of favorite episodes over the years -

I knew I wasn't imagining it!

2007-09-30T23:04:00.001-04:00

I love YouTube, but sometimes it reminds me how old I am! I remembered an old sitcom I used to watch as kid, but no one I talked to remembered it. But it does exist, I found the opening credits on YouTube!

Why don't we have game shows like this?

2007-06-15T23:18:00.000-04:00

The Japanese beat us hands down in coming up with dumb, yet entertaining TV game shows...

Intelligent words

2007-05-23T06:57:00.000-04:00

Interesting letter by former head of the CIA Osama bin Laden task force: http://www.antiwar.com/blog/2007/05/22/fmr-chief-of-cia-osama-unit-why-t hey-attack-us/

Here is a list of Scheuer's main points:

1) Osama bin Laden (OBL) is neither an evil madman or just a criminal -- he is a highly competent, religiously motivated, charismatic leader who we had best take seriously.

2) Al Qaeda is not a terrorist organization, but is rather part of and attempting to lead a global Muslim insurgency.

3) OBL & Al Qaeda are not opposed to the U.S. because of "who we are," (ie, "we stand for freedom"), but because of what we do -- because of specific aspects of U.S. foreign policy.

4) The doctrine that informs OBL/Al Qaeda is that of DEFENSIVE JIHAD -- they see the Muslim world under attack by the U.S., and call upon scripture to support defensive military action by all faithful members of the "umma" (the universal body of Islam).

5) OBL has repeatedly stated five demands for changes in U.S. foreign policy: i) end all aid to Israel, ii) withdraw military forces from the Arabian Peninsula and all Muslim territory, iii) end all involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq, iv) end U.S. support for the oppression of Muslims in China, Russia, India and elsewhere, and v) restore Muslim control of the Islamic world's energy resources for the benefit of Muslims. A sixth point is to replace U.S.-backed regimes in the Muslim world with Islamic regimes, but that is really a demand on the Muslim population.

6) The war in Afghanistan was a failure from the beginning, because OBL & the other leaders were allowed to escape at the beginning, and because the U.S. is just propping up Karzai in Kabul while the rest of the country is still in the hands of warlords and the Taliban.

7) The offensive invasion and occupation of Iraq was a huge gift to OBL -- it has just tied down more U.S. forces that otherwise could be fighting Al Qaeda, and it has become potent evidence for OBL's claim that the U.S. is aggressively targeting the Muslim world.

8) Scheuer concludes that at this point there is no choice but to resolve to fight a relentless war against the Al Qaeda-led insurgency. However, if the U.S. took action on the list of demands, it could undercut the insurgency dramatically. Scheuer argues that the U.S. should move to energy sufficiency, stop propping up corrupt regimes like Saudi Arabia, and remove itself as a target of the so far effective-because-largely-true propaganda campaign of the insurgents. There is no contradiction here, as some readers think. Changing political policies AND waging a more effective military campaign are both parts of an overall strategy, and only one-dimensional thinkers would imagine that it's an either/or choice.

Heaven & Hell

2007-05-11T06:31:00.000-04:00

Horrible wildfires raging on Catalina Island. Such an awful sight in such a beautiful place. I remember so well visiting a few years back when Cyndy still lived in the LA area. One of her friends flew us in his private plane to Catalina where we landed at the "Airport in the Sky", drove down to the coast past the famous herds of buffalo, and then spent the day in the island's only town, the lovely Avalon. Prayers for Santa Catalina's people and wildlife.

Puhpeeze!

2007-05-07T11:06:00.000-04:00

Is there anything cuter than puppies? If only they would stay this little and cute...

Otter BFF

2007-03-28T10:58:00.000-04:00

If this doesn't make your heart melt a bit then there's something wrong with you. All together now..."Awwwwwweeeeee!!!"

Reality check...

2007-03-28T10:54:00.000-04:00

I have alot of problems with John McCain....lack of honesty, willingness to compromise ethics to get where he wants to be, arrogance, etc., but this latest issue shows he's out of touch with reality as well...

My name is Sharon & I'm addicted to LUSH!

2007-01-03T08:59:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite shops in the UK is LUSH....handmade, natural body products. I would think of them wistfully now and then and wish they had some shops here near me in Maryland. Sigh. Then a few weeks ago an online friend said, "But I thought they had a store in DC, in Georgetown?" Shiver. I looked it up on their webite and lo and behold, yes, there is a Santa Claus, Virginia! So last week I trekked down to M & Wisconsin and came home a poorer, but better smelling person. If you haven't ever tried any of their stuff, then go to their website, where you can order products by mail. I swear by their "Big Shampoo", and their massage bars are to die for. Happy, happy, happy :)

Ho Ho Ho

2006-12-05T13:01:00.000-05:00

Kicked off my holiday baking with some cupcakes for work.

Scent-sational

2006-12-02T06:06:00.000-05:00

Just ordered a bunch of candles from my friend Karen, who runs Buttermilk Barn, a little bit of the USA in England. She handmakes all of her candles and other products and talk about fresh, she makes the orders up as she gets them. The only "bad" thing about her business is that she has soooooooooo many incredible scents, it's almost impossible to decide what to order! You have to pay a little more because of the shipping from the UK, but it's worth it! I can't wait to get the "Freshly ground coffee", "Hot orange danish", "Bay rum", "Key lime pie" and other candles I ordered. Check her out, just a few of the scents offered are:

Cinnabun
Blueberry Muffin
Chocolate Raspberry
Coffee Cake
English Toffee
Sticky Toffee Pudd
Spiced Gum Drops
Sweet Potato Pie
Hot Baked Apple Pie
Granny’s Kitchen
Homespun Blend
Cherry Cobbler
Carrot Cake
Snickerdoodle Cookie
Digestive Biscuits
Butterscotch Pudding
Cookies & Cream
Choc Chip Cookie
Hot Fudge Brownie
Key Lime Pie
Lemon Meringue Pie
Fresh Baked Bread
Buttercream
English Toffee
Sugar Cookie
Red Hot Cinnamon Candy
Mint Chocolate
Buttercream Crunch
Coconut Cream Pie
Cinnamon Donuts
Wildberry Scone
Gourmet Belgian Chocolates
Choc Covered Cherries
Hot Orange Danish
NY Cheesecake
Strawberry Cheesecake
S’Mores
White Chocolate
Apple Crumb Cake
Caramel
Toasted Marshmallow
Chocolate Mousse
Chocca Mocha
Oatmeal Raisin Cookie
Angel Food Cake
7UP Pound Cake
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Peanut Butter & Jam
German Chocolate Cake
Bubble Gum
Jelly Beans
Gingerbread
Blueberry Hotcakes
Brown Sugar & Spice
Buttermilk Pancakes
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Orange Juice Cake
Chocolate Cake
Birthday Cake
Amish Friendship Bread
Grasshopper Pie
Pink Sugar
Cookie Jar
Brown Sugar Nutmeg
Honey Baked Pears
Peppermint Patty
Cinnamon Vanilla
Choc Orange
Vanilla Wafer
Apples & Oak
Apple Jack
Hot Baked Apple Pie
Cucumber Melon
Emily’s Tomato Patch
Grapefruit Zing
Coconut
Tangerine Lemongrass
Bahama Mama
Canteloupe
Wild Watermelon
Raspberries & Cream
Strawberries & Cream
Strawberry Jam
Blackberry
Pina Colada
Banana Cream Pie
Banana Smoothie
Cherry Almond
Cinnaberry
Raining Pineapples
Raspberry Kiwi
Vanilla Grapefruit
White Plum Chutney
Mango Mandarin
Mango & Papaya
Gingered Pear
Moroccan Orange Blossom
Pink Lemonade
Blackberry Jam
Country Clothesline
Fresh Crisp Linen
Ocean Mist
Baby Powder
Baby Lotion
Nantucket Briar – type
Lavender
Fresh Cut Grass
Patchouli
Butterfly Kisses
Angel Whispers
Gardenia
Honeysuckle
Lily of the Valley
Magnolia
Very Vanilla
Honey Almond
Ylang Ylang
Basil Sage Mint
Peppermint
Spearmint
Carrot
Tea Rose
Splash of Lime
Summer Sorbet
Vanilla Bean
Frosted Snowdrops
Vanilla Lace
Peony
Sweet Pea
Sandcastles
Amish Quilt
Cranberry Spice
Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Bonfire Night
Pecan Pie
Maple Pecan
Apple Jack
Witches Blend (blk Liquorice)
Mulled Cider
Nutty Taffy Apple
Indian Summer
Oak Leaves & Autumn Acorns
Pumpkin Bread
Caramel Popcorn
Maple Sugar
Cookies for Santa
Oh Christmas Tree
Candy Cane
Mistletoe
Old Fashioned Christmas
Egg Nog
Christmas Cheer
Sleighbells
Frost Bite
Jingleberry
Gingerbread
Hot Cocoa
Bayberry
Roasted Chestnuts
Hot Buttered Rum
Clove
Nutmeg
A Dickens Christmas
Sugar Plum
Christmas Wassail
Christmas Thyme
Santa's Snacks
Mrs Claus' Kitchen
Garland & Tinsel
Father Christmas' Whiskers
Flannel Sheets
Figgy Pudding
...and the list goes on!.....

Wishful Thinking

2006-11-19T00:48:00.000-05:00

HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY

2006-11-10T23:01:00.000-05:00

Just basking in the results of election day. Each day seems to bring better and better news, and it's so nice not to be crushingly depressed by the results like I was after the previous election.

I'm bi-partisan when it comes to humor

2006-10-13T09:36:00.000-04:00

I may not agree with the message, but I can totally agree that this is funny:

Tis the season!

2006-10-08T16:17:00.000-04:00

Ok, so I listen to Christmas music throughout the year...but now the season is REALLY here! This week I purchased my first Christmas gift and today I bought my first set of Christmas cards. I probably spend more time agonizing over my cards than I do when I get a new car. I can spend hours browsing through all the cards on display. I love the beauty of the artwork and the sentiments expressed and have a horrible time narrowing it down to which ones are just RIGHT. I usually get several different styles so I can match the cards to the recipients. Today's cards maybe struck me because of having so recently spent time in Arizona and around my family roots. I look at this picture and see my father and grandfather and uncles, and the lifestyle and countryside that made them who they are and were. Ok, ok, so I'm weird about Christmas, lol!

Diddy calls Bjork

2006-10-07T23:10:00.001-04:00

Just because this makes me laugh.

"Iraq For Sale: The War Profiteers" DVD

2006-09-25T22:37:00.000-04:00

Our men and women in uniform deserve better than this. No, I don't believe everything I see on film or in print. But yes, I do believe this particular film. I have loved ones in the military who have and are going hungry when they shouldn't have to, just because the contractors limit their services as much as possible to make as big a profit as possible. Is war hell? Yes. Is it comfy and cozy? No. But where there is an opportunity to take better care of the troops it should be taken.

An apple a day...

2006-09-13T15:15:00.001-04:00

There's always room for a good love story. Read this last week...

The Daily Verse

2006-08-28T10:41:00.000-04:00

I met alot of great people when I worked in radio, and one of them is Kat Davis. Kat used to pick a Bible verse every day to think about, and got in the habit of sharing her short devotional thought about the day's verse with several friends, via email. Gradually more and more people asked to be added to her daily distribution list, and it's evolved into "The Daily Verse." If this sounds like something you'd enjoy starting your morning with each day, then just go to The Daily Verse website and add your email address to the free mailing list. It's amazing how often the verse she picks for the day is one that I particularly needed that very day.

This is me!

2006-08-19T10:02:00.000-04:00

Did any of you see the Primetime segment on synesthesia? Here's a snippet from a website...

Spatial placement of numbers, months of the year, and/or days of the week is another form called spatial-sequence synesthesia. "For most of us, February and Wednesday don't have any particular locations in space. But certain types of synesthetes experience precise locations in relation to their bodies for numbers or time units. They can point to the spot where the number 32 is. Or where December is floating. Or where the year 1997 lies," Eagleman says. To study this, he has developed Virtual Reality software to allow his research subjects to physically place their time units exactly where they "see" them.

Does anyone else here have this or is it just me? For me it's time, days and months. The hours in a day start below me and move up, with noon being pretty much right in front of me, and continue up with midnight above me. Days and months of a year are in a straight line, starting to my left and ending to my right. I was never sure if no one, or everyone "saw" time like that.

Here's an interesting website and audio clip about it from the BBC.

And check out this website.

Beauty

2006-08-17T14:16:00.000-04:00

No particular reason for this, just something beautiful after all the ugly items I've just read through on today's news. Some days you just need a reminder that beauty still exists.

Mocha Valencia - RIP

2006-08-17T14:02:00.000-04:00

Well, it's official, Starbucks has REALLY killed off my fav drink, the Mocha Valencia. Sigh. For years it's been off the menu boards, but they'd always make it if asked. But this week the girl at the counter told me it was the last time I could order it, they're really discontinuing it. And she LAUGHED when she told me! Talk about adding insult to injury :(

Hot Hot Hot

2006-08-02T13:44:00.000-04:00

This pic pretty much sums up today. Hi's around 101, heat index around 115, and it will continue through the next few days. The Wshington Post had this weather forecast:

EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EDT THURSDAY . . .VERY HOT CONTINENTAL AIR MASS FROM THE PLAINS WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD SLOWLY TO THE EAST . . . EXPECT CONDITIONS TO BE HOT. DAMN HOT. JUNGLE HOT. SATAN-IN-A-SPEEDO HOT. ANGRY-GOD HOT. PETS MAY OPENLY CURSE. PEDESTRIANS MAY COMBUST. HAVE A NICE DAY.

London....of course!

2006-07-26T22:50:00.000-04:00

You Belong in London

A little old fashioned, and a little modern.
A little traditional, and a little bit punk rock.
A unique woman like you needs a city that offers everything.
No wonder you and London will get along so well.

What City Do You Belong In?

Recipes from down under

2006-07-16T15:17:00.000-04:00

Just got my first ever copies of the famous Australian "Woman's Weekly" cookbook series. They are fantastic. Keepers made from heavy weight paper, including photos of every recipe, measurement conversion tables, and a glossary explaining every ingredient. Now the question is which recipe to try first....the honey pistachio rosewater palmiers or the ginger macadamia bars....decisions, decisions. They aren't easy to get up here, so hugs and kisses to my Aussie friend Gavin for sending them to me. So far the easiest way to get them here if you don't have a contact in OZ would probably be to grab them off of ebay.

Happy Happy Happy!

2006-06-26T13:49:00.000-04:00

Woohooo....one of my favorite authors is coming out with a new book to add to her wonderful trilogy. Adriania Trigiani wrote the "Big Stone Mountain" series which will now become a quartet instead of a trilogy! If you've never read any of her books you've missed out! You have time to read the trilogy before the new book comes out in October! I just finished reading "Rococo" by her and it's wonderful. And also check out the cookbook of family Italian recipes that she and her sisters have published. AND.... as if that wasn't wonderful enough, they'll start production any time now on her screenplay for the first book in the trilogy.

Fair's fair...

2006-06-15T21:49:00.000-04:00

If the Ann Coulter bruhaha has shown anything, it's that bad behavior needs to be called regardless of where it appears on the political spectrum. So fair's fair... I saluted the Dixie Chicks on not backing down despite bizarre public reactions like death threats.... hey they're opinions, everyone has them and you have a right to disagree with whichever ones you want, but not a right to attack people for having them... but Natalie has gone too far with her latest interview comments attacking the concept of patriotism and those who feel patriotic about their country. She has a right to her opinion, but I and alot of other people will disagree with it. That's the way it works. Natalie, you should have stopped while you were ahead.

Guilty pleasure

2006-06-12T21:40:00.000-04:00

Love this show! I know, I know....it's trash TV....but it's really GOOD trash TV! Will Chardonnay be able to pass off her mother-in-law's illegitimate baby as her own? Will Tanya keep amnesia plagued Frank thinking she's his mistress instead of his attempted murderer? Will Donna stay with ambitious husband Ian or hook up with hunky Italian Salvatore? Will a new player step up to top Kyle's costumed Sleeping Beauty wedding? And what will Stephan do when he finds out that Jason is the father of Kyle's brother/son? What happened to Holly, kidnapped while her aunt Marie was fooling around with Tanya's husband? .........

Shameful

2006-06-07T23:08:00.000-04:00

My grandfather devoted 30 years to the Republican Party. For awhile he was chairman of the Los Angeles Republican Central Committee. He must be spinning in his grave to see that Ann Coulter is considered a spokesperson for the party and movement he believed in so much. His only comfort would be that it's not really the same party anymore. Coulter's latest comments denigrating and mocking any 9/11 widows who don't happen to exactly follow her particular opinions are past disgraceful. What a sorry, sad woman.

Turkey

2006-06-06T23:44:00.000-04:00

Quite possibly the worst movie I've seen in years! My sister and I watched it last weekend and it was so bad we had to keep watching it. It's a toss-up as to what's worse...the stilted, convoluted dialogue or the cheesy special effects (watch for the blazing blue eyes). I'd pay good money to see Barbara Walters or Leno bring out some clips from this the next time Jennifer Aniston's a guest!

Chicks grown up

2006-06-04T23:47:00.000-04:00

Country radio's cutting off their nose to spite their face on this one... their loss! Kudos to the Chicks for a great album. The quality of the songwriting and singing is top notch and it deserves it's place on top of the charts.

Little Casanova

2006-06-02T18:37:00.000-04:00

Looks like Sooty's trying to figure out how to make another escape...

Hmmmmmmm

2006-05-31T09:09:00.000-04:00

You Are Sunrise

You enjoy living a slow, fulfilling life. You enjoy living every moment, no matter how ordinary.
You are a person of reflection and meditation. You start and end every day by looking inward.
Caring and giving, you enjoy making people happy. You're often cooking for friends or buying them gifts.
All in all, you know how to love life for what it is - not for how it should be.

What Time Of Day Are You?

Because it's there

2006-05-30T09:27:00.000-04:00

For someone who despises cold weather, and is the opposite of an athelete, I am very fascinated by mountain climbing. Especially those brave, crazy, pioneering, foolish people who climb mountains like Everest. Maybe it's a carry over from loving books like "Lost Horizon" when I was young. Maybe it's just an appreciation for people who do "impossible" things "because it's there". As described on mountain climbing websites, this has been a tough and tragic climbing season, with stories like Lincoln Hall's amazing rescue raising uncomfortable ethical questions and highlighting both the best and worst of the mountianeering culture. You won't ever see me on one of those summits, but hats off to those who do make it up there.

Travel tales

2006-05-15T16:21:00.000-04:00

If you're looking for a good read, check out "Row 22, Seats A&B" by Frederick Waterman. It's a collection of short stories originally penned for the United Airlines onboard magazine. I'm not always a fan of the short story format, but I loved the variety, intimacy and surprising twists of this collection.

Wonderful!

2006-05-15T15:30:00.000-04:00

The wedding was perfect! The bride and groom were beautiful and handsome, respectively, the company was entertaining, and the weather and setting were picture perfect. We all had a wonderful time (I know, how many times can you use the words "wonderful" and "perfect" in one posting? But they are so appropriate!) and it was the romantic, storybook event the couple deserved. Check out more pictures.

Woohoo!!!

2006-05-11T11:17:00.000-04:00

Pat and Cathy are getting married!!! The big day is this Saturday, on the Spirit of Washington cruise ship, and our circle of friends can't wait. We're so happy for the happy couple. Cyndy, Beth and I have been shopping for new outfits and presents and we are ready to party! Nothing better than celebrating life's big momoments with people you love.

Mind Games

2006-05-10T10:04:00.000-04:00

Check out the latest book, Mind Games, by my incredibly talented friend and author Matthew Paul Turner! When you visit that website you can read a sample chapter. If you haven't read any of his other books then what are you waiting for?! They're available at Amazon.com, your local Christian bookstores, and I think Walmart may be carrying them now, too. They're funny, insightful, thoughtful and inspiring... what more could you ask for in a book?

Odds & ends

2006-05-04T14:10:00.000-04:00

If you're not a "Gilmore Girls" fan then you won't be interested, but wow, it's with great trepidation I look forward to next week's season finale. Watching this week's episode just brought home how important good writers are. Without them it doesn't matter how good the stars are, they can only carry bad material so far. And boy, when the Palladino's are having a good week they are awesome. Michel's little quirks, like this week's panic over dairy products mislabeling, and Jackson and Sookie's "pickle" dilemma....great stuff. With the Palladinos leaving and the trailer showing a possible rehookup with Christopher....I'm afraid, very afraid. Sigh.

Ok, I'm apparently the LAST person to discover his music, but on the off chance that you are as behind as I was, check out Jack Johnson! I'm usually further ahead of the curve, but hey, better late than never. Not Hawaiian music, but Hawaiian flavored music. Love the rhythyms and feel of this cd. Makes me wish I was sitting on the beach soaking up some sunshine. Ok, so I ALWAYS wish I was sitting on the beach soaking up some sunshine....you get the idea.

Yup

2006-04-19T20:36:00.000-04:00

Not much I can add, this front page article pretty much says it all.

Movie

2006-04-17T13:20:00.000-04:00

Saw "Thank You For Not Smoking" Saturday night. Great movie, very funny and a great time for anyone who enjoys satire. Could have been a lot edgier, which is why I want to go read the book now, I hear it's even sharper. Aaron Eckhart does a great job in the lead role and I loved his MOD cohorts. Katie Holmes was the only casting disappointment, she isn't very convincing in her role. Maybe becoming Tom's drone WAS a good career move.

Meet the Cleaning Hunk!

2006-03-30T11:26:00.000-05:00

If you haven't already watched this, visit the Cleaning Hunk. Definitely something to give you a smile. Well, perhaps some of you more than others, lol.

music music music

2006-03-30T11:19:00.000-05:00

Give a listen to Corinne Bailey Rae's self titled cd on EMI... good stuff! If you're a Norah Jones fan you'll probably like her.

Also, my old fellow Takoma Academy alumnus Tommy Prasada-Rao will be performing at the West Side Cafe up in Frederick on Mothers Day, I think that's Sunday, May 14 or 15, more good stuff! If you haven't ever heard any of his music then give it a listen!!!

Check out these websites!

2006-03-25T19:45:00.000-05:00

My two favorite websites this week:

Got cute? Well if you don't, or if you can't get enough, then rush on over to the experts, the "cuteologists" of www.cuteoverload.com. Any site that can give you images like this is gold.

And then, you have to hand it to the Japanese, they take the basic techno-stuff and amp it up with fashion or impishness (hey, have you SEEN the Hello Kitty waffle iron???). Check out the folks at Dynamism. Who else would combine a need for digital storage and a love for sushi...

Go see this film!!!

2006-03-20T13:05:00.000-05:00

Rent a copy of "Paper Clips" from your nearest Blockbuster, check it off on your next Netflix order, or grab a copy on Ebay. EVERYONE can benefit from watching this documentary and you'll remember it every time you see a paper clip. I can't recommend this highly enough. I know I haven't told you much about it, but just trust me on this and let it unfold in front of you.

Just say No!

2006-03-07T21:44:00.000-05:00

Take my word for it.....Blech!!!

How cool is this?!

2006-03-07T21:37:00.000-05:00

Check this out.....a new crustacean discovered in the Pacific... it's covered in fur! http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060307/ap_on_sc/france_new_crustacean

Rest in Peace

2006-03-07T09:58:00.000-05:00

I was so saddened this morning to hear about the death of Dana Reeve. What a brave, gracious woman. She handled a horrible situation with love, dignity and serenity, and made me hope that if I was ever in a similar situation I could cope with even a fraction of her grace. What a role model. My heart goes out to her son. Rest in Peace.

Libera

2006-02-28T11:08:00.000-05:00

Check out this group! Libera is an alternative kind of boy band....a group of school boys from various south London schools, between the ages of 7 and 16. I just got their second album, "Visions" and it's gorgeous. They sound like angels, just the kind of cd to put on when you're having a tough day and need to relax.

Skyr is Hyr!!!

2006-02-25T10:41:00.000-05:00

Yup, one of my favorite foods from Iceland is here. The best description of skyr, a dairy product, is that it's kind of like a non-fat, thickened yogurt. In Iceland it's used like we would use yogurt and also in alot of desserts. When I visited I had it in little tubs with fruit, and at restaurants in desserts with chocolate, caramel and toffee. It reminded me of guilt-free cheesecake filling. Whole Foods stores have been talking about carrying it for the last month or so and I finally saw it yesterday. If you have a Whole Foods near you, give it a try. You can find it in the food-to-go section, made into little parfaits with berries, granola and plain and berry flavored skyr. Yummy!

Who are you?

2006-02-22T21:06:00.000-05:00

A "Lost" fan? Here are a few quizzes to determine which character you are most like. I got one "Locke", two "Kates" and a "Sun"....enjoy!

Take the quiz:
Which LOST character are you?

Locke
You are Locke You are the Ambassador of the island. You can be a wierdo at times, but you know more than anyone else.

Quizzes by myYearbook.com -- the World's Biggest Yearbook!

You scored as Kate. You are Kate! Even with your spotty past of bank robbery and trouble you are a known as a nice girl who loves adventure. You are one of the guys and will always volunteer to go exploring.

Kate

63%

Jack

56%

Locke

50%

Sun

44%

Michael

44%

Boone

38%

Sawyer

31%

Claire

25%

Charlie

19%

Shannon

19%

Sayid

19%

Which "Lost" character are you?
created with QuizFarm.com

You are Kate. Breathtakingly beautiful, seemingly

pure of heart, and you can even sew your own

curtains! You listen to Patsy Cline anywhere

and know how to work a farm. Your past

haunts you. An accused criminal, are you

innocent or guilty? The only thing thing we

know you're guilty of is not giving Charlie

the attention he needs.

Which Lost Character Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Sun

You scored 88% kindness, 28% courage, 28% seedy past, and 66% secretiveness!

"Do you think all this, all we've been through... do you think we're being punished?"

You are Sun. You are very, very kind, but also very secretive. You have
not shown much bravery as of yet, but you are growing more and more
bold with each day that passes. Don't let the others push you around!
You're your own woman! R-E-S-P-E-C-T, sister! And hey, if things don't
work out with Jin, I'm sure Michael wouldn't mind taking you out for
dinner and a movie.

Your polar opposite is: ironically, Jin.
You are similar to: Claire and Walt.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:

You scored higher than 98% on kindness
You scored higher than 0% on courage
You scored higher than 23% on seedy past
You scored higher than 66% on secretiveness

Link: The Which Lost Character Are You Test written by ack_attack on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

Farewell, Kathy

2006-02-20T21:04:00.000-05:00

Have to take a moment to bid a fond farewell to "Kathy Beale", one of the original "Eastenders" characters. Anyone who has watched my favorite soap over the last 20+ years will miss the hard luck Mrs. Beale-Mitchell, finally killed off today in the latest storyline by the UK sudser. Never quite good enough for her Eastend mother-in-law, Lou; driven to distraction by her well-meaning but clueless husband Pete; traumatized by the nefarius Wilmott-Brown; stuck with the ever unpopular Ian for a son; the unwitting cause of Dirty Den's demise; the victimized wife of Phil Mitchell and tool of revenge by his brother Grant Mitchell; Best friend of Angie; and finally, content mother in distant South Africa, to Ben, her son by Phil. I'd like to think of "Kaff" and "Ange" kicking back somewhere under a palm tree finally enjoying the good life! Cheers, girls! And drat BBC America and the moron's who run it for screwing up my "Eastenders" viewing.....GRRRRRRRRR!!!!

Things I miss...

2006-02-08T15:32:00.000-05:00

Just thinking today of some things that didn't last or that are on their way out that I wish would have stuck around longer. In no particular order...

Grover Levey: One of my all time favorite singers. I even named my cat after him! But unfortunately apparently no one else listened to his music, so he went back to teaching. You can still find his old cd's online though...

Profit: One of my secret TV vices, the nasty wheelings and dealings of that anti-hero, Jim Profit. FINALLY out on DVD it doesn't look at all dated until one of the characters pulls out an old cellphone the size of a toaster.

Baskin-Robbins Licorice ice cream: Do you remember this? Kind of a dark, purple-smoky gray color and DELICIOUS. Impossible to eat without making a mess. One flavor they've never brought back. Sigh.

The BOHO fashion look: I know, you can still get away with it, but it's on its way out. Too bad, I'll miss it, I love the mix of gypsy styles and the hippy look of my childhood. I may just continue to wear it anyway.

Deep cleansing breaths

2006-01-28T23:46:00.000-05:00

How was your week? If I believed in astrology I'd say the stars were horribly aligned or something, it's been one of those weeks with a vengeance! And everyone I know seems to have had the same kind of week. So no great deep thoughts of wisdom here in this post, just a hug, pat on the back or whatever you need, and a reminder that things will get better! Happy place...happy place...

Woohoo! Everyone loves a holiday!!!

2006-01-10T08:41:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Whitney for reminding me that this is the 2nd annual National DE-Lurker Week! Time to come out of the closet, quit hiding behind that mouse, and leave a comment! Yup, I want to hear from you, even if it's just a quick "Hi". It's really not that hard.... and besides, aren't you getting kind of tired of only hearing me talk?!

Mouse - 1, Man - 0

2006-01-08T20:33:00.000-05:00

Let's hear it for the mouse!!! Nice to see the underdog come out on top for a change.

The end of an era

2005-12-26T17:35:00.000-05:00

The nunbun is no more. Yup, Nashville's famous nunbun pastry, a cinnamon roll that resembles Mother Teresa, was stolen on Christmas morning. The weird thing is (well, ok, maybe not weird, when you consider we are talking about baked goods resembling soon to be canonized legends!) is that I'd put visiting the nunbun on my list of things to do a few days ago when planning my trip this week to Nashville. Although it's been shellacked and on display at Bongo Java for almost 10 years and I've been to Bongo Java for coffee and concerts, I'd never bothered to go look at their most famous item. I'd just made a mental note to look at it when I dropped by for coffee. The police investigating the break-in classified the stolen property as "other". I'm guessing they should watch ebay. I guess I'll just have to settle for a nunbun t-shirt or coffee mug.

I'm a Pepper, you're a Pepper...

2005-12-21T13:48:00.000-05:00

Well it could have been better, but it did the job, this is my Diet Dr. Pepper cake, made for a going away party at work. The person who's leaving drinks Diet Dr. Pepper non-stop all day, so it was the first thing that sprang to mind when I was thinking of a cake to make.

What's in YOUR wallet?

2005-12-17T14:30:00.000-05:00

Errr....sorry...too many viewings of those cute Capitol One commercials! What I meant to say was what's on your fridge door? Currently, aside from the usual real estate calendar magnets and Redskins schedules, I've got my "W" paperdoll magnet set and some De Grazia magnets. The paperdolls are self explanatory, but if you've never heard of De Grazia, then check out this incredible artist! His pictures of southwestern themes have were featured for years in "Arizona Highways" magazine and now you can even find high end figurines based on his paintings. One of these days I'll visit his museum out west.

God created laughter

2005-12-16T19:15:00.000-05:00

I firmly believe that we Christians tend to forget that God invented humor and gave it to us as a great gift. I think He would chuckle at this Christmas card and I hope you get a laugh out of it too. Thanks to my friend, Sue, in the UK for sending this my way.