Wednesday, October 29, 2003
speaking of waitresses . . .
Y'all have already visited Bitter Waitress, right? If not, you must do so. It's pretty funny—especially the celebrity sightings.
ah, memories
I take it back; I have set foot in a fancy restaurant. The only problem was that Ben and I didn't know it was fancy beforehand, so we were wearing jeans and t-shirts. Needless to say, that was not a pleasant experience. The waitstaff apparently thought we had come in just to eat then run out without paying, and waited on us as if that were the case. Of course, it probably didn't help matters that I had no idea how to eat the shrimp cocktail properly. (Our fine dining growing up was a trip to Carlos O'Kelley's.) We left a nice big tip, although it wasn't as big as it would have been if they hadn't seemed to be snorting at us as they seated and served us.
no mo' drama
In other news, I think I can, with a clear conscience, recommend Waiting: The True Confessions of a Waitress by Debra Ginsberg. I can't really think of anything to say about it, though. It's Ginsberg's story—why she became a waitress, what she was waiting for, what happened along the way. I was kind of lost when it came to the etiquette in fine dining restaurants, as I've never set foot in one, but the way she told the stories made it all feel very familiar. It's a pretty good book, and it definitely made up for my purchase of Nickel and Dimed.
insomnia
When I was younger, I used to lie awake at night and feel as if I could touch eternity. I would think about Hell, and how it would go on forever and ever and never let up. It horrified me and kept me awake and I would ask God to forgive my sins over and over. But if I had to keep asking, maybe I didn't really believe, and if I didn't believe strongly enough, I would be going to Hell anyway. I tried to have the faith of a child, like my Sunday School teacher said I should—unquestioning and unwavering. Everyone said it was harder for smart people to believe in salvation because they had to question everything. I was smart, and I questioned things, even though I never told anybody that I didn't know if their answers were right. I didn't know what to do, so I just kept on singing in the choir and teaching younger kids about Jesus. And at night, I would stare at the ceiling that I couldn't see and imagine that I was being burned alive and I would burn and burn and never die.
That is why I will not be taking my daughter to your church. I know it would make you happy, but I want her to be able to decide what she believes, so that she can believe it with all her heart. Religion is not a family tradition that needs to be passed down—it's a personal belief.
I still feel sometimes that I know what eternity is. It happens when I lie awake on Saturday mornings in bed feeling warm and alive with possibilities. I drive down the back roads on the way home, and I see the leaves changing and the sun setting, and I wish that I could see them forever, and I feel how small my life is within this universe.
I wish I could say I never lie awake thinking about Hell anymore, that I don't believe in it. But I still do now and then, and it kept me awake last night, and I wish I could either forget about it or be a devout believer again, but neither path seems to be mine. I guess we all have our scars.
That is why I will not be taking my daughter to your church. I know it would make you happy, but I want her to be able to decide what she believes, so that she can believe it with all her heart. Religion is not a family tradition that needs to be passed down—it's a personal belief.
I still feel sometimes that I know what eternity is. It happens when I lie awake on Saturday mornings in bed feeling warm and alive with possibilities. I drive down the back roads on the way home, and I see the leaves changing and the sun setting, and I wish that I could see them forever, and I feel how small my life is within this universe.
I wish I could say I never lie awake thinking about Hell anymore, that I don't believe in it. But I still do now and then, and it kept me awake last night, and I wish I could either forget about it or be a devout believer again, but neither path seems to be mine. I guess we all have our scars.
Friday, October 24, 2003
like a bee
Sorry for the no-posting. Very very busy.
Wednesday, October 15, 2003
random
Jane Espenson wrote last night's Gilmore Girls. I am so behind the times; I had no idea until I saw the “written by” credit pop up.
On the same channel, a night earlier, Everwood gave a Buffy shout-out.
Man, I miss that show.
But even though I miss the show, I'm not sure about the Alyson Hannigan sitcom thing. I hope it's good and doesn't make me avoidy when it comes to her stuff.
On the same channel, a night earlier, Everwood gave a Buffy shout-out.
Man, I miss that show.
But even though I miss the show, I'm not sure about the Alyson Hannigan sitcom thing. I hope it's good and doesn't make me avoidy when it comes to her stuff.
reasoning
I actually bought the jade ring to replace a ring I lost when I was thirteen or so. My mom gave me this turquoise ring that she didn't want anymore (or it didn't fit—I'm not sure). My family doesn't have a lot of heirloom-type stuff, so I decided this ring would be an heirloom, and I'd pass it down to my daughter or niece or whomever; I told Mom that and she thought it was hilarious. (I still don't know why. Was it a five-dollar ring or something? Who knows?) I lost it in my bedroom in the basement, though. I felt so bad about that, too; I practically tore the room apart looking for it. There weren't that many places it could have fallen, so I still don't know where exactly it could have gone.
Anyway, I bought this ring to "replace" it, then I remembered the original ring wasn't jade, it was turquoise.
There's a moral of some sort here involving a fox or something, I'm sure.
Anyway, I bought this ring to "replace" it, then I remembered the original ring wasn't jade, it was turquoise.
There's a moral of some sort here involving a fox or something, I'm sure.
spendy spend spend
I splurged and spent some dinero on stuff I've been eyeing for a while. Details? Okay.
I bought the Corazón bag by Fishcakes Designs from Plain Mabel. It was shipped super-fast, and there was a leetle Plain Mabel button with it. The bag is gorgeous: the color is one of my favorites and the art is muy pretty. I also like that there are different textures—I love pretty much everything about it, basically.
Then I bought one of the jade rings from The Carrotbox, which I just received yesterday. It's a lot darker and more dramatic than I expected it to be, since I'm a jewelry dumbass, apparently. It's beautiful.
All in all, I'm very happy with my little spree.
I bought the Corazón bag by Fishcakes Designs from Plain Mabel. It was shipped super-fast, and there was a leetle Plain Mabel button with it. The bag is gorgeous: the color is one of my favorites and the art is muy pretty. I also like that there are different textures—I love pretty much everything about it, basically.
Then I bought one of the jade rings from The Carrotbox, which I just received yesterday. It's a lot darker and more dramatic than I expected it to be, since I'm a jewelry dumbass, apparently. It's beautiful.
All in all, I'm very happy with my little spree.
simply mahvelous
A little while back not martha posted about The Splendid Table's weekly e-mail newsletter. I found my first "Weeknight Kitchen" in my inbox this morning, and I'm very happy. It's a really simple recipe for: "Linguine with Arugula, Sun Dried Tomatoes and Ricotta Salata." It looks very tasty, and will give me an excuse to buy pine nuts and a specialty cheese.
Next week they'll send a recipe for "Velvety Ginger Pumpkin Bisque," and since I love pretty much anything with pumpkin in it, I'm considering this a sign to stock up.
Sign up for the newsletter here. The rest of the site looks interesting, too.
Next week they'll send a recipe for "Velvety Ginger Pumpkin Bisque," and since I love pretty much anything with pumpkin in it, I'm considering this a sign to stock up.
Sign up for the newsletter here. The rest of the site looks interesting, too.
Monday, October 13, 2003
we just call it "whore pasta"
I have made spaghetti puttanesca, like, four times in the past three weeks. It's so great. All the ingredients are things we normally have on hand, and you can ad lib if you don't have one or two of the ingredients. I add the wine—it's listed as being optional, but I can't imagine not adding it; I love to watch it reduce. And the best thing of all is that, if you don't add the onions and use a can of sliced olives instead of slicing them yourself, all you really have to do for dinner is put stuff in a pan.
(I also recommend trying kalamata olives instead of black olives if you're in the mood for kitchen work.)
(I also recommend trying kalamata olives instead of black olives if you're in the mood for kitchen work.)
hope she's right
Question: Have all the Borders folk been told to interact more with customers? I bought the Donnie Darko soundtrack last month, and the chattiness at the counter led to a quick "I'm married" smackdown because I thought the cashier was flirting with me. But then I went yesterday because B was looking for a book about trucks or some such thing, and found Waiting: The True Confessions of a Waitress, which I bought to wash away the memories of Nickel and Dimed and its horrible us/them attitude. I went to pay for it and the cashier was all, "This is a great book!" Is that true? Is it great? Or is it like the stores where they tell you what a wonderful bargain you're getting when you check out?
For the record, if I'm at the check-out counter, I'm not going to grab my purchases and run to stuff them back on the shelves where they came from if you don't tell me what an awesome item I'm buying.
Maybe I just buy really interesting things that absolutely need to be commented on. Heh.
For the record, if I'm at the check-out counter, I'm not going to grab my purchases and run to stuff them back on the shelves where they came from if you don't tell me what an awesome item I'm buying.
Maybe I just buy really interesting things that absolutely need to be commented on. Heh.
more book stuff
I tried to read The Passion of Artemisia, but I couldn't get past the first twenty or so pages. That's a shame, too, because I was really looking forward to reading it. The heroine really grated on my nerves—and we may never know why, since I refuse to waste any more brain cells on this novel.
friendly advice
Do not buy Cooking for Mr. Latte at full price just because it looks interesting. It's disjointed, unfulfilling, and too cutely illustrated—it was probably okay split up into newspaper columns, but all together, it's way too rich. (I hope in real life Amanda is not so hoity-toity or ungrateful.) I only read it all the way through because I was interested in the recipes; sadly, I only found 2 or 3 that I liked and could cook, since I can't afford truffles. Bottom line: borrow it if you absolutely must read it, or maybe buy it at a deep deep discount. I bought it in hardcover, which is too sad for words.
Saturday, October 04, 2003
saying "Roy" but not "Siegfried" seems kind of weird
Poor Roy. Being mauled by a tiger's not a great way to spend your birthday.
Friday, October 03, 2003
not an addict
I have a problem, and its name is "Melrose Place." Can't always make it home in time to watch, and we don't have a TiVo yet, so I follow along with Ken Hart's recaps, which can be found at Melrose Space.
This is yet another pop-culture phenomenon I missed out on due to my sheltered upbringing.
(As an example, I'd never seen an episode of 90210 until they started rerunning it on cable, either—although once I saw a part of an ep where someone [Brenda?] had cancer and everyone had glycerine running down their faces or something.)
At least now I know why it's funny to see Marcia Cross play an upstanding member of society on "Everwood."
This is yet another pop-culture phenomenon I missed out on due to my sheltered upbringing.
(As an example, I'd never seen an episode of 90210 until they started rerunning it on cable, either—although once I saw a part of an ep where someone [Brenda?] had cancer and everyone had glycerine running down their faces or something.)
At least now I know why it's funny to see Marcia Cross play an upstanding member of society on "Everwood."
save a tree
This article from Motley Fool has a lot of info about reducing the amount of junk mail, telemarketing calls, "pre-approved" credit card offers, etc. you receive. This one's older, and covers less territory, but it's got few bits of interesting stuff. (Registration required, but it’s worth it.)
disclaimer
Yes, I know the article I just linked was really about SNL, but I can't stand SNL anymore, so I am ignoring its existence. A little bit of laughing at your own joke during the skit goes a long way, and they've circled the earth about forty times by now.
there's nothing wrong with that
Other people like Jon Stewart. It's always strange to me to find out that something I like is liked by other people. I think "The Daily Show" is hilarious, but cannot imagine anyone else I know liking it. B watches it, but I'm not sure if it's because he really enjoys it, or just because he finds it mildly amusing in a "it's the kind of stuff my wife watches and I'll tolerate" way. If I'd never found the internet, I'd never have known that I'm not alone in my love for some things, and . . . well, it probably doesn't affect my quality of life or anything, but it makes me feel better. And, as everyone should know by now, it's all about me.
(more linkage from PCJM)
(more linkage from PCJM)
more linky goodness
I could spend hours chasing links at Bookslut.
awesome link of the week
This is the best thing ever: Cat Town. I'm linking it here so that I never forget it because a life without Cat Town is a sad life indeed. I love it most because it seems exactly like something I'd do if hopped up on sugar cubes.
(via PCJM via Mimi Smartypants)
(via PCJM via Mimi Smartypants)
comedy of errors
The perfect way to start a Friday:
* wake up late, look out the window, and see frost covering your windshield
* dress your child in a pullover which has a thick collar, which means no bib this morning; pick up child, put child on shoulder, and hear a noise which means "hahaha, it's fun to spit up!"
* juggle two bags and a baby while walking to the finally defrosted car, get everything packed away, and realize you forgot your briefcase
* halfway to the babysitter's, look at your gas gauge—the needle is teasing the E
* you, of course, have no money, and took your credit card out of your purse to curb unnecessary spending (your current predicament is the best argument against common sense ever)
* stop at the 7-11 next to the neighborhood where zee boy is working today, unpack the baby, and try to call him; lucky for you that you have a calling card left over from vacation, because the only change is the car is a handful of PENNIES
* what the hell is the point of having a horrible cell phone if you don't have it ON the ONE TIME your wife needs you to answer?
* pack the baby back into the car and try to make it into town using what you can only assume is the kinetic energy of little leprechauns pedaling bicycles in your gas tank as fuel
* traffic—well, at least there's an excuse for being late now
* leave the babysitter's only to find that you can't turn where you need to turn because traffic is backed up past the light while the light is green
* right turns on red don't work out so well when other cars are making u-turns into your lane
* nearly get clipped by an asshole in a pickup who apparently thinks you should stop while he leisurely crosses the road, even though he's crossing lanes of traffic from a turning lane he shouldn't be turning from in the first place
Wow, I guess I'm making up for the goodness of the past couple of days, huh? Oh, wait, the past few days haven't been all that great. I hope there's someone out there having a fantastic week so that the balance of the universe is still okay.
* wake up late, look out the window, and see frost covering your windshield
* dress your child in a pullover which has a thick collar, which means no bib this morning; pick up child, put child on shoulder, and hear a noise which means "hahaha, it's fun to spit up!"
* juggle two bags and a baby while walking to the finally defrosted car, get everything packed away, and realize you forgot your briefcase
* halfway to the babysitter's, look at your gas gauge—the needle is teasing the E
* you, of course, have no money, and took your credit card out of your purse to curb unnecessary spending (your current predicament is the best argument against common sense ever)
* stop at the 7-11 next to the neighborhood where zee boy is working today, unpack the baby, and try to call him; lucky for you that you have a calling card left over from vacation, because the only change is the car is a handful of PENNIES
* what the hell is the point of having a horrible cell phone if you don't have it ON the ONE TIME your wife needs you to answer?
* pack the baby back into the car and try to make it into town using what you can only assume is the kinetic energy of little leprechauns pedaling bicycles in your gas tank as fuel
* traffic—well, at least there's an excuse for being late now
* leave the babysitter's only to find that you can't turn where you need to turn because traffic is backed up past the light while the light is green
* right turns on red don't work out so well when other cars are making u-turns into your lane
* nearly get clipped by an asshole in a pickup who apparently thinks you should stop while he leisurely crosses the road, even though he's crossing lanes of traffic from a turning lane he shouldn't be turning from in the first place
Wow, I guess I'm making up for the goodness of the past couple of days, huh? Oh, wait, the past few days haven't been all that great. I hope there's someone out there having a fantastic week so that the balance of the universe is still okay.
Wednesday, October 01, 2003
is it sad that they remind me of my sister?
I saw a Flava (is that the correct singular?) in Evil Corporate Wal-Mart the other day and had to grip a shelf to keep from falling over laughing.
This is how they're marketing these things: "Flava, according to Hip Hoptionary: The Dictionary of Hip Hop Terminology by Alonzo Westbrook, means personal flavor or style. With the introduction of Flavas (pronounced FLAY-vuhz), the first reality-based fashion doll brand that celebrates today's teen culture through authentic style, attitude and values Mattel has created a hot hip-hop themed line that allows girls to express their own personal flava."
Does Westbrook know his powers are being used for evil? Also, it's good to have boy dolls that enable girls to express their own personal flava, I guess. How sad is it that they have to explain how to pronounce the name of their new product? The whole thing just smacks of badness. Mattel—coopting one "highly popular trend" at a time until we have CONQUERED THE WORLD!!! Mwahaha.
This is how they're marketing these things: "Flava, according to Hip Hoptionary: The Dictionary of Hip Hop Terminology by Alonzo Westbrook, means personal flavor or style. With the introduction of Flavas (pronounced FLAY-vuhz), the first reality-based fashion doll brand that celebrates today's teen culture through authentic style, attitude and values Mattel has created a hot hip-hop themed line that allows girls to express their own personal flava."
Does Westbrook know his powers are being used for evil? Also, it's good to have boy dolls that enable girls to express their own personal flava, I guess. How sad is it that they have to explain how to pronounce the name of their new product? The whole thing just smacks of badness. Mattel—coopting one "highly popular trend" at a time until we have CONQUERED THE WORLD!!! Mwahaha.
for the record
I feel very weird about publishing something that both reflects my personal interests and uncovers someone else's little piece of the web, but I figure you have to jump in sometime, right?
If it's not very interesting yet, it's because this is all new to me. Also, you can always go elsewhere. Yeah. Welcome to the WL, bitch. Heh.
If it's not very interesting yet, it's because this is all new to me. Also, you can always go elsewhere. Yeah. Welcome to the WL, bitch. Heh.
and no, there's no bad photoshopping
If you feel weird because there's a new fall tv season, but no new "Buffy," I recommend Buffy Season Noir by Anna S. Yes, it's fanfic, but it's good fanfic, which is getting harder to find these days. It's also better than a couple of Buffy seasons were, so there's that. If you like your characters smelling like vanilla and/or strawberries, though, and Mary Sue-ing galore, I'm sorry. I'm sure there's plenty of stuff out there for you, but this ain't it, sistah.
(Oh, and Anna S. also has a livejournal, which has a lot of BtVS-centered ramblings, but, you know, well-written ramblings. Sometimes you just need a Buffy fix, you know? Well, maybe you don't personally, but that's not the point, is it? This isn't your blog.)
(Oh, and Anna S. also has a livejournal, which has a lot of BtVS-centered ramblings, but, you know, well-written ramblings. Sometimes you just need a Buffy fix, you know? Well, maybe you don't personally, but that's not the point, is it? This isn't your blog.)
this is now my confessional, you see
I will admit to watching, when I am bored and tv-hopping, the train wreck that is "Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica." I much prefer to read about it, though, because it feels more educational, and recaps can be even funnier than the show itself—a lesson I've learned over the years as I've nurtured my TWoP addiction.
That said, the best ever recaps of said train wreck are written by Shelley. They're fucking funny. I love them.
(Yes, I'm aware that the Anna Nicole Show was the epitome of train wreckingness, and this isn't half as bad. I can stomach watching this train wreck, though, and that makes all the difference.)
That said, the best ever recaps of said train wreck are written by Shelley. They're fucking funny. I love them.
(Yes, I'm aware that the Anna Nicole Show was the epitome of train wreckingness, and this isn't half as bad. I can stomach watching this train wreck, though, and that makes all the difference.)
mini-rant
I was trying to find something to listen to this morning on the drive to work when I heard a familiar argument on one of those "funny" morning shows. It was another instance of people debating what pregnant women should do with their bodies. Is there such a thing as moderation when it comes to drinking/smoking while pregnant? All I have to say is: are you pregnant? Do what you think is best, given current medical knowledge and your personal convictions. Everyone else, mind your own damn business. And no, the fact that you did things one way when you were pregnant does not mean that all people of the world should follow your example.
I feel as if I should add here that I'm speaking as a previously pregnant person. You can only take so much of the crunchy no-preservatives/natural-birth-or-die stuff before you begin dreading anyone else finding out you're pregnant. Or you begin wishing you lived in France. The people who think you're not being a good mother unless you lock yourself in a room and eat only vegetables and drink only water? They take all the joy out of expecting a baby, and I cannot stand them.
I feel as if I should add here that I'm speaking as a previously pregnant person. You can only take so much of the crunchy no-preservatives/natural-birth-or-die stuff before you begin dreading anyone else finding out you're pregnant. Or you begin wishing you lived in France. The people who think you're not being a good mother unless you lock yourself in a room and eat only vegetables and drink only water? They take all the joy out of expecting a baby, and I cannot stand them.
