Kindred Spirits

Books

2008-12-05T21:10:00.002-07:00

In honor of my new niece, Sofia, I thought it would be fun to blog about kids' books...and it's something everyone else hopefully has fond memories of, too. :)

So, here are five books (well, maybe a few more) that I loved as a kid - or still love...

Johnny Tremain. I always felt like Johnny and Cilla were my good friends, and I cried over Pumpkin. And, no exaggeration, I felt like I lived in Revolutionary-War-era Boston when I was reading it. Silversmith apprentices sounded like pretty normal people to me.
Blueberries for Sal and One Morning in Maine are probably my favorite picture books; bears, berries, beaches, sisters - and clam chowder for lunch.
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel. Somehow I think I liked how hardworking and resourceful Mike and Marianne were.
Childcraft book of children's stories (it was my dad's, from the 60's). There were myths (Persephone eating a pomegranate seed and being stuck in the underworld for half the year), histories (a boy meeting the pirate Jean Lafitte - a sort of hero in Louisiana), and so much more. It's weird how I still think of these stories sometimes, and haven't read them in 15 years or more.
Little House in the Big Woods (and the rest of the series). My mom gave this to me for my fifth birthday, and I remember us almost crying with laughter as she read about Laura's grandpa and the pig on the sled. Good times. :)

What are your old favorites?

Happy First Day of Fall!

2008-09-22T19:14:00.001-06:00

my backyard, last fall

It's been a little chilly and very cloudy today; good weather for a hearty dinner with lots of kielbasa, carrots, and onions. (I'm a big fan of sausage - must be all my German ancestors.)

The Rhubarb Apple Pie

2008-09-03T18:07:00.000-06:00

My friend Sharon very sweetly linked to KS in a blog meme, and although I'm not going to link to anyone else, I feel inspired to post something. :)

Those who know me well know i'm pretty fearless when it comes to baking things like muffins or (non-layer) cakes. And this year I got over my dread of making cookies (they really don't take hours to make!). But pies remained on the scared-to-make-again list, because I've had plenty of past failed crusts...or when they didn't fail, I almost wished they had, because it was so incredibly hard to get them to work out.

I forget past experiences probably more than is good for me, though. So a couple weeks ago I was home on a Thursday evening and, seeing that the rhubarb Melodee and I got at the farmer's market was getting a little soft, decided to whip up a pie. (That's actually what I thought, and it seems funny now...unless you're Laura Ingalls Wilder's ma, or Almanzo's, can you really whip out a pie?) I got out my usual dessert cookbook, measured out the flour, and then thankfully noticed that the recipe called for shortening. Slight problem; the is no shortening in the house. Google saved the day, though, when a search for "butter pie crust recipe" brought up this recipe from Land o' Lakes (my new favorite butter, even though I used Albertsons for the recipe). Only four ingredients and if followed carefully - i.e., not too much water, so that it almost seems like it won't stick together - it really works like a charm. I was in a hurry with a baby shower to go to later, and kind of slapped out the crust and shoved and patched it rather frustratedly together, but hey, it worked. And it tasted good when finished! And the next time i made it, I was more patient, used even a tad less water, and it turned out perfectly and was much faster. Moral: patience in baking saves time in the end....

the pie in pre-baked state

Now to the stuffing part, which is more fun. I didn't have much rhubarb, but there were some fairly-ripe tart green apples on the tree in my backyard, so apple rhubarb pie sounded perfect. But, as often happens, I got tired of trying to find recipes and decided to wing it. (This part usually does work out for me - it's the pastry part of baking that's so intimidating!) Here follows the "recipe":

Stuffing for Apple Rhubarb Pie

3-4 stems of rhubarb; the dark red ends finely chopped

2-3 small green apples, finely chopped

About 3/4 cup of sugar; err on the generous side

About a tablespoon of flour

A few squirts of lemon juice

A dash of ginger (I used too much the first time)

A few splashes of ginger ale

(I'm a little embarassed about this, but the second time I used Coke, lacking ginger ale. And it tasted even better.)

Mix all the ingredients together (they should end up very moist, but with not a lot of liquid in the bowl) then pour the filling into your pie shell and cover with another thin layer of crust, poking a few well-placed holes - or designs, if you're more creative/patient than me - in the top. Then bake at 375 for about 25 minutes, covered in foil so the crust doesn't dry out. [hat tip: my Better Homes & Gardens cookbook.] Remove foil and bake for another 20 minutes or so, until the inside is bubbly and the crust is light golden brown. And then try adding something else the next time - currents? pears? Be bold. :)

Soup, Soup, Soup

2008-04-01T16:47:00.002-06:00

Last week I had the urge to go to Barnes & Noble, which always ends with me being lighter in the pocket than I plan to be. This time one of my unplanned purchases(sounds sooo much better than impulse buy) ended up being a cookbook titled The Ultimate Soup Cookbook for only $14.95. It boasted over 450 soup recipes so I figured there must be at least 2 good recipes in this book(rationalization behind unplanned purchase). This book turned out to be a great purchase. It tells you everthing you could possibly ever need to know about soup. It even goes so far as to describe all the qualities of every kind of lentil there is. Which is great cause I like to read.
For my next post I will share my thoughts on soup stock and the recipes I have attempted so far.
Cheerio

Spaghetti Alla Carbonara

2008-02-17T21:12:00.002-07:00

I have a hard time giving up on things. Even if it's been...um, eight months since I posted anything, it's kind of lonely having KS die out completely. (Thanks for something, Brooke, just to make sure we're awake.)

So, I don't really have anything exciting that I feel like blogging about other than food. It's been a lot of fun taking turns with Melodee cooking dinner -- we've tried everything from delicious chicken cheesy broccoli casserole to "Pakastini" chicken with potatoes and cauliflower. But almost the first thing I made....and have cooked about 10 times since (well, maybe three) is spaghetti alla carbonara.

I'm still working on getting the recipe down the way I like it; although it's good, it could be better. (But my expectations are unusually high, since the place I first tried it at is apparently famous for theirs. I don't think I can quite compare!) Anyway, I was grossed out at first at the thought of eating noodles with eggs. Like, were the eggs really cooked? Did they just dump scrambled eggs on top? I'm glad I tried it anyway, because it's nothing like I imagined. In the linked version (well, my version), bacon and eggs and parmesan all come together with the spaghetti to make one dish...and it tastes nothing like breakfast food. :)

Just Posting

2007-12-10T12:17:00.000-07:00

I am just posting to see if anybody will notice. Please leave a comment if you have checked.

Thanks

Annie & Brian

2007-06-30T00:30:00.001-06:00

Wedding

Here are some pictures from the reception.

Oregon pictures

2007-05-15T17:41:00.000-06:00

tillamook

(Click picture for photo album.)

Dorothy, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore...

2007-05-14T21:00:00.000-06:00

I got to go visit Sarah and Aaron this past weekend, and had a great time visiting them and getting to see some of Oregon...and the ocean!

More pics coming soon.

Info At My Finger Tips

2007-04-24T16:56:00.000-06:00

Along time ago I wanted to find out some information about South Africa. So I went to my favorite serch engine, Google, and ran a search. And it pulled up this site. You can select any country and it will tell you way more info than you need about that country, according to us. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Saiyonara

Hello again

2007-04-19T12:43:00.000-06:00

Check out this theme park.

New Flavors

2007-03-08T19:29:00.000-07:00

Vote for your favorite potential new Häagan Dazs flavor!

It wasn't one of the choices, but I think pomegranate ice cream sounds good - if Costco sold pomegranate seeds here like they do in Aberdeen (!), I could make some...

Pomegranate Cake

2007-02-11T20:15:00.000-07:00

I hate to be the only one posting, but the pig/dog picture was getting old very fast, and we did say this was going to be about cooking and food...

Tonight I wanted to make a cake, and saw some leftover pomegranate juice in the fridge. Pomegranate apple cake sounded good, but even Google didn't turn up a recipe, in the first page of results at least. And I didn't want to figure out how to modify a recipe just then. So plain pomegranate cake was a nice second choice.

About.com, in spite of being a site I usually avoid, provided this recipe:

Ingredients
2 eggs
3/4 cups sugar (I did 1/2)
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup pomegranate juice

Preheat the oven to 350; grease and flour an 8-inch cake pan. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs until foamy and gradually add the sugar. Continue beating until mixture is stiff and full of air. Add flour and baking powder to the egg mixture, alternating with the pomegranate juice.

Bake for 35-40 minutes.

I also added a pinch of cardamon, because...well, it's too hard to resist messing with recipes. The first bite of the cake wasn't especially tasty, but then the pomegranate flavor kicked in and I ate another two (small) pieces, so if you have any pomegranate juice lying around, I highly recommend this cake!

(Another bonus is that it doesn't call for butter!)

Hilarious Personality Test

2007-02-08T20:14:00.000-07:00

amanda

The funny part is that I was supposed to be drawing a pig.

Calvin & Hobbes

2007-02-02T19:14:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since my last C&H post, so here are some more goodies I just found. In honor of the snow and freezing cold here, check out Calvin's snowmen. The same site also has some nifty fan art, and good quotes such as "Why should I have to WORK for everything?! It's like saying I don't deserve it!" Oh, wait...

The only thing that saddens me about C&H (other than that the comic is no longer published) is Calvin's fear and loathing of baseball. (The bike, on the other hand, I understand perfectly.)

Washington DC Photos

2007-01-23T07:16:00.000-07:00

Cool

2007-01-18T17:55:00.000-07:00

While I was visiting So Rie in Washington DC this last week, we saw this guy giving a concert on crystal glasses filled with water. It was one of the coolest things I saw in DC, and I saw many. :) This is just part of him playing the Chariots of Fire theme, with some audience participation.

Oh yeah...and he's from Montana!

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-25T09:18:00.000-07:00

Since it's now that other season...

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2006-11-23T12:39:00.000-07:00

Lazy...

2006-11-19T13:50:00.000-07:00

This quiz is right on the money. I think it's funny enough to post my results, which you all probably know are pretty accurate. Are hard things actually fun? ;)

Your Sloth Quotient: 45%

You're definitely lazier than the average person, but you're able to live a somewhat normal life.
All your life needs is a little more effort and variety, and you might see that doing hard things is actually fun!

How Much Sloth Do You Have?

Mr. Thornton's New Business

2006-11-15T03:50:00.000-07:00

Much as I enjoyed the pumpkin horror video, I'm kind of getting sick of it being at the top post. I thought you might like to know what Mr. John Thornton (of North and South fame) did when he got out of manufacturing cotton.

Yum!

R.I.P.

2006-11-04T11:07:00.000-07:00

Here's a video of "The Life & Death of a Pumpkin" in honor of the pumpkin I just cut up. (It parodies a horror film, so don't watch it if you don't think that's funny in the context of a pumpkin! :)

Autumn Salad Recipe

2006-10-28T09:06:00.000-06:00

Brooke and I had this salad two dinners in a row - it was really pretty good. (This from someone who doesn't much care for lettuce!)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup - 1 cup hazelenuts (I bought already-chopped ones on sale)

3-4 Satsuma or any other tangerines

6 Medjool dates

1 tablespoon lemon juice, or about 1/2 a fresh-squeezed lemon

1 tablespoon olive oil

butter lettuce or any other type

radicchio ($5 a head...I had no idea Albertsons had any produce that expensive!)

Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheeet and toast them in the oven for about 10 minutes on 350 until they're golden and some of the skins are coming off. Rub the loose skins off.

Grate 1/2 teaspoon of tangerine peel, if so desired. (I didn't.) And this to the juice of one of the tangerines, and then add the olive oil and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste, too.

Mix lettuce and radicchio and top with sections (cut in half) of the rest of the tangerines, plus the dates, pitted and cut in pieces the long way. Put hazelnuts on top and then spoon the dressing generously over the whole thing.

Or, if you want to make it really fancy, arrange a bunch of radicchio on each person's plate and then layer the rest on top.

***
After lookin up "radicchio" on the internet - uh, whatever I paid $5 for apparently wasn't radicchio. (Annie, you were right.) It had small leaves in a loose head, not tight like cabbage or radicchio apparently is. The leaves were light purple with a darker purple/green in the middle. Does anyone know what I've been eating?!

You can read the original from Sunset Foods if you want a recipe and no comments!

Revenge

2006-10-22T21:38:00.000-06:00

"You barbarians!" he yelled. "I'll sue the council for every penny it's got. I'll have you hung, drawn, and quartered! And whipped! And boiled...until...until...until you've had enough."
Ford was running after him very fast. Very very fast.
"And then I'll do it again!" yelled Arthur. "And when I've finished, I will take all the little bits, and I will jump on them!"

I think I would feel that way if someone was demolishing my house, too... :)

The worst...

2006-10-20T17:39:00.000-06:00

...movie EVER. Right along with star wars phantom menace, only you, madagascar. and all the worst movies ever, Beowolf and Grendal is a horrible movie. Not to mention all the hilarious jokes about bestiallity(when keepin it real goes wrong), the lack of plot, and lame character development I think you will truely enjoy this movie Melodee. Do not waste your time or money renting this one. I wouldn't even check it out at the library. But I know your still gonna watch it. So if you do, don't forget "I TOLD YOU SO" said brooke. I do like the costumes, however much like LOTR costumes they are. I think Gerard Butler would have made a fabulous Aragorn, and he looks good with long hair. The "making of beowolf & grendal" was more interesting and i think GB should win an oscar for selling the film in this part. The enD

Meme

2006-10-17T12:25:00.000-06:00

Ainsley tagged me for this one. (And I tag you, Brooke, whenever you get internet access.)

I AM: 24

I WANT: things to go my way

I WISH: sin wasn't so easy

I HOPE: I'll always enjoy cooking as much as I do now

I MISS: Melodee and Karamoja!

I HEAR: a very faint humming from my computer. It's quiet in the office today. (Snow always makes such a cool unnatural quiet.)

I WONDER: If the Twins will win the World Series next year?

I REGRET: "using my mother and father like a welcome mat" to quote the White Stripes

I HATE: liver

I AM NOT: stubborn (ha!)

I DANCE: sometimes

I SING: in the car, in church, actually a lot more places than I should, considering how I sing ;)

I CRY: when I'm very happy, which is rather ridiculous...

I AM NOT ALWAYS: very on top things

I MAKE WITH MY HANDS: dessert

I WRITE: blog posts, emails, stuff for work, occasionally stories that never get finished or get finished about five years later

I CONFUSE: myself

I NEED: a savior who forgives and cares for me, every day

I SHOULD: be less of a slacker

I START: ditto, Ains - lots of books

I FINISH: food, making it or eating it

I hope...

2006-10-12T17:29:00.000-06:00

...Amanda didn't spill the beans but this is in America.

"The Most Futile Thing on Earth"

2006-10-02T20:48:00.000-06:00

Or, 5- and 6-year-olds playing soccer. :) But it was fun watching them all crowd around the ball and frequently trip over each other. Ian's team got four goals in the last five minutes, after about an hour-long game...

Afterwards we went to the Farmer's Market to get green beans and pumpkins and gourds for the table - sometime when I'm not feeling so lazy, I'll upload them!

edit: lol...excuse me, I will upload photos, not the vegetables.

Evening Tea

2006-09-23T03:48:00.000-06:00

My sister-in-law has been cooking incredible food for us for the last week. She told us, though, that last night would be the show-stopper, and she was right. She made this incredible Tuscan Chicken recipe. The chicken is formed into crab-cake-like things and served on a bed of greens with a tomato relish. I'll try to get a recipe for you soon. This picture doesn't do it justice.

Also, every day we've been getting homemade rolls like this. Talk about getting spoiled!

Our nightly practice is to pile on the couch and floor and watch 24 after Olivia goes to bed. We are deep into Season 3. Last night our guest Jonathan prepared the tea and set out the fine china. We also ate a carton of Ben & Jerry's. Fun times.

Inflation...or Appreciation?

2006-09-17T18:56:00.000-06:00

On Labor Day, I paid $5 for on old paperback of C.S. Lewis' The Great Divorce. The price tag on the back from 2nd Look Books (a different bookstore) was $3.30. The price when it was published in 1976? $1.25. I don't feel very ripped off, though. It has a colorful 70s cover, and it's a book that's making me think about some things I'd never considered in that way before.

If you don't know, it's a story about some people who take a bus ride from the gray town of Hell to the outskirts of Heaven, where they meet various people from their past. Here's a conversation between a ghost from a bus and one of the very solid spirits who came to meet him (he was the ghost's old employee, and had murdered a man).

"...and I'm only a poor man. But I got my rights same as you, see?"
"Oh no. It's no so bad as that. I haven't got my rights, or I shouldn't be here. You will not get yours either. You'll get something far better. Never fear."
"That's just what I say. I haven't got my rights. I always done my best and I never done anything wrong. And what I don't see is why I should be put below a bloody murderer like you."
"Who know whether you will be? Only be happy and come with me."
"What do you keep on arguing for? I'm only telling you the sort of chap I am. I only want my rights. I'm not asking for some bleeding charity."
"Then do. At once. Ask for the Bleeding Charity. Everything is here for the asking and nothing can be bought."

A previous owner left some notes, such as "Only God can satisfy you completely," and rather cryptically, "Any significance in the Scotsman?" Someone who I assume to the be the last owner left a Chocolate Pecan Pie Luna bar wrapper between page 88 and 89, expiring on Aug 24, 2002.

Altogether, the book is so full of character that perhaps $5 was a bargain, after all. :)

"Portrait" of Rachel

2006-09-09T14:18:00.000-06:00

portrait
Originally uploaded by alscalvin.

Melodee has the same camera as me (a Sony Cybershot). I've had mine since April, and taken it halfway around the world, but I never really read the manual. She has. So last weekend, while we were touring Virginia City and hanging out at the KOA, she showed me all kinds of cool stuff. Like how to turn the LCD display off, how to hook it up to a TV monitor, and how to change settings to b&w and sepia. (fun to use when taking pictures of a broken down haunted house in Virginia City!).

But I still like how my old experimental techniques (not "trial and error," of course!) turned out. I took this picture of Rachel using the iso setting in a dark car after Shakespeare in the Park. She didn't want me to take a picture, so wasn't holding very still...

A New Blog

2006-09-09T13:38:00.000-06:00

Hey girls,
Aaron and I have started a blog to keep everybody posted on what is going on in our lives out here in Oregon. Come visit anytime and I will try to keep it current. The address is:
http://andwhatknot.blogspot.com/
We are calling it "and what knot" because this has been a funny, common phrase between us and we decided to give it a little marriage twist.
Enjoy!

Book Meme

2006-09-05T21:36:00.000-06:00

Melodee tagged Brooke and me for this a while ago. Here goes my answers...

One book that changed my life:
Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink. This book might have had the most influence on my childhood. And I named my first cat, when I was five, after Caddie. (She was a stray and bit a lot.)

One book I've read more than once:
These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I still have a crush on Almonzo and I've been reading it for 15 years. ;) (But this is a tricky question, because I've probably reread 80% of my favorite books.)

One book I'd want on a desert island:
It's cheating, but here's two: I'd want either Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers or else War & Rememberance by Herman Wouk. Both are long, and both have characters and a story that I love.

One book that made me laugh:
Picadilly Jim by P.G. Wodehouse

One book that made me cry:
Gone with the Wind, the second time around. I got to the part where Bonnie dies and Scarlett is about to miscarry, and saw very clearly my own need for a real, redeeming grace in Scarlett's - and hated that there was none for her.

One book I wish had been written:
Another book by Dickens as good as Our Mutual Friend.

One book I wish had never been written:
Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. Maybe it was just one stream-of-consciousness too many that semester, but I only read about 20 pages of this book (and I skipped class when we were supposed to discuss it).

One book that I am currently reading:
Stalking the Wild Dik-Dik: One Woman's Solo Misadventures Across Africa by Marie Javins.

One book I've been meaning to read:
Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen

Sunday Night Lunch

2006-08-28T21:24:00.000-06:00

Yesterday Amanda, Rachel, and I had a "Sunday Night Lunch." The term comes from the Betsy-Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace. Betsy's family, the Rays, have "Sunday Night Lunch" every week. It's really supper, but the Rays have always called it lunch, which is just one of their many endearing traditions. Mr. Ray sits in state in the kitchen and makes thick sandwiches with lots of salt and pepper and dressing. And they always have cocoa and fudge and other goodies. Plus a house full of people and singing around the piano, and maybe a waltz or a two-step when the rugs get rolled back.

So last night we had cheese and crackers and bread and pickles and tomatoes - a kind of Betsy-ish picnic. But the culinary centerpiece of the evening was the fudge. In the Betsy books people always made fudge at the drop of the hat - how hard could it be?

We stirred the ingredients over the stove...

Then we put it in the fridge to cool and harden, while we went and sang hymns around the piano. Eventually the fudge was cool so we went to cut ourselves some....

Goop! Not sure what happened, but it was kind of a disaster! In fact, it didn't even remotely resemble fudge, except that it was sweet and chocolatey. Of course, one of the best things about fudge is its fudgy texture. Oh well. We comforted ourselves with the fact that Betsy apparently couldn't make fudge either:

"[Betsy and Joe] were making fudge, or rather, Joe was making it. He scorned Betsy's cooking and fancied his own, so he took charge of the bubbling pan while Betsy watched from the kitchen table." (from Betsy and Joe)

Yes, well, what I want to know is this: where is Joe Willard when you need him?

JKC banquet

2006-08-22T21:00:00.000-06:00

I've been posting on TRP about my time in DC for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholars weekend, but I had to double post here about the banquet at the Russian Embassy. It was delicious. Here's the menu; click to read:

Brooke always says she hates figs, but the figs in my salad were so good. Are you sure you've had good fresh figs before, Brooke?

I wish I could have taken pictures of every course, but that's a little tacky, don't you think? (I managed to get the salad since no one had sat down at our table yet.) The steak was incredible...it was so tender you could cut it with a fork (what a cliche, but true!) and the molasses and balsamic glaze gave it an amazing flavor. My other favorite part was silver queen corn souffle timbale. Sounds weird, I know, but it was delicious. Light, hot, sweet, and not a bad texture at all. I'll try to find a recipe some day!

The wine was decent, if not spectacular. The only weak spot of the whole meal was the coffee. But it was served in the most beautiful little cups and saucers (with miniature gold spoons for stirring), that I had to forgive the fact that it wasn't very good.

Sunday Night Cooking

2006-08-20T19:29:00.000-06:00

I'm finally posting about food in keeping with our bloc theme! Tonight I've had an Anne quote stuck in my head: "There's so much more scope for the imagination...." That's one of the things I like about cooking. Don't have ground nutmeg? Try a pinch of coriander instead. (Although why we have coriander and not nutmeg...)

This evening I wanted to make an Amanda Hesser recipe for pasta with roasted cherry tomatoes and corn. But there was no corn, so I decided to sauté onions instead. (Sautéed onions is one of my favorite smells.) And while I was changing the ingredients, I might as well add garlic and a dash of hot curry, too, huh? That part I think was a success.

Amanda's tomatoes didn't go as smoothly. I picked fresh, ripe cherry tomatoes, sliced them in half, and put them cut-side up on a cookie sheet as per instructions. Then I drizzled them with olive oil, sprinkled on salt and pepper, added breadcrumbs, and stuck them in the oven at 425 degrees. After 15 minutes, I sprinkled on some parmesan and let them cook for another 10 minutes or so. (Not exactly as she described.) But I don't think A.H.'s look like mine when she takes them out of the oven. Apparently I didn't add enough oil; the bottoms of the tomatoes were completely blackened and I had to scrape out the insides, which is mostly seeds - not the best part of a tomato! Now there's a pan with black crusted tomato guts to be scrubbed. Oh well. So we'll see whether the pasta's any good for lunch tomorrow...

My other project tonight was making nectarine shortcake from Martha Stewart. You can't go too wrong with that, can you? I followed the recipe (other than substituting a peach for two of the four nectarines), but the dough was such a sticky, gooey mess that I just scooped cakes of it onto a baking sheet instead of cutting neat little circles. They just came out of the oven and are rather flat, unbiscuit-like things. But they taste just fine, so I suppose Martha didn't let me down after all!

For Brooke

2006-08-04T20:22:00.000-06:00

Happy birthday, Brooke! (two days early) Thanks for introducing me to OK Go and many, many other good things in the last few years. :)

London Calling...

2006-08-01T20:34:00.000-06:00

I was finally going to upload my London pictures from 2004 and 2006, but decided I'm too lazy after all. I had fun looking at them in Picasa, though. Here's one of my quick visit to Westminster Abbey, which was fun but I was in too much of a hurry to actually look at much...

Westminster Abbey, 2004

Anyway, I have the travel bug this week, but for now will just have to be satisfied with imagining future trips...like, to visit Melodee at Aberdeen next year. :)

No kidding

2006-07-28T12:34:00.000-06:00

I was glancing through a homeschool magazine that Home Science Tools advertises in, and couldn't help laughing at this article byline:

Michael Jackson is the music pastor at...

That would be interesting.

Thai

2006-07-24T21:42:00.000-06:00

I went out to dinner tonight with the Stordahls to a little hole-in-the-wall Thai place downtown. I had green curry chicken. It was delicious, although their "medium" spicy was hot enough that I would hate to try something "spicy". We had egg rolls for appetizers too, and they were very good - crispy on the outside, piping hot and juicy on the inside. Yum.

You know, I thought that in this impersonal society "The Usual" was dead. When have you ever gone into a restaurant and ordered "the usual"? Well, Adam did tonight. . .not in those words, but the waitress came up and said, "You want the green curry chicken with steamed rice and a pepsi, right?" (Apparently he goes there for lunch often and always has the same thing!) Cool.

The Weekend

2006-07-22T13:20:00.000-06:00

The back way to Red Lodge

Last week I went to Red Lodge with some cousins who were in town. We ended up going the back way, through Bridger, which was rather different scenery than the usual way...

Old

Red Lodge was full of motorcycles and black leather, although the candy store was fairly empty. This was my favorite bike; everyone stopped to admire it as they walked by. If you want to stand out in a crowd of big flashy Harleys, this is definitely the way to do it.

This post does have something to do with food: check out Chocolate & Zucchini, a blog by a French food lover. She just got back from a trip to the US and is making me want to go on a culinary roadtrip, too. :) I could certainly go for some pecan pralines and crawfish!

Tadpoles

2006-07-17T22:04:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow we're doing a photo shoot, to get a bunch of great shots for our next catalog. Annie and Melodee have done a lot of work to make sure it'll be fun; I've helped, too. My main contribution has been caring for the seven fat bullfrog tadpoles we got express-shipped to us on Friday. I kinda like the little guys...as I've said at least a couple times already, they are SO cute. Dan and Rachel were making fun of me tonight because I actually took some video footage so you can all see how cute they are (or are not), too.

Had to post it again...

2006-07-13T06:50:00.000-06:00

I know I posted this over on itsajoy, but I had to do it here too for your U2 freaks. It's not about food, but the fact that it's about U2 makes it ok, right? ;) Enjoy...

A Peek at the Past

2006-07-08T09:18:00.000-06:00

I was reminiscing yesterday about the first dinner party that Amanda and I gave. In 2003 we sent out invitations that read,

Amanda and Melodee
Request your presence at a
Formal Dinner Party
on Friday, July 18th.
The festivities will begin at 5:30 PM at the
Mattson home.
Please be prepared to share a favorite
poem or passage of literature.

We were very ambitious. Our meal was 5 courses, and if I remember correctly, it seemed like we were cooking for two days straight. Somehow we barely got into our formal gowns before the guests began to arrive. We had appetizers and sparkling cider on the back deck to open the evening. Unfortunately the elegant atmosphere was somewhat marred by the heat and the PA system at Senior High, where the Big Sky State Games were going on a block away!

Here was our menu:

Antipasti I: Spiedini alla romana
(Mozzarella Skewers)
Antipasti II: Torta di peperoni al forno
(Roast Bell Pepper Terrine)
Zuppa: Zuppa di fagioli alla toscana
(Tuscan Bean Soup)
Carpo piatto: Pollo alla valdostana
(Chicken with Prosciutto and Cheese)
Dolci: Crostata e Ravioli dolci al forno
(Cheesecake and Baked Sweet Ravioli)

If I recall correctly, everything was delicious except the roast bell pepper terrine - that was gross, actually. And it took the most work to make! Too bad.

Between each course our guests shared a poem and after dessert was cleared away we did a reader's theater of the "play within a play" from A Midsummer Night's Dream. All in all, a most successful and satisfactory party.

When everyone left Amanda and I said to each other that we were so glad we did it, but if we ever did it again we'd have other people contribute to the meal! Now, three years later, we have it worked out perfectly. . .when we have dinner parties each person is in charge of one part of the meal.

My table. "[Amanda] is the useful one; I confine myself to the merely ornamental."

The delicious Zuppa

The yummiest Dolci

Dessert in the garden

Eggplant Experiment

2006-07-07T20:16:00.000-06:00

Last week for my calzone stuffing, I bought two eggplants. One went into the calzone, and the other sat on the counter for six days. Eggplant skin is weird; it gets loose and shrively with age, which doesn't exactly encourage you to use it up. I meant to make something with it for my lunch, but cold eggplant sounds pretty unappetizing. So it continued to sit.

Tonight, being Friday, I decidede to live it up and cook that eggplant, if it wasn't completely disgusting inside. But it wasn't. My new Taste of Uganda cookbook has some eggplant recipes, but the one I wanted to make requires a tomato. We have no tomatoes. So I decided to try to imitate Laurie Tricarico's eggplant "recipe" - I think she dipped thin slices in something that looked like sugar, and then cooked them in a frying pan. (She was making up the recipe herself, since eggplant was one of the vegatables plentiful at the market that time. It tasted good, giving me a good impression of eggplant, which I'd never really tried before then.)

Breaded eggplant sounded good, so I dipped thin de-skinned slices in flour and salt. Kind of a lot of salt, actually. Then I fried them crisp and firm in a little bit of oil, so they were kind of like fries. They smelled oddly like pancakes; sweeter than I expected. Actually, I've come to the conclusion that I just really like the smell of eggplant, raw or cooked.

The eggplant fries were exactly what I hoped - crisp and tasty. It was unfortunate that I put quite so much salt on them, though. I had to eat slices of plums in between eggplant slivers to get rid of the over saltiness. Oops!

So next time maybe I'll actually follow a recipe. (If you have any, please pass them on!) But it was fun...

2006-07-05T20:07:00.000-06:00

The strawberries.

4th O'July Strawberries

2006-07-03T11:28:00.000-06:00

I found this recipe in Martha Stewart Living. I have only altered the presentation.

1 pint strawberries
6 ounces cream cheese(room temp)
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Clean strawberries, hollow out top with a melon baller, and cut the tip off so it can sit up by itself. Place the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in mixing bowl. Whip with electric mixer until fluffy, 2 to 4 minutes. Pipe cream cheese mixture into strawberries and put a blueberry on top.

Enjoy.

Oops, wrong blog!

2006-07-01T14:27:00.000-06:00

But since it's here, I guess I'll keep it. :)

The shy version of a friendly Karamojong smile.

Absolutely nothing to do with cooking.

2006-07-01T10:17:00.000-06:00

I don't know if any of you have heard about England and their national pasttime.

Cooking and Pictures

2006-06-30T22:06:00.000-06:00

I just found an old interview with Amanda Hesser. I didn't read the whole thing, because some of it's a little boring, but there were parts near the beginning and near the end about Cooking for Mr. Latte. She is one of our cooking inspirations, of course, but did you know she can inspire our culinary photography too?

Talking about writing the columns that eventually became the book:

AH: Because it was so personal it ended up being a really fun project because they wanted me to be involved in all aspects. On the second page there was always a photograph of the food.
RB: So you styled the photo?
AH: We did this at my house. They were my plates, I cooked it. We had this team of photographers…
RB: Who ate it?
AH: We all did. After the shot we all dug in. (laughs)
RB: So you became popular with the photo staff.
AH: Exactly.

Kind of a fun detail, I thought. Too bad they don't have the pictures in the book!

Kindred Spirits Version 2.0

2006-06-29T21:26:00.000-06:00

The Kindred Spirits are having an identity crisis.

We've committed the ultimate blog sin. We don't post.

So in a burst of inspiration we've decided to breathe a little life into this empty void and start talking about what we like to do together most: Cook...and Eat.

The new design and focus doesn't mean we won't ever talk about anything else, but expect to see recipes and pictures from our dinners together.

The "drastic" template change has special significance. One of our favorite summer treats is fresh frozen blueberries (i.e., buy them fresh and freeze them, don't buy a bag of frozen blueberries - makes all the difference in the world). The new color scheme reflects this. Expect a new color for fall!

BAM!
Brooke, Amanda, and Melodee, for the Kindred Spirits

PS - in the tradition of our usual KS silliness, you should watch this video: They're Taking the Hobbits to Isengard! Legolas and techno...a surprising mix. (Thanks for the link, Dan.)

2006-06-20T18:10:00.000-06:00

On the lake at Coeur d'Alene

Not what I was gonna post...

2006-06-14T23:08:00.000-06:00

But I'm too lazy to post pics from Coeur d'Alene, and I've spent the last hour sitting in bed with the laptop, enjoying the White Stripes very much. They're one of those bands you'll probably either love or hate, not feel in between about, but you can watch some of their videos here. (Try "My Doorbell" and "Hotel Yorba". Rats, I can't get "Seven Nation Army" to work.)

I Dreamed a Dream

2006-06-12T20:14:00.000-06:00

This spring Rachel and I both got to see performances of Les Miserables, just not together (her in Denver, me in London). She was just playing this song on the piano, and I'm posting about it as it's one of my favorite things, in a heartbreaking sort of way. You can listen to it on the official Les Mis site. (Pretty cool that they have whole songs.)

btw, Andrea, how come you didn't list yourself under "must reads"??

Can you feel it?

2006-06-09T09:58:00.000-06:00

The excitement? The anticipation? We all have our sporting weaknesses. For Melodee it’s baseball. This is where its at for me. Here is the entire schedule.

My pony.
I have to make a correction
My team is not called the group of death they are in the group of death. The teams are grouped according to their standings. Argentina is in group C and ranked 9th in the world. The other teams in group C are ranked 8th and 32nd and 44th. Which means any of the teams could win. So these should be good games.

Argentina has just scored their firt goal of their game. Yes

Happy Friday

2006-06-09T07:13:00.000-06:00

I woke up this morning very excited that it was Friday, and it hasn't worn off yet. Why, I'm not sure. I get to wear my MZUNGU shirt today (which I could have worn any day, but was saving for Friday), but that's not really so exciting. At work I have a lot of marketing stuff to try to figure out marketing stuff, which makes time go by faster; and when I need a break, I can look out the window and watch the gophers frolicking around. (Although they're about to smoke-bombed to death, poor suckers.) Plus it's almost the weekend, where all I have planned is doing laundry and going to a wedding. But now I'm off to eat some leftover apple-oatmeal creme brulee. Gotta start those mornings out right...

I hope you guys have a great Friday, too!

I'm back...

2006-06-01T21:49:00.000-06:00

and am still trying to catch up on sleep, so this is going to be a short post before going to bed. But I wanted to say hi and, if you're bored, I think you should check this one apartment, six drummers video out. (I haven't watched the whole thing yet, but it's somethin' else...)

I made it through a whole day of work today, in our very cool new building (I'm excited to have my own office, with automatic lights that switched off on me twice - guess I was being too quiet). There are still boxes everywhere, but at least the ones in my office are empty now. And I'm not exaggerating, I almost got lost several times.

Speaking of Lost...I watched episodes 20 and 21 tonight. I did NOT see that coming, did you, Andrea?

Who is this "Andrea" girl you speak of??

2006-05-18T07:45:00.000-06:00

Heya! Remember that Andrea chick? Well, I hear that she has started blogging again. Apparently she started a couple weeks ago, but didn't know if she'd really be "into" it, so she didn't want to advertise. So, if you feel like it, check her out.

Hail the Conquering Graduate!

2006-05-05T17:08:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to my dear friend Brooke. Tomorrow she graduates from MSU-B with a B.S. in Mathematics. I can't tell you all how much I admire her - she achieved Magna Cum Laude for a math degree (wow) all while working and raising her son, Ian. Here are the two of them after Convocation today. (Sorry it's such a far-away shot!)

Brooke, I would never have made it through Research Writing and Spanish without you - you were the only thing that made them bearable! And it was so much fun to get to know you that first semester in College Algebra. You are one of my best friends, and I am so proud of you this day.

Amanda

2006-05-03T17:29:00.000-06:00

If any of you are wondering how Amanda is doing, I've posted an update over at KaramojAmanda.

back home and back to reality

2006-05-03T10:36:00.000-06:00

Hello girls!

I have finally taken enough hints from Brooke and am here to tell you that I had a great time in Italy and Germany...and Minneapolis.

I am finally home and back to work after being gone for most of the month of April and my spare time is going to be filling up quickly with organizing, labeling, and posting pictures from the trip for you all to see! Don't get your hopes up too high...but expect a link sometime in the next few weeks.

Brooke, I hope your finals go well! What day will you be finished? We need to celebrate.

Well. That was the update, just so I could say that I posted, even though I have neglected to do so for such a long time. I'm back off to work now.

The End

2006-04-20T12:11:00.000-06:00

I can't stop thinking about the end of school. I don't think about anything that I have to do to get there or about what is going to happen afterwards. Just the fact that I don't ever have to go to school ever again.

I think that someone who is supposed to blog on this sight just recently returned from Italy. Hint hint.

Thursday links...

2006-04-12T11:24:00.000-06:00

This Thursday links... is dedicated to the memory of Miss Howe whose wit and vivacity is sorely missed. It is alleged that she succumbed to death by blogging. Or rather a lack of blogging. Her blogmates are solely responsible for her tragic and untimely death. Oh Howe, we miss you.

In the spirit of ipod news. It was coming. It was only a matter of time.

Who makes these things up? I am quite impressed.

Fresh Meyer Lemons! Grown in the comfort of your own home.

I saw these for the first time last week. They totally fooled me, but then I am not hard to fool.

For all of use Desiree lover's. Here is one of her descendents. Please feel free to compare photos. The odd thing about this page is that JLC didn't include any photos of Jean-Baptiste.
Please note that JLC is also the Former Professional Heavyweight Wrestling Champion Johnny Angel. There is soooooooo much more interesting stuff on this websight that I encourage you to really check every thing out. Don't you just love genealogy.

Thursday links...

2006-04-06T11:06:00.000-06:00

Uh oh Americans in the UK. Hey girls I have never heard of this. I can't wait to see it. This series was made in 1995. Are they releasing it now for the first time? Does anyone know?

I don't mean to sully the name of ipod on this blog. However I saw this and I found it kind of entertaining. But is he not committing a crime?

This girl has some cool tunes.

I bought this girls cd last night. So yous can borrow it if you want.

This is Mooving.

Check this out.

So who is gonna do Thursday links next week?;)

Jamie Cullum

2006-04-04T21:11:00.001-06:00

For all you poor, unfortunate souls who didn't have the wonderful opportunity to see Jamie Cullum in concert:

Twenty bucks. That was the going rate for right against the stage, where we could see perfectly and get high on second-hand pot...

By the way, when I (Brooke) took this picture, I was only six feet away. So was I (Amanda), but I didn't have a camera...

A mixed-up playlist:
Get Your Way, London Skies, Photograph, Nothing I Do, Mind Trick, I'm Glad There Is You, These Are the Days, Twentysomething, Wind Cries Mary, All at Sea, Lover You Should Have Come Over, Singin' in the Rain, High and Dry, I Have Could Have Danced All Night, What a Difference a Day Makes, Frontin', Rocket Man, a Willie Nelson song, two drum solos (one by Jamie and one by the drummer, Sebastiaan De Krom, who was incredible) and other jazz-oriented stuff....

...not all the credit goes to Amanda for this post! Brooke.

PS - We heard a new rising star, Brandi Carlile. (She has a kind of a Melissa Ertheridgeish sound.) Keep an eye out for her. ~B

PPS - Tom is cute. ~A

Which Les Mis character are you?

2006-04-02T18:38:00.000-06:00

I'm Jean Valjean!
(No, really.) Some people may see me as a little sanctimonious, but though I care deeply about doing right, I'm not above a little skulduggery in a good cause. Being in touch with my spiritual side doesn't make me an easy target... on the contrary, in fact. Which Les Miserables Character Are You?

Thanks, Rach, for pointing this one out...

Brooke and I should post soon about the Jamie Cullum concert. We just need to upload some pictures!

It's not often...

2006-03-31T15:33:00.000-07:00

that the Dep't of Motor Vehicles makes my day, but today they did. I called to see if they could accept credit card payment over the phone (today is the last day to renew my car registration by), and the helpful clerk directed me to the county website and told me exactly where to find the online renewal form. It took all of two minutes to renew. And here I was fearing I would have to go down to the DMV...

Isn't it great how Yellowstone County has caught up with 21st-century technology? ;-)

With or Without You

2006-03-29T07:23:00.000-07:00

Girls, I've been very remiss... So Rie started an English blog this week, and I meant to post the link for you right away, but it has been a couple days. There are several posts on it already, but not so many that you can't go and catch up :)

Click here to enjoy With or Without You.

Happy Birthday...

2006-03-23T14:03:00.000-07:00

Melodee.
Here are a few variations on the Happy Birthday Song.

Another Proposal

2006-03-19T16:04:00.000-07:00

...from a book, that is. I had a cold all of last week and didn't feel up to doing much (including work), but did read quite a bit of a few short notes on tropical butterflies (from the Barnes & Noble bargain table). The first story, "The Hill Station," is about a 40-something cholera-expert visiting India. She receives this proposal from the young man sitting next to her on the bus:

"Let me put my assests clearly," he said. "Number one. I am having a good education, primary and secondary. At school, I received the Joginder Reddy Sugar Factory Gold Medal for standing first in my class. Number two. I am healthy and take daily exercise. I am a useful cricketer. Number three. I am keen in computers. I keep myself updated on hardware and software up gradations. Number four. I do painting - oil - and watercolors, as well as cartooning and sketching. I am also good at photography. Number five. I am not a bad-looking man. People have told me that I look like Mr. Imran Khan the great Pakistani cricketeer. Please take this summary."

That just kills me every time I read it. It must be the romantic in me (or because software "up gradations" reminds me of Uganda). :)

Maybe...

2006-03-15T12:30:00.000-07:00

I was googling the hexagon identity this morning and I came across this blog site that had this really cool thing called a neo counter. It is a unique web counter that displays the number of visitors by country. Would this be something we would like on our blog? Here is the link.

2006-03-08T12:52:00.000-07:00

I finally got the photo to upload and hopefully you all can see it. Aaron and I are on a hike in the Wind Rivers. Beautiful country!

2006-03-06T16:57:00.000-07:00

Well,
I tried to get the picture to upload and post, but no such luck. Hmmmmm....I'll to try again later.

2006-03-06T16:46:00.000-07:00

Hey Ladies, I know it has been a really long time since I last blogged......I am thinking some time in the fall, but I have been with you in spirit (now no snickering or anything). Anyhow, I am still reading your blogs and keeping up with your lives.
Teaching is going well and we are experiencing some warm weather here in Thermopolis after a spell of below zero with a lot of snow. I attempted skiing on the Teton slopes in Jackson a few weekends ago at about -25 (farenheit) and that was interesting (you want to stay away from those moguls when you are in a blizzard with limited vision on a run that is so steep you find yourself in mid air)!
My students are progressing very well, as Spencer is now reading at a middle second grade level and Selena, although forever struggling with remembering what words look like, is now reading at an end of first grade level. Their writing has also improved, as they are now able to write a paragraph. These benchmarks are excting for us!
Well I have some bad and good news: my grandfather on Dad's side is still battling bone cancer and the circumstances do not look good. I am heading out next weekend on a fast trip to Kansas City to see him and attend my cousin's wedding, and this may be our last get together. I rejoice in his profession of faith and do believe this is genuine.
I also wanted to share a little good news with you......well here it is.....I went and got myself engaged. Yes...it all transpired while Aaron and I were hiking. This is absolutely one thing we love doing together! He came to visit me over the President's day weekend, and at about 10,000 ft. in elevation, in waist deep snow, with sparkling snow whipping around our faces and freezing our noses, he "popped" the question, and of course I said, "Yes!". Well, then, of course, we had to hike down, but the tiring travail through the snow was definitely worth it! I have included a small photo of us on that weekend in a winter wonderland. Hope that you enjoy and that you can view the picture........??
Grace and Peace to you through our Lord Jesus Christ!
Sarah

Mr. March

2006-03-05T18:35:00.000-07:00

Doesn't he look like he belongs in a Calendar?

I decided to post a picture along with this post to tell everyone that I'm on a blogging hiatus. (In case you couldn't tell already) I've decided that 50-60 hours a week in front of a computer is MORE then enough and I am instead using my spare time for hikes with Mr. March, Lost re-runs and keeping up on my reading list that my sister keeps adding to. The computer pixels are eating away my soul and I haven't had any to desire lately to blog(either read OR publish). Maybe in a month or two, when work dies down and my soul grows back, I'll be up for it. In the meantime, happy blogging everyone! Don't miss me too much. ;)

Eat a Crocodile

2006-03-02T18:18:00.000-07:00

This has probably been posted about on KS before, but I this evening I just had a burning desire for some Shakespearean insusults.

So...eat a crocodile, thou beslubbering bat-fowling harpy.

I don't think I want to know what they all mean...

Has Anyone...

2006-02-27T17:01:00.000-07:00

except Annie checked out Brians blog lately. Three things I noted were the Sleepless in Seattle trailer, Ryan Addams website, and Brian is making a music video. Also if you link to the Banty Rooster he links to a site called Dignan's (some odd number) Year Plan. You should check it out.

Our House...

2006-02-22T17:56:00.000-07:00

I love my street. It's going to be kind of sad when I finally buy a new house and don't live here any more. It won't be an easy walk down to 17th Street Station, or the park, or Rocky's campus. The Rimrocks won't be practically next door. And there won't be huge (albeit misshapen and dying) cottonwoods down the middle of the street. That is what I'll really miss.

But still, any place in Billings is bound to pretty okay. I'm a little bit partial. :)

Elizabethtown

2006-02-18T14:42:00.000-07:00

I'm supposed to be working on an article about science, but just like I did in college, I'm finding something else to do until the last possible second... Desperation is my muse, I've decided. Actually, I never procrastinated this bad in school, and I better break this habit before it becomes too engrained, because it's a little scary.

But anyway, I have been meaning to blog about this movie ever since I watched it last week. Elizabethtown starts off really slow and weird, but at least it's funny (after the failure of his tennis shoe design, Orlando Bloom's character is going to commit suicide on an exercise bike he has rigged up with a knife...and then the phone rings). But keep watching, because although the whole movie is pretty quirky, it gets a lot better. I like the "almost romance" of Drew and Claire (Kirsten Dunst) talking on the phone all night, I guess. But the best part is the end, when Drew goes on a roadtrip with an urn of his dad's remains. Claire made him a scrapbook map complete with exact instructions on where to stop for chili, and mix CDs with music for 42 hrs and 11 minutes of the way. The best, of course, is when he plays "Pride (In the Name of Love)" at the hotel where Martin Luther King, Jr. died.

So, I guess part of the reason I enjoyed it so much is because it really made me want to go on a roadtrip! Which isn't very practical right now, of course, even if it almost 10 degrees above zero now, but who wants to go on another mini roadtrip across Montana this summer?? (Maybe someplace we haven't been, although Virginia City and Butte were a lot of fun!) And then there's the trip to Denver Brooke and I are going on pretty soon...

Ok, back to work.

Thursday Links

2006-02-16T08:02:00.000-07:00

I know it's been awhile, but I've been staring at a screen so much for work lately that the last thing I want to do when I have a free minute is surf for cool links. So, it's slim pickings, but here are a few anyway.

iPod news: I upgraded to the iPod video recently. It's so much fun! I've spent every dime I earned on selling my old one on accessories for my new one. I have an addiction, I admit it. On another note, this week, iTunes is offering a free podcast of the State of the Union address. Pretty cool...

Michael Jackson's white glove is for sale on Ebay. Got an extra quarter mil laying around??

In other geek news, Google is finally upgrading google-talk slightly. They are incorporating it more closely with gmail and they are also giving the option to save your chat history in your gmail account. Pretty handy, I'd say...

Dooce linked to The Daily Mumps a couple weeks back. It's extremely cute and I've added it to my daily perusal list. Check out he archives. Cute stuff.

Cool magazine illusions.

Here's a way to make some extra change. Sell a pixel!

Here's an oldie, but goodie. Check out the Subservient Chicken and give him an order!

Move over, Lite Brite, now their's something meatier.

Not much, but at least it's something to look at. Have a lovely Thursday.

Kicking Television

2006-02-08T18:32:00.000-07:00

Yeah, right. The last CD I bought was Kicking Television by Wilco, but you know I usually spend my evenings watching movies, not exercising or going places or even reading that much anymore...

Ainsley tagged us for this TV meme, so here goes:

Andrea is just tacking onto Amanda's. Her answers are in this lovely shade of blue.

1. What do you watch most?
Survivor!
Friends

2. What would you be embarrassed to be caught watching even though you do watch it?
I don't really watch enough TV to do that...
Desperate Housewives (not because it's a bad show, just because it's misunderstood. Don't judge a show by it's title.)

3. Write yourself into a TV show.
That would be pretty scary.
I would be the new quirky waitress at Central Perk that Joey would fall in love with, but could NEVER have. :)

4. Replace someone in a TV show.
I think Homer Simpson could add a lot to a CSI team.
Survivor - kick off that dumb Shane and bring back Melinda! Quitter are dumb. Are ya with me, Amanda??

5. Who would you like to see out of tvland forever?
All the people in shows like Without a Trace.
Simon Cowell, Jennifer Love Hewitt(Ghost Whisperer), Teri Hatcher(Desperate Housewives)

6. Who would you like to see back?
Bill Cosby
duh! Friends! or Seinfeld....

7. Entertainment or information?
Entertainment 95% of the time
Is there actually informational TV? hmm...interesting concept. :)

8. What makes for a good viewing experience for you?
Lots of fight scenes, lots of romance. Well, not really, but they are pretty good in moderation. I don't mind predictable plots that much sometimes, but a really good storyline with lots of character development...like Lost...will get me very hooked.
I agree with Amanda. I will also add that the human psychology of Survivor fascinates me. People really are disturbing beings...

9. Have you ever had a great idea for a special niche cable channel (like the Golf Channel or Home and Garden TV)?
An Africa channel would be nice. Except I'm way too cheap to pay for cable (although I rent movies all the time, which isn't cheap).
The 'Friends' channel. Just kidding, I'm really not that obsessed.....really. I just couldn't think of a good answer.

10. What was your favorite show when you were a kid?
Full House
The Waltons

11. Most memorable moment of television?
Um...different moments in the last two seasons of Survivor, I guess. Like Ian making a deal with Tom to take Katie to the final two, and Steph and Danni battling it out in the last challenge. I probably won't remember that in a few more years, though.
Ross and Rachel getting together, Ross and Rachel breaking up, Ross and Rachel getting together, Ross and Rachel breaking up....
No, seriously, it would have to be 9/11 and how important TV got to all of us. I was in college and nobody went to class. We all just congregated and glued our eyes to the news.

12. Most memorable moment you'd just as soon forget?
Don't know.
See my answer above.

13. What would you like to see again?
Lost :)
Lost! Whoo hoo!!

Happy Birthday Booger-Dog

2006-01-27T09:10:00.000-07:00

Today, my best little buddy turns two whole years old. They are supposed to start calming down at two years, right? RIGHT?!?! It's hard to believe that I've had him in my life for almost two years but then I wonder what the heck I ever did with my time B.C. (Before Cache). So, before all you critics start rolling your eyes over the fact that I actually remember my dog's birthday (AND post about it), try this: Move to a brand new city right out of college, live by yourself, pick up for yourself a little puppy, and try NOT to get completey attached and dependent on him. I dare you.

So, thank you, Cache, for being such an incredible companion. You're my anti-depressant, my personal trainer and the one that teaches me not to take life too seriously. Happy Birthday, little booger.

The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue.
- Anonymous

Don't accept your dog's admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful.
- Ann Landers

If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.
- Will Rogers

There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.
- Ben Williams

Anybody who doesn't know what soap tastes like never washed a dog.
- Franklin P. Jones

Thursday Links

2006-01-26T08:45:00.000-07:00

iPod news: Preloaded iPods prompt legal ponderings

I know a guy that could do this with NO PROBLEM.

I got this little game in an email this week. Supposedly, if you can do it for 18 seconds, you're pretty good. The email also said something about fighter pilots doing it for 2 minutes. And we ALL know how accurate email forwards are!! It's fun anyway.

How to make a shiny ball of mud. Don't ask me how I find these things...

Here's for you Guiness AND ice cream lovers. Unfortunately, I don't care for either. But knock yourself out! And let me know how it turns out.

You'd think I was a guy with how much I enjoy this page of exploding thing. Hopefully, it's just the inner photographer...

I want one of these. Just to see how it works...

Mr. PicassoHead

I normally kind of roll my eyes at Pink, but this video of her new song, Stupid Girls is worth a look. Hilarious.

Discussion anyone?

2006-01-25T09:18:00.000-07:00

Ok, I think we've all seen it now, so you can discuss away, girls.

I'll start it off with a funny little picture that I have put together. I couldn't get these two actors out of my head the whole movie. I don't think Brooke agreed with me on the whole John Cusack resemblance, but the Orlando Bloom thing is WAY TOO obvious. Anyway, here's some proof that the new Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham look a little familiar...

What do you think??

I hear

2006-01-24T13:18:00.000-07:00

that a certain musical artist is going to be here.

P.S. I have spring break that week.

It's FINALLY here

2006-01-20T08:14:00.000-07:00

It's about time! Check it out, girls. Guess what movie FINALLY came to Billings?

Sue, thank you for the head's up!!

Amanda adds:
Who's up for seeing it (or seeing it again!) this week?

Thursday Links

2006-01-19T07:47:00.000-07:00

iPod news: 50 things to do with your iPod! This rocks. I had no idea it was such a versatile little piece of machinary.

Amanda sent me this link this week of the Stooples store. I think my favorite is the "rumor mill".

Amanda* also sent me this link. What some people will put on websites....

I don't know if I've ever linked to this before, but have you guys ever checked out 3hive? Well you need to. And continue to share the sharing. I've found some good bands on that sight.

Cool falling sand game. Speaking of sand, check out these cool sand sculpures.

Uh oh!! Who wants to die?? Bad Elmo!! Bad!!

This was kinda interesting. It's the Head's (ex-Korn-guitarist) website. He recently became a Christian and is telling people about it.

That'll teach ya to burn mice!!

Cyclops kitten. Gross.

Hilarious photobooth prank. My favorite is the guy that won't smile. :)

*I think Amanda should take over Thursday links!!

Calvin

2006-01-18T18:04:00.000-07:00

Melodee reminded me of Calvin & Hobbes with her "smock, smock, smock" post. I was going to post my favorite strip (if it's really possible to get it down to just one), but it's too hard to find. While I was browsing I came across one I've never read before, though, and it goes with science. Thanks to uComics.

Monday Quote

2006-01-16T19:58:00.000-07:00

In considering what quote to post today, I decided to highlight Elizabeth Goudge. I'm not sure why she came to mind, but she did, so here are three of my favorites:

"They had fought and he had won, and upon the victor there lies always the obligation for the future welfare of the defeated." - Green Dolphin Street

"He did not believe in capricious fortune, but in a carefully woven pattern where every tightly stretched warp thread of pain laid the foundation for a woof thread of joy." - Gentian Hill

"It's not the mark of a good patriot to hate the enemy. It's the mark of a patriot to love his country." - Gentian Hill

MLK

2006-01-16T18:24:00.000-07:00

"Martin Luther King" has been in the top 1-2 searches on Technorati today. I was going to do a Google search, but then saw that and decided that if everyone else was doing it... (lame, I know). But check out Google's logo today, if you haven't already. Very cool.

This would be a tribute post, except I can't remember much except that I really admire him. Learning about the civil rights movement stuck with me more than anything else in my college history classes, and I took a lot of them! The facts just didn't stick as much as the feelings. So maybe I'll dig out my old notes and review this week.

And here's a song by my favorite band, about one of their heroes: Pride (In the Name of Love).

My 2005 Accomplishment

2006-01-10T22:17:00.000-07:00

I keep meaning to blog about this. I meant to last year while I was working on it, but I was too busy stripping paint, sanding and painting. I wish I had "before" pictures, but I don't. Sorry. But, the "after" pictures are great!! :) I present to you, dear friends, my "poor man's remodel" of Cache's kitchen.

What is that gorgeous picture on the wall you ask? Well, it is my own personal mural, courtesy of Anya Poirier. Here's a close up. Jealous??

It looks just like I have a window out to my own vineyard, doesn't it?

Here's a look to the right(south). Notice the beautiful hardware that a certain couple ladies got me for my birthday. Strange, I know. But it was EXACTLY what I wanted. Actually, these pictures are FULL of wonderful gifts people have given me to match the decor. They all fit just perfectly.

This isn't the greatest picture, but I wanted to show off more of my faux painting on the walls. It turned out pretty good.

And here's the man himself. Chillin' out in his new kitchen.

Awww...it's DONE. Now, on to the next project....

Science story...

2006-01-10T19:45:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm still being a lazy blogger, but I decided for our long-overdue Wednesday science story I could at least visit Bad Science Projects and come up with something. They didn't let me down. All the best scientific research will be performed on toys someday, not lab rats. Check out this Visible Barbie project.

(For the record, I did have a lot of Barbie dolls growing up. And I never thought of dissecting them.)

Thursday Links

2006-01-05T09:32:00.000-07:00

iPod news: Family Finds Raw Meat Instead Of iPod Inside Sealed Box

Send an email to the future you!

I like to say yottabyte. It's a fun word....yottabyte. But what the heck does it mean??

On one hand, this is mildly amusing. On the other hand, use some better judgement, people!!!

Best blonde joke EVER!!

What did people Google in 2005?? It's all about Brittney, Mariah, Angelina and Brad!

Speaking of annoying celebrities, here is a list of the 100 most annoying things of 2005. Some of these are SO true...

Introducing Plug and Pray!! Oh my...

Best Internet videos of 2005!

Funny photobooth prank.

Legos rock.

Monday Quote

2006-01-02T21:35:00.000-07:00

It's a new year, so I'm going to try to revive my Monday Quote. Nothing too earth-shattering tonight, I'm afraid, but since we just watched my Dad's wonderfullest Christmas present...

" This is a champion skimmer." - The Stranger

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANNA!!

2005-12-29T14:44:00.000-07:00

In your honor, here are a few birthday links.

What day of the week were you born on?? Let Rainman tell you!

See what else happened in history on your birthday!

Ok, this is dumb, but it has to do with birthdays so I'm posting it. Find out your love compatibility based on your birthdays!!

Check this giant birthday database to see if you're in it!!

Want to know what celebrity shares your birthday?

I know they are lame, but I was feeling not-so-creative today. I hope you're having a great day!!

The 8th Wonder of the World

2005-12-22T21:54:00.000-07:00

We rented the original King Kong tonight. What a riot...it was actually pretty impressive filming, I thought, but you gotta laugh at a monster gorilla "wrastling" a t-rex to the ground and then breaking its jaw. ;) I only lasted about an hour and a half into it - that girl's fire engine siren screaming gets a little old. However, I am looking forward to seeing the Peter Jackson one in the theater on Christmas Eve.

Really, all the parts that were funny because of their fakiness (although not bad considering that it was what, 1930?!) might be pretty amazing if you'd never seen, say, Lord of the Rings. I mean, compared to John Wayne movies, this is pretty intense, right? I wonder if we'd never seen a modern movie or advertisements or any 90s-00s media, what we'd think of it...

Thursday links

2005-12-22T07:17:00.000-07:00

To make up for last week, I got some GOOD ones here, people!!!

iPod news: (this is for Jen) TURN DOWN YOUR IPODS!!!

Amanda sent me this link yesterday. She calls it "motivation". Silly girl. Thanks, girlie. I'll need this motivation in the next couple weeks when everyone and their dogs are taking off of work.

Go Speed-Lacer. Go Speed-Lacer. Go Speed-Lacer, GO-OOOOOO!!!! These look sweet.

The Chroc-WHAT?-Cles of Narnia. Once in awhile, SNL pulls off something hilariously funny.
"Let's hit up yahoo maps to find the dopest route.
I prefer Mapquest! That's a good one too.
Googlemaps is the best! True dat! Double true!"

Ok, this is the coolest thing. I watched it at the beginning of this week, and thought, "That doesn't WORK!" Then I tried it...seriously, I will never peel eggs the same again.

You science-type people will have to tell me how accurate this article is.

In case you didn't get your Christmas baking done, now you can get your "decorating fix".

Man dates his mom! Ok, it sounds nasty. Well, it IS nasty. But it's a funny story. Read it.

I think maybe some of you might like who TIME magazine chose for Persons of the Year. Or at least you'll like one of the persons. :) You may want to check out their Best Photos of the Year too. It reminds me of this crazy sad year we've had...

Google Music Search? It's about time!!

Ok, this may take awhile to load, but you only really need to watch the first 30 seconds or so. It is a mirror made out of little pieces of wood that are shifted to create a reflection of what is in front of it. Pretty sweet. If you like this, check out all of Daniel Rozin's Interactive Art. Pretty cool.

Ok, I'll save the rest for next week.

Merry Christmas everybody!!

Indie Rock

2005-12-21T21:11:00.000-07:00

Please forgive me for not posting. I'm just not gonna post math problems. No math can find me here from now on.
A few months ago I was reading something about indie rock. I then realized that I didn't know the formal definition of the term "Indie Rock". So I went a searchin and I found this site. I hope you ladies find it as informative as I did.

Just a quick Metaphysical Speculation Madame Administrator could we possibly have a search operation for our site like www.dooce.com?

I was just wondering...

2005-12-20T12:29:00.000-07:00

...whatever happened to this?

Thursday Links

2005-12-15T07:02:00.000-07:00

I don't have many this week. There just isn't anything good out there right now! Or maybe I'm just not surfing hard enough. Enjoy anyway.

iPod news: still #1 Christmas gift, still overpriced. Nothing new.

Saved by a tree!

Don't understand today's slang? Maybe this Urban dictionary can help you out.

Bangalore, India is changing it's name!

This year's gobbledegook winners.

Do you have polybrominated diphenyl ethers in your blood?

Popular toys of the last 100 years.