Friday, May 30, 2003

You're a COCK

(posted as a super secret message to you know who you are!)

Donald Whaur's Yer Troosers?

NewYorkFirst.com: Ventriloquist Collection

ugh....

Thursday, May 29, 2003

Gazpacho, it's what's for dinner!

Here are some recipes/variations (I'm a big fan of less is more, and love the more traditional recipes like the Andalusian one below. The "green gazpacho" sound intriguing as well):
Texas Cooking Recipe, lots of ingredients! Interesting additon of honey and tabasco though.
Andalusian Style, mmm this looks like what I typically make.
Green Gazpacho, no tomato at all, sounds super yummy.
Tomatillo Gazpacho, because you know of my love of the tomatillo.

People. This is the summer of gazpacho. (And pico de gallo, but then again, it is always the summer of pico de gallo)


Wednesday, May 28, 2003

kewl!
(gag)

Oink, Oink, Oink

Today I met my sister and a group of her friends at this fine establishment for lunch. No really, it is an inoffensive-ish salad bar type place. It is located near the upscale mall in our suburb.

Some observations:

1. "All you care to eat" is the nice way of saying "all you can shovel down your gullet."
2. The ladies who lunch in this suburb dress in horrendous atrocious "summer separates." (Yes, that means floral capris, and pastel coloured pant suits).
3. Even 17 year old boys are no match for the house. In the case of buffets, the house always wins. I saw their folly when I noticed that they'd gotten platefuls of questionable pizza.
4. Pear and Gorgonzola salad with sugared walnuts and balsamic dressing? Sure it may be a buffet...but this is yummy.
5. There are many many many seniors that enjoy large servings of the complimentary soft-serve (read: listeria mousse) icecream. Multiple bowls.

I ask you, what good is sewing your lips shut if you can still speak?

And now, for the random factlet of the day............

I find the electronically generated sound of castanets set to standard 4 on the floor dance rythms incredibly annoying. So annoying that my heart races in the few phrases before I can actually stop the noise.

Well no, Miss Drabble. The Vietnamese fought the war for communism and they won communism. That, indeed, is why the old man is impoverished, shabbily dressed and bartering for dollars. In your deliberate obtuseness, you become blind to the most self-evident conclusions and an apologist for the appalling regimes that are so far removed from your ostensible values.

The Boston Globe reported last fall that three local therapists are campaigning for recognition of a new diagnosis: post-traumatic slavery disorder. Apparently, drug abuse, broken families, crime, and low educational attainment in segments of the black community can be directly linked to the trauma of slavery, and "black people as a whole are suffering from PTSD"—an abuse-excuse appeal for reparations if ever there was one. Satirists could barely contain themselves, proposing, among other new diagnoses, "post-traumatic birth disorder," defined as being "brought on by the pain, insensitivity, embarrassment, and forced relocation that the victims had to endure as a result of the birth process, not to mention the indignity and violence associated with that first spanking."

Caldrea - Products

Nice stuff!

Texas Department of Agriculture

Pick your own locations.

Tuesday, May 27, 2003

Summer Happiness in an Icy Glass
aka: Lemon, Lime and Bitters

Rose's Lime Syrup
Angostura Bitters
7 Up

Put in a glug (highly technical term) of Rose's in your icy cold glass (fresh from the freezer). Add some dashes of bitters. Top with 7 up. Adjust to taste. Add ice. Enjoy and thank me later.

HoustonChronicle.com - New book: Good fortune comes to those who expect it

There is no such thing as luck, right?

Camp Gone to the Dogs, Vacations with your dogs

Monday, May 26, 2003

Sooooooooo.... how was your weekend?

I gotta tell you, mine peaked pretty early. I have to say the top moment of this holiday weekend happend on Friday night at the engine room. We were watching a pretty mediocre band and were a bit young for the crowd. There was a fellow there, resplendent in tatty orange t-sirt, shorts, and flip flops (!) jamming out. He was not even 5 feet tall, and rather balding. But that didn't stop him from some heavy duty air guitar. D and I were in stitches. The entire effect was even more comedic due to the fact that his arms hung down almost below his knees. In general, he was very chimp like.

The rest of the weekend was excessively baseball (at some point in a drunken daze I agreed to go to the baseball not only once, but twice), house projecty, and dog mad (see below).

(I'm still battling the horrendous walls in my bathroom).

Hi! Hi! Hi! Hi! I'm Poppy! Yes! I am! Hi! Remember how Cas wanted to cut down on the amount of foster's in her house? I made her change her mind! I wasn't ready to die yet! Hi!

Sam (one-eye-am!)

Hi, I'm Abe....I lik long walks, chew bones, and long cuddles on the couch....

Friday, May 23, 2003

Very very funny.

Doll Re-birthing

In my creepy doll mode, I've discovered this whole cottage industry of "doll rebirthing." I mean, seriously, I know that a lot of artistic time and talent goes into transforming dismembered heads into very realistic looking baby dolls. But the whole thing kind of (well more than kind of) creeps me out. I mean, some of these dolls are sold with "warming packs" so that the doll will stay warm for hours while you cuddle it. And, belly, chest and sometimes even butt plates for posing. Now, these dolls are obviously not meant for little girls to play with and that's what makes it even creepier for me.

Who is buying these dolls and posing them and cuddling them? Grown people? I guess we all have our weirdnesses, as for me, cuddling living breathing pups will do.

Thursday, May 22, 2003

Minnie Update

-and other doggy updates

My sweet little Minnie is all better now! She is happy and healthy and loves to skip around and play, especially in the mornings. She is a true mother type, and spent all sunday night "patting" D on the hand when he was sick. In all the dogs we've had, we have never had a sweeter and more loving dog than Minnie....despite the fact that you know she didn't have such a nice life before she arrived here.

Now comes the worst bit (for us) and the best bit (for her). Minnie is meeting with a potential adopter Monday and will most likely go home to her new family. Oh, how sad we will all be. And happy at the same time.

I can not begin to tell you how much I'll miss her. She has such a vibrant little spirit and is a true example of not only the will to live, but the will to live a happy and full life. I will remember her always.

As for the rest of the gang here, I try to keep the updates here light as I know it can't be as fascinating to you as it is to me. Well, currently we have one-sam here. He started his rescue career as "willy" and I wanted to name him Cy, short for Cyclops. Sam only has one eye. We don't know how he lost the other...but he doesn't seem to notice. He is a gorgeous ruddy brown, a "red and white" beagle with no black. His one eye is a lovely hazely green. He is the most even tempered dog and a really fun guy. He had near disaster two weeks ago when his neuter suddenly went very badly. He developed post surgical swelling, and within days his scrotum was swollen to grapefruit size! It was horrendous, but he survived the infection and surgery and is now in the process of putting some meat on his bones so he can do his heartworm treatment.

We also currently have "Abe" though he is just passing through, he is marked for another foster home this weekend. He is a lovely open-coated beagle...like snoopy was. He is a very smart boy and we haven't minded having him at all.

eBay item 2929876634 (Ends May-23-03 16:53:48 PDT ) - OOAK horror evil demon baby doll by UHL

Make me stop.

eBay item 2930024649 (Ends May-22-03 12:33:18 PDT ) - OOAK Palm Baby, Mini Full Sculpt, Baby Boy

The scariest dolls ever can be found on ebay. This one should haunt me for a couple years.

So yeah, I have the world's worst headache. Again.

Blech.

Wednesday, May 21, 2003

When I was around five years old (maybe four) I had a grand game I played. It was called "flying" and involved climbing to the top of the china cabinet esque piece of furniture close to my bed and hurling myself down on the bed...belly flop style. Geez! That was fun times. Except for the time that I didn't quite aim so well and landed squarely on the wicker ches that sat at the foot of my bed. I impaled my lower lip on it and screamed until a parental figure came and peeled my lip off the offending sticky-uppy bit of wicker. That cost me two stitches and a whole lot of trouble with regards to the mechanics of my game. That is the last time I remember playing "flying" ... in my room.

Soon I moved it outside after I convinced my brother and sister to move the trampoline somewhat under the upstairs balcony. Now, that was really flying. In the end that cost me a couple of teeth...but at that age I could afford to lose them.

Crumpet's Bakery Menu

Ok, please explain. A bakery named "crumpet's" with nary a crumpet on the menu?

Also, anyone know where I can buy/order crumpets locally? I'm hanging out for crumpets with vegemite....I know, I know.

Cuntry Pub

indeed.

Yahoo! Top Stories - Tree That Give Meat Instead Of Fruit!

Onya Jimmy!

Christine deserves Kudos!

She deserves huge recognition for the volunteer work she does. I couldn't do it and not be a nasty nasty nasty person about it. Which does not bode well in the end for the dogs. As people do not respond to nastiness.

Secondly, her twattish co-worker would have gotten a very unkind mouthful from me if I were in Christine's shoes.

You are a better person than I am Christine, I would have told her in no uncertain terms that not only was it none of her business how you chose to express altruism, not only that, until she was actually contributing to the world in some meaningful way that she could stick up her huge arse.

(I'm not even going to mention how annoying the whole "children are more important than dogs" ideology is lest I whip myself into a blind rage.)

Tuesday, May 20, 2003

And the kitchen area opening to the den...

The much discussed green study.

Dress code is a funny thing down here in tex-ass....yeah, boy howdy it is...

So we went to a cheesy little suburban pick up bar (that is the D and I) to hang out with a friend for a couple rounds. We like this bar because the patrons always provide entertainment. I've written about it before but am too lazy to link here. So....

So, there we are. D is dressed casually as he usually is...you know, just your average suburban wear. We didn't even think twice about a dress code or going to this funky little divey place (read: not at all hipster trendy place to see and be seen). Last time we were there we were seated directly behind a "girls night out party"...mutton dressed up as lamb in daisy dukes and their fancier flip flops. So. Right. I've set the scene for you. I'm in work gear...D is in shorts, t-shirt, and baseball cap. Our friend is in work gear. All is well, though the bartender in his bad mid-ninties chandleresque bowlingish shirt loathes us immediately. I think is because I made fun of the poofter martini glasses they served the tequila in (They were drinking tequila, I was not). So, D, midway through our second round sort of mindlessly turns his cap backwards. Probably to be stupid, but I hardly noticed. Suddenly, the bartender (who by the way is like three feet tall) is there tapping D on the shoulder and saying discretely "Um, look, man...we don't really have a formal dress requirement here, but could you turn your cap around?" I just about fell off my stool laughing.

So now you know! Cap forward = meets upscale formal bar dress code. Cap backwards = sloppy, too casual for a bar where daisy dukes on middle aged women are the norm.

Come for a visit...you know you want to.

Mr. Yoo, meet Ms. Hoo

(It would be a match made in branding heaven and a last name worth hyphenating....)

Ms. Hoo is a snooty designer!

Ms. Hoo is a commissioner!

NEWS.com.au | When a kiss leads to court (May 19, 2003)

Monday, May 19, 2003

Today's peeves (so far):

1. "Woot." Hate it. Loathe.
2. The difference between good and well. For example, if someone asks you how you are, your response should never be: "I'm doing good." Unless of course you are doing good (ie. actively doing good deeds.) If you are merely conveying that you are not suffering, then your answer should be: "I'm well." Also, as a follow up to a project, it did not go "good," it went "well."

Ahem.

Cranky on a monday morning? Not at all......

HoustonChronicle.com - Beagle treks 800 miles, from Kansas to Alabama

Thursday, May 15, 2003

She Works, He Doesn’t

Like at my house...

GourmetSleuth - Michelada Cocktail

Despite proclamations elsewhere (naming a downright poncey drink as the drink of the summer), here in Texas, this is the drink of the summer. In a frosted beer stein.....

Think it sounds revolting? Oh, you poor deluded soul.

Think of it as a manlier, more tejano version of the more ladylike Shandy.

LUCUBRATIONS OF A MAD GENIUS

Trust me, he is definitely funnier than you.

Wednesday, May 14, 2003

Dog Lovers Unite!

A CKC Spaniel dressed as a monkey....

too ridiculous (and cute)....

(making something like this may make the scary sewing machine come in handy....watch out ruby...I see a squirrel (oh the irony!) outfit in your future...)

This is the most fab non-animal related charitable cause I've read about in a while.

What a collaboration!

Soy Products from Dixie Diners' Club

Ok, Mr.Yoo, I'm phasing meat out....

Dump Cake!
Sounds disgusting...tastes great!

Allison and I were emailing about the magical goodness that is dump cake last weekish. I was inpsired and decided to make a version of dump cake called Mexican Fruit Cake (why Mexican? dunno!) last night.

Goodness people! It is pure pineappley goodness.

Tuesday, May 13, 2003

I like a good story. I like the unfolding of a story through time, I like unfolding almost as much as I like uncovery. I like a story that doesn’t necessarily progress to a crisis and then resolve. I like the small details. I like it to have a bit of everything, sadness, happiness, boredom, anxiety. I like it to be like life. I like it to remind me of me. I like it to be something that could never happen to me. I want it to be everything that could happen to me.

Monday, May 12, 2003

Rock on!

Last night my dreams were particularly vivid. Seriously. I dreamt hard. I dreamt that I was in that same hotel room I always dream. Yes, that one. The one with the slightly orangish decor. Wait, it isn't a hotel. It's a motel. That is important. The smell of hot concrete from the parking lot floods the room every time you open the door. You never open the window because there is an AC windo unit in the window. Plus, it is hot. Hot enough to make concrete fragrant. You don't open the door, unless necessary. Hence, the smell of hot concrete is only a memory in your dream. The AC chugs along wetly in the background. The tv is on, but not loud enough to hear properly, only serving as vague background noise. Perhaps someone is in the shower, or it seems the shower is running.

Yes. That room.

It still has the same faux woodprint formica covered table it always does, right there by the window. The rough drapes are drawn closed, like always. The chairs are still covered with slightly cracked orange naugahyde. The same half -filled smoked glass ash tray is sitting in middle of the table. I'm sitting in one chair at the table and opposite of me is my father. Silent as always. Silent and smoking. I am frustrated and mute. He is perhaps contemplative, but more muley than anything else. He remains mute.

Sometimes I start to compulsively smoke from the packet of cigarettes thrown on the table (marlboro). This time I don't.

I wake up with cigarette smoke filling my nose and making me want to retch. I'm devestated as always after this dream and it takes me much of the morning to shake the feeling of despair in my heart.

Scientific American: Parallel Universes

HoustonChronicle.com - Teen dies trying to slide down museum bannister

Foucalt's Pendulum strikes again.

HoustonChronicle.com - Animals giving emotional support allowed on planes

Pets, better than any medication.....

Friday, May 09, 2003

Writing as a Block for Asians

The Chronicle: 5/9/2003: Cultural Globalization Is Not Americanization

Apparently there was a "technical problem" with the rear door.

Puppet Artists....Bill and Marnie Winn

Remember how I blaaahhhged a while back about that fucking creepy doll? I think I just found something even creepier.

Creamcheese Chronicles

...the ongoing saga...

(ok, maybe that is overstating it)

Guess what I spotted at my local suburban grocery store? Cheesecake flavoured creamcheese! What next? Buttercream Icing flavored butter?

What marketing genius came up with that? I know! Let's add some sugar to the tub of cream cheese and call it "cheesecake" flavored! This is nowhere near as brilliant as the pumpkin pie flavored cream cheese I enjoyed not too long ago. Maybe if they had done something like "Blueberry Cheescake Flavored" I could be more appreciative of the creative genius....

But really. It's like developing a cake flavored cake. Or a strawberry flavored strawberry jam.

(That being said, I think I may just have to buy a tub and give it a whirl.....)

(Also, excuse the spotty spelling, I find myself suddenly making the transition between australian spelling and american spelling...)

HoustonChronicle.com - Adulthood starts at 26, Americans say in new study

I guess I've been a grown up now for 3 years. Who knew?

Thursday, May 08, 2003

Suggested Cures for the Common (or Uncommon) Blahs

1.Prince on the radio on the drive home.
2. Walks with eager pups, finished off by randomly walking through one of the neighbour's sprinklers (much to the amusement/amazement of the kids on the street that were thinking how great it would be to walk through that exact sprinkler...)
3. 20 minutes in a fancy pants shiatsu chair.
4. Filling the jetted tub with warm (not hot) water, and sinking in with glass of big fat red shiraz in hand.
5. Steamed chicken and veggies.
6. Freshly made strawberry sorbet.
7. Quality cuddle time with the beags (and Rubes) and watching silly tv shows.

(Or all of the above in succession.)

Welcome to Canstruction!

Nice concept.

There are so many things I want you to know, but I despair of ever being able to tell you; things that don’t really matter but seem important in some way. Things that I want to not be the only person to know…

Like how the number 3, always seems like an ‘r’ to me (same with the number 7, an ‘l’).

Or how I really love that perfect moment in the evening, when the sun is setting and it’s rays are coming right at you in that soft and loving way. I love that. Those are the brief moments that I feel a connection with anything. I want you to know that I set up that chair in the front room just so I can sit and wait for that moment and feel the tepid sun’s rosy-ness wash over me and, every so briefly, I feel real and here. I feel tangible.

I want you to know that I love uncovery. No, not discovery, uncovery. I know it isn’t a word, but that’s what I like. To wipe away/scrape away/pick away a layer and find the pristine original underneath. No matter the amount of gunk and dirt and years of hiding, underneath the real remains.

You need to know that I’m not vague by choice or “out there” and spacey because I want to be cool and different. I just sometimes have problems finding something in my programmed language that actually comes close to telling you things. I’m a failure at articulation, and make do as best I can.

Oh there are so many things. I think about them, and want to tell you. But I forget, or I can’t figure out how…..

Reality Adjustment

(100 wordish)

It is always tough adjusting to a new reality. I mean, I really really like that I can see now, but every once in a while I catch myself going to “adjust” the contacts I’m not wearing. Or putting my glasses on out of habit. Or, worse yet, in the morning, opening my eyes and not expecting to be able to see and going through this panicky moment of “Oh God! I slept in my contacts again!” (Which used to be a sure-fire not good way to start the day.) My brain has still not accepted that I can see.

Giant Robot Store - Dirty Robots Dark Grey T-Shirt

I need this so I can wear it while listening to "Dirty Robot" by Arling and Cameron.

Giant Robot Store - Stickers - Sealco - Beagle (SC-11)

As Allison said, I TOTALLY need these.

Life Jacket by Outward Hound

Shhhh....don't tell Ruby...but I'm buying her a lifejacket. So, that when we take her out to the lake and she feels compelled to dive in to "save" D or I she doesn't drown.

Wednesday, May 07, 2003

NEWS.com.au | Piano-playing dingo is dinky di (May 8, 2003)

!!!

homewreckers: home and garden diy blog

Love this! Gosh I wish I had been part of this through the color-ification process downstairs....I could really get some good entries out of my bathroom's current state of disrepair. I'm still undecided about color but meanwhile am chipping/picking away at painted over/plastered over wallpaper.

Love....such a beautiful thing.

Being in a "relationship" is always work. Always. Being married? Work. Getting annoyed on a continual basis? Guaranteed.

No, D and I aren't fighting. No, I'm not filing for divorce. Please people, unwad the panties.

It is just that he is making me insane lately. The very fact that we (two adult human beings) coexist in such close quarters is enough to make the person-phobic girl mad. (Not mad as in pissed, mad as in insane.)

Meanwhile, he's happy as larry and refuses to acknowledge how annoyed I am. He thinks it is funny.

I? Do not.

That being said. The most annoying part is that I think he is funny. Even when I'm trying to ignore him because of the annoyance....I end up being made to laugh. It does nothing for my credibility.

At least his parents are on "my side." (Used loosely people, I know I know, Orka-losophy would tell me that there is only one side in a marriage or some other feel good bullshit.) Last night his dad rang, I said "B, your son is being a complete prick!" At which point D picked up the phone and his dad said to him "Oy, you! Stop being an asshole to Cass." Yay!

Fate...Believe It

(This is what I emailed to Jodi and Allison yesterday.)

So I called a woman I met a month or so ago at a rescue thingy at our local animal shelter about Mr. Thing (the pood) at home. She does "small dogs" but mostly shnauzers, and she's as picky about adopters as we are. Right.

So our conversation went like this:

Me: Hi Bev. You probably don't remember me, I'm with Beagle Rescue, and I was calling to see if you had room for a dog in your program. He's a min poodle, and he is a bit of a mess right now, but i just couldn't leave him in the shelter, and....

Bev (cutting in): A poodle? What color?

Me: Grey and White

Bev: I've got an adopter for him! It is a him right? They want a male.

Me: Yes, it's a him. Wait, you don't understand he's a MESS. He has no fur. He is a complete mess, I can hold him a couple weeks until he look a bit more decent. I don't know his heartworm status either.

Bev: No! He's perfect. A couple I've been working with had to put their 18 year old min poodle down about three weeks ago and they are HEARTBROKEN. They've been asking me to keep an eye out for a poodle. They will love him, they need a project and a down and out dog to focus on. In fact, they will pay for all the medical treatment he needs. The are very well off and their dog was their child.

Me: Are you sure? I mean, really, I didn't intend to just spring this dog on you. (aside: my pet peeve, other rescue groups that pick up a dog "on our behalf" and then want us to take it immediately).

Bev: No, really, in fact I have an open neuter spot this afternoon. And you know, if for some reason they don't take him, we'll get him into our program...we've always got requests for poodles.



So there you go.......I swear to you, the times that I've taken a dog knowning that it was insane and not a beagle and not a good decision (ie. Prince, or Rufus, or Rosso), it seems that those dogs were really meant for someone. I swear, you just see something in their eyes and you know that is someone's dog in there facing a death sentence......

Tuesday, May 06, 2003

BBC NEWS | Health | Boy 'pregnant' with twin brother

A thanks to the always fab Mr. Yoo for bring this story to my attention.

Free-Falling Verse

I wanted to write
a poem
for you.

Free
of form
free
of "should be's."

What I wrote

instead.

Is this.

PS
Today, I thought I'd forgotten what year
it is.

That losing of connection with time
felt like
a poem.

Streets Strewn With Glass, Gold (washingtonpost.com)

Don't be sad...I have already gotten behind on my one hundred words this month.

Word.

Instead, perhaps I'll post here what I might have otherwise written? I mean along with all my usual prattle.

But before I start that....I have to tell you something.

Poodle.

I have a poodle at my house.

Though you can hardly tell he's a poodle as he's mostly hairless (alas....the closest I'll get to my own Piglet). Yeah, so not only is he mostly hairless...he is in pretty bad shape. Very underweight...and my god, the smell. I've been cutting out his funky dreadlocks (most of the little hair he has is in disgusting motion impeding dreadlocks), and bathing him.

I couldn't resist. He was on death row and didn't have a chance in hell. The rest of the beasties are not pleased. I've promised them it is only for a little while, until he gets fixed up a bit and he can go to a small dog rescue.....

Welcome to Matsuri Japanese Restaurant

Ahh, one of the things I miss about perth.....matsuri take away....

Monday, May 05, 2003

Guardian Unlimited | Life | The Essential Difference front page

What sort of brain do you have?

ASPCA: ASPCA Advocacy Center

Go on! Pitch in!

Sunday, May 04, 2003

TIME.com: Food Fight

The UN...such a wonderful organization.

Do you feed your pets Iams? Rethink it.

D and I have spent a lot of time researching what to feed our dogs, and articles like this just confirm it.

(PS. Jodi...don't read this. Seriously.)

Saturday, May 03, 2003

Adopt-a--Thon

This is what I was doing today...

Friday, May 02, 2003

Mr. Yu grew up in a poor tenant farming family....he's come a long way baby!

Mr. Yu is a Chairman and CEO, he develops and maintains the vision of the company!

You can send mail to Mr. Yu

Mr. Yu can cook!

Mr.(ee) Yu is Married!

Mr. Yu is Mysterious....

Lost Quilt Come Home Page - lost, missing & stolen quilts; how to care for, protect, document, and label quilts

Oh lost quilt come home! I never realized the trauma involved in a missing quilt. You can insure a quilt? This is amazing to me....

A lost quilt posting? Seriously, this is kooky.

Work Peeve 4,958:

Women that feel compelled to talk to you in the bathroom, while you are in a stall. Hate.

Fashion folly or faux pas?

Ugg boots.

Ugg.

Thursday, May 01, 2003

100 Words - April 2003