Curently playing non-stop in my head....

What a witch!

Oh! I'm such an evil Witch! I'm filled with glee that it has started to rain, after a few days of nice weather. Why am I filled with glee you ask? I am thrilled that the rain may mean less trick or treaters to avoid at my door. Oh yes! D and I will continue with our traditional "avoid all traditional suburban door-to-door demanding of something for the children!"

We will be in our living room, watching bad movies and eating homemade pizza! Rock on!

Oh the Horror!

(aka: Hallow-weenies)

First, let me just say that although the D and I are sometimes messy, we are not dirty people. In fact, we generally can stand "messy" for only a few days at most. So, imagine our horror when we discovered MAGGOTS on our kitchen floor this morning. D and I were both screaming like the little girls that we are. Apparently, something in our rubbish bin had spontaneously maggotized itself overnight. It was HORRENDOUS...they were maggoting along everywhere....I even stepped on one in my bare feet. I thought I was going to die from the grossness of it all.

Somebody please come do something about it.

Ok, so Sophie is my personal rescue project. That is, I am personally looking for her new family. So, if anyone of you reading this know of the perfect family in the Houston (ish) (we can always arrange some reasonable transport if needed) area that is looking for a new furry family member, send them my way. Feel free to distribute her picture and her description far and wide (just be aware that I'm a complete stickler when it comes to just the right home.)

Here's a little blurb you can use to help publicize her search for her family:

Sophie appears to be a small wheaten terrier mix. She's got a coat of crazy and luxurious golden blonde hair. She's about 7 months old, and around 20 lbs. She will probably not get much bigger. She is easily picked up for a cuddle (she likes to lay her head on your shoulder and sigh blissfully). She is a happy, clever girl. She is apparently very well socialized and has managed life with her new foster dog siblings with relative ease. She loves to play fetch, and has already figured out how to use the doggy door.

Sophie is looking for her family, she knows they are out there. The ideal home for Sophie would be a home where she is truly part of the family. That is, where she gets to live inside with everyone else (no "outside dog" home for her!) She would love to have either kids, or other dogs to play with.

Look at the smile!

This page made me laugh, a mad laugh...bordering on lunatic guffaw.....

Oh, you've got to love beagles.....really love them....or you'd kill them.

She's a smiley girl.

Ruby is not thrilled.

I think her name is Sophie.

In the doghouse...again....

Well kids, I'm in the doghouse again. Literally. Despite my fervent promises to the D and the beasties...there is another foster dog coming to live at our house for a while.

I've been keeping my eye on a cute fluffy terrier type pups in one of the shelters for a few weeks hoping someone would fall in love with her. Alas, her time was up and I just couldnt' stand the thought that she'd go down before she'd ever lived. She only a wee baby.

So, she's coming to my house tonight.

Everyone will be fuming.

I'll be in the doghouse with the new pup.

(Pics and particulars to be posted after I get to know her a bit...meanwhile, if you are from the Houston area be on the look out for cute pup pics...you never know, it might be YOU that she was saved for.)

Take a minute to send a letter to your Senators in support of the Akaka Downed Animal Amendment

Public Service Announcement

Identity (2003)

Don't. Ever. Ever.

I don't know what it's like where you are sitting, but it has been absolutely BEAUTIFUL here. I don't use that term lightly. You have to understand that 98% of the time Houston weather is revolting. There are days that are so humid that being outside feels like drowning.

So, while I can, I'm taking advantage. That means I'm spending daylight hours that I'm not working outside. I have been doing a lot of reading in my hammock. I've been taking Ruby to training (she starts agility next week!) I've been going for walks and sitting on the front lawn.

I could live like this forever.

Salsifis (Vegetable Oyster) : Salsify

More on the mysterious vegetable oyster. It looks like parsnips.

Salsify - Food Facts & History

I'm completely intrigued! A plant that tastes like oysters? How is that possible?

Something that never fails to make me smile and get all ooky: The way Rubes looks like a pup when she sleeps....especially when she smacks her lips and sighs.

spiked-life | Article | Hooked on self-esteem

Interesting.

Amazon.com: Books: Learning Joy from Dogs Without Collars : A Memoir

I am trying to read this. I'm about to give up. I think it would be an interesting story if the author didn't write it like some twee harvard undergrad writing a paper for her sociology final. Within the first chapter alone there is insufferable reference to sociological theory, and the use of obscure and "academic" sounding words.

I don't think I'll make it past the first chapter. Shame about that.

Time to stage an intervention....

Let's suppose, you know, theoretically speaking, that you have a "friend." This "friend" has a problem. I mean, it's nothing HUGE or dark or heavy (duuuuuude!), but nevertheless it is a problem. A compulsion of sorts.

You friend has a problem with, let's say, for fun, toffee peanuts.

That is, she knows that she has this strange weakness for toffee peanuts, yet, sometimes, despite her very best intentions, she self harms by buying a small tin of them. Oh sure, she has all sorts of rationalizations. She doesn't even like peanuts particularly! And, you know, when it comes down to it, she doesn't even have much of a sweet tooth...... Maybe her body is just craving the protein the peanuts carry? Or, maybe it's because they are so well priced compared to other snacking alternatives? And, after all, she can buy the tin and have a few now and save the rest for later. No need to eat the entire tin right?

For most people this wouldn't be a problem, but for your friend? Problem. The problem is that once she starts eating them, she just can't stop. Even if it makes her sick and jittery (sugar side effects). She continues to eat them.

She's even asked people around her to physically remove what is left of the tin from her presence, but I don't think they realize she is not joking.

So, yeah, you have this "friend," right? Do you have the guts to intervene? Do you have the guts to intervene before she get seriously sick to her stomach and spends the next two days in a sugar induced coma?

Ironman!

Laugh? I nearly cried....

Scientific American Magazine Content Directory: Staking Claims

One of my favourite reads....

solo living

A new blog I'll be contributing to. I know, I know...I'm not exactly solo. But, you all know how independent and solo I am despite my coupled state of affairs.

Check it out!

Totally cravingturkish delight

ABC Shop - The Hottest Box - 10th Anniversary Collectors Edition

In case anyone wants to buy me a pressy for christmas....

Team in Training

I'm considering joining this. What do you think?

Yay! Just found out that a friend of ours has gotten a cheap airfare and is flying in from NYC to visit us! (Hint, hint to my other NYC pals....)

ConsumerReports.org - Vintage Photo Gallery

I thought you would enjoy this.

Oh, what I wouldn't give for a nice bowl of laksa!

Anyone know where I can find good laksa in Houston?

Quick update: Dougall went to his new home today. I won't be surprised if he ends up back here, he's such a big puppy mess. But, they loved him and he loved them...so I hope it works for his sake.

Musical Bride Panties (that's right I said PANTIES)

(Really, there is nothing more to say.)

NEWS.com.au | Entertainment | Chisel revived (October 09, 2003)

I would kill to be at this show. It would SOOOOOOOO rock.

NEWS.com.au | Women should 'stop whinging': expert (October 9, 2003)

A-freaking-men. Seriously. Stopy crying and play like the big boys do.

One thing I've stuck to religiously for YEARS...never say "I'm sorry" to anyone at work. Even if you've really fucked something up, instead of "I'm sorry," say "No problem, I'll take care of it." You can cry in private as you try to somehow fix up your mistake.

Don't "share" at work. Don't "bond." Don't "just try(ing) to help." Do your job, and do it well and quickly without input from everyone. I don't care if it isn't fair or you feel like you're not able to self-actualize yourself at work or any of that bullshit. You are getting paid to do a job, not to sit around wanking off about your soul-searching and spiritual development. Do that in your own time (if you absolutely must).

Be appropriate on the job... remember, it's a JOB not an extension of you as a person. Do it as best you can and shut up about everything else. Save all your touchy-feely stuff for your non-working life (and you should have a non-working life that is completely apart from working life.)

So there! Because I say so that's why!

Two Things

1. This morning as I was driving along I realized the seat warmer was on. Ruby must have stepped on it coming home from training last night. It reminded me of that time in my father's car, when it was absolutely freezing out....you know, that weekend I'd totalled the car driving to his apt in San Antonio through an ice storm... We had laughed about how my grandmother had freaked out and thought she was having hot flashes because she didn't realize his seat warmers were on. I remembered how laugh sounded. I missed him.

2. Five minutes ago, D called me and told me something stupid that made me laugh. I was startled. When I heard myself laughing, I heard my dad's laugh. I'd never realized I had his laugh. I miss him.

LOL! LOL! Kudos! LOL! ROFLMAO LOL!

(This post is just for D.)

Bag of Toffee Peanuts = Obsessive Eating

I can't stop. I blame Allison and her lists of yummy things to eat!

Eating Well Cheaply

Love it! Will save the archives for a nice sunday read.

Adventures in Eating

Every once in a while the D and I decide it's time for another episode of "adventure eating." What we mean by that is sometimes also referred to as "back of the pantry survival eating." That is, we don't buy any groceries (bar essentials like coffee) until both fridge and pantry are debulgified. We've had many memoral cooking experiments from these episodes. Some experiment recipes have worked (smoky nectarine chicken), some have not (deep fried corneal blobs of horror). This latest episode produced quite a nice success, I think I'll call it "surprise cake." It's a surprise, because you have no idea if it will be edible, just edible, or super yummy.

Here's how you make it:

First things first, prepare! Heat the oven to 350-ish. Grease and flour a pan. I don't know what size, just whatever size "feels" right.

Now, onto the actual cake creation! Dump two cups of flour in a bowl (in this case it was whole wheat). Add a couple eggs, or egg substitute. Add a couple teaspoons of baking soda. Add a can of fruit product (in this case, (sorry Browneye!), coconut in syrup from ecuador which was in our pantry for some unknown reason). Add some chopped apple, or not. Perhaps you have some other dried fruit or fresh fruit you feel like adding. Go ahead. Mix it in. Add some applesauce for good measure. How much? I don't know, just "some." I guess you could add some sugar too, but I don't like overly sweet cake so I didn't.

Spread it in your pan and cook it until done. Done means toasty looking and cooked through.

Good stuff!

Don't be jealous that I'm in training for a specialized software for the next couple days!

Just so as you know, D and I had a sunday session with an other couple of australian's yesterday and now I feel total shithouse. And I didn't even have anything to drink! Staying out on a "school" night was not such a great idea.

Evidence that Bess is actually a human dressed as a beagle (and a snotty human at that):

She refuses to drink out of the communal water bowl, unless no one else has drunk out of it. Especially since Dougall get's it all revolting by dragging his ears through it and slobbering excessively. Tonight, she went and stood over the waterbowl and barked, while looking at me and pawing at the bowl. That was her subtle way of demanding that I empty the bowl, clean it and refill it so that she can slake her princess thirst.

PS. Today I bought a tub of guava paste. I'm unable to stop eating it, though the sugar content is actually hurting my stomach. Someone help me.

I'm "Grossly Unremarkable"

At least that is what the MRI showed. Only the slightest bulging, but nothing major. It sure hurt to be nothing major.

My grandfather made me feel less like a hypochondriac loser by pointing out that most migraine's causes are never diagnosed by instruments like MRI (and generally never fully understood), but that doesn't make the pain of them any less real.

So, who knows why my back was a mess. It's better now. Hopefully it will stay that way.

Amazon.com: Books: The Sensualist: An Illustrated Novel

Reading this at the moment. Am undecided if I love it or not, but it's good enough for me not to have tossed it yet. The illustrations alone are neat.

Amazon.com: Books: Diary: A Novel

Palahniuk has a new one out. Should I or shouldn't I? I never can decide if I like his stuff or hate it.

Because I'm so zen, or ying/yang, or something... I present you with my current list of "good stuffs."

1. The way Dougall will nuzzle his cold nose into that spot right behind your ear and make groany noises if you let him nap on the couch with you.
2. The way Sam kicks his back legs out all sideways when he's happy and playing.
3. Slow roasted asparagus
4. The weather over the last few days... it's been PERFECT
5. A bag of cherry ripes arrived in the post just for me the other day
6. Being able to walk and move without major restriciton the last few days
7. The way D sings silly songs in the shower