[below is the continuation of a story begun on a friend's blog. If you'd like to pick up where I left off, post a comment with a link to your blog continuation of the story.]
"I dunno. What if he remembers?" She looked down at her hands.
"He won't."
She shrugged, "Well, I can't just let them go. Not without making sense of them."
He tilted his head forward and peered at her over the top of his glasses—a judging look. "Uh, yeah, that seems to be going so well."
An awkward silence drained away a few seconds, feeling like minutes.
Then her eyes narrowed, and the corners of her mouth turned up ever so slightly. "Actually, I think I have one figured out."
She pulled out the drawer of boxes, rapidly opening and closing the tiny boxes as she searched for the one she wanted. When she'd found it, she thrust the open box up under his nose. He stepped back so that he could actually see what was inside.
"A purple plastic dinosaur?"
"Yep." She smiled.
"So?"
"There was this time we went on a daylong road trip to see all the cheesy museums in a thirty mile radius. There was one filled with old sewing machines and another with moldy looking miners' clothes and pieces of fool's gold. It sounds boring, but we'd pop into a museum for twenty or thirty minutes—just long enough to take it in—then we would get back into the car and imagine what the people who owned the artifacts would think of their belongings rotting in a hokey small-town museum only visited by people passing through who needed to stretch their legs on the way to somewhere better. It was a great time."
Her eyes were unfocused, and she was smiling as she reminisced. He waved his hand in front of her face to bring her back to the present.
"And the dinosaur? Did you visit a museum of old dinosaur toys abandoned by children for generations?"
She punched him in the arm affectionately. "No. One of the gas stations was an old Sinclair station with a big cement dinosaur out front, but instead of being green, theirs was painted purple. I probably would have forgotten about it except when we got back in the car he pretended he was the dinosaur and lamented being stuck in the middle of nowhere painted an unnatural color. It was only a couple of seconds of insignificant joking."
"Maybe it wasn't so insignificant. Do you think he knew why it reminded him of you when he bought it? Or do you think he had no idea and bought it anyway?"
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Hobby Adventure!!!
I like to define myself by my hobbies rather than what I do for a living (because what I do for a living isn't that interesting or meaningful to the world), but I think my hobbies are a bit too broad in scope.
I crochet. Well that's nice. What do I crochet? Originally, only rectangular things and only one stitch. This meant lots of scarfs and blankets. I branched out to hats using a cheater method called the "nifty knitter." This past summer/fall I learned a new stitch and began making hats on my own, and not just any hats but animals hats. Of course, animal hats aren't really that high in demand unless you know a lot of little kids. No, what I want to do now is protest crochet following in the spirit of these awesome protest knitters.
Also, I used to be primarily a baker, then I branched out into cooking, and I have lost the touch with some of my baking. It's time to reclaim the world of baking and perhaps emphasize savory things because I don't like sweets that much. Though my first desire is to bake something like what I ate for breakfast, which was sweet. It came from a local mexican bakery and looked like one of those McDonald's apple pie pastries in shape and had the same little breather gaps. However, it wasn't hard and crusty like the tiny apple pies. It was just about the flakiest pastry I have eaten and had a cream cheese filling. Taste-wise, it was like a cheese danish, but less sticky and more flakey. Absolutely amazing. I want to make those first.
Then I will focus more on useful pastries--things I can take for lunch. Little quiches, pot pies, a homemade hot pocket things, stromboli, etc. I better start getting better about stopping by the Y after work.
I crochet. Well that's nice. What do I crochet? Originally, only rectangular things and only one stitch. This meant lots of scarfs and blankets. I branched out to hats using a cheater method called the "nifty knitter." This past summer/fall I learned a new stitch and began making hats on my own, and not just any hats but animals hats. Of course, animal hats aren't really that high in demand unless you know a lot of little kids. No, what I want to do now is protest crochet following in the spirit of these awesome protest knitters.
Also, I used to be primarily a baker, then I branched out into cooking, and I have lost the touch with some of my baking. It's time to reclaim the world of baking and perhaps emphasize savory things because I don't like sweets that much. Though my first desire is to bake something like what I ate for breakfast, which was sweet. It came from a local mexican bakery and looked like one of those McDonald's apple pie pastries in shape and had the same little breather gaps. However, it wasn't hard and crusty like the tiny apple pies. It was just about the flakiest pastry I have eaten and had a cream cheese filling. Taste-wise, it was like a cheese danish, but less sticky and more flakey. Absolutely amazing. I want to make those first.
Then I will focus more on useful pastries--things I can take for lunch. Little quiches, pot pies, a homemade hot pocket things, stromboli, etc. I better start getting better about stopping by the Y after work.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
I Have to Relearn to Write
So I'd figured the crappiness of my blog was the result of word-vomitting non-narrative subject matter. I've been telling myself this, but I think I have truly lost my inner creative writer. My writing is full of to-the-point literalness. When I sit down to write a story, I find myself telling and not showing. Tech writing has taken over my thought processes. I can write no more. I may have been this way for years now. Have I been in denial?
A couple weeks ago, I was working on my novel--the first time in a long time. I thought I was cutting the excess, but now I'm not so sure. My attempts at short fiction of late have been worse than bad. I should market them as a full-proof cure for insomnia. There is no poetry in my writing. Not the tiniest little bit. It's all just flat. This is untenable. If I can't write, I'm not sure who I am.
If you know me, you know I struggle with acne. It embarrasses me to the point that I absentmindedly scratch at it at work as if I can peel it off my face. I make it oh-so-much worse. Do you know that I find the idea of being a bad writer more loathsome than returning to the days of so much acne it hurt to move my face? Because I do. I would rather put on extra pounds, and have a pizza face, and have my hair as thin and stringy as it was when I was a toe-headed tween.
I think this is the final straw. This is the thing what will motivate me to cancel my internet and return to the ways of my youth. I will read non-stop. I will imagine. I will draw. I will create. I need a new water color set.
My friend Kelsie has kindly offered to help me develop my poetic talents. Her writing has pizzazz. I trust she can build me up without crushing my spirit. I think it may actually be time to enroll in a creative writing class at the arts center too. I need forced writing.
Okay self-lameness, I'm throwing a punch. I hope you can take it.
A couple weeks ago, I was working on my novel--the first time in a long time. I thought I was cutting the excess, but now I'm not so sure. My attempts at short fiction of late have been worse than bad. I should market them as a full-proof cure for insomnia. There is no poetry in my writing. Not the tiniest little bit. It's all just flat. This is untenable. If I can't write, I'm not sure who I am.
If you know me, you know I struggle with acne. It embarrasses me to the point that I absentmindedly scratch at it at work as if I can peel it off my face. I make it oh-so-much worse. Do you know that I find the idea of being a bad writer more loathsome than returning to the days of so much acne it hurt to move my face? Because I do. I would rather put on extra pounds, and have a pizza face, and have my hair as thin and stringy as it was when I was a toe-headed tween.
I think this is the final straw. This is the thing what will motivate me to cancel my internet and return to the ways of my youth. I will read non-stop. I will imagine. I will draw. I will create. I need a new water color set.
My friend Kelsie has kindly offered to help me develop my poetic talents. Her writing has pizzazz. I trust she can build me up without crushing my spirit. I think it may actually be time to enroll in a creative writing class at the arts center too. I need forced writing.
Okay self-lameness, I'm throwing a punch. I hope you can take it.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Back to the Goals
Okay, so I have my crazy New Year's resolution to simplify the material elements of my life. Here are some of the rules I try to follow, numbered arbitrarily in no particular order.
Rule Number 1: No shopping for clothing. I'm amending this because last month I broke the zipper on my favorite jeans and needed new jeans. Sometimes, a person needs new clothes. Of course when I went out, I bought jeans, and then I splurged on other things too (quite a few other things, not all clothing). So to handle both the occassional necessity for new clothes and the desire to purchase things that I see, I'm instigating new rules. I should only buy clothes written on a list before I leave the house (I can't follow my own grocery lists, so we'll see how this goes). I must not buy anything that I can't justify as fitting into the wardrobe persona that I have recentely established. I must not buy anything that doesn't contribute something to the wardrobe.
By contribute I mean that it must accomplish a desired function currently not captured in my wardrobe. The persona thing should prevent purchases like the trendy sweater dress craze I went on that just wasn't me. The contribution thing should prevent repetiton of existing things that work. In other words, for the purposes of my clothing, if one green shirt equals good, and I tell myself two green shirts is better, I will remind myself of the contribution factor and realize my two green shirts thinking is bad math. I don't need more clothes than I can wear in a week, maybe two, and I should demonstrate some diversity in that small period of time.
Rule Number 2: Read two books a month and only books I own or get from the library. I'm also supposed to get rid of books as I finish them. This I'm doing okay at. I have 4 books in one of my donate boxes, and I haven't purchased a single book all year (except the Comfort Food cookbook, but that's different). Hopefully I can keep up this trend.
Rule Number 3: I must box up 1 box of stuff to donate every month. The problem with my adherence to rule #3 is that January's box has never moved from behind the couch. February's box doesn't exist, though I did shift some clothing in the closet to contemplate donation. March is almost over and has no box. I'm slacking, so I got out another box this morning. I have filled it with some excess bedding and with clothing I had shifted in the closet. If I fill three boxes today, I think I will be good on the donation stuff for the year because I'm running out of stuff--the kitchen is off limits. Next step in decluttering by box is to recycle old electronics...I have a stupid hoard of dead cameras, old cell phones, and archaic computer cords.
So there they are--my decluttering goals, my mostly failures. I will be better. I will finish boxing things today, and I will actually take this stuff somewhere. Did I mention that all the boxes from my move are still neatly stacked by the entertainment center? I'm not sure if they're there because I am too lazy to find a place to recycle them or if I can't commit to staying in this place yet. I have been tempted to use my closet-cleaning donation process to make room for the moving boxes in there.
Rule Number 1: No shopping for clothing. I'm amending this because last month I broke the zipper on my favorite jeans and needed new jeans. Sometimes, a person needs new clothes. Of course when I went out, I bought jeans, and then I splurged on other things too (quite a few other things, not all clothing). So to handle both the occassional necessity for new clothes and the desire to purchase things that I see, I'm instigating new rules. I should only buy clothes written on a list before I leave the house (I can't follow my own grocery lists, so we'll see how this goes). I must not buy anything that I can't justify as fitting into the wardrobe persona that I have recentely established. I must not buy anything that doesn't contribute something to the wardrobe.
By contribute I mean that it must accomplish a desired function currently not captured in my wardrobe. The persona thing should prevent purchases like the trendy sweater dress craze I went on that just wasn't me. The contribution thing should prevent repetiton of existing things that work. In other words, for the purposes of my clothing, if one green shirt equals good, and I tell myself two green shirts is better, I will remind myself of the contribution factor and realize my two green shirts thinking is bad math. I don't need more clothes than I can wear in a week, maybe two, and I should demonstrate some diversity in that small period of time.
Rule Number 2: Read two books a month and only books I own or get from the library. I'm also supposed to get rid of books as I finish them. This I'm doing okay at. I have 4 books in one of my donate boxes, and I haven't purchased a single book all year (except the Comfort Food cookbook, but that's different). Hopefully I can keep up this trend.
Rule Number 3: I must box up 1 box of stuff to donate every month. The problem with my adherence to rule #3 is that January's box has never moved from behind the couch. February's box doesn't exist, though I did shift some clothing in the closet to contemplate donation. March is almost over and has no box. I'm slacking, so I got out another box this morning. I have filled it with some excess bedding and with clothing I had shifted in the closet. If I fill three boxes today, I think I will be good on the donation stuff for the year because I'm running out of stuff--the kitchen is off limits. Next step in decluttering by box is to recycle old electronics...I have a stupid hoard of dead cameras, old cell phones, and archaic computer cords.
So there they are--my decluttering goals, my mostly failures. I will be better. I will finish boxing things today, and I will actually take this stuff somewhere. Did I mention that all the boxes from my move are still neatly stacked by the entertainment center? I'm not sure if they're there because I am too lazy to find a place to recycle them or if I can't commit to staying in this place yet. I have been tempted to use my closet-cleaning donation process to make room for the moving boxes in there.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Butternut Squash and Turkey Casserole
Okay, so this turned out pretty good.
First thing's first, my methods do not necessarily follow the healthy tips recommended by Cooking Light. I am of the mind that I would rather use oil than cooking spray because cooking spray is weird and chemical, bla, bla, bla. I care more about reading the ingredients in what I purchase than the nutrition facts. I don't like my food to be overly processed or full of weird chemicals. I want to eat food, not lab experiments. My recipe most assuredly has more calories than theirs. If you'd like to try theirs, buy the cookbook--it's a great cookbook.
So here's what I did.
Prepared Butternut Squash:
Heated the oven to 425 and began cubing my butternut squash. When the squash was all in 1-inch cubes, I tossed it in a bowl of with the olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt, the black pepper, and rosemary. Then I dumped it on a cookie sheet and threw it in the oven. It needs about 30-40 minutes. When it's done, increase the oven temp to 450.
Cooked the Pasta:
I started the boiling some water for my pasta, and then I did some of the prep work below for the turkey and shallots. Then I threw in the pasta to cook it, and continued with the turkey mix. When the pasta was soft, I drained out the water, rinsed it with some cold water, and left it waiting in the sink while I finished up the turkey and began the cheese sauce.
Prepared Turkey and Shallot
Diced up the shallot and tossed it in the bowl I had previously used to toss the squash (less dishes). Set out a large skillet and began heating it on medium. Then I threw cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and cumin into my bowl with the shallot. After that I dumped in the ground turkey and mixed it all up with my hands. I completed this process by browning the whole mix in my skillet.
Prepared the Cheese Sauce:
Last but not least, I set aside my shredded provolone and parmesan so they would be ready. Then I put a large sauce pan (actually my pressure cooker) on the stove on medium heat. I put the flour and 1/2 tsp salt in. Then I began pouring the milk in about a 1/2 cup at a time, whisking constantly. I let it come to a boil and cooked it until it thickened just a bit (about a minute). At that point, I removed it from the heat and dumped in the provolone cheese, stirring it until the cheese melted.
Put It All Together:
Then in went the pasta and the turkey with the cheese sauce, and I mixed it all up. This all was dumbed and spread out in my 9 x 13 inch glassware pan. I spread out the now ready butternut squash over the top of it. Last, but not least, I sprinkled the parmesan over the top and popped that sucker into the oven for 10 minutes, just to melt the cheese.
Overall, it tastes pretty good, but I think I will add some crushed tomato to the turkey mix next time. It's not vegetabley enough for me. I might also make some extra provolone cheese sauce to drizzle over the top before baking. I added pasta and more meat to this recipe already, so if I add tomatoes too, I'm gonna need more gooey cheese.
| Ingredients: | |
|
|
First thing's first, my methods do not necessarily follow the healthy tips recommended by Cooking Light. I am of the mind that I would rather use oil than cooking spray because cooking spray is weird and chemical, bla, bla, bla. I care more about reading the ingredients in what I purchase than the nutrition facts. I don't like my food to be overly processed or full of weird chemicals. I want to eat food, not lab experiments. My recipe most assuredly has more calories than theirs. If you'd like to try theirs, buy the cookbook--it's a great cookbook.
So here's what I did.
Prepared Butternut Squash:
Heated the oven to 425 and began cubing my butternut squash. When the squash was all in 1-inch cubes, I tossed it in a bowl of with the olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt, the black pepper, and rosemary. Then I dumped it on a cookie sheet and threw it in the oven. It needs about 30-40 minutes. When it's done, increase the oven temp to 450.
Cooked the Pasta:
I started the boiling some water for my pasta, and then I did some of the prep work below for the turkey and shallots. Then I threw in the pasta to cook it, and continued with the turkey mix. When the pasta was soft, I drained out the water, rinsed it with some cold water, and left it waiting in the sink while I finished up the turkey and began the cheese sauce.
Prepared Turkey and Shallot
Diced up the shallot and tossed it in the bowl I had previously used to toss the squash (less dishes). Set out a large skillet and began heating it on medium. Then I threw cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and cumin into my bowl with the shallot. After that I dumped in the ground turkey and mixed it all up with my hands. I completed this process by browning the whole mix in my skillet.
Prepared the Cheese Sauce:
Last but not least, I set aside my shredded provolone and parmesan so they would be ready. Then I put a large sauce pan (actually my pressure cooker) on the stove on medium heat. I put the flour and 1/2 tsp salt in. Then I began pouring the milk in about a 1/2 cup at a time, whisking constantly. I let it come to a boil and cooked it until it thickened just a bit (about a minute). At that point, I removed it from the heat and dumped in the provolone cheese, stirring it until the cheese melted.
Put It All Together:
Then in went the pasta and the turkey with the cheese sauce, and I mixed it all up. This all was dumbed and spread out in my 9 x 13 inch glassware pan. I spread out the now ready butternut squash over the top of it. Last, but not least, I sprinkled the parmesan over the top and popped that sucker into the oven for 10 minutes, just to melt the cheese.
Overall, it tastes pretty good, but I think I will add some crushed tomato to the turkey mix next time. It's not vegetabley enough for me. I might also make some extra provolone cheese sauce to drizzle over the top before baking. I added pasta and more meat to this recipe already, so if I add tomatoes too, I'm gonna need more gooey cheese.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Comfort Food Adventure
I need to post more about cooking adventures. I also need to have more cooking adeventures.
Just a recommendation if you like spicy tomatoey things: Dak Bokkeum with Spinach (Korean Stewed Chicken with Spinach). Made this with a friend a couple weeks ago. It was amazing. I think the fire did some serious damage to the lining of my stomach, but it was well worth it.
New exciting goal for cooking adventures will be brought to you by Cooking Light Comfort Food: Home-Cooked Delicious Classics Made Light. I was pretty happy just perusing it, and what's nice is a lot of these things are pretty affordable to make. I've decided that I want to work my way through the casseroles first because casseroles usually freeze well and make handy leftovers for lunches.
This week I will be trying the "Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Pasta," except I have absolutely no intention of really following the directions at all. I like bacon, but I wasn't too keen on this mix, so I decided this butternut squash and pasta casserole concept should be melded with one of my favorite middle eastern inspired dishes, which mixes butternut squash with ground lamb. Yum!
What will the end product look like?
Well, they didn't have any ground lamb at the grocery store. Genius that I am, I forgot that St. Patrick's Day meant a ton of people making shepherd's pie, so my casserole will use ground turkey, which I will season with cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper, as inspired by the Epicurious dish. I also went for a whole wheat penne as used by the Epicurious dish.
From Cooking Light, I will be using the casserole concept, the butternut squash prep, the cheese choices of parmesan and provolone instead of kasseri, and there will be shallots.
I will probably add more details of what I did and how this turns out when I actually make the dish. Tomorrow, I think. Same post, not a new one. I'm a cheater like that.
(I lied. Detailed instructions are povided in the next post.)
Just a recommendation if you like spicy tomatoey things: Dak Bokkeum with Spinach (Korean Stewed Chicken with Spinach). Made this with a friend a couple weeks ago. It was amazing. I think the fire did some serious damage to the lining of my stomach, but it was well worth it.
New exciting goal for cooking adventures will be brought to you by Cooking Light Comfort Food: Home-Cooked Delicious Classics Made Light. I was pretty happy just perusing it, and what's nice is a lot of these things are pretty affordable to make. I've decided that I want to work my way through the casseroles first because casseroles usually freeze well and make handy leftovers for lunches.
This week I will be trying the "Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Pasta," except I have absolutely no intention of really following the directions at all. I like bacon, but I wasn't too keen on this mix, so I decided this butternut squash and pasta casserole concept should be melded with one of my favorite middle eastern inspired dishes, which mixes butternut squash with ground lamb. Yum!
What will the end product look like?
Well, they didn't have any ground lamb at the grocery store. Genius that I am, I forgot that St. Patrick's Day meant a ton of people making shepherd's pie, so my casserole will use ground turkey, which I will season with cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper, as inspired by the Epicurious dish. I also went for a whole wheat penne as used by the Epicurious dish.
From Cooking Light, I will be using the casserole concept, the butternut squash prep, the cheese choices of parmesan and provolone instead of kasseri, and there will be shallots.
I will probably add more details of what I did and how this turns out when I actually make the dish. Tomorrow, I think. Same post, not a new one. I'm a cheater like that.
(I lied. Detailed instructions are povided in the next post.)
Monday, March 5, 2012
Under Construction
The stripes weren't doing it for me, and the previous viney stuff wasn't doing it for me either. The current stuff is okay, if not coordinated super well. It will have to do for now because it is bed time.
At some point, when I feel like it, I will return to blogging, and I will do up some graphics for a blog overhaul. I'm thinking something super nerdy and whimsical. You will just have to wait and see.
Also, Warehouse 13 consumes my life. I don't imagine blogging will return until I have completed my Warehouse 13 watching adventure, which I wish would go on forever. Alas, I only have 8 more episodes. Tis tragic.
At some point, when I feel like it, I will return to blogging, and I will do up some graphics for a blog overhaul. I'm thinking something super nerdy and whimsical. You will just have to wait and see.
Also, Warehouse 13 consumes my life. I don't imagine blogging will return until I have completed my Warehouse 13 watching adventure, which I wish would go on forever. Alas, I only have 8 more episodes. Tis tragic.
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