A song can begin play and in that moment I recognize it, I can be blown back in time, to some place in my childhood or adolescence (or sometime last year).
On the way to work, ZZ Top's "Legs" played on the radio... and I found myself getting teary-eyed as I turned up the volume and sang along loudly. This song instantly throws me back to a moment in my childhood when I was eight years old, living in Salt Lake City at the time, and I was sitting in the passenger seat beside my father, who was driving our white Volvo through some canyon, and "Legs" was blaring over the car stereo system, and we were singing all the words as my father twisted the steering wheel back and forth to the beat of the music.
My honey-man and I, we had called my father this morning to sing him 'Happy Birthday,' so he was on my mind this morning... Even still, sometimes when a song I strongly associate to my father plays on the radio, I'll call him and leave him a message with the song still audibly playing in the background, to let him know Journey's "Wheel in The Sky" is on and that I'm thinking of him... or whatever the song may be at the time.
And a few songs later, still on my way in to work this morning, Madonna's "Get Into the Groove" began to play... and I was thrown back to a moment when I was nine years old. A childhood friend and I, after spending a day on the ski slopes, and hours thereafter, swimming in a heated outdoor pool, we performed the song together in our swimsuits for our adoring parents in the warmth of a sitting room in a condo our parents were renting in Park City, UT. We also 'performed' a routine for "Material Girl" that night, complete with playing cards tossed about room and the wearing of costume jewelry...
Five minutes ago, "Bad" by U2 cycled through my iTunes player... and I remember late January 1995, I was sitting atop my tall, cinder-block lifted twin size bed in my Ricks College apartment, Harmony House, #302, with my portable CD player in hand, headphones set in my ears, having skipped to the track # I'd been told I had to listen to once he'd left, just minutes after who would eventually become my first-husband-to-be (2 yrs later) had hit the road eastward bound, back home to Iowa. And I remember the conflicted tears.
If I went through a list of all the music I own and some more, I could probably list nearly a hundred people or more, all of whom I've associated to some song(s) or some music artist(s). Hmmm, lemme' try something here:
ABBA: My mum and Johanna and Melissa Lyn
Squirrel Nut Zippers: Brin & Stephen
America: My father, aunt Radeane, uncle Kevin and Tyler
"Learning to Fly" by Tom Petty: Martens
James Taylor: My mum and dad, Grammie Joanie, my aunt Mary, my uncle Peter and Dillion...
NIN: Mikal, Marshall, Brad, Tina, Jeff, Jenni, and Marcus
Frente: Marcus, always
"New Beginning" by Tracy Chapman: Korose
The Grease Soundtrack: Whitney
"The Girl from Ipanema": Jake
The Cult: Sebastian
Cowboy Junkies: Mitch
"All I Want" by Toad the Wet Sprocket: Sandra Jean
The Yaz: Erik, Suzanne at Ricks, and Suzanne in Iowa
"Cannonball" by the Breeders: Trevor
The Smiths: Andy (plus too many others to name the all)
The Dixie Chicks: Emmett and Kimmy
Emmy Lou Harris: My step-mum
Beastie Boys: Poppy & James, and a whole bunch of 5th grade playmates
Hothouse Flowers: Lindsey
Cake: Foremost, Melissa Lyn, and then Seth & Karena
Stan Getz: my father and my honey-man
Shawn Colvin: My aunt Brenda
Erasure: Erik, Mikal and Demetri
Indigo Girls: Lara, Annie, aunt Mary, Suzanne, and my sister
"Red Wine" by UB40: My aunt Sarah, always
"Are You Gunna Go My Way" by Lenny Kravitz: Jasey
Nanci Griffin: Suzanne and my honey-man
Fugazi: Suzanne
Candlebox: Shelan
Southern Culture on the Skids: Johanna, Brin & Stephen
Jane's Addiction: Brandon, Ray, Jerry, Dillion, Amber, Mira, Micah, Matthew... and my Jacobson cousins
That was just an experiment... I could go on and on and on.
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
"Name That Tune" or "Name That Memory"
Friday, February 27, 2009
I Love Onesies and Baby-this and Baby-that
I have always had a preference for babies dressed in Onesies... ya know, those lil' baby bodysuits that snap between their legs? Some call them "infant creepers" - ?
The reason I prefer Onesies is because they allow total easy-access for the nibbling of adorable, chubby baby thighs!!! Amongst my "Top 20 List of Things I Love," is my love baby thighs... no joke. Just gimme' a lil' barbeque sauce and I could live on chubby baby thighs! - those and dimpled baby hands. While on the topic of babies and things that I love, my three most favorite sounds are the following (in no particular order): 1) a kitty's purring, 2) my honey-man's voice whenever he calls me by any pet name, and 3) a baby's laughter.
When my friends and cousins began having babies, I began painting Onesies for baby gifts (I've been a bit negligent with this effort over the last couple years, with some many babies!!!). Back in October, this is the first one I made for our lil' baby sweet potato girl.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Resisting the Urge
P.S. As an afterthought, what I should have done was take a picture of the inside of our freezer. That would have said it right there!
Monday, March 10, 2008
"How 'bout we develop some healthy coping skills, eh?"
Last Friday, I stayed up all night long despite trying to settle down for bed four different times that night... I wasn't fretting over anything I had in mind; I wasn't thinking about anything in particular at all; I was just feeling it - - I was absolutely ridden with anxiety, simply wired outta my mind and could not settle down! And Saturday, although I laid down to sleep two different times, both kitties ready for me to finally get some sleep, I just tossed and turned and wound up staying awake all day long... I didn't get to bed and actually get some sleep until 1:30 a.m., Sunday morning.
I'm pretty sure this is not a good thing.
Friday, August 10, 2007
"Guilty Confession #4" or "Ridiculous Confession"
Whenever I fill my gas tank, I make sure the total cost at the gas pump falls on a multiple of .05 cents or an even multiple of .10 cents. Like this morning, I paid $31.00 for a full tank, and the fill up before that was $17.85, and time before that, $22.35. I have been doing this ever since my senior year in high school, because back then, when I drove the lovely "Fudmobile" [BACKGROUND INFO: The Fudmobile had been my mother's beige, 4-door Delta 88 Oldsmobile (with a surprisingly impressive stereo system), purchased in 1986 after she'd sadly sold her sporty midnight blue Honda Prelude, when, at that time, she was being treating for what they thought was a bulging disk in her back, unable to sit comfortably in the low riding Prelude anymore, to find out several months later that she had an 8" long tumor growing in her spinal column!], I paid for gas with the a couple single $1 bills (bigger bills were kept in the bank, and no top off ever cost more than $10 back then) and lots and lots of change I always had stashed in a tin Tootsie Roll Bank I kept under the driver's seat. It was always easier to pay with coins if the total sum and change to be paid was to the nearest nickel and dime... and I never let go of the habit.
Monday, June 25, 2007
"Suppressing Auto-Mode with Success" or "Baby-Ready Kitties"
I got home from work by 6:15 pm and we made a simple and delicious dinner in less than 20 minutes for our friends and their two AHHDORAHBUL chilun', ages 2 and 5.
[SEMI-RELATED, KINDA LONG TANGENT: Ever since I brought Otis and Owen home in October 2003, the very day they became my boys, I've been preparing them, training them for babies - - No, they're both boys and fixed, I know. I'm talking about MY babies; human babies yet to be born! In order to desensitize the kitties for the abuse a baby will certainly dish out someday, Oattie and Owen's training has entailed all kinds of imposed mauling; touching of the nosies, aggressive tummy and back rubs, grabbing and holding of kitty paws, light tugs on the ears and tail, full on squashing and manhandling of kitty ears, smothering squeezes, long, unrelenting hugs, chasings, touching via human feet (Yes, and by doing so, they will accept the touch of any foot, just like a hand, allowing themselves to be petted by feet!), and loud squealing... I've practiced all this and then some, built up over time in order to reach "The Ultimate State of Baby-readiness": The ability to be held beneath their forelegs with their lower bodies facing forward and left to dangle, as they're carried about in the same position.After dinner, we all went to Sheridan's Frozen Custard for dee-zert (drooling again at the thought of it), and my sister met us there, who later followed us home, with the angel boy-O in her new car, so she could come see the boy-O's finished bedroom (Finally, in that I finally finished it!), and to also see the red, light-weight trench I'd bought for Europe from Nordstrom's Rack (originally $120, on sale for 24 BUCKS!?!), so she could give me her fashion approval and/or disapproval (it's a go! = she liked it).
Before tonight, I had thought Otis was almost close to graduating as a fully 'baby-ready' kitty, as I can do all the aforementioned, including the ability to carry him around, holding an arm beneath his forelegs, lower body hanging and he's almost totally relaxed, all except for the toes of one paw, stiffly splayed! And Owen, he has come far and beyond what I'd ever possibly hoped for, especially during his latest year-long stint in L.A., living with my honey-man and the angel boy-O! He's like a different kitty!?! He used to be the kitty who'd sit within one foot of you, but get up and walk off if you dared to touch him - - and now? He'll waltz right over and lay directly on top of your feet! Even still, I didn't believe he was ready to even remain in the same room with a baby, yet tonight, I was proved flat wrong! And I am a proud Mama, indeed!
My boys were perfect lil' fuzzy dahrlings! Oattie in particular (not as fast as Owen), put up with squeezing, squealing, and constant chasing from room to room, up and down the stairs, and was even laid on at some point! AND sure enough, he was picked up TWICE by the 2 year old, and carried for at least 10 feet the first time and he did nothing by hang like a rag doll! I was soooo pleased! No hissing, no scratching, no growling; He was PURRFECT! And Owen never even left the room once! He even spread himself out on the kitchen floor amongst 7 pairs of feet and could actually be heard purring!?! My boys are baby-ready! END OF TANGENT]
After my sister left, I then helped the boy-O with his bath and cut his hair and got him to bed by 9pm (kinda late for him)... and since then, while my honey-man's been working in his home-office, I replanted some things in new, bigger pots for the backyard, shot off some work-related emails, and I wrote this... and now, I'm off to take my shower and go to bed and it's just before midnight! Not bad!
It seems I've successfully suppressed my auto-mode!
Cue the High Powered Brit Pop!
As of today, I have 3 full days before I'll fly out with my sister this Thursday morning for London, but as of last Friday, I'd already entered my high-gear auto-mode! This is not good! Auto-mode shouldn't kick in until, like, late tonight or tomorrow!?!
Let me explain: Typical for me, about 2 to 3 days before some major trip or some big event [EXAMPLES of a "Big Event": The angel boy-O's birthday party or any holiday that requires some preparation, like Christmas Eve or Thanksgiving.], I kind of go into this automatic, super hyper, super excited mode of operation that involves many, many errands, lots and lots of cleaning, and very, very little sleep... The latter mention is the not so good part of auto-mode.
For instance, this last Saturday, I stayed up until 6:30 am, Sunday morning, and when I did finally go to sleep at SIX THIRTY AY EM, I only slept until 10 am, and I did NOT take a nap at any point thereafter, still operating in "auto-mode."
Now to be clear here, my auto-mode is NOT the result of any procrastination on my part, nor does it really ever involve the actually necessary, preparative plans for the relevant trip/event: I usually have everything in mind and ready to go, far, far in advance for the upcoming trip/event. In fact, it's often ridiculous, how "in advance" I can consider some things (to a fault), as I'm very much a in-the-future kind of thinker (to a fault), but what happens is I fill in ALL MY TIME in between my necessary trip/event plans AND THEN SOME, simply because I am just soooo freakin' excited, I can't settle down to go to sleep! ANOTHER IMPORTANT POINT re: Auto-mode: It is NOT something I try to do = I am just that wired outta my mind with excitement! Like this morning at work, my hands were shaking as I typed my follow-up emails, I had so much energy, and I felt like I could run 'round the block a couple dozen times. The very night before any anticipated trip/event? It's not at all uncommon for me to be unable to sleep at all... so I'll be up all night, and start the trip/event on ZERO sleep, and amazingly, I will be totally fine, on top of things, happy and cheery = A-OKAY, PERFECTLY FINE... until it's allll over and that's when I finally crash and sleep for a full day.
So what did I do until 6:30 am? [BE FOREWARNED: You really should skip this next part!]
Some BACKGROUND INFO: Well, my boys (not Otis & Owen, but my honey-man and the angel boy-O) were camping together an hour away, up at Mt. Charleston for the weekend (a lovely minimum 15-20 degrees cooler than the Vegas Valley), so, jazzed about my trip or not, I had to occupy myself in their absence [Reveal: That was just a feeble attempt to justify what I'm about to share].
And soooo, what all did I do? Starting Saturday morning, I went to Home Depot, I went to Target, I went to Kmart, I went to Nordstrom's Rack, and I went to Michael's Arts & Crafts, I tried to arrange a silk flower arrangement for my kitchen pot shelves, I washed all the bedsheets, I washed my honey-man's down pillow, I then went to see a girlfriend visiting from out of state from noon-ish until 7 pm, then I measured and hung a couple picture clusters on our walls, I hung my framed set of tulips from The Met, I re-organized everything under our bed, I fixed the lamp shades of our bedroom side table lamps and set 'em up (since I could finally reach the power outlet on the wall behind the head of our bed), I dusted, I shook and vacuumed rugs, I vacuumed the whole house and stairs (the stairs took forever, having to work in slow-motion w/my hernia), I swept the back patio, I trimmed kitty claws, I trimmed my nails and toes, I washed 2 different loads of bathroom towels (reds vs. the green), I washed my synthetic darks, I washed our cotton darks, I washed all the kitchen towels, rags and cloth dinner napkins, I swept, dust-mopped, and wet-mopped, I took a shower and I tried to go to bed and laid there thinking about more stuff to do (around 1 am), I got up 15 minutes later and trimmed my still-wet hair, I washed and ironed the angel boy-O's new bedroom curtains, I reaffixed the glow-in-the-dark stars that had fallen off the boy-O's bedroom ceiling, I spray-glued protective felt on the back of 16 one-square-ft. cork squares to be mounted on the wall beneath the angel boy-O's loft bed, just above his desk (and I would have nailed them up, had it not been 2 am!), I cleaned all the bathrooms (not a vigorous activity when one regularly uses shower spray and cleans with 'Scrub Free Soap Scum Remover' cleaning agent from Arm & Hammer - LOVE THE STUFF! - If you haven't already, find it, buy it and try it!), I re-caulked the annoying drippy spot at the bottom right corner of our shower door, I emptied all 5 trash cans located throughout the house and washed them all out, I found new homes for the original contents of the 6 Sterilite drawers I'd dumped the day before so my honey-man could use them for his office closet, I tried again to go to bed (around 4 am), but got right back up, and collected enough stuff for another bag of Goodwill donations, I polished 4 pairs of black shoes, including my honey-man's beloved cowboy boots, and I did pack everything for Europe except my toiletries, but only after I first tried on all my planned outfits (Yes, I am a big geek, but I had to plan to a 'T' since I'm only taking a 22" carry-on bag for a 2 week trip!)... and when I realized the kitties had quit trying to follow me around the house and the sun was up, well beyond rising, I made myself go to bed at 6:30 am... and I woke up at 8 am and made myself go back to sleep until I woke at 10 am (whew!).
In earlier years ('earlier' meaning my early to mid-twenties - - ahhh, my 20s ~ good riddance!), my going into auto-mode would ensure I'd be sick by the time I was in the midst of my eagerly anticipated trip/event. I think there was at least a 4 to 5-year span during which I was sick every Christmas, on into New Year's Day, but for the last few years, I've learned to better pace myself and to suppress my auto-mode - - NO, really! I have been far worse than this! But right now, with this trip? Starting into auto-mode 6 days before I leave?!? - - sooooo not good. At this point, however, after Saturday's marathon of errands and cleaning (and more errands done on Sunday with my out-of-towner friend), I'm not sure what more I can do between now and Thursday morning... although I do have another list made already!
As for the title of this post, whenever I find myself in auto-mode, I tend to favor Brit Pop (that's young British rock bands, NOT Britney Spears, although she is a secret indulgence of mine) as my background busy-music .
Friday, May 25, 2007
On the 'Trail 90' Again
Last week, my friend Daly and her lovin' hubby helped me move my Trail 90 from my uncle's garage to our new home with their pick-up truck. Thanks for the pictures, grrl! ~ And thanks again for helping me out! You too, Johnny!!!
Friday, February 09, 2007
Oh Where, Oh Where have all my Socks Gone?
This past Sunday, I had to unexpectedly pack a suitcase for a possible week away from work, which has, indeed, resulted in an entire week spent away from work. No, I won't go into detail as to why - just know that everything is fine. But anyhow, as I was saying, I had to pack not knowing how long I'd be gone, which brought me to a recent discovery...
MY RECENT & ANNOYING DISCOVERY: One of the things that has come to annoy me most in my semi-transient living arrangements since May of last year, first at my aunt's for 6 months and now renting a bedroom at my friend's place, is that I am losing my socks. Yes. You read that right. I'm losing socks. Forget the cramped living space, all my stuff in storage, the total lack of any kind of dresser or that my things are kept about me on the floor in Hefty trash bags... I'm upset about my socks, dammit!
For years, I've been actually quite proud of the fact that I rarely lose any of my socks. Why I've been consciously proud of this, I dunno - it just lends more to the fact that I am 'organized' on a deeply compulsive level, I guess. Last year before the spring, I had only 1 mismatched loner sock, which was fine, because old socks make good shoe polishing 'rags' and I needed another sock to add to my shoe polishing box. [I am a sick girl.]
Anyhow, last weekend, I had washed a load of darks, yet when packing to leave town, I could find only 5 complete pairs of my favorite socks and 3 mismatches... when I should have 12 COMPLETE pairs!!?! Yes, twelve pairs of my very favorite socks, that's right = 2 pairs for $3 dollars each at Kmart, no joke! Mind you, that 12 pair-count doesn't include any of my workout socks, walking socks, sneaker socks, trouser socks, bedtime socks or holiday-themed socks, nor does it include any of my all-the-same-style brown corded socks, nor my tan, floral patterned Gold Toe socks. A GUILTY CONFESSION: I have a ridiculous amount of socks. Pajamas too, although most of those were mistakenly packed in a box, now somewhere in my storage unit.
So yeah, inexplicably, I've somehow lost ELEVEN socks [The Math: 12 pairs = 24 socks, minus 13 socks (the 5 pairs I still have, minus 3 mismatches) = 11 lost socks!]. How does this kind of thing happen? BACKGROUND INFO: I wash my clothes when I have a lot of dirty laundry piled up, but not often do I ever do laundry out of any concern that if I don't, I'll have nothing to wear. And so now, ANOTHER GUILTY CONFESSION: I have far too many clothes. I admit it and will not deny it. No, I'm not a clothes horse, nor am I any kind of slave to fashion. I have soooo much clothing though, I just don't know how it accumulates = which is a lie, but anyways, sidetracking here...
Because I could only find 5 of my12 pairs of my favorite socks, I just had to hand wash my mere 5 pairs in the bathroom sink, having run out of clean socks to wear. There are now 10 individual socks hanging all over the bathroom to air dry. And I find this amusing... amusing enough that I've actually bothered to write about it on my blog. Yup, my new thing in life is to find amusement wherever possible (this is not really a new approach; I'm easily amused in general). So yeah, I'm fairly annoyed, but also amused...
Where the hell did all my socks go?
P.S. I know, I'm a raging nerd.
Friday, July 29, 2005
SPF ~ Le Boudoir ~ Zzzz, Jammies Stashed 'HERE' and My Favoritest Pjs
I have no idea yet the order in which these photos will be shown once I post... Repeat to self: "No, really! I love Blogger! It's Free! It's fabulous! Photo upload is a piece of cake! I love Blogger."
#1 My bed: see the shot with the small, light green, embroidered satin throw pillows? (yeah, I know you cannot tell such details from this shot...) and quilted shams? This is how my bed would look if and whenever I actually make it (by the way, I hardly ever make it). The other bed pic shows how it really looks on a daily basis; I only pull the sheets and quilt up and over the bed pillows, hoping to deter my Otis aka the lil' bed pillow hog, from laying all over them. One other thing about my bed, which can't be seen here. Ever since my undergrad frosh year, I've never not had my bed put up on cinder blocks - classy, I know, but this here bed is also up on blocks. Funny thing is many people don't notice because of the bedskirt. Now, why do I insist on using cinder blocks? I.HAVE.A.LOT.OF.STUFF. = a total understatement, but it's far, far improved than before! things are improving even still! the Goodwill LOVES me! Anyhow, having my bed up on blocks creates A LOT of underbed storage space.
Another thing about my bed, when I divorced, thus demoted to "sleep alone by myself" status, I brought out my bedding from my undergrad days - some crazy, gauzey indian print bedspread-like blanket of sorts and chocolate bedsheets; everything unmatched. I figured it was time to evolve, and so I pursued a themed, color-coordinated bedroom decor. I figured all I had to do was pick a bedquilt and go from there...light greens, pinks, red, and creamy white with white-painted wood furniture [most of white pieces are now being used my by roomie (see #2)]. I like it a lot now, but at first it was all sooo feminine, I felt like I was stuck sleeping in someone else's guest bedroom, indefinitely.
#2 My dresser: This piece is actually one of the things I've refinished. It used to be covered with nasty, flat brown paint = a total crime against cedar! To the left, you can see part of its matching 6-drawer dresser. I got the two from my lil' old, sweetest roomie ever, Helen, who I had lived with last, before moving to my present digs. After I was all done with the two pieces, several months later, and it was time to move out -the house had sold- Helen found the very large, matching bureau mirror in a closet, it too, painted flat brown. I haven't yet been able to refinish it... sniff, sniff. I no longer have a two-car garage to work in. K, I can't linger on that for long, bums me out. So anyhow, the two pieces are very dark for me, but I love the retro styling! and the wood is beautiful. Semi-Important Note: In the pic, to either side of this dresser, you can see my sad bed shams and throw pillows; this is where they live on a daily basis.
#3 My Pjs: This particular set? pair? of flannel jammies, one of my very faves, is only revealed around the Christmas holiday or very cold nights. They were given to me for Christmas back in, oh, 1993? yeah. No kidding. I love them though! and I must admit, I look purty darn cute in 'em. If I'm not mistaken, my Gma Joanie gave to both me and my sister these Pjs, matching. I was full grown at the time, but she was only 12 yrs old, so I'm sure her's are long gone.
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Mah Very Own Geek Boy
Those of you who use Windows Explorer may or may not know this... For months, my sidebar (ya know, that area shown to the right of this post and all other posts? complete with blogger Profile, "Song in My Head," blogroll, archives, Flickr badge, etc. etc.) could not be viewed as a sidebar when using Windows Explorer; it would always kick down to the bottom of the site (this may still happen with old Macs or whenever the site is viewed in large text).
I first sought the blogging wisdom of Closet Metro - not the first time he's helped me out in the big unknown blogosphere and he is quite helpful, indeed! Yes, turns out the lovely and talented marshmellow man (referring to his dear heart, which we all know is total mush!) is a great fountain of blog formatting knowledge (no, I'm not forgetting you, Kristine - you totally rock!). Anyhow, after some totally right on suggestions offered by Metro, I decided (as it was all sooo over my head) to seek the ultra geeky compooter skills of my very own geek boy, mah honey-man. I normally avoid bothering him with any of my blogger blather, although he does currently serve as my primary writing editor from time to time. So anyhow, he got his wonderful geeky hands on my blog template ~ ~ and voila! I gots me a sidebar no matter which web browser be yer preference.
Yay! Thanks again, sweetness!
Now, the "Nerds Get Chicks" magnet seen above was given to me by a most spunky college girlfriend of mine, Melis. It came in a purty nifty lil' care package she recently sent it to me, juhsst for the hellovit! The package contained items she has deemed part of the following theme: "I saw it and it made me think of you." So what's with the nerd magnet? I'm notoriously attracted to nerds/geeks = my honey-man fits the nerd profile to a T! He's certainly a most handsome, classy, multi-talented guy, and fortunately, he does not own any pocket protectors (that I know of), but he's an adorable nerd, nonetheless. In the past, I've also been accused of dating men who have some awfully unusual names = again, my honey-man fits this description. Anyhow, this other pic shows a couple more of the said themed items that were given to me. The first post-it pad, I totally understand the correlation... Melis and I both spent our early twenties believing we "knew" certain things without a doubt, and that consequently, we believed we could create a 10 year plan as to what and how we would accomplish many a thing in our lives. We've since learned that there are unseen limits to "knowing"... and that it's very important to live right here in the "NOW," to enjoy what we have RIGHT NOW, despite whatever plans or dreams one may wish to pursue.
The "Good Golly" post-it pad shouldn't need any explaining, since I've already demonstrated my use of the word "nifty" in this very post...
Friday, June 03, 2005
My "Collection" for SPD Stuff!
My featured collection is stashed in this cute lil' box...which is kept out in my front room on a side table.
The contents therein, revealed...
How many do you think there are?
I've been collecting fortune cookie papers since I was eight years old. I remember the very first...at the "Mandarin" chinese restaurant in Bountiful, Ootah with my father's family all together for dinner. And my Gpa Billy was gorging himself on Kung Pow chicken that evening (which is funny to me because he's never been a big man - and I can remember being amazed at how much he could consume!).
Why did I start? and why do I still do it? I dunno. 
..."many, many fortune cookies." INDEED! If I keep this up, I'm gunna hafta find me a new box!
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
My take on Amish Friendship 'CAKE' for Amy
This one's for CanadianAmy...cuz she asked!
First of all, "Amish Friendship Bread" should REALLY be considered CAKE! it's sweet, super nummy and totally dessert-like, quite delicious with a cup of coffee or some ice cream, PLUS, I make mine in a bundt CAKE pan. Ya can add chocolate chips to it, shredded coconut, raisins, crushed pineapple, dried apricots, mini marshmellows, diced apples, shredded carrot... I favor cranberries myself. Cooks.com has THIRTY different starter recipes alone and if one searches diligently, there are entire cookbooks dedicated to the use of "Amish Friendship Bread" starter. I dunno why they insist on calling it bread though - it's CAKE, I say! Cake! Let them eat CAKE!
I first encountered Amish Friendship CAKE in 1994 while I was at Ricks College (gag), now known as "BYU Idaho" (double-gag, hard hacking cough, followed by a heavy "'excuse me - pardon me" - gagging again). Some giggly girl (shall remain nameless) who lived in my apt. complex (Harmony House aka "Ho House," still known in Rexburg as such) gave me the 'bread' recipe on a super-cutesy, lovingly decorated 4 x 6 index card along with my first cup of Amish Friendship CAKE starter in a HUGE Cool Whip container (only Mormons keep those on hand, I swear). The card had strict instructions to be followed over the next 10 days. During which, I would gently stir/mix the starter daily, twice adding 1 cup milk and 1 cup sugar to the container on the 5th or 6th day and the final 10th day. These additions are meant to literally feed the starter... "Don't be alarmed," the instructions read, "it will bubble and expand and this is a good thing." ~ starter resembles a glue-like substance (horribly cruel stuff if spilled on carpeting - not that I, um, would know about that from any FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE!). It has a sickly sweet, yeasty smell. That's probably not a good sell, eh? For a lovely intro to starter, read "Getting Started with Starter."
After the 10 days' time, ya measure/separate out 3 individual cups of starter and give these away (I use 1/2 gallon-size Ziploc bags) along with a copy of the actual CAKE recipe and directions to 3 friends of your choosing, hence the reference to "Friendship" in the CAKE's name. The remaining leftover starter (that sounds redundant doesn't it?) is to then be used to finally make your own bread -I mean CAKE!
IMPORTANT NOTE: If one doesn't want to go through this whole 10-day-long starter dance, make the CAKE within 2 days of being given your starter...but if you're like me???
I was again given another cup of starter in 1995...I faithfully fed my starter for over 2 months, giving starter to friends, neighbors, co-workers, always keeping at least one cup for myself, repeating the 10-day deal over and over, making an Amish Friendship CAKE nearly 3 times a month. I finally gave it up before the summer's end... Early 2001, I got a major hancoring for some Amish Friendship CAKE and it'd been nearly 5 years since I'd last had any and I wasn't gettin' any starter from anyone anytime soon, living in Las Vegas. So I looked up on the web how to start your own Amish Frienship starter...I found many links, but this one was the best and remains so.
My starter from 2001 is still 'with me' to this day. I've been feeding it regularly and using it at least once a month for over4 years now. Yup, FOUR YEARS. See my jar of starter kept in my fridge here from an earlier SPD stuff post last week.
Friday, May 27, 2005
Stuff Portrait Day! ~ Contents of my purse...
I hate carrying a purse. HATE. IT. -repeat- I HATE IT!!! If only all my clothes had decent pockets, I'd carry a wallet and my cell phone and that's it. BUT because I'm a woman and I can't possibly shove ANYTHING larger than a vitamin in my pockets -cuz they don't make pockets for women's slacks with any real intended purpose in mind- I have a purse, a small one. 
Thursday, April 28, 2005
A Gentler, Kinder, More Humane 'To-Do' List
Here's the lastest revision of my 'to-do' list - a more humane version at this point in time...written in green overhead pen on my bathroom vanity mirror, as I'd said - no, I'm not crazy. Neurotic maybe, but not truly crazy - no, really!
