18 December 2008
10 December 2008
05 December 2008
20 November 2008
Don't Feed the Animal
okay, I've needed to make a list for everyone for a while of everything that I am allergic to, although sometimes it feels like it would be easier to just make a list of the stuff I actually can eat. The biggest thing to remember is that I can eat anything in very small quantities, so if a recipe calls for a few cooked carrots, I'll prob'ly be okay, but I'd appreciate it if the recipe could do without...
Also, I have two different types of allergies. Ones that actually mess with my immune system, and others that just make my mouth all itchy. The raw fruits and veggies mostly just make my mouth itch, but the doctor told me that if they make me uncomfortable in any way, I shouldn't be eating them -- plus, if I continue to eat them, my immune system might start to react against them. I am allergic to soy and other nuts, but they only left small bumps.
The ones my immune system reacts to are the ones I really try to avoid whether they are cooked or not. That is mainly carrots and celery -- I reacted to others as well, but the carrot and celery tests left big welts on my arm as opposed to the other bug bite looking bumps when I went to the allergist.
Well, here is a list of things I know that I am allergic to. I'll follow it with a list of things I know that I am not allergic to. I'll just keep adding to them as I think of and discover things.
Do Not Feed Me:
-raw,fresh fruits and vegetables, in general. The only exception thus far seems to be berries. I also seem to be able to eat canned and preserved fruits without cooking them. Carrots, celery, and white potatoes, green peas are the main veggies that I probably shouldn't eat even if they are cooked. The only exception is that mom still has to make her Thanksgiving stuffing balls with all of the original ingredients ^_^.
-nuts. -- peanuts, pine nuts, macadamia nuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, brazil nuts, walnuts, almonds, even coconuts... but I can eat cashews and pecans, technically, but sometimes they make my mouth itchy because they are usually processed with all the other nuts, and nuts are supposed to be the most dangerous allergies because they contain so much in such small quantities.
-soy. almost everything contains some sort of soy nowadays, but in general, as long as it doesn't contain a bunch of soy nuts or soy milk, I'm fine with trace amounts.
That's a lot of the main stuff, but I'll keep adding when I think of more.
Also, I have two different types of allergies. Ones that actually mess with my immune system, and others that just make my mouth all itchy. The raw fruits and veggies mostly just make my mouth itch, but the doctor told me that if they make me uncomfortable in any way, I shouldn't be eating them -- plus, if I continue to eat them, my immune system might start to react against them. I am allergic to soy and other nuts, but they only left small bumps.
The ones my immune system reacts to are the ones I really try to avoid whether they are cooked or not. That is mainly carrots and celery -- I reacted to others as well, but the carrot and celery tests left big welts on my arm as opposed to the other bug bite looking bumps when I went to the allergist.
Well, here is a list of things I know that I am allergic to. I'll follow it with a list of things I know that I am not allergic to. I'll just keep adding to them as I think of and discover things.
Do Not Feed Me:
-raw,fresh fruits and vegetables, in general. The only exception thus far seems to be berries. I also seem to be able to eat canned and preserved fruits without cooking them. Carrots, celery, and white potatoes, green peas are the main veggies that I probably shouldn't eat even if they are cooked. The only exception is that mom still has to make her Thanksgiving stuffing balls with all of the original ingredients ^_^.
-nuts. -- peanuts, pine nuts, macadamia nuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, brazil nuts, walnuts, almonds, even coconuts... but I can eat cashews and pecans, technically, but sometimes they make my mouth itchy because they are usually processed with all the other nuts, and nuts are supposed to be the most dangerous allergies because they contain so much in such small quantities.
-soy. almost everything contains some sort of soy nowadays, but in general, as long as it doesn't contain a bunch of soy nuts or soy milk, I'm fine with trace amounts.
That's a lot of the main stuff, but I'll keep adding when I think of more.
Alphabet Stump
All right, my pretties. I have an assignment for you:
Open up a .doc or some sort of window that you can type in, and I want you to try to type the entire alphabet from A to Z.
I'll be damned if I don't get stumped on one letter every time.
David tried and he got stumped too... so try it. I'll put what happens to me at the bottom a bit lower. Try not to look until you've tried. No bias!
abcdefghijklmnopqurs.... crap....
I'll be damned if I don't get stumped at Q every time.
It's crazy the way our brains seem to work with the keyboard because we process "u" as the generally accepted letter to come after "q" when typing. Well... that's the best solution I can come up with.
The most interesting thing to me is that my brain wants to pick up with "r" right after "u". And even when I sing the alphabet while doing it, I say "r" and still press "u". Then hit "r" when I say "s" and I get to "t" for "s" and then I have to do some backspacing because that's where my brain finally gets too confused to go on because I've already hit "u" I suppose...
Anyway, just thought it was kind of cool and wanted to share it with you.
Open up a .doc or some sort of window that you can type in, and I want you to try to type the entire alphabet from A to Z.
I'll be damned if I don't get stumped on one letter every time.
David tried and he got stumped too... so try it. I'll put what happens to me at the bottom a bit lower. Try not to look until you've tried. No bias!
abcdefghijklmnopqurs.... crap....
I'll be damned if I don't get stumped at Q every time.
It's crazy the way our brains seem to work with the keyboard because we process "u" as the generally accepted letter to come after "q" when typing. Well... that's the best solution I can come up with.
The most interesting thing to me is that my brain wants to pick up with "r" right after "u". And even when I sing the alphabet while doing it, I say "r" and still press "u". Then hit "r" when I say "s" and I get to "t" for "s" and then I have to do some backspacing because that's where my brain finally gets too confused to go on because I've already hit "u" I suppose...
Anyway, just thought it was kind of cool and wanted to share it with you.
13 November 2008
Obama Yo Mama
so... I have to create a website for my IT 213 class... and so... I decided to do a non-profit organization site called Obama Yo Mama that is dedicated to uhh... making fun of politics.
My latest assignment was to create a logo for the site, and well, if you hadn't guessed, it is Obama as Yo Mama... as the site name might hint at...
And also for the assignment, I had to write a few paragraphs on the logo and why I chose to use it for the site. Part of the requirements were that the logo cannot be offensive, etc in any way, so I had to choose my words carefully. So... enjoy:
This humorous logo for the nonprofit organization, Obama Yo Mama, was designed to represent the comic relief that the organization wishes to create in this time of economic and political uncertainty. The logo is a parody of an image of Barack Obama that has been recreated as a stereotypical loving mother. The bright colors and wide smile are meant to help suggest a lighter feel to the logo rather than a darker, satiric one.
The logo for the site was also chosen due to its ambiguous yet inoffensive content. The nation's newest elected president portrayed as a grey-haired mother either brings forth sentimental reflections on the President's nurturing role for the United States or brings forth thoughts of the irony of a man who promises everything despite impossible odds, just as a mother does for her children.
Either way, the main goal of this logo is to first derive a chuckle from its viewers, and then give them comfort in the knowledge that Americans have not forgotten humor in these hard times.
yeah yeah... gag me... <(^t^)>
05 November 2008
An Especially Memorable Guy Fawkes Day
Remember Remember
The fifth of November
Gunpowder Treason and Plot.
I see no reason
Why the Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot!
The fifth of November
Gunpowder Treason and Plot.
I see no reason
Why the Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot!
04 November 2008
I Voted (even got the sticker to prove it)
So, I went to Metz to vote and everything. It was great! They even handed me a nice pink piece of paper that told me who to vote for. oops... Did I say that out loud? Yeah I guess I did. No, really. I think I might have scared them a little. ^_^
"Miss, would you like a sample ballot?"
"Sure."
"Here you go."
"Thanks... All right! It even tells me who I'm supposed to vote for!"
"..."
*sigh* You just can't take me anywhere.
"Miss, would you like a sample ballot?"
"Sure."
"Here you go."
"Thanks... All right! It even tells me who I'm supposed to vote for!"
"..."
*sigh* You just can't take me anywhere.
03 November 2008
Be Prepared
With all of this election turmoil, I decided to take a political survey a bit back. To my surprise --okay, I wasn't really surprised, just disturbed -- the results came back that I my views most support Ralph Nader.
And so, as my homage to a man I will never vote for but am inevitably linked to because I too live in my own little world, I am posting this video from the 2004 election that absolutely tickled me and has yet to lose its charm.
Ladies and Gentleman,
I will now introduce you to my man, the one and only Ralph Nader:
And so, as my homage to a man I will never vote for but am inevitably linked to because I too live in my own little world, I am posting this video from the 2004 election that absolutely tickled me and has yet to lose its charm.
Ladies and Gentleman,
I will now introduce you to my man, the one and only Ralph Nader:
02 November 2008
01 November 2008
Oh Dear...
There's so much going on lately. My halloween party went well.
And I'm trying to avoid political discussions because they make me sick. So I have a short list of people I am willing to engage in political conversation... e.g. My mom and David.
I've been struggling to keep up with my homework and classes, etc. I ended up calling in sick to work today because I needed to rest after my party last night. It's okay though, because I have plenty of sick leave.
I was upset by my Latin teacher this week because he gave my class a big lecture about how we are lazy, etc and how he worked his way through college and that maybe that was the reason he always took his classes seriously as opposed to modern students. It hurt my feelings a little because I've been working really hard lately both with school and work, and sometimes I feel like none of it makes any difference. The library is still falling behind and my teachers still lecture me like I'm some jobless loser living in the dorms.
Well, I guess I'll leave you with a cruddy little excerpt of a piece that I had to write for my nonfiction writing class. It isn't finished and its a bit pieced together, but it's something. Maybe not square pancakes, but it's something:
And I'm trying to avoid political discussions because they make me sick. So I have a short list of people I am willing to engage in political conversation... e.g. My mom and David.
I've been struggling to keep up with my homework and classes, etc. I ended up calling in sick to work today because I needed to rest after my party last night. It's okay though, because I have plenty of sick leave.
I was upset by my Latin teacher this week because he gave my class a big lecture about how we are lazy, etc and how he worked his way through college and that maybe that was the reason he always took his classes seriously as opposed to modern students. It hurt my feelings a little because I've been working really hard lately both with school and work, and sometimes I feel like none of it makes any difference. The library is still falling behind and my teachers still lecture me like I'm some jobless loser living in the dorms.
Well, I guess I'll leave you with a cruddy little excerpt of a piece that I had to write for my nonfiction writing class. It isn't finished and its a bit pieced together, but it's something. Maybe not square pancakes, but it's something:
Crumpled Hearts -- excerpt
"Ma'am, would you like your receipt?" A woman with a large pile of children's books was quickly moving away from the circulation desk towards the exit. She looked back at me and her curled receipt, looped into a heart.
"Uh, no that's okay. You can keep it." It was just such a strange way to word it. She didn't ask me to throw it away. She told me to keep it like it was some great gift.
Keep it. As if I would place it in a jar, close it up tight, and set it over the fire place.
She didn't want my heart, so I held it to my breast --
"I'll treasure it always."
-- and crumpled it into the overflowing trash can.
Receipt slips are perfect for making little paper hearts. The longer the strip of paper, the better it is for the craft. Fold the strip in half as many times as you can, but don't crease anything until you can't fold anymore. Then pinch the end with only one loop so that it is flat. The other side will have two loops of paper that form a heart.
I give my hearts out twenty hours a week to patrons of the Centreville Regional Library where I work as a Library Aide. I cannot remember when I began doing this, but it was at some point within the past five months that I have been working at the circulation desk.
I began working at the library as a Page just after I graduated from high school in June 2006. My new bosses were two middle-aged women, one from India and the other from Baghdad. Their thick accents were confusing and hard to understand at first, but I soon came to love the rich sounds they gave to flat English words. Not to mention, their fashion and class could not be outmatched.
I came home after my first day there and professed to my mother that I finally fit in somewhere and that my coworkers were just like me. These people cared about books and people and were changing the world little by little by keeping the library up and going.
Not only that, but I was one of their prized possessions. I had volunteered in a library before and could quickly and accurately put books in order. It's surprising how hard it is to come by people who actually know and understand proper letter and number ordering.
ABC...123... R comes after S, right?
I was given my own little cubby box and a locker with a key I could wear on the lanyard around my neck. The shoe-lace like string also had a tag with the lettering "LIBRARY STAFF." I often wore the lanyard after my shift as if it were an expensive necklace. My mother even crafted a beaded one for me so that I could look fancy. I was going to make some for Christmas to give to the rest of the staff, but another worker made a bunch and sold them for $10.00 a piece in the break room, so I just wore mine until the wire broke.
I was told that the management wanted to promote me to a Library Aide after 6 months.
It took two years, repetitive stress injury, and almost quitting several times, but I did indeed get promoted to the circulation desk. This meant double the time and a whole $5.00 more per hour in pay.
By then I had lost the key to my locker, broken my beaded lanyard several times before resorting to a faded clip-on "LIBRARY STAFF" badge, and my Page Managers had each found better positions at different libraries.
I never did return that badge even after I got my new lanyard with a professional photo ID from the Fairfax County Government Center. It's still sitting in one of my drawers somewhere, probably beside the school bus patrol badge and sash that I never returned to my rotten guidance counselor in sixth grade.
And now I listen to patrons complaining about fines and the way it is "highway robbery." And when they finally pay their 25 cents and check out some books, I hand them one of my hearts.
Most people stuff the receipts into their pockets or purses right after I hand it to them. Others simply ask me to throw it into the trash. And, of course, there are always those environmentally-conscious people who yell at me for printing the receipt and wasting paper in the first place.
"What do you mean 'it prints out automatically'?"
"Well, the idea is that patrons should keep the receipts so that they can better keep track of when books are due."
"Well, whatever. You at least recycle, don't you?"
At that point, I usually just say, "Yup," as I toss it into the wastebasket behind the desk. We do have recycling bins, but the therapy in tossing those people's receipts in the trash is far too comforting to compromise.
16 September 2008
"Free Day" Post
okay... I realized yesterday that I do not have work or class today.
I was going to work on painting the living room, but I realized that there are some more urgent things to attend to like cleaning up my ferret's area and washing clothes and dishes, etc.
Right now I'm taking a little break because I have cramps and it's hard to actually get going with them, so I figured I relax for a bit until they go away.
The washing machine and dryer seem to be working just fine -- even better than the ones in the old townhouse. This dryer seems to actually dry things. And they are upstairs right next to the bedroom so I don't have to lug baskets of clothes up and down the stairs.
I'm trying to get everything set up for Halfie. My goal is for her to have a cage upstairs, on the middle level, and downstairs so that she won't get left alone the majority of the time.
She is also supposed to have at least 4 hours of exercise a day, and I am trying to figure out how to fit that in. She is in a large cage that she can run around in most of the time, so that takes care of play time by herself, and the bedroom is pretty much ferret-proof so I've been letting her run around in the morning when I get up and am getting dressed, etc.
I think that the living room is also pretty ferret-proof. or at least it will be once everything is set up in there.
I'm a little bummed because I was all ready to put together her other two cages, and there is rust on them which needs to be wiped off, and everything else for the levels also needs to be wiped off one more time before I put it together. But I don't have any of the wipes that I use for that on hand. So I need to go out to Wal Mart or somewhere.
I'm hoping that Ty will come by in a little bit, but he is trying to finish up the floors for mom, and I'm sure he has about a thousand other things to get done as well, so I'm really not counting on it.
EWWWW... I made dinner last night, and I found a bug in it. gross gross gross gross gross!
It wasn't anything from the house either. I had made frozen boca sausages and then mixed them with frozen bertolli ravioli and sauce. And I thought that it tasted pretty good, but I couldn't eat much of the sausage because I'm allergic to soy and I don't like the way they taste that much anyway. And David didn't want to eat a whole lot of it because he didn't like the sauce it was in *which is a kind of strange tasting sauce* so I was in the process of finishing his ravioli when I discovered... the bug! It was a black and red striped maggot. ewwwwwww..........
And then I wanted to make milkshakes. We just got a new blender *it was just a cheap one from wal mart, but it works pretty well*, and my milk had gone bad. The date said sell by the 14 of Sept. So it shouldn't have been bad. And I tried to make milkshakes with it anyway thinking I was just crazy and I couldn't really drink it because even with the icecream and the chocolate, I could still taste the sour milk... so I have to throw out the rest of the milkshake and clean up the sticky sour mess in the blender.
and I have to buy more milk now. We have a ton of soy milk, but right after I got it, I discovered that I am allergic to it, so bummer. David likes it, but he doesn't use nearly enough to finish it before it goes bad in the seven to ten days after you open it. And I'm leary about using it in cooking because of my allergies.
*sigh* and I moved Halfie's cage off of the plastic mat it is on in order to pull up her blanket, and she took the opportunity to poop and pee on the carpet. It's all cleaned up now, but man was I mad at her... she was out playing on it for like an hour and didn't once go potty on it. But when she's standing right next to her litter box, she decides to go on the carpet.
Well, anyway. I'm going to be giving my stinky ferret a bath now that her bed clothes are all clean.
I was going to work on painting the living room, but I realized that there are some more urgent things to attend to like cleaning up my ferret's area and washing clothes and dishes, etc.
Right now I'm taking a little break because I have cramps and it's hard to actually get going with them, so I figured I relax for a bit until they go away.
The washing machine and dryer seem to be working just fine -- even better than the ones in the old townhouse. This dryer seems to actually dry things. And they are upstairs right next to the bedroom so I don't have to lug baskets of clothes up and down the stairs.
I'm trying to get everything set up for Halfie. My goal is for her to have a cage upstairs, on the middle level, and downstairs so that she won't get left alone the majority of the time.
She is also supposed to have at least 4 hours of exercise a day, and I am trying to figure out how to fit that in. She is in a large cage that she can run around in most of the time, so that takes care of play time by herself, and the bedroom is pretty much ferret-proof so I've been letting her run around in the morning when I get up and am getting dressed, etc.
I think that the living room is also pretty ferret-proof. or at least it will be once everything is set up in there.
I'm a little bummed because I was all ready to put together her other two cages, and there is rust on them which needs to be wiped off, and everything else for the levels also needs to be wiped off one more time before I put it together. But I don't have any of the wipes that I use for that on hand. So I need to go out to Wal Mart or somewhere.
I'm hoping that Ty will come by in a little bit, but he is trying to finish up the floors for mom, and I'm sure he has about a thousand other things to get done as well, so I'm really not counting on it.
EWWWW... I made dinner last night, and I found a bug in it. gross gross gross gross gross!
It wasn't anything from the house either. I had made frozen boca sausages and then mixed them with frozen bertolli ravioli and sauce. And I thought that it tasted pretty good, but I couldn't eat much of the sausage because I'm allergic to soy and I don't like the way they taste that much anyway. And David didn't want to eat a whole lot of it because he didn't like the sauce it was in *which is a kind of strange tasting sauce* so I was in the process of finishing his ravioli when I discovered... the bug! It was a black and red striped maggot. ewwwwwww..........
And then I wanted to make milkshakes. We just got a new blender *it was just a cheap one from wal mart, but it works pretty well*, and my milk had gone bad. The date said sell by the 14 of Sept. So it shouldn't have been bad. And I tried to make milkshakes with it anyway thinking I was just crazy and I couldn't really drink it because even with the icecream and the chocolate, I could still taste the sour milk... so I have to throw out the rest of the milkshake and clean up the sticky sour mess in the blender.
and I have to buy more milk now. We have a ton of soy milk, but right after I got it, I discovered that I am allergic to it, so bummer. David likes it, but he doesn't use nearly enough to finish it before it goes bad in the seven to ten days after you open it. And I'm leary about using it in cooking because of my allergies.
*sigh* and I moved Halfie's cage off of the plastic mat it is on in order to pull up her blanket, and she took the opportunity to poop and pee on the carpet. It's all cleaned up now, but man was I mad at her... she was out playing on it for like an hour and didn't once go potty on it. But when she's standing right next to her litter box, she decides to go on the carpet.
Well, anyway. I'm going to be giving my stinky ferret a bath now that her bed clothes are all clean.
03 September 2008
Goodness Glaciers! -great quote from The Pebble and the Penguin...
I have internet again!
And... I have been able to make myself a real breakfast for three days in a row! No more McD's or leftover pizza for me.
David even got off work today, so we made some coffee and eggs... okay, and I also found a happy meal that someone left in our fridge, so I divided up the four chicken nuggets and gave David the apple packet... but I get the toy! bwa ha ha ha!
heh, that is something that is kind of weird -- because everyone is helping us out so much, people come in and out and then I find things later that I don't remember having. I don't mind, but, for the record, if it's in my fridge, I'm eating it! bwa ha ha! Although, I think my mommy did mention the Happy Meal to me .^_^.
I actually don't mind people coming in and out so much *my mom has to put up with it from people she didn't even give keys to*
It is kind of weird though when stuff turns up scratched, like in the dining room, but there's only that one thing, so no worries.
I also don't walk around naked or anything, so I'm not worried about being caught off guard like that.
I did talk to David though about being more careful about having friends stay over because we had one of our friends stay over, and we woke up in the morning and he was gone, and it was a bit unsettling. David called him later and asked what had happened and the guy apologized and said that his mom needed him or something like that and didn't have time to leave a note or anything.
But I've decided that I'd rather not have anyone spend the night unless it is an actual sleep over setting where we're all crashing in the living room. Unless they are family. e.g. I trust Ty completely, so he can stay wherever and whenever he wants, but other people... you think you know them, and you really might not. And I'd rather not get caught off guard and wake up to find our PS3 gone or something like that. Too much weird crud has happened to us in the past year for me to look at anything without being a bit skeptical.
Anyway, I'm in a good mood and ready to go out with David *we're going to pick up a dish rack since the dishwasher isn't working. this will make it easier for me to wash dishes by hand, which I prefer doing anyway.* And then we're going to catch the bus to Mason for class. I also have to figure stuff out with parking passes because they are damn expensive and David and I are debating how many to get and if we should get one for the parking garage at mason or not.
And... I have been able to make myself a real breakfast for three days in a row! No more McD's or leftover pizza for me.
David even got off work today, so we made some coffee and eggs... okay, and I also found a happy meal that someone left in our fridge, so I divided up the four chicken nuggets and gave David the apple packet... but I get the toy! bwa ha ha ha!
heh, that is something that is kind of weird -- because everyone is helping us out so much, people come in and out and then I find things later that I don't remember having. I don't mind, but, for the record, if it's in my fridge, I'm eating it! bwa ha ha! Although, I think my mommy did mention the Happy Meal to me .^_^.
I actually don't mind people coming in and out so much *my mom has to put up with it from people she didn't even give keys to*
It is kind of weird though when stuff turns up scratched, like in the dining room, but there's only that one thing, so no worries.
I also don't walk around naked or anything, so I'm not worried about being caught off guard like that.
I did talk to David though about being more careful about having friends stay over because we had one of our friends stay over, and we woke up in the morning and he was gone, and it was a bit unsettling. David called him later and asked what had happened and the guy apologized and said that his mom needed him or something like that and didn't have time to leave a note or anything.
But I've decided that I'd rather not have anyone spend the night unless it is an actual sleep over setting where we're all crashing in the living room. Unless they are family. e.g. I trust Ty completely, so he can stay wherever and whenever he wants, but other people... you think you know them, and you really might not. And I'd rather not get caught off guard and wake up to find our PS3 gone or something like that. Too much weird crud has happened to us in the past year for me to look at anything without being a bit skeptical.
Anyway, I'm in a good mood and ready to go out with David *we're going to pick up a dish rack since the dishwasher isn't working. this will make it easier for me to wash dishes by hand, which I prefer doing anyway.* And then we're going to catch the bus to Mason for class. I also have to figure stuff out with parking passes because they are damn expensive and David and I are debating how many to get and if we should get one for the parking garage at mason or not.
26 August 2008
Busy Post
Oh No! I've missed almost half the month! So busy!
I'm currently taking a break from cleaning and packing up the old townhouse. Most of it is done, and I'm down to the gritty stuff.
Yesterday was my first day of school this semester, and it went pretty well. I'm taking an English class with David. We both also had the Professor our senior year in high school, and she was one of our favorite teachers, so hopefully that will take some of the strain off a very crazy class.
The other class I went to yesterday was Latin 101, and I really like the teacher. His philosophy on the course was really great, and I have 4 1/2 years of Latin experience from high school, so I have a pretty good start. *I'm beginning at 101 in college because I want to actually study it this time round rather than just grasp enough of it to make the grade and forget.
That's actually the reason that I'm not taking Japanese in a classroom setting again. I really love the language and I really appreciate the base I was given in the first semester, but I'd rather study it on my own rather than at someone else's pace. And maybe once I have grasped it enough, I will take classes on it again as I am now with Latin. We'll see.
Oh no... I'm also worried about our ferret, Halfie. She has always been a bit sneezy and wheezy, but lately *we moved her into the bedroom* she has been waking us up having really bad breathing fits. When we get up to look at her, she seems fine. *She doesn't look like she's choking or straining herself* but she still makes that sound. And then she stops. And then she begins again, and it is driving me nutso.
She needs to have a check up anyway, but it still worries me. I read online that it could mean that litter is getting stuck in her lungs *which can then expand.* I also think that it might be food getting into her lungs because she always seems to try to eat and breathe at the same time. And there are all kinds of other things that could be causing labored breathing, so it's a little scary.
I'm also worried that it could be something caused by the old townhouse, what with the sewage problems and what not. But I really shouldn't worry myself trying to figure it out right now. That is what the vet is for.
Well, anyway... back to work.
I'm currently taking a break from cleaning and packing up the old townhouse. Most of it is done, and I'm down to the gritty stuff.
Yesterday was my first day of school this semester, and it went pretty well. I'm taking an English class with David. We both also had the Professor our senior year in high school, and she was one of our favorite teachers, so hopefully that will take some of the strain off a very crazy class.
The other class I went to yesterday was Latin 101, and I really like the teacher. His philosophy on the course was really great, and I have 4 1/2 years of Latin experience from high school, so I have a pretty good start. *I'm beginning at 101 in college because I want to actually study it this time round rather than just grasp enough of it to make the grade and forget.
That's actually the reason that I'm not taking Japanese in a classroom setting again. I really love the language and I really appreciate the base I was given in the first semester, but I'd rather study it on my own rather than at someone else's pace. And maybe once I have grasped it enough, I will take classes on it again as I am now with Latin. We'll see.
Oh no... I'm also worried about our ferret, Halfie. She has always been a bit sneezy and wheezy, but lately *we moved her into the bedroom* she has been waking us up having really bad breathing fits. When we get up to look at her, she seems fine. *She doesn't look like she's choking or straining herself* but she still makes that sound. And then she stops. And then she begins again, and it is driving me nutso.
She needs to have a check up anyway, but it still worries me. I read online that it could mean that litter is getting stuck in her lungs *which can then expand.* I also think that it might be food getting into her lungs because she always seems to try to eat and breathe at the same time. And there are all kinds of other things that could be causing labored breathing, so it's a little scary.
I'm also worried that it could be something caused by the old townhouse, what with the sewage problems and what not. But I really shouldn't worry myself trying to figure it out right now. That is what the vet is for.
Well, anyway... back to work.
11 August 2008
Sleepy Post
oh my... so much going on.
I have a couple things that I am supposed to ask family members, so I'll put them here for now so I don't forget them. And mommy will prob'ly read it at some point anyway.
First,
Miss Burrell asked me if my mom and I could get together with her for dinner this Thursday August 14, so I need to ask my mom if she is available. (David wants to come to, I think mostly to ask questions about the new house and neighborhood).
Second,
A lady at work asked me today if Ty would be interested in doing some landscaping for her and if so, how much he would charge. So I'll need to ask Ty about that at some point. If he is able to help, she would appreciate it a lot. Her husband died about five years ago, and her son is getting married this month and will be looking for a house of his own, so she could probably use some company anyway. She also has bad knees, so having a young guy around to help out would be a blessing.
My only worry is that she has a thick accent, so I don't know how well Ty will be able to work with her and understand her *I'm pretty sure he won't be able to pronounce her name. Her name is Abidah. But her close family calls her Abby, so that'll prob'ly be what Ty ends up calling her*
She is one of the more picky ladies at work that tends to always say things like "oh no, dear. You should do it this way." or "My dear, why are you doing it that way? This way is much easier." and so on and so forth. But at least that means Ty won't have to worry about doing something wrong because *trust me* she'll let him know if he's doing something "wrong."
Also, there's a difference between working with someone and working for someone. She is very laid back, so if you are doing something that she thinks can be done more easily or that she thinks doesn't need to be done, she'll let you know. Which is great if she is the one telling you what to do. But if there are ten other people working with you that are telling you not to sit down or to do that same thing in a different way, it gets a little stressful, especially since I rarely work with the same people two days in a row.
Anyway, she said she would be needing his help in a little over two weeks, and so Ty will have some time to figure out his schedule and see if he can fit it in. I also asked her what type of stuff he would be doing, and it sounded right up his ally. A lot of it is planting different types of plants, etc. And she also has a slick spot in her yard on the way to the water spigot that she would like to fill in with pebbles and what not, and she wanted to put in some sort of fountain.
So she has a pretty good idea about what she wants, but she is also open to suggestions on how to go about it, etc.
And when she first asked me if he could help her, I wasn't sure if she thought he was older than I was and a "professional" landscaper. And so I made sure that she understood that he was 18 and just starting college, etc, and she said he was perfect.
And I figure if Ty can babysit for the Dam kids and understand the parents when they speak, he should be able to understand Abidah just fine.
Well, anyway, this is a sleepy post because I just got off of work and I am sleepy.
...zzz...
I have a couple things that I am supposed to ask family members, so I'll put them here for now so I don't forget them. And mommy will prob'ly read it at some point anyway.
First,
Miss Burrell asked me if my mom and I could get together with her for dinner this Thursday August 14, so I need to ask my mom if she is available. (David wants to come to, I think mostly to ask questions about the new house and neighborhood).
Second,
A lady at work asked me today if Ty would be interested in doing some landscaping for her and if so, how much he would charge. So I'll need to ask Ty about that at some point. If he is able to help, she would appreciate it a lot. Her husband died about five years ago, and her son is getting married this month and will be looking for a house of his own, so she could probably use some company anyway. She also has bad knees, so having a young guy around to help out would be a blessing.
My only worry is that she has a thick accent, so I don't know how well Ty will be able to work with her and understand her *I'm pretty sure he won't be able to pronounce her name. Her name is Abidah. But her close family calls her Abby, so that'll prob'ly be what Ty ends up calling her*
She is one of the more picky ladies at work that tends to always say things like "oh no, dear. You should do it this way." or "My dear, why are you doing it that way? This way is much easier." and so on and so forth. But at least that means Ty won't have to worry about doing something wrong because *trust me* she'll let him know if he's doing something "wrong."
Also, there's a difference between working with someone and working for someone. She is very laid back, so if you are doing something that she thinks can be done more easily or that she thinks doesn't need to be done, she'll let you know. Which is great if she is the one telling you what to do. But if there are ten other people working with you that are telling you not to sit down or to do that same thing in a different way, it gets a little stressful, especially since I rarely work with the same people two days in a row.
Anyway, she said she would be needing his help in a little over two weeks, and so Ty will have some time to figure out his schedule and see if he can fit it in. I also asked her what type of stuff he would be doing, and it sounded right up his ally. A lot of it is planting different types of plants, etc. And she also has a slick spot in her yard on the way to the water spigot that she would like to fill in with pebbles and what not, and she wanted to put in some sort of fountain.
So she has a pretty good idea about what she wants, but she is also open to suggestions on how to go about it, etc.
And when she first asked me if he could help her, I wasn't sure if she thought he was older than I was and a "professional" landscaper. And so I made sure that she understood that he was 18 and just starting college, etc, and she said he was perfect.
And I figure if Ty can babysit for the Dam kids and understand the parents when they speak, he should be able to understand Abidah just fine.
Well, anyway, this is a sleepy post because I just got off of work and I am sleepy.
...zzz...
09 August 2008
Eat Beans, the Magical Fruit. The More You Eat 'Em, the More You Toot. The More You Toot, the Better You Feel. So Eat Beans for Every Meal!
Tee Hee. I learned that in elementary school. <(^t^)>
Work Post
oh man, this pay period at work is a bit much. I'm working twelve days straight in a row, and I'm doing 18 hours of overtime. Most of the shifts are only four hours each, so individually, they are not too much, but driving back and forth everyday isn't good on gas, and four hour shifts make it harder to get my own projects done because I'm really only back at my desk for maybe 15 minutes.
I'm not too worried though, because I'm not planning to sign myself up for overtime next pay period unless someone specifically asks me and I am available. The first week is both my birthday week and the first week we should be able to move things into the new townhouse. Then the week after is the first week of school.
We had a fire "drill" yesterday. It wasn't planned and it wasn't really a drill, but the firemen came and checked everything out and got kind of peeved because there was nothing wrong. At least it was nice outside though, because we were out there for a good fifteen-twenty minutes.
I didn't do very well eating-wise last night. I didn't really have anything specific to fix, and I didn't want to order pizza because I'm sick of ordering pizza; it's a waste of money, and it's bad for you.
So instead I opted to try to make some more healthy cookies. well, they turned out yummy, but they aren't really all that healthy. They're filled with sugar.
I had some red kidney beans in the cupboard, and so I decided to make some red-bean-paste cookies.
The Japanese use red bean paste in a lot of desserts, but they actually ferment the bean and everything -- hence the sweet taste. I just kind of mixed in a fourth cup of sugar with the 15 oz can of red beans and mashed them up. ^_^ Fancy, I know.
Then I just followed the same recipe for the chick pea chocolate chip cookies minus the chocolate and chick peas.
They turned out delicious, but like I said, I used a lot of sugar. Well, really only 1 1/4 cup total to be split up among over thirty cookies, but that's still more sugar than David and I both need.
The texture turned out the same as the chick pea cookies, so I think that I'm going to use more oats in my next batch of cookies *i know i know... more cookies? she's nuts!*
I have less than a fourth of a jar of peanut butter sitting in my fridge and some baking chocolate from Hershey Park that technically expired about a month ago, so I'm trying to use it up. And I think that cookies are a good place to do that. So I was thinking of making some oatmeal chocolate peanut butter cookies.
Don't worry. I'm not going to eat all of the cookies. I sent most of the cookies from my last batch to work with David, and I think I'm going to take a bunch of the red bean paste cookies to work with me so that we don't end up eating all of them. They are pretty good though.
Aside from the cookies, I made two soy sausages that I had gotten a while ago. It's a four-pack and I made the first two in the microwave and they were really dry. So I followed the stove directions this time and boiled them for ten minutes and then put them in some oil for about two. They turned out pretty well. They were nice and moist this time around, but they still didn't quite have the texture of a real sausage *something about not really being a sausage*, but my mistake was not really having/making anything to go with them. So I just kind of sat in the living room where David was cleaning and packing, ate one, then gave the other one to David and went back into the kitchen.
The cookies were about three batches, fifteen minutes each, so I was doing all this while switching out the different batches of cookies, and consequently, munching on a couple each time I took some out of the oven.
I then decided that I would fry up the two soyburgers that were still left in the freezer. They turned out pretty well, but of course, no buns to eat them on and no hamburger helper or anything to put them in, so I ate one plain with honey mustard, and David was stuffed from the sausage and cookies and the half of a sandwich I brought him that was a leftover from my lunch yesterday, so his soyburger is still in the fridge -- I'll prob'ly take it to work today for lunch.
And of course, all of this stuff takes so long to make that while I was hungry in the in-between time, I made myself a big bowl of popcorn. So when the last batch of cookies was finished, I sat down in the living room and ate the rest of the popcorn while I watched watched the first episode of season three of Quantum Leap *I haven't been able to find the disc since we moved into this place and it's been driving me crazy for the last several months because I've been having Quantum Leap withdrawals, but David *my hero* found the disc hidden in a cd case inside of one of the boxes in the living room.
Yeah, so. One of the first things I plan to do when we're fully moved and the kitchen is all cleaned up is to fully stock my pantries with all of the essentials for cooking -- i have a couple of cookbooks that list them! And then also have lots of nice healthy snacks in the event that I don't want a whole meal, just a snack.
But overall, I don't feel too bad about what I ate last night because most of it wasn't really that bad for me, and part of the reason behind my munchies was that it is just about that girly time of the month for me. So I've been grumpy and hungry.
I'm not too worried though, because I'm not planning to sign myself up for overtime next pay period unless someone specifically asks me and I am available. The first week is both my birthday week and the first week we should be able to move things into the new townhouse. Then the week after is the first week of school.
We had a fire "drill" yesterday. It wasn't planned and it wasn't really a drill, but the firemen came and checked everything out and got kind of peeved because there was nothing wrong. At least it was nice outside though, because we were out there for a good fifteen-twenty minutes.
I didn't do very well eating-wise last night. I didn't really have anything specific to fix, and I didn't want to order pizza because I'm sick of ordering pizza; it's a waste of money, and it's bad for you.
So instead I opted to try to make some more healthy cookies. well, they turned out yummy, but they aren't really all that healthy. They're filled with sugar.
I had some red kidney beans in the cupboard, and so I decided to make some red-bean-paste cookies.
The Japanese use red bean paste in a lot of desserts, but they actually ferment the bean and everything -- hence the sweet taste. I just kind of mixed in a fourth cup of sugar with the 15 oz can of red beans and mashed them up. ^_^ Fancy, I know.
Then I just followed the same recipe for the chick pea chocolate chip cookies minus the chocolate and chick peas.
They turned out delicious, but like I said, I used a lot of sugar. Well, really only 1 1/4 cup total to be split up among over thirty cookies, but that's still more sugar than David and I both need.
The texture turned out the same as the chick pea cookies, so I think that I'm going to use more oats in my next batch of cookies *i know i know... more cookies? she's nuts!*
I have less than a fourth of a jar of peanut butter sitting in my fridge and some baking chocolate from Hershey Park that technically expired about a month ago, so I'm trying to use it up. And I think that cookies are a good place to do that. So I was thinking of making some oatmeal chocolate peanut butter cookies.
Don't worry. I'm not going to eat all of the cookies. I sent most of the cookies from my last batch to work with David, and I think I'm going to take a bunch of the red bean paste cookies to work with me so that we don't end up eating all of them. They are pretty good though.
Aside from the cookies, I made two soy sausages that I had gotten a while ago. It's a four-pack and I made the first two in the microwave and they were really dry. So I followed the stove directions this time and boiled them for ten minutes and then put them in some oil for about two. They turned out pretty well. They were nice and moist this time around, but they still didn't quite have the texture of a real sausage *something about not really being a sausage*, but my mistake was not really having/making anything to go with them. So I just kind of sat in the living room where David was cleaning and packing, ate one, then gave the other one to David and went back into the kitchen.
The cookies were about three batches, fifteen minutes each, so I was doing all this while switching out the different batches of cookies, and consequently, munching on a couple each time I took some out of the oven.
I then decided that I would fry up the two soyburgers that were still left in the freezer. They turned out pretty well, but of course, no buns to eat them on and no hamburger helper or anything to put them in, so I ate one plain with honey mustard, and David was stuffed from the sausage and cookies and the half of a sandwich I brought him that was a leftover from my lunch yesterday, so his soyburger is still in the fridge -- I'll prob'ly take it to work today for lunch.
And of course, all of this stuff takes so long to make that while I was hungry in the in-between time, I made myself a big bowl of popcorn. So when the last batch of cookies was finished, I sat down in the living room and ate the rest of the popcorn while I watched watched the first episode of season three of Quantum Leap *I haven't been able to find the disc since we moved into this place and it's been driving me crazy for the last several months because I've been having Quantum Leap withdrawals, but David *my hero* found the disc hidden in a cd case inside of one of the boxes in the living room.
Yeah, so. One of the first things I plan to do when we're fully moved and the kitchen is all cleaned up is to fully stock my pantries with all of the essentials for cooking -- i have a couple of cookbooks that list them! And then also have lots of nice healthy snacks in the event that I don't want a whole meal, just a snack.
But overall, I don't feel too bad about what I ate last night because most of it wasn't really that bad for me, and part of the reason behind my munchies was that it is just about that girly time of the month for me. So I've been grumpy and hungry.
08 August 2008
Moving Post
All right, I have work from 2 to 6 today, so I have some time this morning to see what I can do around the townhouse.
Here's my plan:
-I would like to do a load of laundry -- actually as many as possible ^_^
-I also need to maintain the kitchen --> right now, I have a washer full of clean dishes that need to be put away, and a sink of dirty dishes to be put in the washer (isn't that how it always goes?)
-And David has been begging me to clean off the couch(es) in the living room so that we can watch some comedy and work on cleaning up that room and the dining room. Hopefully, we will be able to do that tonight because we will be home around the same time. So, before I go to work today, I am going to try to clean off the couches.
Well, wish me luck. Hopefully I'll get it all done and more, but I really hate the way it smells on the second level. It seems sour, but I can't figure out where the smell is coming from. I'm worried that it might be one of my plants, but maybe I'll get lucky today and find something under the couch that has gone bad. (I know; that really doesn't sound too lucky)
Oh My God. The landlord is such an idiot.
David has explained to him in full detail that he is moving out by August 31st and that he has no interest in staying here. David asked if the rent could be lowered (you know, to closer to what the townhouse is worth), the landlord said no, and to me, that means end of story.
But no. He actually had the gall to email David asking if he wanted to renew his contract month by month until December, and then start out a new full-year contract with him for next year so that it would begin in January and end in December.
There was no mention of lowering rent or anything. He just thought David might be interested?
How clueless can someone be?
I think that somebody has realized that he won't be able to easily market the townhouse since he won't be able to actually show it until September when we are fully moved out. Duh! So basically, he's getting kicked in the pants because he is the one who said no to the month by month extension when David asked him so that we would have through September at least to move out fully. Now the landlord is realizing that he will probably be losing money because he won't be able to find someone to rent it as the weather gets colder.
But anyway, I hope that someone moves in within a week after we move out, and I hope it's someone with a family and more experience than David and I had when we rented the townhouse, because hopefully, they won't put up with the landlord's crap, and they'll tell him like it is, because now we know that's what we should have done from the get-go, and then maybe we wouldn't have had so many problems with the place. Lesson learned. Hopefully the landlord will get his someday.
David and I talked it over, and even if the landlord was willing to lower the rent on a new contract, we wouldn't accept. Besides, it wouldn't be as low as David will be paying for his own townhome anyway :)
Here's my plan:
-I would like to do a load of laundry -- actually as many as possible ^_^
-I also need to maintain the kitchen --> right now, I have a washer full of clean dishes that need to be put away, and a sink of dirty dishes to be put in the washer (isn't that how it always goes?)
-And David has been begging me to clean off the couch(es) in the living room so that we can watch some comedy and work on cleaning up that room and the dining room. Hopefully, we will be able to do that tonight because we will be home around the same time. So, before I go to work today, I am going to try to clean off the couches.
Well, wish me luck. Hopefully I'll get it all done and more, but I really hate the way it smells on the second level. It seems sour, but I can't figure out where the smell is coming from. I'm worried that it might be one of my plants, but maybe I'll get lucky today and find something under the couch that has gone bad. (I know; that really doesn't sound too lucky)
Oh My God. The landlord is such an idiot.
David has explained to him in full detail that he is moving out by August 31st and that he has no interest in staying here. David asked if the rent could be lowered (you know, to closer to what the townhouse is worth), the landlord said no, and to me, that means end of story.
But no. He actually had the gall to email David asking if he wanted to renew his contract month by month until December, and then start out a new full-year contract with him for next year so that it would begin in January and end in December.
There was no mention of lowering rent or anything. He just thought David might be interested?
How clueless can someone be?
I think that somebody has realized that he won't be able to easily market the townhouse since he won't be able to actually show it until September when we are fully moved out. Duh! So basically, he's getting kicked in the pants because he is the one who said no to the month by month extension when David asked him so that we would have through September at least to move out fully. Now the landlord is realizing that he will probably be losing money because he won't be able to find someone to rent it as the weather gets colder.
But anyway, I hope that someone moves in within a week after we move out, and I hope it's someone with a family and more experience than David and I had when we rented the townhouse, because hopefully, they won't put up with the landlord's crap, and they'll tell him like it is, because now we know that's what we should have done from the get-go, and then maybe we wouldn't have had so many problems with the place. Lesson learned. Hopefully the landlord will get his someday.
David and I talked it over, and even if the landlord was willing to lower the rent on a new contract, we wouldn't accept. Besides, it wouldn't be as low as David will be paying for his own townhome anyway :)
07 August 2008
Stress Post
Oh man Oh man Oh man. I'm home today until about 4.3opm when I need to leave for work so I can be there from 5 to 9.
Not a problem, but I wanna just stay in bed or play or read or cook something delicious. But I need to get stuff washed and packed up since we'll begin moving officially around next Friday.
I've had several good talk-overs with David to make sure he really wants to do all this, where we basically just spent hours going over the pros and cons and how our families feel about it and how we both feel about moving and about him buying his own house.
We've both made our own separate to-do lists, and we have everything planned out with how we're going to get things moved out and moved in and get things done.
And my mom has been helping put a fire under our butts about picking the various paints that we want to use, etc.
I'm still debating over whether I just want to go for one color for now, or several different ones for the different rooms. I definitely want to do the different rooms different colors at some point, but I'm not sure that I want to make a big fuss about it right now. I think we'll go for a few colors, maybe just three or four, and rotate them. But I don't know how complicated that gets when buying the paints and what not, so I'm going to hang out with my mom at some point this week and just discuss it with her and then go out with her and pick out some colors. I'll talk to David later tonight as to what he wants -- from what I gather, he definitely wants to paint the bedroom a light green like the guest room at my parent's house is painted, and he wants his computer room either painted green or he wants wooden planks put up like in the garage where Ty's space is -- whichever is easier.
And I definitely want my pretty princess room to be painted a nice light pink. But other than that, We haven't really talked a whole lot about what we want the rest of the house to be, other than light colors.
The Zydallis's have dark maroon/red and gold as the color theme for their main room and everytime I see I think about how beautiful it is, but when I'm not looking at it and I think about it, it sounds like a god-awful combination to be putting so much of it on the walls. But they have a huge painting up in that room.
There is a painting that I want to get that David was going to try to get for me, so I might look into the colors that are used in that for inspiration. I'd hate to hang up a beautiful painting only to realize that it didn't match the walls! <(^t^)>
Not a problem, but I wanna just stay in bed or play or read or cook something delicious. But I need to get stuff washed and packed up since we'll begin moving officially around next Friday.
I've had several good talk-overs with David to make sure he really wants to do all this, where we basically just spent hours going over the pros and cons and how our families feel about it and how we both feel about moving and about him buying his own house.
We've both made our own separate to-do lists, and we have everything planned out with how we're going to get things moved out and moved in and get things done.
And my mom has been helping put a fire under our butts about picking the various paints that we want to use, etc.
I'm still debating over whether I just want to go for one color for now, or several different ones for the different rooms. I definitely want to do the different rooms different colors at some point, but I'm not sure that I want to make a big fuss about it right now. I think we'll go for a few colors, maybe just three or four, and rotate them. But I don't know how complicated that gets when buying the paints and what not, so I'm going to hang out with my mom at some point this week and just discuss it with her and then go out with her and pick out some colors. I'll talk to David later tonight as to what he wants -- from what I gather, he definitely wants to paint the bedroom a light green like the guest room at my parent's house is painted, and he wants his computer room either painted green or he wants wooden planks put up like in the garage where Ty's space is -- whichever is easier.
And I definitely want my pretty princess room to be painted a nice light pink. But other than that, We haven't really talked a whole lot about what we want the rest of the house to be, other than light colors.
The Zydallis's have dark maroon/red and gold as the color theme for their main room and everytime I see I think about how beautiful it is, but when I'm not looking at it and I think about it, it sounds like a god-awful combination to be putting so much of it on the walls. But they have a huge painting up in that room.
There is a painting that I want to get that David was going to try to get for me, so I might look into the colors that are used in that for inspiration. I'd hate to hang up a beautiful painting only to realize that it didn't match the walls! <(^t^)>
06 August 2008
Stress Post
This is really more about David's stress, but that -- by default -- transfers to me in part.
He's a bit bummed out right now because he is trying to figure out all of the pricing and costs that will be coming with the townhouse he is buying.
He had thought it would only be about $930 a month with taxes and insurance because of a document his loan agent sent him, but he found out about a day later -- and right after we told everyone that it would prob'ly cost $930 a month that it will really be more like $1200 a month, or so we think right now.
He was trying not to worry about it because even $1200 is a really great deal, especially since all of his bills including phone, internet, and utilities will still make his cost of living below what he is paying now just for rent, which is $1700 a month.
But I had a little mini breakdown when he told me that he had "misread" the document, and I gave him a huge lecture on how "big boys" read all of the fine print and make sure that everything is taken care of before they tell everyone the wrong stuff. I was mostly upset because he has done something similar with several other important documents, and I really can't be looking over his shoulder for everything. It's my responsibility to help him and care about him, but I can't do everything for him, and I can't constantly be looking over his shoulder. He needs to be able to take care of himself.
I took a look at the document, and it makes sense how he would have thought $930 at first, but it still bummed me out a bit. I'm feeling much better about it now and much more optimistic. It just feels like lately, everything I do requires a big lecture about growing up. *well, duh. I guess it should since that's what I'm trying to do. Sometimes I feel like I'm almost there, and other times I feel like I'm failing miserably*
So anyway, he had Kurt look it all over, and Kurt agreed that the layout was kind of weird, so he explained everything to David and how it all breaks down.
But now David is a bit bummed because he still has to look into house insurance, which he personally knows little about. So he's having to talk to all these different loan agents who are all pretty much trying to screw him. And he's frustrated because he doesn't fully understand what he needs and what he doesn't need, so when someone tells him "oh yeah, this is a little more than that company's, but that's because we offer this special type of coverage *wink* and you need this type of coverage."
Oh, and he was really peeved today because he went online yesterday and filled out all of these forms with information for various agents to look at and then contact him through the internet as to what their quotes would be. Sounds great, right?
Yeah, except that all day today, he was getting calls from these idiots while he was at work just to "verify" information. He was upset because he purposely signed up to get all the stuff through the internet so he wouldn't have to deal with phone tag or interruptions while he was working 9 to 5.
It's all part of growing up, and I promised to help him keep tabs on everything, and he's promised me to look over everything more carefully and to not jump to conclusions that are too good to be true, but it's going to take a while before we can get everything fully together. I'm so glad our parents care about us and are here for us to help and answer our questions.
He's a bit bummed out right now because he is trying to figure out all of the pricing and costs that will be coming with the townhouse he is buying.
He had thought it would only be about $930 a month with taxes and insurance because of a document his loan agent sent him, but he found out about a day later -- and right after we told everyone that it would prob'ly cost $930 a month that it will really be more like $1200 a month, or so we think right now.
He was trying not to worry about it because even $1200 is a really great deal, especially since all of his bills including phone, internet, and utilities will still make his cost of living below what he is paying now just for rent, which is $1700 a month.
But I had a little mini breakdown when he told me that he had "misread" the document, and I gave him a huge lecture on how "big boys" read all of the fine print and make sure that everything is taken care of before they tell everyone the wrong stuff. I was mostly upset because he has done something similar with several other important documents, and I really can't be looking over his shoulder for everything. It's my responsibility to help him and care about him, but I can't do everything for him, and I can't constantly be looking over his shoulder. He needs to be able to take care of himself.
I took a look at the document, and it makes sense how he would have thought $930 at first, but it still bummed me out a bit. I'm feeling much better about it now and much more optimistic. It just feels like lately, everything I do requires a big lecture about growing up. *well, duh. I guess it should since that's what I'm trying to do. Sometimes I feel like I'm almost there, and other times I feel like I'm failing miserably*
So anyway, he had Kurt look it all over, and Kurt agreed that the layout was kind of weird, so he explained everything to David and how it all breaks down.
But now David is a bit bummed because he still has to look into house insurance, which he personally knows little about. So he's having to talk to all these different loan agents who are all pretty much trying to screw him. And he's frustrated because he doesn't fully understand what he needs and what he doesn't need, so when someone tells him "oh yeah, this is a little more than that company's, but that's because we offer this special type of coverage *wink* and you need this type of coverage."
Oh, and he was really peeved today because he went online yesterday and filled out all of these forms with information for various agents to look at and then contact him through the internet as to what their quotes would be. Sounds great, right?
Yeah, except that all day today, he was getting calls from these idiots while he was at work just to "verify" information. He was upset because he purposely signed up to get all the stuff through the internet so he wouldn't have to deal with phone tag or interruptions while he was working 9 to 5.
It's all part of growing up, and I promised to help him keep tabs on everything, and he's promised me to look over everything more carefully and to not jump to conclusions that are too good to be true, but it's going to take a while before we can get everything fully together. I'm so glad our parents care about us and are here for us to help and answer our questions.
Love Post
I was reading one of my mommy's blogs today, and there was a post about me that was sooo sweet. She was talking about how I am beautiful and that I look a lot like her, and she was wondering why no one ever told her how beautiful she was when she was my age. (well, that's a quick sum up of what she had said, but it really doesn't do her words justice).
Anyway, I just had to post about it on my blog because reading it made me smile a little inside because my mom doesn't realize how often I look at her and hope that I look as good as her when I'm fifty. Nor does she realize how honored I am to be told that I look like her.
Beauty is a funny thing that has nothing to do with weight, so when my mom says that my daddy deserves a hottie, really I think that my daddy deserves someone who loves him as much as my mom to be healthy and happy and with him for much longer to come. My mother will be the most beautiful woman in the world *and I know my dad feels the same way* no matter what she weighs, no matter if her hair ever grays, or if her face ever gets all wrinkly.
Sometimes, I really think she got jipped growing up. I've been lucky enough to have parents who constantly tell me how beautiful I am, and I have always been able to shrug off what others say because of that. My mother has always made the effort to take me shopping for nice clothes, and my dad, while he is not around as much, has always taken me to father-daughter dances. Few things make a little girl feel as special as going out to a dance with her daddy.
I actually got upset with my boyfriend because I was telling him a while ago about the wedding receptions I worked at during my time at the Elkslodge and how much I wanted to dance with my father at my wedding, and he actually shuddered and said that he would hate to have to dance with his mother. This is an ongoing debate that I have had with him since, and I am determined that by the time we get married, he'll dance with her *of his own will, I know he'd dance with her now for my sake, but that doesn't count*. (hey, I've got quite a few years before all that, so I've got the time :)
It made me realize how wonderful my family is because I know -- and I hope my mom does too -- that when my brothers get married, they will be so happy to dance with their beautiful mother. And even with all of the crap they give her now as teenagers, they both love her and see how beautiful she really is.
I am so proud of her for blogging as much as she does as well. I truly think it has something to do with being a writer at heart. For me, there is something soothing about putting all of my thoughts down. I even have a blog that is completely blocked off from everyone so that I can write completely uncensored about everything that I feel, no matter how hateful or shameful or stupid. I almost always can't read through those posts after I write them because they are so not me and so not how I feel -- anymore. Sometimes, it's just nice to say what you need to say but you feel like no one else should hear it.
Blogging is also a really good way to explain to others how you feel without directly sitting down and telling them. I was glad to read some of my mom's posts about how she feels about blogging and logging her eating and what she expects because it has helped me to get more on board with what kind of support she needs. Whether or not I actually help, who knows? But I certainly try, and it is so helpful to me to be able to read through my mom's thoughts, and for my mom to be able to read through mine.
Anyway, I just had to post about it on my blog because reading it made me smile a little inside because my mom doesn't realize how often I look at her and hope that I look as good as her when I'm fifty. Nor does she realize how honored I am to be told that I look like her.
Beauty is a funny thing that has nothing to do with weight, so when my mom says that my daddy deserves a hottie, really I think that my daddy deserves someone who loves him as much as my mom to be healthy and happy and with him for much longer to come. My mother will be the most beautiful woman in the world *and I know my dad feels the same way* no matter what she weighs, no matter if her hair ever grays, or if her face ever gets all wrinkly.
Sometimes, I really think she got jipped growing up. I've been lucky enough to have parents who constantly tell me how beautiful I am, and I have always been able to shrug off what others say because of that. My mother has always made the effort to take me shopping for nice clothes, and my dad, while he is not around as much, has always taken me to father-daughter dances. Few things make a little girl feel as special as going out to a dance with her daddy.
I actually got upset with my boyfriend because I was telling him a while ago about the wedding receptions I worked at during my time at the Elkslodge and how much I wanted to dance with my father at my wedding, and he actually shuddered and said that he would hate to have to dance with his mother. This is an ongoing debate that I have had with him since, and I am determined that by the time we get married, he'll dance with her *of his own will, I know he'd dance with her now for my sake, but that doesn't count*. (hey, I've got quite a few years before all that, so I've got the time :)
It made me realize how wonderful my family is because I know -- and I hope my mom does too -- that when my brothers get married, they will be so happy to dance with their beautiful mother. And even with all of the crap they give her now as teenagers, they both love her and see how beautiful she really is.
I am so proud of her for blogging as much as she does as well. I truly think it has something to do with being a writer at heart. For me, there is something soothing about putting all of my thoughts down. I even have a blog that is completely blocked off from everyone so that I can write completely uncensored about everything that I feel, no matter how hateful or shameful or stupid. I almost always can't read through those posts after I write them because they are so not me and so not how I feel -- anymore. Sometimes, it's just nice to say what you need to say but you feel like no one else should hear it.
Blogging is also a really good way to explain to others how you feel without directly sitting down and telling them. I was glad to read some of my mom's posts about how she feels about blogging and logging her eating and what she expects because it has helped me to get more on board with what kind of support she needs. Whether or not I actually help, who knows? But I certainly try, and it is so helpful to me to be able to read through my mom's thoughts, and for my mom to be able to read through mine.
05 August 2008
Graham Cracker Ice Cream Sandwiches
Prep: 5 minutes, Total: 120 minutes, Makes: 8 sandwiches
Ingredients:
-2 cups lowfat plain yogurt *of course, you can use any type of yogurt for it, really -- but that might change the need for lemon juice and zest*
-1 cup sugar *or appropriate sugar substitute, or I'll bet cool whip would be good too*
-1 cup lowfat (1%) buttermilk *this is the only "weird" ingredient in any of the recipes, but it can be replaced pretty easily with skim milk -- or really any type of milk*
-2 tablespoons lemon juice *more or less optional depending on the type of yogurt you use, or if you want it to be lemony*
-grated zest of 1 lemon *more or less optional*
-16 lowfat graham crackers, broken in half (32 squares) *i'm sure any type of dessert crackers would do*
-Shredded coconut (optional)
Preparation:
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, buttermilk, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Transfer to a small bowl, cover, and freeze for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the mixture starts to thicken.
2. To form the sandwiches, scoop out and then press about 1/4 cup of the semi-frozen yogurt mixture between two graham cracker squares. Wrap each in waxed paper and freeze 30 minutes, or until firm.
3. If using coconut, put some on a plate and dip all four edges of the sandwich to coat.
Ingredients:
-2 cups lowfat plain yogurt *of course, you can use any type of yogurt for it, really -- but that might change the need for lemon juice and zest*
-1 cup sugar *or appropriate sugar substitute, or I'll bet cool whip would be good too*
-1 cup lowfat (1%) buttermilk *this is the only "weird" ingredient in any of the recipes, but it can be replaced pretty easily with skim milk -- or really any type of milk*
-2 tablespoons lemon juice *more or less optional depending on the type of yogurt you use, or if you want it to be lemony*
-grated zest of 1 lemon *more or less optional*
-16 lowfat graham crackers, broken in half (32 squares) *i'm sure any type of dessert crackers would do*
-Shredded coconut (optional)
Preparation:
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, buttermilk, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Transfer to a small bowl, cover, and freeze for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the mixture starts to thicken.
2. To form the sandwiches, scoop out and then press about 1/4 cup of the semi-frozen yogurt mixture between two graham cracker squares. Wrap each in waxed paper and freeze 30 minutes, or until firm.
3. If using coconut, put some on a plate and dip all four edges of the sandwich to coat.
More Delicious Deception ^_^
I forgot to say a few more important things about the cookbook in my previous post.
1. It has pictures of every single dish. This is super-important to me because a. my food's presentation sucks and b. I really like to what I am making is supposed to look like.
2. It is super-colorful!
3. It has detailed explanations of all of the equipment you need, and it also has a detailed explanation of all the different vitamins that you are supposed to fit into your diet -- which, being allergic to so much stuff, is one of my biggest issues.
4. I've been looking through it a little more and it does have a several different fruit recipes, so hooray!
*giggles* I can just see my mommy saying eww! gross to actually cooking a lot of this stuff, so making the food might not be for everyone, but putting funny ingredients together has never really bothered me.
Oh, but speaking of my mommy, I found a recipe in the book that really reminded me of that yummy dessert she let me try the other night, and it doesn't involve any of the vegetable purees.
I'll use another post to put the recipe.
1. It has pictures of every single dish. This is super-important to me because a. my food's presentation sucks and b. I really like to what I am making is supposed to look like.
2. It is super-colorful!
3. It has detailed explanations of all of the equipment you need, and it also has a detailed explanation of all the different vitamins that you are supposed to fit into your diet -- which, being allergic to so much stuff, is one of my biggest issues.
4. I've been looking through it a little more and it does have a several different fruit recipes, so hooray!
*giggles* I can just see my mommy saying eww! gross to actually cooking a lot of this stuff, so making the food might not be for everyone, but putting funny ingredients together has never really bothered me.
Oh, but speaking of my mommy, I found a recipe in the book that really reminded me of that yummy dessert she let me try the other night, and it doesn't involve any of the vegetable purees.
I'll use another post to put the recipe.
Deceptively Delicious
That is the title of the book I found at the library.
Actually, the full title is Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food.
Yeah... that's right. It's technically a book for mothers with young children who don't like to eat their vegetables. In other words, I am still a five-year old that needs to have the green stuff hidden before I eat it. But this book shows you how to hide it in brownies! so exciting.
The entire book is dedicated to slipping cooked and pureed veggies into meals.
It has recipes for normal food like cookies, brownies, french toast, mac & cheese, etc; which means I won't feel like I'm going on some sort of twisted diet.
Anyway, the book is technically aimed at mother's with small children, but it does apply to anyone who is or has a picky eater eating their cooking. But I suppose that if I ever have kids, I'll be well-prepared.
Heh, oh and something else that it is interesting: it is written by Jessica Seinfeld, who is Jerry Seinfeld's wife. I hadn't noticed until I had checked it out and starting reading through it, but I looked online, and she has apparently been on Oprah and everything promoting this book.
Basically, the idea is that you puree all types of different veggies, put them in the freezer, and then use them in the recipes (which, like I said, involve normal food and normal ingredients -- as opposed to trying to search for weird ingredients for most weird vegetable combinations that are supposed to fool you) while you're making dinner. So prep is pretty easy. Just spend an hour or two one day pureeing all the different veggies, then stick em in the freezer. And it's not supposed to taste gross or weird *hey, i've tasted some pretty weird stuff like vegan brownies... uhh... yeah, those were gross...*
Hopefully, I will be able to do this. It has a lot of veggie recipes, and several involving yogurt and berries. So, that takes care of my veggie issue anyway. But I'm still looking for something for fruit, although my guess is that I could do a lot of stuff with cooked and pureed fruit. smoothies come to mind.
My main concern has been with veggies, and I feel a little better now knowing that there is someone (and probably many more) that has figured out some cool recipes. I would like to buy this book at some point, but for now, I can use the library's copy. I'll have to wait until I move though before I start pureeing stuff and what not.
Actually, the full title is Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food.
Yeah... that's right. It's technically a book for mothers with young children who don't like to eat their vegetables. In other words, I am still a five-year old that needs to have the green stuff hidden before I eat it. But this book shows you how to hide it in brownies! so exciting.
The entire book is dedicated to slipping cooked and pureed veggies into meals.
It has recipes for normal food like cookies, brownies, french toast, mac & cheese, etc; which means I won't feel like I'm going on some sort of twisted diet.
Anyway, the book is technically aimed at mother's with small children, but it does apply to anyone who is or has a picky eater eating their cooking. But I suppose that if I ever have kids, I'll be well-prepared.
Heh, oh and something else that it is interesting: it is written by Jessica Seinfeld, who is Jerry Seinfeld's wife. I hadn't noticed until I had checked it out and starting reading through it, but I looked online, and she has apparently been on Oprah and everything promoting this book.
Basically, the idea is that you puree all types of different veggies, put them in the freezer, and then use them in the recipes (which, like I said, involve normal food and normal ingredients -- as opposed to trying to search for weird ingredients for most weird vegetable combinations that are supposed to fool you) while you're making dinner. So prep is pretty easy. Just spend an hour or two one day pureeing all the different veggies, then stick em in the freezer. And it's not supposed to taste gross or weird *hey, i've tasted some pretty weird stuff like vegan brownies... uhh... yeah, those were gross...*
Hopefully, I will be able to do this. It has a lot of veggie recipes, and several involving yogurt and berries. So, that takes care of my veggie issue anyway. But I'm still looking for something for fruit, although my guess is that I could do a lot of stuff with cooked and pureed fruit. smoothies come to mind.
My main concern has been with veggies, and I feel a little better now knowing that there is someone (and probably many more) that has figured out some cool recipes. I would like to buy this book at some point, but for now, I can use the library's copy. I'll have to wait until I move though before I start pureeing stuff and what not.
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