Monthly Archives: January 2012

As January ends…

6 Replies

…I have feelings of minor trepidation. Can trepidation be minor? For today, yes.

I have enjoyed January this year, immensely. Pourquoi? Because almost every single school day, I’ve left at 3:15 to go home. It’s the only month of the year I will be able to do so, and as you surely know, January is coming to an end. I’m certain some of my colleagues have seen my skateboard exiting the parking lot post-haste and thought, “Where’s she going in such a hurry?” It’s just me, hittin’ the door runnin’ at quittin’ time, fiends. That’s all. Home to dinner, cooking, baking, blogging, reading, family, and bedtime at a decent hour.

But come the first of February and lasting right up until graduation, all that will be a distant memory, and it’s back to the Old Routine of living at school until 8:00 every night. It’s OK though. I enjoy it (most of the time), because the kids are fun to work with, and I’m not old enough yet to constantly think about getting home to relax and do my other life. I just think about it most of the time.  :mrgreen:

There were some years in the not-so-distant past when all I thought about was doing what I needed to do in order to put in 100% at school. I sacrificed much in other areas, to my lasting regret. But recently (I’d say around this moment), all that changed. I’m a different person now. I care a bit less — not much, but some — about what others think of me. I’m having some success in that area. I’m saying “no” more. I’ve found more joy in small things. Does this mean I’ve finally grown up?

I hope not.  :lol:

Hey, it’s Tunesday, and I’m trying a new recipe (BoomR’s mom’s “Stay in Bed Stew”). Look for an update on TCF in the near future.

Nostalgia III

5 Replies

While cooking for a family dinner yesterday, Mavis and I talked about the eventual, hopeful remodel of my kitchen — especially since I plan to bake and write, hopefully for a little scratch, during my retirement years (and maybe even before then). Ah, if only the money in the bank matched the imagination in the brain, ja?

Anyway, part of the conversation included appliances, and how much they’ve changed. Mave told of a fridge she’d seen on TV with an embedded or mounted iPad on the front panel, which could display all of one’s recipes with one touch. Then, last night, I got to thinking about retro design as well. Remember the appliances of old, when your parents and grandparents called a fridge an “ice box?” And what about the ubiquitous mustard yellow and avocado colors of the early 70s? You can hardly find those shades available anymore (probably with good reason).

I found some awesome print ads for appliances at Found in Mom’s Basement. So glad that someone saved these gems:

 

 


Now would I love canary yellow appliances? Shyeah! How awesome is that? Or a pink washer and dryer? Mad love. I’ll bet you might have some tales to tell about the stuff your grandma had in her kitchen/laundry room. Alas, it’s time to put away the dreams and hit the shower and the road, however. It’s Monday. And there was much rejoicing.

Review: The Ides of March

3 Replies

Intrigue, suspense, betrayal, revenge: all in a day’s work in the political world. But it was done with great flourish in The Ides of March.

I’m not a great George Clooney fan (except of his face); nor do I think Ryan Gosling or Evan Rachel Wood are actors I’d count among Hollywood’s “beautiful people.” In fact, their faces kind of bother me. (Does that make me a bad person?) Still, they gave what I thought were honest and completely believable performances. And Clooney wasn’t really the star; that job fell to Gosling, playing a hard-working assistant presidential campaign manager who truly believes in the cause of the candidate (Clooney).

Early on, Gosling is told by a New York Times reporter/friend, “Don’t believe in politicians. They will eventually let you down.” He vehemently disagreed. He shouldn’t have.

Political films sometimes drag, but this one slaps your face at every corner. And I haven’t even gotten to the best part yet: Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti, playing rival campaign managers. They can steal a scene by simply walking in and looking around the room. I make it a point to see every movie they’re in. Flawless.

Much of the film leaves you wondering what’s going to happen next. You end up in a constant state of analysis — coming up with “if/thens” and “I’ll bets.” When the final intent is at last revealed, it’s a whole new game, but you’re not sure if you want to root for the same people or not. Uncertainty, curiosity, commiseration, pulling for the underdog:  all in Clooney’s plan to string you along to the end.

Speaking of the end…it could have used some work, in my opinion. I think George settled for the tried-and-true as opposed to the let’s-kick-’em-in-the-gut-then-roll-credits approach. Still and all, a great Friday night treat. And the (very smart) inclusion of Giamatti and Hoffman in the cast was a most excellent bonus.

On the Rat-O-Meter scale of five cheeses, I give The Ides of March:

Food on the brain

2 Replies

Hello, it’s one degree outside, with snow on the way — for the weekend, with a warmup on Sunday. That is so not fair. :P

Gotta get back into the writing habit. I think that’s what’s wrong with me. Lately, I’ve been off my pins. And while I’ve really enjoyed getting The Comfort Foodie up and running, and have lots of fun plans, it’s taken more of my brain resources than I thought it would.

So it’s back to thinking, researching, and firing the neurons. It’s part of my morning coffee, and I hope it’s still part of yours sometimes, wherever you are.

While I don’t have time to review it, I’ll tell you that we watched Moneyball the other night. Very good. A solid four-cheeser biopic, even if you don’t enjoy baseball or care a whit about the Oakland Athletics. Brad Pitt: one fine actor.

And now I must fly. The Slip ‘n Slide (aka My Driveway) awaits.

Happy Finkday!!

And here we are…

6 Replies

The big reveal. :-)
~
My latest labor of love is The Comfort Foodie. I only have four posts so far, but the plan is to add a new dish every week to ten days or so. I’ve enjoyed the beginnings of this new Odyssey, and I hope to get lots more mileage out of it. I’m learning heaps about food photography (from my mistakes), too. Love it.

It’s kind of a recipe file for my family, complete with pictures and my silly commentary. I hope to share it with you as well, so go over and click around — and take special notice of the part where I ask you for your special family comfort-food recipes. I’ve already twisted the arms of Mavis and BoomR to get me started, so I’m good for the next post or two there. Such exciting stuff. I am happy about it, and looking forward to it.

So nom nom, I’m a food blogga. I’d be delighted if you, my wonderful, worldwide readers that number way up into, oh, the 90s, would have a gander. I invite you to share memories and impressions in the comments, and possibly get a recipe together to send to me.

FO