Jojo's Friday's Menu for the Day

MENU OF THE DAY:
Photos: these are taken from my birthday on Vashon Island last weekend, where the weather was 70's and beautiful (Now it is back to 50's). I like this "jojo" one. Brian pointed it out to me that the coat hooks in the guest house looked like my name so i took a photo. (Brian took the two shots of me, the barn light and the horse photo - which reminded me of YOU, eque!) The food photo is from The Monkey Tree, which is a great bohemian vegetarian restaurant we discovered on the island because we had an hour to kill before the ferry. all this time we have missed this place!


Music: Ghost of Goodbye by Ford Turrell. (I don't even remember how i found this song. But it must be iTunes Favorites.)

Last book read: OMG! I just finished reading Matterhorn, which is a novel about the Vietnam War. I am going to say right here that i believe it will win the Pulitzer Prize. It's an amazing story a Princeton educated lieutenant in Vietnam in 1968. This books has so much in it: race relations, elitism, military politics, leadership, bravery, cowardice, this book is LIFE. I loved it. I started reading on Friday evening and finished it on Tuesday morning and it's 600 pages long. This book is going in my top 10 and i will read it again. And i'm buying it for my retired military father on Father's Day. (Islandpearl, i was thinking Bud might want to read it.)

What i keep forgetting: To make that pap smear appointment! LOL. (The reason i include this all the time is because it does indeed get me off my ass to get this job done!)

What I am doing this weekend: Don't laugh. But i am indeed painting over the hallway cottage-y yellow to a more neutral tone.

The best thing: Well maybe not exactly the best thing, but i did get a Shark Steam pocket mop from the infomercial i was watching the other weekend. I can't wait to use it.

What's in my glass: i almost forget this one. I am drinking a viognier that my co-worker/good friend Toni, who is retiring bought me for my birthday. It is expensive and very good.

What is keeping me up nights: Toni and i have worked together for 23 years. It's like a marriage. (Only Sarah/louielouie here has a longer relationship with me than Toni, outside of family.) I am giving the keynote speech and while i am not worried about what to say, I am worried i will cry. I have spoken at three funerals and never cried but i am afraid i will at this one. And i would be so mortified to be crying in front of 100 people who include my colleagues, headquarter manager/bosses and past manager bosses .

What is disconcerting to me: only because i can't seem to leave it alone, EVEN as i am not crazy about. It's Facebook. Dammit, Facebook is like that Very Bad Boyfriend that you just know you should leave alone and tell to f*ck off but you can't help but go back for more. Facebook has me emailing my friends less than i used to. (You know who you are and you know this to be true because you have the same problem.) Facebook is shallow and i fear that i am succumbing.

Shit, before you know it Brian and i will be Facebooking each other in short bursts of connection/conversations and that will be it. In fact, this is our date night and right now he is in the other room Facebooking while watching TV while i am updating this blog.

What Brian said tonight that cracked me up: When i walked in to pour a second glass of that expensive birthday viognier i asked him what he was watching. And he said,
"I am learning how to make aluminum foil."

I said, a bit increduously, "What the hell channel are you watching?"

He replies, "The History Channel". (I should have known. Last night he was watching how they made bowling balls on the History Channel. I thought the History Channel did more in depth programs than bowling balls and tin foil. this is like History-Lite Week)

Then he adds, "You never know when i might need to make aluminum foil to ward off a catastrophe."

I love my husband. He makes me laugh even when he isn't even trying to. (Though he was trying to with that last comment.)

Anderson Cooper gets pissed on 360 at "Birther" LTC Lakin & his dumbass lawyer.

I LOVE ANDERSON COOPER!
Y'all probably have heard this but I hadn't yet since my TV has been happily limited to watching American Idol and Lost. But my husband DVRed this today because he knew i would like seeing it.

The story is that LTC Terry Lakin (who is an army doctor) is being court martialed because he refuses to be deployed for his tour of duty in Afghanistan. Why?

Here's why: because LTC Lakin doesn't believe President Obama was really born in the U.S. Lakin brought his attorney to 360 last Friday to talk to Anderson. (Only he didn't do much talking at all.) I thought we were done with this Birther nonsense!

I don't believe i have ever seen Anderson Cooper get pissed before and it's something to watch.
(He reminded me of how Jon Stewart handles the uber conservative's ideology when they spout it off on his show.) Anderson produces evidence about Obama's birth certificate but the attorney (who does most ALL of the talking), thereby frustrating the hell out of Anderson Cooper, refuses to budge.

At one point an exasperated Anderson interrupts the asshole attorney saying, "Again, can't the lieutenant not talk for himself, he IS an adult."

I also like how Cooper asks the questions with the emphasis on "Colonel" so that he can try and get a word out of Lakin.

What's very interesting is The American Patriot Foundation/Safeguard our Constitution is trying to raise $500,000 for the defense of this Lieutenant Lakin. $500,000?

Anyway, if you like Anderson Cooper, it is worth watching all the way through.

I cannot for the life of me believe these Birther Bastards. OMG. I don't know what makes me more crazy: Sarah Palin , The Tea Party, or the Birthers. I blame them all for my high blood pressure. I love CNN because of Anderson Cooper, but i think American Idol is better for my health.

I also believe the Birther shit is a smokescreen against Obama because the people that believe this can't admit they are racist and instead invent their own reason for being against him. It's so freaking ridiculous.

Because i am happily bored, we interrupt this blog for eye candy.

My American Idol pick.

Menu of the Day:

on iTunes: "Jesus" by Wilco. This might be my favorite Wilco song. I keep trying to get my husband to play some Wilco in his Disclaimers Band. But they are kind of stuck in the 1960's.

The Best Thing that Happened: Two things happened this week that i am very proud of being a part of. First, the very reason i joined Facebook was because i wanted to help get my union president out of office. We found out Monday that we were successful. We have a new president! This means a lot to me.

the other thing has been more emotional for me. I was on the team to interview candidates for our new UniServ Director. We found a good one today. And it was unanimous out of 9 people on the team. but i am sad to lose the retiring director. She and i came to the office in the same month in 1988. I was talking today that only Sarah/louielouie here has a longer relationship with me as one of my very best friends (other than family). I have been married three times and they don't add up to the time i have worked with Toni. So we cried together today afterwards because now it is real.

What i am NOT forgetting. They have not even told me i need a new driver license. but i happen to know that it expires this month after having it for what 10 years? Why do they not remind you? It's a fluke that i even noticed. What i don't like is that i sort of like having that 10 year old photo of me on my license.

OK. that's enough for the Menu. On with the randomness.

Disclaimer: I have had some wine, because the crying was after work at Toni's house with wine. Because if i am going to cry (which is rare) it usually involves wine.

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1. I learned at a retirement workshop last weekend that i am going to take social security at age 62 because it would be stupid not to. (I just have to make sure that my huz keeps working for that health insurance for us both until i am 65.)

2. It might be worth it me to fake an illness to retire and keep him working. I think i would be a most excellent retired person.

3. What would i do?....keep tutoring in the schools, maybe two days a week. Read lots of books. Watch all seasons of Lost in a row. Watch all kinds of tv shows on DVDs, take a cooking class. Take some kind of creative class. Join a flyfishing group. Blog. Buy stuff on iTunes. Facebook. Nap. Write Letters to the Editor. Paint a wall. (I think i would have a full day doing just these things.)

4. I am afraid to go back to the paint store to buy a different version of the stucco-y yellow that i wanted because i think the paint dude will think i am hitting on him, that i am pretending my colors aren't what i want. And this is not true. I think he keeps talking to me too much and i get distracted and make bad choices about colors. Because normally i get it right. But i have to say i do NOT like this new color that i posted about earlier here. And i will go crazy if i don't change it soon.

5. Julie tells me he doesn't work Mondays. So i think i will check it out then.

6. I am starting to think that Facebook is taking over blogs. I resisted Facebook for this very reason because i like the blogging because it has more depth. But now i can see how this might happen. Already i find myself not being able to keep up with everyone as much now. So while i find myself liking (but not loving) Facebook, i am wondering if this is the end of our blogging.

7. I watched Lost since i posted this. I am sad. Still confused, but sad.

8. I got my driver's license today after an hour and a half wait! I haven't had a new photo for 8 years (since i got married). My new photo looks better than my old one. That's cool.