All Menu Today:
What i'm doing: i'm listening to my new Mark Knopfler cd Privateering and i'm matching a humongous batch of chili. However, the best music i've bought all month was Van Morrison's new one: Plan B. I rarely like a cd on a first listen, but this one is great!
Secret Ingredient in my Chili: 2 squares of Bakers cooking chocolate and about 10-12 oz of a Chocolate Stout beer. Oh yeah, and some brown sugar. (I recently read a recipe in my Cooks Illustrated magazine where they put crushed walnuts in their vegetarian chili recipe. I will try that sometime.)
The Best Thing That Happened this Week: We had a family deal at Rollie's tavern last night for my Dad's 78th birthday (his neighborhood tavern) and it was pretty fun. It's a funky bar with decent bar food, like sliders and wings and chicken tenders and a really great juke box. Everybody there knows my Dad and he's very happy when he gets to show off his family and look important. My nephew Brian and his wife showed up to celebrate too among other relatives we don't usually see.They brought their really cool wedding book that Kylee made them on Shutterfly and they gave me a print from the wedding of me hugging my nephew Brian. It's a cute shot and sweet that they made me a print. )
Another Best Thing: It hit 74 degrees today! BEAUTIFUL DAY! i cannot remember the last time i was rained on while running. It's been something 2 months. Maybe more!
The Worst Thing That Happened: Well according to the media, it was Obama doing very poorly in the debate. I didn't think he did THAT bad. I think Romney did SO much better.
What I've recently Discovered: OMG, Project Runway. i LOVE this! louie/sarah i think you told me awhile back you watched this show. I saw Tim on Jon Stewart weeks back and decided to DVR it. But i forgot to watch until this morning. I watched 3 episodes in a row and got hooked on the first one. What's funny is Brian was looking at his computer but kept watching too and then he started jumping in with his own opinions about the designers. And he often got it right! I have two more left on my queue. Does anyone else here watch? I want to talk about it!
The Reason This is Hilarious: louie and i recently talked about this - our husbands are not what you call fashion forward in any way whatsoever. But it's endearing to me when Brian comes to me in the morning and asks me if he looks okay.... (does this shirt go with this tie? Are these pants okay with this shirt?.... That sort of thing. This week he came in to ask for advice before he left for work because he was meeting the chancellor of the college. I look him up and down, He has a nice shirt and jacket, but i say to him.... "I think you need to iron your pants." His reply: "I already did."
That's what i'm talking about.
What I'm Tired of: I have volunteered now 5 times phone banking for our governor race.And I have two more this week. Plus a Saturday of doorbelling with louie. I think doorbelling works. I'm not so sure that a voice mail from me calling an independent woman voter is going to make much difference, so i'm not crazy about what I'm doing. I would so much rather be registering young voters at the colleges and in front of Safeway like i did in the last two elections. And this governor candidate is not even a candidate i am in love with. But the other guy is too scary. Especially for unions. So i have to do this.
What I'm reading: It's a new book ... I have to go look it up on my kindle and get back to you. It's a memoir by a man writing about his mom who is dying of cancer and they start up their own little book club. "Book Club" is in the title. I'll add the title later when i fire up the Kindle. It's not maudlin. That's why i think i'll like it. And his mom is fiesty and a true liberal activist, someone i would like. It probably will get sad at the end though.
My Last Book: thank you julie/jj for turning me on to Ann Patchett. I liked Bel Canto. I liked State of Wonder better, but this was good too. My next book by her is The Magician's Assistant.
Revelation: Back to the debate for a moment. Brian (The Huz) and i were talking about the debate and i said i wish Obama had hammered on the 47% stuff that Romney said. And Brian said something that made total sense to me about why Obama DID NOT do that. He said that it's still on voters' minds and if Obama had brought it up, it gave Romney the opportunity to sort of explain it away better once more (since he did such a poor job the first time). Obama didn't give him that chance. And i'm pretty sure the ads will be coming out very soon that will hammer on that message. SuperPacs!
Shout Out : to susieatl! Where you be?
Ok, what's on your menu....?
Notes to Self:
Sunset: 6:37 pm. :(
Pageviews all time history: 34,446
Top Viewed Blog Post This Week: Once again....the Bad Boyfriend story from 4/3/09. It's the all time top viewed post! And nearly every month the most popular. That one and the Velvet Sledgehammer wine one are usually up there. (And High School Favorites is a Close 2nd with the Velvet)
14 comments:
I found the book i was talking about and since i needed a photo, i put it up. I'll let you know how it all turns out.
I had a mixed reaction to Bel Canto. Right now Im reading Heaven Should Fall and it's a hard read for the content. Since I'm more than 1/2 way done I'll finish it. Then I have Winter of the World which is the 2nd book in Ken Follett's Century Trilogy. I have tons of books on my Kindle, Pixel of Ink sends me links to freebies and if there's something that I like I'll download it and use if for fast reading, when I'm at the doctors or bored.
Sounds like your dads birthday party was fun. If we still lived in the Midwest I'd bet there would be a tavern that we'd be at a couple of nights a week. But here, it's not the same at all.
My husband lives in shorts now that he's not working. (Boo Hiss Stanley Black & Decker for closing 14 lock shops!) When he worked he had to wear a uniform shirt and long pants and work shoes. Now it's a tee shirt, shorts and flip flops.
I've heard that it's been dry in WA for a few months. Amazing. It was 75 here today but it' s supposed to get into the low 60's midweek with a slight maybe we aren't sure here at NOAA but it's a possibility of rain.
Peace !
amulbunny, i saw where you reading Winter of the World on your blog. I don't know why i can't post on your blog anymore. I wrote this on the previous post. I've not been able to post on there for the last three times. The squiggly words are always wrong and i know it's not because of my eyes or because i've had that third glass of wine, cause i haven't. It just doesn't want to accept any letters.
Anyway, i LOVED Pillars of the Earth but haven't read anything since. I have the second book to Pillars and i will read it eventually and then move on. I'm glad to have a Kindle now for those books because they are sooooo long and very heavy to hold while reading in bed. I do like how he writes.
Yeah, Bel Canto, it was good, but the ending was very disappointing. It was like the publisher called her up and said, OK, deadline!!!!! Get it in today! I didn't get the ending at all but i liked it up until then. State of Wonder was better. I'll see what i think about the Magician book.
hahaha, about your husband and his Black and Decker Boo Hiss shorts.
What's weird about our weather right now is it gets to 74 degrees, like today, but then dips to 36 degrees at night. I want to bring some of my plants inside to protect them. But what a hassle to put them back outside.
We watched the movie The Vow tonight. Rachel McAdams is so cute. It was a cutesy movie.
abunny, let me know if you get your blog figured out!
It's been very cold and damp here the last few days.
I did not watch the debate, and don't plan to watch any others. Maybe I would if I were an undecided voter but I'm not. Anyway, I heard that Obama didn't mention the 47% because they didn't want Romney to have a chance to explain it away, and that Romney was hoping to get that chance. I also think that the people that are voting for Romney anyway don't care about that comment because they feel the same way, and the people that it offended were voting for Obama anyway.
I'm really enjoying reading Little Bee.
We were planning to make chili this weekend. I've tried the chocoloate before. We have Java Head beer, which is coffee flavored. I'll bet that would be good.
equeyaya...this is you, right? So someone else said the same thing my husband was thinking? About not letting Romney have the chance to explain himself. It has to be a strategy. I hope Obama doesn't do what Kerry did when the SwiftBoat Assholes went after him. He can't ignore that shit.
I am looking forward to the Biden debate because i get a kick out of Joe. I like that we have the same initials, and we both have a problem with our verbosity.
Coming Soon everybody:
A shorter blog. I am going to write less and less. I realize that because i type fast and have lots of stuff in my head that i get it all out and it's too long to read. This time i'm really going to try and make this blog shorter. When i look at this on my Kindlefire it looks like it goes on forever, it's different on a desktop.
So i have to adapt. It still averages over 1000 views a month and so i'll keep it going but sometimes i feel like maybe it's time to pack it in and blogging is sort of like listening to real cds (which i still do and i still buy them that way too sometimes) or writing checks (which is still do all the time) or not having a cell phone (which i still really don't since it's never ever turned on and i don't even know the phone number, nor do i charge it).
yes that was me! :) sorry i forgot to sign my post.
and for the record, i don't think your blogs are ever too long.
and for the record, i still prefer real cd's, and burn my itunes purchase on them because i've been burned by itunes before. and i write way too many real checks. but i do have a cell phone, and i think it's cool that you still don't. i haven't had a landline in more than 2 years. but i've had the same work number for almost half my life.
BB/EQ
oooh eque, i don't feel so much like an old lady now! Even though i had iTunes money, I bought the new Mark Knopfler and the new Van Morrison through Amazon because i wanted a real cd. I still play cds at home and in my car. The cds sound better than my iPod hookup through our good home speakers, so i like cds better. AND i never can seem to find cds that are burned off of iTunes like i can real cds that have a spine with the artist's name. I need to own real Van Morrison cds instead of burned ones.
I'm glad you don't think my blog is long, but i can see that it's really long when i check it on a different device! Funny i wrote i a very long comment to explain how i'm not going to write very long blogs! I crack myself up.
I was also going to add that i have never used an ATM machine. Not ever. I don't even know my PIN number so i can't.
Another way i'm like an old lady. That and besides putting only 5500 miles a year on my car.
I did however, start online banking, but i only did so i can look at my account after that bit of fraud i had a few months back. I don't pay bills through it except for my sewer.
After i posted this blog I thought of another old timey thing i do on a regular basis, but i've already forgotten it. It'll come to me later.
Hey, I got a shout out!
I've been uber busy at work and I'm raising money for a 5k I'm doing in honor of a friend who had a double mastecomy today.
I love Project Runway. I need a pocket Tim Gunn that I can take anywhere...he is just a lovely person. And I love the Duchess (Michael Kor's nickname). Go to Tom and Lorenzo's website - two gay guys who started out blogging about PR.
You know what? I'm reading Pillars..well, I was but I have four non-fiction books I felt guilty that I haven't finished so I'm working on them. One is the biography of Cleopatra, another is Rachel Maddow' Drift, the third is Tim Gunn's book and finally I'm reading another biography of Teddy Roosevelt.
What am I listening to? Well, the last rock station was turned into a sports talk station so I'm listening to an internet station one of the d.j.s started. He is playing from his private collection - all really good 80s stuff.
And you are not like an old lady. When you have to tell me about your illnesses in great detail on a daily basis..then you are an old lady.
Oh good susieatl...i'm so glad to know you're still around! How did you like your trip to Seattle this time?
Oh, we need to talk some more about Project Runway when i get caught up on my DVRs. I need to finish the avant garde show. I loved the baby one!
Speaking of this Book Club book i am reading and Pillars of the Earth. In the End of My life Book Club the writer talks about how he and his mom talk about their favorite opening lines in novels and one of them comes from Pillars of the Earth. The line is :
"The small boys came early for the hanging."
I have to admit it's a great opening line.
So here's an idea. I'm going to post a new blog about it soon, but y'all can be thinking about it ahead of time. What are your favorite opening lines in a novel?
P.S. for the record - my favorite designers on Project Runway are right now Demetri and Chris (i think that's his name). I like them all, but when i think about who i would hire and who gives me the most confidence, it's those two.
I love Demetri. But I like all four which is rare for that show..they usually have one nasty, bitchy designer to keep the drama up.
One of my favorite opening lines is from Gods in Alabama, "There are gods in Alabama: Jack Daniel's, high school quarter-backs, trucks, big tits, and also Jesus..."
Jo knows I LUV Project runway.
I think my all time favorite designer was Mondo, or maybe Santino
Worst was Chris March who used human hair in his fashion week collection
I like all four finalists this season – seems like the contestants are getting more and more talented. The show has come a long way.
But I really LUV Joe Biden. Was worried about how his laughing and facial expressions would go over, but I loved him anyway.
I have no quotes from any books because I just don’t read anymore. For fun, for work, for nothing. Think my mind is rotting
equeyaya again...
I can't remember things like great first lines. But if I look back at some favorite books, I'll bet they are there. Probably something from Hemingway or Faulkner.
ooh! check this out! http://www.listology.com/oedipus/list/opening-lines-game-opening-lines-books
and
http://americanbookreview.org/PDF/100_Best_Last_Lines_from_Novels.pdf
Currently on my itunes wish list:
Van Morrison Plan B
The Lumineers - Ho Hey
Mumford and Sons - I will Wait (afraid to get the whole album in case I am disappointed)
Too Close - Alex Clare
This brings me within $1 of my $15 credit, just mulling to make sure I haven't missed anything. I'd prefer the real CD for VM, but I got an itunes card with my Best Buy rewards, so that is the only reason I can buy anything.
By the way, this quote totally cracks me up: "I don't pay bills through it except for my sewer." LOL!!
I'm back from our trip. It was great. I read three books and played three games of gin rummy (lost 2 of them). Cooked four meals. Caught 0 fish.
LOVED It anyway. Beautiful colors. It only rained a bit yesterday off and on but boy coming home now it is pouring. We haven't had rain for so long now i don't mind.
However, louie, i'm afraid we're going to get it for this Saturday's doorbelling that we're doing! ICK!
I finished the book End of Your Life Book Club and i'll write some stuff about it on the next blog post. It's really an interesting book about caring for someone you love who is dying and knows they are dying. And the book is not maudlin at all. Plus there is a great prayer in there and some wonderful etiquette about what to do and not do when caring for someone.
Good to come back from no wireless for four days and see you here again susieatl, louie and eque. I'll change this soon. Brian is gone for work for three days so i'll have time.
susieatl, love that opening line from Gods in Alabama. I wonder if i have read that book before? I forget so much of what i read.
I also read: Love Anthony by the author of Still Alice, which was about alzheimer's. This one was about autism. I liked it, but i worry that this author is going to turn out to be another Jodi Picoult, who i used to love until she got formula-matic.
The third book i read was A working Theory of Love, which is liked alot. He's a alittle bit like a Jonathan Tropper writer.
I forgot to say that our first night there we watched the Biden/Ryan debate and cheered. I loved Biden. I don't care what anyone says. He did what i was hoping he would do. I get so tired of Republicans getting to be haughty and obnoxiously rude and interrupting and we make nice. I'm tired of Democrats making nice.
In other news though, i am very scared about our Governor race. I think Inslee (the campaign i've been working on) is going to lose. I woke up feeling that way the other day and then after seeing all the money funneling in for McKenna, i'm feeling it in my gut and it's icky.
I don't know what i would do if we lost the Presidential race, the Governor race, and the legislative race that we endorsed and who louie and i are doorbelling for.
It would mean i do politics as well as i flyfish.
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