Musings
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Weekend Wrap Up
Our washer/dryer combo has been slowly dying for awhile now. It’s a combo washer/dryer all in one condo unit that looks like this. The washing machine basket is tiny, and won’t hold much. And over the years, it’s been slowly pushed out of whack, until now, if you try to wash two pairs of jeans at once, it sounds like it is going to try to force its way through the laundry room door, down the hall, and out our bedroom window. Our bed is right in front of the window, so we’re against this prospect. We had someone come out a few months ago to service it, but he…
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Healing
(picture found here) In yoga class last night, we were supposed to think of an intention for ourselves, and for those we love, and mindfully practice our poses with this intention in mind. The idea is that if you keep your intention present in your mind, you internalize it, and you project it into the world. The first word that came to my mind was ‘healing’. Thinking back over this year, there are so many friends and family who need to heal. Some physically, some emotionally, but all have suffered and are working back towards normal. Then I wondered, what is normal now? What is normal with my mom gone? …
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Friday Randomness, now with Waffles!
OK, this started out to be a review of a waffle mix I recently tried, but it’s fallen completely apart, and really, I should have separated this into two posts, but I didn’t. So what? My blog, my rules, even if they’re stupid. So. Here’s the waffle part I recently found myself trolling Williams-Sonoma for some of their yummy pumpkin pecan waffle mix, which I’ve pushed on you before. I didn’t see any on the floor, but they did have this Caramel Apple waffle mix, so I decided to try it. I mean, the pumpkin waffles are awesome, and I love apples, and I love caramel, so I bought some. …
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I’m participating in Blog Comment Day
On December 3, 2008, leave one comment on at least 5 different blogs. Out of the 5 blogs you comment on, at least 2 of them will be blogs you haven’t commented on previously. Sound like fun? I’ll be snooping around your blogrolls for something new to read, so I can comment there on Wednesday. 🙂 If you participate, go tell John you’re doing it as well.
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Champagne Turkey Recipe
When I moved to San Francisco in 1987, I worked at a big hotel as a front desk clerk. Since I had no seniority, I had to work both Thanksgiving and Christmas days. My roommate, Troy, worked at another hotel (though he later left and came to work at the same hotel as me). He had the pleasure of working the ‘graveyard’ shift, so he was usually asleep while I was at school or work, and I was asleep while he was at work. Troy was a pretty darned good cook, and on Thanksgiving Day, while I was working, he cooked a delicious Thanksgiving meal for me and some of…
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Run
Run begins with the story of Bernadette’s statue, an heirloom especially treasured by the women in her family. The statue is of Mary, Mother of God, and looks remarkably like the women in the family. The daughter who looks the most like the statue inherits it, and the others bitterly wish it were theirs. Now that she has died, with three sons and no daughters, her sisters show up, demanding that her husband give it to them. We hear the history of the statue, which is sweet and sad and full of lies. Bernadette and her husband Bernard had three sons. They both wanted large families, and though they had…
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Grateful
The writing prompt for this week’s Sunday Scribblings is Grateful. I’m thinking of writing of things I’m thankful for on Thanksgiving, so at first I thought that this might be redundant. Then I decided that instead of writing about all of the things for which I am thankful, I would write about my mom, and how grateful I am that I had the time that I had with her. I am grateful for those early years, living in the Bay Area as a small child. My mom was working and going to school and raising two small children. Money was very tight, but she never let that be a big…
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J & Py’s Weight Loss Plan
(funny pic found here) Want to lose 5 pounds in a week? Here’s what you do. First, catch a stupid cold. Your nose stuffs up, your throat is raw, and you feel like crap.  Because you’re sick, you give up your evening wine habit. This is probably the biggest factor in the weight loss. Drink a lot of water, a lot of tea, and then more water, trying to flush the yuckies out.  Enjoy that false full feeling, even though your tummy might actually be kinda empty. Lastly, when your cold progresses to the ‘coughing up a lung’ stage, think of the ab work you’re getting! It’s better than crunches! …
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Feelin’ Spendy?
(Mr. Spendy found here) I know that many people are feeling like they shouldn’t spend as much this year on Christmas/Hanukkah, because the economy is bad, people are worried about their jobs, etc. Certainly gifts will be primarily inexpensive/homemade in our household. With Ted not working, and the overall economy as it is, it just makes sense to not go out and buy a bunch of things that no one needs anyway. Besides, making something for someone you love is an investment of time, which is valuable as well, correct? I’ve heard, though, that some people who have not experienced any change in income, who can easily afford to spend…
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One Word Meme
I saw this over at Serving Up Life, and it seemed like a good Monday Meme for NaBloPoMo. You have to answer each question with one word, and one only. 1. Where is your cell phone? Desk 2. Where is your significant other? Here 3. Your hair color? Blond 4. Your mother? Gone 5. Your father? Working 6. Your favorite thing? Kindness 7. Your dream last night? Strange 8. Your dream/goal? Happiness 9. The room you’re in? Bedroom 10. Your hobby? Reading 11. Your fear? Alone 12. Where do you want to be in six years? Here 13. Where were you last night? Home 14. What you’re not? Wealthy 15.…
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Weird Wonderings…
I saw these two pictures that reminded me of each other.  So let’s pretend…what if these long lost, recently found coins from the first century BC: upon closer inspection, turned out to be nanobama: Wouldn’t that be weird? And yes, the coins were found in Holland.  (silly Austin Powers joke there…sorry) ~DoSoEvAyMo Sorry, not much DoSo around here planned. I’m determined not to let this cold get me down too much, so I’m taking it very easy and letting my body fight the good fight.  Reading, relaxing, perhaps some TV, that’s the plan, Stan.
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A Shaman’s Prayer
Walk through this place as a visitor. Respect all things you come upon and you will be respected. Respect all people you come upon and you will be honored. Pray to all the gods you come upon and you will be accepted. He who honors the traditions of all ancient people and all contemporary people has no enemy. You are the caretakers of realization.Realization by any name is the awareness that you or God. The feeling of great understanding is Love.The man or woman who attains God is the man or woman who walks each day as though he or she is on vacation from heaven, the vacation on Planet…
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Change
President Elect Obama’s campaign (dang, it felt GREAT to write that…President Elect Obama) was run on the theme of change. And change is what we need in this country, though not just change for the sake of change, not just change to be not-Bush. We need change to fix our place in the world, change to repair our tattered Constitution, change to improve our torn economy, change to make us all proud of being American again. I do know that many followers of Bush/Cheney, McCain/Palin are proud of their country. And there is much to be proud of. But I want to be proud not only of my country, but…
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Meme Monday
(image found here) OK, one way to get through NaBloPoMo is to do a few memes. My plan is a new meme every Monday. I saw one over at Jessica’s place, and I decided to divide it between two posts. So you’ll get half today, and half next Monday. 🙂 Ten Things I Wish I Could Say to Ten Different People Right Now 1. I miss you. I forgive you. 2. Good luck tomorrow. We’re all counting on you. 3. You kick ass. I want your dreams to come true. 4. You kick ass. I want your dreams to come true. (different person, I swear) 5. I’m thinking of you,…
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The Wind of Change
(image found here) I feel the wind of change blowing about me. Change in the weather, with a rainy storm blowing through this weekend that will hopefully portend the end of a brutal and dangerous droubt in the West. Change in politics, hopfully ushering in the Presidency of a compassionate, effective, intelligent, and tireless man. Goodness knows the man in that office now has none of these attributes. Change in our personal luck. Ted has been looking for work since June, and has now lined up two teaching jobs in local community colleges for this coming Spring semester. I hope that this is a portend of a full time teaching…