November 30, 2004
It's Never Too Late
Reading CNN can be bad for your heart. Mine skipped a few beats when I read this article about a great-grandmother being pregnant with twins. Her age is cause enough for shock, but the circumstances were what really got me.
Posted by criminal at 5:57 PM | Comments (2)
Deep Throat
I woke up this morning with a dry, raw throat. I guzzled down water at lunch and in the office to keep it moist. But by this evening as I was running to UPS to pick up a package, it became difficult to swallow. Hard candy, cough drops, and selzter were all I could think about as I sat in traffic, trying to make it to the customer center before it closed. No time to stop and soothe my parched and aching throat. Medicated cough drops worked well once I got my hands on them, but now that I'm getting ready for bed, they've worn off I'm miserable again.
Posted by criminal at 12:13 AM | Comments (0)
November 29, 2004
The Blackness that is Friday
I like to shop. I also love sales. And I don't mind crowds of people. But I wasn't happy with my shopping experience on the day after Thanksgiving this year. Since Jon had to work at noon, I was able to get out and wander around the craft stores looking for bargains and ideas. I started with Target for cat food, kleenex, and facial cleanser. None of it was on sale. And other than a couple ornaments I'd been meaning to buy for my mini trees, I didn't find anything worth spending my money on. I moved on to A.C. Moore and walked out with a pom-pom maker and a set of knitting needles for the students at this week's Knit Nite. That's it. Michael's was only a little more interesting. Despite browsing in the packed store for over an hour all I found was a short piece of garland and some cinnamon scented pine cones. Wisely, they cut back on the number of Christmas ktochkes this year. They had plenty of cute ornaments and hideous fake poinsettas, but nothing caught my eye. JoAnn Fabrics wasn't as crowded, but one small squealing child tearing around the store followed by his inept mother more than made up for it. I had a 50-percent off coupon burning a hole in my pocket but I didn't find a single thing to use it on. I fared better at the Christmas Tree Shops, where I found the icicle garland I wanted to decorate the office with for just $1 a strand. I came up empty-handed at Pier One and Bed Bath and Beyond though. Worst of all, I didn't find a single gift or gift-worthy idea the entire day.
Posted by criminal at 3:41 PM | Comments (0)
November 26, 2004
Turkey Day
Every time I thought I had things wrapped up at work on Wednesday, I found something else to do. In the end, I didn't really leave early at all. When combined with the traffic and lousy weather it meant that Jon and I didn't hit the futon at his parents' place in Maine until 11. Thursday found us driving to his Uncle Dick and Aunt Elizabeth's for Thanksgiving dinner. The food was great and so was the family. Dick and Elizabeth's grandson, Luka, was a delight. He's a calm, quiet, bruiser (22 pounds at just six months) who loves to bounce and be bounced. And I was the designated bouncer. By the time I went to bed that night my arms and shoulders were more jellied than the cranberry sauce. Because Jon had to work today, we headed home after dinner. Even so, it was a nice way to spend the holiday.
Posted by criminal at 11:59 PM | Comments (0)
November 23, 2004
In These Shoes?
I once met a man with a sense of adventure
He was dressed to thrill wherever he went
He said let’s make love on a mountain top
Under the stars on a big hard rock
I said in these shoes?
I don’t think so
I said honey, let’s do it here.
[Kirsty MacColl, In These Shoes?]
Posted by criminal at 6:55 PM | Comments (0)
Holiday Spirit
Last week I watched my neighbors set up a pre-lit spiral christmas tree and reindeer in the little flower bed between their porch and the sidewalk. It was nice to see someone get into the holiday spirit and I was really looking forward to seeing those lights every day. When I came home from the laundromat last night the deer was laying in the middle of the street. After I parked, I put it back on the sidewalk in front of the neighbors' house, incensed at our local hoodlums. It's a stupid light-up deer. What harm has it done to anyone? I hope they're able to fix it and maybe booby-trap it so that the next kid who comes along and decides to crush our holiday spirit get's a face full of tar and feathers.
Posted by criminal at 12:23 PM | Comments (0)
November 22, 2004
Busy, Busy
Since Jon's washer is on the fritz (the water level indicator isn't functioning properly meaning full loads washed in three gallons of water and clothes that come out sparkling with detergent) and I don't feel like contributing to it's demise, I'll be headed to the laundromat tonight. On the plus side, I'll have a good excuse to read or knit for a couple hours before I run to the grocery store to collect the ingredients for nut rolls. Mmm... nut rolls... Despite the success of my wild rice stuffing last year, I'm going to try Great's nut rolls on Jon's family this year. With any luck a few will last beyond the trip up to Maine.
Posted by criminal at 5:50 PM | Comments (0)
November 19, 2004
Five on Friday for November 19, 2004
1. What is your favorite Thanksgiving food? What is your least favorite? I think pie is my favorite, with mashed potatoes a close second. I'd have to say that out of the entire spread, the turkey is probably my least favorite.
2. Do you have any special Thanksgiving traditions? Not anymore. When I was younger we used to go down to my Aunt Bev's and sit around eating cheese, crackers, veggies, and Rita's fabulous spinach dip before dinner. Once we'd recovered from dinner, we pulled out Trivial Pursuit and played until it was time for pie.
3. Chocolate or peanut butter? Stuffing or gravy? Pumpkin pie or apple pie? White meat or dark? Sooo peanut butter. Stuffing. No fair asking me to pick between pumpkin pie or apple pie. I love them both, although at this time of year I love pumpkin more. To the point that I try to make pumpkin smoothies out of canned pumpkin. (don't try this!) White meat.
4. If money were no object, where would you go to eat? What would you have? I honestly don't know. Although I my tastes are becoming more refined, I don't think I need swallow's nest stuffed with truffles or anything. A nice steak or great curry would do for me.
5. A scenario: You and your dream partner are the last two people left on Earth and you can only have three foods to eat as you repopulate the planet. What three foods would you choose and why? wtf? You wouldn't be able to repopulate the planet with that limited food supply. They'd all die of scurvey or protein deficiency or something because of improper nutrition. And what's the point in that?
Posted by criminal at 11:46 AM | Comments (1)
November 18, 2004
Gym Time
I've been meaning to go to the gym at lunch everyday this week. Notice I say meaning, because I haven't actually made it yet. By the time lunch rolls around, I'm hungry and don't give a hoot about going to the gym. But if I want to stop feeling so tired and worn down, I'm going to have to make myself go. It might also help with my search for a good coat. For me, a few weeks of regular gym time will probably mean a significantly smaller torso. And a smaller torso will feel more comfortable in all of those XL coats from L.L. Bean and Eddie Bauer that are just too snug around my chest and shoulders. Maybe I need to roll myself out of bed a little earlier and go to the gym first thing, since I seem to get that urge to work out in the morning.
Posted by criminal at 2:56 PM | Comments (2)
Bedtime
It's past my bedtime. And I feel so tired. But I imagine I'm not anywhere near as tired as Jon who has been putting in ridiculous hours at work. Last night he didn't get home until 10:30. It's after 11 now and he's still working. Kinda makes those few hours I spend on Admissions chats kinda trivial. The worst is that I know how much it's stressing him out. And there doesn't seem to be much I can do about it.
Posted by criminal at 12:36 AM | Comments (1)
November 16, 2004
Stuffed
Mmm. My belly is full of good Indian food. The office is warm and dry. I just want to take a nap now.
Posted by criminal at 2:52 PM | Comments (0)
Moonlight Madness
About once every 4-6 weeks, A.C. Moore runs a sale called "Moonlight Madness." They pick one Sunday night to keep the store open a few extra hours. And during those very special hours, they give you a 25% discount. It's a great way to get crafty stuff without blowing your budget. The last few I've been to have been pretty quiet. Last night was a whole different story. When I left home, I had no idea just how well this sale would live up to it's name.
My first indicator was a parking lot packed full of SUVs and other soccer mom friendly cars. Next was the lack of baskets and carts in the lot and near the door. I had to snag one from a cashier as it was emptied. My first stop was the seasonal section right up front. It was quiet and well-stocked. I slowly made my way back to the yarn area, fondling new holiday ornaments and decorations as I went. Imagine my surprise when I couldn't even get into the section. Carts full of craft supplies, bored (and ornery) children throwing fits, gaggles of women milling about, entire families stopping to chat. All between me and my goal. Once I actually made it around the obstacles I found it difficult to walk all of the way down an aisle. I'd make it part way only to find myself stuck behind a cart overflowing with fun fur. So I'd make my way back to the main aisle, trying not to bump into anyone, down an unpopular aisle (like needlework) and back around the other end of the aisle I started in. It was mad.
Once I got the few skeins and needles on my list I headed towards the front to pick up a few more things before checking out. While I was looking at garland for the WDO open house the lights flickered and switched to the back-up generator. The music died, the registers shut down, and the doors jammed. People were still milling around, shopping. One woman whipped a flashlight out of her purse and continued to add things to her cart. Slowly, more and more lights started flickering then going out, leaving us in the dark. Except for a few emergency lights scatterd around the store, there was no power. Apparently a nasty accident on Lincoln Street took out some power lines. Management got the doors open and started asking people to leave. But no one wanted to leave their discounted purchases behind. Standing in what could be best described as moonlight, we tried to bag and label our trasures so that we could pick them up tomorrow. Management promised that anything in the bags would be elligible for the discount and that they would try to plan another Moonlight Madness sale in the next week or two to make up for the early closure.
I went back today to a very serene, albeit much less stocked, store and purchased the spoils of the previous night. Despite the hassle, I'll probably be back for the next one, battling everyone else bitten by the Christmas Crafting Bug.
Posted by criminal at 12:14 AM | Comments (1)
November 15, 2004
Five on Friday for November 12, 2004
Do You Remember?
1. Where were you and what were you doing on September 11, 2001? I heard about the first plane on the radio when my alarm went off. Within a few minutes I was watching the second plane strike on television. I spent the next few hours huddled on my sofa. Later I went to the Tech News office (classes were cancelled) to see what kind of coverage our students expected from us.
2. Where were you and what were you doing when Princess Diana died? No clue. I vaguely remember seeing it on the news in the weeks after her death, but I don't even remember when that was.
3. Where were you and what were you doing when the Challenger exploded? I was in kindergarten. I remember my teacher, Mrs. Farr, telling us about the tragedy. I didn't see footage of the explosion until I went home.
4. Where were you and what were you doing when Reagan was shot? I was only a year old, so it's one of those things I've heard about but can't associate with my lifetime.
5. Where were you and what were you doing when the year rolled over from 1999 to 2000? Watching TV coverage of all the different celebrations with my mom.
Posted by criminal at 10:41 AM | Comments (0)
November 12, 2004
First Snow
It's snowing! Technically I got my first taste of snow this season on Monday when I was at the Solomon Pond Mall. The snow never made it to Worcester though, so I suppose I could have another first snowfall. The tiny flakes are swirling outside my window, making me happy. Unfortunately it won't be a major snow event -- we'll be lucky to see two or three inches. But it's accumulation nonetheless. Hooray!
Posted by criminal at 12:02 PM | Comments (1)
November 11, 2004
Little Miss Muffet
I'm not usually afraid of spiders, but I just had one race across the sofa cushion next to me. I'm not sure if I've ever moved faster. No where near as fast as the spider though. That bugger was fast. And big. He's much slower now that he's secured inside a plastic storage container inside my freezer. (What? I had to catch him somehow. And rather than take the risk of tossing the angry bugger I opted to kill him the unmessy way. I hate squishing big bugs and spiders.)
But where there's one, there are dozens, right?
Posted by criminal at 9:54 PM | Comments (2)
November 10, 2004
To a T
This is so me.
Except that it's difficult to focus on a complicated pattern and a game at the same time, knitting is the perfect way to occupy your hands during a good football (or baseball) game. It sure beats wringing your hands or checking up on your picks the entire time.
Posted by criminal at 5:15 PM | Comments (0)
November 9, 2004
No Go
Columbus can't hire Jon. So we're staying here for the forseeable future.
Posted by criminal at 5:27 PM | Comments (2)
November 8, 2004
Drippy
My nose is dripping and my hands are cold. And dry. Have I mentioned how dry all of my skin is? Despite the fact that I drink plenty of water and fluids every day, my skin is getting all ashy. It must be winter. Bring on the lotion, tissues, and fingerless gloves!
Is it just me or would you look suspicious if you brought just those things to the checkout counter? Maybe not as much if you were a woman, but if you were a man? I know I'd give you a funny look.
Posted by criminal at 5:29 PM | Comments (0)
Inspiration Soup
You are Inspiration Soup!! You live to Inspire those around you with your green beany, white chunky, red soupy goodness. Many have come and lit candles in your honor. You've inspired them to become better people. Thank you, Inspiration Soup... thank you.
What Weight Watchers recipe card from 1974 are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
Posted by criminal at 5:23 PM | Comments (0)
Monopolized the Oxygen
what a waste of thumbs that are opposable
to make machines that are disposable
and sell them to seagulls flying in circles
around one big right wing
yes, the left wing was broken long ago
by the slingshot of cointelpro
and now it's so hard to have faith in
anything
[Ani Difranco, Your Next Bold Move]
Posted by criminal at 4:21 PM | Comments (0)
November 6, 2004
Repeal the 22nd Ammendment
I <3 Bill Clinton.
He may be a womanizing liberal, but the man knows how to speak. I'm not sure that anyone, Democrat or Republican, would disagree with the points he makes in that speech. It's perfectly presidential and very moderate. I miss him.
Posted by criminal at 2:23 AM | Comments (2)
November 5, 2004
Five on Friday for November 5, 2004
Would You Rather...
1. ... lose your hearing OR your sight? Definately my hearing. I'd miss it, but nowhere near as much as I would miss my sight.
2. ... be the circus person that the knife thrower throws knives at OR the one who puts his/her head in the lion's mouth? I'll be the target. I'm thinking that if a stunt went wrong, the lion would do more deadly damage.
3. ... be forced to laugh in the most inappropriate situations OR have to say everything that is on your mind? Oooh. My mind is a terrible place, so I'd have to go with laughter. I could always explain that my emotions are mixed up, causing me to laugh when I mean to cry.
4. ... be separated from your family and never see them again in person OR live with them for the rest of your life in a one-bedroom house? That leaves open all kinds of technological meetings, right? Because I might be able to get by with frequent phone calls and video conferencing. I think we'd drive each other nuts in a one bedroom house though. Nuts enough to never want to see each other in person ever again.
5. ... eat a live spider OR walk down a busy street completely naked? Could I call the cops before I started walking so that they'd pick me up almost immediately? How big would the spider be? And would I be allowed to drink copious amounts of alcohol before and after ingesting it? Because all that booze might drown it immediately and that wouldn't be so bad. They're high in protein, right?
Posted by criminal at 1:05 PM | Comments (0)
You Are a Liberal for Life
You've got a bleeding heart - and you're proud of it. For you, liberal means being compassionate, pro-government, and anti-business. You believe in equality for every person, and you consider yourself universally empathetic. Helping others is not just political for you ... it's very personal too.
What political persuasion are you?
Anyone surprised? Thanks to Tara for the quiz.
Posted by criminal at 12:35 PM | Comments (1)
Gratuitous Cat Photo
More proof that Tia intentionally disperses her hair in the least acceptable places. This is her draped over Jon's pillow, tuckered out from not chasing the squirrels outside the window behind her.
Posted by criminal at 12:23 PM | Comments (2)
November 4, 2004
Random Thoughts
- I swear this election has made me gain five pounds. In my nervous state I couldn't keep my hands away from leftover halloween candy. Add that to the permanent butt-imprint I've made on my couch and you have a disaster waiting to happen.
- I am inexplicably drawn to felted bears and animals, like these, despite my aversion to overly cutesy things.
- I really enjoyed CNN's exit poll demographic analysis. I liked learning that the people in New York and New Jersey who were most worried about terrorism voted overwhelmingly for Kerry. And that the Jewish vote, which often leans left, swung right this year because of Bush's stance on Israel. It's those little things that help me understand the whys and make it all a little easier to grasp.
- It's dark when I go home now. If it weren't for the large windows in my office I suspect I'd slowly go nuts from the lack of natural light. I really miss daylight savings time.
- Can't wait to support this hypothetical ticket.
- I mentioned my freakishly long arms earlier and how they make it harder to find shirts. I haven't even begun to discuss the difficulty of finding a good coat, which can be boiled down to this: the fashion industry insists that any woman who has a chest larger than 45" has stubs for arms and has no need for traditional winter coats. Bring on the giant wool mumus.
- Crosby and Nash still have it after all these years. I'm totally digging Lay Me Down.
Posted by criminal at 4:25 PM | Comments (0)
Wishing
I revamped my wish list a couple weeks ago. Instead of going directly to my Amazon list (which some family members deem too practical) I created a page with a bunch of general wishes and a few specifics. Well, maybe more than a few specifics... It's getting harder to think of non-specific things as I get older and my tastes become more refined. Sure, I could say I want long-sleeve t-shirts and turtlenecks, but 99% of them won't fit because of my freakishly long arms, so I have to get very specific. And with the impending lifestyle changes (could I really be a married homeowner living in the midwest in a few months?) my needs and wants could be very different. I'm working on getting a similar list from Jon so that everyone (myself included) will be able to get an idea of the things he likes and wants.
Posted by criminal at 2:02 PM | Comments (0)
November 3, 2004
Whiff
I was walking across campus just a few minutes ago and despite the chilly breeze caught just a trace of a man's cologne as he walked by. Within a split second my mind conjured up an image of Jon, smiling sheepishly on our first date. My heart warmed instantly. I wanted to chase after the poor guy just to get another whiff of that memory.
Posted by criminal at 4:39 PM | Comments (2)
On Waking Up
It's so much harder to wake up when you have lost all hope for the future. So much easier to curl up in your warm bed, listening to talk radio hosts cling to that last shred of hope, avoiding reality. But reality is here and its name is George W. Bush. I'm probably being a bit dramatic. As Amy reminded me, it's only four years: presidents come and go. Bush, as scary and dangerous as his policies are, doesn't scare me nearly as much as the atmosphere in America that allowed him to be re-elected. His win is legitimate this time, at least.
Posted by criminal at 12:48 PM | Comments (2)
November 2, 2004
Civic Duty
I voted. I feel so responsible and adult like. I waited in line for less than 15 minutes and spent less than one in the booth. Even so, I feel like I've done my part. Now it's time to see it today's election becomes fodder for another Michael Moore movie...
Posted by criminal at 7:46 PM | Comments (1)
Mosh
And as we proceed,
To Mosh through this desert storm,
In these closing statements, if they should argue
Let us beg to differ
As we set aside our differences
And assemble our own army
To disarm this Weapon of Mass Destruction
That we call our President, for the present
And Mosh for the future of our next generation
To speak and be heard
Mr. President, Mr. Senator
Do you guys hear us?
[Eminem, Mosh]
Posted by criminal at 10:15 AM | Comments (0)
November 1, 2004
Busy Day
Saturday was packed full of good stuff. Jon and Steve got up at the crack of dawn to go into Boston for the parade. I got to sleep an extra hour or two before heading up to Concord (New Hampshire) to meet Jess and head back to her place for a stamping party. Technically its for Stampin' Up products, but their demonstrator goes out of her way to make her projects accessible to people who don't have all the latest gadgets and stamping tools. Its a great time and I always seem to stay a little later than I should. From there I visited Liz in Manchester to drop off her birthday present and say hi. I got to meet the infamous Mr. P. He was quite excited when I got there, but within three minutes had flopped over onto a bunch of floor pillows to take a nap. I didn't get to stay very long because I had to meet Jon's family for dinner back in Chelmsford. It was dark and rainy on the way back, slowing me down, but I made it without being incredibly late. And except for being the only one at the table not wearing Red Sox gear (my hat was still in the car, safe from the rain), dinner was great. Once we were home I caught the last bit of the UM-MSU football game then threw my exhausted body into bed.
Posted by criminal at 4:18 PM | Comments (1)
Trick or Treat
I didn't do anything special for Halloween this year. Grumpy Jon and I just sat at home handing out candy. Did I mention Jon was grumpy? I suspect it has something to do with the poor performance of our beloved Patriots. Apparently it's not enough to have two world championship teams in this area. They must also win all the damned time. It was almost like living with my dad again. I tell you, these sports fans will drive me nuts. I was in the back room when the first kids rang the doorbell. Instead of the traditional "trick or treat" I heard a loud "what's the score?" Even the kids had their minds on the game.
Speaking of nuts... Jon brought home a variety of candy, including Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Snickers, 3 Musketeers, and Almond Joys (his personal favorite). I started out letting kids pick their own candy from the bowl. One little one reached for an Almond Joy until his mom reminded him that he couldn't have them because of the almonds. That got me thinking. With all the fear of peanut allergies, should good hosts and hostesses have peanut-free candy as an alternative? Or should we just drop a bar in their bag and let their parents worry about it?
Posted by criminal at 3:40 PM | Comments (1)