Deviled Egg

Okay, remember how I don't like pasta salad? Well, I don't like deviled eggs either. Again, I just don't like cold food (unless it's dessert- in which case, I don't think it counts as food). Apparently, years ago, I once made some really good deviled egg. It must have been good 'cause, on top of the pasta salad, my mom also asked me to make some deviled eggs, "Remember that one time when you made those eggs? Can you make them again?"

It's pretty easy to make.
You boil some egg. After it's done, cut the egg in half.
You cut up some onions, peppers, and tomatoes and sweat them. Dump it into a large bowl.
Scoop out the egg yolk, dump it into the same bowl as the veggies. Set the egg whites aside.
Unto the veggie/yolk mixture, sprinkle on some paprika, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Mix, moosh, mix.
Scoop it onto the egg white.

It turned out okay but... once again, not really into cold food.

My sister told me that I was suppose to cut the egg lengthwise, not crosswise. Oh! Yeah, that would've made more sense.

Now, boiling egg may seem easy but there are several schools of thought on how to properly boil egg. I like the "put eggs in lots of cold water, turn up the heat, wait like a minute or two after the water starts to boil, cut the heat, let it sit for like another minute" method.

Music=Life

Everyone thinks they have good taste in music. I mean, is there anyone out there who thinks they don't? Most people think other people have lame taste in music- usually if the other person's taste differs from theirs. People are very sensitive about their musical taste, and like it or not, we're judged on our musical taste. I try to be open minded but, if you tell me you really love Eminem or The Insane Clown Posses... yeah, I don't know about that.

I came across a blog that states:

An impressive stack of discs in a posh bookcase is a poor stand-in for personality. That’s the problem. When we rely on our musical tastes to inform our friends and acquaintances about ourselves and our values, we do our personalities an extreme disservice. No matter how hip your tastes are or how authentic your collection is, you are far more interesting than a bootleg cut.

I disagree- kind of.
True, we can't rely on our musical tastes to inform others about our personality, but it does say a lot. And no, no, no... some people's bootleg cut is way more interesting than the person who owns it. I don't disagree with the article completely, it is very lame to have your collection out solely for the purpose of impressing others, but the people I know have their CDs out 'cause that's just where they store them. I don't think they leave it out in the open to show off. Not that there's anything wrong with showing off. An impressive collection of CD is- well, impressive. Someone with a whole crap load of CDs ranging from metal to rap to classic rock to modern rock to pop to punk to country to... well, you get the idea- that tells me the person is pretty open minded and probably pretty awesome. I like going through people's CD collections (or their ipods) to see what they're into- it says a lot about them to me.

So- to help you get to know me better, I will now list my entire CD collection. To prevent boredom, I suggest you just make note of anything in bold since those are the ones that I really love/loved and play/played a lot.

Ace of Base- The Sign
AFI- Answer That and Stay Fashionable
AFI- Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes
AFI- AFI
AFI- All Hallow's EP
AFI- Black Sails in the Sunset
AFI- The Art of Drowning
AFI- Sing the Sorrow
AFI- December Underground
Alkaline Trio- Maybe I'll Catch Fire
Lilly Allen- Alright, Still
ART- Debut
Aqua- Aquarium
Atreyu- Lead Sails Paper Anchor
Beatles- Revolver
Beck- Mutations
Blaqk Audio- Cex Cells
Bloc Party- A Weekend in the City
Cake- Fashion Nugget
The Clash- The Singles
The Cure- Galore
Duran Duran- (The Wedding Album)
En Vogue- The Very Best of En Vogue
Flobots- Fight with Tools
Flyleaf- Flyleaf
Foo Fighters- There's Nothing Left to Lose
Foo Fighters- Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
Foxboro Hot Tubs- Stop Drop and Roll!!!
Fuel- Sunburn
The Goo Goo Dolls- Dizzy Up the Girl
Gorillaz- Demon Days
Gravity Kills- Gravity Kills
Green Day- 1039 Smoothout Happy Hour
Green Day- Kurplunk
Green Day- Dookie
Green Day- Insomniac
Green Day- Nimrod
Green Day- American Idiot
Head Automatica- Decadence
Head Automatica- Popaganda
Lauryn Hill- The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
HOT- HOT
HOT- Resurrection
Jay-Z- Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life
Jimmy Eat World- Chase the Light
Kean- Hopes and Fears
Killers- Hot Fuss
Kill Hannah- Until There is Nothing Left of Us
Korn- Greatest Hits Vol. 1
Linkin Park- Hybrid Theory
Linkin Park- Meteora
Lost Prophet- Start Something
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes- Love Your Country
MIA- Arular
Mindless Self Indulgence- Shut Me Up (EP)
Mindless Self Indulgence- Another Mindless Rip Off
Mindless Self Indulgence- If
Alanis Morrisette- Jagged Little Pill
Motion City Soundtrack- Even if it Kills Me
My Chemical Romance- The Black Parade
Nine Inch Nails- Pretty Hate Machine
Nine Inch Nails- Head Like a Hole (EP)
Nine Inch Nails- The Downward Spiral
Nine Inch Nails- Closer to God
Nine Inch Nails- Further Down the Spiral
Nine Inch Nails- Things Falling Apart
Nine Inch Nails- With Teeth
Nine Inch Nails- Year Zero
Nine Inch Nails- Year Zero: Remix
Nine Inch Nails- Ghost
Nine Inch Nails- The Slip
Nirvana- Bleach
Nirvana- Nevermind
Nirvana- In Utero
Nsync- Nsync
Nsync- No Strings Attached
NWA- Greatst Hits
Oasis- (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
Orgy- Candyass
Pink Floyd- Dark Side of the Moon
Pink Spider- Teenage Graffiti
Placebo- Meds
The Prodigy- Music for the Jilted Generation
The Prodigy- No Good (Start the Dance) (EP)
The Prodigy- Fire.Jericho (EP)
The Prodigy- The Fat of the Land
The Prodigy- Always Out Numbered, Never Out Gunned
The Prodigy- Their Law
Public Enemy- It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
Quarashi- Jinx
Rage Against the Machine- The Battle of Los Angels
Real McCoy- Another Night
Rise Against- The Sufferer and the Witness
Sechskies- Welcome to the Sechskies Land
Sechskies- Road Warrior
Seotaiji and Boys- Goodbye Best Album
Seo Tai Ji- Seo Tai Ji
Silverchair- Frogstomp
Silverchair- Freak Show
Silverchair- Neon Ballroom
Silverchair- Paint Pastel Princess (EP)
Silverchair- Young Modern
Duncan Sheik- Duncan Sheik
Spin Doctor- Pocket Full of Kryptonite
The Static Age- Neon Nights Electric Lives
Stone Temple Pilots- Stone Temple Pilots
Stroke 9- Naty Little Thoughts
Taiji Boys- Live & Techno Mix
Thrice- Vheissu
Thrice- The Alchemy Index: Vol. III & IV Air and Earth
Third Eye Blind- Third Eye Blind
Tiger Army- Tiger Army
Tiger Army- Tiger Army II: The Power of Moonlight
Tiger Army- Tiger Army III: The Rise of Ghost Tiger
Tiger Army- Music from Regions Beyond
Justin Timberlake- Justified
Justin Timberlake- Future Sex/Love Sound
Vampire Weekend- Vampire Weekend
The Velvet Underground- Loaded
The Wallflowers- Red Letter Days
Kanye West- College Drop Out
Kanye West- Late Registration
Saul Williams- The Rise and Fall of Niggy Tardust
X-Ecutioners- Built from Scratch
015b- The Sixth Sense
V/A- The Clash Tribute: Burning London
V/A- An Introduction to Emo (1994-1999) RIP
V/A- Euro Power Dance Vol. 1
V/A- Jin's Mix
V/A- Mallrat: Soundtrack
V/A- Mike Vol. 1
V/A- Mike: Goodbye My Love
V/A- Mix: Various
V/A- New Wave Hits
V/A- Punk Fiction
V/A- Summer Cool Dance Trax

Pasta Salad

Augh, I hate pasta salads. Cold, overcooked pastas swimming in a pool of Italian dressing, blech! Besides, I think pasta, like meat, should be served warm. I was none too pleased when my mom commissioned me to make pasta salad for her party so I figured, if I have to make pasta salad, I should make one that actually taste good.

I used cavatappi instead of rottini. It doesn't change the flavor but rottinis remind me of the crappy pasta salads. For the dressing I bought a tub of small, flavored, marinaded mozzarella balls (which I then pulled into littler pieces) and used the oils from that (plus some balsamic vinegar to give it a little kick). If you don't want to use mozzarella balls, you can easily just use extra virgin olive oil and some balsamic vinegar. Oh, and be sure to sprinkle on some herbs, like basil. One more thing, minced/pressed garlic- garlic will make anything taste better!

As for the veggies- I used baby spinach leaves, little cut up carrots, red peppers, plum tomatoes, and broccoli. Speaking of veggies, be sure to shock the broccolis. While the pasta is boiling, dump your broccoli in there and as soon as it turns bright shiny green (like 10 seconds- if that) pull it out and dump in in a bowl of ice water (or just very very cold running water). It'll make your broccoli look better and taste not so raw. Other veggie suggestions: mushroom, zucchini, and snow peas.

Finish it off by sprinkling a little bit of salt and pepper, mix mix mix- done! If you want to get extra fancy, sprinkle on some pine nuts. They're pricey but very good.

I don't like cold pasta so... I still don't like this dish but it's probably the best pasta salad that I've ever had.

Shrimp Penne Pasta

Jamie sent me this recipe and suggested I try it. It was very good. A lb of penne makes a crap load of pasta, easily enough to feed six people- maybe 4 or 5 if someone wants to eat a lot. It's fairly cheap to make if you already have some white wine. The shrimps were a bit pricey, but even then it only comes to about $2 a serving. Next time I think I'll buy the little shrimps. If I remember correctly, little popcorn shrimps costs less than the bigger ones, and since the shrimps have to be cut up anyway, might as well go with the small ones, right?

I also saved some money by using dried herbs I had on hand instead of buying fresh. I'm sure fresh herbs taste better but I didn't see the need to spend like $4 on some fresh herbs that'll dry out before I can use them up.

The recipe is also super, super, super easy to make. Easy, cheap, and tasty- what more can you ask for?

The sauce is basically like a vodka blush sauce except, instead of vodka, it uses white wine. Now, I don't like wine but I must say, I like this one:
I'm not sure who got it when and where but it's been lying around the house. Like I said, I'm not a drinker and I don't like wine but this one is light and fruity and almost tasty. I think I used a bit too much in the recipe and the pasta turned out a bit sweet- still good, but sweet. Alton Brown said that there are certain flavors in tomatoes that can only be brought forth by alcohol.

Sorry recovering alcoholics, you will never taste the true splendor of a tomato. Sucks.

I Pity the Fool Who Says "Bling"

Have I ever told you how much I hate the word "bling". At one point, maybe, maybe it had some kind of legit street cred. I wouldn't know 'cause, I'm sure, that by the time I started hearing it, it had already become lame, lame, lame, lame, lame. I think it says a lot about someone when they use "bling". It says they're lame.

That being said, have I ever told you how much I love accessories? I seriously love accessories. I don't buy a lot, just 'cause I don't think it's the most practical use of my limited fund (I mean, it's not going to cover anything or keep me warm). Besides, while I may love them, I rarely wear them. Good golly, sometimes matching top to bottom is hard enough, I don't have the mental acuity left to figure out what necklace I should wear with it. So, when I do decide to put on something sparkly, I sometimes go a bit overboard.

It's kind of like Mr. T only in silver. Kind of tacky, but that's what I was going for. Got some reactions, mostly positive. Taking it all off at night when I'm tired- that was a bit of a pain.

How to De-Clog

Sometimes, my drain gets clogged, I have to use Drano, and a little part of me feels guilty for pouring poison down the drain.

I'm so sorry Mother Nature.

According to lifehacker you can use alka-seltzer, vinegar, and hot water to unclog drains. Hmmm... I'm going to have to give that a try next time my sink gets gooped up.

Another thing that works for moderate clogs is dish soap. You take some dish soap, pour it around the edge of drain- keep pouring, you want to use up a good amount. Let it sit for a bit (letting the dish soap ooze on down the pipe. After a few minutes, pull up the stopper at the bottom of the sink, fill it with hot water, and pull down the stopper. The water won't immediately go wooshing down the drain but you should see a lot of foam come up. As soon as all the water goes down, fill the sink up with hot water again, and repeat. You'll probably have to do this a few times, and you'll probably have to use more dish soap at times, but for a mild clog, it works. It's cheaper than Drano (even if you end up using an entire bottle of dish soap, that's still like a $1 compared to however much Drano costs- like $4 I think), and better for the environment. It's also a nice alternative if your sink gets clogged at night and you don't exactly feel like changing out of jammies to go buy a bottle of Drano.

Oh, the dish soap/hot water trick also works for mildly clogged toilets. Just pour a good amount of dish soap (about five seconds of light squeeze) and take a big container of hot water and pour. Not the fastest or the most efficient way to de-clog your toilet but you don't have to deal with plungers and it'll make your bathroom smell like your dish soap (which is better than your bathroom smelling like clogged up toilet, right?).

Oh, when using hot water, of course be careful that your sink/toilet isn't ceramic or any other material that's going to crack from the whole cold to hot water thing.

Stove Top Meatloaf!

I love meatloaf. MEATLOAF!!!
Unfortunately, meatloaves takes forever in to cook (insert pouty frowny face). Well, maybe not forever, but when you're hungry and there's smell of meatloaf in the air, it feels like forever. That's why I am happy to introduce...
Wait, what do I want to call this...
Stove Top Meatloaf!

Here's what you do:
1) Take some meat, like a lb., and throw it in a bowl.
2) Chop up some veggies reeeeaaaallly small. I like to use onions, peppers, mushrooms, and maybe even zucchini if there are some lying around. Chop it up small, small, small.
3) Sprinkle some salt and fry up the veggies until soft- technically it's called "sweating". The meatloaf cooks fast so if you don't pre-cook the veggies, you'll have crunchy veggies.
4) Put the veggies with the meat, crack open an egg. I also like to puree one potato and mix that in with the meat/veggie mix.
5) Mix, mix, mix!
6) Heat up a pan and coat it with oil.
7) Take a scoop of meat/veggie mixture and spread it out thin.
8) Cook one side, and flip.
9) Done!

Now, it doesn't taste exactly like meatloaf. There's no breadcrumb and the texture is slightly different. However, it is just as good and way faster. The prep time is about the same but it cooks in like less than five minutes!

Gas Ramblings

Is it just me or did the gas price go down a bit? The local 711 is selling gas at $4.04, I swear it was a bit higher a couple of days ago. No?

Speaking of which, I keep telling people not to use their debit cards at gas stations but no one believes me.

I got a letter from some Native American charity asking for donation. Due to the rise in fuel cost, they might not have enough money to deliver the food to all the hungry Native Americans. According to the letter, the 18 wheeler trucks get 5.61 miles per gallon!!! 5.61?! Not only that, they use diesel which is at like $5 a gallon (according to them... there aren't too many stations around here that carry diesel so I never looked). That comes out to almost a $1 a mile! Geez!

BFF Again!

Dear Old Navy,

I forgive you.

Signed,

Me

We went to Old Navy today 'cause Michael wanted some khakis for less than $19.99. Even though I knew that ON khakis cost $24.99, I agreed to come along.

I was pleasantly surprised. The clothes were kind of awesome. Seriously, if I wore dresses, I think I would've been so peachy thrilled. It was a lot of neutrals and muted tones with lots and lots of sparkles and glitters- kind of like Express but a wee bit less trashy looking. The store still looked like crap but that will probably never change. I found 2 things that I liked and the cashier didn't suck!

Mmmm... actually, yeah, she did. I was the one making a purchase yet she chose to ignore me completely and focus all her attention flirting with Michael. She would ask a question, like "Hi, how're you doing? Did you find everything okay? Will this be credit or debit?" and look genuinely confused when I answered like, "Wait, what? There's some one else standing in front of me? Why isn't the cute guy talking?"

Once he said something to me, like "Can we go to Starbucks next, I think I need some coffee." and she started to giggle like "Tee hee hee hee hee!" No, no, confused girl! See me! Me! The one buying the girl clothes?! The one standing right in front of you?! He wasn't talking to you!

The transaction took a minute or two longer than it should have because she felt the need to try to convince Michael, the dude who's not buying anything to open up an Old Navy credit card. There was a lot of smiling, giggling, and leaning forward-boob squishing with her arms going on. Her argument wasn't that good, mostly, giggle giggle giggle "Oh come on! You toooooootally should, it's a really awesome card!" giggle giggle giggle "Reeeeeaaaaally? Are you sure you don't want to?" Pout- lean further forward, squish boobs closer together "Are you suuuure?"

Shameless lady! Shameless!!

So I guess I should be pissed since I was still ignored. It really was like I wasn't even there and and every time I said something she had this, "Where did you come from?" look, not mean or bitchy, just confused- like she never saw me. And she had this look every time, I guess she kept forgetting that I was standing right in front of her. I should be mad but it was just very funny. Michael was pleased with himself that a cute girl with big boobs flirted with him and I had a fun time teasing him about it the rest of the night.

Besides, the clothes were pretty awesome. I didn't have as much to look around as I would have liked though. I bought one burnt orange tunic top (on clearance for $3.99!) and this cute gold fleckled 3/4 sleeve henley top for just $12.99! I might return both. I'm definitely returning the gold top. I thought the color was gorgeous at the store but on me it just looks kind of putty colored and gross. As for the tunic top... I might keep it since it was so cheap but... I don't know... I wasn't that thrilled with how it looked.

All the stuff I like now should be on clearance in about a month so I guess I'll check back a few weeks later and score some awesome deals.

Peachy!

Have you ever had peach salsa before? Mmmm~! The sweetness of the salsa mixed with the saltiness of the chips... Yum! I imagine it would taste awesome on chicken... maybe even salmon...

I get my peach salsa from Trader Joe. However, due to the high gas prices and my attempt at being a bit more eco-conscious, I decided to not go to Trader Joe so often (the nearest one is about... 20-30 minutes from where I live). So, when I ran out, I bought a bottle of Newman's Own peach salsa from Wegmens. Bleh! I exaggerate, it's not gross, just... not that good compared to Trader Joe's. No, no, not that good at all.

Camera Woes

So I own a Coolpix S50, which, for the most part, I love. It's small, it's compact, user friendly, and has a huge display screen (my favorite part). It's been acting very wonky on me, however, so I don't know what to do.

Sometimes it turns on, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it'll just turn itself off as I'm taking pictures. It'll work for awhile if I charge it again, but not that doesn't always work. Sometimes it'll work if I take the battery out and blow into it (like old school NES), but not always. Sometimes, if I keep pressing the power button, it'll work, sometimes. Honestly, I don't think anything I do makes it work, I think it's just very temperamental.

Right now, it's not a huge deal 'cause I usually use it to take pictures of stuff, and stuff is always going to be here so if my camera's not working today, I can take the picture tomorrow, or the day after. However, it's really annoying when I can't take a picture when I want to. For instance, yesterday was a big family get together but my camera didn't feel like working. There are times when I will see something kind of cool/goofy/pretty/etc. that I want to photograph but no, no... camera's not working. It's annoying. I would like a properly working camera in the near future.

According to my manual, it's probably the battery. I don't know though... when I shake it, it kind of makes a rattling sound so something's loose in there. A new lithium battery will cost me approximately $20. If I knew, for a fact, that it was the battery, I would gladly spend the $20. However, I don't really know what's going on with it so I don't want to spend $20 only to find the camera's busted.

It's still covered under warranty but I'm fairly sure I have to pay like $20 for shipping or something (I could be wrong- I should look into it).

I'm tempted to just buy a new battery and if it still doesn't work, just buy a new camera. I know it's stupid but... I don't know. I'm pretty sure the S50 is discontinued but I think Ritz Camera is still selling it for like $150.

Then again, maybe another S50 isn't the greatest idea. It's gotten good reviews in multiple, reputable sites but this is my second one in under a year. The first one died on me before the month was over. This one lasted a bit longer but still didn't make one year. I think I went like 2 months where I didn't use it at all. Maybe it's just not used to all this work?

I think it's the battery. I hope it's the battery...

Chocolate Whipped Cream

Oh man, I'm going to die... but it's totally worth it!

So, Jamie asked me to make this pasta dish and it looked really good so, why not? The pasta, by the way, was really good but that's a topic for a different post. This one is about how I'm going to die of a heart disease in like a week or so.

I bought a container of heavy cream 'cause the recipe called for one- except it only called for 1 cup. I wasn't too thrilled about having all that left over heavy cream. The pasta was really good but I probably won't be making it again for awhile. I could've made alfredo sauce, but cooking, for me, is not a regular thing and I knew that by the time I get the urge to cook again, the heavy cream would've gone bad.

All of sudden, the most brilliant idea popped into my head... chocolate whipped cream!!!



Mmmmm~ It's like the creamiest, lightest, chocolaty-est ice cream, only, not that cold. This stuff is divine!

If you put it in your coffee, it makes it all foamy and frothy- kind of like those cheap "lattes" you can make out of a powder from a box.
"What was his name again?"
"Jean Luc!!!!"

It's so super easy to make and it'll take you like maybe 5 minutes if you whip by hand. Ready? Ready?
1) Pour some heavy cream into a mixing bowl. Keep in mind the whipped cream is mostly air so the volume will double, maybe even triple, the amount of cream you pour in.
2) Take a whisk and whisk whisk whisk whisk whisk. You can kind of use a fork but you'll be whipping a lot longer.
3) When your arm starts to hurt and you start to get discouraged 'cause all you have is a frothy, soupy milky thing and you're thinking, "Oh, screw this! This is never turning into whipped cream!", pour some cocoa powder into it. How much depends on how chocolaty you want your whipped cream. Start with a little amount and taste your way to the perfect chocolaty-ness.
4) Keep beating! Pretty soon, whipping will start to get fun 'cause the consistency will be lighter, making it easier to whip. BE CAREFUL! If you whip too much, it'll turn out BAD so whip slower and stop when it gets peaky.

I must warn you, this stuff is very addictive, and, like most addictive things, very bad for your health. Like, my heart is kind of hurting right now (but it's so good!!!). I mean, it is just heavy cream and sugar and chocolate and yum yum yummy-ness.

Whatever! It's all good! I'll just spend some time in the sun tomorrow and I'll be fine!

I Had Bad Taste in TV?

I found a list of supposed 25 worst sitcoms ever. Aaaah... brought back a lot of memories! Growing up, I watched a lot of TV. So here are the shows on the list that I actually remember.

25) Veronica's Closet: Yeah, that show was pretty bad. I still watched it, but it was pretty bad. All the characters, especially Veronica and her fat friend, were really annoying.

23) The Nanny: I never saw an entire episode of this because I found Fran Drescher's voice to be beyond annoying.

22) Webster: I think I liked Webster. The only episode I remember is when the mom had a miscarriage and Webster thought it was his fault 'cause he didn't want them to have a baby 'cause he thought they wouldn't love him anymore if they had their own.

21) All American Girl: Oh. My. Goodness. That was a terrible show. I wanted to like it. I wanted it to do well. I wanted a, funny, hit show about a Korean family. But no, no, no, no, no, no. This show was horribly bad. Very, very, very bad.

19) Mr. Belvedere: That was an awesome show. I'm pretty sure I saw every episode on re-run.

18) Family Matter: My brother used to really like this show. I didn't like it, yet I've seen every episode... hmmm... it's not even so bad it's good. It's kind of like I would watch it so that I can hate it. Kind of like how I feel about Wisebread.

19) The Ropers: I think I've seen every episode of Threes Company and the Ropers and I think I liked the Ropers better. I loved Mrs. Ropers outfits back then, I still do.

12) Harry and the Hendersons: I think I saw this show. I think... it really sounds very familiar.

9) Perfect Strangers: I didn't see a lot of it but I do remember an episode where the American dude buys a house with is wife/gf/sig. other. Only, the house is way more than what they can afford so they're living in this great house but eating ramen off of cardboard boxes 'cause they can't afford furniture.

8) My Two Dads: Even as a kid, I knew that the situation was kind of retarded.

6) Mama's Family: That was an awesome show and definitely does not belong on this list.

3) Yes Dear: Oh man, bad show. Bad bad bad bad bad bad show.

In case you were wondering, Small Wonders claimed the #1 worst show EVER! Really? I know I've seen an episode or two but I was too young to remember anything. I mean, I maybe it was that bad but really? It was worse than Cavemen (#5)?

I Guess You CAN Hide Those Suckers

One day, coming back from having ice cream, we decided to see which we'll see five of first, Honda Civics or Ford F-Series (you know, since Ford F-Series were the #1 selling cars in the US for the past 15 years until Civic beat it this year- Well, Civic and 5 other cars). I thought we would see maybe 1 F-Series before we saw 5 Civics but no... no... we saw like 3 before we saw 5 Civics. Well, to be fair, I didn't count a lot of the Hondas since I couldn't tell if they were Civics or Accords. But still, that's a lot more F-Series than I thought. And you know, looking around, yeah... yeah... there are a lot of F-Series! I guess I jus assumed there wouldn't be any in this area. How closed minded of me.

Purging is Bad II

I don't know if you've noticed but it's been pretty hot lately. And during this yucky, humid, icky sticky hot hot weather, this is my BFF:


It's a Merona cardigan I bought from Target awhile back. It's a blend of cotton and silk, very light, practically see through. You know how gross you feel going from the blazing heat into an ice box of an air conditioned building? Or, you know how you go out in tanks or tees but when you sit down to eat (or walk by the freezer section of the grocery store) you feel like you're going to die from hypothermia? Or, you know how it's cold in the morning, unbearably hot in the afternoon, and chilly in the evening? Yeah, that's why this cardigan is my BFF.

I keep it in my purse, it doesn't take up much space. The color is demure enough to go with most of what I'm wearing. Best of all, it's really light weight yet still keeps me warm in over air conditioned buildings.

Again, this is why purging is bad. I had it in my donate pile for the longest time. True to Target quality, half the buttons fell off after the first wash and the rest fell off after about the fifth. It's kind of shapeless, especially without the buttons, so I was all set to get rid of it. I'm glad I gave it a second chance.

Arrgh! Me Matey!

I like skulls and I like shiny and sparkly so...

By far the most bad ass necklace I've bought in awhile. And yes, there is probably something wrong about someone my age sporting a big sparkly skull necklace but... I thought the necklace was pretty rad. It definitely gets me some positive feedbacks.

Summer To Do List

While purging out my bookmark folder, I found this article on Ploomy titled, How to Invest $5,000:What Would You Do? Now, I'm not about to take any financial advice from Ploomy, it's another one of those sites that I love to hate. I think I bookmarked it during my "I MUST INVEST NOW!!!" phase when I was bookmarking anything that had to do with investment.

Still, it's a good reminder that... yeah, yeah.... I still need to do something with my money. I mean, the interest earned in my account is keeping up with inflation but I won't be able to afford a large Victorian house with 30-40 cats if I don't start investing NOW!!!

Tonight kitties, we dine on tuna fish and shrimp!!! Meow, meow, meow!

So, my to do list for the end up summer:
1) Research what to do with my money and at least come pretty darn close to doing something with it other than just saving it.
2) Raise my 401(k) contribution to 15%.
3) Either set up a Roth or switch over to Roth 401(k).
4) Drag my mom to the bank to close the savings account I have with through the bank. That .2% interest really isn't doing much for me. Since I opened it when I was a minor, my mom's name is on it, which means, I can put money in, but not take money out... even though I haven't been a minor for a very, very long time.

Should be pretty easy to easy to do. I don't like to ask too much of myself.

Shaken Baby Syndrom is Not Cool!

Look! I found a baby!!!


Babies love me! Look how happy he looks!!!


Oh no! Why is he crying? Hey!! Baby!!! Stop crying!!!


I said, stop crying!!!

Kidding! I don't really shake babies!

Rice is Cheap

I found this site on the Hillbilly Housewife that shows you how to feed a family of 4 to 6 for just $45. The menu is simple, looks surprisingly filling, and claims to be nutritious. It is pretty much vegetarian (meat is expensive) and uses a lot of pre-packaged things like juice concentrate, fake milk, ramen, and bullion cubes. The article is titled "Low Cost Emergency Menu for 4 to 6", implying, I guess, that you shouldn't eat this way for too long.

I am so grateful that I don't have to resort to emergency menus (and that I am not financially responsible for feeding 3-5 other people). I can't even begin to imagine trying to explain to little Timmy and Susie why there are no meat in the spaghetti anymore.

I guess the menu shouldn't seem so... for a lack of better word... sad to me. My parents raised us on a very frugal diet and even now they eat very cheaply. Koreans eat pretty cheaply in general. To us, everything is a side dish and rice is always the main dish. Korean dishes are usually very.... flavorful (salty, spicy, tangy, etc.) because rice is so bland- it works, very yin and yang. Things just seem to taste better with rice, the flavors stand out more. Even a lot of American dishes are eaten as side dishes to rice. Meatloaf? Yup! Steak? Yup! Casseroles? Yup! I think I even saw my dad eat lasagna as a side dish. Rice is cheap (or was... I think there's so shortage now or something) so you end up getting pretty full for pretty cheap.

So yeah, growing up, it was a lot of rice and mostly vegetarian side dishes like beans and marinated spinach leaves, seaweed, and other forms of vegetation. We had meat (usually in the form of fish), just not every day, or even every other day. I don't ever recall feeling deprived back then.

Now... my brother doesn't think a meal is a meal unless there's some form of dead animal involved. I used to feel the same way, the few spurts of vegetarianism was not fun. I've been trying to eat more like I did as a child, more rice. It may be cheaper but it's not really helping my looks. I've developed a pooch that won't go away. Daria said rice will do that to me, well carbs in general.

Favorite Place in the World!

Six pillows might be a bit too much but it's comfy! Oh, and the cat... that's Shmelly.

End Of the World as We Know It

So there's this theory going around that the world is going to end in 2012... something about a Mayan calendar or something.



Really, this is a very big freaking deal in some circles- lots of people are seriously freaked.

Daria and I were having a conversation about 2012 and I told her that, if the world was going to be all apocalyptic, I want to die, like ASAP. I have zero survival instinct. I would rather die than scrounge around for food, drink toilet water, and go all ape shit on other survivors. Daria assured me that I would have no problem finding someone to kill me. Um... no. I do not want to be raped and mutilated before some crazy dude kills me, eats my eyeballs, and makes a coat out of my skin. I want to like take a suicide pill or something.

If I had my choice, I would like to undergo Rapture. Rapture is when the world ends and God pulls you up to heaven 'cause you've been awesome.

As of now, there are only 2 dudes who got sucked up to heaven instead of dying: Enoch and Elijah. Actually, I don't think Elijah was sucked up, I think some birds took him. Don't quote me though, it's been awhile so I might not be remembering things correctly.

I'm just not sure what I have to do to be chosen for Rapture. See, Elijah... the dude was a total bad ass. He like lived in the dessert, got pissed off at everyone, brought down a rain of fire upon some Baalites, raised the dead, prophesied Jesus, and might have walked on water. Seriously, the dude makes Moses seem like lame sauce.

So Elijah was Jesus-errific except for the being the son of God thing. Pretty understandable why God took him to heaven.

Enoch... nothing in the Bible about him other than that he lived to be 365 (kind of young for back in the day... Noah lived to be almost a thousand) and "walked with God" instead of dying.

Oooooh.... what do you think he did? I mean, Noah, Adam, Moses, Abraham, Paul, all awesome dudes who loved God and they all died. They say he became the angel Metatron. That's a pretty bad ass name, Metatron, sounds like a Transformer- wait... isn't he in charge of the Decepticons or something? Seriously, would you rather be named Gabriel, Michael, Raphael, or Metatron. He also fathered a dude named Methuselah. He definitely knows how to pick names.

On a not so random note... Apparently, in Heaven, no one but God is allowed to sit. That's cool, I'm used to being on my feet.

Maybe I should change my name to Ein to up the chance... Enoch, Elijah, and Ein.

First Borns Have it Hard

This is Puppy, my sister's dog. He has a name but I just call him Puppy. Puppy! Puppy!!!! Last year he was new and everyone loved him and showered him with attention. He was loved, very, very loved. This year, because of The Baby, everyone ignores him and treats him like a nuisance. He doesn't understand why no one is happy to see him anymore. This makes him sad. All they do is yell at him for peeing on the floor and trying to lick the baby bottle.

I still love you Puppy!

Wee Obsessed

I am currently uber obsessed with Mario Kart DS. I've had the game for over a year now and I've always enjoyed playing it but now I am DETERMINED to be the best Mario Kart DS player ever! Okay, well, maybe not ever, but pretty damn good. I'm trying to unlock everything, and get at least one star in every cup in every circuit.

I think I have to learn how to boost. I can get the flames going but I always seem to run into a wall. Michelle said I just need to practice, practice, practice.

Want to know who I'm putting all this blood, sweat, and tear for?
This guy!


Dry Bones!
He's so happy when we win, clapping and smiling! He and I are a team, we're in it to win it! Together, we will dominate.

I now kind of feel bad for squishing him all the time in Mario 3.

Pube Hairs Belong Below the Belt

So today, I was going into work and saw, no joke, a lady, a lady, with a full mustache! I'm not talking a little dark above the lip, I'm talking about a full blown, no doubt about it, kind of 'stache! It was thicker than what most high school seniors can grow.

Why doesn't she shave it? I mean, she must see herself in a mirror at least once a day, right? She must realize that it's not cool for chicks to sport 'staches. She wasn't foreign looking- not that it matters. Granted, I'm not the that globally aware, but I don't know of any culture where it's perfectly no big deal for chicks to have 'staches. I guess she just gave up. I guess she figured, "Well, I'm already fat and ugly (not being mean, she really was) so what's the point?"

Um, the point is, no matter how fat and ugly you are, you still probably shouldn't be going outside with a bushy upper lip. Then again, if you don't care what others think, I guess you can't be bothered to shave. 'Cause you know, shaving off a mustaches is soooooo time consuming!

She reminded me of the lady in a bikini top I saw at Six Flags back in high school (or was it Disney World?) that had, and this is slightly gross, three thick, curly, looooong, pube like hair on her chest!!! I just could not understand her thinking... I mean, they were thick, black, and looooooong, long enough to curl over a few times, like a pig's tail- there's no way she could've missed seeing them! There were only three of them- if she didn't feel like shaving, she could've plucked! It would've taken like 5 seconds!

So, what kind of low point are you at that you don't care that you're walking around with a very noticeable 'stache or three pube hairs coming out of your chest? I mean, I'm not high maintenance. I don't get mani/pedis or color my hair as often as I should and all that other froofy stuff but, no matter what was going on in my life, I would sure as hell pluck some pube hairs off my chest.

Actually, I would go to the doctor. Normally, I hate doctors and hospitals (stemming from a very sickly youth where I was at the hospital a lot) but, if I sprouted massive amounts of hair where hair shouldn't be... yeah, I'd get those hormones adjusted or something.

Hot Crash Potatoes

I'm kind of really into food lately.

I've always liked to eat but for awhile I went through a phase where food was more of a means to an end. The end, being me not being a whiny, cranky, miserable, uber-bitch. I guess eating the same cereal day in and day out for lunch kind of sucked the fun out of food.

So there's this recipe on The Pioneer Women Cooks that I've been wanting to try for awhile.... Hot Crash Potatoes!

It's incredibly cheap and easy to make. Oh, and of course, it goes without saying that this dish is truly yummy. I used rosemary and thyme 'cause... I had rosemary and thyme and isn't that a song or something? I also drizzled some truffle oil on top but the herbs were so strong, I barely noticed the taste so, next time, I think I'll save the truffle oil.

Oh, and she suggest you sprinkle salt liberally. Salty potatoes are good but I think I might have got a wee bit overboard. Control yourself!

You Can't Hide Those Suckers

Where are all the pick up trucks?
More specifically, where are all the Ford F-Series trucks?

For the first time in fifteen years, the Ford F-Series did not rank as the number one, best selling car in America (that honor went to the Honda Civic). So, if For has been selling the crap out of their BIG pick up trucks, where are they? When's the last time you saw a F-Series on the road? When's the last time you saw a Civic on the road? Exactly! I mean, they don't exactly blend in- If you were at a parking lot with a whole bunch of Civics, chances are, you wouldn't really notice. I mean, they kind of look like every other sedans. Now, if you pulled up to a parking lot with a whole bunch of F-Series pick up trucks, wouldn't you be all, "Dude, what's up with all the pick up trucks?"

Now, I know that I live in the suburbs and I guess most suburbians wouldn't really be interested in big ass pick ups. So... who's buying all of it?

Charity Update!

So, both Feed the Children and Christian Appalachian Project sent me address labels recently!

Now, being the great philanthropist that I am, I get address labels from charities all the time. However, both Feed the Children and CAP never sent anything more than a letter asking for donations. I always assumed that it was because both are highly rated charities and they have better use for their money than sending out address labels. You know, like feeding children and helping out mountain folks. So what gives guys? Are people donating less so you have to entice them with address labels and notepads? Did I get bumped up to the next a higher level donor?

My theory is that most charities start off sending out address labels and once you bite, they start guilting you with cards, calendars, necklaces, key chains, pens, gift wraps, note pads, book marks, and, no joke-slippers (yes, I got a pair in the mail last year- even though I've never given money to that charity). I like receiving free things in the mail, but it does make me wonder how much of their money is actually spent on doing charitable work. This article in the Washington Post titled Study Faults Charities for Veterans convinced me to never donate to The United Spinal Association again. I mean, I knew they had a low Charity Navigator Rating and I started getting suspicious when I noticed that some of their promotional photos were badly photoshopped, but they sent me cool things.

While the Washington Post article focused on Veteran charities, it does bring up the good point that money spent on sending me dream catchers is money not being spent on Native Americans and what not.

Anyway... This week's charity money goes to...

Native American Heritage Association!!!

With a Charity Navigator rating of... Dude, what the hell! Their rating went down! My record shows that it's 66.82 (four stars out of four) but now Charity Navigator is telling me that is' only 64.39! Feed the Children went WAY down! From 61.49 (4/4) to 48.71 (2/2)! See Feed the Children, that's what happens when you start to send out address labels!

Now I have to go and update the ratings on my charity list.

Anyway, back to the Native American Heritage Association... According to Charity Navigator:

The Native American Heritage Association (NAHA) is dedicated to helping Native Americans living on the tribal reservations in South Dakota. The state of South Dakota is home to some of America's most scenic landscapes, the Badlands, and also the home to the poorest people in our nation. NAHA supports the Sioux people through medical, food, fuel, and clothing programs.

Well, I hope you make good use of my money and help out a lot of the Sioux people!

Potstickers!

Potstickers (aka jiaozi in China, gyoza in Japan, and mondu in Korea) are called potstickers 'cause they stick to the pot. Well, more like a pan... but yeah, that's why they're called potstickers.

See, back in the days, oil/fat were expensive and not to be squandered. Therefore, they used just enough to get it brown and crispy. Since so little oil was used, they would often stick to the pan. In order to free it from the pan without ripping the skin, and to further cook it with steam, they would pour in some water or broth, cover, and let it simmer for awhile.

So yeah, those potstickers you get at Chinese restaurants, they're not so slippery and wet 'cause they're oily, but because they were dry fried than steamed.

Yum! As for the dipping sauce, it's mostly soy sauce, some vinegar, and a healthy sprinkling of paprika.

The picture above are the Trader Joe's Thai Shrimp Gyoza. My mondu making skills are pretty bad ass, but it takes a lot of work to make them. Besides, Korean mondus are usually folded into a rosebud like shape and boiled in beef broth with nice, thick, slices of rice patty things. Yum!!!

Not the Sharpest

It's been official for awhile, Sharper Image is officially dead. I would feel sorry for the people who work there but I know them, they're idiots.

It's kind of a chicken or the egg question: Does the company suck 'cause the employees suck or do the employees suck 'cause the company sucks? In Sharper Image's case, I think they had to hire idiots 'cause they were a crappy company.

I mean, think about it... You are a talented, motivated, awesome retail manager... would you want to work for a company that thought that The Beamz Music Performance was going to be the product to save them from bankruptcy? What is the Beamz Music Performance you ask? Oh, check it out!



Now, normally, I hate checking out video clips on line. Like on Digg, I won't bother clicking on any submissions that are videos. If you are like me, I totally understand why you wouldn't want to bother checking out the above clip but trust me on this- You have to check it out.

The product is such a joke, and the clip is so over the top, that if someone told me this was a comedy show sketch, I would totally buy it.

I've been told this thing retails for $600. Yeah, yeah... think about that. If you were capable of getting a job anywhere else, would you choose to work for a company that thought a $600 Beamz was going to be their messiah?

I mean, I think there is some entertainment level in the product and I would play around with it for a few minutes if there was one lying around but never would I own one. In the end, that's the problem with Sharper Image. It a store full of stuff that's fun to play with for a few minutes but nothing you'd actually want to take home with you.

I pass our Sharper Image on a frequent basis to get to my coffee. For awhile, they were operating with most of their lights turned off- to save money on electricity I'm guessing? Wow, that's desperate. Since they started their liquidation sale, the lights came back on- Maybe the Gordon Brothers footed the bill for some lights.

I could be wrong but I'm fairly certain that the Gordon Brothers own/operate/sell their crap to Rugged Warehouse. Maybe I can pick up a Beamz on the cheap there.

Green Beans with Bacon!

I used to love green beans and bacon~!!!
When I was young, I would be my mom's sous chef and snap off the ends. A few years later, I started to make them myself and tweaked the recipe to make it taste better (my mom's not exactly known for her cooking...). Eventually, fresh green beans got replaced by their frozen counterpart and the recipe fell out of the favor for awhile, not sure why.

Then, a few years later, my mom brought it back- a mutantous, zombi-esq version of it's former self. No bacon, just a lot of really, really, salty little pre-cut beans, flavored with some weird moo-joo voo-doo mystery Asian powders. Blech! It traumatized me off of the beans for years to come...

Until now!

The Pioneer Women had a green bean recipe up which got me salivating, remembering the good old days when green beans didn't taste like mooshy salt goo. So yesterday, I made some green beans and...
Oh
My
Goodness
I didn't know something could taste so great.

I followed her recipe for the most part but, made some changes. For one thing, I omitted the red peppers. I'm not too impressed with what bell peppers have to offer. For the most part, I think they're overpriced for the amount of flavor they bring, esp. red ones which sometimes costs double what their green counterparts cost. I almost bought some, just to add some color, but realized the bacons would take care of color. Oh yeah, that's another modification I made, instead of using just the bacon fat, I used chopped up bacons.

The result:

The beans looks a bit wilted because this is actually the picture of the microwaved left over. I made it yesterday and just as I was getting ready to take a picture, my camera died. It was either wait to get enough charge to photo or eat. I chose to eat. Normally, I hate left overs but these actually taste better a day old- all that flavor melding in the fridge I guess.

Oh, and yes, that is rice on the side. Green beans with bacon and rice is the best combination ever! The blandness of the rice balances and enhances the salty sweetness of the beans. It's insane how yummy it is.

Purchase of the Month!

May's Purchase of the Month is...

Purple bow tie cardigan from H&M!!!

I don't normally hang my cardigans in my bathroom, but I was trying to capture it's true color and the best lighting is in my bathroom. This picture comes closest but I still failed. Either it's a weird color to capture, or the fabric makes it hard to photograph, my camera sucks, or my monitor is off. Maybe all of the above. Think of the shade of purple The Joker would wear, and yeah, it's that color.

I used to hate wearing purple. I liked the color so I would buy purple tops but never wear it. I don't know why, just never liked wearing it. This cardigan, however, has changed my mind about purple tops. I know it's hung funny in the pic so it's hard to get an idea of it's shape but it's super cute. I also really like the fact that it's made of lightweight cotton so I can still wear it (inside) during summer.

Jamie found it for me at H&M during their Memorial Day clearance sale. Needless to say, it was super cheap.

Question

If I had a crap load of money I would hire an assistant to look stuff up for me. Sometimes, I have burning question but, if Wikipedia doesn't hold the answer, I give up.

That is, if it isn't in like the first two or three paragraph of a Wiki article, I give up. If I had an assistant, I can just call/text and be like, "Hey, if our internal temperature is 98 degrees, why does it feel so unbearably hot when it's 98 degrees outside?"

That, by the way, is my current burning question.

Seriously, think about it... The world- both physical and and metaphysical, always strives for balance. It's why ice melts, why we have wind, why karma is a bitch, etc. So, shouldn't our body be most comfortable when the outside temperature is in line with the inside temperature?

I know there are sites where I can pay people to answer these questions but I'm not disgustingly rich. I wish I had an obnoxious, know it all friend.

Don't Forget!

Note to self:

On my sister's birthday, I need to file claims on a class action law suit against TransUnion to get free credit monitoring service.

I'm not sure if I'm going to pick option 1 or 2... hmmm...

Nope, Not Cheap

So DSW is selling high top Converse Chuck Taylors for $39.9- originally $42!!!

Okay, so it's only a savings of little over $2 but these are classics. They're basics. They never go on sale, right?

Right.

Except... we sell them for $35.99. Nordstrom sells them cheaper at $34.95. Where are they getting their "original" price? Oh, DSW, if you're going to inflate your "original" price, at least sell the shoes at a competitive price.

Their clearance is still a really good deal. Too bad they never have cute shoes my size. Think I'm exaggerating? Click "lame JCP mom shoes" to see what their size 5 clearance. Their non-clearance selection isn't much better. They carry hundreds of different styles but only have twelve, yes, TWELVE styles of heels in size 5, all of them basic pumps in basic work colors.

Closet Project is Good to Go!

This article about "meta-stuff" on On Simplicity reminded me of the time Michael and I went to Target and saw a plastic wreath storer on sale for $9.99. We had a good chuckle of the idea of paying $9.99 for a little plastic donut designed to hold your plastic wreath. I mean, what's the point of putting your wreath in one of those things? It's a plastic wreath. Are you protecting it from the bugs? The element? I mentioned it to my sister, assuming she would agree with me but no- she dropped the bomb, "Oh yeah! I have one!" Et tu sister?

Then again, who am I to judge, I have stuff to hold stuff- stuff that exists solely to enable me hold onto lots of stuff that I really don't need.

So, I have decided, in my goal to re-do my closet (yes, I haven't forgotten about that project) I will try to minimize the amount of storage units I buy and try to make do with what I already own... even if my closet won't look very pretty with matchy matchy boxes. Poo. Oh well, I finally got my stimulus check and all of sudden, I don't really feel like spending it on silly things- probably 'cause I've been very bad this month... and it just started.

So yeah, here's what I've done so far:

First we have the before:


And now, the after!!!


Okay, all I did was straighten it but it made a difference, right? I used some of my tote bags as dust bags to save space, brilliant! It's missing a purse or two but you get the idea.

Closet organization is a work in progress. I've yet to find the right shelves for my sweaters so I've been procrastinating until I find those perfect shelves. Now that I have decided possibly not to buy any shelves, I feel I can get started.

And yes, I am taking pics of all my purses and will post soon!

Why, Thank You!!

Sometimes, when getting dressed, I decide that I'm in the mood to receive a compliment so I put on this ring. If I wear it, chances are good that one person will go, "I love your ring!" My mom, who also shares a love for shiny things, gave it to me when it stopped fitting her. It's not real, but who cares- the photo does not do it justice, it is super sparkly, even if it is missing a rhinestone.

Boxes of Jewels

Sometimes, I do things that are very stupid and makes no sense to anyone except myself. Sometimes, they don't even make sense to myself.

I'm not talking about one particularly stupid act, but rather a habit. Well, not so much a habit but a behavior.

I like to hold unto empty CD jewel cases.

When I get a CD, I take out the CD and the album sleeve and put them in my CD book (alphabetical by band then by year of release! CDs facing right side up at all times!) then I take the empty jewel case and store it. I started to store my CDs in books to save space- which I'm obviously failing at since I store the empty jewel cases. If I'm going to hold unto the jewel cases, I might as well just keep them in their case, right? Wrong! Why? I don't really know...

I like having my CDs in books. I like flipping through the pages and looking at all my CDs, it's fun and pretty, and easier to find certain albums. It does save space 'cause I can keep all my CDs within easy access and store the cases in harder to get to boxes and what not. Besides, CD books are cheaper than CD shelves and I certainly don't have enough shelf space on my bookshelf for books, let alone CDs.

Still, I realize it's foolish to hold onto the cases. They are taking up valuable storage space. I think maybe it's because someday, down the line, I will decide that I want to display all my CDs on shelves of some sort... But you know, I don't really think I will. The book method works well for me and I've been doing it for years now. I just feel like throwing away the case is like throwing away a part of the CD. I mean, the back sleeve has artwork on it too, you know? The packaging is what differentiates CDs from downloads.

So yeah, the behavior makes no sense (though, glad to see there are others like me). Maybe one day I'll wise up and unload all the cases but that's doubtful. I'm still mourning the disappearance of a box of empty cases. They went MIA during a move. I'm hoping it's still out there somewhere in storage- maybe the garage.

Retirement Goal

When I retire, I would like to live here. Well, not this place specifically, since I have no idea where this picture was taken (I'm guessing Europe?) but a similar place.

Yesterday, after work, we were hungry so Michael and I went to Trader Joe's and feasted on some crusty French bread, soft cheese, and orange juice. See, I'm totally suited for a life in a European rural farm town.

To ESPP or Not to ESPP

I'm debating participating in our companies Employee Stock Purchase Plan. I get to have anywhere from 1-20% of my after tax pay check deducted and set aside. Than, twice a year, they will buy stock with that money at the current fair market price minus 20%.

At first, I thought it was a good idea. I'm certainly not going to miss 1% of my pay check and it would be kind of cool to own a bit of my company. Besides, the stocks don't even have to go up for me to make money, as long as it stays stable, I'll make a 20% profit when I sell!

Then, I started thinking... even though our stocks are cheap, 1% of my paycheck isn't going to buy me a lot of shares. Even if the stock prices stays stable, If I sell within a year, any profit will pretty much be wiped out by the commission fee or trading fee or what ever fee you have to pay to sell your stock.

Hmm... I don't know... I need to make up my mind soon.

Don't Make Me a Match

A discussion with Daria led to me taking the personality profile on eharmony. I'm not looking to find love online, and even if I were, eharmony wouldn't be the way to go for me (craigslist's causal encounter FTW!!!!- kidding, kidding, kidding!)

The personality test was lame- very Meyer-Brigg-esq but I did find it interesting that they went out of their way to ensure that I'm not a closet lesbo. First off, there isn't even an option to say you're looking for a same sex relationship. I guess that wasn't enough 'cause every once in awhile, they will toss out questions like:

I greatly appreciate the physical beauty of the opposite sex.
I like to look at the people opposite sex.

They also asked me if I liked:

Enjoying the way I feel about my partner.
Enjoying a physical closeness with my partner.

I'm not gay eharmony! If I were, I wouldn't spend $30 some dollars a month trying to hook up with straight chicks on a site that is known for weeding out homos.

They also asked, true or false:

I dislike some people
I do not give as much to charity as I could afford to financially
At times I have raised my voice in anger
I am sometimes tempted to make fun of people behind their back
There are times when I am envious of other people's pocession

Now, who is going to answer "false" to any of those except maybe Jesus?

In case you were wondering, I am "Agreeable".

And if you ever need proof that you are not a unique snowflake, just check out personals- all the matches they set me up with were practically identical.

The Good Book

I finally finished reading the Bible. It took years- it was very off and on.

I find it hard to believe that a lot of the hard core "Christians" have yet to read the entire thing. My brother tells me that his friends figure if it's worth knowing, their pastor will tell them to read it. That... just... makes me very sad.

So I learned a lot from reading the Bible- won't go into it here. I don't think anyone cares about my religious beliefs. Besides, I would just come across sounding very anti-Christian and... well, I think most Christians are, ironically, very anti-Jesus but... again, no one cares about my religious beliefs.

Pique in Antique Pt. 2!

I went antiquing today!!!

It was awesome!!!

But I did not buy anything... shucks...

I wish I took some pictures but my camera is on the fritz again and I'm not sure if the old ladies would have been appreciative of me snapping pics in their store.

Michael and I first went to Old Town Leesburg. Old Town Leesburg was built... well, I'm not sure when, but, like most Old Towns (or Downtowns) all the buildings are really old and it's full of small office buildings, restaurants, and boutiques. Like all good Downtowns, it is centered around an old court house.

The first place we visited was Leesburg Antique Emporium. It was mostly plates, figurines, books, prints, chinas, linens, etc. Oh, and lots of silverware and estate jewelries- which seemed to be a common theme with all the antique stores we visited. There were a lot of really cool things but I was a bit overwhelmed with the quantity and excitement. Had I really buckled down and seriously looked at everything, I probably would have walked away with several items- so I guess it's a good thing I didn't cause I mean, really... do I need a cute candle holder or a pretty tea set? No, no I don't. From what I could tell, the prices seemed pretty modest, definitely affordable- another good reason I didn't take a careful good look at everything.

Afterwards, we crossed the street and went to Black Shutter Antique Center, definitely the best antique store I've been in (which, admittedly, isn't saying much). It's a converted, old, old house so it was fun to walk around and guess what the rooms had been back when people actually lived there. When we got to the second floor, we gave up. It was like a freaking maze and I'm guessing they added walls and cut doors (either that, or it was once a very weird house).

They had mostly the same kind of thing the Leesburg Antique Emporium had with one cool advantage- clothes and accessories! They had two rooms with clothes and accessories, one was really cool- set up like a closet/dressing room, the other was just a room with racks. Unfortunately, the merchandise themselves were not that cool. There were some pretty rad things but- not my size. The jewelries were pretty but I wasn't really in the mood to buy jewelries. They had these awesome old school looking hats with netting and everything, very Dita Von Teese/film noir, but... what am I going to do with them? There were some cute shoes and bags but a bit overpriced.

I almost bought a cute chain metal kisslock wallet until I realized that there were no slots for cards, just coins and bills. I guess back than, most people didn't carry around a million credit and reward cards. I'm guessing that most of the women didn't pierce their ears back than 'cause most of the pretty earrings I saw at all the antique stores were clip ons or screw ons. Ouch.

After lunch at the local restaurant (a whole 'nother post), we drove to Middleburg. The Middleburg area is one of the more rural parts of Loudoun county where the truly rich people live- you know, old money rich. Their Downtown looks and feels a lot like Old Town Leesburg except there are a lot of horse/riding stores (their thrift store had several saddles, riding boots, and a rack devoted to riding clothes) and the boutiques are more costly. The butchery there looks so fancy it looked like you need to wear formal wear just to shop. We stopped by the Middleburg Antique Emporium which was nice, too nice. It was mostly furnitures and home accessories that I'm sure would look very nice in the surrounding plantations.

So yeah, no $4 Bruno Maglis this time... I definitely want to go to the Leesburg antique store again sometime soon- probably by myself. Michael was very awesome and patient, never complaining, but I could tell he was bored out of his skull which made me feel a bit rushed, even though he never said a word.

We're definitely doing this again though! On our way to Middleburg, we passed this huge antique store on the rural border edge of Leesburg. I actually pulled in there to go in but I wanted to get to Middleburg before all the stores closed so we just left without going in. I definitely want to go there and actually go inside. We also need to check out Luvettsville, Purceville, Lucketts...

I Like Sushi Too

The cat reminds me of Opie a little bit.
Awww... he looks kind of sad. I would give him some sushi.

Poor Man's Yo Gabba?

Yes, I finally broke down and bought Kill Hannah's Until There is Nothing Left of Us. It's not as bad as I feared. I really like Crazy Angel, the song's been stuck in my head for days now. I know there was no reason for me to buy the CD since I already owned the song I liked and I figured I really wouldn't like any of the other songs but... I don't know, if I really like the song, I like to own the CD as well.

Besides, like I said, the CD wasn't as bad as I feared. I don't think I'll be listening to the whole thing again anytime soon, but- it's not that bad.

I found this clip of Kill Hannah on a Chicago's public-access kid's show called Chic-a-Go-Go. It's a kid's dance show where kids of all ages dance to bands lip syncing their songs.

Hilarious!



First off... "One of Chicago's greatest band"? Really? I mean, I don't think they're bad but I think that's kind of stretching it- or Chicago has a really lame music scene.

Secondly... Why is the Kevin Rose doppleganger wearing a salad bowl on his head? And why's that guitarist wearing a mask? I mean, understandable that maybe he's a bit embarrassed to be there but I think everyone knows that he's part of the band- wouldn't be to hard to figure out who he is.

I like the beginning where the music starts and Skunk Head is all, "Oh shit! I should be playing right now!" At least they seem good sport it all. Their stage performance is a bit lame but I dig their pants.