VIGIL AT THE TOP

Photo by Annisa Lam (former member of Stock.exchng)

Licensed photo DO NOT COPY

Currently I am keeping the following in my thoughts &  prayers:

-----Raven Johnson is missing in Missouri. She had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and wasn't expected to live much longer. Raven has been missing from her camp site since February 3rd. She is in her early 30s. i pray that her loved ones find out where she is soon.
-----Natalee Holloway has been declared dead. :-( The main suspect, Joran Van der Sloot, has been sentenced to a 28-year prison term in another murder. He may be extradited to the U.S. on extortion charges and I hope something in this can be leveraged or inspire him to tell the whereabouts of the remains of Natalee Holloway. I pray for the family to have closure as to what happened to Natalee...to truly know whether she is out there somewhere.
-----Among other things, Greece is allowing pedophilia as a disability.
-----I feel badly for this woman who claims a hotel gave a key to a drunken stranger claiming to be her husband. She said that she was molested and is traumatized by it.
-----Friends who have been having relationship troubles for some time now.
-----A friend who has cancer(s) and experiences a lot of side effects.
-----Hopefully, the best candidate is elected in 2012.
-----Demarco Harris. A 13-year-old who was found guilty of murder. I hope that he is able to turn his (young) life around and that juvenile detention is actually beneficial. Demarco's case will be evaluated again when he turns 21. Demarco will stay in my thoughts and prayers until he turns 21.


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Note:

This post is in no particular order. Prayer/thought requests just go to the top as I hear more about what is going on. If you can think of a way to help these people, PLEASE do so. This post will be second-from-the-top during the midst of an emergency (such as an Amber Alert).

Note: I would not advise linking to this post...you will wind up with a broken link each time I have to change the post-dating to keep this a Vigil at the Top.

At JPUSA. Summer 2011.

 

PRAISE REPORTS!!!
-----Our friend with the pregnancy complication delivered a healthy little one with no problems (other than having to be induced).
-----A man surviived being snowed in his car for two months with no food.

THURSDAY THIRTEEN.....

1. Pizza Arizona:

I am proud of this photo...and it turned out really well for being on a cell phone.

Last month, we tried a pizza recipe that I found on Epicurious.com. The recipe for Pizza Arizona first appeared in the June 2002 issue of Bon Appétit. We used a good amount of fresh cilantro (probably more than what the recipe called for). Walmart did not have chipotle salsa, so we just used regular. I like crusts with a little cornmeal on the bottom and this had just the right amount.
-----Little One had some of the inside of the crust heel...and was very happy about this. This was a part with no salsa,etc.
-----I was having a humorous conversation with Husband this week; Little One is very into drums,trying to get into peoples' pockets and pizza. I jokingly made the observation that, if patterns continued this way, Little One was going to grow up to be a drummer, a pickpocket and obsessed with pizza. Husband, of course, latched onto the last part and asked me if Little One was "going to be a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle?" :-)

2. Bluestbutterfly's Valentine:

(post)Valentine 2012
Chocolate Truffles from Husband

3. February Thrift Window-Shopping:

Music teacher?

This is the second time I have seen wooden shoes placed in the kitchen and serving stuff.

I would have liked having the money to buy this.
It just speaks to me somehow.
The lady had a considerable amount of dust in her lap.

4. A Snowy Promise.....

I have made a commitment to try photographing the beauty of the snow whenever I see it. :-) Bbelow are snow photos from March 2012...so far.

The hedge gets pretty icicles.

 Majestic.

Frosty.

It's the little things.
I was happy to find that my shoes have snowflakes on the bottom.

5. Zoo Trip- March 2012

6. Spring Grove Cemetery-August 2011

7. 100 Books to Read in Kindergarten

8. Guilty Kitchen

9. Recipes:
-----Papaya Smoothies. Pretty simple...blended with some other fruit.
-----Honey and Saffron Cake
-----Cherry Almond Muffns
-----Indonesian Lamb Curry


10. Orange juice prices will not rise as much as it was speculated.

11.
-----Chicken Jerusalem
-----Roasted Chicken and Jerusalem Artichokes

12.
Tips to combat predators in your backyard fish pond.

13.

This post is a work-in-progress. :-)

Happy Salaried-Workers-Work-for-Free Day.

Thursday Thirteen.....

1. "An orange a day may keep strokes at bay."
This relates to strokes caused by blood clots. A lot of other health benefits are listed. I was surprised to learn that Seville oranges and tangelos may interfere with some medicines in the same way that grapefruit does. I liked that this article contained recommendations of ways to eat citrus.

2. You learn so much more about organizations nowadays. I find myself un-liking due to things a company said on Facebook often.
---The companies that actually don't have any intention of truly interacting with society....they just want to manipulate people into buying their "product."
---Companies that say things which are insensitive...like "don't give up our product." This was obviously referring to Lent.

3. Papertoys.com

4. Recipes I found on Relish:
-----Raspberry Mousse Tart. Colorful and I want to try the almond meal crust.
-----Sautéed Radishes. Easy to make. I need to explore more by Chef John Ashton. I would think about these as a Thanksgiving side but need to know how they taste after having sat on the table through a meal.
-----Coconut Shortcakes with Mango, Kiwi and Strawberry
-----Herbed Buffalo Burgers
-----Honey Cheesecake. I think Husband will love this one.

5. Recipe website find: "Ladies, a Plate"
-----Pineapple Meringue Shortcake. I need to learn what vanilla essence is and if I can find a substitute for it. I have started a "Shortcakes" board on Pinterest.

6. Looks incredibly yummy:
-----Key Lime Cupcakes with Blackberry Filling and Blackberry Frosting. The color in the buttercream frosting is totally from the blackberries. Hmm.....I want to come up with other uses for the frosting.


This post is a work-in-progress. :-)
Well....I didn't end up finishing it and I am now going to start fresh for next week.

Recipes we are making in March:
-----Self-frosting Nutella Cupcakes. This will use up our jar of Nutella and we will simple HAVE to buy another. :-) We are out of cupcake liners and I am hoping to find a cute pattern at the dollar store.
-----Pumpkin Mac & Cheese. We usually have these ingredients on hand. We are now buying pumpkin puree whenever we see it for a good price (I found a bunch of it really marked down after Thanksgiving).
-----Sugar-Free Carrot Cake. We are fans of whole wheat flour and now Little One seems to like it, too.
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The video is a cover of "Another  Brick in the Wall."
Stahlhammer is a Neue Deutsche Härte (New German Hardness) band from Austria.
I also like their song "We are Vikings" and their cover of "You Can't Touch This."

Which Girl Scout Cookies are best (and worst) for your health? My favorite is Thin Mints and they are not mentioned...so, I guess they are somewhere in the middle as far as health. I may get some this  year...but if I do it will  be on the last day they are on sale (March 4th).

Burgers I don't want to see.....Chicken I want to see.....and dishes I am not sure if I will like.

Poll: Would you buy and eat a burger made from stem cell meat? 
Apparently, there will be a "test tube meat" soon.
I was one of the people who voted "no." I see to much room for error in this (and too much room for a based-on-a-true-story science fiction horror).

We still need to make these:
-----Chicken With Red Grapes and Mushrooms. Uses red wine and is in a thyme cream sauce.
-----Chicken With Portobello Mushrooms and Artichokes. We may substitute rum for the brandy.
-----Chicken Breasts with Balsamic Vinegar and Garlic. Uses new potatoes.
-----Raspberry Vinegar Chicken Breasts. As one comment suggested, we will try the sauce over rice (sounds unusual).


Experiments (meaning I am not sure if I will like them):
-----Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Meatballs.This would be an experiment in tastes to me. I like goat cheese and I really enjoy meatballs as long as they are moist...I would think stuffing them with the cheese might ensure moisture.
-----Red Velvet Cake. I like the look of Red Velvet Cake but not that it is often achieved through food coloring. This recipe uses a natural food coloring...beets...but I am usually NOT a fan of beets.

-----Creamy Mushroom Crostini

Blog finds.....

Sweetapolita
---Red Velvet and Cinnamon Layer Cake. Red Velvet cakes seem to be trendy right now. A lot of the recipes that I am coming across for these are multi-step.
---Winter Delight Peppermint Cake.  Multi-step. Uses coffee. Winter isn't over yet. :-)


Annie's Eats
---Okra Cornmeal Cakes with Chevre and Roasted Tomatoes. Pretty and I like goat cheese.

Hen Corner

"A little bit of country life in West London."

-----Sprats in Horse Radish Butter. A sprat is an oily fish with a lot of health benefits. :-)

-----Blackberry Bakewell. I have never heard of a "bakewell" and will have to investigate this more. The recipe is for an orange pastry filled with jam and topped with flaked almonds."Very nice with some extra thick double cream… or a glass of Amaretto… or both!" :-)

-----Nasturtium Pesto. I have filed this under "Willing to Try."

Berries and the Blue Sky
A blog about Estonian food.

---Spiced Sprat with Black Bread and Melting Egg

64 Sq. Foot Kitchen

These are mainly the blog author's family recipes from Algeria and The Maghreb.

---Algerian Baked Fish. Beautiful. This dish has actually inspired me to start a board for Algerian fish recipes on Pinterest.

---Algerian Lentil Soup (Chorbet Addas). It will be hard for me to find the lamb soup bones around here.

---This led me to read about the sprat which is among the principal fish caught in Algeria.Of note from the Wikipedia article on sprat:

"Sprat, most importantly contains long-chained polyunsaturated fatty acids, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).[Present in amounts that are comparable to Atlantic Salmon, and up to seven times higher in EPA and DHA than common fresh fillets of gilthead, the Sprat contains approximately 1.43g/100g of these polyunsaturated fatty acids that have been found to help prevent mental, neural, and cardiovascular diseases."

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Makam Echahid. Monument for the Freedom Soldiers.

Algiers, Algeria. Licensed photo by dragondz

Memorable Chili and Beauty in the Wires

A few nights ago, we came up with a chili that was particularly good. :-) We make chili mainly according to our taste...not measured out amounts. This was a particularly good batch and I want to remember the ingredient list.

Put it all into the pot, bring to a boil, simmer for 20-30 minutes. This batch had to be watched really closely as it could burn very easily.
3 cans black beans (drained and rinsed)
Jar of sun-dried tomatoes (liquid included)
2 cans diced no-salt-added tomatoes (liquid included)
Large can white hominy
Handful of cilantro
2 small Vidalia Onions
1 (large) Spanish Sweet onion
Generous amount chili powder
Generous amount garlic powder (we usually use a lot of minced garlic but ran out)
Oregano
Hungarian Paprika
A little salt
Cumin
Black Restaurant-Style Pepper
Minced Onion
Frank's RedHot Sweet Chili Sauce
Salsa (added water to what was left at bottom of jar, shook, poured into pot...always how we use up every bit of salsa)
Small can of tomato sauce
At least 2 cups water
About 1/2 cup Shredded Mexican Cheese Blend mixed in just before serving
Next time this will have ground turkey or hamburger (we had none thawed)
Of course, we thought about adding Warsteiner (Dunkel).

Beauty in the electrical wires.
We had snow on Friday.

Dinosaurs, walking dangerously and plastic royalty.

Read Little  One a book on dinosaurs today. I definitely need to work on how to pronounce some of the names. :-)

A member of the Wallenda family is going to attempt a tightrope walk across Niagara Falls. This is a very dangerous thing to do...but I do concede that it would be interesting to see it done once.
"We have made it clear that this is a very unique one-time situation. It's not an everyday activity and will not be allowed to become an everyday activity."



Mattel will be releasing "William and Kate" dolls for the first wedding anniversary of this royal couple. There should be the car they drove, too. After all, Barbie and Ken had a car. I suppose this would be prohibited by some sort of copyright or trademark on Aston Martins.

Licensed photo by Kenmo.

This is obviously not the Aston Martin driven by the royal couple...but I wanted to post it. :-)

It is a British convertible...a 1963 Austin Healey Sebring.

In Search of Pretty Pilaf.....

I was looking for pilaf recipes today and noted that it is often aesthetically-displeasing. Out of all the Google Image Results available, there were only 5 or 6 that met my standards as far as presentation. It is the taste that counts.....but people have to actually want to taste it.
---Braised Lamb with Cinnamon, Olives and Nut Pilaf
---Vidalia Onions Stuffed with Rice-Lentil Pilaf
---Zesty Lentil and Haddock Pilaf
Correct that, I found exactly 3 pilaf dishes visually appealing. Growl.

Chocolate Cake with Nuts and Raisins. I am very particular about baked goods but I am willing to try this recipe. It looks pretty.

A Couple Cooks. They are going to Cambodia to help a couple of organizations that are fighting human trafficking.
---Cajun Pizza

A Bit of Bees Knees

That's different. McDonald's has some sort of Build-a-Bear Workshop Happy Meal toys.

Tassimo has a massive coffee maker recall...burn risk.....spurting liquid.

In My Life.....

-----Planning for when we go to Cornerstone Festival.. I do not think Little One is old enough to tent camp...so we will have to budget for  a hotel and that won't be easy. I have not found a safe, reasonably-priced hotel close by yet
-----My Jade Plant seems to have eaten up most of its soil.
-----I just finished with my second editing piece for Darkest Goth Magazine. I normally find editing to be something that comes naturally...but this piece was primarily emotions and theories. I am on emotion overload right now as this editing coincided with considering Big Life Changes and the first time I have ever tried to write a Christian Testimony.
-----I am still not finished writing my Testimony. This is a concept radically different than my upbringing ( I may have first heard the term this summer). I want this to sincerely mean something.

Beef and Beer Stew
Slow Cooker Winter Vegetable Stew
Slow Cooker Classic Beef Stew
Rustic Slow Cooker Stew

We have purchased the ingredients:
Hopi Corn Stew. Possibly an authentic recipe.We will be making it in the slow cooker and adding rice, The next time we try this recipe, we might add beer.
Pizza Arizona
Arizona Sun-Dried Tomato Chili

Gerber has upset us. :-(

This is sad and scary. I am frustrated with Gerber.
I kid you not, I am calling Gerber as I have found what was definitely mold in the lids of baby food jars three times this month....two of those being yesterday and today.

We are now going to switch to Beechnut...but I have at least a couple hundred Gerber jars, 10 Gerber smoothies, a couple Gerber Grabbers and many boxes of the rice cereal. :-(

The moldy-lidded-jars all expired in 2013, all had the "pop" when opened and were stored well. I did notice that the first was hard to open. The second moldy one had a dent on the lid and was hard to open. No other anomalies.

Ham, pears and bananas. I don't know what store....we buy baby food primarily from Walmart but also two HyVees.

THE QUEEN'S MEME.....

1. In a traditional Dragon or Lion Dance, the loud drums and cymbals are thought to chase out evil spirits. How do you do YOUR traditional Dragon Dance to drive out any evil in your life? (Do you dance with dragons?......or just old Elvis records....inquiring minds want to know)
I dance to music that usually helps....I have eclectic music tastes so it can be anything from Glen Miller to John Lennon to the Aggrotech band "Grendel." Sometimes taking a shower helps. When angry, I tend to start cleaning and cleaning and cleaning. I try to attend two online prayer groups each evening.



2. Have you experienced any good or bad omens this year?
I do not believe in such. As far as how the year is going....it has been mixed. There have already been many blessings and good times. There have been some less-than-nice people. I am worried about my Mother.
 ---I have decided to look into joining MADD this year. Our New Year started with great fun but then turned scary. We (myself,Husband,Little One and our good friend) were heading home from Walmart where we had gone to walk off the dinner we had at a diner...it was about an hour and fourteen minutes after midnight and the roads were pretty much EMPTY. All of a sudden what we could only assume was a drunk driver came halfway into our lane. They were doing at least 50 in a 35! Husband would have been badly hurt or dead, if there was a (head-on) impact. I am so thankful that my Husband is a good and quick-thinking driver.

3. I believe that good fortune has more to do with personal integrity, honesty and character than ancient symbolism. Treating people the way you would want to be treated goes a long way in warding off that pesky negative Karma.  Dragons are considered evil creatures according to European culture , but in Chinese culture the dragon symbolizes supernatural power and goodness. Which one do you believe? Or would you rather just try the good ole' Golden Rule.......

I believe in the Golden Rule and wish everyone else did. I do not like people that show no respect for others...especially when you have been only respectful and nice to them.


4. Chinese couples will attempt to have "Dragon babies" in the year 2012. In order to take advantage of astrological predictions of wealth and success, name one thing you should attempt to "birth" that could bring you good luck.
Again I don't believe in such. I want to be super-organized in the things I do online. I occasionally do paid reviews on this blog and I am going to be a deskman for DarkestGoth Magazine which premiers in June. I was going to culinary school in the Fall but have decided it will be best if I continue to pursue that study through my own efforts (which includes a lot of online studying which is easy to get disorganized or sidetracked on). I also may be taking a social marketing opportunity at some point. There is just to much info to keep track of on the computer in this day and age.


5. You are in charge of the Chinese New Year Parade in your town. Who will ride on the first float?
If he were alive, Don Ho....singing "Tiny Bubbles."  Since he died in 2007, I suppose a person dressed up as Snarf from the "Thundercats."



6.  What is your favorite Chinese food?
Kung Pao chicken.



7. Chinese people often think of themselves as descendants of the mythical Dragon creature. Do you have any mythical creatures in your family closet?
None. Little One is particularly fond of his stuffed dinosaur, a Christmas teddy bear and Spot (the dog) from the Eric Hill stories.

My second-favorite dragon sculpture.

See more from this artist.....

PARTICIPATE IN THE QUEEN'S MEME. :-)

UNCONSCIOUS MUTTERINGS.....

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Rivals ::
Muhammad Ali....Cassius Marcellus Clay. Bitter rivals. Arch enemies. Sibling rivalry. Coke vs. Pepsi...that reminds me, I haven't found a good cooking-with-soda-pop recipe lately and I should start a "CookingWithSodaPop" board on Pinterest. "There can be only one."
2. Automatically ::
Automatically...writing what comes to mind for this memory. "Automatic writing" in the spiritism sense, is scary. Don't automatically assume. "Well this car is automatic, it's systematic, it's hydromatic. Why it's greased lightnin'!"
3. Bathroom ::
The little girls' room...to powder your nose. In movies, and on TV, the bathroom is always the place to go for an impromptu,urgent conversation.  Women going to the bathroom together. Toilet paper is expensive. I do not like public bathrooms.
4. Jerk ::
A dance. Jerked meat. Dennis Leary...I'm an asshole...A-S-S-H-O-L-E. 
5. Preference ::
Dark meat or white with chicken. Would you prefer to tell them, or should I? Preference Hair Color. Personal preference. They are retiring one of the lines of preference...."Dream Blonde" or something like that.
6. Parenting ::
My issues of Parenting Magazine have not been arriving and it is supposed to be a 3-year subscription.
7. Helmet ::
Thor's helmet. Football helmet. Motorcycle helmet and all the people who don't want to wear one.
8. Wave ::
Doing "The Wave" at football games. Little One is so cute when waving at people.Wavy Gravy. Ocean Waves.
9. Judo ::
10. Flat tire ::
I know two people who have gotten a flat tire in the past week.

PARTICIPATE IN UNCONSCIOUS MUTTERINGS. :-)
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 How to Change a Flat Tire
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 Remember:
Increased U.S. Postal Rates take effect today!

Saturday 9.....

1. Do you live close to where you grew up? Why?

I stay within the realm of arranging travel as there are many illnesses in the family. 

2. Have you ever been so angry that you almost lost control?

Yes, once. It was in reaction to someone who made a daily habit of LOUDLY and grossly provoking others. Among other maddening things, everyone they encountered knew way too much of this person's personal life and exploits. Not one person I knew (who knew them) was left out of being a target either for messing with or trying to shock. I hope things have changed as this person had so much potential to do good with their chosen career-path.                   

3. Are you a fan of a musical act that slightly embarrasses you?

I like "Nod Your Head" by Paul McCartney and "The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins" sung by Leonard Nimoy. Some of the older New Kids on the Block music.   

4. Is there a movie that always makes you cry?

Anything where someone dies...particularly if it is similar to tragedies I have experienced with loved ones.

5. Who is the most famous person that you've met?

Alice Peacock.
I am friends with members of bands in the Christian Goth scene.
Eric Clayton.
One of the Miss America's.  

6. Before you leave your home, what must you have?

Keys, diaper bag. miniature Bible kept in the diaper bag, cell phone, pen and paper

7. What do you miss the most about being a kid?

Learning new things all day and being healthy enough to run in the sunshine. I may have asthma and I have leg issues. I don't want to jog...I mean run with wild abandon. 

8. Tell us about a passion of yours that your readers would not expect.

I want to have my Little One visit all 48 of the continental United States in some meaningful way at least once before adulthood. We have visited 5 last year and have plans  for others this year.

9. At what age do you think you'd be to think, “I've had a great run”?

As in being ready to die? I don't know. 

PARTICIPATE IN SATURDAY 9. :-)

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IKEA high chair recall.
This goes back to 2006! 

On my maybe list:
Butterfinger Cheesecake. I am not always fond of Butterfingers.

-----The only fireplace HEPA vacuum
-----Video Screen  Microscope. Perfect for homeschooling.

"The Beginning."

T-shirt I would like to have. 

Space, the moon & an upside-down tree.  

Friday Fill-Ins

1. When I looked out the window this morning _____.
I saw that it is snowing (still morning right now). I need to go get some blood taken and this is not good.

2._____ doesn't make sense to me.
Obama doesn't make sense to me. He does a lot of good....but he is just unpredictable. Some of his proposals just cause so much chaos.

3. Remind me _____.
that I have library books to finish and return in a few days. Also, I must check to make sure I got the return date right. I am reading "660 Curries," "Barbarians at the Dinner Plate," and a book about Chinese food. I finished "Cleaving"....a disgusting book, by the author of "Julie & Julia," featuring several infidelities and much self-indulgence.

4._____ is something I love to do!
Blogging (of course) Lately, I like putting things that I like on Pinterest. :-)

5. TP is _____.
expensive.

6. I cleaned the refrigerator recently and I found _____.
The lemon juice had expired. It used to be we needed the concentrated lemon juice too much and now we don't get through the big bottle. We switched to the little squirt bottle.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _____, tomorrow my plans include _____ and Sunday, I want to _____!
Tonight: 
Shopping for bread, milk and using a pasta sauce coupon that is about to expire. A grandparent visit. IF this stupid snow lets up.
Having a berry cheesecake (homemade,no-bake). Showing Little One the swirling snow after I get done typing this. Editing some photos from a trip to the childrens' museum and other outings. Calling my Mother.
Tomorrow: 
Having a homemade bean soup with lots of onions in it...I need to sort and soak the beans tonight.
Sunday: 
Church...the (huge) cross below is on display at one of the churches I sometimes attend.

 

See more from this artist.....

PARTICIPATE IN FRIDAY FILL-INS

Thursday Thirteen.....

1.

Coaster I eventually want to get a set of.
I have temporarily misplaced the name of the artist.

2.

I felt sorry for this turkey.

Part of a temporary petting zoo. 

Sadly, I found a permanent petting zoo online where the cage was only SLIGHTLY bigger.

If the turkey would have somehow flown away, I would have applauded. 

3. LOVELAND CASTLE (Loveland, Ohio):

Resurrection Lilies.

The foliage comes up by itself ...

and these flowers  on stalks come up as a surprise later.

I want to try growing them. 

4.

Roses at the hotel in Liberty, Kentucky.
We went to a music festival.
Small town.....has only one hotel and no all-night restaurants.

5. THE FAMILY AND  LOVED ONES OF  THOSE LOST IN THE ITALIAN CRUISE SHIP WRECK ARE IN MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS.

6. George Lucas plans to retire from making big movies. There may still be another Indiana Jones.

7. Recipe:
Greek Gingered Pear Drink. Simple recipe.

8. Recipes Using Bourbon:
Nutella Bourbon Cookies
Bourbon Meatloaf. Uses a 1/4 cup of bourbon. The recipe is from Harry's Bar & Grill in Milwaukee.

9.  12 New Year's resolutions for the TSA.

10.  "What Does It Mean to Be From Kentucky?" Humorous.

11.
In My Life:
-----I finished reading "Son of a Witch." It is a part of the "Wicked" series (in case you didn't know or guess).  I did not like this as much as "Wicked" as it was not as fast-paced. I suppose the pacing of the book truly reflected the indecision and pace of the main character's life. I want to look up some of the many words I did not know in this book...particularly to find out what things are real. I especially want to know what plants and foods mentioned in this book (and the previous one) are real. I thought the ending was pretty clever.
-----I gave my Mother "Son of a Witch" when I was finished with it. I bought her the first book when she was hospitalized and she liked it a lot.
-----I have been watching some tutorials on how to do latte art. I was surprised to discover, it should not be too difficult to learn.
-----We took the little one to have professional photos done. Leaving the store was very cute...we were walking slowly because the parking lot was slippery in places and because Little One was holding onto the foot of the beloved stuffed dinosaur (Little One was in Daddy's arms and the big dinosaur was in mine).
-----I am finally on Pinterest. I couldn't figure out why I wasn't getting an invite. It turns out that it had gotten lost in all the e-mails I get and I could have been on there back in June!

12.  There is a new virus that may have time to raid your bank account without being noticed!!!

13. SPRING GROVE:

Ducks.

Spring Grove Cemetery and  Arboretum

Cincinatti, Ohio 

I thing Husband took this photo. :-)

One of the 15 lakes in the cemetery. 

A pretty exit.

Apparently, the 7-year-old who wants to be a girl is now a Girl Scout. There is a call for a boycott of Girl Scout Cookies in response to this.

Guns N' Roses 2011 Welcome to the jungle

World Changes?

So the blog prompt that I was supposed to be working on today was "Social Media Goals in 2012." I ended up spending the day at Church and thinking about the blog prompt in ways I hadn't expected.

What are some of the things I would like to see changed that social media might be able to help with?
-----Drunk driving.
This year I will look into joining MADD. On New Year's Eve, we were coming back from a diner (and Walmart-wandering for exercise after) to pretty much empty roads when suddenly a drunk driver came into half of our lane. If this driver had hit us, my Husband would likely have been very injured or dead. It would have been a head-on crash and the person was doing about 50 (in a 35).
-----TSA
I feel there are necessary security procedures but I would like alternative methods to be looked at. Having to choose between invasive touching and radiation is not good.
-----Walmart
Another thing I have mixed opinions on.
-----Holding politicians more responsible. This does not mean just complaining.

This was off the top of my head.
I have some further notes on this....but that is some of what I will be blogging about this year.

Elderly lady claims TSA strip-searched her. This woman is not the only elderly person claiming to have this happen recently.

The weird things that happened in Florida this year.

Bacon candy canes. They do not sound appetizing but I will try them sometime (and might be surprised).

New York okays burying human ashes in pet cemeteries. For those who want their final resting place to be next to furry loved ones.

THURSDAY THIRTEEN.....

1. Soup and Stew Recipes:       
-----Heineken Sweet Potato Stew. We made this in the crockpot. Husband is not fond of Heineken so we  used a different German beer...Warsteiner (Dunkel).
-----Roasted Tomato and Pepper Soup with Cheese Sticks

2.
------Spiced Sweet Potato Latkes with Yogurt
-----Conan O'Brien's "Human Centipede Menorah"  was pretty disrespectful.

3. Healthy:
-----Cashew Smoothie

4.

Apple strudel with persimmon sauce made by our Italian Experience students.

They are preparing for their last practical in NYC before they head to Italy.

-The French Culinary Institute

5.

Humorous little story and great camera work.

This video has more views than the band's official video.

6. COFFEE:
-----I am hoping that a coffee shop which will help mentor veterans gets off the ground and does well. It would be great if there were more shops like this.
-----"Is Your Morning Coffee Run Making You Fat?" (Thanks to Calvin Lee of Mayhem Studios for the link)
-----The "Alarm Clock" at Arcadia Cafe. Interesting. Orange juice with coffee on top. I am supposed to try this at some point and let someone know what I think of it.

7. IN MY LIFE:
-----I am very disappointed that we will not be able to see Adam Ant when he comes to the United States next year. We can't figure out anyone to lodge with and the tour stops are likely to be during dangerous winter weather. It is possibly one of those once-in-a-lifetime things and I would really like to have gone. :-(
-----We had to cancel a weekend getaway in Wisconsin (hosted by a wonderful friend). There was an illness in our family and miraculously our loved one was able to walk out of the hospital after almost dying...so thankful she is alright. Re-scheduling the trip...it will be the fourth time we have needed to do that. Life can be a little like a pinball machine sometimes.
-----I am hoping that I am not going to be let down on another production (one which I have been waiting at least 7 years to see). We are going to make every effort to get there...more on this later. :-)
-----I am reading the Broadway Musical tie-in of "Wicked." Husband got me it and "Son of a Witch" for Christmas I am finding it to be a great read and my Mother really enjoyed the copy I bought her when she was hospitalized. "Wicked" has a lot of bad reviews on Goodreads. Hmmm.
-----I have applied to a culinary school! It will take me approximately 5 years and 1 semester to complete...that is the pace I can move at financially. There is more internship and hands-on-experiences than I have seen at a lot of culinary schools. I have started preparing by reading all that I can online of what is taught and what experiences the instructors bring. I am going to learn as much as I can during this time and might be able to start my coffee shop a few years early!
-----I want to explore the music of Ellie Goulding. Daiv Russell (of Ninja-Nerd.com)  recommended listening to her. I didn't realize I had heard Ellie before until I Googled it and found "Lights"( a most awesome song). This afternoon I have been listening to the acoustic version of "Lights." :-)


8. From "The Wizard of Oz" Facebook page:
Did you know? The "tornado" was a 35-foot-long muslin stocking, spun around among miniatures of a Kansas farm and fields in a dusty atmosphere.

9. Miracle:
One of the 2004 tsunami victims was found alive!  A young girl.

10. :-(
It is possible that there has been an infant death related to the formula Enfamil.  

11. Taco Bell is now charging for lettuce. Of course, they are not charging a minor or reasonable amount.
On a  similar note: I got a Seattle's Best iced coffee at Burger King as part of breakfast when we got my Christmas gifts. There was no indication on the menu or by the cashier that they were going to charge me for every component they asked if I wanted (and I did not see the price adding up on the screen as I was in the passenger seat) . It was excellent...but I ended up getting a surprise when the price was over three dollars!! Never again and I am sending them some feedback about this. I had no clue that Burger King thinks their coffee is worth so much. On the bright side, it was a nice Christmas treat.
(Update: Husband informs me that the coffee actually cost around 5 dollars! I still need to write that complaint letter.)

                         
12.
Taco Bell Chalupa copycat recipe
Taco Bell Limeade Sparklers copycat recipe 

13. Child's Play:
-----After Christmas,  Lego is introducing a new line targeted at girls, I just don't think pastel Legos look right.
-----The ABC scratching game. Not good.
-----Uproar over a pizza slice "gun."

"Old man on a bench in Downtown Disney constructed with Legos. 

If you get close enough to the statue, he actually snores."

Licensed  photo. Taken by Michael Sult.

This post is a work-in-progress. :-)

THURSDAY THIRTEEN.....

1. In My Life:
-----Husband took me to the thrift store for "Quarter Day" and I was able to get two carts of beautiful clothes as my Christmas present. I will have to post photos.
-----We had to cancel both a planned roadtrip and a weekend getaway. :-(  I am hoping that one of these can be rescheduled.
-----I have been missing prayer group the past few nights.
-----Learned that I now much prefer 90% lean hamburger to 80%. I can tell the difference easily...there is much more grease with the 80%. I wish that grass-fed items were more affordable.
-----I am thinking about trying to get on the writing staff for a new online magazine.
-----I have a couple of cans of tomato soup that we were given a while back. I need to find recipes to use these. We might serve them alongside homemade fishsticks.
-----Yes, I think that is the answer for the tomato soup. We finally have a fish market and I am excited to explore it. We will wait until next month and get some cod. :-)

2.

3. Word review for today..."patrimony." In the case of things I read, it means property handed down from one's father...like the sacred burial mounds of the Native Americans.

4. FreddieForADay

5. $1.50 off a bag of Seattle's Best coffee. 
The coupon is for use at Walmart. The expiration date is January 31st. I don't know how long the coupon will stay up (but internet coupons get so popular that they often stay up five days or less).


6. Crematorium may sell body heat from burning corpses.
"While the proposition may seem a bit morbid, the crematorium insists that most of the energy will come from gas used during the cremation process, with a negligible amount coming from the actual bodies."

7. SPIN's 50 Best Albums of 2011
".....how were musical provocateurs like Kanye West or Lady Gaga supposed to shock anybody when a craven disgraced troll like Newt Gingrich was getting away with posing like a distinguished statesman?"
~~~An album by Britney Spears is 50th. I guess I will be somewhat open-minded and make myself listen to it.


8.
-----SPIN's 20 Best Songs of 2011
-----SPIN's 40 Best Rap Albums of 2011. I don't listen to rap (pretty much at all). I have resolved that I will go through and give each of these a try.
-----125 Greatest Albums of the Past 25 Years
-----SPIN's 40 Greatest Comedy Albums of All Time
-----"50 Mixtapes You Need Now"

9. Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes. From Paula Deen. I will try making the pineapple variation.

10. I am currently working on a review of "What's Age Got to Do With It?" by Robin McGraw (Dr. Phil's wife).

---I am closer to 40 than I would like to think about and this book has really got me thinking about it.
---Despite thyroid issues, I am currently in better physical shape than the majority of my childhood classmates. This is not through intentional exercise efforts. I have done a lot of things in my adult life that naturally involved extreme physical activity or that I put a lot of effort into.
---For my birthday next year, I will make something with a big number for the photos. We teach children to be proud of the fact that they have grown ... being proud of your age is a good thing.


11.Stuff that surprised me!!!
---Gary Numan has Asperger's.
---I may have a non-verbal learning disability that was never diagnosed. I feel much better about my higher math problems now. Now that I am armed with this new knowledge, I am trying to figure out what the next step for me is academically.
---Woman accused of trying to cook meth at Walmart. I hope that someone will actually help with her problem now. I would assume she might try this again if no help is offered and she feels she needs meth. I am wondering if she is just the first person to get caught doing this and if there will be copycats.
---I never heard of Richard Branson's "Virgin Coke." It is still available in some places. Apparently, Virgin Cola was product-placed on "Friends" a few times.

12.

At Loveland Castle.

Ohio. August 2011.

13.

Garden at Jesus People USA (JPUSA). Summer 2011

I want to make a bookmark of his.
JPUSA. Summer 2011.

This post is a work-in-progress. :-)

UNCONSCIOUS MUTTERINGS.....

I say ... and you think ... ? 




Dedication :: 
Dedicating a memorial or new building. Dedicating a baby to God. Loyalty. Dedicating a book. Thank for all you hard work...here is your gold watch. A whole volume dedicated to a subject. The Crow being dedicated to Brandon Lee and Eliza Hutton (I was glad to read that she eventually remarried...about 9 years after his death). Some spammers show a lot of dedication...some show a lot of stupidity...many show both.

Dream destination :: 
Vacation "All I ever wanted...Vacation...time to get away." I don't currently know what my dream destination is. I would like to return to Disneyworld and intend to do so to compete in the Walt Disney Marathon...after MUCH training). For a lot of people, their dream destination is some sort of cruise. I would like to be invited to the "White Dinner" in Paris and actually have the ability to go. I hope that I don't get sunburn on any vacation. Unless it was a guided trip, we could not leave the GPs behind! I wish Israel were safe.

Licensed photo. Taken by Aaron Gardner.

On the way out of Blackpool, England.

Games :: 
Leapfrog. Frogger. Burgertime. Donkey Kong. Video games, in general. Little girls playing jacks or jump rope on the playground. People playing mind games with each other and relationships end because of games. It's all fun and games until. Olympic games. Watching "the game." Card games. I like the "Munchkin" games and own three of them.

I have heard good things about an online gaming platform called "Steam" and will be downloading this once I get my own computer fixed.
Note: Some of the things on Steam are FREE.

Hard as :: 
Brass tacks. A Nail. It's only as hard as you make it. Maylene and the Sons of Disaster..."Tough as John Jacobs." Today I  "blipped" AC/DC's "Hard as a -Rock"  and then wished I hadn't after I read the lyrics. Hard as Nails Ministry.

Convict :: 
Escaped felon...jails that don't have good security. God convicting you about a belief or lack of action. Lacking conviction. The men working on the chain gang. I occasionally wonder what O.J. Simpson is doing and  how long it has been since he last played golf. I read somewhere recently that O.J. is very bored in prison.

Submit :: 
A wife is supposed to "submit" to her husband. Submitting a proposal. I have a book called "The Surrendered Wife" that I need to read further.

Alcohol :: 
People who drink too much or drink their paycheck. Rubbing alcohol. Setting alcohol on fire for Steak Diane, Bananas Foster or a flambe.

Clippers :: 
Nail clippers. I have a pair of nail clippers that are missing. Buy quality nail clippers...because a cheap pair breaks easily. Hedge clippers. Extreme couponing. The barber. Edward Scissorhands and Sweeney Todd. Shearing sheep.

Hormonal :: 
Of course, all the stereotypical talk of womens' cycles. Hormones messed up when one has thyroid issues. Raging hormones. Growth hormones. Cattle that have been given growth hormones.

Diet :: 
So many strange diets. The Atkins diet. Something like 40% of cancers might be preventable by good health choices.

 This post is a work in progress. :-) Participants can "take all week if you want."
PARTICIPATE IN UNCONSCIOUS MUTTERINGS. :-)
_______________________________________

Speaking of convicts.....
PRISON AND JAIL RECIPES:
-----Beef Cakes with Spaghetti
-----Egg Pumpkin Pie. the egg is eggnog.
-----Chicken Cheddar Parmesan. Includes pancake mix.
-----Fried Vegetable Rice. White or yellow.
-----Rice Caribbean. I am not sure where to get Carolina rice, coconut cream paste or kipper snacks.
-----Jamaican Stew. Uses coconut cream paste.

Lifestyle changes can prevent 40% of cancers?

"Smoking was "far and away" the lifestyle factor most related to cancer, the study showed, contributing to 23 percent of cancers in men and nearly 16 percent in women. The rest of the factors differed between the genders."

-----A very expensive car crash!
-----"Dumpster-Diving Urban Robin Hood"

Rodarte for Opening Ceremony dress

Rodarte for Opening Ceremony dress (see more long day dresses)

I just really don't like this dress.

Becky Kelso ring

Becky Kelso ring (see more facets jewelry)