... Always the Hours

Merry Christmas from Karen Carpenter, Zooey and Me

2011-12-25T21:09:00.000-08:00

How is it that Karen Carpenter manages to make the most cheerful songs seem sad and suicidal? It's a gift.

Merry Christmas, Darling

Christmas Waltz

...annnnd thhhhhhhhis song of mine, in three-quarter time, wishing you and yours the same thing too.

I'll Be Home For Christmas

Christmas Walts by She and Him

All I Want For Christmas...

2011-12-22T17:01:00.000-08:00

...is a flight to the Philippines!

David Gandy Monday

2011-12-19T19:59:00.000-08:00

I kept seeing this guy in different magazines, so I decided to see him in motion. I think you will enjoy it.

David Gandy in the Light Blue Fragrance commercial

iPad Fever

2011-11-11T21:42:00.000-08:00

OK, so listen to this. Since I didn't buy myself anything special for my 40th birthday last year, I decided to buy something special for my 41st. I bought an iPad. Not just the regular iPad, but the iPad 2.

OMG!

FEDEX delivered it today. I couldn't wait to open up the box and play with it. I quickly finger tapped my way to the App Store and bought Words With Friends. I signed on, but then I realized I didn't know how to request someone to play with me. I finally figured out a way to connect with my sister and MSH.

I drank the Kool-Aid and I loved it.

There's so much to do on there and all I can do is play a silly word game.

The best word game ever!!

Weeks 4 and 5 with Weight Watchers

2011-11-11T21:27:00.000-08:00

I started my fifth week and I'm not off to a good start. Our theme dinners are inadvertently killing my points. They take place on Wednesdays which happens to be the beginning of my weekly point tracking. The food is delicious and I try to watch my portions, but when you see lasagna, green bean casserole, and pasta (just to name a few) all intelligent reasoning goes away.

Last night, after having a tamale at a school function I went to my mother's for dinner where she fed me a nice hearty piece of steak. Tsk, tsk. I don't feel guilty for eating, but I feel disappointed that I faltered. Not too bad, though, because I enjoyed every bite.

My last weigh-in was Wednesday morning and I came in at 177.5 lbs. Five more pounds till I hit my 10% goal! I'll keep you updated.

Week 3 Begins

2011-10-27T19:45:00.000-07:00

Is it weird that I lost one pound from one day to the next? I'm guessing it's water weight, but I could swear I weighed 180 Wednesday morning, and then I weighed 179 this morning. Since I have to weigh myself once a week, every Wednesday for me, I chose to keep my weight at 180 and not take off that pound.

I'm not feeling hungry in between meals, but staying within my daily points allowance while attending theme dinners is making it tough. Last night was our bi-weekly theme dinner, and while I ate small portions, I still went over my point limit - by LOTS! 30 points lots! Ugh!

Weight Watchers is watching me.

Weight Watchers is Watching - Weeks 1 and 2

2011-10-24T20:25:00.000-07:00

"What!?" was my reaction when I looked at the scale last summer. I'd reached an all time high of 185 lbs. Never in my 41 years on this Earth had I weighed that much. I feel no shame in sharing this number since hardly anyone reads this blog.

I didn't go to a Weight Watchers place to sign up, instead, I did it online. Isn't that how you do things nowadays? It was easy, and you get a deal on the first three months. You don't have to attend the meetings for the weekly "weigh-ins", but you can do it yourself. I see how you can find help in others' support, but I don't think I can handle that right now.Instead I consult some co-workers who are in this too.

I weighed myself at the end of week one, and I lost 1.7 lbs. Not much, but it's a step forward. I keep track of those silly points, but keeping track and knowing you only have so many allotted per day keeps your hunger in between meals in check. Since I lost almost two pounds, my total points were reduced from 38 to 37. Suuuuuuucks!!!

Overall, it's interesting because you can still eat things you enjoy, but you just have to watch your portions. It's all in the portions and exercise.

OK, so hopefully - keep your fingers crossed - I'll be able to update you on my progress as I go through this. ( Wrong attitude? Too soon? Eh!)

Bless the Beasts and the Children

2011-09-02T21:29:00.000-07:00

Travel with me, if you will, in the Blogger Time Machine back to 2009.

This entry was saved in my draft page. I have no idea which child at school disappointed me on this day, but this bitch of a squirrel made a nest in my walk-in closet, toured my apt, and "shit" on my floor.

"...Bless the beasts and the children
For in this world they have no voice
They have no choice

Bless the beasts and the children
For the world can never be
The world they see..."


Normally, I would agree with those song lyrics, but a child and a squirrel disappointed me today.

80's Duets

2011-09-02T21:20:00.000-07:00

As usual I started looking at music videos on YouTube and my focus changed. My evening started with random 80's music and then I narrowed my focus to only include duets. Here are my top three, but not in any particular order.

First on my list is "Separate Lives" by Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin from the movie White Nights
At the 2:50 minute mark is my favorite vocal."...build that wall...."

Overall, it's an amazing song.However, to Academy voters it wasn't amazing enough to beat Lionel Richie's "Say You, Say Me" for Best Song at the Oscars that year. I remember being bummed out because I really wanted it win. I believe it's one of my earliest memories of REALLY watching the Oscars and paying attention to categories. The song is not cheezy and awesome in its range. Lionel's....not so much. I think Marilyn Martin makes the song, and seeing Baryshnikov dance is always fantastic.Plus seeing him in a white t-shirt doesn't hurt either.

Next on my list is "Can't We Try" by Dan Hill and Vonda Shepard. I was telling my sister, Trixie, this evening that these songs have that "build that wall" moment in them sung by the female singer. This song's moment is "...don't let our love fade away..." at the 2:09 mark. Again, excellent vocals and nothing extraordinarily tacky, plus it tell a story as "Separate Lives" does. I love a good narrative in a song.

Finally, I've chosen "On My Own" by Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald. I don't even know where to start with this one. The whole song is a *moment* like the snippets in the previous songs. It's two big voices in one song and one hell of a narrative. Need I say more?

While I was only 15 when this song came out and I couldn't really relate to the subject matter, the vocals stood out. It also didn't hurt that I was a rabid General Hospital fan in those days. Lucy Coe and Jimmy Lee were in this deep relationship and their "song" was "On My Own". Because the show was so popular back then, the song took off even faster on Billboard.

The video is a time capsule. Patti's hair: HUGE. Her shoulder pads: HUGE. Her voice: HUGE. Love it! I remember thinking she was like a singing Dominique Deveraux.

I have a few more duets saved up, but these were the ones that meant the most to my teenage soul.

Downton Abbey

2011-07-21T22:19:00.001-07:00

I fell in love with this PBS/BBC series when it aired in late winter/early spring. I just couldn't get enough.

Here's the British Comic Relief spoof: (part1)
"Uptown Downstairs Abbey"

(part 2)

Drunken Blog

2011-07-21T20:52:00.000-07:00

I spent the evening with Msh's sister and her husband who are visiting from ATL. Long story short, I had too many glasses of Pinot and now I'm drunk. It's been a long time since I've been drunk. Being the good Catholic boy, I'm always feeling guilty for feeling good. I just can't justify it without the guilt.

I'm also thinking about my trip to France in the fall. What will I wear? How am I going to pack just enough to make it a whole week? Will my seats on the plane be comfortable? I just don't know.

These are the songs I want to hear in my drunken state:
Feist: "1 2 3 4"

Dido: "White Flag"

Concerto in G by Vivaldi:

Good night.

FIFA Women's World Cup 2011

2011-07-17T14:26:00.001-07:00

Congratulations team U.S.A. for being runner-up at the World Cup!

Happy Independence Day!

2011-07-04T16:01:00.000-07:00

Hey, watch it sister!

2011-06-23T20:40:00.000-07:00

"Come on Julie, have some lard."

Via jason

Leek and Potato Soup (ala Julia Child)

2011-06-23T19:55:00.000-07:00

Photo via Average Betty

For about 2 quarts serving 6 to 8 people

A 3 to 4 quart saucepan

3 to 4 cups or 1 lb. peeled potatoes, sliced or diced (canned whole or cubed works too)

3 cups or 1lb. thinly sliced leeks including the tender green; or yellow onions (1 large leek is enough)
2 quarts of water (4 cups) - you can also use veggie broth to give more flavor
1 Tb salt

Simmer the vegetables, water and salt together, partially covered for about 40 to 50 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

Mash the vegetables in the soup with a fork, or pass the soup through a hand mixer. Correct seasoning ( she's not kidding - I had to add more salt and veggie seasoning because it was bland)

Set aside uncovered until just before serving, then reheat to the simmer.

4 to 6 Tb. whipping cream or 2 to 3 Tb. softened butter
2 to 3 Tb. minced parsley or chives ( chives gives it more flavor and doesn't cut into the flavor of the leaks)

Off heat and just before serving, stir in the cream or butter by spoonfuls.

Pour into a tureen or soup cups and decorate with herbs.

Bon Appetit!

Recipe Source: Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle, & Simone Beck

I believe I found my new religion: cooking. The whole process took about two hours, but my focus was on nothing else but making this dish. I was in the zone and it felt great.

Tom Hardy

2011-06-20T20:57:00.000-07:00

"You mustn't be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling."

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T22:53:00.001-07:00

Dead or Alive Wednesday

2011-06-15T16:46:00.001-07:00

Boys and girls, today we'll be learning about comparing and contrasting.

"Lover Come Back to Me"

How are the videos similar, and how are they different?

Discuss.

The Gayle King Show

2011-06-15T16:24:00.000-07:00

Ann Curry: Being interviewed by you is like eating butter.

Gayle King: Butter??

Ann Curry: Yes. Painless. Yum.

Gayle King: Next time, let’s put a biscuit on it.

I love how Gayle adds to the food analogy. She loves her food, and it’s one of the many reasons I like her lately.

Mini Gaga

2011-06-04T11:55:00.000-07:00

Quickly before I hop on over to the Oyster Fest. Mini Lady Gaga (Terra Jole') will be performing tonight at Zephyr Stadium after the game. Her opening act will be Mini Michael Jackson and, get this, Mini Beyonce!! Awesome!!

Being There

2011-06-02T19:44:00.001-07:00

Melissa McCarthy, the actress, said it best (and I paraphrase), “You are your problem and your solution.”

Have you ever wanted to be something that you thought you would be good at, but deep down inside you knew it just wasn’t going to happen?

I did.

I wanted to be a math teacher. I had such a good math teacher my last two years in high school that I believed I was actually capable of teaching others. Even though I was in denial that I’d made straight D’s my sophomore year in Geometry.

Even in college, I concentrated in math. I never made a grade higher than a C in my math courses at UNO, but HELL I knew I was going to teach it. As a matter of fact, the only math class I made a B in was Calculus for Business Majors.

You know why?

Because I only had to memorize formulas and problems and there was never any actual proving of proofs. The instructor basically gave you the problems that were going to be on the test, but he just changed the numbers.

I suppose I realized I didn’t like teaching math when I actually started doing it my second year at work. I wasn’t very good at explaining it, and I found it all too boring. Experience made me come to that conclusion.

Now, what if I’d never come the realization that it just wasn’t meant to be? Would I be missing something in me telling me to change direction? I knew I didn’t need anyone to tell me so, but what if I looked to others to tell me what my life should be like? Looking to others for solutions is not the way I want to live my life.

They are not me.

I am my own person.

YOU are your own person.

Suburbia

2011-06-02T19:35:00.000-07:00

I was once told that there's nothing going on in the suburbs. It's all vanilla and that everything that is anything is happenin' in New Orleans.

I beg to differ. I saw a legless man smoking his cigarette next to his front door. I waved *hi* as I walked by. He waved back.

Oops! Naomi

2011-06-01T09:49:00.001-07:00

Someone took offense.

Tyra's BFF!

Bridesmaids

2011-05-30T20:22:00.000-07:00

My summer movie recommendation.

Female fight club...we grease up...beat the shit out of her...surprise!

How can anyone not laugh? Oh, wait. It happened.

The Professor and Lily

2011-05-22T22:43:00.000-07:00

Lily Allen's "Knock em out"

Professor Longhair's "Big Chief"

Playlist

2011-05-22T21:35:00.000-07:00

I know it doesn't make any sense to make this playlist for a close friend who recently had a break-up. My friend is at that stage where all you want to do is cry. Indulgence is needed until you get to the point where you can hear angrier songs. Any suggestions for me to post here?

No Doubt

Bread (well, just David Gates)

The Carpenters

Eric Carmen in his '70s best.

Lily Allen

Garbage

Expose

The Jets ( with bad '80s graphics)

Cake ( Last one)

Something

2011-04-08T19:48:00.000-07:00

Reading MSH's blog entry about Mary Hopkin made me think about songs from my childhood.
http://neworleansboy.blogspot.com/2011/02/percussion-side-of-town.html

This Beatle's song was THE song they would play when Channel 5, in Honduras, would sign off for the night back in the 70's and most of the early 80's. I was describing it to MSH, and after over 30 years of me searching and wondering, he found it for me. In ONE night! He's amazing!

All Things Gay...

2011-04-08T18:53:00.000-07:00

Speaking of all things gay...I found this lovely lamp on one of the main streets in my neighborhood. It turns out that it actually works when you plug it in, as you can see. I think it's lovely. and it gives my house a nice warm glow. I love warm glow.

Speaking of all things gay...My sister and I had an extended discussion of how terrible SATC 2 is from the over-the-top costumes...

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

to the bad dialogue and puns..."Abu Dhabi Doo!" " Lawrence of my labia"

My biggest complaint, as it turns out, was the decision to put Liza Minnelli in the movie and have her be a gay icon for the younger men in the chorus during the wedding scenes. Do I really believe that gay men in their early to mid-twenties will go ga-ga over Liza? No. Do I believe Michael Patrick King will? Yes.

Why not pick someone like Lady Gaga, Xtina or, I'd even stoop down to, Ke$ha? Why not? I think it was a bad choice on his part, but the movie had bigger problems than poor, wobbly Liza.

Then, I got to thinking about something that happened that same day having to do with all things gay. I received my Vanity Fair with Rob Lowe on the cover. He's shirtless, but let's just say I would rather imagine him shirtless, than see him shirtless. A slight disappointment.

Anyway, I was flipping through the magazine when I saw an article on, who else? Judy Garland!

It then forced me to think about what I said about MPK. I was, for a lack of better words, literally enthralled with the piece.

Why? Not sure.

I suppose it was interesting to read about the last decade of her life when things weren't so good anymore and she was struggling to get back on top. I especially liked Polly Bergen, coming across as a total bitch, ripping Judy a new hole into the beyond by saying that she WAS a total mess and unreliable.

What is it with these women and gay men? Can anyone explain this to me? Anyone??

Happy New Year!

2010-12-30T23:21:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year!

Here's hoping my New Year's Eve party doesn't head in this direction. Wah, wah, wah.

I wonder who will come as Shelly Winters? Who will be brave enough? Who?

How Do You Share It?

2010-12-22T07:19:00.000-08:00

SJP3 more days until Christmas!

I managed to do a whole holiday lesson that culminated with this video. The kids loved it!

Butter Spongecake (ala Julia Child)

2010-11-27T20:54:00.000-08:00

I've never been a fan of baking, but since Thanksgiving was around the corner I decided to bake a cake. Every time I say that I want to bake a cake, I feel that I sound like that character, Laura Brown, in The Hours played my Julianne Moore who can't bake a cake. Toni Colette's character, Kitty, tells her, "Anyone can bake a cake." It's second nature to Kitty but it's something that Julianne's character feels she has to do. I didn't feel I had to bake a cake, but I wanted to just try, from scratch.

It was very satisfying separating the egg yolks from the whites, and using the mixer to make "soft peaks" and the "hard peaks". Making the frosting was another story. Let's just say I had to use a mix from a box. Ugh! I know, but I was in a pinch and MSH helped me out by providing the frosting mix. I still had to mix it and beat it to make it soft and creamy.

Here's the recipe for Butter Spongecake ala Julia Child:
Preheat oven to 350 degress

Ingredients: A round cake pan, 10" in diameter and 2" deep. ( I used a 9" pan)
Process: Butter and flour the cake pan. Measure out the ingredients.

Ingredients: 4 Tb of butter
Process: Melt the butter and set aside to cool.

Ingredients: A 3-quart mixing bowl, an electric beater or large wire whip (beater is best), 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 4 egg yolks, 2 tsp vanilla extract
Process: Gradually beat the sugar into the egg yolks, add the vanilla, and continue beating for several minutes until mixture is thick, pale yellow, and forms a ribbon when you full the wire whip away from the mixture.

Ingredients: 4 egg whites, pinch of salt, 2 Tb granulated sugar, a rubber spatula, 3/4 cup cake flour (scooped and leveled, page 17), turned into a flour sifter.
Process: Beat the egg whites and salt together in a separate bowl until soft peaks are formed; sprinkle on the sugar and beat until stiff peaks are formed. Scoop 1/4 of the egg whites over the top of the egg yolks and sugar mixture. Sift on 1/4 of the flour, and delicately fold in until partially blended. Then add 1/3 of the remaining egg whites, sift on 1/3 of the remaining flour, fold until partially blended, and repeat with half of each, then the last of each and half of the tepid, melted butter. When partially blended, fold in the rest of the butter but omit the milky residue at the bottom of the butter cup. Do not over mix; the egg whites must retain as much volume as possible.

Turn into prepared cake pan, tilting pan to run batter to the rim all around. Set in middle level of preheated oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Cake is done when it has puffed, is light brown, and has just begun to show a faint line of shrinkage from the edges of the pan.

Remove from oven and let stand in the pan for 6 to 8 minutes. It will sink slightly and shrink more from the edges of the pan. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and reverse on a cake rack, giving the pan a sharp little jerk to dislodge the cake. If cake is not to be iced, immediately reverse it so its puffed side is uppermost. Allow to cool for an hour or so.

If you bake two, you fill stack one on top of the other and filling the middle with your favorite preserve. (Raspberry tastes delicious with this cake)

African- American Friday (Black Friday)

2010-11-26T21:30:00.000-08:00

In honor of the biggest shopping day of the year: a GAP Xmas commercial. Plus, it's really cold outside. Brrrrr.

Selma Blair and Rainn Wilson

Four weeks until Christmas!!

Plumber's Crack

2010-11-26T21:01:00.000-08:00

I've lived in my house for almost two months now, and I've been complaining that I haven't felt like it's my home yet. However, after a brief consultation with J a s o n and his ideas on how to spruce up my house, I started feeling a tad bit better. Apparently, white curtains make a room feel more homey. They do.

My consultation, unfortunately, did not completely solve my melancholy. To add to my grief, I've also been complaining to MSH about the leak underneath my kitchen sink. Now, while he hasn't been giving me a gruff about it, I'm sure he wishes I would stop whining about it and do something. It's what we, as males, do. We fix things. We want a solution.

So, after much time being fixated on the problem, I finally decided to do something about it. I went out to my neighborhood Home Depot and bought something called plumbers putty, a channel lock wrench and another wrench whose name I can't recall. (Thank you to my brother-in-law Steve for talking me down from my ledge.)

After 2 hours of taking pvc pipes apart and then putting them back together (an enigma unless you've done it before), I ended up with a drain that no longer leaks! NO LEAKS!

Amazing! Pain in the ass, but still amazing!

Here's a picture of the pipes. I fixed the one on the left hand side.

My next project will be that long hose in the background that's leaking water into that Bruno's beer pitcher. It never ends, but, alas, it'll just have to wait for another day.

Scream 4

2010-10-22T20:39:00.000-07:00

Is it just me, or does anyone else want to see Hayden Panettiere get the Scream knife!? It would be great if Katherine Heigl were in it too. I would be in heaven.

Move In My Direction

2010-10-22T19:50:00.000-07:00

After 365 days and all these:

4301 Morris Pl.,

704 E. Jefferson Park,

527 Jefferson St. (Anne Frank may have lived upstairs),

4413 Ellen St.,

231 Riverdale Dr.,

10 Karen Ct.,

289 Brooklyn Ave.,

131 Brooklyn Ave.(contender #2 at one point),

200 Anthony Ave. (contender #1- still up for sale),

638 Gelpi Ave.,

539 Carol Ave.,

540 Carol Ave., 537 Carol Ave.,

4451 Markham Ave.,

4700 Hackberry Dr.,

3800 Alfred Place,

305 Central Ave.,

and

3800 Alfred Pl.,

I finally bought this house one month ago today:

Thanks to my wonderfully, patient realtor, Angela (a.k.a. Miss Daisy - she knows why) for helping me find the perfect home in the perfect neighborhood. It's true what they say about location, location, location.

A BIGGER thanks goes out to MSH for listening to all my fears, doubts, complaints, and craziness. He always knows how to put everything into perspective.

It's been a stressful, fun, and educational year that I will never forget every time the 1st of the month comes around. No matter what, though, it's all mine. All mine.

GAP Commercial Thursday

2010-09-23T21:38:00.000-07:00

My apologies for missing it on Tuesday. I was busy buying my house! Yay!!!

Here's a blast from the GAP past.

I like the Daft Punk song, and Ms. Lewis looks like she's kind of having fun. Kinda.

Nate

2010-09-17T20:27:00.000-07:00

I think I want a pocket Nate Berkus to put in my shirt pocket to advise me on all things decorative, or one to just display on my bookshelf in my new house.

I'll have to see if he is available.

I was watching his show this evening and he disappointed me just a little.

He misspelled the word you're. He spelled it - your'e.

He looked so proud holding his little post-it up to the camera, and giving us his come hither look. However, I just kept looking at the apostrophe in the wrong place.

A little love for Nate died today. *sniffle*

Gap Commercial Tuesday - Raoul Bova Part 2

2010-09-14T19:49:00.000-07:00

I had such a crappy day, and seeing my boyfriend and posting this video have been the two things I've been looking forward to all evening.

Enjoy his tush!

Music Monday - The Radio Dept.

2010-09-13T21:05:00.000-07:00

"Pulling Our Weight" - First heard this song back in 2007. I love the hypnotic sound of the guitar always repeating.

Here's a bonus track.

"I Don't Like It Like This"

Gap Commercial Tuesday - Raoul Bova

2010-09-07T18:09:00.002-07:00

This was my introduction to Raoul. Isn't he a hottie??

Those arms.

Those legs.

Ah!

My apologies for skipping Music Monday, but, strangely enough, I was busy on Labor Day drinking and seeing boobage at the movies. -->Pirahna - 3D!

Born To Run

2010-09-03T19:40:00.001-07:00

Best. Emmy opening. Ever.

Creamed Cucumbers with Mushrooms (ala Julia Child)

2010-09-02T16:10:00.000-07:00

Guess who won 1st place with the following recipe?

Me!

Yay!

(not my picture- Deb has the picture from dinner)

Here's the recipe. Bon Appetit!

Creamed Cucumbers with Mushrooms (ala Julia Child)
Note: Baked cucumbers go with roast, broiled, or sauteed chicken, roast veal, veal chops, or scallops, and, get this, sauteed brains or sweetbreads. (yum)

Ingredients only for the cucumbers:

6 cucumbers about 8 inches long
2 Tb wine vinegar
1.5 tsp salt
1/8 tsp sugar
a 2 1/2 quart bowl a baking dish 12 inches in diameter and 1.5 inches deep
3Tb melted butter (or spread)
1/2 tsp dill or basil (I like basil)
3-4 Tb minced green onions
1/8 tsp pepper

1.Peel the cucumbers. Cut in half lengthwise; scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Cut into lengthwise strips about 3/8 inch wide. Cut the strips into 2-inch pieces.
2. Toss the cucumbers in a bowl with the vinegar, salt, and sugar. Let stand for at least 30 minutes or several hours. Drain. Pat dry in a towel.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
4. Toss the cucumbers in the baking dish with the butter, herbs, onions, and pepper. Set uncovered in the middle level of the preheated oven for about an hour, tossing every 20 min. until cucumbers are tender but still have a suggestion of crispness and texture. They will barely color during the cooking.
5. Prepare the creamed mushrooms 15 minutes before you take the cucumbers out of the oven.

See below to prepare mushrooms.

Ingredients for the creamed mushrooms:

1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms
A skillet
1 cup whipping cream (half and half seemed less fatty)
1 cup cornstarch mixed with 1tsp water
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tb minced parsley (chives are even better)

1. Trim, wash, and quarter the mushrooms. Dry in a towel.
2. Set them in a dry skillet and toss over moderately low heat for 5 minutes or so.
3. Pour in the cream and cornstarch mixture; boil slowly for 5 minutes or so, until cream has reduced and thickened.
4. Stir in salt and pepper, simmer a moment and check seasoning.
5. Fold into the hot baked cucumbers, sprinkle with parsley (chives), and serve.

Music Monday

2010-08-30T19:22:00.001-07:00

This is my #1 favorite Toni Braxton song. It conjures memories of 1996 when all things gay were new to me. :-)

This is my #2 favorite Toni Braxton song. I love that Toni called Robin Givens up and said, "Hey, gurl, need a job?"

"He Wasn't Man Enough"

Music Monday

2010-08-23T20:29:00.001-07:00

La Meme Histoire by Feist

Here's the curtain call at the end of Paris, je t'aime. It doesn't give anything away.It's WAY better than New York, I Love You.

Music Monday

2010-08-16T21:26:00.000-07:00

LOVE this remix that has recently come to my attention.

Ladies and gentlemen, Sade singing "By Your Side" (Neptunes Remix)

If anyone finds the actual video of her singing the remix, let me know.

Class of '89

2010-08-08T16:12:00.000-07:00

This was almost my class song. It got voted down for Kenny Rogers' "Through the Years". Not my personal choice.

New Music Sunday (for me)

2010-08-08T11:23:00.000-07:00

Florence + The Machine - "Dog Days are Over"

Time's Up

2010-08-05T20:04:00.000-07:00

It's time to go back to work.

Yuck!

I'm looking forward to lunch with friends afterward though.

Boeuf Bourguignon ala Julia ala Breezy

2010-08-04T13:26:00.001-07:00

This is Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon, but I made a few changes.

Cook the --Regular not pearl. Pearl onions take too long to peal. Cut roughly.--onions, mushrooms (pre-cut), and carrots (baby carrots) separately AND before you cook the meat. Let them sit while you take care of the beef and the bacon.

REMEMBER, dry the beef before you cook it so it will brown. It makes it so much more tastier.

My favorite moment of this cooking process is when you add the wine and slightly cover the beef. The aroma that floats up as the steam leaves the pot is unforgettable. Don't overdo it with the wine because it will taste too winey (?) if you can imagine tasting that.

DON'T worry about the tomato paste. It tastes great without it.

Finally, while butter makes just about everything taste fantastic, try using cooking spray. You'll have less fat to skim as you go along. Really.

Happy cooking!

1 6-ounce chunk of bacon

1 9- to 10-inch fireproof casserole 3 inches deep

1 tablespoon olive oil or cooking oil

1 slotted spoon

3 pounds lean stewing beef cut into 2-inch cubes

1 sliced carrot

1 sliced onion

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons flour

3 cups of a full-bodied young red wine such as one of those suggested for serving or a Chianti

2-3 cups brown beef stock or canned beef bouillon

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 cloves mashed garlic

1/2 teaspoon thyme

a crumbled bay leaf

the blanched bacon rind

18-24 small white onions (brown-braised in stock)

1 pound quartered fresh mushrooms sauteed in butter

parsley sprigs

Directions

As is the case with most famous dishes, there are more ways than one to arrive at a good boeuf bourguignon. Carefully done, and perfectly flavored, it is certainly one of the most delicious beef dishes concocted by man, and can well be the main course for a buffet dinner. Fortunately you can prepare it completely ahead, even a day in advance, and it only gains in flavor when reheated.

VEGETABLE AND WINE SUGGESTIONS

Boiled potatoes are traditionally served with this dish. Buttered noodles or steamed rice may be substituted. If you also wish a green vegetable, buttered peas would be your best choice. Serve with the beef a fairly full-bodied, young red wine, such as Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhone, Bourdeaux-St. Emilion or Burgundy.

--------

Remove rind and cut bacon into lardons (sticks, 1/4-inch thick and 1 1/2-inches long). Simmer rind and bacon for 10 minutes in 1 1/2 quarts of water. Drain and dry.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Saute the bacon in the oil over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon. Set casserole aside. Reheat until fat is almost smoking before you saute the beef.

Dry the beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Saute it, a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the bacon.

In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the sauteing fat.

Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with the salt and pepper. Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly with the flour. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes. Toss the meat and return to oven for 4 minutes more. (This browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust.) Remove casserole and turn oven down to 325 degrees.

Stir in the wine and enough stock or bouillon so that the meat is barely covered. Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs and bacon rind. Bring to simmer on top of the stove. Then cover the casserole and set in lower third of preheated oven. Regulate heat so liquid simmers very slowly for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.

While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms. Set them aside until needed.

When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan. Wash out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms over the meat.

Skim fat off the sauce. Simmer sauce for a minute or two, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 21/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons of stock or canned bouillon. Taste carefully for seasoning. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables.

(*) Recipe may be completed in advance to this point.

FOR IMMEDIATE SERVING

Cover the casserole and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times. Serve in its casserole, or arrange the stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles or rice, and decorated with parsley.

FOR LATER SERVING

When cold, cover and refrigerate. About 15 to 20 minutes before serving, bring to the simmer, cover and simmer very slowly for 10 minutes, occasionally basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce.

Aveeno

2010-08-04T13:01:00.000-07:00

May I recommend something? Alright, I'd like to recommend a face wash that will leave your face feeling clean, but it doesn't feel like you are scouring your face with sand.I'd like to introduce you to the Aveeno Ultra-Calming Foaming Facial Cleanser:

What I find great about it is that it doesn't overly dry your skin and it reduces redness. Try it and see. I bet you'll like it.

January Jones

2010-07-23T21:01:00.000-07:00

Love this picture of January. Watch Mad Men's season premiere Sunday, July 25, 2010.

Hey Bra!

2010-04-29T21:43:00.000-07:00

Tonight I had a wonderful time listening to David Sedaris reading to me for almost two hours. I found him, at times, funny and abstruse. I left not quite knowing how to feel except maybe slightly satisfied.

Afterward, MSH and I dropped two Jasons off at their respective homes, and then drove to the local Walgreens to look for cold medicine for MSH. Overall, the whole Walgreens experience was uneventful except for always seeing the never ending traffic there is in its parking lot. Is it because they're always open? Are they selling crack at half price? What already? Believe it or not, someone's done some research into the Walgreens parking lot problem. Here's a link. (Look on p. 7)

As MSH was checking out in the endless line, I glanced beyond him and I noticed a sign. It said: $10.99 ea. - BRA'S.

First of all, I couldn't even begin to tell you what a good bra looks like, but I'm sure $10.99 bras cannot be top of the line. Correct?

Second of all, and really the first thing that caught my eye was that darned apostrophe! Why is there an apostrophe there? It's called apostrophe abuse and it must stop. Something must be done. (Till then, here's a spot with more abuses of the apostrophe: http://www.apostropheabuse.com/)

Finally, what the hell is Walgreens doing selling bras? Who buys their bras at Walgreens? I'll have to ask some women at work how they feel about my new discovery because it perturbs me.

Where the Wild Saints Are

2010-02-05T17:53:00.000-08:00

Have you seen my recent purchase thanks to MSH?

I. Die.

Damned Wireless Router

2010-02-05T17:37:00.000-08:00

After two hopeless hours of trying to connect a wireless router to my computer, I've decided to stop and cook instead.

Since my fridge is looking like a bachelor's cliche', I've decided to make due with what I have which are tomatoes and a slew of herbs and spices.

For my menu tonight, I'll be having Tomates a la Provencale.

What is that you ask?

It's tomatoes stuffed with bread crumbs, herbs and garlic. Yum!

I'll take a picture and post it here when I'm all done. I figure cooking will help me focus and not dwell on a stupid NETGEAR router model WGR614 v.6! As you can see it's very difficult for me to let go of things, much less quit.

Here's to my cooking going better than my technical skills!

Hello, Senator!

2010-01-30T03:26:00.000-08:00

Republican Senator Scott Brown who won Ted Kennedy's Massachusetts Senate seat. Hello!

Boom, Boom!

2009-11-26T20:44:00.000-08:00

Just cuz.

croque monsieur

2009-10-25T17:03:00.000-07:00

Even though it's simple to make, I like to follow recipes until I can make them with my eyes closed.

Le Croque Monsieur according to Jacques Pepin:

He uses good Jarlsberg, Gruyère, Beaufort, or Comté ( I used Swiss in a money pinch) cheese and the best boiled ham (called Sara Lee) that I can find at my market (Rouse's). The sandwiches can be prepared ahead and baked as needed for a large party or wedding reception.

Arrange 2 thick slices white bread next to one another on the counter and cover 1 slice completely with slices of cheese. Add 1 slice ham to cover the cheese and then add another layer of cheese and ham before finishing with the other slice of bread. Spread about 1 teaspoon butter on each side of the sandwich and arrange it on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for about 12 minutes, or until the croque-monsieur is brown and crusty on both sides. Cool for about 5 minutes. Trim off the crust if you like and cut into 6 small rectangles. Serve hot with toothpicks.

Makes 6 mini sandwiches

Who Really Rules The World?

2009-09-24T15:28:00.000-07:00

Who really rules the world? That's the title of the small pamphlet I received inside an envelope today. The envelope was addressed to my first two initials and my last name in very neat penmanship. I believe the writer even may have used a ruler to keep the lines perfectly straight.

Alice B. sent me the pamphlet with a lovely letter, written in pencil, and addressed inside to Ms. M!@#$%^*. How lovely!

Her message is brief, yet full of concern.

Her work, she goes on to say, is patterned after the work Jesus Christ "established when on Earth." She does this voluntarily, and she endeavors to help individuals, like me, to "come to AND accurate knowledge of the truth." (whatever that may be)

I felt this letter, which was weirdly written in pencil, was the perfect topper to my day. I opened it on the first floor, and laughed at the cosmic weirdness it added to an already crappy day all the way to the third floor

I thought to myself,"What am I doing?"

I don't know.

The only way I get through times like these is to think of Melanie Griffith's Tess McGill in Working Girl.

This song always makes me feel better when work is not going well.

Stigmata

2009-09-11T23:31:00.003-07:00

After a late afternoon of dinner and a margarita with some work friends, I was not wanting to step into my apartment and see *this* dribbling down the wall closest to the front door.

My apartment was leaking water from the attic. What's interesting is that the water did not drip from the ceiling, but, instead, found a way to not stain the upper part of the wall and just stain the middle of the downward. Weird, huh? Leaks come from the weirdest places.

Naturally, my insane obsessing mind couldn't leave this alone, so I lugged my buzzed behind to the attic (not my favorite place to be after the bat incident) where I began to search for the troublesome leak.

I ended up finding it right above what I imagined the entrance to my apartment was, so I placed an old empty wonton soup container from Chinese take-out right underneath it. *sigh*

It's just another call to my landlord that I dread making, and another reason why buying a house feels so much better.

If it starts leaking blood, I should call the Vatican, right?

The Descent

2009-08-31T20:10:00.000-07:00

Have you ever seen a horror movie that you can only see once? I have, The Descent.

I have tried to watch it again, but my pulse rises and I end up holding my breath at the anticipation of something popping out of the dark. So, I try to avoid it whenever it comes on TV.

Here's the trailer for it.

Now I hear they are coming up with a sequel. I can't imagine that it will be as good as the first one. They never usually are, but if it is then it will hopefully be just as scary. I may just have to hold my breath all over again.

Here's the trailer for the sequel.

Ensalata Caprese

2009-08-23T16:28:00.001-07:00

Look at what I made today!

It wasn't my recipe, but it looks good, huh?

Here's the recipe via Jamie Oliver:

Serves 4

4 x 150g balls of buffalo mozzarella
2 handfuls of good mixed ripe tomatoes, of different shapes and sizes
the white of 1 spring onion, very finely sliced
extra virgin olive oil
good-quality herb vinegar

for the dressing:
a big handful of fresh basil leaves
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil

First make your dressing. Keeping a few leaves aside for later, roughly chop the basil and pound with a good pinch of salt in a pestle and mortar. Add a splash of oil and stir it in to make a lovely smashed basil dressing.

Carefully tear the mozzarella on to a large serving plate. Chop the tomatoes roughly into chunks and dress in a bowl with the spring onion, some olive oil, a little herb vinegar and some salt and pepper. Place the tomatoes in and around the mozzarella and drizzle the basil sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the reserved basil leaves and serve.

As you can see, it's simple without exact measuring (frustrating for me, but alas).

It's even more delicious with homemade vinaigrette.

The Last Night of Summer

2009-08-09T20:20:00.001-07:00

I go back to work tomorrow, and I'm very sad. I'm sad that my 2 month break is over and of whatever craziness I'll have to face at school in the morning.

For now, though, I'm going to bed. I'll read my Doris Day biography (fantastic btw), and dream about our condo below.

IGNORANCE

2009-07-16T15:36:00.000-07:00

Actually, this is beyond ignorance, so here you go...

Updating

2009-07-09T21:24:00.000-07:00

Geez! It's been a really long time since I last updated. I haven't been feeling like blogging, blah, blah,blah.

I can say that I've had lots of blog ideas, but no follow through. I haven't even been following anyone's blog until today. I posted some comments. Finally.

OK, vacation time is coming, and I'm really looking forward to it. Honestly, I'm already on vacation, but I don't consider it so until I leave N.O. You know?

7? of us are going to Destin. Not my original choice because of the crowded beaches, but it'll have to do this year. I know I will enjoy myself no matter what.

Other than that. I'll be seeing "Whatever Works" with one J a s o n tomorrow, and eating some deelicious Mexican food at Nacho Mama's. Yum!

To entertain you till my next post, here is a clip of a "Mamma Mia!" parody from the U.K. I particularly loved Joanna Lumley playing Christine Baranski playing Patsy Stone!
PART 1

PART 2
They won't let me embed part 2, so here is the link. :-(
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZOdvWBPAqY

Cool Easy Listening Stylings

2009-04-17T22:13:00.001-07:00

I've recently been thinking of songs from back when I was in high school and college and Lisa Stansfield's name came to mind. This Barry White cover is one of my favorites from her CD collection.

The Lil' View

2009-02-16T21:50:00.000-08:00

The Lil' View - watch more funny videos

Snapped

2009-02-05T15:16:00.000-08:00

Has anyone heard of "Snapped"? It's a show on Oxygen that tells the stories of women, mostly, who snapped and killed someone.

I snapped today. I didn't commit a murder, but I snapped.

I was calm driving to school. I was calm walking into to school and signing in. As soon as a co-worker said,"You're going down to the end of the breeze way." All common sense left my body.

Before I go on, let me explain. Every seven weeks, groups of teachers have early morning duty in certain spots around the school to herd students like cattle in areas so they don't crowd the already over-crowded cafeteria. The group of teachers whom I work with decided, without me, that they would rotate areas every day. The first time we did this, I was not made aware of this decision and I said it was stupid then but I went to my spot on the breeze way.

This time around, I stood in my same spot and since no one asked me to move I thought we weren't going to switch spots. Silly me. Foolish me. As soon as my co-worker told me to move, I went crazy. I crossed my arms and said I wasn't. going. to. move. Then we proceeded to argue as kids were streaming in to the school. We had smiles on our faces, but we were dead serious.

She decided to compare what I was doing to deciding against teaching one day. How dare she! There's no comparison. This is just standing outside watching kids. Who gives a fuck? (pardon my French)

Maybe this all sounds silly, but it just bothered me today. I suppose if I was to delve into this whole situation then the real problem, as I stated before, is that this decision was made without me even though I'm supposed to be on their team. Now I just have to look at it as a cleansing because I let my feelings be known. Phew!

WWJD?

2009-02-04T20:58:00.000-08:00

"Reverend Mother, I have sinned"-Julie Andrews as Maria Von Trapp

At the end of a conference with a parent of an unruly student, I not-so-casually mentioned to her that her child used Church as an excuse for not doing his homework.
Well, she wasn't pleased about him using Jesus as an excuse to not do his work, so I used her displeasure as fuel to make her child feel guilty. Yes, I used religion to make someone feel guilty. So what! The Vatican does it.

After the conference, when I picked her son up to go to class with me, I explained what we talked about with his mom and how she was displeased and at her wit's end. After volleying back and forth what I thought he should do and what he thought he actually did, I decided to change direction. So I quickly brought up Church and how he was using Jesus as an excuse to not do his homework. He then responded that Jesus was not the Church, so I shot back that he prays to Jesus in Church. Therefore, the Church is Jesus.

He teared up, and that's when I knew I'd gotten to him.

Do I feel guilty? No.

Was I desperate and grabbing at straws? Yes.

You do what you have to do.

I'm Not Talking Prada

2009-02-04T20:54:00.000-08:00

I do not speak Prada as Isla Fisher says in her movie promo, but I wouldn't mind speaking Hugh. Hugh Dancy that is. Yummy!

A Prescription for j a s o n

2009-01-30T22:51:00.000-08:00

I hope your cough gets better.

Milk

2009-01-19T16:24:00.000-08:00

This is not a review of Milk as much as it is a change of heart concerning Sean Penn. I'll be the first to admit that when I saw Mr. Penn in "At Close Range" I was not a fan. I may have been a fan of his unnaturally huge biceps, but not a fan of his acting or his personal escapades.

Fast forward to "Dead Man Walking" and I was able to see a more vulnerable side of Mr. Penn. I felt his character's regret and fear.

Some years later, "Mystic River", or "Mystic Pizza" as I initially typed it, showed his over-the- edge fatherly side, but it was a bit over the top. He received the Oscar that year, but I believe it was more for his body of work than for this particular role.

Finally, here we are in 2008, and he's in "Milk" where he truly transforms himself into someone who is not anything like the persona Mr. Penn has worked so hard to conjure. He's soft. He's caring. Hell, he's gay! I believed him in this role. I fell for him in this role. He convinced me. I believe Mr. Penn. I believe.

The Thorn Birds, Oh My!

2008-12-29T00:02:00.001-08:00

Is it just me, or is it hawt up in here!?

I'm having a Thorn Birds' moment. This is Fr. Jonathan Morris and he's a talking head on Fox News. Too bad.

Coming Attractions

2008-12-04T21:10:00.001-08:00

My Favorite Things list.

The Little Yellow House and Being A Tourist in N.O.

MILK (not Mother I'd Like To Kiss, please!)

Streaming 2.0

2008-11-07T20:45:00.001-08:00

My principal, who is known for being offensive, recently made a comment about the immigrant population in our school. While trying to be fair and concerned, she also inadvertently slips and sticks both feet in her mouth.

Principal: ...we need to help our children from other countries. We should be more sensitive to their plight. It is unfair that they recently got off the plane,...

Co-worker next to me: She's not gonna go there, right?

Me: No, she wouldn't.

Principal: ...or off the boat when they get here...

Co-worker next to me: Oh No She Didn't!

Me: Oh yeah she did. (both of us giggled uncontrollably)

Did anyone catch Oprah on 30 Rock? Good for you! Good for you!

What's the deal with bitchy women? I like women, not in that way, but I like them. Seriously, though, why do they have to be such complainers and whiners. Maybe it's just the ones I work with.Ugh!!

I love cough syrup with codeine. Don't you? It chills you ever so slightly. Oh yeah, and it takes your cough away for about 4 hours.

I finally received my letter to go to the Teacher of the Year dinner, and I went Wednesday night. My neighbor also got the same letter because she was the last person to receive her certificate that night. Afterwards, I went up to her and introduced myself even though we grunted HELLO at one another quite a few times in the parking lot at home. She had NO CLUE. None. Zilch. I had to say I lived in 3A for it to even dawn on her. I saw her this evening leaving her apt. and apparently she felt weird about not knowing me and she still felt embarrassed about it all. Funny, no?
Something not so funny. Another teacher telling your students to be quiet even though we are in close proximity of one another. It's not the first time it's happened. It's the second and I think, and hope, it'll be the last time. Here's how I took care of it.

Me: Oh, hey listen. Thanks for telling my kids to be quiet. My voice is shot today because of my cold, and I wasn't being my usual self.

Repeat Offender: Well, I know. I hope you don't mind, but...

Me: Actually, I do mind, but thanks because I just wasn't up to it today.

Repeat Offender: (Nervous laughter) I see, well...I ...OK.

Do you think it'll stop? Probably not, but I let her know how I felt. Good for me! Good for me!

Carlos's Book Club 1

2008-11-07T20:26:00.000-08:00

Even though my endorsement won't net this author gads of money, at least it'll make me feel better that I am promoting her work.

Honestly, she's not much of a writer, but I still like her.

She's Julie Andrews.

While her sentences are simple enough, I can still hear her in her writing. It's probably because I've seen The Sound of Music so many times that I am able to imitate her voice in my head as she narrates her memoir, Home, to me. She goes into interesting detail about her voice lessons, her technique, and what goes into developing a character as an actor. She also gives some juicy tidbits about Rex Harrison, Noel Coward, Bing Crosby, Rodgers & Hammerstein, and many others. I haven't finished reading it yet, but I'm sort of delaying the inevitable because I don't want to let her go. I suppose that's a good sign.

My P.-.Y Needs A Wig

2008-10-26T21:31:00.001-07:00

I apologize if this happens to be a repeat, but I saw it on BBC America, and I had to post it.

I love this cat's name, Chicken. I'd say not for putting on this wig.

This is my favorite. The pose. The look. The wig.

He's smiling with his eyes and conveying a look of "Why???" at the same time, no?

I'll write more about my weekend later. I had a great time in the Marigny at the Little Yellow House run by Angela and Russ.

Kayaks and Such

2008-09-04T21:32:00.000-07:00

I'd planned this for quite some time now, but my exodus out of New Orleans last Sunday kept me from following through. While there were no people in need of jeans or kayaks this go round, I know Celine's heart will always go on for the citizens of New Orleans.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you...Celine Dion.

A Snippet of a Dark Knight

2008-08-03T21:43:00.000-07:00

I was reading reviews about Christian Bale's Dark Knight and the voice that Vincent also found annoying, and this was my favorite review:

Reviewing the film for MSNBC, Alonso Duralde wrote that Bale's Batman in "Batman Begins" "sounded absurdly deep, like a 10-year-old putting on an `adult' voice to make prank phone calls. This time, Bale affects an eerie rasp, somewhat akin to Brenda Vaccaro doing a Miles Davis impression."

Bless Alonso for mentioning Brenda Vaccaro. Genius.

Holla At Your Boy!

2008-07-27T23:27:00.001-07:00

This one goes out to Vincent whom I'm sure will cream something when he sees this.

Favorite Clips

2008-07-27T22:48:00.000-07:00

Lookout Bobby Brown!

Annuale. Once a year. Period.

Fiftysomething

2008-07-27T11:21:00.000-07:00

THEN

NOW

Thirtysomething

2008-07-24T19:16:00.001-07:00

Speaking of 80's TV. Anyone remember this one?

Turns out my sister and I were both hot for Ken Olin. I didn't know until much later, but it still doesn't make it less weird.

I remember sitting in my bedroom watching this show on Tuesday nights at 9pm, I believe, and dreaming and wanting to be like these people. If I'm not wrong this was an episode that I related to the best at that time. Melissa and Ellyn two single girls wanting their perfect man. I wanted someone, but I didn't know it was a man yet. Not quite. Seriously. Maybe it was Ellyn's manly, raspy voice. I dunno. It's sexy.

Miami, Miami, you've got style...

2008-07-22T14:42:00.000-07:00

I hope Estelle Getty is sunning herself on a beach somewhere with a smile on her face, and Michael Kors is crying in a corner somewhere. He still has three Golden Girls left to talk about.

Thanks for the memories..

WWJD? (What Would Jane Do?)

2008-06-26T16:36:00.000-07:00

Isn't that the question for all time?

What would she do? We don't know what Jane Austen would have done, unfortunately.

However, I can picture her being a hopeful young woman possibly putting all her hopes and dreams into her books. While I don't think she was ever persuaded to refuse someone's love because of his rank in society, I can't help but think that she may have loved someone as deeply as Anne Elliot loved Captain Wentworth in Persuasion.

In this novel, and I assume in her other novels too, her characters are all about self-control and delayed gratification, especially the women. The women have opinions they don't share out loud. They may no share them with their husbands either. The men could inherit their father's estate, but the women had a dowry to entice an appropriate suitor. I loved how Anne tries to explain the difference between men and women towards the end of the book...

"...We certainly do not forget you, so soon as you forget us. It is perhaps, our fate rather than our merit. We cannot help ourselves. We live at home, quiet, confined, and our feelings prey upon us. You are forced on exertion. You have always a profession, pursuits, business of some sort or other, to take you back into the world immediately, and continual occupation and change soon weaken impressions."

Although it may be Anne speaking, it's Jane Austen's mind putting those words on paper. I find it rather courageous of her to say such things at a time when women were no more than decorative delicate china.

If you're looking to start reading Jane Austen, I would begin with Persuasion. It's not too long and it's a story we all know. Boy meets girl. Boy breaks up with girl and they spend quite some time apart. Boy comes back to girl. Boy marries girl. Enjoy!

Persuasion

2008-06-15T21:18:00.000-07:00

I was having a conversation with a colleague of mine the other day about reading. We weren't talking about students, but, instead, we were talking about the two of us.

I have a tough time reading. I don't have the patience to sit for long periods of time and pay attention to any book. My mind tends to wander. Her experience is the same. The sad truth is that we have a hard time reading and yet we're teachers. More than one person has heard me say that I'm not a reader, but I'm trying. I started reading again back in October, and I can't seem to stop doing it now. It still takes me longer than anyone else, but I try to set some time during the day to stop and read at least two chapters. I have persuaded myself into reading more. I know it'll be a good thing. I love it already.

I'm currently reading Persuasion by Jane Austen ( I finally get her writing. It only took a whole book to get there, but I get her.)

My summer reading list:
Audition by Barbara Walters
Home by Julie Andrews
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin
Finding Battlestar Galactic by Lynette Porter, David Lavery & Hillary Robson
Ordinary People by Judith Guest

It's quite ambitious, but wish me luck.

Any suggestions? (I'm afraid I won't get any, but I'm trying anyway.)

He Look-a Like-a Man

2008-06-15T20:40:00.000-07:00

I knew going to JC Penney's would be a bad idea, but I thought I would give it a try. People must be shopping there again because there seems to be more merchandise on the racks than in years past. This is not where this story is going, but I thought I should mention it in case someone was interested.

Shopping for my father, I find, is a difficult task. He has all the electronics someone may need or want and he's not too fancy with his other tastes. So, this year, I asked what he would like for Father's Day. He wanted socks. Not just any socks. Not Goldtoe. Not dress socks. Not white athletic socks. Just white cotton socks that are not too thick and too hot for summer wear. The socks he wanted were to be found at JC Penney.

There I was, on a Friday night of all times, waiting in line to buy three packs of socks for my father when an older lady caught my attention by speaking to me. She looked like Joan Rivers because of the taught face and the restylane enhanced lips. She was a quite the sight. One might say she had a whole lot of look going on, but I applaud her for trying.

She said, "Excuse me, you look like a man. What do you think of this shirt?"

The shirt was brown with a large centered picture of a large mouth bass on it that said Gone Fishing on it. I was more offended by the shirt than I was by the "Excuse me, you look like a man" comment.

I answered honestly, "I don't like it, but that's just me."

Clearly no liking my opinion, she loudly calls her 40-something year old daughter over to explain to her that "this man", meaning me, didn't like the shirt. The daughter looks me over and says, "Of course you wouldn't like that. You're preppy. Look at him. He's a prep." She didn't say it with a tone, but I didn't like the words that were spoken.

So, after much chatter amongst them, the daughter finally decided on the same shirt only in navy.

I don't know. I wasn't insulted, but I wasn't flattered either. I tried helping, but you can't help someone who thinks a shirt with a large fish on it is attractive.

Streaming

2008-05-08T19:27:00.000-07:00

Two weeks until summer vacation and this summer I may actually see the beach. At last!
A big F*%K YOU to the tickety tacky hot tranny/stripper mess parent who gives me shade every frakking day when I try to put her child in her car at the end of the school day.
I hate LOST yet I watch it every week. By the way, where do the islanders find an endless supply of clothes that never repeat?
I love the CUT BLOG over at New York Magazine online. It's for sure not theoretical physics.
Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory is 35! Who knew?! Not me.
I recommend reading The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. Despite it's focus on two different generations of Asian women, it manages to speak the truth about families of any culture.
Tyra you so crazy for putting your face on a picture of the Mona Lisa and then putting it on your Tyra Mail cards. When in Rome...
Oprah, you meany, made Baba Waba cry on her show which then made me tear up. You suck harpO! Good interview though. Ugh!
My new favorite song by The Ting Tings -"Shut Up and Let Me Go" It has an 80s vibe.

I Don't Care - I'm Nuts - or - Both

2008-03-03T18:35:00.000-08:00

Earlier this evening, I was over at my parents' house having dinner and afterwards settling in with People Magazine's after Oscar issue. It's one of my favorite issues of the year.

Inside, I was mesmerized at what a good picture Sharon Stone had given at one of the Oscar soirées. I've seen some busted up pictures of her on the internets lately. You can see her psycho chic below:

It just took me by surprise how good and relatively sane she looked. A big plus was possibly that she didn't look like she'd been stretched like Katherine Helmond in Brazil.

Her picture caught my eye and so I decided to read the short caption and was liking what she was saying about her outfit and her jewelry. That is until she mentioned...Screeeeech!....the rat. Yes, the rat. Actually, it's a rat's foot. An icky rat's foot on a pin pinned to her jacket. Ewwww!

You had me until the rat Sharon Stone. You did.

So...does she not care?...is she nuts?...or...Is she a little bit of both?

I say both.

Mardi Gras!

2008-02-05T16:52:00.000-08:00

Another Mardi Gras has come and gone and I did not drink. Kinda sucky, but it was my choice. I almost had a Bloody Mary, but I changed my mind at the very last minute.

I'm kinda liking our new tradition of seeing Zulu across from Covenant House and the police station. I would say it's as family friendly as those stuffy Metairie routes.

Debbie giving good face as Cleopatra (err, Cleopatria), Queen of the Nile.

Deb and MSH and the Homo Haters in the background. Do you see my young doctor in love?

MSH and Lloyd. Lloyd was having fun already. (wink, wink)

Along the way we ran into Geronimo. Debbie couldn't remember his name after being told quite a few times.

He had too many syllables in his name, all of four, so she asked him to shorten his name or give himself a nickname. Knowing Debbie, though, she just started calling him Geo, and then he became just "G". Ahh, Debbie.

My favorite comment echoed about Geronimo throughout our time together with him was,

"Medea's got nothing on her!"

Absolutely. Loved. It.

This lovely lady was flirting with ME. At least I think she was. I was dressed as a doctor, so she asked me if I'd done Geronimo's rack. I said yes, and she asked if I could work on hers. Sure, and it would be on the house. I mean, what else can you say to a person with a nice smile like that?

OK, I cut off her feet, but I liked what she was wearing...especially the beret and that she posed for me. I'm no sartorialist, but I tried.

Like, OK, like it's the biggest hula-hoop ever. Seriously.

This is Debbie and her boyfriend Michael Douglas.

He just kinda looks like him, but his name is really Bart.

Happy Mardi Gras !

Let Me Entertain You

2008-02-01T16:20:00.000-08:00

OK, I'm too lazy to write anything of any significance here, so instead I'll entertain you with a picture. I don't think it needs a lot of explanation. I know I've seen this look before and so has Spaces, no?

Who Knew?

2008-01-24T19:31:00.000-08:00

I've heard of the Million Man March, but this is something new. My friends and I were definitely not invited.

...and the winner is...

2008-01-23T16:09:00.000-08:00

...me!

I won Teacher of the Year at my school. Get out!!

We were asked to nominate people a few weeks ago, and I didn't even bother to nominate anyone because the person I usually choose never makes it to the final ballot. Well, kiss my butt and call me HoolaHay (if you watch ANTM you'll know), my name ended up on the final ballot.

Cut to today when I hear one of my assistant principals start talking on the intercom. I hear her say she has a special announcement, and then I immediately stop listening to her and continue working with my students. It's sad because my students were eager to listen and I just kept going. So, all of the sudden, I hear my name followed by the words, Teacher of the Year, and I just about fell over.

Never in a million years would I have thought this could happen. It truly was just an honor to be nominated, but this is the best. I think this can hold me over till I retire.

R.I.P. Brad Renfro

2008-01-15T18:41:00.001-08:00

It saddens me that Brad Renfro died today. It saddens me because he's dead and Britney Spears is still walking around - with a British accent nonetheless.

It's harsh. I know.

Encouraging the Delinquency of a Minor

2008-01-11T17:11:00.000-08:00

OK, so today, at the end of the day I have duty at school. I escort students from the sidewalk to the cars that pull up to pick them up. I'm the one in the front of the line and I tell the parents when they can move as soon as a batch of students are safely in their cars. Even though it's not the safest spot, being between two lines of cars with semi-angry parents and their spawn, I chose it because it's the easiest spot. I don't have to deal with behavior problems from kids sitting on the sidewalk.

So, today, I'm doing my usual thing when a parent rolls down her window. The rolling down of the window can be two things: 1.) They're being friendly and want to say HI. *or* 2.) They want to complain about something or someone. Lucky for me, it was number 2.

Mom X lowered the window of her very expensive SUV. She was dressed rather chicly and not ghetto as most of my parents are at times. They tend to confuse ghetto with chic. Although you can have ghetto chic, but that's for another day. I took a guess that she was going to complain about another parent cutting in front of her while waiting in line, but alas I was incorrect. In the few minutes that it took her daughter to get from the sidewalk to her car, she complained to her mother that some teacher had "done her wrong."

MOM: See that lady with the black jacket?

ME: Yes

MOM: She told my baby that she wasn't here to deal with problems of fighting.

ME: Um, well, what to do you mean?

MOM: Some little girl was hitting my baby and she told my baby that she wasn't out here to deal with that kind of thing. (turning to her daughter and then violently pointing at her child with her angry index finger) I'm telling you if someone hits you I give you my permission to slap whoever it is upside their head.

ME: Um, m'am, Let's not do that, ok? Why don't we say that if someone should bother your little girl, that she should come look for me to see if I can help her instead. We don't want to encourage her to hit someone else.

MOM: I tell her not to fight anyone, but if someone hits her, I want her to slap them upside their head. (contradict much???)

ME: I can understand your feelings, but remember fighting is not allowed and if she does hit someone she'll be suspended for fighting.

MOM: (all calm now) OK, OK, (laughs), thank you very much.

ME: OK, try and have a good weekend. Bye.

Is it any wonder kids turn out the way they do? Instead of teaching them the right thing to do, they encourage and praise the wrong.

NIP/TUCK

2007-12-26T10:54:00.000-08:00

I was browsing the internets today when I caught a sight of this...

We know she nips, but does she also tuck like Pete Burns? I think she does.

Here's Pete...

Moon River and Givenchy

2007-11-21T16:30:00.000-08:00

While reading through Entertainment Weekly's umpteenth list of their favorite (you fill in the blank), I found that they listed Audrey Hepburn as one of their favorite singing actors.

I think I'm overly medicated, due to a terribly nasty cold, but I teared up involuntarily. ( bad sentence, but I don't feel like fixing it.)

Je T'aime Jane

2007-11-15T19:02:00.000-08:00

Here's a little French interlude for you.

Jane Birkin (of Hermes Birkin Bag fame to name a few), and Serge Gainsbourg. There's an interesting article about him in November's Vanity Fair. He was an interesting fellow.

Enjoy.

Chapitre Deaux – Planes, Subways, Trains, and Automobiles

2007-11-15T18:48:00.000-08:00

They were later than they’d meant to be, but not seriously late; not so late that even I would be surprised by it. After all, who would I be to say anything about it? I’m notoriously late all the time. I’m really trying to work on that.

It didn’t matter because our two experienced guides were there to help us through the maze that is the Paris Metro. Angela and Marshall took out their handy metro map, which looked like a Technicolor spider web. We left floor 1 and the bustling Continental terminal and headed downstairs to a wide-open area where there were many people with suitcases waiting around. There wasn’t much movement that I could recall. A great many people looking like they had nowhere to go, yet they were all going somewhere with their luggage in tow. I was trying to absorb everything. I tried noticing what people were doing, but I was just anxious to get out of the airport and into downtown Paris.

The first thing Debbie and I needed to do was to get cash. Our guides told us the best rates of exchange could be found at ATMs and not the machines that said CHANGE. When I left the US I knew the exchange rate for the Euro was 1 Euro for every 1.41 dollars. (Does that make sense fact checkers?) We found an ATM. It felt good to have some “walking around” money because I only had a few dollars on me. Our American money wasn’t any good over there.

Upon getting our money, Angela informed us that she had figured out what train to take to the Austerlitz train station, or somewhere near it. The next thing I knew we were on board a metro car and on our way to the train station. I was so tired I had no idea I’d napped on the way to our next stop. MSH has the proof in his pictures.

When we stepped off the metro, somehow, though, we ended up at Gare de Lyon instead of Gare d’Austerlitz and we had to cross the Seine to get to it. “The Seine!” That’s what my mind screamed when Angela said we had to find the Seine. Actually, she may have said they moved the river on her or the station. One of those two, and had I been taking notes while carrying my book bag and suitcase, I would know this. Alas, I do not. So anyway, we strolled in the direction of the river, but we weren’t quite sure how to get across. Angela then took it upon herself to ask the nearest stranger. Our lucky stranger was found sitting on a nearby bench. I believe he was taking a break after having had a long liquid lunch. As soon as Angela brought him over, you could smell his lunch permeating from his pores. Although drunk, he had a nice French accent while speaking English. He has more than happy to direct us to the train station. Along the way, I somehow discovered that our kind stranger spoke Spanish and we had a brief conversation about his life. It was interesting to hear him open up to a total stranger. He revealed that he was originally from Belgium but he’d lived in Spain for a quite a few years. He was recently separated from his wife, and he’d return to France to spend some time. He didn’t have the chance to tell me why he smelled of alcohol in the middle of the day, but had our walk been longer I’m sure we would have told me. I don’t think it was over his wife. As we neared our destination, I knew I had to at least give him a small tip as a token of appreciation if not for simply telling me a very abbreviated history of his life. I didn’t have any small bills so I decided to give him 10 Euros. It was a pricey tip, but I felt it that I had the money and the story alone was well worth it. I gave him the tip and not a moment later he extended his hand out to MSH and asked him for a tip. He gave our kind stranger a 2 Euro coin. I was appalled. I think he deserved the initial tip, but to ask for extra – it was too much! No?
We made it to the train station and soon we were on our way to Beaugency.

Nouvelles et divertissement français

2007-10-28T16:38:00.000-07:00

Striking Air France flight attendants disrupt travel for 4th day

The Associated Press

Sunday, October 28, 2007

PARIS: Air France flights were disrupted for a fourth day Sunday with striking flight attendants refusing to give in and the transport minister asking for both sides to restart talks.

The carrier hoped to get 60 percent of its flights in the air as travelers were growing tired of inconveniences and delays despite a pledge by Air France to reimburse those unable to find suitable alternatives.

"What the government wants is that negotiations restart and succeed and that we get out of this situation of conflict," said Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau.

The strike by flight attendants over pay and working conditions was expected to last through the day Monday, with the carrier saying it expected 70 percent of flights to be operational by then.

Unions unanimously rejected an Air France proposal Saturday night, saying it was too vague.

The walkout interrupted the start of a holiday in France when airports were jammed, and there were signs that passengers were losing patience.

"I am disgusted because I have the impression we are being held hostage," said one waiting passenger at Charles de Gaulle airport, identifying herself only as Maryse.

"If we want to be reimbursed we need to wait for the final cancellation of the flight," said stranded traveler Philippe Lefort, 45. He noted that a single flight can be delayed several times in a day, meaning a daylong wait to see if the plane will take off.

From the movie, "8 Femmes"

Travels With Myself

2007-10-27T15:46:00.000-07:00

Chapitre Un

The V.I.P.s: Clampett Style

Vendredi, 12 Octobre 2007

I wrote the following in my travel journal that I only wrote in for a couple of days. I didn’t make time to write in it like I said I would. Anyways, here goes…

Today I left for Paris, France. It’s so strange because saying that you’re leaving for France is always something that is said on television, or a movie, or someone else is uttering those words. It’s never you. It will never be me. It is though. It is me.

After much controversy at work, mostly in my head, about taking vacation time during the school year, I was given permission to take this trip. Leaving work today, after working less than half the day, I felt everything was in slow motion. My walk, the beams of the breezeway overhead passing me by, the students walking to class, the secretaries in the office on my way out. I was leaving and I was not looking back.

I went home to change shirts, do a last bit of packing and then left to my parents’ house where they were waiting to give me a ride to Louis Armstrong Int. Airport. On cue, my mother cried. It wouldn’t be a farewell without her tearstained face looking at me. My father was extra chatty giving me pointers on how and where to check at the airport. I hurried them along because they were making me even more anxious than I already was – edgier than a meth head without his meth. Scary, huh? (That’s the last thing I wrote in my journal before falling asleep on the plane.)

The following is what I remember of the first day…

After my parents dropped me off at the entrance to the Continental/Delta terminal, I walked over to the check-in area to get my boarding pass. Like a person who clearly does not read signs, I lined up in the Elite Travel line. Is it any wonder there wasn’t a soul in line! I was then herded over to the common folks’ line where I was made to type all my passport and green card information into the check-in kiosk computer. I’d run into Debbie while I was waiting in line, so it was nice to have someone to share in my misery. She was having problems getting an agent to help her. When she finally did, she had our seating changed so we could be next to one another. The flight wasn’t full, so we had an empty seat between us.

When we arrived in Houston we had a 90 minute or so layover, so we headed to Continental’s President’s Club. It’s their version of a First Class Lounge. It’s three floors of secluded glory in an otherwise busy airport. The second floor houses the free snacks and bar. We, I felt, looked like we didn’t belong because we were grabbing handfuls of free crackers and little rectangular slices of cheese. -Those crackers and cheese came in handy when we were hungry walking the streets of Paris. – Looking back on it now, we sort of stuck out, but we didn’t care. We got in! It’s all that mattered. The best part of the club was that the beer was free. All we had to do was tip the bartender. Free booze! Get out! I think if we’d stayed longer I would have been one of those passengers they don’t allow onboard because I’d been drinking to much prior to boarding. You know, like on that show “Airline”? There are always drunk passengers trying to fly Southwest, but I digress.

After a few beers, and grabbing more handfuls of crackers and cheese, we left the club and civility to join the throngs of masses downstairs in the main terminal waiting to be herded into a plane. Lucky for us we would be flying a Boeing- 777. Means nothing to you, but it was great fun for me. I’ve always wanted to fly a big airplane. My dream has always been a Boeing – 747, but it just hasn’t been possible, and not too many airlines use them anymore. A 777 will just have to do for now. When we got on board, we walked just past the wings, two rows back. I had the window seat, and Deb had the aisle.

I had Deb taking pictures of the aisle, while I tried taking a picture inside the cabin. We were served dinner about two hours into the flight, just over New York. I had the choice of chicken or beef. I hadn’t eaten a proper meal on an airplane in years. You only get peanuts thrown at you on domestic flights these days. The chicken with vegetables and the cake of some sort for desert were delicious. Our movies for the evening were “Evan Almighty” and “Ocean’s Thirteen”. I chose Evan. It wasn’t as bad as everyone made it out to seem. Afterwards, I changed the channel on my screen and watched CSI. I didn’t make it past the opening credits when sleep took over. I slept for the next five hours or so until the flipped on the main cabin lights and started serving breakfast ( a croissant with fruit and juice.) We were an hour away from Charles de Gaulle airport. I was excited. I was nervous. I was happy. I was excited and nervous about being in a foreign country and not being able to speak or read the language. I was happy to be seeing MSH.

We landed at Charles de Gaulle, went through customs, collected our luggage and stepped out into the main terminal. We saw people with names on hand-made signs, but none of them said our name. MSH and Angela were late collecting us. They’d had problems getting on the right metro train. Eventually they worked it out and made it to the airport only a few minutes late. They even had signs with our names on them. We may have been like the Clampetts in France, but now we were true V.I.P.s being hailed by persons holding up our names on signs at anairport terminal.

We’d arrived!