yup, that’s about right.

No kidding.

yes, this really happened…

At the Starbucks I used to work for.  Imagine!

Remember the difference between your gas and the brakes, people!

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/103/story/402467.html

morning ramblings

Good morning!  I just slept in til ten for the first time in several months!  I’m groggy as hell but want to keep my string of posts going.  Quantity, not quality.  That’s the motto around here.

Last night, Justin and I successfully completed our Christmas shopping for everyone but each other in about two hours.

I looked at my watch as we were headed out of our last store, and said, “Wow.  I think this is the fastest I’ve ever done this.”

Justin looked at me in awe and laughed.  Left to his own devices, he shops as if he’s on a timed mission, where the whole mall is gonna blow unless he’s in and out in ten minutes.

Good times.

I had so braced myself to find the mall a complete nuthouse, and then, once we got there, it was just fine.  Lesson learned:  Go in with low expectations, and then you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Right now, I have a 4.0 GPA for this quarter.  Granted, only one of my grades has been reported, but I think it’s important to celebrate while you can.  This is the first 24 hours of having a 4.0 that I’ve had in, like, 10 years or something.  Yay me.  It may all come crashing down once the rest of my grades are reported on Thursday, but hey.  I know I worked hard.  This was the first quarter since I don’t know how long that I was a truly good student.  Justin’s a bad influence on me, apparently.

We’re heading out shopping with Justin’s bro later today, who made the trip up to Bellingham for a few days, and we’ll be hanging out with his cousins as well.  I think I’ll be making dinner for everyone tomorrow night, which, since I’ve actually been making efforts to learn how to cook good meals, should be a lot of fun.

I did want to say, regarding what I wrote yesterday, that — big surprise — I’m feeling a lot better about things.  I’m still a little nervous about Christmas-y activities, but the tension that was covering over so much of my time (because I was spending so much time thinking about it) has faded a great deal. 

Muddled attempts at forgiveness bringing about peace?  Who knew?  It’s amazing how hard we fight the things that are actually best for us.  It’s precisely when I want to be the opposite of patient and gracious that I actually benefit the most from making attempts to do so, however flawed they might be.

My husband just now, from his corner of the office: ”I have this message here from a ‘Joseph Poon’ in my junk mail box.  The title says ‘WRITE ME.’  Hmmm… do you think I should?  I think I should.”

Ah.  I love my man.  I’ve never laughed so often in my life.

pumpkins!

We decided to forget we were students for a while and carve some pumpkins tonight!  I seriously needed the break.

I’m not sure I’ve ever carved a pumpkin before.  Seriously.  Ever.  Maybe once.  It’s been a while.

Justin looked like he had violence on his mind.

I’ll let you guess who’s pumpkin was who’s:

 No templates!!  No sharp knives to be found, either!

one (two) of the reasons I love living here…

Walking up to our apartment after work today, I was walking up the sidewalk towards our stairs, and curious eyes blinked back at me. 

A doe, chillin’ on the sidewalk, no big deal.

Typical me, I fumbed for my phone.

Seeing me, they promptly made their way toward the pond, but I still love that they were hanging out in my backyard for a while.

Flight of the Conchords!

This video has had Justin and I cracking up for nearly two months.  I figured it was time to finally figure out how to post video here…  Enjoy!  (DISCLAIMER: If you’re not okay with PG-13-ish level humor, skip this).

Business Time

takin’ it easy…

Good morning, all.

I am sick today, as I’ve been all weekend, so I’m home, alternating between sleep and online scrabble.  (This is an improvement over alternating between sleeping in bed and sleeping on the couch for the last two days).  So much for apartment hunting over the weekend.  If I’m feeling better, we’re going to visit a few places tonight, so keep your fingers crossed for us!

Did you know you can play scrabble online?  It’s amazing.  Justin and I were planning on purchasing one of those super-high-tech boards with all the bells and whistles (translation: you can spin the board around when it comes to your turn), and, although we’ll probably invest in one at some point, we’re enjoying this new online adventure.  It’s a nice break from poker. 

Anyway, Scrabulous.com.  You heard it here first.

Now, if I can just find a good place to download The Oregon Trail, so I can relive the glory days of being “that kid,” the loner who stays in at recess to play computer games…

Oh my goodness.  I just realized that I’m probably just as nerdy as my husband.

This is troubling.

Anyway, have a great day, everyone.

Also, there’s a shiny new “Email me” link up to your left.  A poor soul had to go through Flickr to reach me, so I thought I should fix the situation. 

six synonyms, anna wolff

Hey — this is a great poem that just came to mind and I wanted to share it with folks.  I had the privilege of hearing it for the first time as it was read by the author at a poetry reading not too long ago.  Anna Wolff, you are good with the words.

SIX SYNONYMS 1. Wish

    (noun, a desire felt or expressed)

I keep them in boxes; they fill my closet.

It’s like the Library of Congress in there.

Someday they will break ranks and take

            over the whole house.

2.      Hankering

    (noun, a continual nagging desire)

In the pit

            of my stomach

a spring slowly coils itself tighter.

I can feel it

humming

            when I walk

                              humming

when I lay still.

It is waiting      

                        to snap.

3.      Longing

(noun, an intense desire for what is not immediately attainable)

It’s been over ten years

            since anyone

                     picked me up

            and carried me

                     anywhere, except

to bed.

4.      Covet

(verb, to desire to possess something belonging to another person)

·        My sister’s big boobs.

·        My dad’s Ph.D.

·        Health insurance.

·        Revelation

·        The earrings she was wearing

yesterday; she wouldn’t tell

me where she got them.

5.      Crave

(verb, to desire strongly, urgently, and persistently)

            There is a hole in my belly—

                                                everything falls through it.

                        I can’t find anything

                                                            to fill the breach.

6.      Desire

(noun, see above)

Sometimes it is this simple:

when I see you, I want to touch you.

easy as getting your food handler’s card

Thanks to Jules for sending me this card in the mail to brighten my day.  I heart you.

It’s true, though.  This cooking stuff ain’t all it’s cracked up to be.  I mean, I’m not bad, and I’m learning more and more all the time… but when you grew up with a Mom who didn’t use measuring utensils or measuring cups, who sort of magically whipped up these lovely dishes seemingly on instinct… you feel a little behind the game.  Cooking challenged, if you will.

I didn’t bother making much besides frozen burritos when I lived by myself in the LBH — I was usually beat by the time I got off work, and why bother making some huge dish of food when I’m the only one around to eat it?  Besides.  I really like frozen burritos.  I cover them (literally) in sour cream and Rosarita Red Taco Sauce, and I’m a happy camper.

It’s a whole new game in the Little Grey House, though.  Frozen burritos on a near-daily basis just won’t do.  They were fine for me, but I don’t feel good doing that to the one I vowed to love for all time. 

The good news is that I’m the picky eater in this family, and J will pretty much eat whatever I put in front of him.  I don’t like to brag or anything, but I made Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas last night, from a recipe and everything.  That’s right.  All by myself.  Granted, it took me about two hours… I had no idea how many chicken breasts would equal six cups and I’m sure I guessed wrong… and I pulled the chicken out of the water too early, saw some pink, and we ended up pulling out the George Foreman to finish cooking it… but hey – they resembled enchiladas when I was done. 

J made noises of approval as he was eating, so I think we did okay.  At least I hope we did.  There’s a heck of a lot of leftovers in the fridge, so someone’s going to have to choke those puppies down.

We both survived without incident, but little did we know that we were doing a risky dance with disaster.  Until today, I was handling food without a license to do so.  I couldn’t have told you that foods lingering in the Danger Zone (41F – 140F) could be breeding a virtual plethora of harmful germs.  Or that it’s best to use the Shallow Pan Method ™ to cool your leftovers.  Or that it’s pretty much a bad idea to leave your chicken to thaw out on the counter until you get home from work. 

That’s right, kids.  Today, at the behest of my new employer, I went and got my State of Washington Food and Beverage Service Worker’s Permit, known to the layperson and those outside “the biz” as a Food Handler’s Card. 

(I’m not sure why, but as soon as I step into a County Health Department, I feel like I’m at risk of becoming decidedly un-healthy.  I find myself trying my best not to touch anything.  Does anyone else have this experience?). 

All went well — I got a 31/32, paid my ten dollars IN CASH after a trip to a gas station ATM (who doesn’t accept a debit card these days?) and am now no longer putting my husband and houseguests in mortal danger of foodborne illness.  I may still be a decidedly clumsy and somewhat crappy cook, but hey, at least no one’s going to die.

Actually, come to think of it, we don’t own a meat thermometer.  Guess we’re still screwed. 

Justin, quit licking the raw chicken juice off the counter.  Please.   

when I talk about my mountains, THIS is what I mean…

This is a view of The Brothers from a bridge in Bremerton.  Good pic, Dad.