i'm suddenly very very excited by the prospect of something i have just put in for. i would love love love it if i got it.

but i won't share what it is yet in case i don't get it. yanno?

Crosspost from http://dawntreader.dreamwidth.org/1971370.html. There are comments.

i've worked here almost 14 years and have now said goodbye to two co-workers to cancer.

that. fucking. sucks. :(

last night, my fellow "january girl" (we call ourselves that because her birthday is 3 days after mine) passed away after a year and half long battle with colon cancer. she was 76 and not even ready for retirement from work much less from life. she was my cube neighbor.

her best friend, my neighbor co-worker on the other side, went home almost as soon as she found out and made the necessary calls to HR and notified the office. two of her other good office friends work across from me and they keep crying which makes me start up again.

otherwise, the office is so quiet and subdued. i'm glad of the three-day weekend to get away. :(

goddammit, cancer sucks. :(

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i received junk mail from State Farm insurance addressed to my address to "Dawny Joodles."

no lie.

1. dawny is one nickname and joodles is the other. i don't use both at the same time.
2. i have never used that name in that combination anywhere. it's either "dawny" or "joodles."
3. i wouldn't sign up for Dawny Joodles using my address.
4. so, wtf?!

Crosspost from http://dawntreader.dreamwidth.org/1970716.html. There are comments.

we made our shrimp noodle bowl last night according to the pampered chef recipe. we were highly amused that even after putting the green Thai curry in it (it actually called for 3/4 to 1 teaspoon) and 1 teaspoon of fresh grated ginger, it was not spicy in the least. at least not to us!

we seriously could have used a tablespoon of curry.

granted, we did not put in bell pepper because TWD cannot eat them, but that wouldn't have added to the "spice" factor.

i'm wondering who they think they made that recipe for? it was good. i liked it. TWD thought it was bland. we both want to try it again with MOAR CURRIES. ;) considering we have a jar full of the stuff, more coconut milk to use, more broth, and, well, more everything else except shrimp (which are easy enough to pick up), maybe we'll make another batch this weekend and see how it goes.

the chocolate wafer/whipped cream/coffee dessert was awesomely good and SO decadent. i said, "i'm glad we shared a torte! it's so rich, i couldn't eat a whole one." TWD said, "i could have eaten a whole one." lol

funny though, the dry wafers don't taste of coconut. the wafers reconstituted with whipped cream? HAVE COCONUT. you can't taste it because the amounts are trace, but the consistency is there and i was left with little tiny flecks of coconut bits floating around my mouth--which is the exact reason i don't like coconut or nuts. i can't chew it up. it's just LEFT there, left behind after everything else is chewed up. i don't get it! how do people eat coconut when it doesn't go away? anyway. i still liked the dessert despite the Unfortunate Coconut.

we watched Once Upon A Time from Sunday after dinner and OMG. wow. do i love Robert Carlyle. (not as much as TWD though.) :)

Crosspost from http://dawntreader.dreamwidth.org/1970635.html. There are comments.

we got a valentine yesterday from Aunt Buba!! it was a snoopytine. it was ADORABLE!!! i love it!

ours went in the mail yesterday morning. just a few--nothing like the crazy christmas card bonanza and the majority were for family. as usual anything not-local will be late. sigh. oh well. anyone receiving a card on time wouldn't even know who it was from. it couldn't POSSIBLY be from us if it was on time!

tonight we're making dinner; we bought groceries last night.

TWD has to make a trip to Wegman's at lunch to get a couple more things that they didn't have at Safeway. we got everything except Thai green curry paste (which is annoying because we only need a quarter teaspoon of it) and possibly coconut milk. we have a can but it kind of ... expired. i'm leery of using expired anything, much less with the last name "milk." yes yes, i know, it's only coconut milk, but call me crazy! it's EXPIRED. i would prefer a new can thanks.

what are we having? Spicy Shrimp Noodle Bowl Soup with rice noodles. we've never made this before! should be exciting. i plan to chop veggies and/or boil noodles perhaps. i can do that part. ;) (it's Shrimp Noodle Bow-ul! and i hay-ulped!)

Stuffed Scallops.

Green Salad w/ginger dressing. (um. i can make that part too. lol)

and a coffee whipped cream chocolate wafer torte for two for dessert.

we maded the dessert part LAST night because it has to set for at least 6 hours. I GOT TO USE MY CHRISTMAS MIXER!!! it was teh awesome. i realized afterwards that should have used my whisk attachment but since i didn't read the directions first (tuh! who does THAT?!) i used the beaters instead. it still worked. i made whipped cream from heavy whipping cream and sugar and coffee grounds and vanilla. AMAZE-MO! i've never done that before! the little wire beatery thingies are so thin and light. AND the eject button is awesome and easy-peasy--not like my last mixer. i went to press the eject button and shot them across the counter. (guess it works. LOL)

the only annoying thing is i thought it had a retractable cord and it isn't. but that's okay. the cord swivels which is nice! 99% overall, i love love love it! i want to mix and knead and whisk things all day! (you note of course i didn't say beat. i'm not giving anyone that easy a target.)

where was i? oh dinner. so putting the whipped cream dessert together, we were thinking "IT'S SO SMALL! that's for two people???" i suggested making two of them, but with all the whipped cream on top, and the 6 chocolate wafers, And the powdered sugar AND the chocolate you're supposed to put on the top... well, it comes to 400 calories PER SERVING. yes. that would be 800 calories for A SINGLE MINI TORTE. so i think we can definitely split one. dear lordy. whipped cream may be light and fluffeh, but it packs a WHOLLOP in that dollop.

so yeah. looking forward to making and eating dinner. :) and dessert. :) and nice music on the stereo. :) and making a mess in the kitchen. at least we cleaned it last night so it doesn't start off all messy-like. ;D

happy valentine's day sweetie. thanks for not killing me after annoying you for the past 17 or so years. lol

Crosspost from http://dawntreader.dreamwidth.org/1970428.html. There are comments.

in happier news...

saturday's polka date was AWESOME!!! lj user=ptpgrad and i shared a groupon discount thingy and for about $13 got the all you can eat buffet and a drink. i bought two more drinks. they have a million beers on the menu, but i just drank yuenglings.

where was TWD? TWD had two fencing tournaments this weekend and as much as i tried to sell him on the idea of beer, sausages, cabbage, gernman potato salad, and A LIVE POLKA BAND ... (no really) ... he wasn't interested. i got an eyebrow and "you go have fun." SO I DID.

i made sure to wear appropriate polka dancing attire. .. no, not lederhosen. POLKA dot socks that i pointed out to everyone i could find. get it? POLKA? !! WAH Wah wahhhhhhh..... ;)

there were probably about forty of us from the faire who had arranged to meet down there. it's an old timeyish and HUGE dance hall. mostly they play polka but on the last Friday of every month they apparently have swing music. THAT would be awesome, too!

it was fun seeing everyone in the off-season. i polka'd with a couple of my male friends on cast including a waltz with ThatTharLiarDiego, and i polka'd with Daisy O'Danny. i swear to god that was an ABS workout because we were laughing so hard. i said, "so are you the boy or the girl?" "i'll be the man!" then i told her, "huh! i've never danced with someone as short as me!" i mean, i am short. but she is the same height as i am! that never happens. anyway, it was hysterical. we polka'd around the whole dance hall in HUGE SWEEPING DICK VAN DYKE STYLE laughing our asses off. i'm sure we were verra graceful, ja?

there was also a man who either goes there a lot, or manages the place, or knows a lot about the place who was asking ladies to dance and he taught me a spin or two or four. i was dizzy after dancing with him. he was very good at it! i was ... not quite as good. some of the moves i could do, but one of the turns i kept going the wrong way. ah well. :)

ALSO. there was a big chicken dance! i mean, THE Chicken Dance with lots of dancers. not a big chicken dancing. it was awesome. (yes, i am half German, why do you ask?) and THE BAVARIAN HOKEY POKEY!!! holy crap. the last time i hokey pokey'd i was on roller skates and it was the seventh grade. it was Bavarian because they used a Bavarian verse for 'nose' that sounded more like 'shmeckle'. very funny. ;)

anyway, i had ridden with ptpgrad after leaving my car at her place (she was a very polite date!) got to see her assorted kitties again and say hi to the new kitteh. i am approved by all. :) after the dance festivities wound down, we hung out with the last of our crowd until about midnight before heading out. by the time we left it was cold as BRRR-freaking-BRR and windy as all get out, too. February has Arrived.

on the way back to her house we sang showtunes.

i feel i was not a good date though. i didn't buy her a drink. boo. i didn't ask her to dance. boo. i sang SHOWTUNES to her car stereo. probably loudly. i gestured largely once while i was talking and she was behind me and accidentally hit her in the chest (and neither of us are that kind of girl--lol). i told the same lame polka dot sock joke over and over. yuk yuk. hey, at least i walked her to her front door and showed up on time. right? boy, what a terrible date i was!!

i hope i get invited back if the opportunity arises. in any case, thank you for being my polka groupon date! next time i'll be sure to bring flowers. ;D

Crosspost from http://dawntreader.dreamwidth.org/1970080.html. There are comments.

on the Whitney Houston situation.

yes, i am sad. i'm sad that yet another person threw away their life in an endless procession of people who throw away their lives ignoring the long line of predecessors who did the exact same thing.

you would think, you would hope, that eventually people look around and say to themselves, "drugs are bad, mmkay?" but apparently not. it won't EVER happen to THEM.

losing a "bright star" is immaterial. losing yet another person to a ridiculous battle with drugs is the saddest of all. i means seriously. wtf!? i don't understand why people even start it. i can't comprehend the mindset. "oh yeah!! coke sounds like an AWESOME IDEA. or how about some crack!? woo hoo! i'm sure it's fine. for ME." anyone who thinks that is a fucking idiot.

unless it is an escape and they just don't care one way or the other if they live or die--that's the only thing i can think that somewhat justifies the effects.

secondly, i always get mad at the yahoo comments, but someone actually had a good one.

"if you are poor and addicted to drugs, you're a filthy junkie. If you are rich and famous and addicted to drugs, you're a poor, tortured soul who was a victim of your art. Choices are choices and if you make bad ones, you can die, period. Sorry for her family, though."

yeah. pretty much that. death is death whether rich or poor. and junkies are junkies. it's just sad no matter who you are. :(

Crosspost from http://dawntreader.dreamwidth.org/1969842.html. There are comments.

i have been playing Wii Just Dance Thrii. A LOT.

love that game. it's an energy burner and a calorie burner. i have earned many medals. i'm almost ready to switch games and play different songs for awhile. they are *almost* starting to get boring because i've played them so often already. i've almost earned all the medals i can earn by playing alone. (only one gold so far, though. most are silver.) i need a partner to do duet choreography with me and earn THOSE medals! and three other partners to earn the Dance Crew medals you get by playing 4 people. (yes, i'm a total dork. i already know this.)

to Switch!It!Up!, i also did Wii frii step and frii run last night to my new CDs. it worked pretty well to count calories, give me a good workout, and gave me an excuse to dance around my living room like no one (except my cats) was watching. and they don't tell tales. (thank god.) :)

yesterday was yoga day and i did almost all my chaturangas to crocodile without having to bounce the ground in transition to updog. i'm definitely getting stronger. ARMS! i has them. i can feel them today too between yoga and dancing.

i think i will do yoga again on saturday with my DVD. i may have talked about it before... a time or two... but i reallllly like my yogas. i am going out for Polka on Saturday night (yes really) so don't want to do Big Cardio twice in a day. that is, if someone asks me to polka!! hopefully someone in our crowd will polka with me. :)

Crosspost from http://dawntreader.dreamwidth.org/1969564.html. There are comments.

i'm all for free speech. but what makes the right to free speech a free-for-all-license excuse to be an asshole?

there are days i hate the media. the internet. and people.

a lot.

at least you can't understand what your cats are saying. in your heart you know it, but you can pretend you don't really understand it.

Crosspost from http://dawntreader.dreamwidth.org/1969396.html. There are comments.

If you are 40, or older, you might think this is hilarious! (and i do--i recall every single one of these WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE thingies.)

When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their tedious diatribes about how hard things were. When they were growing up; what with walking twenty-five miles to school every morning....Uphill...

Barefoot...BOTH ways...yadda, yadda, yadda

And I remember promising myself that when I grew up, there was no way in hell I was going to lay a bunch of crap like that on my kids about how hard I had it and how easy they've got it!

But now that I'm over (*ahem* at *ahem*) the ripe old age of forty, I can't help but look around and notice the youth of today. You've got it so easy! I mean, compared to my childhood, you live in a damn Utopia! And I hate to say it, but you kids today, you don't know how good you've got it!

1) I mean, when I was a kid we didn't have the Internet. If we wanted to know something, we had to go to the damn library and look it up ourselves, in the card catalog!!

2) There was no email!! We had to actually write somebody a letter - with a pen! Then you had to walk all the way across the street and put it in the mailbox, and it would take like a week to get there! Stamps were 10 cents!

(the earliest i recall is the hoopla when they went up to 15 cents--i don't know up from what though.)

3) Child Protective Services didn't care if our parents beat us. As a matter of fact, the parents of all my friends also had permission to kick our ass! Nowhere was safe!

4) There were no MP3's or Napsters or iTunes! If you wanted to steal music, you had to hitchhike to the record store and shoplift it yourself!

(i stole some gum once. and a bag of hotdog buns... but that was an accident.)

5) Or you had to wait around all day to tape it off the radio, and the DJ would usually talk over the beginning and mess it all up! There were no CD players! We had tape decks in our car. We'd play our favorite tape and "eject" it when finished, and then the tape would come undone rendering it useless. Cause, hey, that's how we rolled, Baby! Dig?

(use a six-sided pencil to roll it back up, dumb-ass! it's not useless! ... do they still make pencils?)

6) We didn't have fancy crap like Call Waiting! If you were on the phone and somebody else called, they got a busy signal, that's it!

7) There weren't any freakin' cell phones either. If you left the house, you just didn't make a damn call or receive one. You actually had to be out of touch with your "friends". OH MY GOSH!!! Think of the horror... not being in touch with someone 24/7!!! And then there's TEXTING. Yeah, right. Please! You kids have no idea how annoying you are.

(i still don't text. if i have something to say i call. i can't be limited to so few characters.)

8) And we didn't have fancy Caller ID either! When the phone rang, you had no idea who it was! It could be your school, your parents, your boss, your bookie, your drug dealer, the collection agent... you just didn't know!!! You had to pick it up and take your chances, mister!

9) We didn't have any fancy PlayStation or Xbox video games with high-resolution 3-D graphics! We had the Atari 2600! With games like 'Space Invaders' and 'Asteroids'. Your screen guy was a little square! You actually had to use your imagination!!! And there were no multiple levels or screens, it was just one screen.. Forever! And you could never win. The game just kept getting harder and harder and faster and faster until you died! Just like LIFE!

10) You had to use a little book called a TV Guide to find out what was on! You were screwed when it came to channel surfing! You had to get off your ass and walk over to the TV to change the channel!!! NO REMOTES!!! Oh, no, what's the world coming to?!?!

(plus, we had 3-4 channels when i was growing up. surfing wasn't exactly time-consuming or difficult.)

11) There was no Cartoon Network either! You could only get cartoons on Saturday Morning. Do you hear what I'm saying? We had to wait ALL WEEK for cartoons, you spoiled little brats!! !

(and they were GOOD cartoons that made sense. you didn't need LSD to appreciate them.)

12) And we didn't have microwaves. If we wanted to heat something up, we had to use the stove! Imagine that!

(i still use the stove for some things because it works better than the microwave.)

13) And our parents told us to stay outside and play... all day long. Oh, no, no electronics to soothe and comfort. And if you came back inside... you were doing chores!

14) And car seats - oh, please! Mom threw you in the back seat and you hung on. If you were lucky, you got the "safety arm" across the chest at the last moment if she had to stop suddenly, and if your head hit the dashboard, well that was your fault for calling "shot gun" in the first place!

(the "safety arm" was my special seat in the front seat of Grandma's car. AND I DID NOT DIE.) :D

See! That's exactly what I'm talking about! You kids today have got it too easy. You're spoiled rotten! You guys wouldn't have lasted five minutes back in 1970 or any time before!

Regards, The Over 40 Crowd
P.S. GET OFF MY LAWN.

Crosspost from http://dawntreader.dreamwidth.org/1968935.html. There are comments.