sparklesalad

I have decided to make it my goal to read every single book I own before we move in February. See, I have a habit of acquiring books and then not reading them, or starting them and not finishing. I also went nuts buying every single Kurt Vonnegut book I could find at used book stores and haven't read them in over a decade and want to read them again. I need to get rid of all the books I can, so I don't want to get rid of them unless I've read them.

Also, I know this is a somewhat contradictory statement, but does anyone have any Marian Keyes books they could lend me? I have Sushi for Beginners, Rachel's Holiday, A Different Side of the Story (or whatever it's called), and Last Chance Saloon, but I want more. I can exchange a book with you. I have loads of many genres, including cook books and art books.

How many times a day do you...
1. Brush your teeth?twice unless they feel icky, then three
2. Shower?I usually shower every other day but I want to start taking a bath before bed most nights.
3. Check your E-mail? I have it open the whole time I am at work, so anytime I get new messages on work days and then sometimes I check it at night a couple times too. On weekends, about 2-3 times. I am addicted to the Internet.
4. Check LJ?  About 3-4 times a day during the week and once a day on weekends.

5. Eat?  4-5 times on weekdays, 2-3 times on weekends.

I started a new community that I plan to post in daily. It's called One Photo a Day and the point is to post only one photo that embodies your day. I just thought I'd let you all know about it in case it sounds like one you'd like to join and so you are aware of it in case you want to see what I post. Gosh, does that sound conceited? I hope not. I just think it's a fun idea and want to share.

The community is here: http://community.livejournal.com/only_one_photo/

It will obviously be post-less until I post something at the end of the day.

I had a katydid come visit me (well, my apartment's stairwell) last night. We had a nice visit and she snuck out the window this morning without saying goodbye. Slut.

I can't live without fresh veggies, fruit, and sparkling water...I can't stomach gluten, literally...wheat, grains, barley, rye make me sick. I have celiac disease. I also can't stomach meat or slimy seeds like those inside tomatoes, okra, and cucumbers.

PROS	CONS
Flexible work hours	I don't feel valued.
I can wear what I want most of the time	I have to work a lot of overtime.
If I still hate it at the end of this year, I can just quit until I move in Feb.	Some of the people are very unlikeable and make me feel bad.
I am familiar with the job, the commute, the people.	I can't sleep lately because I'm obsessing over revisions I have to make and worrying about going to work.
The commute usually works out well.	They gave me a 1% raise and I know the most I can get is 3% per year at best.
Lots of good restaurants and shops to stop at during breaks/on the way to & from.	I don't like the work I do and don't leave feeling accomplished.
I have some friends at work.	I'm either stressed or bored--never content with my workload. This may be more of my personal problem.
No opportunities for growth.

Taking the new job:

PROS	CONS
I am fairly confident I am better at this job.	Commute is very up in the air...if carpooling or a shuttle aren't available I have to cab it to the office after a long multiple-train commute.
I think I would be happier doing this job.	I have to dress up every day.
The workplace is nicer-looking and there are palm trees in the cafeteria.	Hours are very strict--7:30-4:15, which means I have to wake up and go to bed real early.
There is a more diverse group of co-workers who seem more positive.	Never know how a new job will turn out.
More money.	Will only be here for about 6 months because of the wedding and move.
Better benefits like no out of check cost for health insurance.	No personal days off until Jan. 1st--just holidays and 2 floating holidays, and paid sick time off.
Huge year-end bonus (profit-sharing).	Commute crap requires 2 cons items. More expensive than my CTA pass to get to my current job.
They have an office in LA so there's a West Coast connection/possibility for transfer.
Tuition reimbursement, so if I take a fun college class like pottery they reimburse me 100%
I like new challenges and opportunities for growth.

  

Theme: International Travel

You have the summer and plenty of money to travel abroad. Where all would you go?
~~~Australia to meet some yummy blonde Aussies and to check out the unique landscape and wildlife

What foods would you be sure you got to eat?
~~~Whatever the locals recommend that is gluten free and pescatarian at least, if not veg*n.

What landmarks would you be sure you got to see?
~~~I'm a big fan of just wandering around, so whatever I stumble upon.

What airline would you use?
~~~Who the fuck cares. Whatever one was flying there.

Would your knowledge of other languages influence where you went? (i.e. would you be more likely to go to
France if you spoke French)
~~~Absolutely not. The less speaking I'd do, the better. I have an overly verbal life as it is.

Theme: USA Road Trip

Who would you take with you on a road trip?
~~~Tamas. Oh my Tamas. *Gay boy crush*

What states would you visit?
~~~He wants to go to Florida so we could travel east and then drive south down to FL. Then we'd head west and stay in Cali.

What national parks and/or monuments would you go see?
~~~Again, whatever we'd stumble upon.

Las Vegas: Overrated or a Must-See?
~~~The shows and gambling are overrated but the weather, shopping, dining, people-watching...all fabulous. I am going to be there in 8 days!!

How long would you be gone?
~~~At least 3 weeks, if not forever.

Breakfast: Diet Dr. Pepper (I know, I know)
Lunch: 1c. snap peas (raw), 1/2 c. carrots (raw), hummus, and a champagne mango.
Dinner: Either veggie maki or a salad and some soy milk

I'm not going to publish most of my entries to anyone but me anymore, so if you're wondering why I don't post anymore--I do, you just can't see them.

Don't comment.

excerpt from I LEFT MY HEART IN SAN FRANCISCO (Tony Bennett)

I left my heart in San Francisco
High on a hill, it calls to me.
To be where little cable cars
Climb halfway to the stars.
The morning fog may chill the air
I don't care.
My love waits there in San Francisco
Above the blue and windy sea
When I come home to you, San Francisco,
Your golden sun will shine for me.

Finally, I am not freezing my ass off.

Where the fuck is the Friday Five?

This is serious bullshit.

TV Time!

What's your favourite TV network?  Food Network

If you could create your own channel, what would it be?  Vegan Planet -- all vegan-related cooking, health, biographies, environmental, animal-rights, 24/7

What TV show did you watch as a child, that you wish they would bring back?  Hmm, there was a late-night show called Wild Chicago that was fun. I also liked Cartoon Planet.

What show have you always hated, and wonder why they ever made such a dumb show?  Seinfeld. Seriously. Jerry Seinfeld makes me want to puke.

What TV show's seasons would you buy on DVD?  I have all SATC and also would buy Ally McBeal if it ever comes out.

1. Veggie maki rolls
2. Sweet potato and tofu curry over rice
3. Assorted veggies and tempeh salad

1. If you knew that you had only one day left to live, what would you do for the 24 hours?
Fly out to San Fran ASAP and eat and drink everything I wanted, walk around the city, and give out lots and lots of money to the homeless and the rest to charities.

2. Do you think that life has meaning?
It means what you make of it. There's no divine answer to the "meaning of life."

3. What was your favourite childhood toy/object, or some of your favourites?
(Remember childhood according to the United Nations is anywhere from 0-18 years, so this is a fairly broad span of time).
My doll Amy, Barbies, stuffed animals, books, the play structure my dad built outside, my dog.

4. When you clasp your hands, do you put your right thumb over your left thumb, or your left thumb over your right thumb?
Left over right

5. If you had to teach the most ignorant person on earth the most difficult thing you have ever learned, how would you go about doing it?
I would tell George that no matter how hard you want something to happen, sometimes you just can't make your dreams come true so you have to just be a nice person and do your best to help those even less fortunate than you. He wouldn't get it. 

I went to TJ's today and bought some things for salads and sandwiches. I decided to list them because I am feeling down and lists make me happy.

For sandwiches:

• Ezekiel 4:9 Sesame Sprouted Grain Bread
• Chipotle Pepper Hummus
• Avocados (bag of 4)
• Baby spinach

For salads:

• Baby spinach
• Breaded Soy Nuggets
• Marinated artichoke hearts
• Bean salad
  
• Broccoli slaw
• Dried Montmorency cherries
• Mini seedless cucumbers
• ...I have dressing, slivered almonds, and beans at home to add.

Jason loves it--it's super yummy. Just what we both needed.




Rhubarb and Strawberry Pie

Filling Ingredients
3 cups sliced fresh rhubarb (cut pieces about 1/4 wide)
3 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup to 3/4 cup raw sugar (depending on how sweet you like your pies)
2 tablespoons corn starch
1/3 to 1/2 cup orange juice (I used all the juice from one large fresh orange)
1/4 teaspoon grated orange peel
A little splash of almond and vanilla extract (optional--I just felt like adding it)

Directions:
1. Combine all filling ingredients in a bowl and let sit for 10 minutes or while you prepare the crusts.

2. Pour the ingredients into one of the crusts. The filling should all be contained slightly below the top edge of the crust in the pan so that when you put the top crust onto it, you can fold the top crust onto the lower one to "contain" the filling. Some people get fancy with cool crust edge designs. I am not one of those people.

3. When both crusts are in place, cut a few holes/slashes/designs into the top crust (this allows steam to escape). Spray lightly w/ cooking spray and sprinkle sugar on the top if you want it sparkly.

4. Put the pie on a cookie sheet just in case any juice runs out of the pie. Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees F, then reduce heat to 375 degrees F, and bake another 30 minutes, or a little longer so it's golden brown and a bit of the juice is dripping out of the top. Pie should feel firm and crusty.

5. Let cool 20 minutes or more, then enjoy!

Pie Crust

Ingredients
2 cups flour, plus more for dusting/rolling out the dough
1/3 cup of ice water
10 tablespoons vegan "butter" in stick form, each tablespoon cut separately

Directions:
Put the 2 c. flour into a large bowl. Drop each of the 10 T "butter" on top of the flour so they are even over the top of it. Take a fork and "cut" through the dough, using a "raking" motion to work the butter into the flour to make a crumbly mixture in which there are no longer chunks of butter separate from the flour. Then, one tablespoon at a time, add ice water and rake the dough with the fork...keep adding water 1 T at a time till a dough forms that doesn't stick to the sides of the bowl. Divide the dough in half, and using a floured surface and rolling pin, roll the dough out into a circle shape that will be large enough to cover the pie tin and spill over the sides a bit. When you've rolled it out, pick up one side gently and fold the rolled dough in half, then fold it again so it's in a rounded triangle-shaped fourthed pastry. That way, you can lay this in one quadrant of the pie plate and then unfold it so it doesn't tear from just trying to pick up the whole thing like pizza dough and plop it in there.
Do the same thing with the second portion of dough...then follow the directions above at #2.