Two posts in one day...can it be???
I tried to upload some photos that have been on my camera for a while (too long) after finishing the work I brought home--trying to keep the Dementors away, you know--only to find that plugging in the USB caused a power overload on our computer. Weird, right? Not really if you have an eager beaver in the house who gnaws and chews through everything. Yup. Cara chewed through our camera's USB cable. We knew about it, but didn't think it actually damaged the cable. Upon further inspection, it appears that our little beaver managed to break a few wires within the cable. Hey, I tried to share pictures. It's Cara's fault. You can call and complain to her at 800-Bite-Mee.
We went out for dinner. We rarely eat at home on the weekends, so it's no big event or anything. We decided to try a new restaurant. It's a mom and pop type of place that we've driven by many times since moving to our house. It looks like a diner and served Greek, Italian and American fare that is very well-priced. I ordered the moussaka, which is eggplant, potatoes and ground beef with a white bechamel sauce. It came with a salad and a side of vegetables for $9.45. Not bad, right?
Got the greek salad. Not too bad...very little feta, so it's tolerable. As I was picking through the lettuce to ensure no chunks of feta, I come across something else that was white. A white hair coated in salad dressing. Ew. I ate all of two bites before finding it. Whatever. It's a diner...we lowered our expectations the moment we walked in. BUT, a waitress bussing the table behind us (she wasn't our server) saw me make my glorious discovery, examine the specimen and push my salad away. Did she do anything? Nope. She didn't proactively take away my salad nor tell our waiter about my problem. See, regardless of the type of restaurant, I would expect that the restaurant's staff would attend to all the guests' needs, even if we weren't their table. I guess that's asking for too much. I would have tipped her in addition to our waiter if she took care of me. Oh well, her loss.
My entree came. The moussaka looked good enough. The vegetable of the day was green beans. Wow. I swear those were canned green beans tossed with some oil and bits of cooked tomatoes. I had not seen such drab looking green beans since my elementary school days. QE's grandmother's dreadful Thanksgiving green bean casserole looks fresh from the farmer's market compared to the dead beans sitting on my plate. The color is only what I imagine would be in a diaper after feeding a kid nothing but pea puree for a week.
The moussaka tasted good. I couldn't figure out what the white layer on top was. Mashed potatoes like on shepherd's pie? No, it's not. A dough crust? No...oh right! Bechamel sauce! Wait...isn't that supposed to be creamy and saucy? That's the base you use to make mac and cheese from scratch. This is soft but solid...there's no oozing or dripping here. What the heck. It's a diner owned, or at least run by, Greeks and they can't get a freakin' Greek entree right? We purposely focused on the Greek items thinking it would be the kitchen's specialties. Maybe dinner isn't their thing. We will give it one more try, either breakfast or lunch. We want to support small, local businesses, but for $25 including tax and tip, we're better off eating at Chipotle and pocketing the other $12.
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Funeral Potatoes and Wedding Spaghetti
I bought five balls of Debbie Bliss cashmerino aran yarn at a cost of $42 for a hooded baby sweater. Ouch. It's really nice though. Smooth but not silky or limp. Thick but not chunky. So nice to knit. I was very relieved to learn that knitting needles are allowed on flights. QE called me a nerd for worrying about it.
We went to a flea market today. Very cool. Lots of treasures to be had. Too bad we didn't buy a single thing. We are too practical to buy things we don't need and don't see the point of buying goodies for the sake of collecting. We looked hard for something to buy...anything. No luck. Maybe next time.
The heels of most of my work shoes squeak. Is it a coincidence that all the shoes are from Ann Taylor? Don't know. Some are new this season too. It drives me crazy!!!
I've decided that we will host a small party for Princess Angel's 10th birthday. It's not every day a girl turns 10, you know. I think we will go with an Oreo ice cream cake from Maggie Moo's. She loves Oreos and enjoys sharing my ice cream. I think she will enjoy her cake. :) I hope to find a few party hats for the occasion. How does one put a party hat on a cat and keep it there???
What else is new...ah yes. Work will now be called the Dementors. It's not reference to any one person, but the general office. There are a few (only a very few) that are tolerable. The office truly sucks the life out of me. IG helpfully added that the office is very cold, which further supports the name Dementors. I can't figure out if we work in a very inefficient and wasteful building or if the menopausal hags in our office crank up the AC to alleviate their hot flashes. Either way, it's intolerable.
Our patio, deck and fence will be built in the next few weeks. I am so excited.
Davis is sweeter and needier than ever. QE kissed, hugged, and headbutted me as Buddy watched, his paws kneading the sofa. The moment QE left me, my sweet boy came to cuddle with me. I seem to also belong to Cara. She gets pissy when Davis is on my lap. Nevermind that she has no interest in snuggling with me, but nobody else is supposed to either. As a result, I am the usual venue for their fights. Nothing like being fought over and being the battleground, eh?
We went to a flea market today. Very cool. Lots of treasures to be had. Too bad we didn't buy a single thing. We are too practical to buy things we don't need and don't see the point of buying goodies for the sake of collecting. We looked hard for something to buy...anything. No luck. Maybe next time.
The heels of most of my work shoes squeak. Is it a coincidence that all the shoes are from Ann Taylor? Don't know. Some are new this season too. It drives me crazy!!!
I've decided that we will host a small party for Princess Angel's 10th birthday. It's not every day a girl turns 10, you know. I think we will go with an Oreo ice cream cake from Maggie Moo's. She loves Oreos and enjoys sharing my ice cream. I think she will enjoy her cake. :) I hope to find a few party hats for the occasion. How does one put a party hat on a cat and keep it there???
What else is new...ah yes. Work will now be called the Dementors. It's not reference to any one person, but the general office. There are a few (only a very few) that are tolerable. The office truly sucks the life out of me. IG helpfully added that the office is very cold, which further supports the name Dementors. I can't figure out if we work in a very inefficient and wasteful building or if the menopausal hags in our office crank up the AC to alleviate their hot flashes. Either way, it's intolerable.
Our patio, deck and fence will be built in the next few weeks. I am so excited.
Davis is sweeter and needier than ever. QE kissed, hugged, and headbutted me as Buddy watched, his paws kneading the sofa. The moment QE left me, my sweet boy came to cuddle with me. I seem to also belong to Cara. She gets pissy when Davis is on my lap. Nevermind that she has no interest in snuggling with me, but nobody else is supposed to either. As a result, I am the usual venue for their fights. Nothing like being fought over and being the battleground, eh?
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Knitting Cats
I miss knitting. Nothing lifts the spirits like picking up needles and yarn. My least favorite part of knitting is finding an interesting pattern AND the yarn/needles required. It seems I don't buy sufficient quantities when building my stash, so the 1 or 2 skeins I have are not enough. Gyah. But it's so expensive to buy all the delicious yarn without a project in mind! And of course, if I have four skeins, the project requires 6. I can't bring myself to knit a toy or doll using luxury yarn. Oh the cost! Oh the waste! Ah, such is the angst of a cheapskate knitter.
The kitties are doing well. Davis loves to snuggle on my projects if I am knitting. Cara is responding to her name when it suits her. She even knows "Okie" is her. Cara-Okie purrs for me and is starting to let me hold her. Angel has trained her daddy to brush her every night. She sits on the side of the tub and cries, whines, and begs until daddy brushes her to her satisfaction. If he stops before she's ready, she will let him know. Hilarious. Angel turns 10 on September 1. I still have not planned her birthday party. What a terrible mom!
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was so good I am reading it again. All the tiny nuances and details that seemed insignificant the first time are so glaringly obvious now!
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Pot(ter) Head
I did not camp out until 12:01 a.m. Saturday morning to get my copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I did, however reserve my copy at Borders in advance and picked it up Saturday morning. The store opened one hour early in anticipation of the demand. It was a good thing I ordered a copy because they did not have a single copy available unless it was reserved. I think this didn't necessarily mean they sold out, but were saving all copies for pre-orders and releasing any excess to the general public. How nice, yes?
I agonized about going Friday night in hopes of getting the 3-foot poster Borders had "while supplies last" but decided it wasn't worth it to spend several hours in a confined store infested with kids of all ages. I'm sure most of the kids were fine, but there are always a handful of mongrels who would run, scream and otherwise forget stores were not playgrounds. So instead, we picked up my book the following morning. And there were still posters available! Yay! They probably had about 50 left, so us early birds got the goods!
I finished the book in about 12 hours including breaks and distractions such as eating and the loo. :) Oh wow. The book was so much better than I could have imagined in my wildest dreams. There were quite a few deaths, as expected. This book was definitely for a more mature audience, as Ms. Rowling had noted that she expected her audience to have grown up with Harry. Hallows explained so much about the previous books, even when we thought each book had wrapped up nicely. I think I will read it again just for kicks, now that I know how the story ends.
Hopefully Idaho Girl got the book over the weekend so we can be Potterheads together and dish about the book. I never properly introduced him, so here goes. Yes, HIM. IG is a guy at work and we are the sole pathetic souls trapped in our windowless prison cells. Everyone else at work has a window office except us, even though there are at least two vacant window offices available. IG is Idaho Girl because he's cool like that. hahahaha Actually, his friend is away for the summer and let him use her car. Her license plate is Idaho Girl and that's what I've been calling him since. :)
I agonized about going Friday night in hopes of getting the 3-foot poster Borders had "while supplies last" but decided it wasn't worth it to spend several hours in a confined store infested with kids of all ages. I'm sure most of the kids were fine, but there are always a handful of mongrels who would run, scream and otherwise forget stores were not playgrounds. So instead, we picked up my book the following morning. And there were still posters available! Yay! They probably had about 50 left, so us early birds got the goods!
I finished the book in about 12 hours including breaks and distractions such as eating and the loo. :) Oh wow. The book was so much better than I could have imagined in my wildest dreams. There were quite a few deaths, as expected. This book was definitely for a more mature audience, as Ms. Rowling had noted that she expected her audience to have grown up with Harry. Hallows explained so much about the previous books, even when we thought each book had wrapped up nicely. I think I will read it again just for kicks, now that I know how the story ends.
Hopefully Idaho Girl got the book over the weekend so we can be Potterheads together and dish about the book. I never properly introduced him, so here goes. Yes, HIM. IG is a guy at work and we are the sole pathetic souls trapped in our windowless prison cells. Everyone else at work has a window office except us, even though there are at least two vacant window offices available. IG is Idaho Girl because he's cool like that. hahahaha Actually, his friend is away for the summer and let him use her car. Her license plate is Idaho Girl and that's what I've been calling him since. :)
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Speechless
On a Washington Post chat--couldn't have said it better myself:
There's no call for anyone to be cruel to animals, but there's a higher duty to care for our fellow man first. : Difference: animals are largely helpless in where and how they end up in bad situations. Man, who has free will, is often directly responsible for where they end up. Sure, someone may be born dirt poor and into an abusive family, but there comes in the factor which make humans superior: free will and the ability to reason. I'd rather help animals.
There's no call for anyone to be cruel to animals, but there's a higher duty to care for our fellow man first. : Difference: animals are largely helpless in where and how they end up in bad situations. Man, who has free will, is often directly responsible for where they end up. Sure, someone may be born dirt poor and into an abusive family, but there comes in the factor which make humans superior: free will and the ability to reason. I'd rather help animals.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Idaho Girl
Ok, I am lame and crazy according to the cheeriest person I know. Idaho Girl (link to come) thinks I'm nuts for already planning our kitties' arrangements when we visit piglet later this year. The thing is, I am already having separation anxiety. I KNOW they will manage and live through the drama. But what if I can't handle being apart from them??? Sure, we are getting them the largest cages ("suites") available, but they are still cages. What if the cages brings back bad memories for Davis and Cara? My sensitive boy is neurotic and paranoid enough as it is. Additional stress and trauma will probably result in an upper respiratory infection.
On a different note, Davis spent much of the night claiming me as his very own. QE decided to be funny and started headbutting me and laying on my shoulder/chest the way Davis does. Our buddy had big eyes as he watched. "What are you doing to my mom, Dad? She's mine!" After QE left, Davis promptly came over to snuggle on me. He was doing circles around me on the sofa and would lay down if I even thought of picking up my knitting.
On a different note, Davis spent much of the night claiming me as his very own. QE decided to be funny and started headbutting me and laying on my shoulder/chest the way Davis does. Our buddy had big eyes as he watched. "What are you doing to my mom, Dad? She's mine!" After QE left, Davis promptly came over to snuggle on me. He was doing circles around me on the sofa and would lay down if I even thought of picking up my knitting.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Before It's Too Late
And laughter is my soul's release
But we're not smiling anymore
Can't we try to win this peace
'Cause we're never gonna win
Never gonna win this war
(Can't Let It Go)
And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
(Iris)
You've been hiding in the shadows
Have you forgotten how we used to dream
(Become)
Cause all the dreams you never thought you'd lose
Got tossed along the way
...
Scars are souvenirs you never lose
The past is never far
(Name)
Well, I didn't intend for this post to sound so darn depressing, but sometimes I guess happy things can make you reflect on "the worst of times" and be thankful for your many blessings. I definitely have much to be thankful for. It's easy to forget that when I'm caught up in the rat race known as life. And who knew John Rzeznik had such eloquence in his lyrics? (well, I did, but probably not many others) I thought it was time for the severely under-appreciated Goo Goo Dolls to get recognized for their music. After all, they were the inspiration for my blog title.
I received a wonderful phone call today. Maybe I'm not the idiot quasimodo that deserves to be stuck in a prison cell after all. I don't think the call will release me, but it's still nice to know someone thinks I have potential and talent. Like the Goos, I may underappreciated, but it doesn't mean we don't kick ass! :) Rock and Roll!!!
Saturday, July 14, 2007
A Spicy Affair
We had Chipotle for lunch. It was so good, I still can't stop thinking about it. Pathetic, but true. We decided to live on the wild side and got a side of chips and guac. Those chips are so darn good. Thick but lime and salt crusted. Quite different from Baja Fresh, which has very good chips that are thin. Both are great, just in different ways. Baja's guac wins most of the time though. It would be the clear winner if it nixed the tomatoes. Chipotle's guac is infested with cilantro and, this time at least, a bit on the mushy/slimy side.
In other news, it appears my brother and his wife have finally come to their senses and decided to birth their baby "at home" instead of her home country. Not sure why they finally came to that conclusion, but I am thrilled. It makes so much more sense (to me at least) and now we can go visit piglet! Who will care for our kids when we are gone??? It might be a few days, possibly up to a week. My poor little kitties will think I abandoned them. We might take them to a pet resort, but I have to say, their facilities aren't quite up to par in my book. Even the most expensive luxurious suite is still a glorified cage. I wonder if I could rent out the entire cat wing for our kitties. Unlikely. This would be a great opportunity for the amigos to bond with Cara, if that's ever possible. Maybe Cara can have her own suite next to the amigos. As much as I love Angel and Davis, I had no idea it was possible to squeeze more love out for Cara. But golly gee, if only those stubborn furry heads realized just how much I love them.
In other news, it appears my brother and his wife have finally come to their senses and decided to birth their baby "at home" instead of her home country. Not sure why they finally came to that conclusion, but I am thrilled. It makes so much more sense (to me at least) and now we can go visit piglet! Who will care for our kids when we are gone??? It might be a few days, possibly up to a week. My poor little kitties will think I abandoned them. We might take them to a pet resort, but I have to say, their facilities aren't quite up to par in my book. Even the most expensive luxurious suite is still a glorified cage. I wonder if I could rent out the entire cat wing for our kitties. Unlikely. This would be a great opportunity for the amigos to bond with Cara, if that's ever possible. Maybe Cara can have her own suite next to the amigos. As much as I love Angel and Davis, I had no idea it was possible to squeeze more love out for Cara. But golly gee, if only those stubborn furry heads realized just how much I love them.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Sweet Reunion
QE turned on our cute Mac Mini Saturday morning and...nothing happened. The power was on but nobody was home. Oh dear...not again. Our Sony Vaio died about a year ago and the Mini was our replacement that was supposed to save us from most woes. I'm not much of a computer junkie and don't use a computer at home for more than surfing the web. But I felt this sense of loss and emptiness inside. I felt lonely and abandoned. I missed my Mini!
We packed up our precious bundle and visited the Apple Store only to find that you need to make an appointment to see the doctors at the Genius Bar. WTF!!! We drove all the way out only to be told by a crewcutted mullet wearing man (yup, he had a crew cut and a thick mullet reminiscent of Billy Ray Cyrus in the 80s) that we had to make an appointment. We were sad. We were convinced our Mini died and we lost everything on our hard drive. We made our appointment for this afternoon and braced ourselves for the bad news. Like a miracle worker, our Genius waved his magic fairy wand and voila! Our Mini was back with everything intact.
I LOVE APPLE.
In addition to healing our Mini, he didn't ask for proof of purchase, date of purchase or anything else. I was expecting to show Genius birth certificates, drivers licenses, blood tests and list our addresses for the last 10 years. Nope. No documentation was required.
In other news...well, in hooking our Mini back up, QE noticed that various electronic and computer wires have been chewed through by the one and only, eager beaver Cara. We went to Knit Happens yesterday to take advantage of their storewide 15% discount. I bought some cute buttons, another pair of turbo addis, and two skeins of yarn. Yum.
We packed up our precious bundle and visited the Apple Store only to find that you need to make an appointment to see the doctors at the Genius Bar. WTF!!! We drove all the way out only to be told by a crewcutted mullet wearing man (yup, he had a crew cut and a thick mullet reminiscent of Billy Ray Cyrus in the 80s) that we had to make an appointment. We were sad. We were convinced our Mini died and we lost everything on our hard drive. We made our appointment for this afternoon and braced ourselves for the bad news. Like a miracle worker, our Genius waved his magic fairy wand and voila! Our Mini was back with everything intact.
I LOVE APPLE.
In addition to healing our Mini, he didn't ask for proof of purchase, date of purchase or anything else. I was expecting to show Genius birth certificates, drivers licenses, blood tests and list our addresses for the last 10 years. Nope. No documentation was required.
In other news...well, in hooking our Mini back up, QE noticed that various electronic and computer wires have been chewed through by the one and only, eager beaver Cara. We went to Knit Happens yesterday to take advantage of their storewide 15% discount. I bought some cute buttons, another pair of turbo addis, and two skeins of yarn. Yum.
Friday, July 06, 2007
My Personal Porn
Mrs. Tea bought me yarn on her vacation/trip to visit Mr. Tea's family! YAY!!! She sent me a pic from her cell phone and I just have to say, it was so beautiful. Sure, the yarn is pretty, but the thought and gesture of Mrs. Tea thinking of me and feeding my personal porn stash of yarn was quite touching and even more beautiful than the item itself. sniff... She totally made my day. Possibly my weekend. Thank you Mrs. Tea!
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Independence Day
July 4 is just another day on the calendar. But Independence Day is important and special, as it mark's our great nation's independence from British rule. Of course, most of us know that the Declaration of Independence was not signed by everyone on this date, but it's the day we choose to celebrate.
QE and I planned on watching a movie only to find it with limited showings and a victim of getting phased out for crap like Die Hard. We started our day at Starbucks (triple short americano!) and then went to Target. We migrated south to our "dream" shopping center and went to Borders and Michael's. I found Sugar n Cream yarn in 12-14 oz skeins for $5.99!!! The standard size is 2-2.5 oz for $1.49. What's interesting is that I found similar skeins in Beach Ball Blue at AC Moore, but with Bernat labels ($9.99). Could SnC (Lily) and Bernat be the same company? I think so, since that varigated blue was exclusive to Lily I thought. Whatever. I scored big hunks of yarn for a super awesome price!
Knit Happens is closing their online store. I'm not surprised. They are having a 15% discount storewide at their physical store beginning tomorrow. I just bought another pair of turbo addi in size 9 last week. This just means I need to go back and buy more! I have to say, I experimented and diversified my needle collection with a pair of Clover bamboo circulars and...well, they suck compared to addis. The joint is not even close to being as smooth as my beloved turbos. I still love bamboo straights and dpns though.
In other news, Davis took it upon himself to hop on the back of the sofa and headbutt my head. Sigh...he loves me. Angel slept by my legs as Davis gazed lovingly at me while I knitted. Cara slept on the leather chair for the most part and would occasionally stare at Davis. Which of course upset him even though she wasn't technically doing anything.
QE and I planned on watching a movie only to find it with limited showings and a victim of getting phased out for crap like Die Hard. We started our day at Starbucks (triple short americano!) and then went to Target. We migrated south to our "dream" shopping center and went to Borders and Michael's. I found Sugar n Cream yarn in 12-14 oz skeins for $5.99!!! The standard size is 2-2.5 oz for $1.49. What's interesting is that I found similar skeins in Beach Ball Blue at AC Moore, but with Bernat labels ($9.99). Could SnC (Lily) and Bernat be the same company? I think so, since that varigated blue was exclusive to Lily I thought. Whatever. I scored big hunks of yarn for a super awesome price!
Knit Happens is closing their online store. I'm not surprised. They are having a 15% discount storewide at their physical store beginning tomorrow. I just bought another pair of turbo addi in size 9 last week. This just means I need to go back and buy more! I have to say, I experimented and diversified my needle collection with a pair of Clover bamboo circulars and...well, they suck compared to addis. The joint is not even close to being as smooth as my beloved turbos. I still love bamboo straights and dpns though.
In other news, Davis took it upon himself to hop on the back of the sofa and headbutt my head. Sigh...he loves me. Angel slept by my legs as Davis gazed lovingly at me while I knitted. Cara slept on the leather chair for the most part and would occasionally stare at Davis. Which of course upset him even though she wasn't technically doing anything.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Violent Weekend
Ok, maybe not really, but I have a sore spot (not a visible bruise) on my forehead from Davis hitting me. He was agitated with Cara (shocker!) and despite the come-hither looks, he took his anger out on me. On Friday, I had to move Cara from her room to their bathroom and then back so the "hired help" could service her room. I got a nice two-inch scratch as a result on my belly.
In other news, I finished my second picovoli sweater. It was knit using a superwash merino, which is finer than the Debbie Bliss Cathay called for in the pattern. It turned out quite nice when I knitted one size up.
I am ready to work on a sleep sack for my brother's piglet, but it turns out I don't have any yarn with weight called for in the pattern, or I didn't have enough of it. Instead, I decided to start with a baby blanket using Classic Elite's MarL La in what I thought was a varigated red/wine color. Turns out it's actually four strands of yarn in different colors! Very cool. Knitting it on 15s.
In other news, I finished my second picovoli sweater. It was knit using a superwash merino, which is finer than the Debbie Bliss Cathay called for in the pattern. It turned out quite nice when I knitted one size up.
I am ready to work on a sleep sack for my brother's piglet, but it turns out I don't have any yarn with weight called for in the pattern, or I didn't have enough of it. Instead, I decided to start with a baby blanket using Classic Elite's MarL La in what I thought was a varigated red/wine color. Turns out it's actually four strands of yarn in different colors! Very cool. Knitting it on 15s.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Here Todai, Gone Tomorrow
We took dad to www.todai.com for Father's Day. He suggested we go on Saturday in hopes of avoiding the Father's Day crush (he and I are so alike, it's funny!) Our experience confirms that I am not a buffet kind of girl. I don't like to fight for food, and I definitely don't stand a chance against Koreans and Taiwanese! Those peeps are buffet gurus and are not ashamed to take every last bit of . Having first experienced Todai in Las Vegas, QE and I loved the place. Lots of good food and very bountiful. We went to the one in Fairfax when it first opened and were disgusted with the service. Dad wanted to go, so we gave it another try.
The sushi was good, if we managed to get any. Thick fish, good rice. There must have been at least 12 plates for nigiri sushi, but only one or two had fish both times I went up. The maki (rolls) section wasn't any better. There was a modest line for sashimi--2 varieties of tuna, salmon, and red snapper. Very small pieces of fish, but it's a buffet, so that's to be expected. The kicker was that the sashimi wasn't put out on a platter but sliced to order. It would have been fine except the slicer (I wouldn't call him a chef) was so blatantly stalling in hopes of slowing down the line to possibly deter people(?). After every two people, he needed to pause and get more fish from the fridge. Nevermind that there were already three chunks of each already out. And boy, did he walk ever-so-slowly to the fridge. Then, he needed to adjust his gloves, wipe the boards, or just take a break. After every customer. No joke. Dad and I fumed over Todai's cheapness. If serving sashimi causes a huge loss, then don't serve it at all. By stalling, it only pisses people like us off. But surely a buffet excluding drinks that cost $27.95 could afford serving fish costing $4/lb wholesale, no? I saw a lobster and jumbo shrimp serving schedule that alternates between the two items every half hour. Gee, no wonder people swarm the station! What's really funny is that Todai is supposedly a sushi and seafood buffet. I guess it's a seafood buffet if dishes like fake crabmeat counts as seafood.
The sushi was good, if we managed to get any. Thick fish, good rice. There must have been at least 12 plates for nigiri sushi, but only one or two had fish both times I went up. The maki (rolls) section wasn't any better. There was a modest line for sashimi--2 varieties of tuna, salmon, and red snapper. Very small pieces of fish, but it's a buffet, so that's to be expected. The kicker was that the sashimi wasn't put out on a platter but sliced to order. It would have been fine except the slicer (I wouldn't call him a chef) was so blatantly stalling in hopes of slowing down the line to possibly deter people(?). After every two people, he needed to pause and get more fish from the fridge. Nevermind that there were already three chunks of each already out. And boy, did he walk ever-so-slowly to the fridge. Then, he needed to adjust his gloves, wipe the boards, or just take a break. After every customer. No joke. Dad and I fumed over Todai's cheapness. If serving sashimi causes a huge loss, then don't serve it at all. By stalling, it only pisses people like us off. But surely a buffet excluding drinks that cost $27.95 could afford serving fish costing $4/lb wholesale, no? I saw a lobster and jumbo shrimp serving schedule that alternates between the two items every half hour. Gee, no wonder people swarm the station! What's really funny is that Todai is supposedly a sushi and seafood buffet. I guess it's a seafood buffet if dishes like fake crabmeat counts as seafood.
Monday, June 04, 2007
It's Not You, It's Me
Having cleaned the cats' rooms over the weekend, I noticed how lucky those kitties are. Nevermind that I never cleaned my own room growing up, but here I am, cleaning the cats' rooms. The fact that they have a bedroom as "theirs" is crazy to most people. And then there's all their toys. Many children, especially in other countries, only hope to be as fortunate as our cats! In light of this revelation, I wonder if I am contributing to the environmental crisis. I think all Americans are, by default. The US is one of the largest consumers of energy and other resources. Compound that to us being one of the worst polluters and...there ya go.
What I find embarassing is that our president would like to have a summit of sorts with various countries and develop a plan to reduce pollution. That's great, really. However, my issue is that he is trying to limit India and China's pollution output. Sure, saving the environment is a gloabal issue, but who are we to impose limits and rules on other countries when we had our industrial revolution 100 years ago? Why do we have the right to limit other nations' industrial revolution?
What I find embarassing is that our president would like to have a summit of sorts with various countries and develop a plan to reduce pollution. That's great, really. However, my issue is that he is trying to limit India and China's pollution output. Sure, saving the environment is a gloabal issue, but who are we to impose limits and rules on other countries when we had our industrial revolution 100 years ago? Why do we have the right to limit other nations' industrial revolution?
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Hippie Chick
As the resident food police, Cara inspects everything we eat and is always interested in trying whatever we have. The girl has some odd tastes, including an affinity for egg and turkey bacon sandwiches, chocolate biscotti, and Kashi Go Lean Crunch cereal. Yup, the weirdo likes whole-grain cereal. QE was snacking on a sample of Kashi we received through the mail and Cara was hounding him for a taste. She took a sample from his hand, enjoyed the cereal, and went back for more. I don't pretend to understand.
In other news, I started another picovoli sweater. This time in a gray superwash wool. It seems to be lighter and thinner than the Debbie Bliss Cathay. Should be perfect for summer, don't you think?
The whole Michael Vick dogfighting scandal has me really bummed out. I guess everyone knows dog fights exist, but most of us are probably in denial or mentally block it out. I was in the latter group. I don't care if an athlete or celebrity decides to shoot up drugs or engages in illegal activities. It's disappointing, sure, that they chose to use their wealth on such destructive behavior. But whatever. However, when animals are involved, that's a different story. Yes the dogs are mean and vicious. But it's not their fault. They were trained and taught to be killers. In addition to getting critically or fatally injured during a fight, there are innocent victims who were used as bait, namely cats, puppies, and who knows what other animals. Can you imagine being born only to get ripped apart? This poor baby animal has no idea what is going on. And the fighters themselves are injured in each match. If they are lucky (if you can call it that), they won't get killed by their owner for losing.
I know I am naive for thinking such cruelty does not exist on a daily basis. But maybe I know and try not to think about it. A few weeks ago, CNN had an article about how a cat was found with an arrow shot through his head at close range. The case only reinforces my belief that humans are evil. I would rather see all these evil people kill each other. Really. I don't understand why it's ok to be mean and abusive to animals but heaven forbid we smack a kid for misbehaving. Maybe if parents did a better job raising kids and installing morals and values (do they still exist???), we wouldn't have jerks like Vick running around profitting from animal cruelty. Maybe we would improve as a society if parents disciplined their kids. What I find really interesting is how well-educated people are concerned about the environment but continue to breed and place additional burdens on our already over-taxed planet. Oh right. They recycle their plastic water bottles, so they are doing their share.
In other news, I started another picovoli sweater. This time in a gray superwash wool. It seems to be lighter and thinner than the Debbie Bliss Cathay. Should be perfect for summer, don't you think?
The whole Michael Vick dogfighting scandal has me really bummed out. I guess everyone knows dog fights exist, but most of us are probably in denial or mentally block it out. I was in the latter group. I don't care if an athlete or celebrity decides to shoot up drugs or engages in illegal activities. It's disappointing, sure, that they chose to use their wealth on such destructive behavior. But whatever. However, when animals are involved, that's a different story. Yes the dogs are mean and vicious. But it's not their fault. They were trained and taught to be killers. In addition to getting critically or fatally injured during a fight, there are innocent victims who were used as bait, namely cats, puppies, and who knows what other animals. Can you imagine being born only to get ripped apart? This poor baby animal has no idea what is going on. And the fighters themselves are injured in each match. If they are lucky (if you can call it that), they won't get killed by their owner for losing.
I know I am naive for thinking such cruelty does not exist on a daily basis. But maybe I know and try not to think about it. A few weeks ago, CNN had an article about how a cat was found with an arrow shot through his head at close range. The case only reinforces my belief that humans are evil. I would rather see all these evil people kill each other. Really. I don't understand why it's ok to be mean and abusive to animals but heaven forbid we smack a kid for misbehaving. Maybe if parents did a better job raising kids and installing morals and values (do they still exist???), we wouldn't have jerks like Vick running around profitting from animal cruelty. Maybe we would improve as a society if parents disciplined their kids. What I find really interesting is how well-educated people are concerned about the environment but continue to breed and place additional burdens on our already over-taxed planet. Oh right. They recycle their plastic water bottles, so they are doing their share.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Going Mental
Why is it that I make mental notes of meaningful, insightful, or otherwise interesting thoughts and/or experiences, but draw a complete blank when I am actually available to jot those thoughts down? Ugh, I drive myself crazy!
Well, QE graduated from Boston University with his Masters. I am very proud of him. Go Terriers!
Our buddies Jeff and Julie got married earlier this month and will hold a reception on Saturday. I've known Jeff for years and he said I was the coolest chick he knew years ago. I was the only girl for over a year at one of my former companies. I was also very honest to Jeff and another confirmed bachelor that they shouldn't bother getting married since it is overrated. Although I love QE and love being married to him, I told the guys to hold out for their perfect dream girls or otherwise don't bother. That gained me many cool-chick points. Well, my Jeffie got engaged and then married the coolest girl ever. I don't know Julie well, but I know she makes Jeff happy, like nobody else could. She's so darn nice and pretty, it's hard not to like her!
Cara is now free to roam during the day but still goes to her room for bed at night. She seems to have mellowed a bit but still can't resist pouncing or stalking the amigos. I think she seriously just can't help it. Talk about no impulse control. What's amusing is that when they fight back, Cara looks surprised and hurt. She still chews on paper and actually chewed off a piece of her placemat, made of plastic and latex. What is UP with her??? I can understand she was destructive and bored from being cooped up in her room, but we've let her out now. She is such a little darling.
QE and I have the itchies. We've only had our cars for about 2.5 years and have developed this hankering for new cars. We checked out the new 2008, re-designed Scion xB. It's nice. The website and brochure pictures don't do it justice. I hated it because I thought it looked like a RAV-4, the ultimate retardmobile. But in person, the xB looks really cool. New dash and controls, huge interior, bigger engine (same as the tC, which is the 160-hp Camry engine), side airbags, 16" wheels...the the price is still only $17K. The only odd thing is that there is one round light on the left rear bumper for when the car is in reverse. Weird. My only other beef is that the car does not come with alloy wheels standard. My dad is pushing us to get a new car so he can get one of our cars. Last week, we had mentioned that the new xB would arrive at the dealer this week and we would check it out this weekend. On Saturday afternoon, he called to see where we were and if we wanted to meet up to go "just looking". If there was one trait Dad passed to me any my brother, it's the car itchies. My saving grace is that I am cheap and will not pay $20K for a car. Good thing Scion makes cool cars at decent prices that are a great value. As much as I have tried and agonized for a new love, I can't find a car I like that is attractive with respectable performance at a decent price.
Well, QE graduated from Boston University with his Masters. I am very proud of him. Go Terriers!
Our buddies Jeff and Julie got married earlier this month and will hold a reception on Saturday. I've known Jeff for years and he said I was the coolest chick he knew years ago. I was the only girl for over a year at one of my former companies. I was also very honest to Jeff and another confirmed bachelor that they shouldn't bother getting married since it is overrated. Although I love QE and love being married to him, I told the guys to hold out for their perfect dream girls or otherwise don't bother. That gained me many cool-chick points. Well, my Jeffie got engaged and then married the coolest girl ever. I don't know Julie well, but I know she makes Jeff happy, like nobody else could. She's so darn nice and pretty, it's hard not to like her!
Cara is now free to roam during the day but still goes to her room for bed at night. She seems to have mellowed a bit but still can't resist pouncing or stalking the amigos. I think she seriously just can't help it. Talk about no impulse control. What's amusing is that when they fight back, Cara looks surprised and hurt. She still chews on paper and actually chewed off a piece of her placemat, made of plastic and latex. What is UP with her??? I can understand she was destructive and bored from being cooped up in her room, but we've let her out now. She is such a little darling.
QE and I have the itchies. We've only had our cars for about 2.5 years and have developed this hankering for new cars. We checked out the new 2008, re-designed Scion xB. It's nice. The website and brochure pictures don't do it justice. I hated it because I thought it looked like a RAV-4, the ultimate retardmobile. But in person, the xB looks really cool. New dash and controls, huge interior, bigger engine (same as the tC, which is the 160-hp Camry engine), side airbags, 16" wheels...the the price is still only $17K. The only odd thing is that there is one round light on the left rear bumper for when the car is in reverse. Weird. My only other beef is that the car does not come with alloy wheels standard. My dad is pushing us to get a new car so he can get one of our cars. Last week, we had mentioned that the new xB would arrive at the dealer this week and we would check it out this weekend. On Saturday afternoon, he called to see where we were and if we wanted to meet up to go "just looking". If there was one trait Dad passed to me any my brother, it's the car itchies. My saving grace is that I am cheap and will not pay $20K for a car. Good thing Scion makes cool cars at decent prices that are a great value. As much as I have tried and agonized for a new love, I can't find a car I like that is attractive with respectable performance at a decent price.
Monday, May 14, 2007
What's Up Pussycat?
So much going on. Let's see...I hate technology because:
1. I tried to post about two weeks ago and blogger/google kicked me out, accusing me of acting like a spammer. Um, I successfully uploaded a picture to my blog and was trying to upload a second picture.
2. About a month ago, I received some zip files to my gmail account and got kicked out of there for abusing the system and acting like a spammer. The files were from my brother and all I did was try to download/unzip.
3. I am not happy with Knit Happens, one of the links I have listed on my blog. Blogger won't let me delete the link.
Are we sensing a pattern yet??? Don't get me wrong, I like Google and all, but why do I feel targeted? Because I'm not the most computer savvy?
What else...Cara is cute as can be and still tortures the amigos. Davis is starting to fight back, but she's undeterred. I've finished another sweater and bunny, but OH YEAH! I can't show it to you because google kicks me off! QE and I are both hankering for new cars despite having cool cars. Scions are still the best deals around...where else can you get a fully loaded car with moonroofs for under $18K?
1. I tried to post about two weeks ago and blogger/google kicked me out, accusing me of acting like a spammer. Um, I successfully uploaded a picture to my blog and was trying to upload a second picture.
2. About a month ago, I received some zip files to my gmail account and got kicked out of there for abusing the system and acting like a spammer. The files were from my brother and all I did was try to download/unzip.
3. I am not happy with Knit Happens, one of the links I have listed on my blog. Blogger won't let me delete the link.
Are we sensing a pattern yet??? Don't get me wrong, I like Google and all, but why do I feel targeted? Because I'm not the most computer savvy?
What else...Cara is cute as can be and still tortures the amigos. Davis is starting to fight back, but she's undeterred. I've finished another sweater and bunny, but OH YEAH! I can't show it to you because google kicks me off! QE and I are both hankering for new cars despite having cool cars. Scions are still the best deals around...where else can you get a fully loaded car with moonroofs for under $18K?
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
And baby makes 12
Here is our little dumpling. It's amazing how much changes with just four more paws! Cara is cute but also a troublemaker. She actually reminds us a lot of Davis at her age, except he was never as naughty or fearless. Our amigos (thanks for the term, Frappie!) have become more assertive, so Cara seems to realize--whoa! I don't rule this house! I'm not the center of Mommy and Daddy's universe! They have two other kitties they love!
I bought more yarn. Again. Lots of pretty, luscious, yarn. Wool, cotton, blends...I love them all. My current projects are a hooded sweater and a stuffed toy cat. I don't think I have enough yarn for the sweater (left over from my picovoli), so I may just rip it and use something else.
Things have been pretty hectic lately. Buying work clothes has been on my to-do list for weeks (maybe even a month!) now and I still haven't made it to any stores. Shopping isn't exactly my favorite thing to do, so it's definitely not a priority.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Love Bites
Cara learned a new trick: attacking our legs and taking a big bite. YEOW!!!! She is so cute though. It's hard to get mad at such an adorable little girl. She is very much like a human baby in her innocence, fearlessness, and love of life. Her tiny squeaks are precious. There are two individuals who would beg to differ that Cara is anything but a demon child.
Angel and Davis are not amused by Cara's antics. Both quickly retreat to their room once they hear Cara is released from her room. Davis has gotten much sweeter. The deep, soulful looks he gives me clearly say "Thanks for still loving me, Mom. I don't want to be replaced by Cara. I love you a lot." He actually seeks pets and kisses from me, and seems to enjoy the alone-time we share. Angel is coping better with the Cara invasion. She firmly believes all sofas and chair belong to her and we merely borrow them for seating. Angel does not hesitate to steal a warm seat, but still prefers to stop our circulation by sitting on us. Given the cold snap, both kitties have been sleeping with us--or should I say ME, since they drape their bodies over mine? I have become accustomed to sleeping with my face nestled into Angel's back while my legs hang off the bed because of Davis.
I am beginning to think that all of the inconveniences, backaches, punctured skin, and lack of vacations I experience are really acts of love. It's no different than what a good parent would do for their human child. Then again, I think parents go retreats and romantic getaways while dumping the kids at a babysitters...so maybe we go above the call of duty. It's worth it though. We have seen Davis blossom into a loving, secure, little boy as a result of our efforts. Angel knows she rules the household and will promptly remind us if we act to the contrary. The love and affection we receive from the kitties makes everything we do for them worthwhile. They are our kids, after all. Isn't that what parenting is about? Putting the kids before your own needs? Those big yellow eyes say yes. Yes mom, I love you and thank you for all that you do for me.
Angel and Davis are not amused by Cara's antics. Both quickly retreat to their room once they hear Cara is released from her room. Davis has gotten much sweeter. The deep, soulful looks he gives me clearly say "Thanks for still loving me, Mom. I don't want to be replaced by Cara. I love you a lot." He actually seeks pets and kisses from me, and seems to enjoy the alone-time we share. Angel is coping better with the Cara invasion. She firmly believes all sofas and chair belong to her and we merely borrow them for seating. Angel does not hesitate to steal a warm seat, but still prefers to stop our circulation by sitting on us. Given the cold snap, both kitties have been sleeping with us--or should I say ME, since they drape their bodies over mine? I have become accustomed to sleeping with my face nestled into Angel's back while my legs hang off the bed because of Davis.
I am beginning to think that all of the inconveniences, backaches, punctured skin, and lack of vacations I experience are really acts of love. It's no different than what a good parent would do for their human child. Then again, I think parents go retreats and romantic getaways while dumping the kids at a babysitters...so maybe we go above the call of duty. It's worth it though. We have seen Davis blossom into a loving, secure, little boy as a result of our efforts. Angel knows she rules the household and will promptly remind us if we act to the contrary. The love and affection we receive from the kitties makes everything we do for them worthwhile. They are our kids, after all. Isn't that what parenting is about? Putting the kids before your own needs? Those big yellow eyes say yes. Yes mom, I love you and thank you for all that you do for me.
Monday, April 09, 2007
Circle of Life
In Food Network's Chefography on Nigella Lawson, the viewer learns about the loss Nigella experienced--her sister, mother and husband died of cancer. In an interview with Food Network, she said her attitude wasn't "life must go on" because "life DOES go on". She is so right. No matter what is going on in our own life, the world continues to churn, with or without us. I truly believe that for every sad moment, there is a happy moment going on somewhere else in the world. For every death, there is a birth. Life, and the world, can be cruel that way. Just yesterday, I saw two dead cats--one a tiny kitten--both victims of cars. Meanwhile, there are puppies and kittens born every second. It is Spring, after all. Only God knows how many of these precious little babies will live a happy life and how many will struggle with hunger, cruelty, and premature death.
Cara continues to be a reminder to us about how wonderful it is to be loved, to be young, and to be carefree. She only knows if her siblings are growling at her or if her tummy growls with hunger. That is the extent of her sadness, if she is even capable of having sad feelings! She is so precocious. Having recovered from conjunctivitis (pink eye), she is more excited than ever to stalk and chase her siblings. Eating paper is still her hobby, as is "killing" her favorite toy.
QE got a perfect score on his mid-term exam. I am so proud of him. His first A! Alas, he remains a B student.
I started a new job a few weeks ago and am still bored to tears. I can't figure out where I stand with the accounting goddess. She is great at what she does and should not feel threatened by me. But I have a feeling that is not why she is resentful. Only time will tell if my assumptions are correct.
I have a new motivation for knitting, but I am not ready to reveal it yet. I am having a great time though! Frappie and her sugar daddy (I need to give him a name!) are getting married in a few weeks. It's nice to see her get treated well.
Cara continues to be a reminder to us about how wonderful it is to be loved, to be young, and to be carefree. She only knows if her siblings are growling at her or if her tummy growls with hunger. That is the extent of her sadness, if she is even capable of having sad feelings! She is so precocious. Having recovered from conjunctivitis (pink eye), she is more excited than ever to stalk and chase her siblings. Eating paper is still her hobby, as is "killing" her favorite toy.
QE got a perfect score on his mid-term exam. I am so proud of him. His first A! Alas, he remains a B student.
I started a new job a few weeks ago and am still bored to tears. I can't figure out where I stand with the accounting goddess. She is great at what she does and should not feel threatened by me. But I have a feeling that is not why she is resentful. Only time will tell if my assumptions are correct.
I have a new motivation for knitting, but I am not ready to reveal it yet. I am having a great time though! Frappie and her sugar daddy (I need to give him a name!) are getting married in a few weeks. It's nice to see her get treated well.
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