Tuesday, October 26, 2010

I had to go to the Emergency Room.

No no, sorry to scare you! Like 2 years ago.

I had to go to the Emergency Room a couple of years ago (better?).

And while it certainly wasn't a laughing matter, a couple of things happened that made me laugh until I cried.

Mostly because I was in a lot of pain (freakin gall stones!), but they were seriously hysterical.

So I had to go to the ER, and since it was my 2nd trip in a week, and they knew what was wrong, I got to wait with all of the other people-with-non-life-threatening conditions. And wait, and wait...

Anyway.

I'm sitting there - in pain - waiting. From across the room a lady woman starts hollerin - and I literally hollderin - that her boyfriend's butt hurt and someone needed to see him NOW. Let me try to recall the quotes for you:
"His butt hurts!"
"He's got a huge boil on his butt!"
"Someone better help him soon, this boil on his butt hurts!"

Over..and over...loudly. The entire waiting room was trying not to stare, as her boyfriend slunk lower, and lower in his chair. While avoiding sitting on the butt cheek in question... (staph infection of course). She was oblivious to his humiliation, and focused on his pain. Oh dear...

The second story requires a little bit of background (or perhaps it doesn't, but I'll share it anyway).
In Texas, a certain ethnicity brings the whole family to the ER with them. That's right...when one has to go, they ALL go. And I'm not talking about mom, dad, and kids. I'm talking about mom, dad, kids, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and the neighbors. The whole barrio meets them there.

There had to be 20 people in there from this one family.

My friend (kind-hearted soul that she is drove me to the ER) and I were sitting near the doors, and as they all came in, she suddenly burst out laughing.

And could.not.stop.laughing.

She laughed until she was crying.

Sobbing even. Couldn't catch her breath.

And I had no idea what in the world she was laughing at.

So I'm staring at her like she's a loon, waiting for her to fill me in.

She finally catches her breath long enough to tell me.

"That guy that just walked in. The one in the pajama pants."
(I try to look around without staring...)

"He doesn't have on underwear!"
(erm, how is that funny, still waiting for the punchline)

"His thingy is all flopping around and you can see it through the flap! Wait until he walks by again."

So apparently my friend got flashed in the ER.

I never saw what she say - thank goodness.

The moral of the story? Unless you have a life-threatening injury, don't go to the ER.

You're welcome.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Crafty Alert!

In my spare time, I made these earrings with some kits I got from a recent "big show".


















Aren't they gorgeous?? I especially like the pair on the right.

Super simple and easy to make. I'll be doing a quickie tutorial in the next couple of weeks.

Here's another preview: This is a charm I did for a few DFW Pug Rescue volunteers

















What's cool is that when I say "in my spare time", I really mean it. Each step takes maybe 10-15 minutes, so it's a nice little break during the day. I stop by my craft desk, add some glue, add the next layer or a bale, and on it goes!

Stay tuned for the tutorial...and I'll also include the links to my dealer...supplier!

Enjoy your new day!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Hyperventilating

Someone needs to drag me off the cliff before I hyperventilate. Or jump. I think hyperventilation is the more immediate fear though.

I'm going to meet - and eat - Ming Tsai.

Did I just say I was going to eat Ming Tsai? not *exactly* what I meant of course. I mean I get to eat his cooking.

Oh say what? you don't know who Ming Tsai is?!?!

Girlfriend, get out from under your culinary rock!

Ming Tsai is THE East-Meets-West chef. Click the link to check out his website. He's currently competing to be the Next Iron Chef, and also hosts Simply Ming on public TV.

 Here's a photo of Ming and his mom - photo courtesy of Simply Ming's FB page.

















Ming is a James Beard Award Winning Chef (are all of those supposed to be capitalized?!! gah! should have paid more attention in grammer. err grammar school. aw heck!), and his Boston restaurant, Blue Ginger has also won many awards.

Ming's latest book - Simply Ming One-Pot Meals will be released November 1st. Annnnnd on November 10th he'll be doing a demo and book signing here in Dallas at the Milestone Culinary Arts Center.

If I was prone to squealing, this is where you'd hear me squeal.

But I don't squeal. Just giggle like a school girl. So giggle with me, ok?

Ming is going to demo 7 techniques which can be used to create one-pot meals. And here's the menu:

--Braising - Aromatic Short Ribs with Root Vegetables
--Wokking (wok it out! hahaha) - Black Pepper Sake Mussels with Granny Smith Apples
--Sauteing - Mom's Famous Vinegared Shrimp
--Roasting - Mushroom Chicken Fricassee with Edamame
--Flash Frying - Flash Fried Eggplant with Honey Lemon Syrup

--Tossing - Tea-Smoked Salmon with Preserved Lemon and Fennel Couscous Salad; Soup - Shrimp Bouillabase







Holy drooling batman! (ok, except for the mussels, which I'm not all that fond of).

Don't worry. I promise to take my camera and record the evening for you. I'm dedicated like that!

Enjoy your new day!

Monday, October 18, 2010

Signs that it's time to call it a day

or really, just one major sign.

I think I've shared with y'all (if you didn't know) that I work from my home. I have an office, etc.

So this afternoon I ran to take a shower, thoughts of work transitions, travel next week, what's for dinner tonight, and so on - running through my head. I rushed through my shower, got dressed, put on my shoes to wear around the house (I no longer run around the house barefoot, but that's a different post), let the dogs out, and headed back into my office to work for another hour or so until my BF gets home from work.

I worked for 15 minutes or so, when I heard the dogs do their "let me in" bark, so like any good dog-mom, went to the back door to let them in.

As I got to the door, I had this vague notion that my feet kind felt strange.

That's when I looked down:
















yeah, that's right. I totally put on one flip flop, and one slide-on boat shoe.

Please forgive the fat, lily white legs. I thought you might could be kind enough to over look those in exchange for the laughter generated by the fact that it took me over 20 minutes to realize I had these two shoes on my feet.

You're welcome.

That's when I knew it was time to take a break...

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

The Fast Food Problem

Side topic - I finally "get" why people are ticked off at places like McDonald's and blaming them for the obesity epidemic. I used to think that it was people who made choices about what to put in their mouths...and thus it was people's problem, not McDonald's. I've changed my mind...

I was hungry (go figure...3 cups of coffee + 2 hour conf. call with my wicked client), and didn't want to spend time cooking anything. So I ran out to McD's, intending to pick up a salad. When I pull up to the speaker, it's all I can do not to gaze at the delicious-looking fries, hamburgers, apple pies, shakes, etc. I had to hunt all over the menu board for the teeny tiny salad section. Then it took every ounce of willpower I had to stick with my original intention and order a salad. I so wanted a burger, fries, or nuggets. I even considered getting the salad, and then a small burger to fill that craving.

I'm happy to say I didn't cave into the craving. But it did piss me off that all of the unhealthy food is so vividly portrayed on their drive-thru menu board...no wonder it's so hard for us (me) to exercise willpower to make healthy choices. When you've got a juicy burger and salty-sweet fries staring you in the face, a grilled chicken salad is the last thing you want!

I've been to NYC several times (mostly on business - but hey, there are worse places to travel), and the restaurants there are required by law to post the calorie count on their menu boards. At first I was offended - that the denial part. I didn't want to acknowledge the calories I was unconsciously consuming. Eventually I began to LOVE the calorie count - it made me pause and really think about what I was ordering. This was true anywhere from Starbucks where they had to post the calorie counts for their drinks and their evil mini-donuts, to the nicest sit down restaurants. I recall making a decision NOT to eat 5 Guys Burgers & Fries at the airport in NYC, because I was appalled at the amount of calories that added up so quickly.

I hope more cities and states will adopt legislation around posting calorie count. It's one more step in this obesity war (which I am myself fighting...). I mean, I know I have issues with food that go much deeper than surface-denial of how many calories I'm consuming. Deep down I know that a burger and fries have a butt-load (pun intended) of calories. I need the help that posting calories gives me with my willpower and decision making.

One step. One step...

I really am making an effort to eat healthier, and eat smaller portions. Little steps perhaps - like a salad instead of burger + fries from McD's. I mean, come on - we know that a salad with ranch dressing and bacon on it isn't the most healthy meal. But it's better than that burger & fries I considered.

So here's my question for you - how do you motivate yourself to make healthy (or healthier) eating choices?

Enjoy your new day!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Home Cooking with Love

Yup - another crafty project!
And this one fits in perfectly with my other hobby - cooking. 

It's a recipe book/stand/holder (Idunno exactly what to call it!)

This is done with October Afternoon's Thrift Shop, Cherry Hill and Farm Fresh lines. The book itself, chipboard shapes and letters are all Maya Road.
The colors are cherry, aqua, yellow, and white which I totally dig!

Here's the in-process project, quite messy, eh?
(are you Canadian, eh?)
(PS: Happy Thanksgiving to the Canadians, eh!)

(good morning....I digress!)



aaaaannnnd the finished project! (lots and lots of pages!)

isn't the little dress form with the apron adorable?! 
And the bowl of flowers? 
And a MILKCAP! 

And we start off with Breakfast Recipes. All good days start with a healthy breakfast! 


And appetizers (one of my favorite sections!)


Somehow I think this section will stay pretty empty... 


Another section I need to focus on - Veggies! 

And this would be anything that doesn't fall under beef, poultry or pork (as you'll see momentarily)
Hmm. somehow I missed a pic of the Poultry page. Sorry! 
You can see the tab in the pic above though.
Can't forget the chicken. It's a stable staple (how embarrassing!) in this household! 

I think I need to find a picture of a cow for this section: 

And then... and then. there's this section: 

Mm mm love me some pig!

Next up is the fresh catch of the day: 


And the last two tabs are my fave: desserts and drinks! 


Do you like??? 
So here's where I need your help - I need to fill this with recipes!! 
Who's got some new recipes to share? 
Anyone? 
Bueller?
Bueller?

ah well, enjoy your new day!


Monday, October 11, 2010

My Life is Rough, by Dre

I have a tough job. I have to make sure mommy stays on task and gets her rescue work done. 

It takes really close supervision.
Like stuck up under the arm close. 

"Poor me"

My job makes me really tired. 

But still, I'm dedicated. I keep an evil eye on mom to keep her in line. 

"work faster mom - help get those homeless pugs forever homes!"


"I see you. Stop goofing off!"



"I"m not sleeping on the job! I just blinked!"


"I said focus! Don't make me angry!"
"That's it. I give up. You're hopeless"


That's my girl. Rotten to the core...and yet she's glued to my side. 
Enjoy your new day!

Saturday, October 9, 2010

I am Simply Spoiled

It's not what you think. 
So stop thinking mean thoughts. 
Yes, YOU!

I am not spoiled. 

That's not to say I don't like being spoiled on occasion (by someone special). 

But as a personality trait, I'm not spoiled.

I digress. (good morning..I digress!)

(I'll stop saying that, eventually.)

(I will!)

Anyway..."I am Simply Spoiled" is the name of one of the projects I recently completed at Maya Road's Artistic Journey. If you aren't familiar with Maya Road, and you like crafty stuff, check them out!! 

I will preface this with saying it isn't my favorite project, mostly b/c of the paper used. It's way too cutesy for me. There were things I loved about it though - the yellow ruffle ribbon, the craft paper envelopes, the milkcap stamp, and the craft-chipboard mini-album itself. 

I also really liked the idea of sealing in the glitter (on the crowns and buttons) with glossy accents. That keeps the glitter from going everywhere each time you touch the book. I'll remember that technique!

That said, I really think it turned out pretty cute! Here's the cover:


Inside 1st page:



Facing 2nd & 3rd pages: 


Pages 4 & 5: 





Pages 6 & 7



And the last page: 

So whaddya think? Are you spoiled?

Enjoy your new day!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

When you can't say nothing at all..

..just ramble. That's my motto. Yes sirree!

So today's post is just a few random bits.

I had a busy weekend crafting and creating at The Artistic Journey. This event was delivered by Maya Road, and The Crafty Scrapper in Waxahachie, TX. We worked on some really great projects (and a couple of so-so projects too lol). I've posted a few on my FB, and will add a blog post when I finish a couple more of them.
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My pug Audrey has a thing for ice. She thinks the ice dispenser on the fridge is her own personal treat dispenser. She comes running to the kitchen whenever she hears ice hitting a glass. Then she takes the ice cube I usually give her and runs to her crate to eat it in peace.

My pug Jessie is a sun goddess. On nice days like the ones we've been having, she'll go outside and stake out a sunny spot in the yard, and just sit there. She doesn't want to come inside either.

---------------------------------

We're going through another round of change at work. It's exhausting. I'm trying really hard to focus on my "it's a new day" positive spin, and focus on the things I can control - namely my reaction and emotions related to the change around me. Yes, it's very stressful. No, I'm not thrilled about the changes. But change is inevitable, and I'm doing my best to manage it gracefully. So far so good.

I'm reaching a point where I'm realizing I'm not one of the lucky ones to have a job/career that is always going to be fullfilling and completely satisfying. I'm in corporate America for goodness sakes, and thanks to the economy, that means all companies are forcing their people to do more work, with less resources (time, money, staff, etc.).

I'm coming to terms with these facts. And it's ok. It's a job. I'm lucky in that I can do pretty darn well at this job. It doesn't mean I have to pour every ounce of emotion and energy into it, it just means I have to do my best with the situation I'm given at any time. 

I've sought satisfaction and fullfillment outside of the job - which is why I'm once again involved with pug rescue.

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Speaking of pug rescue, the number of homeless pugs is simply flabbergasting. We have had over 120 pugs in rescue for quite some time. We adopt them out as quick as we can, but we're barely keeping up with the flood of incoming pugs.

And so many are owner surrenders. Can't afford the vet care. Got a new baby, dog has to go (grrrr this one really just pisses me off!). Too busy. Such a sad, variety of excuses.

We are really fortunate to have a huge network of volunteers who are caring for all of these pugs. It just blows my mind though - if we have this many pugs, think about all of the other breeds, and all the mixed-breeds out there. And cats. And bunnies. And horses. and any other pet you can think of. Shelters and rescues are packed to the gills with pets.

If you're fortunate enough to be entertaining the idea of adding a new family member in the form of a pet, please, PLEASE look to adopt from a shelter or rescue.

And as Bob Barker says, "Help control the pet population - spay or neuter your pets!"

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My other half is flying to NYC on Saturday, and staying for a little over a week. I had hoped to combine a business trip to the city and join him next weekend, but it didn't work out. So I'm disappointed about that. On the other hand..I'm starting to look forward to having some time to myself. I have a bunch of craft projects to finish! lol

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Lunch is over, which means you are spared from any further randomness. Aren't you lucky??

Enjoy this new day!