illyrias
Jan. 27th, 2009
Nov. 26th, 2008
12:32 pm
Sometimes you have to wonder if you did something bad in a former life.
This week's ills are piling up and it's only Wednesday.
Topping the list: food poisoning and a smashed back car window.
I just want to have my turkey and eat it too.
Sep. 30th, 2008
12:36 pm - Wow...
In 1972, the Supreme Court struck down a Massachusetts law that said it was illegal for unmarried couples to buy contraception. FYI, in 1968, it was made legal for MARRIED couples to buy contraception.
More specifically, when my parents were courting in Massachusetts, they could not legally buy condoms. I guess that was extra incentive for getting married.
Sometimes, it's hard to comprehend how far we've come as a society in a short period of time. Now, we whine when birth control isn't covered by insurance.
Thanks, Supreme Court!
(Not too surprising this isn't covered in standard high school history class.)
Sep. 22nd, 2008
01:46 pm - Damn you, Habitat for Humanity!
Recently, I made a donation to Habitat for Humanity on behalf of friends.
I have come to highly regret this decision. Every month since I made this donation I have been sent mailings and emails requesting more donations. The latest mailing lets me know that I need to "opt-out" from Habitat for Humanity sharing my name with other organizations. Did I mention this "notice" was in small print on the back of the last page. What the hell. I've grown unhappily used to the underhanded ridiculous practices of for-profit companies selling my name to all bidders without my explicit consent. Now, I have to be concerned about this "charitable" organization filling my mailbox and potentially exposing me to fraud.
If I ever feel the need to donate to Habitat for Humanity in the future, I will do so via an anonymous cash donation that will not link them to my mailing address, credit report, email address, or any other personal information about me. This is especially upsetting to me because I previously held Habitat for Humanity in high regard. I have been highly impressed by their good deeds in this country and others. Hopefully, I can spare others the annoyance of donating blindly to this organization. Moreover, I sincerely hope that Habitat for Humanity changes their practices. (And yes, I will be sending them a copy of this too. )
Sep. 16th, 2008
04:39 pm - Too Many Tomatoes
I never thought I'd be concerned about having too many tomatoes, but I am reaching the tipping point. We've been doing a farm share this summer which overall has been a great experience. It's forced us to be creative with using all sorts of vegetables and in general we've been eating better and healthier - which is impressive given our already vegetarian diet.
Anyways, this is the umpteenth week in a row that we've gotten loads of tomatoes and I'm running low on fresh ideas for them. So, I pose this question to you all, what would you do with extra tomatoes this week? I prefer recipe ideas, but I'm also willing to entertain more creative uses of tomatoes.
Sep. 12th, 2008
09:41 am - Breaking News from CNN!
Headline right now "Warning: Ike may bring 'certain death'" (http://www.cnn.com)
Someone doesn't have a complete grasp of the English language. Personally, I'll be hoping that Ike may not bring "certain death".
Aug. 30th, 2008
05:15 pm - And so it begins...
"McCain and Palin made a morning stop at Tom's Diner in Pittsburgh's trendy Southside neighborhood." (i.e. our neighborhood). Tom's is pretty good, but I would have recommended 1889 Cafe down the street. A couple weeks ago, McCain chowed down on a Primanti Brothers sandwich.
Mr Biden is leading our Pittsburgh Labor Day parade on Monday.
After spending my formative years in staunchly Democratic states, it's still really weird to be wooed by presidential nominees.
Aug. 28th, 2008
04:05 pm - Heads Up
So everyone knows the airlines are increasing fees and decreasing service like mad, but does everyone also know that frequent flyer miles are being hit as well?
Here's a rundown of the latest hits to frequent flyer programs. (http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/up-fr
By the way, Alaska is cool.
Aug. 17th, 2008
09:50 am - 100 foods meme
100 Foods Meme (Thanks to ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=92.2){kind=small}
superlib)
Bold, I've eaten, crossed out, I'd never eat, and ? I have NO IDEA what they are!
1. Venison
2. Nettle tea ?
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp - I find it unlikely that I haven't, but I often don't know the name of the fish I'm eating...
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses - hmmm... it appears this is a cheese from burgundy, and I've had a cheese platter in burgundy, so I'm going to guess I've tried it.
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese - I'll admit it's a stretch, but A ordered it, and I did take a nibble
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper - I'm working up to it...
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda - on investigation, I'd love to try this - i've had pan bagna (bread bath?) which is also quite tasty
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar - I've had rum with a thin cigar. ;)
37. Clotted cream tea - in the highlands of malaysia of all places
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects - probably won't ever try this one, but I've seen baskets of them...
43. Phaal
44. Goat's milk - in cheese form, but I guess that doesn't count... Of course, if I had my way, I'd never have had a glass of cow's milk either.
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin - so far, I've just stuck to snorkelling with sea urchins
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi ?
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald's Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine ? You learn something new everyday... I'll have to try it next time I'm in Canada
60. Carob chips - I've heard of them, but I'm concerned that most of google's search results involve puppy biscuits...
61. S'mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin ?
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs' legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake - how can these be grouped together???
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini - I've just had caviar with bread - silly me.
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost ?
75. Roadkill - I can picture a time where I might eat roadkill, but it'd be under duress.
76. Baijiu ?
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong ?
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83.pocky - it's chocolate and biscuit - will have to try this japanese phenomenon
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant - it was 2-stars when I went but now it's 3, so I think it counts
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa - I've had harissa paste, next time I make it, I'll toss in some rose petals. ;)
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermador - I have julia child's recipe for it, and one day, I will make it... or make A make it...
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake - the opportunity has been there, but I haven't actually tried it, and I probably never will...
Now what about elk, kangaroo, emu, and roti canai?
09:37 am - Oh dear...
The first meeting/debate between McCain and Obama took place at a church and was mediated by a pastor?? Almost all the quotes I heard from Obama involved him discussing his faith in God. Can we please have a separation of church and state?? Can we please take God and Jesus and all their cronies the hell out of this election??
I'm probably over-reacting a bit because I just spent a week with my brain-washed 9 year old nephew who thinks that if married people don't have children it's because god doesn't like them, and is having a really hard time figuring out the whole evolution-didn't-happen-and-dinosaurs-ar
I'd prefer it if children weren't told about God at all and then when they were adults were given a choice about whether to believe in God. Off to start my own commune...
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