TheJenmeister

Feelings, encapsulated

2011-06-16T12:54:00.000-07:00

I'm with Charlie: "I'm tired of pretending I'm not a total bitchin' rock star from Mars."

Sam agrees.

Cold @$$ Monday

2009-12-07T13:41:00.000-08:00

The Time: 1:37PM.
The Place: Seattle, WA (University District).
The Temperature: 30 degrees F (-1 degree C).

It is cooooooooold out. I am wearing a lot of wool, even for a knitter. But it's sunny!
Here are some pictures to warm your heart and make your Monday brighter.

Puppy Sam, wearing his little yellow rainslicker. The Gorton's Fisherdog! Circa early February 2009.

Roasting Teddy Kennedy and other long weekend delights

2009-11-30T23:02:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving weekend may, in fact, be the best weekend of the year. The reasons?
First: it is a four day weekend for anyone in a government-related job--like me. Nice to be paid for two days you don't have to work, and the short work week beforehand is definitely a low-effort work zone.
Second: the quality and quantity of good company increases immensely. I spent 75% of my weekend knitting and chatting with Adrienne, and Sam got to spend plenty of time with both Root Beer and Tesla, including two long visits to the dog park. I spoke on the phone with Mom, Dad, Colleen, Grandma, BJ, and Aunt Ginny, which was nice. The Upstairs Crowd maintained an open-door policy all weekend, so much watching of old movies (Flash! Ah-aaaaaahh! He'll save every one of us!) and playing of the Xbox (Soul Calibur IV) commenced. Wino Scrabble has long been a favorite of mine, and I observed (and kibitzed) a single game. (I didn't feel like playing without Mike around to periodically scream "That's not a real word!" at me while inventing hilarious new obscenities that make my mom laugh until tears run down her cheeks. Somehow playing a six letter word parallel to another six letter word and grabbing two triple word scores loses its charm without watching my kid brother writhe in agony over the veracity of all the two-letter words formed.)
Third: the food. Oh the food. For Thanksgiving Day I brined our 20 pound turkey in a mixture of apple cider, sea salt, sugar, peppercorns, star anise, and water. I threw in a little bit of hard apple cider that was sitting in the fridge. We dubbed the bird Teddy Kennedy as it was quite robust and clearly working for social change. (Actually they were both rather fat and dead, and it sure beat the other possibility--Goebbels. We thought a [dead racist bastard] Nazi name was not auspicious.)
Anyway, after overnight brining Teddy Kennedy received a rubdown with a stick of unsalted butter, a third cup of very green and fruity olive oil, applewood smoked salt, fresh ground pepper from a four peppercorn blend, the zest of two large oranges, and about 2 bulbs of garlic, which I blended together with my amazing hand blender's food processor attachment. I stuffed him with an onion and the two oranges, he roasted in the oven for about 5 hours, and then he fell apart when I tried to carve him. Everyone liked the taste and there are few leftovers. (I saved the carcass for tortilla soup, which will happen at some point this week.)
I also made potatoes au gratin with cave-aged gruyere, which was a big hit. Other food on the table included mashed parsnips & carrots (yes, they are in fact better than mashed potatoes), two types of stuffing (savory sage and fruit & nut), roasted brussel sprouts, mustard greens, apple & butternut squash soup, cranberry orange relish (the be-all and end-all of cranberry sauces: raw and fresh tasting), and tomato pudding (weird as all hell--like a soupy ketchup bread pudding).
I enjoyed my minibreak immensely and am refreshed and ready to get back to real life.

Happy Friday

2009-11-13T14:01:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday...the 13th!!! (I cannot help but love this absolutely weird photoshop pic. It is demented. Who thought of doing this in the first place? And are they freely roaming the streets?!?)

Armistice/Veteran's Day

2009-11-11T14:46:00.000-08:00

Downtown Seattle, 2:30 pm. Haven't had a chance to thank a living veteran yet, but thanked Grandpa & Papa in my heart.

Blinded

2009-11-06T15:24:00.000-08:00

The Daystar! It burns!

Angry!

2009-11-06T09:24:00.000-08:00

I have a few (not many) socio-political issues that really, really rile me up--there are many that don't. I could give a crap about paying taxes--there will always be taxes. Don't really care about illegal aliens--enriching our culture or ruining our social services, stealing our jobs or contributing to the economy, arguments can be made either way and I just don't think it is a priority concern. Not passionate at all about states' rights vs. the Federal government. But universal women's rights are basic and IMPORTANT. Women are everywhere, every race and religion, and are treated across the board as less-than-men for no logical or justifiable reason. I read an article about a legal measure with unknown consequences for women's rights and unforeseeable applications against women in the state of Colorado, which may be enacted even though it is 2009 and we are living in the future! My bullshit-o-meter pinged up past the red line for this one. Also, WTF is up with the Personhood movement?!? The language used by this group is laughable. "Pre-born child"? I guess unborn is "too negative." Just like "pro-life" sounds so righteous, when they really could have gone with "anti-choice" or "Babies: worth more than women." Why is it so difficult to treat women as people rather than either sacred, untouchable goddess-like creatures or simple, hollow baby vessels? Why should a woman's life decisions, good or bad, be any more or less legally actionable than a man's? Why is a collection of cells/baby ranked above the woman/mother who carries it in terms of rights? South Carolina, you have FAIL.

What to do about this? I went to the NOW website. I Signed the Pledge, and maybe you will at least look at it too...?

Side-note
My personal feelings on childbearing/rearing are a) I don't want a kid, but b) I'm happy for you to have one if you want one and I'll pay taxes to educate and care for your wee one and I'll smile at it on the bus and chat with it and admire its cuteness, however please don't bring it to an R-rated movie or sit-down restaurant late at night and don't try to tell me I should behave differently because there is a child present.

Exponential

2009-11-05T08:20:00.000-08:00

This is a fabulous video proving that we are cursed/blessed to lived in interesting times. So it goes.

Halloween pre-show: Even Stevphens

2009-10-28T08:47:00.000-07:00

I love this old clip from The Daily Show. The two funniest/cutest Stevphens ever plus re-lived childhood trauma, druidic cabal, and candy? AWESOME.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Even Stevphen - Halloween

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Health Care Crisis

Saturday

2009-10-24T12:12:00.000-07:00

Bakery Nouveau, West Seattle. Twice-baked almond croissant, here I come!

Stuck in my head! Sweet lemonade!

2009-10-22T21:01:00.000-07:00

I am officially cursing the Upstairs Crowd for showing me the (NSFW--Not Safe For Work) video and getting the song stuck in my head! J and J, I curse you!!
http://www.getonmyhorse.com/
And some associated avatars I saw out and about using The Google:

"I think you'll find that the universe pretty much covers everything."

Look forward to a real post covering the Texas trip and this week's assorted miscellany on the morrow.

Color study 3

2009-10-20T18:03:00.000-07:00

I think I need to stop taking artsy pics with my phone. The colors are far more vivid in real life.

Color study 2

2009-10-20T17:59:00.000-07:00

Less light than I'd like.

Color study

2009-10-20T17:26:00.000-07:00

Fall! Focus fail! Good thing this was about color, not composition.

Saturday morning in Texas

2009-10-17T09:42:00.000-07:00

Plain Jane socks in Madelinetosh sock (Elfin colorway), outside at The Green Chai Cafe in downtown Bastrop. Sunshine and 70 today!

More sauce, please

2009-10-16T15:45:00.000-07:00

The quintessential Texas experience: brisket at The Salt Lick!

Mighty Fine

2009-10-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

Lunch! Lemonade shake & fresh-cut crinkle fries.

Texas, in bite-sized portions

2009-10-16T08:59:00.000-07:00

Foodie update! Last night's dinner came from Guadalajara, one of Bastrop's nicest Mexican restaurants. I had the steak fajitas (with guacamole!) to accompany beans, rice, and copious quantities of fresh chips and salsa. Mr. Janssen's burrito came with [chili con] queso, which he gladly forked over in exchange for a bite of steak. Mmmm, queso. Breakfast this morning is homemade pumpkin pancakes with Greek yogurt and pineapple juice. I love visiting Mom!

The trip down was easy. I think that Alaska's new direct flight from SEA to AUS may be the easiest flight I've ever taken, in fact. The plane was mostly full but not packed, in-flight service was pleasant, and boarding and exiting the aircraft was a breeze. I even got to knit during takeoff and landing. (Note to @FreezeRae: I took the picture with my phone set to Flight mode, so no interference with equipment. Perfectly legal and safe.)

Emma, my parents' new dog, and I have bonded. She loves being loved. She is silent as the grave and has a piercing blue-eyed stare. She snuggles. She is a good dog.

I set up the Wii last night and gave my folks a demo using Lego Indiana Jones. (I do so love Lego Sean Connery.) Making a Mr. Janssen Mii was fun, and it includes the gray handlebar mustache and Klingon hairdo. Can't wait to see them test Wii Sports and their new Wii Fit, and to kick Mr. J's ass at Mario Kart.

Today Mom and I are off to the outlet mall at Round Rock (Le Creuset! Eddie Bauer! Gap!) and then "dunch", dinner/lunch, at The Salt Lick. Mmmm, barbeque and beer...

2009-10-15T09:15:00.001-07:00

FYI: feeling better, still not great. All will be well!

Travel day

2009-10-15T08:58:00.000-07:00

On my way to Austin, TX. SeaTac at 7:30 AM isn't awful, but coffee at SBX still makes it better.

Knitting: Fetching in Malabrigo Silky Merino, colorway Vigo. One down...

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Sad Fish

2009-10-12T17:26:00.000-07:00

I saw a great avatar picture on Ravelry today:

This sums up my last 24 hours pretty damn well. I missed a single day's dose of Vitamin Anti-D--which means I went 24 hours without any pills in my system--and it sent me into a tailspin of epic proportions. Dizzy brain, nausea, loss of appetite, exhaustion, and uncontrollable crying jags. Sam knew something was very wrong from minute one, and proceeded to snuggle the hell out of me at every opportunity. I know things aren't right with my neural chemistry when I'm violently weeping while apologizing to the dog for stressing him out.

I called one friend last night and almost asked her to come over, but she was hanging out with her boyfriend so I pretended that I'd called just to chat. I scrolled through everyone else in my phone list and ruled all of my friends out as possible touchstones, sometimes with logical arguments ("She is in California and cannot come over for tea right now.") and sometimes out of embarassment ("How will >insert name here< react to me being in this state?"). I worried more about the consequences of having someone over on my relationship with that person than I worried about needing company. I ended up hanging out with the Upstairs Crowd, once I figured out they were home, and watching Discovery channel while not knitting on a dishcloth. Later, settling down in bed required over an hour of Plants vs. Zombies with my favorite golden lamp turned on nearby and lots of fluffy pillows. Falling asleep last night was tough, and I had vivid, angry nightmares.

I almost didn't get out of bed today.

I got up and took my pills and came to work this morning because I knew staying home would be worse.

I have not felt this horrible since 2001. I remember starting the descent into the black pit around mid-summer, and how I could still see daylight even after the numbing madness that was 9/11. By New Year's I was in wretched shape, sleeping 10 hours a day or more, playing computer games into the wee hours of dawn, cutting myself off from my long-time friends. I wasn't going to the movies (my major hobby at the time as I hadn't taken up knitting yet), I wasn't cooking, I wasn't dining (just eating), I wasn't shopping, I wasn't travelling, I wasn't reading. I got up, watched Law & Order, worked, and slept. Nothing interested me, and nothing mattered.

In late winter I figured out that I was depressed and needed help, that nothing was fundamentally wrong with my life at the time, and that I wasn't capable of going to (or even interested in) therapy. When I finally called my doctor's office (she was an Ob-Gyn) to make an appointment, I remember being in tears and trying not to let on that I was crying. The receptionist told me that she wouldn't be able to fit me in until a month away, and that I should see my (non-existent at the time) primary care physician instead. Which sent me into hysterics. On the phone. With a stranger. I made that call at 3 in the afternoon, and I was still in bed.

I saw the doctor that week and began a chemical journey into the unknown. I slowly got better, turning back into a functional human being who interacted with her environment and friends. By the following winter I was OK, even good. And over the last seven years prescriptions changed, dosages increased/decreased, and I've learned to read my tendencies and moods and mental chemistry. I have maintained the OK, staying fairly level--in short, functioned much like everyone else on the planet. Until yesterday.

What astonishes me is that it all came crashing down on me like a brick tower in an earthquake. It was so sudden, so unexpected, and such a complete destruction of the even-keeled mindset I've built up that I would catagorize the event as catastrophic. Natural disaster images come to mind. Why would a single missed dose cause this reaction? And what would have happened if I'd missed a second dose, or a third?

I am doing, moving forward right now, unable to focus much, but am not in the state I was yesterday or even this morning. I vacillate between deeply sad and ragingly angry, and am restless and irritated--but I'm not crying. I am taking Sam to the dog park this evening. I am seeing the doctor tomorrow, and the fact that I can think about tomorrow without wanting to weep means progress.

Letters from Jen: Cashier

2009-10-11T15:53:00.001-07:00

Dear QFC checker,

Stop talking to me. If you don't understand the conversation I'm having with my friend, don't talk over us about something only vaguely related to what we were discussing and your birthday. Ring up the groceries and send us on our way. Seriously. That's all I want at 9:30 on a Sunday morning---my groceries and to be left to my conversation about pie, farmer's markets, whatever.

Cold hands, warm...lap?

2009-10-11T00:51:00.000-07:00

All the recent marathon sessions with Plants vs. Zombies (along with the much cooler nights that October brings) mean my hands are constantly icy cold. As I sat with a numb hand on the mouse, blasting zombies into oblivion with Cherry Bombs and Snow Peas, something inside me clicked: Hey, I'm a knitter! I don't have to have cold hands at the computer/waiting for the bus/while knitting if I don't want to!

Above is a selection of yarn I gathered to knit myself a few pairs of fingerless gloves. Unless otherwise indicated, the patterns I chose are from Knitting New Mittens and Gloves.

Hand Maiden Sea Silk, silver color, from my stash. For Rusalka.
Blue Sky Alpacas Melange, colorways Orange Zest and Cornflower, from my stash. For striped fingerless mitts a la Penny's wristwarmers from Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog.
Rowan Scottish Tweed DK, colorway Brilliant Pink, for $2.90/skein from Little Knits. For Driver.
Rowan Tapestry, colorway Highland, from my stash. For Box Pleats.
Misti Alpaca Hand Painted Worsted, purple colors, from my stash. For Accomplice.
Malabrigo Silky Merino, a blue/green/grey color, from my stash. For Gothic.
Louisa Harding Grace, electric lavender color, from Little Knits. For Glaistig.
Debbie Bliss 100% Pure Silk, green color, from my stash. For another pair of Fetchings, perhaps? To be determined...

With season one of Dexter on loan from the library, I'm sure to get all this knitting done in no time. Right? Sam concurs: great idea.

Friday, in short

2009-10-10T02:43:00.000-07:00

Bus ride (saw ex-friend--weird--and knitting time)
Work (meh)
Burrito Payday (mmm...Chipotle)
Ravelry surfing (fingerless gloves are the new socks!)
Pattern queueing (Fetching--in progress, Accomplice, Driver, Box Pleats, Rusalka, Glaistig, Larus + Ardea, Endpaper Mitts, Winter Twilight Mitts, Dashing)
Christmas knitting plans (limited list--Mom, Art, Dad, Colleen, Mike, Maggie, Justin)
Virtual yarn shopping (the stash and Little Knits)
Plants vs. Zombies (level 5-3! Braaaaaaains)
Doggie hangouts
Sam to babysitters' (Sheldon and Amy, FTW!)
Trip to the movies (fail--passes no good until 2 weeks after the release)
Chocolate! (in lieu of film, at a restaurant with Mike and Maggie and Justin)
Knitting, beer, and hanging out (Sheldon and Amy and Tesla the puggle)
Prototype (watching, not playing)
Home for couch time with Cassie (the internets ate our evening)
Plants vs. Zombies (for the Mac! Level 3-4)
Sleepy times (technically on Saturday)

Catching up with earstwhile cohabitants

2009-10-08T22:40:00.000-07:00

Today was roommate reunion day! At 11AM I got a call from Katie the Newly Married Lady, who I lived with for a year in 2006-2007. But I've known Katie since I was 19, when we worked at Liberty Bay Bakery together for a summer in Poulsbo. We went to lunch and split a burrito, then wandered around Weaving Works fondling yarns. Katie and I got a chance to catch up and chat in a way we haven't since she moved to Israel. It was certainly a delightful use of my lunch hour and a vast improvement over eating ramen by myself in the windowless breakroom.

On my way home on the bus I received a text message from Jill, who I lived with for a year in 2000-2001--my last year of college at UW. She took me out to dinner at Piecora's, where we got all caught up over pizza and beer (Boundary Bay Scotch Ale, which you should try as soon as possible because it is ambrosial--hints of caramel, but not too sweet). I haven't spent much time with Jill since last spring, and it was good to talk to her. Like lunch, it was an excellent use of my time, mostly for the company.

It seems strange to be on such good terms with my former housing companions, especially considering my personality. I know I can't be the easiest person to live with. Example one: I don't pick up on subtle hints. I expect my roommates to actually tell me if something I am doing is bothering them, otherwise I'm going to assume all is well. Example two: I want things my way and find it difficult to compromise sometimes, whether it be over how the bathroom is organized or how long it is reasonable to ignore the housework. Example three: I occassionally need to be left alone to putter around the house or read, without any conversation--including an explanation about how I'm feeling that day. It can't be much fun to try and chat with your roommate when she gives monosyllabic responses for no apparent reason.

And Katie and Jill and I not only survived living together with our respective friendships in tact, but we share the special bond that only people who have cleaned one another's hair out of the shower drain can form. So going to a meal with these people seems like a special treat, because they are sharing their lives with me still...even if they're not sharing the dishes.

Yesterday Fail, Today...Zombified?

2009-10-07T23:21:00.000-07:00

I had a migraine yesterday.

Today I lost many hours to this game. (This game if you have a Mac.) So addicting and fun!

Braaaaaains...

Cartoon for grownups

2009-10-05T22:32:00.000-07:00

I loved several cartoon shows as a kid. He-Man, She-Ra, Tiny Toons, and Animaniacs were some of the finest half-hour blocks of my childhood TV time. My love of the animated short has continued into adulthood.

The upstairs neighbors introduced me to a show on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim called The Venture Brothers. Imagine Johnny Quest all grown up into a jaded, bad superscientist (and self-centered douchebag) named Dr. Thaddeus "Rusty" Venture. He has two idiot sons, Hank and Dean, and their mother is nowhere in sight. Dr. Venture also has a massive bodyguard with a mullet and the voice of Patrick Warburton--Brock Samson. Dr. Venture's nemesis is The Monarch, a butterfly-themed supervillian with a second-in-command named Dr. Girlfriend. Much funnier than it sounds, the show makes a bevy of pop culture references in any given episode and debates the villain/hero dynamic. (While Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog had the Evil League of Evil, the supervillains in The Venture Brothers are governed by the Guild of Calamitous Intent.) The characters build over the course of the first three seasons, and my favorites are Master Billy Quizboy, Henchmen 21 and 24, Brock Samson, Dr. Orpheus, and The Monarch.

Sample dialogue:

Henchman 21: Here is where you are wrong, my friend. This woman has killed before.
Henchman 24: Allegedly.
Henchman 21: Okay, whatever. But she was a big girl. We are talking about a large, healthy woman of questionable stability.
Henchman 24: Oh, you are totally underestimating the never-say-die scrappiness of a survivor.
The Monarch: Hey, guess what? Nobody cares who would win in a crazy fantasy fist-fight between Anne Frank and Lizzie Borden. We never should have brought the henchmen. We're going to be the only ones there with henchmen!

Brock Samson: After the twist, you'll feel a snap and the body goes ragdoll on you.
Hank Venture: And that will knock him out... even more?
Brock Samson: That will kill him.
Hank Venture: Do I have to?
Brock Samson: Alright, fine crybaby. Tie him up and, I guess, gag him. But at the first sign of trouble I want you to at least break both his knees.

Dr. Girlfriend: Killing your arch-enemy on Christmas Eve - that's a gift for me?
The Monarch: Well, I got you some stocking-stuffers too...

Season four starts on October 18. Cartoon Network has whole episodes available to watch for free on their website, so get caught up while you can. Go Team Venture!!!

Things to do on a sunny October Sunday

2009-10-05T00:57:00.000-07:00

Wake up with dog staring at you and whining softly, then using your face as a headrest.
Try to sleep in and fail due to persistent doggie interference (see: headrest).
Get up and dressed in clean but not too clean clothes.
Decide laundry may be in order.
Call friends with dog and invite over for breakfast.
Do a few handy dishes until friends arrive.
Watch dogs as they act like they haven't seen each other in years.
Make migas.
Watch dogs watching you eating migas.
Go to the dog park as a group, being sure to bring the holy Throwing Stick and the sacred (yet filthy) Squeaky Tennis Ball.
Throw ball until you are tired--because the dog never will be.
Come home and do dishes from last night's meal.
Strip bed and start laundry.
Knit.
Invite friend (who you haven't seen in three weeks and you usually see at least twice a week, occasionally wondering if she actually lives with you--but in a nice way) over for dinner and afternoon hanging out.
Talk on the phone with mom.
Move laundry to dryer.
Greet friend as she arrives.
Commence snacking.
Do snack dishes.
Watch The Two Towers extended edition, disc one, skipping only one Frodo & Sam section (the Black Gate).
Knit.
Use the between-discs break to go grocery shopping, do more dishes, and put dinner in the oven.
Watch the moon rise
Watch The Two Towers extended edition, disc two, until the beginning of battle at Helm's Deep.
Serve dinner and eat: Coq au vin with Big House Red, goat cheese mashed potatoes, and peas with a little butter.
Watch The Two Towers extended edition, disc two, through the fan club credits while discussing sock patterns for friend's Dream In Color Smooshy in Punky Fuschia.
Drive friend home with the dog as company.
Tidy living room, putting dishes in the kitchen.
Die a little inside as you realize you'll have to put dishes away before you can do any more.
Shower instead.
Put flannel sheets on the bed. (Yay fall!)
Lie on bed, letting back spasm until it stops and the muscles are relaxed.
Decide not to do more dishes.
Realize laundry is still in the dryer and may not be dry.
Use "dog asleep on my feet" as a justification for not getting off the bed and checking laundry.
Post meme to blog and go to sleep.

Spaghetti night

2009-10-03T22:59:00.000-07:00

Today I made spaghetti with tomato-based meat sauce for dinner, and the pot was big enough for leftovers for days and days to come. Roommate Cassie had a huge portion as well, yet I still have pasta and meat enough to feed a couple of teenage boys.

Holy crap lunches for days!

The funny thing is, I don't like spaghetti with tomato-based meat sauce. When I was a kid, we had spaghetti night rather often. My mom always made the sauce from scratch using chunky canned tomatoes, tomato paste, onions, and ground beef. She'd add a bay leaf and oregano and let it simmer for about 20 minutes, then serve with Kraft parmesan cheese in a can. (We did not know of real Parmigiano-Reggiano's powers until I was in my twenties.) This was the recipe she grew up with, and it was called "spaghetti" all by itself--as if there were no other way to prepare the noodles known as such. No doubt it was delicious--my mom is a great cook--but I hated it. I picked out the onions and chunks of tomatoes entirely and scraped most of the meat bits and remaining sauce off of the noodles, adding as much cheese as I was allowed before eating as little as possible. Yum-o!

One of the joys of adulthood is that I don't have to eat foods I don't like. "Screw you, fresh tomatoes! Die green beans!" No one can make me sit at the table until I've eaten enough of a food I don't like and no one can force me to try something new. (I can hear my mom now: "Just one bite! Try it--you don't have to eat it all, just try it." She still can't believe the things my brother and I will eat now. We were terrible children.) I have spent my adult life actively avoiding spaghetti with tomato-based meat sauce. I usually keep a single jar of tomato sauce (something on sale that has a lot of garlic or minimal chunks of tomatoes) and a box of spaghetti in the cupboard "in case of emergency"--though what emergency requires marinara I don't want to know. I suspect the real reason I keep spaghetti fixings on hand is guilt over not liking my mom's spaghetti and making spaghetti night a battleground over the dinner table.

I acquired some inexpensive organic ground beef from Costco last week, I had a few veggies on hand that needed to be used, and I had a single can of plain tomato sauce in the cupboard. So I thought I'd give "spaghetti" a whirl once again. For tonight's sauce, I roasted an onion and a whole head of garlic, as well as a green bell pepper and a red bell pepper.

My sous-chef

I pureed all those together and mixed in a can each of organic tomato sauce from TJ's and tomato paste, a cup of leftover shiraz, salt and pepper. I browned a pound of organic ground beef in my 4.5 quart Le Crueset pot, crumbling the meat as much as possible, then added in the sauce mixture, dried oregano and dried basil. I forgot the bay leaf. It simmered for an hour and a half. I tossed the sauce with a whole box of cooked spaghetti, then served with fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Thar be dragons here--in my spaghetti.

And do you know what? I didn't like it. Maybe I should have skipped the ground beef entirely and just let the veggie flavors shine. Maybe I should have added a few red pepper flakes like I do with all of my other pastas. Maybe I should have remembered the bay leaf.

But I'm still happy with my spaghetti night, even if I have a giant pot of leftovers I don't want to eat. Because the real reason I made spaghetti tonight? I miss my mom.

Only 12 days to go on the Texas countdown...

Tag Team

2009-10-02T17:09:00.000-07:00

There is no internet at my house. No cable either. Hasn't been since Tuesday. Withdrawl is severe at this point, because I'm missing my TV Husband and I can't catch up on Hulu.

I know in the grand scheme of the universe this isn't a real problem. Not having potable water, safe shelter, or edible food? That is a real problem. A star going supernova to wipe out all life in the surrounding system? That's a problem. Lack of internet at my house for three days when I could just walk to the nearest internet cafe or go to Mike's house or even just read a book? Minor inconvenience.

My cable/internet provider's reaction to the issue is what bugs me. This non-Comcast craptastic company insists that our lack of cable/internet is an isolated incident and that their computers don't show an outage in our area. What "Megan" at customer service said, however, was that there had been a large outage on Tuesday, but that it had been repaired and that our house's connection should be back on. The fact that we're not isn't considered a part of the priority outage--we're just S.O.L. that their repairs didn't work for us and now have to wait over a week for one of the repair guys to show up (between one and four in the afternoon) and try to fix it. Nine days, to be exact, because our house gets put in the queue along with any other maintenance and installation visits.

So Justin from upstairs and I are lucha libre freedom fighters in the wrestling ring of customer service, tag-teaming the non-Comcast craptastic company via phone calls to their 800 number. I called yesterday and again today, as did he, and we cited one another's outages as enough evidence to warrant priority treatment. I actually spoke to the same rep both times, "Megan", which makes me worried that the company is not only craptastic and not Comcast, but that they have all of four employees and could go under any day given the sheisty economy. Results of our two-man frontal assault so far: a possible jump up the service queue to next Tuesday, as opposed to next Friday, and prorated charges for all the days of our outage.

Narrator: They were forced to eat Robin’s Minstrel. And there was much rejoicing: "'ray..."

I wonder what our wrestling names would be if we were a real tag team duo? I want the purple and red spandex tights, Justin can wear grey on black.

Now playing: Astronaut - Duran Duran

What is the opposite of burning books?

2009-10-01T17:06:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody--it's national Banned Books week! Thank you to my mom over at Living La Vida Bastrop for the reminder.

Yes, it is once again that time of year when I want to read Vonnegut, Orwell, Twain, and even Salinger (ugh) just to flip The Man the bird...and to remind myself how precious our personal liberties are and how easily they could be revoked if The Man decided to do so.

The official event runs from September 26 to October 3 and is sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA). Click the ALA link to see the list of some of the most frequently banned books in the nation, then head to your local library and check out one of them. Even if you don't get around to reading it, showing interest in books that others find offensive/corrupting/distasteful seems the surest way to keep the library shelves diversely stocked.

Some local library links, because I love my libraries:
Seattle Public Library - My personal local library system, there are 27 branches and a mobile unit for those who can't get out. I've been to several of the branches each one has been a good place to visit just to sit and read or surf the internet, attend an author event or other program, or even...check out a book.
King County Library System - The creme de la creme of libraries! With 45 branches and what seems like every book/CD/DVD ever, you can reserve any book in the system online and have it sent to your local branch--usually within 48 hours. The buildings are gorgeous and the programs are great.

Check out the GoodReads link over on the left side to see my book list and what I've recently read. I'm currently reading Battle Royale by Koushun Takami, translated to English as I read zero Japanese. It made the ALA 2009 Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults list under the Death and Dying category, and is serving as an interesting companion piece to The Long Walk and The Hunger Games/Catching Fire.

Happy reading.

Asshat

2009-09-25T11:37:00.000-07:00

Filed under: things that make me want to kill myself.

Last day of summer/autumnal equinox

2009-09-21T14:37:00.000-07:00

Spending my lunch break outside! I borrowed a blanket from the office and am sitting in the sun on some grass beside the Burke-Gilman trail. My head is killing me but I can't miss what may be the last of the nice weather for six months.

University District Farmer's Market, Saturday

2009-09-19T13:48:00.000-07:00

Wandering around the produce and natural meats, I can plan a month's worth of meals in a matter of minutes! Now if I only had cashmoney...I love all the varieties of eggplant, squash, and apples on display--the colors are amazing.

Cattle dog?

2009-09-11T12:25:00.000-07:00

Snuggles after a long night of doggie GI problems. How much grass can one canine eat? About two hours' worth. I should have named him Cow!

Swanky food soiree

2009-09-02T16:24:00.001-07:00

Sunday night I attended a fabulous little dinner party at Mike and Maggie's house. Not only is my future sister-in-law gorgeous...

...but ladies and gentlemen, the woman can cook! Coq au vin with creamy Parmesan polenta, mixed greens with cranberries and lemon-garlic vinaigrette, and flip-over plum cake (from the must-own tome Baking by Dorie Greenspan).

Hung out with cool folks, and "the guys" got some quality time in on the Xbox together:

Spiffy Sam

2009-09-02T16:15:00.000-07:00

Here's the super soft doggie dude, fresh from daycare and a grooming. He's so cute.

Snooze

2009-09-01T23:17:00.000-07:00

Sam, asleep in his chair after a long hard day of being a dog.

Still August, still summer

2009-08-27T21:52:00.000-07:00

Holy crap, more baseball! Me and my Mason-Dixon dishtowel at Stitch 'n Pitch, watching the Mariners lose to the Royals. And it is warm enough for shorts and a t-shirt at 9:30!

Great American pastime

2009-08-26T19:21:00.000-07:00

First baseball game in two years! Mariners vs. the A's, with my Dad, and full of Jasmine IPA--life is good.

The Small Doggie Man no more

2009-08-26T10:21:00.000-07:00

As of Friday, August 28, Sam will be exactly eight months old. Little dude no more, Sammy Sam is huge--he takes up half the bed if he stretches out.

He gets at least one run around per day with Root Beer...

...goes to the dog park twice a week, usually with Tesla the Puggle...

...and plays with his toys (like Chef Dog)...

...before snuggling down with me for the night. Sam is a mellow guy, and the best addition to my life since I don't even remember when. I love him very much, and he returns the sentiment wholeheartedly.

My dog...

2009-08-07T02:35:00.000-07:00

...thinks this is a good spot on the bed. I think this is MY spot on the bed!

Lake Washington

2009-08-02T08:43:00.000-07:00

Swimming!

Sad Sam

2009-07-31T09:15:00.000-07:00

Finally cool enough to snuggle, but I'm off to work. It's hard to be Sam!

Laughed til I cried...

2009-07-23T10:07:00.000-07:00

...at this Guide to Baby Use, Care, and Safety. I am a sick sick woman.

July 3 fun.

2009-07-03T17:15:00.000-07:00

Me & Sam @beerfest!

Wild sweet pea

2009-07-01T14:56:00.000-07:00

A gorgeous July day...Happy Birthday Mike! Best. Bro. Ever!

Alligator (fern) in the sewers...

2009-06-23T16:34:00.000-07:00

The intrepid fern is making a comeback after our snowy winter. I'm hoping it gets huge by the end of summer, climbs out of the grate, and balances the biennium campus budget.

Hollyhocks in bloom

2009-06-23T16:25:00.000-07:00

Summer is here! The flora right now is incredible--wild sweet peas, blackberry brambles, poppies, and hollyhocks are some of the fabulous plants all abloom. Campus has been abandoned by the students, leaving the faculty and staff in a state of relaxed focus. Everyone is acting like they just finished a yoga class: refreshed and renewed with a minimum of urgency. All in all, a good time to stroll about on work-related errands.

Tennis ball demise imminent!

2009-05-27T18:56:00.000-07:00

It was a fabulous spring day here in Seattle, complete with sunshine, a long evening, & a cool breeze. Sam and Root Beer frolicked extensively in the backyard. I drank a brew and knitted. The house finches ate as if they were starved.

Stoned Sam.

2009-05-22T16:59:00.000-07:00

...is stoned.

Culinary triage

2009-05-03T19:07:00.000-07:00

Half a batch of my homemade granola, ruined due to an Airbake cookie sheet. :(

Sleepy pup

2009-05-02T19:40:00.000-07:00

The Sam chair.

Swine flu?

2009-04-29T15:50:00.000-07:00

Clinic visit + H1N1 scare = fun with paper masks! My feeble cough is no match for the power of a sunny yellow prophylactic.

Sam is...

2009-04-29T13:34:00.000-07:00

Asleep at last.

A walk

2009-04-23T19:31:00.000-07:00

Shubbery & dog.

A view

2009-04-23T19:27:00.000-07:00

Out for walkies.

Woof! (It's Wednesday)

2009-04-22T10:50:00.000-07:00

Today is Woof Wednesday! Bark! And below is a more tranquil Sam-in-the-sunshine shot:

Super Snake!

2009-04-22T10:40:00.001-07:00

Sam loves the big purple snake that Maggie got for him. He carries it around the house constantly while he displays "emo ears" (they are flat against his head) and wiggles his whole butt. The snake is about five feet long, has a big squeaker in the head, a small one in the tail, and a rattle. Sam has chewed off most of its tongue, yet it still hisses at him.

We'll cross that bridge...

2009-04-20T13:13:00.000-07:00

Spent half my lunch waiting for the bridge. But it is sunny today!

Letters from Jen: Monday

2009-04-20T09:42:00.001-07:00

Dear Monday,

I understand that weekends cannot last forever and that you have a job to do--suck out my soul through my rectum--but do you have to enjoy doing that job so much? I mean why not be a sunny, clear sky warm day on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday instead of torturing me through the office window? Why do you have to make Sam so extra snuggly and wiggly and cute in the morning when you know I have to get out of my lovely bed and go back to work? Most of all, why did you make every light turn red while morons raced alongside me on my way into the office?

Please get a decaf latte and chill. The world needs a nicer Monday.

Love,
Jen

Sam is...

2009-04-19T14:15:00.000-07:00

Waiting eagerly.

Snugglebug

2009-04-03T07:21:00.000-07:00

Sam would like to go back to bed and hide from the snow.

Really?!?

2009-04-03T06:10:00.001-07:00

Unfuckingbelievable: snowing. And sticking.

Mr. Legs

2009-03-28T13:07:00.000-07:00

Sam is rather tall and lanky and will make an excellent runway model.

Art @ Fuel

2009-03-03T08:25:00.000-08:00

Mosaic guitars! Glass and plaster and tile and color!

Smow!

2009-02-26T07:39:00.000-08:00

"Where the hell am I supposed to poop?!?"

Comfy?

2009-02-19T21:24:00.000-08:00

Snore...

Relaxation.

2009-02-18T08:19:00.000-08:00

"I haz it."

Change on the blog

2009-02-17T16:37:00.000-08:00

You may have noticed of late that this blog has had a lot of puppy pictures. Samwise Gamgee Vimes came to our house on February 12. He was born on December 28, 2008, and spent his early weeks on an alpaca farm in Covington, WA. Sam loves to snuggle, chew on soft toys, and watch LOST and Battlestar Galactica--serial TV dramas FTW! However Sam has no taste for The Colbert Report--I suspect he's too young to appreciate Stephen the way I do. He also doesn't like it when I laugh as it disrupts his naps.

He is a mini Australian Shepherd, blue Merle in color, with hazel/brown eyes and a wedge of blue in his right eye. David Bowie eyes, big time.

While I will try to post more often about other stuff, like knitting, foodie cooking, etc., Sam is the big news. Enjoy his puppyhood!

How to avoid road rage.

2009-02-17T10:13:00.000-08:00

Step one: Acquire puppeh.
Step two: Take puppeh for a ride in the car.
Step three: Watch puppeh sleep at every stoplight.

Knitting a la Starbucks.

2009-02-17T10:04:00.000-08:00

Knitting as interpreted by ceramic coffee mugs from corporate Seattle = faux-Aran cabling. And now I want to knit friggin' coffee sleeves.

OMGWTF breakfast

2009-02-16T08:33:00.000-08:00

Jasmine rice and Greek yogurt! Best. Food. Ever. At least until dinner, which was a bit of baked sweet potato and organic plain whole milk yogurt. Way better than my ramen.

Post nap.

2009-02-13T16:36:00.000-08:00

"I am totally awake. No, really, I'm up now," Sam said as he fell over into another nap.

Sam's post breakfast nap.

2009-02-13T06:39:00.000-08:00

Complete with plaid fleece wubbie (AKA blanket of luv).

Hope and change...?

2009-02-04T19:27:00.000-08:00

Inauguration day cake @ Costco. Really.

Why does the chocolate frosted cake have quotes, but the vanilla one doesn't? Say in Church Lady voice: "Could it be RACISM?!?!" And really, unnecessary quotation marks are so last Thursday... ;)

Manhattan makes bad day better!

2009-02-04T19:26:00.000-08:00

Manhattan makes bad day better!

Sad picture of excessive wetness

2009-01-07T17:33:00.000-08:00

View from under my umbrella. Happy January in Seattle!

Handknit finery!

2008-12-31T12:33:00.000-08:00

My roomie Cassie, bedecked in her Malabrigo handknits.

Best. Bumper sticker. Ever.

2008-12-28T10:14:00.000-08:00

Best. Bumper sticker. Ever.

Letters from Jen: San Jose "International" Airport

2008-12-23T17:17:00.000-08:00

Dear SJIA,

Thanks for the free WiFi. SeaTac could learn a thing or two from you in that area. But having to take a shuttle bus between terminals which are within easy walking distance (a city block?) of one another, then going through security a second time and having to chug yet another bottle of water at the last minute (because I already freakin' went through security), all while avoiding copious amounts of construction debris, is FAIL. This is the home airport for Silicon Valley for Chrissakes--get out of the ghetto. I can see that you are trying to grow up into a big & strong airport, so this is simply a reminder that you should keep working on those improvements. Good luck becoming a 20th century facility. I look forward to whoring you out for free WiFi on my way back from Austin next week.

Love,
Jen

New series: Letters from Jen

2008-12-23T17:13:00.000-08:00

I am starting a new feature on this blog: letters from me to various individuals and entities based on my experiences in the world.

Dear Seattle,

Learn how to deal with the snow. Use some of my tax dollars to buy a snow plow--I know you have cash lying around for the failed mass transit projects you've tried to make happen for the last few years. Or even some sand. Or salt. The Sound is made of salt, you know, and even though we don't get much sun I'm sure we can create a little "sea salt" over the short summer.

Love,
Jen

No cops out on patrol today.

2008-12-22T12:15:00.000-08:00

No cops out on patrol today.

Holy Christ, more snow!

2008-12-22T11:54:00.000-08:00

Holy Christ, more snow!

Sunset.

2008-12-04T17:22:00.000-08:00

Sunset.

A dose of fall color!

2008-10-07T13:41:00.000-07:00

A dose of fall color!

Candygram...

2008-09-05T09:17:00.001-07:00

more music charts

Can't sleep. Clowns will eat me.

2008-09-03T13:07:00.000-07:00

When you haven't eaten real food or slept in 24 hours, what can keep you going better than a giant chicken burrito?

The daystar! It burns!

2008-08-22T15:08:00.000-07:00

The daystar! It burns!

Nature finds a way

2008-08-22T11:52:00.000-07:00

Fern in the drain. It is growing beneath the grate, flourishing in fact with plenty of moisture and protection from the sun. I happened to look down as I was walking by.

Missing Meggie

2008-08-21T10:31:00.000-07:00

One of the many joys of having depression is that when I feel low about a loss, it tends to kick my ass a little harder and last a little longer than it would if I didn't.

Meggie died this past winter and I miss her terribly (even though she and I hadn't lived together for seven years). Mom always sent pictures, I always heard about what she was up to and how she was doing, and whenever I visited she would act as if I had never left. She got to road trip last summer with my parents--what could be more exciting for a dog than spending eight weeks and several thousand miles riding in the car, camping, walking, meeting new people and smelling new places?

All this is to say that I miss her keenly. I miss her almost as much as I miss my Nana, which is like a raggedy, sucking chest wound some days--I can't catch my breath and I think everyone can see the state I'm in at a glance.

About the Pratchgan...

2008-08-21T09:04:00.000-07:00

I loved this blog post about our Pratchgan:

http://wishiwerebaking.blogspot.com/2008/08/morporkia-pratchagan.html

And they liked my sqaure! Yay! And below is yet another mention:

http://currentmix.com/08/19/2008/behold-the-pratchgan-terry-pratchett/

Pratchgan 2008

2008-08-18T14:50:00.000-07:00

The Pratchgan: As a member of the Ankh Morpork Knitter's Guild over on Ravelry, I was very excited to knit a square way back in January:

There have been endless discussions regarding the Pratchgan on Ravelry since January. One intrepid Guild member (Shirley, AKA Cherryred) collected and sewed all the squares together, added a lovely soft backing, and was allowed to present the Pratchgan to Mr. Terry Pratchett in person. It happened this Saturday at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, and I am still overwhelmed by the awesome of it all. Follow the links below to read more:

Shirley's blog
BoingBoing
Examiner.com
Gawker.com

And if you'd like to see close-up photos of the squares:
Flickr

Jill with a Ridgetop Red @ Silver City!

2008-08-16T12:34:00.000-07:00

Mmmmmmmm, beer...

Sheldon and Amy's puggle, Tessie.

2008-08-13T19:44:00.001-07:00

This is one of my favorite fur people. She loves to play and snuggle and lick. Also she likes beer, and I can't help but befriend a fellow lager-lover.

The bridge is out!

2008-08-13T13:36:00.001-07:00

University Bridge, raised to let a boat through. Yes, it is the view from Red Robin. Sometimes a girl needs an overly fancy burger and sunshine on her lunch.

Another sunny day in Seattle!

2008-08-13T13:32:00.002-07:00

The view towards Montlake from the University Bridge.

Same green tops, same khaki pants...

2008-08-13T12:24:00.002-07:00

Matchy-matchy yuppie couple I kinneared in Safeway.

Look at Mike's new bike!

2008-08-13T12:21:00.000-07:00

Look at Mike's new bike!

Olympic Countdown - Must knit faster!

2008-08-11T10:31:00.000-07:00

Olympic Countdown Timer

----------------
Now playing: Smoke City - Underwater Love (live)
via FoxyTunes