This will make you laugh. At me.

Shared the following with Ferris & also my sister in law Fifi. They both laughed so why not share it here.

I'm sitting here listening to my iPod. I notice that the music sounds strange, like it's kind of muted and not really "stereo". I play with the volume. Nothing fixes it. I'm getting to that 3 year mark so I start thinking the sound is going out and I won't be able to buy a new one for while. Seriously start getting frustrated and irritated with the thing as I play with it to fix the sound.

Then I realize. I only have one ear bud in. The other is hanging down the front of me. Dork. Sounds fine now.

Trying to find peace....

I’m currently a bit overwhelmed with worry. I think most of us are. It seems everyone I know is facing some sort of crisis. My sweet brother in law is a financial advisor and deals with it everyday. I’ve been comforted by the fact (as told to me by my Sissy) that many of the appointments he’s gone on have started off about money, but have ended up being time spent in discussion of faith and comfort that God will provide. Today, my loved ones & I have roofs over our heads. Food in our stomachs. Clothes on our backs. If tomorrow we don’t, we are not alone and will care for one another. That is enough.
Times are changing and as they say, our true selves will be revealed in how we handle the hardships and change.

I recently created a playlist for myself on iTunes. I love it. It’s a little bit political, but not entirely. If, like me, you listen to the beauty of the music combined with the lyrics, you’ll see what I mean. It shows my frustration & hope at the same time. Music can soothe the weary heart. I just spent the last 30 minutes slyly trying to figure out how to post it here through imeem with no luck at all. So, it’s up to you. I’ll give you the playlist. If you want to hear the music itself, head on over to iTunes or wherever you listen to music & create it your self. Enjoy.

God’s Gonna Cut You Down-Johnny Cash
In The News-Kris Kristofferson
One-U2
Instant Karma-John Lennon
This is Our Country-John Mellancamp
Mercy Now-Mary Gauthier
No More-The Blind Boys of Alabama
The Times They Are A Changin’-Bob Dylan
Rich Mans War-Steve Earle
White House Blues-Charlie Poole
We Can’t Make It Here-James McMurtry
What Ever Happened To Peace On Earth-Willie Nelson & Friends
I Hope-The Dixie Chicks
What’s Going On-Marvin Gaye
This Land Is Your Land-Woody Guthrie
A Change is Gonna Come-Sam Cooke
Waiting On The World To Change-John Mayer
Cherry Bomb-John Mellancamp
Real Bad News-Aimee Mann

Cupcake Rationalization

hostess cupcake ttv
Originally uploaded by lifelovepaper

I was on the phone with my sister last night. At one point she started to give me a really hard time (big sister type of hard time) for eating a Twix bar. A Halloween sized Twix bar. She remembers me saying that I don’t like cheap chocolate. Really, I don’t. It’s kind of waxy and very sugary. BUT-who can resist Halloween sized chocolate? Not me. So anyway, later in the conversation I hear the sound of plastic and ask what she’s doing. What does she say but, “Eating a Hostess Cupcake.” Eating a Hostess Cupcake. Uh-huh. That’s better than eating a Halloween snack size Twix bar. I say this exact thing to her. She, my big sister, a grown woman who home schools her children, runs a business and a household, justifies it by saying “It’s not a real cupcake, it’s mostly air”.

(Pausing while you read that again-go ahead I’ll wait while you stop laughing & catch your breath.)

My only question is….does it say that on the nutritional information label?

Yummy brownies

I've had this recipe for S'More Brownies for about a month now but never got around to making them. (Photo to the side is from the Food Network website. We ate them too quickly to bother with photography. CHOCOLATE PEOPLE! ) So, this weekend, when the opportunity came up to spend the day with Ferris and her girls I decided it was time.

Oh my goodness were they yummy! The 7 year old was told to take her plate out to the porch for fear of ooey gooey marshmallow getting all over the carpet. As we sat silently eating our afternoon treat we hear from outside "THESE ARE SO GOOD", quickly followed by an impish appearance at the front door, complete with marshmallow dripping down her chin "THESE ARE SO GOOD!" Please click on the photo to be taken to the recipe on www.FoodTv.com. Full disclosure...I did not make the scratch brownies included in the recipe. I used a boxed brownie mix. Maybe next time...for now I was looking for fast and crowd pleasing.

Earlier in they day I made two pans of the graham cracker crust. One for Ferris & her family, the other for mine. As I left the house I mentioned to my husband that he could make the brownie part if he felt like it. Fully expecting to come home to a still empty graham cracker crust. USC was on TV after all. I was pleasantly surprised when I came home to find that he did make the brownie part. All I needed to do was toast the marshmallows. Ferris & I had done this part earlier without a hitch. We had warm golden toasted goodness. No such luck later. I turned on the broiler. I slid the pan in the oven. I called my grandmother. As I sat talking to her about my recipe for Apple Pecan Cheesecake I detected the unmistakable smell of burning sugar. A quick "hold on!" as I threw the phone down and ran to the kitchen. The marshmallows were hugely swollen and a very crisp, very dusty black. I had no choice but to laugh. I grabbed my biggest spoon and scraped away all the char, leaving a shiny marshmallowy glaze on my husbands brownies. We ate them anyway.

I'm wearing some pretty pretty shoes today. Just got them at Target on sale for $17. What a bargain! I know, some may balk at the idea of wearing Target shoes but I just don't make enough money for the $398 pair I wanted from Anthropologie. A girl has to make do.

I am....

Found this during my random reading. Can't even remember where I found it. That's horrible. I do, however think it is an interesting exercise. Try it.

I AM … More than I give myself credit for.
I WANT … to be successful. To be creative all of the time instead of wasting my working hours with meaningless paper shuffling.
I HAVE … a million projects in my head. Maybe one will get done.
I KEEP … too much stuff. Always with a future use in mind.
I WISH I COULD … lie in a hammock listening to a stream rolling by while reading Pride & Prejudice. Again. Or Jane Eyre. Or .....
I HATE … intolerant, untruthful, ignorant people.
I FEAR … losing someone I love.
I HEAR … loud, bad 80’s easy listening from a co-workers desk.
I DON’T THINK … I ever feel comfortable in my own skin.
I REGRET … not finishing college.
I LOVE … the precious moments when my husband, Lovey & I are all laughing over the same shared family silliness.
I AM NOT … what I look like on the outside.
I DANCE … to make my son smile & shake his head in mock embarassment.
I SING … because it makes me feel good.
I NEVER … was very good at making friends.
I REALLY … wish I was at home reading a book right now.
I CRY WHEN I WATCH … movies I’ve seen 1000 times.
I AM NOT ALWAYS … as happy & positive as I pretend to be.
I HATE THAT … I am not always as happy & positive as I pretend to be.
I AM CONFUSED ABOUT … Life and what to do next.
I NEED … for nothing. I have a home, a husband and son that love me and a job to help pay the bills. I know where my next meal is coming from. Everything else is extra.
I SHOULD … remember my “I NEED” comment more often

Frustration.

Frustration.
Originally uploaded by Craig Axxie

I am so sick of working with women that are deceptive and untrustworthy. I am in a difficult position. Being one of three people out of thirty that were not laid off leaves me with having to work with two women I do not trust nor really care for. I’ve been trying to make the best of it but I’m at the end of my rope. One of them I know for a fact has lied and spread nastiness about me behind my back. The other (a woman who claims Christianity), I honestly do know if anything that passes her lips is true. She constantly buddies up to someone to their face but then speaks viciously about them the second they turn their backs. Sometimes she doesn’t even wait for them to be out of earshot! This would include our boss, who may not be the most inspiring person to work for but he is a nice man. Although, I’ve been told in the past not to trust him either. I suppose it’s the nature of working in the industry I do. Living where I do.

It’s a terrible feeling to come to work each day and feel not only like an outsider but to feel as is I need to watch every word I say and every thing that I do. That combined with my general panic that I will eventually get laid off and my husbands business with continue to take a downturn makes for long days in cubicle H-E-Double Hockey Sticks. See! Doesn’t that say something about a person that won’t even swear in a blog that is read by only a handful of people!

These people I work with make me doubt MY goodness. If they can be so mean about me behind my back, then is some of what they say true? They make me want to hide my intelligence and productivity. To “dumb” myself down in attempt to hide from them. I know this is the wrong approach. I know that I should continue to be positive and be true to myself. But today, they are winning.

Dream

Forest Stream
Originally uploaded by (stacker)

I had one of those dreams last night that, so far, is staying with me. I was in the middle of a forest. In my mind it was Lytle Creek where we camped when I was little but it didn't really look like Lytle Creek. There was a waterfall, and a wide stream. Tall trees and wild flowers were everywhere. Next to the stream was a beautiful cottage with a low porch and big picture windows. Inside, the house was filled with rustic painted furniture. It was overcrowded with tables of every kind. The red velvet couch my Aunt Kibby had was there too. It was a rambling cottage that seemed to go on and on. I was confused when I entered the house. I was barefoot and wearing a long flowing cotton nightgown. From different doorways I saw my Great Grandma Tag, Aunt Kibby, Nanny (my fathers mother), my Grammy (who is the only one of these woman still alive) and for some reason Myrtle-a woman my great grandmother used to clean for. A woman that I only met a few times and that passed away when I was very very young. It seemed she was "in charge". All of the woman were also barefoot and wearing cotton nightgowns. I don't remember any conversations but I do remember being confused and wanting to know what I, and everyone else was doing there. I remember running from room to room trying to "catch" one of the woman for help. Finally, I sat on the red couch with my Grandma Tag looking at old pictures. Pictures that didn't make sense because all of these woman were together and young in the photos. I stepped outside into the sharp, glaring sunlight then at the water shinning so brightly that it blinded me. My alarm clock sounded I was awake. The dream lost.

Dinner

100_1242
Originally uploaded by bbratsthoughts

Made hash from left over roast beef tonight. I think I enjoy this part of a roast more than I enjoy it the first night. The carrots carmelize. The potatoes brown and crisp. Comfort food at it's best.

Wishful Weathering

Change is good
Originally uploaded by kennymatic

Today I am wishing for a real Autumn. Changing leaves, crisp days, nights spent dreaming beneath an extra quilt or two. It's at least 90 today. They say it will cool off by this weekend, but I live in the LA area. THEY are just trying to fool me into wearing jeans and big comfy cardigans. THEY are just trying to trick me. I know how they are. If I'm lucky we'll get one or two beautifully clear, cool fall days when the leaves fall off the trees in record time then we'll be right back to hot. I think I need a vacation to higher elevations.