Going,going,Gone

My time has been going,going,gone for the last two quarter. Consequently, this is the first time that I've been able to post anything. Here's a quick rundown of what's been going on so far. I've been:

1. Salsa Dancing
2. Ballroom Dancing
3. Apartment Hunting
4. Hiking
5. Reading bloody Shakespearean history plays(yippee!)
6. Trying to get another MP3 player that actually plays all my music.
7. Making noise
8. Sleeping whenever I can(on the side of the road-at a red light-I'm not picky)
9. Boldly going where not cook has gone before-pulled pork with homemade barbecue
sauce!
10. Becoming addicted to groupon and buying all my dream items at half-price
11. Speaking of half-price went to half-priced books and scored a box set of musicals from the 30's and 40's-6 bucks
12. Doing my taxes-hopefully correctly
13. Planning my trip across the United States!
14. Trying to be grateful for the little things in life like 72% cocoa chocolate and groupon.

Well that's all I can think about this morning-12:32 am. I wouldn't be up but I just finished the rough draft of my Titus Andronicus paper(blood thirsty thriller choc full of murder and mayhem not to mention enemy pies-but don't take my word for it!). Will now sleep approximately 8 hours and hope to construct this paper correctly in order to produce and A and not just for effort from Ms. Oleary.

Wish me luck!


P.S.

Rip Guru!

Des

"Whoooeee boys, that's some mighty fine pickin' and a singing!

I was always the weird one musically in my family. I actually liked the folk songs we learned in 4Th grade. I internalized " This land is your land" and "My Bonnie flew over the ocean". So it should come as no surprise that I like blue grass music. There is something so beautiful in the poetry that goes on between a musician and his instrument. When the bow hits the violin and strikes a cord that resonates inside you that you never knew was there. Music like that just makes my heart happy. I confess to getting lost in it! So tonight I let my toes tap, my hands clap,and I gave up on all pretense of decorum when I listened to the Punch Brothers tonight. The Punch Brothers are a collection of musicians that have between them a bass fiddle(Paul Kowert), fiddle(Gabe Witcher),mandolin(Chris Thile),guitar(Chris Eldridge),and banjo(Noam Pikelny-affectionately called pickle). Both Gabe Witcher and Paul Kowert stole the show for me. I love fiddle almost as much as I love a good guitar riff and the deep color of sound that comes from the bass fiddle-(Oy I'm all verklempt talk amongst yourselves for a moment-okay I'm back). Each musician put there love for the craft on display tonight. It's one thing to play well, it's another thing all together to lose yourself in the music and take the audience along with you. I was swept away by their musicality and there oneness. Each musician played his instrument awesomely but they listened so intently to one another and vibe off of each other. What can I say-I have a new band to add to my expanding list of must haves! Even if you don't like blue grass- you can't deny the talent. Give a listen to the Punch Brothers.

sushi tonight

I made sushi again-this time with the help of my friend kaori. I marinated Salmon and then baked it(see it's not all raw fish). Then I cut up some cucumbers and bread and butter pickles( i know enough with the cuc's already) and some fat free cream cheese. I was inspired by my favorite sushi roll from tenske(spicy crab roll). Oddly it was the vegetarian roll(cucumber,pickles,cream cheese) that I like the most. Pair this with soy sauce and you have a lovely afternoon lunch. I ended up making enough for my friend and I and her two children. I hope you'll try something you've always wanted to do. There's no time like the present!


des

Memory lane

I absolutely loved slim goodbody. Who wouldn't love a man in a body stocking. It would take a man extremely confident in his masculinity to wear a body stocking. Looking back now, it's hilarious but I truly loved this show.


You can't have Slim without some nutritional advice from a cheese puff in a 10 gallon hat! I hanker for a hunk of cheese! I learned how to make cheese and cracker along with Popsicles from this little guy.



You can't tell a hero by his size He's just a little tiny super guy. They don't make television like they used to.



I have been searching for this segment forever. I just couldn't remember the name of the character I loved. It's full of all the jive talking and slick walking that went on during the seventies. I just loved the alliteration in the names of the characters. From Smart Susie Sunset to Bad news Barton and Wrong Way Willie there's no end to the smart and imaginative ways language can be used to interest young learners.



I've now become saturated with 1970's tv show memories. Maybe I need to watch something new a vibrant to get my mind off of the past.

Des

Game day leg warmers

I finally finished my game day leg warmers. I found this pattern in Stitch and Bitch nation. I just happened to have some left over scarlet and gray yarn respectively to finish this little project.

Bark: The untold story

Bark is fantastically easy. All it takes are a few items from your local Super Marche (That's french for Super Market,Mai Oui!). I found some 62% cocoa girhadelli chocolate chips. I paired that with some unsweetened chocolate, some semi sweet chocolate chips and cranberries and walnuts. What you end up with is not only suprisingly good but also good for you.

Here's the Recipe (See the closet kitchen for the white chocolate version)

1 bag dark chocolate chips(62% cocoa rocks!)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
half a square of unsweetened chocolate
1 cup cranberries
1 cup walnuts

Most people use a double boiler. I let mother neccesity inspire me. I put about a cup of water in deep sauce pan. I covered that with a glass mixing bowl that fit in the pan,but just fits.

Pour the chocolate chips(dark and semi sweet)and the unsweetened chocolate into the mixing bowl. Over medium low heat melt the chocolate. It should look something like this.


Remove the pan from the heat and pour the cranberries and nuts into the mixture


Spread either wax paper or parchment paper(wax paper is infinitely cheaper) over a cookie sheet. Pour the mixture onto the wax paper,smooth it out but not too thin.


Then either let cool on a counter top or if you have room put in the fridger over night.


Peel the bark away from the wax paper and break it into pieces-great stress reliever.


Enjoy

Des

I really enjoyed this film. I watched it in 3d and was blown away by the alternate world James Cameron created. The flora was so imaginative. From the flowers that disappeared with one touch to the mental connection between the na'vi and their animals everything was a feast for the eyes. The bright vivid colors of Pandora made me think of a paintball experiment gone wild. Every color that you secretly loved in the 80's were on display in amazing hues. I highly recommend this film. It is not merely the story of good versus evil but more seeing the value in another culture-not how you can exploit it. It warmed my inner Eco warrior's heart. All that being connected to the earth and to each other. Loved it.