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Chistmas Trauma Update
Dec. 23rd, 2008 07:30 pmPresent for the in-laws- Done (had to remix the soup mix....the amount of season salt called for by the recipe gave it a wicked paprika kick...and I love paprika. So I cut it with more potato flakes, and Bacos, and some more chicken bullion.
Presents for the future and proto nieces and nephew- done. And freaking adorable.
Chocolate Cafe-au-lait pie to take to the in-laws- Done except for buying the canned whipped cream on the way there tomorrow. (Note to self- ask for cream whipper aerosol gun next year).
Foccacio for the family Christmas dinner-Done
Parent's presents- 75% done. They have the new DVD player. Dad has 6 new pairs of work socks. Mom might be getting a couple DVDs when I am out with friends tonight.
Peter's presents- Delivered yesterday and 90% wrapped. I need to add some tissue to the gift bags.
Sister's present- She might be getting coal. Because I am getting damn sick of her attitude.
Cat's present- TBA. Grandma and Grandpa got him fuzzy mice. Since the treats don't amuse him, I may also get him fuzzy mice.
Presents for the future and proto nieces and nephew- done. And freaking adorable.
Chocolate Cafe-au-lait pie to take to the in-laws- Done except for buying the canned whipped cream on the way there tomorrow. (Note to self- ask for cream whipper aerosol gun next year).
Foccacio for the family Christmas dinner-Done
Parent's presents- 75% done. They have the new DVD player. Dad has 6 new pairs of work socks. Mom might be getting a couple DVDs when I am out with friends tonight.
Peter's presents- Delivered yesterday and 90% wrapped. I need to add some tissue to the gift bags.
Sister's present- She might be getting coal. Because I am getting damn sick of her attitude.
Cat's present- TBA. Grandma and Grandpa got him fuzzy mice. Since the treats don't amuse him, I may also get him fuzzy mice.
Holiday 2008 Trauma List
Dec. 21st, 2008 04:18 pmSo far, I have pretty well finished:
4 Gift baskets for the married couples among my future inlaws. Each lovely, gold wicker basket has two soup bowls (currently getting a hearty pre-wash from my mom's dishwasher), a green, red and white striped dish towel, a matching red pot holder, and a 1.5 liter jar of homemade potato soup mix, with attached directions and wooden spoon.
1 Gift basked for our older, widowed neighbor lady, containing a .75 liter jar of soup mix (the beauty being that it can be done one bowl at a time), a pretty bowl, spoon, towel, and treat for her dog.
My fiance's presents are ordered and should be arriving Monday.
My parent's present is purchased and is sitting, unwrapped in the living room (I got them a new DVD player, and didn't want Dad to do the same).
My sister is probably getting one pair of pants, out of the 4 I personal shopped for her the other day.
Gift cards for Peter's unmarried neices and the potential step neice and nephew. I just found out the latter were coming, so I still need to embroider their names on the stockings I am putting said gift cards into.
Present for my friends Anne and Paul, which should hit their house on Tuesday.
4 Gift baskets for the married couples among my future inlaws. Each lovely, gold wicker basket has two soup bowls (currently getting a hearty pre-wash from my mom's dishwasher), a green, red and white striped dish towel, a matching red pot holder, and a 1.5 liter jar of homemade potato soup mix, with attached directions and wooden spoon.
1 Gift basked for our older, widowed neighbor lady, containing a .75 liter jar of soup mix (the beauty being that it can be done one bowl at a time), a pretty bowl, spoon, towel, and treat for her dog.
My fiance's presents are ordered and should be arriving Monday.
My parent's present is purchased and is sitting, unwrapped in the living room (I got them a new DVD player, and didn't want Dad to do the same).
My sister is probably getting one pair of pants, out of the 4 I personal shopped for her the other day.
Gift cards for Peter's unmarried neices and the potential step neice and nephew. I just found out the latter were coming, so I still need to embroider their names on the stockings I am putting said gift cards into.
Present for my friends Anne and Paul, which should hit their house on Tuesday.
*I should preface this with a note that I am being forced into doing this, and wasn't happy going in. That being said....*
10. To all the older lawyers who signed in, left, came back, signed in again for the afternoon and left again: I appreciate that you have learned to play the system. That being said, this doesn't really help our ethical image as a Bar Association after that whole 'Head of OBA Ethics Committee Arrested for Sex Assault' thing. Or the Diddling Judge. I'm just saying.
9. Its a bad sign when the hotel staff feels the need to leave complimentary pillows in the back by the door.
8. For what we are paying, the conference room should have outlets for laptops. Because seriously, its almost 2009, kids. A lot of us have them. And would like to have been able to use them.
7. Also, the hotel wanting to charge $12.95 per DAY for wireless access is bull. I paid $9.95 for a three MONTH subscription at the Cincinnatti airport. Not all of us have a crack berry.
6. Having speakers who spend 10 of their 50 minutes whining about being in the afternoon when no one will pay attention due to digestive torpor and quoting journal studies on that subject doesn't make me want to play closer attention.
5. Since more of us are just going to toss the manuals anyways, why not put them on CDs and create a sign up option where you can choose a paper copy. The CD would be WAY cheaper.
4. If you are going to introduce the speakers, introduce them all. Not every third one. It made the transitions messy.
3. CLE would probably make a good drinking game. I may develop that tomorrow.
2. I would gladly be there until 3:45 in exchange with more frequent bathroom breaks.
1. So I am paying $275 for this, I suspect largely for location and food. I get that many lawyers want things smancy, but as someone on a pretty tight budget, I would trade the Renaissance with the 6 kinds of starbucks coffee, the lunch buffet (2 salads, lobster pasta, chicken marengo, seasonal-ish veggies, and 9 kinds of dessert), for the airport holiday in and some panera sandwhich boxes. I'm just saying.
10. To all the older lawyers who signed in, left, came back, signed in again for the afternoon and left again: I appreciate that you have learned to play the system. That being said, this doesn't really help our ethical image as a Bar Association after that whole 'Head of OBA Ethics Committee Arrested for Sex Assault' thing. Or the Diddling Judge. I'm just saying.
9. Its a bad sign when the hotel staff feels the need to leave complimentary pillows in the back by the door.
8. For what we are paying, the conference room should have outlets for laptops. Because seriously, its almost 2009, kids. A lot of us have them. And would like to have been able to use them.
7. Also, the hotel wanting to charge $12.95 per DAY for wireless access is bull. I paid $9.95 for a three MONTH subscription at the Cincinnatti airport. Not all of us have a crack berry.
6. Having speakers who spend 10 of their 50 minutes whining about being in the afternoon when no one will pay attention due to digestive torpor and quoting journal studies on that subject doesn't make me want to play closer attention.
5. Since more of us are just going to toss the manuals anyways, why not put them on CDs and create a sign up option where you can choose a paper copy. The CD would be WAY cheaper.
4. If you are going to introduce the speakers, introduce them all. Not every third one. It made the transitions messy.
3. CLE would probably make a good drinking game. I may develop that tomorrow.
2. I would gladly be there until 3:45 in exchange with more frequent bathroom breaks.
1. So I am paying $275 for this, I suspect largely for location and food. I get that many lawyers want things smancy, but as someone on a pretty tight budget, I would trade the Renaissance with the 6 kinds of starbucks coffee, the lunch buffet (2 salads, lobster pasta, chicken marengo, seasonal-ish veggies, and 9 kinds of dessert), for the airport holiday in and some panera sandwhich boxes. I'm just saying.
Bless his furry dumb butt....
Dec. 10th, 2008 08:18 pmSo I am about an hour into the two hour drive when Kyo begins to yowl with gusto. Which is odd, because he has gotten better about car trips. And then I smell it. "Baobei, did you just pee your carrier?"
"YOWL!!!!!" This does not bode well. The yowling continues, and I am trying to be sympathetic and pet at his head through the bars....when he reaches up with a pee-saturated paw, and swipes at my hand, smearing it. "YOWL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" And there goes my sympathy. So I call my mother, and ask her to ready the bathroom for a cat intervention.
We get into Tulsa, and I carry him into the bathroom, and leave him, shuck my work clothes, and put on an OLD sweatsuit. Getting him out of the carrier, I see that he has managed to submerge pretty much his whole butt into the pee. So I very gently settle his feet into the tub and push him into a sitting position. He then proceeds to climb the front of me, getting into a standing position. I continued to towel him off with water and a bit of soap, until he was very clearly not happy. I lifted him out, and he wouldn't get off my shoulder. I tried to set him down, but somehow that ended with me kneeling on the floor and him standing on my back.
He's just about dry now, and a bit happier, maybe. But wow, what a fun car ride.
Viva Bereaucracy...
Dec. 10th, 2008 11:54 amSo a large part of my job is following up with students, National Merit and Otherwise, about the Honors College. I use the internet a lot, both to send emails to these kids and also to double check illegible phone numbers (again, parents of HS aged children, tell them to print clearly on college interest info cards).
Now, my office is actually in the honors dorm, on what is essentially the first floor of the back. And therefore, my internet is part of the Residence Life Staff system server. Which has 250 IP addresses. The problem you might ask? There are now more than 250 computers on that server. So I can't get the LAN in my office to connect anymore. Which means if I want to use the internet, I either have to a) hang out in the dorm great room to pick up wireless or b) work out of the student lounge up in Admin, where I don't have easy prolonged access to a phone. The hall director is working on things, but in the meantime, I am almost glad to be getting out of dodge for a couple of days. Even if it means going to a CLE seminar.
Random Fact #2783
Dec. 9th, 2008 12:38 pmTim Rice, the Emmy, Oscar, and Tony winning lyricist of such Disney classics as Aladdin and the Lion King? Also wrote the lyrics to "One Night in Bangkok". *Blink, Blink, huh*
Well, crap-freaking-tastic...
Nov. 30th, 2008 07:39 pmSo this is what my week looks like:
Tuesday: Short paper. In class 1 hour discussion team leadership presentation (Higher Education and Popular Culture)
Wednesday: Short paper
Thursday: Group 10-12 page paper, with presentation.
Which seemed potentially doable, until my partner for the first presentation got snowed in in Chicago.
Tuesday: Short paper. In class 1 hour discussion team leadership presentation (Higher Education and Popular Culture)
Wednesday: Short paper
Thursday: Group 10-12 page paper, with presentation.
Which seemed potentially doable, until my partner for the first presentation got snowed in in Chicago.
Shiny early birthday tiding...
Nov. 30th, 2008 09:08 amSo I mentioned to my mother that new cutlery might be fun for Christmas or my birthday. So she and my sister got up at the crack of dawn on Black Friday and went to Macy's. And got me this. I am ridiculously pleased about that.
So I have been beating off a migraine with a stick since I went to bed last night, and consequently, I didn't really feel like leaving the house today. But I had a group meeting for my big end of term project for my doctoral level class on Higher Education Policy and Governance. So I got dressed, and trudged up to campus, and made it to the Union just one minute past 4. To find no one here. And they still aren't here. I will probably give it five more minutes, and then call and say I am going home. My eyesight is all fuzzy and not fun anyways the aura.
Another tasty recipe
Nov. 12th, 2008 08:09 pm1/2 cabbage, pre-boiled, chopped to shreds.
6 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces
5 mushrooms, diced
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic diced
3 pats butter
1/4 cup medium white wine
Pepper to taste.
4 pats butter
1/2 box of Mrs. T's Perogies
In a deep sautee pan, start the bacon, mushrooms, and onions on medium low heat. When the mushrooms are nearly done, add the butter, garlic, and cabbage. When the cabbage is well softened, add the wine. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
In a second medium frying pan, cook the perogies according to box directions for sauteeing. When perogies are nearly done, add some of the pan liquid from the first pan. Sautee two more minutes, then serve with a side of cabbage sautee.
6 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces
5 mushrooms, diced
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic diced
3 pats butter
1/4 cup medium white wine
Pepper to taste.
4 pats butter
1/2 box of Mrs. T's Perogies
In a deep sautee pan, start the bacon, mushrooms, and onions on medium low heat. When the mushrooms are nearly done, add the butter, garlic, and cabbage. When the cabbage is well softened, add the wine. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
In a second medium frying pan, cook the perogies according to box directions for sauteeing. When perogies are nearly done, add some of the pan liquid from the first pan. Sautee two more minutes, then serve with a side of cabbage sautee.
Upcoming weekends...
Nov. 12th, 2008 05:31 pmNov. 14-16- In Fayetteville. Work on Two remaining big projects and three remaining short papers. Work on cleaning house. Maybe do either wine bar visit or brunch with some of the over 25 students in the program. Work on A&S for TFT event.
Nov. 21-23- TFT event in Columbia...or somewhere close to it.
Nov. 26-30- Thanksgiving in Tulsa, Purcell, and points in between.
Dec. 5-7- Not sure yet. There may be some festivities. I find the idea of Kris Kinder interesting, might consider that if #1 Fiance is unavailable, which it looks like he might be.
Dec. 12-14 Tulsa for wInterKingdom. Teaching two classes.
Nov. 21-23- TFT event in Columbia...or somewhere close to it.
Nov. 26-30- Thanksgiving in Tulsa, Purcell, and points in between.
Dec. 5-7- Not sure yet. There may be some festivities. I find the idea of Kris Kinder interesting, might consider that if #1 Fiance is unavailable, which it looks like he might be.
Dec. 12-14 Tulsa for wInterKingdom. Teaching two classes.
So good, I have to share....
Nov. 11th, 2008 06:10 pmBangkok Peanut Pulled Pork
1- 1 lb pork tenderloin roast, thawed
1/2 bottle of House of Tsang Bangkok Peanut Pandang Sauce
1-2 cup water
2 tsp creamy peanut butter
Place thawed roast in small crock pot. Mix sauce, peanut butter and water, pour over roast. Let cook on high for 3-4 hours. Pull apart with a fork and butter knife.
I ate my first helping over royal bastmati rice and snap pea veggies stir-fried in more of the sauce. I then has some just plain. Holy mackarel, this is the best pulled pork I've ever had.
1- 1 lb pork tenderloin roast, thawed
1/2 bottle of House of Tsang Bangkok Peanut Pandang Sauce
1-2 cup water
2 tsp creamy peanut butter
Place thawed roast in small crock pot. Mix sauce, peanut butter and water, pour over roast. Let cook on high for 3-4 hours. Pull apart with a fork and butter knife.
I ate my first helping over royal bastmati rice and snap pea veggies stir-fried in more of the sauce. I then has some just plain. Holy mackarel, this is the best pulled pork I've ever had.
A Bitter Kind of Happy...
Nov. 4th, 2008 11:30 pmI am happy with the outcome of the Presidential election. I had a cautious hope coming in, and its been validated. And its an amazing, historical turn of our line that I am proud to have had happen in my lifetime. That being said, I am also sad, looking at some of the other things America voted for.
Two states, Arizona and Florida, have voted to ban gay marriage. Proposition 8, to amend the California constitution and take the right to marry away from many Californians, is currently up on the yes side. And in Arkansas, voters in a state that has a crisis in the number of foster children needing placement and permanent homes, has passed a law saying that gay couples can't provide loving homes for those children.
Tonight, we elected the first African-American president. If it had gone the other way, we would have had the first female vice-president. And yet, so many people seem afraid that extending equal rights to everyone, even those we don't agree with, will somehow be an anathema for our society.
Forty-one years ago, the Supreme Court said that the right to marry could not be denied to two consenting adults on the basis of race. Back then, the idea of President-Elect Obama's own parents' marriage or those of other interracial, heterosexual couples was as appalling as the idea of gay and lesbian couples is to many people today. This is going to be the defining issue of civil rights in our generation, and I can only hope that we can bring that change sooner than that.
The great, fictional president, Josiah Bartlett, was famous for saying "What's Next?" The answer, now, is equal rights for all. Because my family and friends and the people I haven't even gotten to meet yet can't wait.
Two states, Arizona and Florida, have voted to ban gay marriage. Proposition 8, to amend the California constitution and take the right to marry away from many Californians, is currently up on the yes side. And in Arkansas, voters in a state that has a crisis in the number of foster children needing placement and permanent homes, has passed a law saying that gay couples can't provide loving homes for those children.
Tonight, we elected the first African-American president. If it had gone the other way, we would have had the first female vice-president. And yet, so many people seem afraid that extending equal rights to everyone, even those we don't agree with, will somehow be an anathema for our society.
Forty-one years ago, the Supreme Court said that the right to marry could not be denied to two consenting adults on the basis of race. Back then, the idea of President-Elect Obama's own parents' marriage or those of other interracial, heterosexual couples was as appalling as the idea of gay and lesbian couples is to many people today. This is going to be the defining issue of civil rights in our generation, and I can only hope that we can bring that change sooner than that.
The great, fictional president, Josiah Bartlett, was famous for saying "What's Next?" The answer, now, is equal rights for all. Because my family and friends and the people I haven't even gotten to meet yet can't wait.
A Show of Hands, please....
Nov. 4th, 2008 07:34 amHow many of you on my friend's list Library Thing? If you do, what is your handle there? Mine is RebeccaLynnLaw.
Ah, bureaucracy...
Oct. 31st, 2008 09:31 amSo, I am supposed to be booking a private room at a restaurant for a luncheon today. However, no one has actually told me how I go about putting down the deposit. So when I called our business manager for the department to ask about that, she informs me that a) the university never, ever puts down deposits, it just isn't done and b) we only pay with a purchase order. *blink, blink* Okay, this is exciting. Now I am waiting for my boss to clarify with me what I am supposed to do about that.
Productive and Frustrating
Oct. 28th, 2008 06:30 pmProductive:
1) Pushed through and finished my paper for class today.
2) Bought everything but the shoes to finish off my halloween costume, including exciting fun from Victoria's Secret. I almost never shop there, but that had seamed back stockings. Now, I just need to find shoes I can get through the evening in.
3) Dishes mostly done. What I have right now are the ones from last night, which aren't very extensive.
Frustrating:
1) Living room still crazy messy. Need to work on that.
2) Need to push through a book report by Thursday. This can be done. It will just take effort.
3) Someone has taken to marking one corner of the living room. This is unacceptable. We shall have to work on this.
1) Pushed through and finished my paper for class today.
2) Bought everything but the shoes to finish off my halloween costume, including exciting fun from Victoria's Secret. I almost never shop there, but that had seamed back stockings. Now, I just need to find shoes I can get through the evening in.
3) Dishes mostly done. What I have right now are the ones from last night, which aren't very extensive.
Frustrating:
1) Living room still crazy messy. Need to work on that.
2) Need to push through a book report by Thursday. This can be done. It will just take effort.
3) Someone has taken to marking one corner of the living room. This is unacceptable. We shall have to work on this.
