Absquatulate

Not Sally Homemaker

I have a very limited supply of housekeeping/homemaking in me before I have to do something else, like play video games, or going out, or reading a book. Cooking, surprisingly, does not fall into this category. And I think I've spent nearly a year's worth of homemaking in the last two weeks. It's becomingly increasingly challenging to muster up more of that homemaking drive to get things finished. Urrgh.

Say what you mean!

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Well then, that's not really monthly now is it? Psst Cooking Light copywriters: It's called semi-monthly.

Woot Wine : One Week, One Wine (SM)

Now this is a neat idea from the crafty kids behind woot.com: Woot Wine : One Week, One Wine.

What if you buy in bulk?

When you need to know how many cups are in a pint of strawberries, or other such odd conversions, consult PFG-Hale
. I don't know why it's titled "Announcemenets", but the conversion charts are awfully handy. Wish I'd had them before I eyeballed the strawberries for the ice cream, we had a minor overflow problem that was, thankfully, easily remedied with a few spoons and two quick-thinking humans.

Chow Down Phoenix!

If I ever have the chance to travel to Phoenix, Arizona I will be sure to check out Chow Down Phoenix! for good eats recommendations.

Actias luna

Holy CRAP is this a surprising thing to find on your screen door!  If it wasn't an Actias luna then it was some other very, VERY big white-ish moth that was as big as your hand and could probably carry away small children.

Wha..?

Wha..?
Originally uploaded by scottandrew.

... honestly, can't we throw a game character on this thing or something?

Balsamic Strawberry Vinagrette

You'll need a whisk, a spoon, a bowl, a knife, a cutting board, a pan, and the following ingredients:

• Some good extra-virgin olive oil, about 0.5c
• Some good balsamic vinegar, about 0.25c
• A good handful of ripe strawberries
• One garlic scape, minced
• One green onion, minced, or sliced thinly if you like the crunchy bits
• Honey, or if you have it, some homemade strawberry preserves, about two teaspoons
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Rinse and hull the strawberries. Slice them thinly and put into bowl. Mash a few with a fork, and leave others in tact for texture.
2. Add in all the other ingredients except the olive oil and mix well. Taste for balance... if the strawberries aren't sweet, add a little more jam. If you need more acidity, add a splash of lemon juice along with the vinegar. Give the flavors a little time to meld.
3. When you are satisfied with the flavors, whisk in the olive oil. Most dressing recipes call for far more olive oil than I care for, so do what you feel is right.
4. Serve with sliced cold chicken on a bed of greens and some thinly sliced red onion. If you're feeling hungrier, sprinkle with chopped toasted walnuts and good bleu cheese and voilà! A fantastic summer's meal with bright, fresh flavors.

Thanks, I'll have mine on bacon

Brilliant!  Oh the culinary possibilities when you have a mat of bacon: instructables : Bacon Placemats.

Wiki Cookbook

Ah, cooking in the hands of the masses (and not just the <a href="http://www.goonswithspoons.com/Main_Page">SA Goons</a> :)   Cookbook: Wikibooks, collection of open-content textbooks.

Good Thing She's Adorable.

"Ready to watch Creature Comforts?"
"Yeah! Oh I can't wait. New ones from the US. Fantastic!"
"Uh, hm, seems this screen door is open..."
"Oh uh really? GWEN! Here puss puss! Who wants brushin's?... She's not coming, let's search the house..."

And so it began. Rather than collapsing after moving a trunkload of books up two flights of stairs, I recruited Steve and we combed his wooded corner of the neighborhood looking for Gwen at 1am.

Nunchucks

So tell me UofR people, now that I'm taking karate, can I wear this shirt?

Quick Update

It's been busy around here. Why? I've been:

• Going to Boston for dim-sum, photos forthcoming.
• Watching thousands of fireflies over a local field. Spectacular sight!
• Moving.
• Trying to track down a professor.
• Getting started on a paper for journals.
• Looking for jobs.
• Going on interviews.
• Growing some basil
• Worrying about the baby chipmunk I saw two weeks ago who has been MIA. Thankfully, spotted him today. Yay!
• Getting my butt whipped in training.
• Watching Bubba Ho-Tep.

So, you know, I'll be around soon enough.

New Year's Resolutions

Apparently 2007 is the year of "Really hurt yourself while doing something really stupid". Mind you, I've taken up karate, you know, that system of self-defense that involved eventually learning how to KILL someone and not one injury I have had to date that causes significant pain can be traced to that particular activity. To sum up:

• February: Falling down flight of wooden stairs in socks, resulting in broken pinky toe.
• June: Hitting back of right hand on sharp corner of chair, resulting in radiating pain through hand (particularly the middle two fingers), swelling, and general malaise regaring said injury.

We'll see what pretty colors THIS turns. Already typing, turning hand over, and bending hand at wrist is becoming painful. Can't wait to see what happens next!

Apprently, I'm leapfrogging from 30 to 80 this year.

Tired of paying too much for shipping?

I am. A quick Google search led me to this fabulous site:  RetailMeNot.com.

Time Out New York: Raw and order

To wasabi or not?  Chopsticks or fingers?  Time out NY interviews the chaps who've got the answers: Raw and order.

Danny DeVito Says Yes to Yessica!

You've got a friend like this. The one you talk to twice, maybe three times a year, and every time it's as if no time has passed between college graduation and now. It may technically be 9 months, but really, it's been 9 minutes between the last time you talked to her. What is it about undergraduate education that binds people together? Perhaps the living situation, or the insanity of campus life, or the need for Taco Bell and Dr. Mario that must be satisfied provides that lasting bond that tends to survive life's great accomplishments and travesties. In any case, I'm always thrilled to get a call from Jess and we always have a great conversation catching each other up on our lives (moving, schools, jobs), the lives of others (Gar, Candy, Travis, Mandy, Brian, etc.) and it's almost always around a big event involving either of us or those we know (Travis is moving! Bri got engaged! Gar is going back to MIT!) And often, such announcements are accompanied by a squeal, and I'm not ashamed to confess that when I heard the news, I squeaked like an 8th grader meeting Dawson. Congratulations on getting engaged, Jess!!