1. I love making lists. I make lots of lists. I’m just not so good at following them.
2. There are some lists that sometimes end up on my night-table: that kind helps me get out of bed better than alarm clocks do.
3. I always put too many items on my lists. Always. If I have ten items, I’ll get six or seven done. Three items: I’ll only get to #2. If say, there are 579,457 items... I’ll get to 579, 448 maybe, and then I’ll feel like I haven’t accomplished anything.
4. Everybody knows that there are always too many items on any given list. You are therefore not actually expected to tick off every single item! Now that I know it’s one of the great laws of the universe, I accept it the same way I accept the weather—if you can’t change it, why sweat it, right?
5. I have a list I’ve been meaning to write all week: “Things I Want to Sell on eBay”. I’ve been putting it off because then I’ll really have to take the plunge and just do it already. Which leads me to the following list I need to write first:
6. “Reasons Why I’m So Resistant to Becoming a Seller on eBay”. I want to do it, I’m excited about doing it even; it’ll mean less clutter, more cash, more cash=more possibilities for buying more things. All good right? So what’s my problem? I need to write it down on a list because...
7. I use lists as a form of therapy. I also use them during therapy sometimes.
8. Lists help me understand and visualize things much more clearly than letting stuff rattle around in my brain.
9. I find lists are very revealing. When I find old lists from years ago, I can usually recall what the list was for, what I was doing just before I sat down to write the list, and even what I was wearing and eating that day. Ok, maybe not all of that, but it’s amazing how much information a seemingly random list like say... “Things I Ate Today” can actually reveal.
10. I keep different kinds of notebooks for different kinds of lists—shopping lists or the day’s tasks for example—those go in a no frills spiral bound notebook from which I can just tear out pages. For lists of things that I want to refer to frequently, or that I want to keep on record for a while, I use various mediums. I have a list of 600+ books I want to read which is forever growing (obviously that’s one list I’ll probably never get to the bottom of!) there are several versions of it: part of it is on my blog, most of it is on my Amazon wish list (until I figure out a better system), and I also keep track in a Moleskine notebook of the titles and authors I’ve read so far. That’s definitely a work in progress.
11. I have a special kind of list that I call the Job Jar. Here are several posts where I wrote about it. That works well on days when I’m indecisive or have time on my hands but am not particularly motivated, or in need of being reminded of things I don’t do often enough. I can pick out one or more items from the wish jar to fill up an hour, a day, or a week, or a whole month even with all kinds of projects. That’s also a work in progress because I can keep adding (or removing) items as I go. It’s a nice way to mix things up.
12. I love how flexible the list format is. Lists can be completely utilitarian and quickly jotted down on bit of scrap paper or the back of a napkin, or they can hold all our greatest dreams and aspirations and be written in a beautiful journal with a special pen, they can contain the elements of a story or even “tell” the story as a page in a printed book and of course on the web:
13. I have to end this list about lists with a list, what else? Here’s a list or reasons I need to finish writing this post about lists ASAP and get on with the program:
a) call in grocery order
b) have a nap (maybe)
c) pay for and put away groceries
d) eat dinner (maybe)
e) watch t.v.
f) make cookies
g) cuddle with cats
h) cookies and milk
i) visit some blogs
j) pj’s, wash face, floss, brush teeth
k) read in bed
l) lights out
m) try to fall asleep before 2 a.m. (maybe)
Painting: Joan Snyder. Found on ArtMoco.
October 29, 2008
Thirteen Things About Lists [#28]
October 28, 2008
Just For the Record...
1. It’s October 29th (i.e. not Halloween yet) and it’s snowing tonight. I know this is not cool to admit to, but I don’t like Halloween. Not even a little bit. Ok, I might like some of the vintage visuals but otherwise I can eat sweets whenever I feel like it, I don’t want a bunch of snotty kids bullying me for candy, and why would I want to spend the day pretending I’m someone else when I never know from moment to moment how it’s going to feel living in my own skin? Just saying.
2. My therapist thought the story about my meltdown at the cardio place was funny, but her suggestion was: get some cheap t-shirts, put up with the sweaty discomfort for a while, and just do it till you get back to your fancy gym! She ought to be a blogger.
3. My oatmeal cookies really do rock. So does my apple crumble. I should know because I get to do all the taste testing. But I’m going to have to choose. It’s either desserts, or I keep buying larger jean sizes, or I work out like a maniac twice a day. I know there’s a compromise in there somewhere.
4. Due to popular demand (i.e. one person), I will publish my Mind Blowing Oatmeal Cookie recipe just as soon as I’ve conducted a couple more experiments. After all, creating a recipe is all about getting the perfect formula down.. which is the best excuse I’ve ever come up with to stuff my face!
5. Not matter how many books you read, there will always be tonnes of other books you’ll want to read but won’t possibly be able to finish in this lifetime. So choose your reading matter accordingly. For some that’s a life philosophy.
6. There are not enough smart/whimsical/funny/bittersweet/magical books being written for adults—if there are they’re not getting published fast enough (according to me).
7. Note to self: no matter how much stuff you buy, there will always be tonnes of even better stuff on offer, and if you keep just buying more stuff, a time will come when you can’t afford to have a place to put it all in. Which means of course... Start Selling on eBay!
8. Following up therapy with a shopping spree really helps to momentarily forget about that that extra inner work you’re supposed to be doing before the next session.
9. Cats sure are helpful with housework. Whenever I neglect to empty out the litter box I can expect a nice little puddle right next the box— a nice reminder that I’ve slipped up on my chores. Fritz also likes to help me sort out which pile of laundry needs washing and which to fold by always lying on the clean clothes.
10. My Mimi is not really taking to being walked or dragged on a leash. I’d like to know of anyone who gets results by saying “come here” to a cat. So basically if you see a gal standing there on the sidewalk just staring at a black and white cat on a yellow leash... yeah, that’s me.
Pics by Smiler
October 25, 2008
Friday Night at the Mall
Generally, I try to avoid malls as best I can, preferring to avoid the crowds and visit boutiques and quirky little shops instead, but like most people living in North America, I’m bound to end up at the mall sooner or later. Friday had been a beautiful sunny day, but I only managed to set off as evening fell. I’d slept in after tossing and turning all night, because desperately craving homemade oatmeal cookies. Having finally created the "perfect” oatmeal cookie, I just had to have more, so at six a.m.—still the middle of the night for me—I got up to bake up a new batch, and after eating one or two truly delectable cookies fresh out of the oven, went back to bed only to get up again late in the afternoon.
I’d forgotten what a popular destination the mall is on a Friday night and the crowds were everywhere. I needed to do a few boring errands so decided I’d make an outing out of it. One thing on the list was finding an AC adapter for the postal scale I’d purchased online. I’d ordered an adapter at extra cost to avoid using batteries but to my great dismay when the package arrived it was sans adapter. I’d bought the scale so I can finally start selling and shipping things on eBay, something I’d been wanting to do for years now. There was always something holding me back —“it’s too complicated” and “I need to buy a postal scale” being two main excuses. I eventually figured out that complete morons as well as brilliant and charming folk like me could do it, so all I need was to find a postal scale, which became a saga. Scouring the internet, I found a Canadian company selling them for what seemed to be a reasonable price—until you factor in the extra costs of AC adapter and shipping—which ended up being a rip-off. I went with it anyway, just for the sake of getting on with it. I finally found an adapter at an electronics store and also got batteries as a back-up. I try to avoid using batteries; I can’t bother to get the rechargeable kind and wasn’t sure of how to dispose of them in an eco-friendly way. The manager of the store claimed that they can be dropped off at any fire station. I had never heard of that before, and will be sure to check up on it. I was immediately reminded of an incident years ago when I was sleeping over at my friend known as Asa: the fire alarm when off because of burnt toast and Asa rushed to call and alert the service not to send out firemen needlessly while I hurriedly ducked into the bathroom to primp myself up in case they showed up anyway. That sure seems like a lifetime ago now but it was post 9/11 and firemen—which have always had an allure about them (the cute ones that is), something to do with saving lives—were hotter than ever and I was in those days very single and still pining for my “dream man”.
Next stop was the local cardio workout gym to get a membership. I’d realized that very day that my ‘fat’ jeans were starting to get too tight after all those baking experiments. I never did cancel my membership at the swanky corporate gym I used to go to. The fact that it’s right next to my office and is attended by some co-workers along with an overabundance of pride and vanity are keeping me from going there as long as things aren’t resolved with work and and weight issues. I just don’t want to be the plump, heaving, sweaty woman in a gym filled with unobtrusive corporate types. Nobody wants to be that girl (or guy). This is why the no-frills cardio place seemed like a good and relatively inexpensive temporary solution. The perky guy with the highlights tending the front desk was most helpful. He apologized about the higher rates for three-month memberships and tried to find a way to give me a better deal even though I hadn’t asked for it. I was ready to sign on the dotted line and pay the first installment when he said: "We only have one rule here: t-shirts only, no tank-tops”. I’m not sure just what it is precisely that set me off, but I do know I ended up making a fool of myself. The very idea of working out in a t-shirt had me in hysterics. I tend to get overheated very quickly when doing any sort of physical activity .“Sweat like a pig” is how I put it when I was going on with my rant about why this was an unacceptable rule to me. My wardrobe is filled to the brim with Lycra and “sweat-repellent” tank tops, which I’d invested in precisely so I could be comfortable while working out. The vision of wearing a dripping cotton t-shirt or having to invest further in expensive high tech t’s had me in a fury. I left saying I’d return if and when I’d calmed down and later reflected that it must be God’s way of forcing me to get outside to do exercise more often.
I walked by the pet shop where I noticed many cat trees on display. I’ve been looking for an extra tall and sturdy sisal-covered scratching post with maybe a couple of platforms for my cats to sit on. Something affordable and tasteful that won’t become the focal point of the room—though of course that’s the hardest kind of thing to find. I had a look at their “cat condos” which were expensive multilevel marvels of carpeted tackiness and was also shown a “palm tree” scratching post which while being affordable and relatively small, just wasn’t my thing (plus, made of actual wood, which would probably give my cats splinters). I picked up a few overpriced cat toys and resolved to continue the scratch post search on the net. If I were the DYI type, that would be a nice little project, but I’ll leave that to other people.
I briefly considered going for a bite at the giant italian-style resto/pub which is a popular hangout evenings and weekends, and maybe follow that up with a movie at the multiplex. Walking by the outdoor terrace I noticed a bunch of thirty-somethings smiling their toothy smiles and smoking, with the guys in their neatly pressed shirts and the girls wearing cleavage, perfect hair and too much makeup and got instantly turned off. At that point I was longing to be back home with my kitties. When I got back, I was greeted by my two affectionate little furballs. I do so like spoiling them, but no matter what kind of toys I get them, they always seem to prefer plastic caps, socks and cardboard boxes. But I wonder, would a cat condo tickle their fancy?
October 24, 2008
Illustration Friday: Late
And of course... I started working on this illustration at the last possible moment!
To view my other Illustration Friday entries, click here.
October 23, 2008
Bloomin’ Gorgeous!
The biannual event of the Carpet of Flowers event takes place on the cobbled stones of Brussels’ Grand Place where some 800,000 begonias transform it into a vibrant sea of flowers for three days in August. This year the event took place from August 14-17, 2008.“The famous Carpet of Flowers covers 3200 square feet right in the center of the Grand’Place. This year, it’s a traditional carpet: end of the Middle Ages. Begonias offer a wide range of vivid and glowing colors and easily resist the burning sun. After all, the craftsmen assemble them directly on the cobble-stones of the square without a layer of soil. The colored plant tapestry can be admired best from the balcony of the City Hall, which is open to the public for the occasion.”
—Belgian Tourist Office
More Stuff I’ll Never Win
Why do they keep doing this to us? Isn’t it enough that we have a list of things that we need—and can’t afford as it is—and then all that other stuff we don’t actually need and still can’t afford but will buy at the risk of going bankrupt? Do they really have to add to that “things you didn’t know you wanted that will seem tantalizingly close to your grasp and will make you realize how much you’ve missed out until you remind yourself that it’s probably yet another identity theft scam”? And am I the only idiot who feels like a jerk for even wanting to believe in these fairy tales for a few seconds? Do people actually reply to these things other than to say “This is a joke, right?” as I just did*?
From: vallytine@orange.fr
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 09:33:46 +0800
To:
TOYOTA INTERNATIONAL LOTTO (HEADQUARTERS)
Customer Service Department Affiliate of Toyota Japan .
#28 Kanashiwa road Tokyo JP
We are pleased to inform you of the announcement made today, You are among the winners of the TOYOTA CAR INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION PROGRAM participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 2,500,000 email addresses of individuals and companies from all part of the world as part of our electronic business Promotions Program.
As a result of your visiting various websites we are running the E-business promotions for. You/Your Company email address, attached to ticket number XXX-XXX-XXXX, with serial number XXX-XX drew the lucky numbers X, X, XX,XX, XX, XX and Bonus number XX , Your INSURANCE Number: XXXXXX/ XXXX /XXXX and consequently you won in the Second Category of the TOYOTA FORTUNE LOTTO DRAW.
You have therefore been approved for the payment of the sum of US$500,000. 00 in cash, including a Toyota car which is the winning present /amount for the Second category winners. This is from the total prize money of US$2,650,000.00 shared among the international winners in the Second category.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Please be informed that your won fund of the sum of US$500,000.00 is now with the payee center. Contact our agent and give them your full names so that they will re-insure your winning fund under your full names. Together with the port where your winning car should be shipped to.
To begin your claim, please call our claim agent or send email immediately to:-
Certificate Agent, Toyota Email Lotto
Mr.George Monk
Email:toyotapromo2008@yahoo.cn
Telephone:008613527654635
NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, Please quote your
1, Names in full:
2,Country of Residing:
3, Nationality:
4,Residential Address:
5, Date of Birth/Age:
6, Marital Statue/Sex:
7, Tel/Fax:
8, Mobile No:
9, Occupation:
10, Company:
11, Ticket No:
12,Serial No:
13,Ins.No:
14,Lucky No:
Sincerely ,
Mrs. Ing Chunny Liu
Hon Online Coordinator
www.toyota.com.cn
p.s. Did you know car images get as much retouching work done as do models in fashion and beauty shots? Worth remembering next time you start drooling over the latest models—be they technological or humanoid. Image of Rav4 stolen from Toyota web site.
* Still, notice the series of X’s which are replacing the actual numerals, just in case a miracle might happen, in which case I wouldn’t want someone stealing my miracle. Heh.
October 22, 2008
Party Like it’s 1919
My good friend Technodoll sent this to me today with the caption: “If you were around in 1919 (just before prohibition started) and came upon the following poster... I mean seriously... Would you quit drinking?”. I say if I hadn’t been drinking before, that poster sure would make liquor look like one heck of an attractive option!
October 21, 2008
If I Sound Confused...
... that would be because I feel like someone’s slipped something in my drink. The only reason I know for sure today’s Tuesday is because I watched a new episode of House followed by an episode of Fringe this evening, which can only happen on a Tuesday. My two favourite tv shows currently, which my broken internal clock somehow manages to alert me to even if it refuses to budge for anything of actual importance. Go figure. There’s also the time-stamp right here on my computer of course... but if it weren’t for these two irrefutable things, then I’d have no notion of time whatsoever right now. I do vaguely remember a day... I think it was last week, when I was really pleased to realize that the annoying noises that awoke me were the sounds of my two cats playing, yes PLAYING together. Just a short month ago I thought Fritz would sooner commit suicide than hang in the same room as Mimi... and so instead of telling the kids to quiet down so mommy can get some sleep, I got up to watch them play. Because it was quite an event, you understand. Like the Westwall coming down, tangible proof of the end of the Cold War. Unfortunately, I don’t have an official time and date to remember this event by. It may have been Friday in the night time. Since then, everything has been a blur of cats playing, and sleep, and me eating banana bread, and more sleep with dreams about cats playing, and cats waking me from my dreams about cats playing and me eating more banana bread and more sleep and cats landing on my face and eventually everybody sleeping in an exhausted heap. I got up at some point today vaguely thinking it was still the weekend—or close to it—and then noticed I’d called in a grocery order, as evidenced by the fresh food in the fridge, and I thought I remembered doing that “yesterday” but “yesterday” turns out to have been three days ago according to the date on the bill I’ve just found here. Do I sound confused? Must be the meds. I must have gone off them with all that sleep. I do feel like I’m on a drug trip, which is a sure sign that I’m having withdrawal symptoms from missing a few doses. Scary. This is why we need a schedule. So we won’t forget the meds. With the meds my life is hell. Without them, it’s worse. But no worries... I’ll get back into a normal schedule as of tonight. Whatever 'normal' is. Isn’t it ironic that I stopped doing illicit drugs because I didn’t want them controlling my life only to end up being forced to take pharmaceutical drugs for just that very purpose? No worries. That’s you mum and dad: don’t worry. Regular programming will resume soon folks. Do not adjust your tv sets. The cats are playing again! Weee!!! See? We’re just fine. And would you look at that? Someone ate all my banana bread...
October 17, 2008
They Bought a Zoo.
I’ve just now stayed up quite late to finish the latest book which happened to land on my book list called “We Bought a Zoo” by Benjamin Mee. I was sent the book directly from the publisher (free of charge!) in exchange for the promise of a review to be posted on LibraryThing. Here are my impressions:
I was sold on “We Bought a Zoo” from the moment I read the title. A huge animal lover, I also enjoy stories about people doing unusual things, so I was fully expecting to be indulged on both fronts. While to my great enjoyment there was plenty of talk about the various wild animals and what it's like to handle them up close, I quickly ran into a couple of major issues that prevented me from enjoying the book as I had expected to. I found Benjamin Mee’s writing style was confusing and unstructured—surprising coming from a former journalist. Of course events do occur in a much more random way in real life than they do in fiction, but a certain lack of structure lead to repetitions and asides which would have best been left out. Because of the writing style—very casual, dry humour, a minimum of sentimentality and retelling of countless anecdotes—it occurred to me that the way these events were described would have seemed more suited to a blog format. But then again I may be biased as a compulsive blogger myself.
Beyond that I took issue with the secondary story line, which wasn’t mentioned anywhere on the book jacket or in the publisher’s literature. There was the main story about the purchase and work that needed to be done to the zoo—after months and years of constant decline, the infrastructure and the animals were in need of a great deal of interventions so that officials would consider Dartmoor Zoological Park fit for public viewing again—and that was the story I had signed on to read. But then there was also the heartbreaking story of his wife dying of brain cancer which, while being a question of human interest, at the risk of sounding insensitive, came as an unpleasant surprise. I would probably have read the book knowing about these sad events anyway, but I wasn’t expecting to read about this family tragedy in this context and had the unpleasant feeling that it had been sprung on me. I did keep on reading because I wanted to hear more about the animals and to find out how the story ends with so many odds stacked against Mee. I applaud all the hard work and efforts Benjamin Mee, his staff and family put in, feel I learned a great deal about zoo keeping, and my heart reaches out to Mee and the children for their loss, but I just wish the publisher had made full disclosure up front. This would have made for a much more pleasant reading experience. Granted “The Year We Bought a Zoo and My Wife Died” probably wouldn't sell as many copies, but some kind of fair warning would have been appreciated by this early reviewer.
October 14, 2008
A Synopsis.
I can’t believe it. I was doing the dishes on Friday evening after coming back from my hike with K and E when this story idea just popped in my head. I never get story ideas. Well, not unless I’m just writing down my thoughts and they happen to form a story by sheer dumb luck. That didn’t work out too well for me during last year’s NaNoWriMo; that’s how you end up with Paris Hilton crashing a party with Justin Timberlake, dancing on tables and sending dishes flying. How could I? Don’t ask. I just vow never to do it again. Here’s what I know about my next project, as I just wrote on my NaNoWriMo profile:
There’s a girl who doesn’t fit in. There are parents who can’t stand each other. There’s a red dress. There’s real life. There’s an elephant in need of adoption. There’s pain and there’s healing. One of the characters is an artist. One of the characters is an insufferable bitch. There’s a trip to Sri Lanka. Not necessarily in that order.
Who knows where it’ll all lead to? At least I’ve got something to work with this time. And I’m already in love with one of the characters (hint: the one who’s not human that I did a Thursday Thirteen on a while back) and I’m already hating one character so I should have fun writing about them both. We’ll see how it all pans out. I haven’t decided yet whether I’ll post my progress on my NaNoWriMo blog, called fifty thousand words. Maybe a few excerpts here and there to keep my fans wanting more. Ha.
Illustration: Courtesy of Tamsin Ainslie @ tamainslie.blogspot.com
Special Greeting
Can you believe that dreamboat is my father?
Happy birthday dad!
You just keep getting younger and renewing yourself
every year. At this rate, I’ll reach retirement before you do!
Thank you for listening when it mattered the most. Stay
healthy and strong and looking forward to seeing you again
in Tel-Aviv—sooner than later I hope...
Love, hugs and kisses to you and to Lulu too.
xx i.
October 12, 2008
A Perfect Day for a Hike
Friday morning, my friend K came to pick me up with her daughter E to go hiking on Mont Saint-Hilaire, which is a small but pretty mountain with several hiking trails very close to Montreal. We agreed to each bring food for a pot-luck lunch. Since we planned for it to be a leisurely walk and not a race to the top (which I couldn’t have handled anyway since I’m so out of shape), I decided to bring my camera and had plenty of opportunities to capture some of the sights. The last time I had seen E was when she was five years old, so of course it was strange seeing her all grown into a twelve year-old—still a child but wise beyond her years. She reminded me of a renaissance madonna and thankfully K gave me permission to post some pictures of her here. She was completely at ease in the woods—a little bit too much so because had K not intervened, she would have read her book all the way up and all the way down again. A lovely day with lovely company making conversation out in the fragrant woods and getting some exercise. What more could I ask for?
All pics by Smiler
October 9, 2008
Thirteen Random Things I Got [#27]
I love shopping. I love finding really cool & nifty & beautiful & practical things and I love the feeling of possessing them, even if only for a short while. I became a dedicated shopper long before I could actually afford to buy anything which I suppose makes me materialistic. My first big splurge was for a very exclusive (read: expensive) Courrèges bag which cost me two month’s rent—this when I could barely afford to keep the fridge stocked. I’ve perfected my technique to ensure I can shop, pay for my rent, and eat—all in the same month— and I’m going to share it with you right here! I derived my Five-Step Shopping Technique™ by observing professional stylists at work, since they know a thing or two about shopping:
Let’s say you’re shopping for a dress*
a) Go to a store likely to have the kinds of dresses you’re looking for in terms of price, quality and style. Look through the entire selection of dresses and pick out every dress that catches your eye, is your size and within your budget. b) Put them all next to each other to compare and decide which are the best selections in the bunch. c) Try on that selections and immediately eliminate those that don’t fit well d) Purchase the remaining dress(es). Bring them home—away from the pressure of the store and in front of your own mirror—so you can determine which dress fits best in terms of fit and coordinates best with other items you own. Eliminate the dresses you aren’t ‘in love with’ too till you’re down to your final selection. e) Return everything else. Which reminds me, always ask about the exchange/return policy first, so you’re never stuck with something you can’t return. You’re virtually guaranteed to end up with great stuff every time and never make impulse buys again (we hope).
*It works for circular saws, doggie sweaters and men’s ties too!
1. Fashion Wonderland. A beautifully designed book showcasing “the hottest work from around the globe [revealing] how illustration hitches with fashion”.
2. stuff on my cat: the 2009 daily calendar. If the sight of cats in ridiculous getups is your thing, then you must visit stuffonmycat.com. I just discovered the web site very recently myself and found the calendar at Urban Outfitters which is the kind of place where you would find all kinds of fun kooky things like that. Having the calendar sitting on my desk will inspire me to torment my cats and photograph them in the process so I can contribute my own ‘cats with stuff on ‘em’ too.
3. A printed t-shirt. I’ve been looking for them for the past couple of years at least. You’d think they’re easy enough to find since they’re everywhere, but I just must be way too fussy. Got this one at Urban Outfitters where they had dozens of models. It’s red and some of the letting is hot pink and it says “Tokyo” in big tacky 80’s lettering made up from images (somehow, it all comes together nicely). It works on a 20-something, ergo it works on me I’ve decided, since that’s how old most people think I am anyway.
4. Gold chain an pendant. I’ve always been more of a chunky silver pieces person, but I’d been wanting a couple of delicate gold chains to wear with my jeans and t’s for a change. I worried for a long time about wearing a pendant (is it tacky, is it not?) and finally got a tiny coin featuring angels on one side and the inscription “Ricordo del battesimo” on the other. I’m not Catholic so I hesitated, as don’t want to be disrespectful, but I finally decided it’s my good luck talisman and that’s that.
5. Joseph Joseph green Chop 2 Pot. “This innovative chopping board uses the latest technology in polypropylene living hinges, when the handle is squeezed the board folds into a chute to help guide chopped food into the pot.” It’s award winning, and comes in a bunch of colours with a 3 year warranty, and is now sitting in my kitchen, and now that I’ve used it I wonder how I ever managed without it. Seriously.
6. Silicone vegetable steamer. Finally. I’d been wanting to replace that metal contraption that looks like a torture device since forever. This one cleans nicely (dishwasher safe!), there’s no parts that can rust or fall off, and you don’t get that horrible feeling you get from metal on metal when you try to retrieve the food with a metal utensil— or the feeling I get when I bite down on a fork—just the thought of that keeps me awake at night.
7. Cat food tins. I have cats ergo I buy cat food tins right? Well I’d never given anything other than dry food to my previous cats and had just recently started giving some to Fritz as a treat. Then I adopted Mimi, who lost her appetite when she got sick and that’s all she’d eat. Now of course I’m expected to dish it out every day. I feel good about the fact that it’s holistic. It’s more expensive than the dry food but then I keep thinking I should start eating it too since it’s full of good stuff. Would it give me that gorgeous slinky cat figure I wonder?
8. The I Ching Wilhelm/Baynes translation. This one is a gift from my dad. I’d been consulting a translation more suited to beginner/intermediate level, but I think now I’m ready to move on to the ‘adult’ version. I’m waiting for the right moment to consult it for the first time. I’ll try to make it synchronize with a moment when I feel the surrounding energies are good because I’d like my first reading to augur only good things.
9. CARE by Stella McCartney Radiance & Youth Elixir. I love everything Stella. Almost everything. I have her clothes from her sportswear line (designed for Adidas), her perfumes, had her eyeglasses (‘till some cow tore them off my face and broke them in a fit of jealousy), got her skincare line, still want to get her sneakers and I’d probably buy her trash bags if she decided to make them because I’d know for certain that they’re 100% earth friendly. Why would a woman who’s pushing 40 but presumably looks like a 20-something need a youth elixir, you ask? Well of course I’ve got good genes working in my favour as far as the aging process goes, but I’ve been putting all the chances on my side since I was 16, when I started following a beauty regimen. And by god, I’ll continue cleansing, toning and elixirizing until my dying day when my bones might start falling to dust but I’ll still have that gloriously radiant skin!
10. Cat toys, including the Cat Charmer. Again, I have cats, ergo I buy cat toys... But since Fritz never really took to toys I stopped buying them long ago. Now young Mimi just can’t get enough of them so I’ve been having all kinds of fun picking them out for her. The Cat Charmer is a simple one, but I love the fact that it’s interactive.
11. A PINK cat tote. I would have preferred another colour, but it was an emergency, so baby pink with brown trim it is. I already have a black tote for Fritz but visits to the vet (e.g. tomorrow) now require two carriers, so I had no time for shopping around because I suck at planning. The totes are cool because you stay in physical contact with the animal, which is reassuring for them, and it’s less cumbersome to carry around than those hulking plastic boxes. Bonus: taxi drivers can’t tell you’re carrying a pet!
12. Ahava Essential Dead Sea Treatments; mineral body lotion, hand, and foot creams. A woman can never have too many creams and lotions. Especially here—the major weather fluctuations tends to make for seriously scaly skin. I’ve wanted to try Ahava products since my student days when I saw them in health food stores but couldn’t afford that kind of splurge. The Israeli part of me takes pride in the fact that they’re an Israeli company with an excellent reputation worldwide. They use minerals from the Dead Sea which—I can affirm for having been there myself—does do miracles for your skin. The products smell quite divine too. Not at all dead-like, not at all sea-like either.
13. Home cooking/baking. Those peach crumbles have been featured a few times on the menu here at Smiler’s house, and now I’ve added delicious banana bread too, which I hadn’t made in ages. While baking this fall, I realized that I’ve always felt more comfortable making desserts than preparing meals. Partly because I have a sweet tooth, but also because no matter how much planning and prepping I do, I always end up with a cold plate by the time I’m ready to eat. It tastes good, but cold. Still, baking does encourage me to play around with pots and pans a little, so I’ve been eating quite a few decent home cooked meals these days which is a sure sign I’m ready to start taking better care of myself again. I think I’ll be doing the I Ching reading as soon as I start exercising again because it looks like I might maybe be getting my groove back... eventually.
October 8, 2008
Quote of the Day
“The greatest fall is the one we make from the height of innocence.”
~ Heiner Müller
Painting: L’innocence, 1893, Adolphe-William Bouguereau
October 5, 2008
Why should you vote for me?
Because I promise not to raise your taxes but I also think the rich should get taxed more so the rest of us can afford all kinds of perks too, like top of the line universal health care and large screen tv’s, for example. I think big business should be made accountable for things like not killing our planet or selling us crap that breaks down after a couple of uses. Furthermore, tax breaks should only go to medium and small businesses who need them to survive, unlike the big guys who are constantly trying to figure out ways to pay less and screw the rest of us more so they can get even richer. You should vote for me because not only do I support freedom of speech, but I also support freedom of silence because let’s face it, there’s already too much noise out there. You should vote for me because I love almost all of God’s creatures, though I think I love animals more than humans which I love more than bugs and I do tend to favour cats because that’s the only kind of pet my landlords will allow me to keep for now. You should vote for me because like many of you, I’m a loving and responsible parent to my kids and I want the world to be a better place for Mimi and Fritz and your kids and all their buddies and the generations to come too. Your support encourages me to keep blogging from a place of loving and sharing, and the more love and support I feel, the more likely I am to reveal every single one of my pathetic neuroses which apparently makes for good entertainment. Most importantly, if you vote for me it’ll make my day, and I’ll think of you even more fondly than I did before. Your vote counts. It really really does. And yes, that means you too. If you’ve already voted for me, try to vote for me again in case the first vote wasn’t tallied (as has been the case several times), and know that I think of you even more fondly than I did before. If you encourage one of your buddies to vote for me too I just might consider including you in my will. Don’t delay! The polls are closing soon. Vote NOW! Vote Smiler.
From Smiler, with Love.
(Click on this icon to vote now! Please make sure you’re signed in and have clicked on the ‘vote’ button or it will not be tallied. If you’ve tried to vote and had difficulty the first time, please try again! If you think you’ve voted, please click on the icon to check if your log-in name is featured at the bottom of the page—if it’s not, either you forgot to vote or your original vote was not tallied in which case please DO vote again and make sure your vote shows up this time! )
October 3, 2008
Quotes of the Day
“True art takes note not merely of form but also of what lies behind.”
~ Mahatma Gandhi
“The circle is the synthesis of the greatest oppositions. It combines the concentric and the eccentric in a single form and in equilibrium. Of the three primary forms, it points most clearly to the fourth dimension.”
~ Vasily Kandinsky
Several Circles (Einige Kreise),
Vasily Kandinsky 1926. Oil on canvas.
Guggenheim Museum.
October 1, 2008
Yum.
Considering how little cooking I do when I’m by myself, it’s a pretty big deal when I take the time to look up a recipe and prepare a whole new dish—and it’s especially worthy of note when I not only manage not to screw up the recipe but actually make something I feel like eating again and again. Since I’ve had Tarragon and Lime Scallops with Tomato Spagettini for the third time in two week now, I thought I’d pass on my latest addiction by sharing the recipe.
IngredientsCook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain pasta in a colander and set aside. While pasta is cooking, sauté garlic then add chopped tomatoes, a splash of red wine and salt & pepper to taste. Let simmer while you prepare the scallops; heat remaining butter and olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and sauté scallops until golden on both sides. Stir in lime juice and tarragon. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, tomato sauce and scallop mixture. Add salt & pepper to taste and more tarragon as a garnish.
3/4 lb uncooked spagettini or angel-hair pasta
1 1/2 lb bay scallops or quartered sea scallops
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 diced tomatoes
1 clove fresh garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
1/4 cup red wine, or to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
Serves 4. Prep time: 20 mins.
I originally found this Tarragon Lime Bay Scallops recipe on Epicurious.com, one of my favorite sites which features recipes from Gourmet and Bon Appétit magazines. It seemed a bit bland to me but one helpful reviewer known as This recipe is one fork if you follow the original directions. 4 forks if you follow these directions”. All I can say is thanks to the New York Cook.
