List-mania

I have "off" today, but it always feels to me like I have more to do when I'm not at work than when I am. I am a highly devout 'List Person' ... I think it might run in the family. My grandma made lists out the wazoo (some of which we still have), and my Aunt Kay is big on them, too. Of course, my mom has many going at any given time, and don't even get me started on Norbert and his lists ...

Today, I'm trying to combine about 4 To-Do's that I have accumulated over the past week. The first is "Taking Care of Bid-ness" for school and teaching and volunteering. That would be my first priority. The second is "Leftovers" from what I failed to remember earlier this week at the store. Things like mushrooms, bacon, toothpaste, coffee, hand soap, with an added dessert for tonight. (We usually treat ourselves once every couple of weeks.) The third is "Around the House," which involves laundry and changing out my winter clothes to my spring clothes in the closet. The final list is "Fun Stuff" like renting some movies for the weekend, starting on the insanely large puzzle I bought for us recently (over 1000 pieces; I was feeling overly ambitious that day), and going to the fabric store to buy the necessary notions for the first shirt I will make (hopefully) soon without supervision.

Most likely, I'll take care of all of pressing business before lunch, meet my dad at The Drafthouse to have lunch and see The Wrestler, then run to the store and pick up some movies on my way back home in time to meet Alex after work. The closet can wait (even though it's been 90 degrees here all week and I still have sweaters hanging on my side of the closet), the puzzle is more fun when I have a parter in frustration, I'm still a little intimidated by the sewing alone thing (worried I'm going to jam something), and I'm holding off on laundry until Alex can switch out the dryer plug (long story) tomorrow.

You see what I've done here ... I've just created another list of my lists. There has to be some sort of 12 step program for this kind of thing.

My guess is ...

I am filling in for a teacher with the last name Waffle today ... next door is Mr. Peacock ... and across the hall is Ms. Brown. I couldn't make this up if I tried. I'm smack in the middle of Clue!!!

Up-down, we go again.

Things have gotten wild with school decisions. Generally speaking, I'm not all that incredibly "busy" these days, but by way of HUGE life choices, I've never been more overwhelmed and busy in my life!

I keep trying to tell myself that it will all work out for the best ... life is unfolding as it should ... and that everything happens for a reason ...

But, seriously, sometimes it is really, really difficult to not get totally stressed out with decision-making. Especially when parts of the puzzle are still waiting to reveal themselves and fall into place.

I've been talking to colleges now that all of my applications are in, and just when I think it is out of my hands, another big question arises.

I will elaborate more once I have all of the information I need. It basically comes down to which path I want to follow ... and, of course, there is the ever-present notion that I am definitely not the only person to consider in all of this.

Another month or so ... that's all the comfort I can allow. We will know in another month or so. Just have put a little faith in the unknown ...

Take your cautionary tales ...

... take your incremental gain ... and all the sycophantic games ... and throw 'em all away ...

I seriously can't watch the news! It's all so damn depressing, so drama ... all it does is anger me.

I mean, I get it ... that's what sells and all, but geez, Louise! It's all "the economy is in the hole, everyone is corrupt, people are dying, this person got murdered, that person got robbed ..." Uuuuuugggggggghhhhhhhhh!

I'll tell you what really torcs my drawers is that loony toon, Casey Anthony. Some people are downright sick, sick, sick!

I knew there was a reason I somehow found myself leaving the room around news times. Now, however, it's on ALL THE TIME. People need to know what's going on, and I understand ... but, really, most of it is so twisted, what can anyone believe?

News at 5: we're screwed, and all going to hell in a handbasket. Awesome ... just what I wanted to hear morning, noon, and night ...

When you hear this song ...

... and you sing along, well you'll never tell ... and you're the fool, I'm just as well ... hope it gives you hell ...

I have that song stuck in my head something terrible! It's one of the kids at school that got me hooked on it. During some classes, I let them listen to their iPods. I know, I know! I'm not "supposed to," but a lot of them work so much better with some music streaming. Plus, it keeps them quiet, which is really the biggest goal in classroom management ... let's face it.

Speaking of "my kids" at school ... 2 of them (so far) have decided to use me as the subject for their current projects in Art & Graphic Design. I have NO CLUE how they created these in Photoshop (maybe Adobe?), but I think both are neat, neat, NEAT! How talented are some of these kids with technology?! Seriously. It blows my mind.









But, really ... I am amazed by how much more advanced the young'uns (even 7 or so years younger) are with computers. I have a hard enough time getting my digital photos INTO the computer ... much less CREATING a mock-photo with the paint tool in an application! What the ... ?! I do have this class for at least a few more days, though ... so maybe I can worm my way into having one of the kids show me a few, very simple tricks.

Yes ... that is one lovely perk of working with computer classes ... I can also be on the computer! It's beautiful.

Two hours and counting ...

You're messin' with a Southern girl.

By far, one of my favorite smells in the entire world is French Toast, still simmering in the skillet. Mix in the additional smells of coffee and the hint of maple syrup (not yet poured) and that just might be the best smell, ever. Really breathe it in next time.

I've channeled the Southern Dame within and will also be making Pot Roast (tomorrow), Baked Mushroom Chicken (Friday night), and Biscuits with Sausage Gravy (Saturday morning). I have been harboring a hankering for some really good, homemade comfort food, and these seem like the ticket to happiness at the moment.

Cooking has become a huge hobby of mine lately. I've been dabbling with quick and somewhat easy meals on the weekdays, and conquering the more difficult preparations on nights when I am not exhausted ... but visiting with Norbert (over many, many glasses of red wine) on Sunday night made me that much more ready to tackle some new, more involved recipes. The three above are mine, but he always has amazing tips to share.

We had slow-cooked ribs (about 8 hours on low heat) that night with potato salad and greek salad as sides. It was a HUGE crowd-pleaser. I think I'll try it the next time we have people over to our place. I would probably make cucumber salad and a mixture of grilled vegetables on the side, though. (Only because I have a lot of successful experiences with both under my belt, and have only made German-style potato salad twice.)

Save a few meals during actual travel this past weekend, and last night when we picked up some soup and spicy chicken at our favorite Chinese-Japanese-Thai place on the way back into town (Austin) ... and I haven't eaten out ... for any meal: breakfast, lunch, or dinner (of which I always have all 3) ... in over a month. That's crazy! Once you get used to eating at home, though, the thought of eating fast food is somewhat repulsive.

The biggest added bonus of cooking at home all of the time is ... well ... aside from saving tons and tons of money and feeling a thousand times better ... is the whole weight-loss factor. Without even trying, I have somehow dropped about 8 to 10 legitimate pounds since Christmas. I didn't even notice until my family pointed it out recently. I am perfectly happy with my body (10 pounds added, even!), and have been for years, so I haven't been trying to lose weight at all. I can only attribute it to home-cooking, as nothing else has changed.

As promised, I will definitely share some recipes I've tried lately on here in the next couple of days. A lot of my friends (and some of you guys reading this) have been asking about the things I cook (because they are fairly simple and literally ANYONE can cook them ... step-by-step instructions, not leaving any detail out, are the key). Right now, however, I need to start preparing for an interview I have at 1pm. (Details later.)

In the meantime, go throw some French Toast in a skillet, if for nothing else, than to bask in the delicious smell! :) Ah, and I do hope everyone had a great weekend. I know I did! None of us wanted it to end, but, alas ... "the real world" beckons. It's a bummer sometimes, but that's just how it goes ...

Chocolate therapy is, oh, so good!

It is my opionion that the only truly amazing thing that has ever come out of this Hallmark Holiday is the excess of chocolate-covered strawberries hanging around everywhere. Goodness me, talk about delicious!

Alex and I made the completely spur-of-the-minute decision yesterday afternoon to make a trip to Lubbock for the long weekend. (I had off yesterday, Alex had a half-day, and we both have off the normal weekend, as well as Monday.) His parents were thinking of visiting us in Austin, but they got stuck working in New Mexico. We were looking forward to some family fun times together, so ... here we are!

Right now, I am hanging out at Kay's while my mom is closing up shop and Norbert and Alex are out running around, doing whatever it is guys do when they frolick about town in packs. (Most likely, shopping for "man" things ... outer wear and gadgets and what-have-you.) Tonight, we are foregoing the insanity that holidays like this inspire and having a really nice home-cooked dinner at Norbert and my mom's house. (The Norb is a knockout cook!)

I will be contributing the aforementioned chocolate-covered strawberries. Norbert isn't much for sweets, and Alex isn't crazy about strawberries ... so it will really be my mom and I indulging for the most part. I must say ... this is just fine by us!