First of all, I must say that those months of deep-cleaning, organizing, and purging have paid off. This weekend hit and I realized that things were a mess. But it took me almost time at all to set things straight. I think the longest amount of time was spent doing laundry. So I guess I'm starting to feel a little more under control.
And Sunday afternoon as I walked to Andronico's, I realized something. I used to walk a great deal more when I first moved into my apartment. Maybe it was the novelty of the neighborhood. Many days I drive to Andronico's on my way home from somewhere else. I used to drive home and then walk to Andronico's. So on Sunday, after leaving the laundromat, I drove home first and then later walked to the grocery store. And it made me feel a bit better.
When I lived in San Francisco, I had a Sunday routine. I would get up early and clean. The last part of the cleaning was the refrigerator. I would take stock of the staples that were low. Then I would look through cookbooks and magazines to decide if there was something in particular I wanted to cook for the week. I would then add the "missing" items to my shopping list and head out. After re-stocking the kitchen, I would go out to do laundry, if necessary. And then it was back home to cook. And to relax.
And why all of this? Because I've gained 5-10 pounds in the three years I have lived here. And most of it is around my midsection. So not attractive. I have always said that I had no issue with gaining weight if it was proportionate. But this hasn't been and I'm pissed. And I know that many women would be thrilled to be able to wear a size 4 but most of my wardrobe is actually size 2 with a few pieces that are smaller.
I have a small frame so that excess weight around the middle? Makes me look two to three months pregnant. Really. I worked with a woman who has a similar build and my stomach now looks the same as hers did when she was about three months pregnant.
And yes, I realize that now I am finally in the "normal" range of BMI. I've just gotten used to being underweight because I've been there for way too many years.
There's also some whole other stress as well. A few months ago, there was problems with my Thrive membership because of a missed payment from my job. As I was cleaning up over the weekend, I found yet another letter from Thrive saying that I was no longer a member. I need to call tomorrow morning to check my membership status. Because I might have to cancel my appointment for Tuesday. Which is such bullshit.
Thankfully I've done the therapy thing before. And so I also spent the weekend going over things in my head. I'm burnt because between work and family, my world seems to be filled with people who only know how to say, "I need." (When I go to get my hair done, my stylist always asks what I've heard from this one cousin of mine. My response is, "Apparently she has needed anything lately since that's the only time she ever calls." I realized this a few years ago and just stopped making the effort.) I expect it at work. But at the end of the day, I need something other than that.
Case in point is that my dad's older sister made a huge point of telling me at the end of this past week that I need to do something special for my dad for Father's Day this year. I explained to her that with the exception of last year when I was at Kate's wedding, I always do something special for my dad. My birthday usually falls about a week after Father's Day. I get a check in the mail and a promise of dinner for my birthday. And yeah, it kind of pisses me off. Especially when I hear tales of my dad and stepmother heading down to the Bay Area for my stepbrother's birthday to take him out to dinner. Then again my stepbrother doesn't have a lot of friends so if they didn't show up, he probably would spend his birthday alone. Unlike me. Because when my family has not come through, my friends have always been there.
This rediscovery (I've recognized this in the past. I just temporarily forgot.) has helped a great deal in my mental state. As a result, I have stopped talking to family as much as I had over the past few months. I was just starting to feel like they are sucking me dry. Every now and then they ask how I am but it feels like one of those pleasantries of conversation. And even if it isn't, I know them. To say that I feel like crap is me being selfish once more.
I got evidence of this over the weekend when my aunt asked me if I was coming to the family reunion this summer. Ummm. Nope. I explained to her that plane tickets are expensive and I only get so much vacation time a year. And this year I have decided to use my vacation time doing things that I want to do, not what someone else tells me that I should do. There is a part of me that is somewhat happy after spending time with my mom or my dad and his family. But during the whole experience, I am near miserable. And part of the reason why I want to hold back on my time is that my mother's mother turns 85 tomorrow. I haven't seen her in over three years. And spending time with my grandma and the rest of my mother's family is always a positive thing. Maybe I'll go there for Christmas this year.
And now for other things. Do any of you watch "CSI" -- the original one? What is up with that season finale? Because besides doing all of the above chores, I also did some reading and caught up on stuff on my DVR.
Oh, and there will be proof later in the week that I'm really crawling out of the hole.
Showing posts with label home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home. Show all posts
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Oh hell to the no
Usually the "voice" I use here is my everyday one. But today deserves that special one -- the one I most often use in conversations with my aunt in Savannah. Because she's down home and likes to keep things real. So here goes.
A bitch was at work tonight until almost 6:00. But that's OK. Especially seeing as how I was an hour and a half late yesterday. (Yes, I called once my ass woke up. Oh, and after some tears when my boss was talking about my being late once more, I was told that if I was so stressed that I should take the time that I need for counseling. So I called Thrive and have an appointment for next week. So y'all stop frettin' and stuff. But I still don't have much of an appetite and last night I slept about four hours. So yeah, a bitch is probably depressed. Go figure.) And I don't really mind staying late anyway. I function better later in the day than I do in the morning. And traffic was good.
So a bitch headed on home and after finally finding parking, walked into her building around 6:30 or so. With dreams of cooking up the artichokes that were bought on Sunday. Only to see that shit pictured above on her door.
Now a bitch ain't trifflin' and always pays her utility bills so a bitch just knew that wasn't some kind of shut off notice. Turns out it was a notice letting a bitch know the folks had been by during the day to do a routine gas meter change out. And since a bitch wasn't home at the time, they left the service off.
And that was the point at which a bitch yelled, "OH HELL NO! I know those mutha fuckas coming out here tonight to turn the shit back on."
And so a bitch called up the damned utility company to be greeted by automated hell. And the automated voice said that the first available appointment was on the 19th. Say what? That's when a bitch hit zero to get a real person. Just to be told that the wait time was 12 to 20 minutes. So a bitch left her number so that they could call her back. Because if a bitch had actually had to sit on hold all that time? Let me tell y'all. It would not have been pretty.
What to do while waiting for the return call. Why you return your daddy's call. You know. That guy who spent most of your life working for that hideous company. First off, he informed a bitch that this is a standard thing the utility folks do -- change your meter when you're not home. And they don't give you any warning about it either. When he heard about the 19th, he agreed that was perfectly ridiculous and said he would make some calls.
Finally the utility folks called back. A bitch explained the situation -- calmly and without use of profanity -- and was told that they'd send someone out tonight. So a bitch called her daddy back to let him know where things stood. And I'll be damned if he was not sitting down, enjoying his dinner. Fool hadn't even made a single phone call. And it's because of stuff like this -- empty promises and all -- that a bitch has learned to handle shit on her own.
All a bitch has to say is that those fools better show up tonight. Or else...
Update: Shortly after posting this, my phone rang. It was the service guy! Woohoo!!!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Trying new stuff
So now that my sleep pattern has once more become a pattern, I've been busy doing things like cleaning. I have made list upon list of tasks that needed to be done. At first, not much got done. Perhaps this had something to do with the irregular sleep patterns. But then I had a reason to clean. More about the primary reason in another post. The secondary? The new furniture. How could I have new stuff delivered to a messy home? And I've really been scrubbing stuff so it's my hope that after weeks of hardcore scrubbing that I'll be able to do maintenance easily. I guess this is all a result of the organizing that I did back in November and December. Oh, and let's not talk about all of the stuff that I have dumped. I even dumped the burned magazine rack. The beauty of living in Berkeley is that I can put stuff like that out on the curb and it's gone within hours.
But I've been making some other changes as well. While I may be considered thin, I am in horrible shape. Evidence of this is the fat layer that has started to develop across my midsection. Yes, it is there. The reason why you don't see it is because I know how to camouflage with the right clothing. But I forgot to do so when I went to brunch with my mother recently. Her reaction was, "So. Am I going to be a grandmother soon?" Thanks mom for saying what has been going through my mind over the last few months.
When I posted my last post, something that I had written a couple of weeks ago, it was in lieu of another post that I had written at that time. Because I was disgusted with myself. And I came really close to sticking my finger down my throat. Because, hey, that worked in the past. But then I started thinking about the treadmills at work. (Yes, there are three treadmills at work.) And when I went into work on Monday, the replacement for my old position sent an email to all the women. The guys in the office at work are doing a "Biggest Loser" kind of weight loss challenge. We women were banned because they said that we were already thin. But we're not in shape. So today at lunch three of us women spent 30 minutes on the treadmills. I did a mile and a half. Not bad for a smoker who hasn't been getting regular exercise in at least a year. I'm hoping to up it to two miles in that same amount of time. So that I can burn some fat.
My mom tried to discourage me on this at first. Perhaps because she remembers the former me. I pointed out to her that if I do crunches and weights, all that I will end up with is muscles under a layer of fat. The only way to get rid of the fat was to do some cardio. Because I'm built like my dad's family. And as they age, they put on fat around the midsection -- and the face. Nowhere else. Just those two places. Picture that. A woman whose midsection has become a size 12 or so but whose body elsewhere is a size 4 or 6. So not right in my opinion.
Don't ask me what I weigh. The only time I get on a scale is at the doctor's office. And even then, I try not to pay attention. Instead I look at how my clothes fit. And many of them have been pretty snug in the waist lately. So I'm going to be walking at lunchtime until they stop feeling that way. And then I'm going to keep on doing it so that I won't go back.
But I've been making some other changes as well. While I may be considered thin, I am in horrible shape. Evidence of this is the fat layer that has started to develop across my midsection. Yes, it is there. The reason why you don't see it is because I know how to camouflage with the right clothing. But I forgot to do so when I went to brunch with my mother recently. Her reaction was, "So. Am I going to be a grandmother soon?" Thanks mom for saying what has been going through my mind over the last few months.
When I posted my last post, something that I had written a couple of weeks ago, it was in lieu of another post that I had written at that time. Because I was disgusted with myself. And I came really close to sticking my finger down my throat. Because, hey, that worked in the past. But then I started thinking about the treadmills at work. (Yes, there are three treadmills at work.) And when I went into work on Monday, the replacement for my old position sent an email to all the women. The guys in the office at work are doing a "Biggest Loser" kind of weight loss challenge. We women were banned because they said that we were already thin. But we're not in shape. So today at lunch three of us women spent 30 minutes on the treadmills. I did a mile and a half. Not bad for a smoker who hasn't been getting regular exercise in at least a year. I'm hoping to up it to two miles in that same amount of time. So that I can burn some fat.
My mom tried to discourage me on this at first. Perhaps because she remembers the former me. I pointed out to her that if I do crunches and weights, all that I will end up with is muscles under a layer of fat. The only way to get rid of the fat was to do some cardio. Because I'm built like my dad's family. And as they age, they put on fat around the midsection -- and the face. Nowhere else. Just those two places. Picture that. A woman whose midsection has become a size 12 or so but whose body elsewhere is a size 4 or 6. So not right in my opinion.
Don't ask me what I weigh. The only time I get on a scale is at the doctor's office. And even then, I try not to pay attention. Instead I look at how my clothes fit. And many of them have been pretty snug in the waist lately. So I'm going to be walking at lunchtime until they stop feeling that way. And then I'm going to keep on doing it so that I won't go back.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Feeling like myself again
Now that I seemed to have finally reached a "normal" sleep pattern, I'm starting to feel a lot like myself. Me without sleep? A real shrew. I still won't say "good morning" at work because I still believe that a "good" morning is one during which I don't have to go to work. Might be why the operations manager calls me a spoiled brat. I tell him that he can kiss my ass. My friend, Marin, tried to warn me a couple of weeks ago that I had not been around long enough to respond in that way.
Thing is I know his type. He likes to dish it out and anyone who can serve it back equally while doing his/her job competently instantly wins his respect. In fact, he was one of the folks singing my highest praises when I got my promotion. When I worked in his department, we ate lunch together almost every day. I know about his family and he about mine. He is the only person who actually saw me cry in the office after my stepmother was hospitalized last month. And I have learned that he and his wife are the parents of one child -- a daughter who turned 21 last week. She is in college in the San Diego area, as I was, and she can turn her daddy around her little finger pretty much like I could. The lunch time conversations that I have had with her dad have made him a little less hopeful. In a recent conversation, he asked me when I was really independent. When I told him mid to late 20s with the explanation that I chose to hide out in grad school after undergrad, he cringed. Apparently his daughter has been talking about going to grad school.
What really makes me happy to feel like myself once more is the fact that I have the energy to clean up my sty of an apartment. It could be better but unfortunately there is the change of seasons and Boris has been dropping his winter coat across the carpet like nobody's business. It is disgusting. Over the last couple of weeks, I just could not find the energy to deal with it all though.
And because I'm feeling more like me, I've also found time to listen to a lot more music. Like this one. It is a fave of mine from back in the day.
My favorite lines?
'Cause I kind of have a temper. I've just learned to control it over the years. Really.
Of course, what I would really like to be a part of my life soundtrack is the following.
Because the Reverend Al, just like Stevie, can never steer you wrong. Why did I ever get rid of that guy who loved the good Reverend? Oh yeah. Because he treated me like a two-bit ho. Might be why I now have a problem when a guy tells me that my butt is cute (because it is). Good thing that I have control over my temper. Otherwise, there may have been a hot pot of grits involved.
Thing is I know his type. He likes to dish it out and anyone who can serve it back equally while doing his/her job competently instantly wins his respect. In fact, he was one of the folks singing my highest praises when I got my promotion. When I worked in his department, we ate lunch together almost every day. I know about his family and he about mine. He is the only person who actually saw me cry in the office after my stepmother was hospitalized last month. And I have learned that he and his wife are the parents of one child -- a daughter who turned 21 last week. She is in college in the San Diego area, as I was, and she can turn her daddy around her little finger pretty much like I could. The lunch time conversations that I have had with her dad have made him a little less hopeful. In a recent conversation, he asked me when I was really independent. When I told him mid to late 20s with the explanation that I chose to hide out in grad school after undergrad, he cringed. Apparently his daughter has been talking about going to grad school.
What really makes me happy to feel like myself once more is the fact that I have the energy to clean up my sty of an apartment. It could be better but unfortunately there is the change of seasons and Boris has been dropping his winter coat across the carpet like nobody's business. It is disgusting. Over the last couple of weeks, I just could not find the energy to deal with it all though.
And because I'm feeling more like me, I've also found time to listen to a lot more music. Like this one. It is a fave of mine from back in the day.
My favorite lines?
"And I can play some ole stuck-up rapper role
And get foul every time you lose control
But that's not my order of operations
So I should win an award for lots of patience
'Cause that's all a fella can have
With a girl who's shootin' up his world like Shaft"
'Cause I kind of have a temper. I've just learned to control it over the years. Really.
Of course, what I would really like to be a part of my life soundtrack is the following.
"Wait a minute...
Something's going wrong.
Someone's on the phone,
Three o'clock in the morning, yeah
Talkin' about how she can make it right, yeah.
Well,
Happiness is when you really feel good about somebody.
Nothing wrong with being in love with someone, yeah.
Oh, baby, love and happiness."
Because the Reverend Al, just like Stevie, can never steer you wrong. Why did I ever get rid of that guy who loved the good Reverend? Oh yeah. Because he treated me like a two-bit ho. Might be why I now have a problem when a guy tells me that my butt is cute (because it is). Good thing that I have control over my temper. Otherwise, there may have been a hot pot of grits involved.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
New look
Not the blog, silly. My apartment.
This week I took the big plunge in my apartment redecorating. That's right. I finally got my new sofa and chair. Now I just need to either re-upholster my desk chair or get a new one -- in black. And I probably need some stuff for the walls as well. (Yes, that's a hint, Stacy.)
All in good time.
After talking to my aunt earlier in the week I realized that I needed to purchase the new cat tree as soon as possible. So Boris would have something else to claw besides my new furniture. This was the result of my shopping.
And because Saturdays used to be about quizzes, I leave you with this.
This week I took the big plunge in my apartment redecorating. That's right. I finally got my new sofa and chair. Now I just need to either re-upholster my desk chair or get a new one -- in black. And I probably need some stuff for the walls as well. (Yes, that's a hint, Stacy.)
All in good time.
After talking to my aunt earlier in the week I realized that I needed to purchase the new cat tree as soon as possible. So Boris would have something else to claw besides my new furniture. This was the result of my shopping.
And because Saturdays used to be about quizzes, I leave you with this.
Your Slogan Should Be |
 Have You Ever had a Bad Time in Dagny? |
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Oops! I did it again
So today at work, I found out that next week I will be getting a small raise. It's not much. To me it's all about the gesture. Because it was only about a month ago that I got the promotion with the huge raise. I called up my dad when I found out.
After making me repeat my news several times, he finally asked, "Didn't you just get a raise?"
"That was a month ago."
"What kind of scam are you running there?"
Yep. It feels really good to be appreciated.
Oh, and I've been meaning to post this for days.
Boris approves of the new rug as well.
Can't wait to see the cats' reactions when I get the larger rug for the living room.
After making me repeat my news several times, he finally asked, "Didn't you just get a raise?"
"That was a month ago."
"What kind of scam are you running there?"
Yep. It feels really good to be appreciated.
Oh, and I've been meaning to post this for days.
Can't wait to see the cats' reactions when I get the larger rug for the living room.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Getting out of the rut
I have gotten into a rut at work as far as lunch is concerned. Earlier this year it didn't matter too much because I was doing a lot of cooking. I haven't really been cooking much since I laid in all those supplies for my dad last month. In fact I feel like I'm treading water around here as far as cleaning goes.
This week I decided to venture out. Since I now have an hour for lunch (because I have to come in at 8 instead of 8:30), I have been trying to find ways to kill time. Heading out in my car has been the solution. So yesterday I headed over to the Potrero Hills shopping center. The yummy stuff pictured above came from I Luv Teriyaki & Sushi. While I don't love teriyaki, I do love sushi -- and sashimi. And no I did not eat it all. About half of it came home with me to make a very yummy dinner.
Oh, and then there was the hellacious drive home. Around 3:00 yesterday afternoon, there was a major accident on the Golden Gate Bridge. (The bridge was completely shutdown for an hour or so.) After reading about the accident online (I start checking traffic conditions online around 3:00 every day. That's how bad it is around here.), I knew that my evening commute would be screwed. And then I thought to send a text to Zombie Mom. As it turns out, she was already stuck in the middle of the craziness. So I hit the East Bay later than usual but I decided to hit Target anyway. I have been needing a new rug for the kitchen for quite some time. This is part of the home redecorating wish list that I wrote back when I found out about the tax return/promotion at work. Oh, and the reason for the list is that while I do have one credit card, I always pay cash for these kinds of things.
Natasha putting her mark on the new rug. At least she's not rubbing her stank ass on it. Or was she?
And for a final note, here is a quiz that Buzzgirl posted on her blog yesterday.
Monday, December 10, 2007
So not me
When I was growing up, my Southern mother would lecture me on the wonder of all things domestic. When I would refuse to do some household thing, she would ask, "What are you going to do when you get married? Your husband will expect these things." But I was a liberated youngster. Housework? Only out of necessity. One day I would have a staff. The problem is that day has not arrived yet.
So here lies the problem. While I have grown to love cooking, I still abhor housework. Add into the equation that I can be rather particular about how things are done. And well, it's a recipe for disaster. Over the years I have become an excellent surface cleaner. Can it be thrown in a closet or under the bed? Then you're done.
The Great Organization Project of '07 has been an attempt to undo these wrongs. It started off great but then I quickly lost momentum. Until I got the cabinet. That also coincided with the first Saturday during which I did not need to be anywhere -- at least not in the daytime.
I arose Saturday morning with my list in hand. Number one on the list was to complete what I had started in the bedroom. Because half that stuff from the closet? All over the bedroom floor.
All the stuff got stowed away or thrown away. I believe I took out something like three bags of trash and some recycling as well. I finally hung those pictures that have been sitting around. And I winterized the bed -- put on the flannel sheets. The plan was that I would have at least one wonderful room to which I could return after an evening out with Stacy and some of the other women she knows.
At some point during my cleaning frenzy, I must have done a twist and lift. Because I started having severe muscle spasms in my back. And there was no flexeril in the house. Fortunately I had given myself a deadline that allowed me to rest a bit before heading out. But the pain was good since it allowed me to be just bitchy enough to the guy who tried to hit on me during my BART ride home from dinner. And it didn't stop me from meeting up with BWB and the Commander for caffeine on Sunday afternoon. Of course, I did take some ibuprofen and crawled back into bed after getting home. So much for my living room clean-up plans. Those plans are on hold until the back starts feeling better.
And the lesson learned here? I most definitely need a staff. I mean, it doesn't seem fitting that an Empress should have to do these kinds of things.
But the worst thing is that I can not dance properly to my new favorite song.
So here lies the problem. While I have grown to love cooking, I still abhor housework. Add into the equation that I can be rather particular about how things are done. And well, it's a recipe for disaster. Over the years I have become an excellent surface cleaner. Can it be thrown in a closet or under the bed? Then you're done.
The Great Organization Project of '07 has been an attempt to undo these wrongs. It started off great but then I quickly lost momentum. Until I got the cabinet. That also coincided with the first Saturday during which I did not need to be anywhere -- at least not in the daytime.
I arose Saturday morning with my list in hand. Number one on the list was to complete what I had started in the bedroom. Because half that stuff from the closet? All over the bedroom floor.
All the stuff got stowed away or thrown away. I believe I took out something like three bags of trash and some recycling as well. I finally hung those pictures that have been sitting around. And I winterized the bed -- put on the flannel sheets. The plan was that I would have at least one wonderful room to which I could return after an evening out with Stacy and some of the other women she knows.
At some point during my cleaning frenzy, I must have done a twist and lift. Because I started having severe muscle spasms in my back. And there was no flexeril in the house. Fortunately I had given myself a deadline that allowed me to rest a bit before heading out. But the pain was good since it allowed me to be just bitchy enough to the guy who tried to hit on me during my BART ride home from dinner. And it didn't stop me from meeting up with BWB and the Commander for caffeine on Sunday afternoon. Of course, I did take some ibuprofen and crawled back into bed after getting home. So much for my living room clean-up plans. Those plans are on hold until the back starts feeling better.
And the lesson learned here? I most definitely need a staff. I mean, it doesn't seem fitting that an Empress should have to do these kinds of things.
But the worst thing is that I can not dance properly to my new favorite song.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Foiled again!
Not me. Boris has been though.
I had reached my limit with his deciding that my prized LP's were a giant scratching post. I can barely look at them these days as the jackets are so damaged. I knew I had do do something before they were all lost. Especially after he added spreading the 45s across the floor into his repertoire. Yes, there have been times I have felt homicidal.
Do you know how difficult it is to find storage units with doors that look stylish enough to be in the living room? Oh, and said cabinets need to be large enough to house LPs. I have scoured the internet. There aren't many choices out there. Oh, and then most of them are either black or white. So not fitting with my idea of colors for the living room.
But I must say that I am pretty happy with this lovely modular set. Especially since the doors have magnetic catches thus ensuring that Boris will not be able to peruse the contents in my absence.
And that reminds me. Must get childproof latches for the kitchen cabinets. He has recently learned how to open those. Grrrr! He rarely tries to go in. Instead he likes the sound of the door banging shut. Continuously. As in for as long as it takes before you tell him to stop. And somehow he understands that direction, shouted from the living room, perfectly fine.
But back to the new unit. I like it so much that I think I will get more to house the stereo, TV, and other stuff. Kind of a cohesive entertainment center thing. But even more fun is that then I will be able to go shop for all the other stuff on my wish list.
Although I have selected the sofa sleeper that I will be getting to replace the futon in the living room. The only question is whether I should get the terracotta or the pale yellow. And do I get the matching chair? Or do I get this one that they had on display with the sofa in the store? Oh, and the chair in the store was in the leather, not the fabric.
(And no, Kapgar, I have not tied the remnants of the earbuds he chewed to pieces around him. Yet.)
Update: Apparently Boris is smarter than I have given him credit for being. He has now figured out how to hook his paw through the handle to open the doors. Obviously new measures must be taken.
I had reached my limit with his deciding that my prized LP's were a giant scratching post. I can barely look at them these days as the jackets are so damaged. I knew I had do do something before they were all lost. Especially after he added spreading the 45s across the floor into his repertoire. Yes, there have been times I have felt homicidal.
Do you know how difficult it is to find storage units with doors that look stylish enough to be in the living room? Oh, and said cabinets need to be large enough to house LPs. I have scoured the internet. There aren't many choices out there. Oh, and then most of them are either black or white. So not fitting with my idea of colors for the living room.
But I must say that I am pretty happy with this lovely modular set. Especially since the doors have magnetic catches thus ensuring that Boris will not be able to peruse the contents in my absence.
And that reminds me. Must get childproof latches for the kitchen cabinets. He has recently learned how to open those. Grrrr! He rarely tries to go in. Instead he likes the sound of the door banging shut. Continuously. As in for as long as it takes before you tell him to stop. And somehow he understands that direction, shouted from the living room, perfectly fine.
But back to the new unit. I like it so much that I think I will get more to house the stereo, TV, and other stuff. Kind of a cohesive entertainment center thing. But even more fun is that then I will be able to go shop for all the other stuff on my wish list.
Although I have selected the sofa sleeper that I will be getting to replace the futon in the living room. The only question is whether I should get the terracotta or the pale yellow. And do I get the matching chair? Or do I get this one that they had on display with the sofa in the store? Oh, and the chair in the store was in the leather, not the fabric.
(And no, Kapgar, I have not tied the remnants of the earbuds he chewed to pieces around him. Yet.)
Update: Apparently Boris is smarter than I have given him credit for being. He has now figured out how to hook his paw through the handle to open the doors. Obviously new measures must be taken.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Settling in
... or what I've been doing when not at work.
About a month or so ago, I finally came to the realization that I was "at home." As I have stated previously, I have always had a bit of wanderlust but now? Now I really feel like putting down some roots. That means making some changes at home. So I did some research online and I made a list. Because when it comes to major changes, I always make a list. And then I started carrying my planner again. Because I need to assign tasks to each day. And make more lists.
I think I was inspired by two things. The first was returning to work. When you have all day at home, it's easy to notice the lack of organization but not be too worried about it. After all, you have all the time in the world to look for things when you're in that situation. By the end of my first week of work, I was almost depressed to return home. Everything at work was so organized. Why wasn't it so at home?
Then there were the parties. My first two weekends after starting work, I ended up at parties in my neighbors' places. Nothing is more depressing than to see an apartment that is basically the same as yours (I say "basically" because this is the Winchester Mystery House of a building and no two apartments are exactly the same in their features.) but seem to look a lot better.
Those two apartments? Well, they probably looked good due the age of the occupants. They were rather minimalist in decor. I remember being in my 20s and not owning quite so much stuff. Life was a bit easier then. Well, at least in terms of storing things at home. And the two apartments I've seen on my floor? Obviously inhabited by grown-ups. With taste. Bottom line is that I'd love to invite the neighbors over but I am ashamed of my home.
But all of this came later in the thought process. It all started with a need for a new dish drain. The old one was wooden and was starting to turn a strange shade of green around the legs. Ewwww!
Then I realized that I had been having a hard time finding stuff in some of the cabinets. But since I'm renting, I didn't want to install anything permanently.
And then there was the fact that the coat closet has never had a shelf. There has always been framing for a shelf, but no shelf itself. I was thinking plywood but then I talked to my dad. He told me that I needed a 1x12. Luckily the fine folks at Home Depot will saw that board to the length that you want. I must admit that once it was cut I did freak out a bit though. I mean, I had only measured once. Look at all that lovely space just begging for stuff.
I like to keep my shoes in boxes. Unfortunately after a number of moves, many of the boxes had seen better days. The answer was plastic shoeboxes. I can't say enough how much I love them.
I've also preferred to keep bulky sweaters on the closet shelf, as well as a few other things. (Don't even get me started on the topic of sweaters on hangers. Bottom line is that my mother knows that I will rarely purchase a sweater in a store if it is on a hanger.) The problem is that the stack starts to look a little sloppy over time.
And I've always had lots of stuff in boxes. It helps me to stay nomadic. It's a mixture of books and craft stuff mostly. (Yes, with four six-foot bookcases, a four-foot bookcase, and another three-foot bookcase in the kitchen, I do not have enough shelf space for all of my books. And no, I am not getting rid of any of my books anytime soon, Mother.) The problem was that some of the boxes were starting to collapse, creating quite the hazard in the closet. Yes, I realize that I have a weird closet. Hibiscus, owner of Dumb and Dumber, (Yes, I finally came up with a name for her.) says that I'm in one of those weird buildings in which they were trying to make architectural changes but the ideas ended up being a mishmash that didn't take practical form until after WWII. (My building was built in the 1920s.) So I have a closet that is entered via a single door but then stretches for a length of ten feet or so. And Boris approves of the shelving. He now has access to the overhead shelf in the closet where I store my luggage. (I would have taken a photo but I was too busy trying to get stuff done. Just like I should have taken a photo of him standing on the top of the open closet door.)
So now that I have finished Phase I, I am ready to start saving for Phase II -- the one involving new furniture in the living room. The LPs must be protected from the cats. And the futon must go. Because I'm here to stay for some time.
Oh, and does anyone want a cat? Because it may be time for Boris to leave. Last night as I was dozing off, I heard a strange noise. I got up to discover Boris hanging from the Roman shade I had put up a few months ago. Apparently he had been there some time because I arrived in time to see him and the shade coming off the wall. And for a brief moment, I felt homicidal. And so now I am debating about finding Boris a new home. I'm not sure if I can take his destructive tendencies anymore. I was at my wit's end and just started to cry while shouting at him to go away. He kept following me. But then I was up so I got a cigarette. And the rage subsided. For now. He's just not helping in the home beautification department. I know there's that plug in stuff you can get. Do any of y'all think it will help him? Because we need some severe behavior modification around here. The place right now just isn't big enough for the two of us.
About a month or so ago, I finally came to the realization that I was "at home." As I have stated previously, I have always had a bit of wanderlust but now? Now I really feel like putting down some roots. That means making some changes at home. So I did some research online and I made a list. Because when it comes to major changes, I always make a list. And then I started carrying my planner again. Because I need to assign tasks to each day. And make more lists.
I think I was inspired by two things. The first was returning to work. When you have all day at home, it's easy to notice the lack of organization but not be too worried about it. After all, you have all the time in the world to look for things when you're in that situation. By the end of my first week of work, I was almost depressed to return home. Everything at work was so organized. Why wasn't it so at home?
Then there were the parties. My first two weekends after starting work, I ended up at parties in my neighbors' places. Nothing is more depressing than to see an apartment that is basically the same as yours (I say "basically" because this is the Winchester Mystery House of a building and no two apartments are exactly the same in their features.) but seem to look a lot better.
Those two apartments? Well, they probably looked good due the age of the occupants. They were rather minimalist in decor. I remember being in my 20s and not owning quite so much stuff. Life was a bit easier then. Well, at least in terms of storing things at home. And the two apartments I've seen on my floor? Obviously inhabited by grown-ups. With taste. Bottom line is that I'd love to invite the neighbors over but I am ashamed of my home.
But all of this came later in the thought process. It all started with a need for a new dish drain. The old one was wooden and was starting to turn a strange shade of green around the legs. Ewwww!
Then I realized that I had been having a hard time finding stuff in some of the cabinets. But since I'm renting, I didn't want to install anything permanently.
And then there was the fact that the coat closet has never had a shelf. There has always been framing for a shelf, but no shelf itself. I was thinking plywood but then I talked to my dad. He told me that I needed a 1x12. Luckily the fine folks at Home Depot will saw that board to the length that you want. I must admit that once it was cut I did freak out a bit though. I mean, I had only measured once. Look at all that lovely space just begging for stuff.
I like to keep my shoes in boxes. Unfortunately after a number of moves, many of the boxes had seen better days. The answer was plastic shoeboxes. I can't say enough how much I love them.
I've also preferred to keep bulky sweaters on the closet shelf, as well as a few other things. (Don't even get me started on the topic of sweaters on hangers. Bottom line is that my mother knows that I will rarely purchase a sweater in a store if it is on a hanger.) The problem is that the stack starts to look a little sloppy over time.
And I've always had lots of stuff in boxes. It helps me to stay nomadic. It's a mixture of books and craft stuff mostly. (Yes, with four six-foot bookcases, a four-foot bookcase, and another three-foot bookcase in the kitchen, I do not have enough shelf space for all of my books. And no, I am not getting rid of any of my books anytime soon, Mother.) The problem was that some of the boxes were starting to collapse, creating quite the hazard in the closet. Yes, I realize that I have a weird closet. Hibiscus, owner of Dumb and Dumber, (Yes, I finally came up with a name for her.) says that I'm in one of those weird buildings in which they were trying to make architectural changes but the ideas ended up being a mishmash that didn't take practical form until after WWII. (My building was built in the 1920s.) So I have a closet that is entered via a single door but then stretches for a length of ten feet or so. And Boris approves of the shelving. He now has access to the overhead shelf in the closet where I store my luggage. (I would have taken a photo but I was too busy trying to get stuff done. Just like I should have taken a photo of him standing on the top of the open closet door.)
So now that I have finished Phase I, I am ready to start saving for Phase II -- the one involving new furniture in the living room. The LPs must be protected from the cats. And the futon must go. Because I'm here to stay for some time.
Oh, and does anyone want a cat? Because it may be time for Boris to leave. Last night as I was dozing off, I heard a strange noise. I got up to discover Boris hanging from the Roman shade I had put up a few months ago. Apparently he had been there some time because I arrived in time to see him and the shade coming off the wall. And for a brief moment, I felt homicidal. And so now I am debating about finding Boris a new home. I'm not sure if I can take his destructive tendencies anymore. I was at my wit's end and just started to cry while shouting at him to go away. He kept following me. But then I was up so I got a cigarette. And the rage subsided. For now. He's just not helping in the home beautification department. I know there's that plug in stuff you can get. Do any of y'all think it will help him? Because we need some severe behavior modification around here. The place right now just isn't big enough for the two of us.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Why I don't do drugs
I awoke early on Sunday. I had organizing stuff to unpack. And a ton of TV to watch. Guess which won out? Yep, the TV. So there I was curled up with my blanket and pillow. And then Boris decided to use me as a pillow for his nap. Next thing I knew, I had missed the second half of "Chuck." This was after something like five hours of viewing. Don't worry. I finished the show later. But what was really disturbing was remembering the dream that I had while napping. Probably even stranger because I rarely remember dreaming.
Apparently there is a secret room in my apartment. And apparently I knew about the room when I moved in. I have just chosen to ignore it over the last couple of years. But I was hell-bent on getting organized so I opened the door. To discover a room that was at least 12 x 12. It looked a little rundown but not too much. As in, I would never sleep in the room but it looked like a perfectly good place to dump my extra stuff. And then I noticed the window. That turned out to be a sliding glass door. Leading to a covered balcony. And suddenly I had gardening space. I'm sure there's more but then I woke up.
I took it all as a hint and got up and got to work. Yep. All the bags from Bed Bath & Beyond and Target have been unpacked. And at least a couple of items from Bed Bath & Beyond will be going back tomorrow. Seems they didn't fit my kitchen cabinet. But the shelves that I picked up did and now I can once more find various cookware with ease. And I knew that 20 plastic shoeboxes would probably be just a start. It seems I need at least ten more. And there's more shopping to be done next weekend after I get my next paycheck.
Why all the insanity? It wasn't just the organization of my desk at work. It's also been seeing my neighbors' apartments. Seeing their apartments over the last couple of weeks has made me realize that I would have to do a lot of straightening up before I feel comfortable in inviting them into my apartment. And then there was the realization that I have lived here longer than any other place with the exception of my mother's house. And that my nomadic tendencies appear to have disappeared. Well, I still want to travel but now I get to return to a place that I truly consider to be home. After I finish organizing, I'll probably be looking at furniture next. I think it's really time to start putting down roots. Furniture that can travel in the back of my car just doesn't seem to say this.
Apparently there is a secret room in my apartment. And apparently I knew about the room when I moved in. I have just chosen to ignore it over the last couple of years. But I was hell-bent on getting organized so I opened the door. To discover a room that was at least 12 x 12. It looked a little rundown but not too much. As in, I would never sleep in the room but it looked like a perfectly good place to dump my extra stuff. And then I noticed the window. That turned out to be a sliding glass door. Leading to a covered balcony. And suddenly I had gardening space. I'm sure there's more but then I woke up.
I took it all as a hint and got up and got to work. Yep. All the bags from Bed Bath & Beyond and Target have been unpacked. And at least a couple of items from Bed Bath & Beyond will be going back tomorrow. Seems they didn't fit my kitchen cabinet. But the shelves that I picked up did and now I can once more find various cookware with ease. And I knew that 20 plastic shoeboxes would probably be just a start. It seems I need at least ten more. And there's more shopping to be done next weekend after I get my next paycheck.
Why all the insanity? It wasn't just the organization of my desk at work. It's also been seeing my neighbors' apartments. Seeing their apartments over the last couple of weeks has made me realize that I would have to do a lot of straightening up before I feel comfortable in inviting them into my apartment. And then there was the realization that I have lived here longer than any other place with the exception of my mother's house. And that my nomadic tendencies appear to have disappeared. Well, I still want to travel but now I get to return to a place that I truly consider to be home. After I finish organizing, I'll probably be looking at furniture next. I think it's really time to start putting down roots. Furniture that can travel in the back of my car just doesn't seem to say this.
Friday, October 5, 2007
So much to say
Yesterday was a strange day. The job interview? Well the position sounded OK on paper. And then I went through the interview with the crazy bigot. And no, I am not exaggerating. I told my mother about the experience over dinner last night. Her reaction was that she would have walked out. After cursing out the crazy man. Oh, and the good interview earlier this week? They decided to go with the other candidate but would like to keep my resume on file. I'm starting to think that I'll never find a job. And yeah, I'm depressed.
When I returned home from my mother's, the neighbors were out on the front steps. After feeding the cats, I joined them. And then folks from the other floors showed up. Now it seems like a good portion of the building is down with throwing a Halloween party. Oh, and my neighbors so want to bitchslap the crazy old creep as well.
When I returned home from my mother's, the neighbors were out on the front steps. After feeding the cats, I joined them. And then folks from the other floors showed up. Now it seems like a good portion of the building is down with throwing a Halloween party. Oh, and my neighbors so want to bitchslap the crazy old creep as well.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Back at it
As you can guess, I haven't been doing much cooking lately. Well, nothing of note that is. I've been eating a lot of nachos and quesadillas. And the occasional salad. But Tuesday I found myself in the grocery store (Somehow I had managed to run out of toilet paper. Don't ask me how. It never happens.) and I was inspired. Foster Farms whole chickens were a mere $0.79 per pound. Well, I simply had to buy one even though I had planned on buying my usual chicken thighs. Because I had more inspiration from Zoomie.
I have always loved Indian food. In the past it wasn't all that convenient to me as it is to me now. And perhaps that's why I haven't cooked any Indian food in years. There's a plethora of choices within a few blocks. Did I mention that at the new place on Shattuck that carries Khana Peena's wonderful food, you can get a combo plate -- rice, one veggie, one meat -- for around $6? It's not really a new place. It's more like a corner store that has added a food counter. And some tables.In the days when I didn't have these choices, I swore by Curries Without Worries. It's not my mom's kind of cookbook because there are no pictures.
Before I could start cooking, there was one small matter to deal with.
Yes, Boris still thinks that the top of the cabinets is an acceptable nap spot.
Chicken Curry a la Mussoorie
from Curries Without Worries by Sudha Koul
I had all the ingredients on hand with the exception of the sour cream that was on my shopping list anyway. Because it's just me and I like lots of sauce, I only use one chicken. Oh, and I use about a half teaspoon of ground cardamom instead of the crushed pods even though I have pods on hand. I don't like almonds so I never add those. And who are these six people? Seems like a very large serving to me.
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
2 tablespoons water
3/4 cup ghee (Clarified butter.)
1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds
2 small frying chickens, cut up
(The elimination of pieces with bone reduces the flavor of a curry considerably. You could substitute thighs and drumsticks if you like, but avoid using boned breast of chicken. Remove skin, and clean chicken with dry paper towels before cooking.)
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
6 crushed cardamoms
1 medium cinnamon stick, crushed
2 bay leaves
Salt to taste
A pinch of nutmeg
1 pint sour cream
2 tablespoons blanched slivered almonds
1 cup chopped fresh coriander
1. Puree the onions, garlic, ginger, and 2 tablespoons of water in a blender.
2. In an 8-quart saucepan, heat the ghee on medium high heat. When the ghee is hot, add the whole cumin, stirring briskly until the seeds sizzle. Add the puree and continue to stir. Regulate the heat to prevent the puree from sticking to the bottom of the pan, which it has a tendency to do. Continue stirring till the puree is golden, has been fried well, and most of the moisture in the puree has evaporated. This will take about 10 minutes on medium high heat.
3. Add the chicken. Stir fry on high heat till the chicken starts turning golden brown. This should take about 5 minutes. Stir briskly to prevent burning the chicken. Add the turmeric, cayenne pepper, cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, salt, and nutmeg, stirring well until they give off a fragrance; i.e., for a minute or so. Add the sour cream, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to lowest point possible, cover tightly, and cook for 30 minutes or until the chicken is absolutely tender.
4. Just before serving, sprinkle almonds, and then fresh coriander, on the curry.
Serves 6
Because it is cooked at a pretty high heat, I measure everything out in advance.
And I was out of ground cumin as was the grocery store.
The finished dish.
And how to follow this up? Well, while shopping on Tuesday, I remembered that I had not had one of my favorite summer desserts.
Vanilla yogurt with white nectarine, plum, and granola.
Later in the evening, there was sangria courtesy of one of my neighbors. Because I could hear voices through my front window so I finally gave in and went outside. Eventually the whole first floor, my floor, was out on the front steps drinking and talking. And one of my neighbors came up with the idea that we should all have a Halloween party. Talking to my father earlier this week, I told him that over this past weekend I realized that except for the job situation, I was actually pretty happy with my life. All of my reactions? A result of the thought of losing the life that I've grown to love. Sitting on the front steps reminded me of this. So I need to find a job soon. Because I love where I am too much.
I have always loved Indian food. In the past it wasn't all that convenient to me as it is to me now. And perhaps that's why I haven't cooked any Indian food in years. There's a plethora of choices within a few blocks. Did I mention that at the new place on Shattuck that carries Khana Peena's wonderful food, you can get a combo plate -- rice, one veggie, one meat -- for around $6? It's not really a new place. It's more like a corner store that has added a food counter. And some tables.In the days when I didn't have these choices, I swore by Curries Without Worries. It's not my mom's kind of cookbook because there are no pictures.
Before I could start cooking, there was one small matter to deal with.
Yes, Boris still thinks that the top of the cabinets is an acceptable nap spot.
Chicken Curry a la Mussoorie
from Curries Without Worries by Sudha Koul
I had all the ingredients on hand with the exception of the sour cream that was on my shopping list anyway. Because it's just me and I like lots of sauce, I only use one chicken. Oh, and I use about a half teaspoon of ground cardamom instead of the crushed pods even though I have pods on hand. I don't like almonds so I never add those. And who are these six people? Seems like a very large serving to me.
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
2 tablespoons water
3/4 cup ghee (Clarified butter.)
1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds
2 small frying chickens, cut up
(The elimination of pieces with bone reduces the flavor of a curry considerably. You could substitute thighs and drumsticks if you like, but avoid using boned breast of chicken. Remove skin, and clean chicken with dry paper towels before cooking.)
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
6 crushed cardamoms
1 medium cinnamon stick, crushed
2 bay leaves
Salt to taste
A pinch of nutmeg
1 pint sour cream
2 tablespoons blanched slivered almonds
1 cup chopped fresh coriander
1. Puree the onions, garlic, ginger, and 2 tablespoons of water in a blender.
2. In an 8-quart saucepan, heat the ghee on medium high heat. When the ghee is hot, add the whole cumin, stirring briskly until the seeds sizzle. Add the puree and continue to stir. Regulate the heat to prevent the puree from sticking to the bottom of the pan, which it has a tendency to do. Continue stirring till the puree is golden, has been fried well, and most of the moisture in the puree has evaporated. This will take about 10 minutes on medium high heat.
3. Add the chicken. Stir fry on high heat till the chicken starts turning golden brown. This should take about 5 minutes. Stir briskly to prevent burning the chicken. Add the turmeric, cayenne pepper, cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, salt, and nutmeg, stirring well until they give off a fragrance; i.e., for a minute or so. Add the sour cream, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to lowest point possible, cover tightly, and cook for 30 minutes or until the chicken is absolutely tender.
4. Just before serving, sprinkle almonds, and then fresh coriander, on the curry.
Serves 6
Because it is cooked at a pretty high heat, I measure everything out in advance.
And I was out of ground cumin as was the grocery store.
The finished dish.
And how to follow this up? Well, while shopping on Tuesday, I remembered that I had not had one of my favorite summer desserts.
Vanilla yogurt with white nectarine, plum, and granola.
Later in the evening, there was sangria courtesy of one of my neighbors. Because I could hear voices through my front window so I finally gave in and went outside. Eventually the whole first floor, my floor, was out on the front steps drinking and talking. And one of my neighbors came up with the idea that we should all have a Halloween party. Talking to my father earlier this week, I told him that over this past weekend I realized that except for the job situation, I was actually pretty happy with my life. All of my reactions? A result of the thought of losing the life that I've grown to love. Sitting on the front steps reminded me of this. So I need to find a job soon. Because I love where I am too much.
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