Hello! My face is UP HERE!!

2008-09-17T06:52:00.000-07:00

Like many, I have been disgusted by the Republican Party's nomination of Sarah Palin and the subsequent lies that have been spewed on her behalf. I was forwarded an email to stand up and let other women know that Sarah Palin does not represent our rights. Here is the blog that is coordinating women around the country to let their voices be heard. Please send them an email and let them know why you, as a woman, do not support this candidate as second-in-command for our nation.

Here is the email I sent:

As a woman in the United States, I find it disgusting that the Republican party could nominate a woman as VP who is the antithesis to everything women have worked for for the past 50 years. Sarah Palin is not a friend of women and might even hate them based on her political stances. She is against reproductive rights, sex education and birth control. It is utterly ridiculous that this person with very little experience in politics and lack of diversity in life could be put a heartbeat away from the presidency. I am afraid for my future and the future of my children if this woman is allowed anywhere close to the White House. The McCain/Palin ticket is one that sees women as second class citizens and actively tries to diminish our role in the world. They do not support equal pay and want to take away our choices. I do not care about her personal family issues but I do worry about her neo-con crazy religious beliefs being made into law. Women across the country need to stand up to this politically charged maneuver by the Republican Party and show them that women want someone who is a representative of our rights, male or female.

2008-06-12T09:30:00.000-07:00

This is exactly what I expected. I was spoiled and still am.

From AngryChad & Ei-Nyung:

-Father went to college
-Father finished college
-Mother went to college
-Mother finished college
-Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor
-Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers?
-Had more than 50 books in your childhood home
-Had more than 500 books in your childhood home
-Were read children's books by a parent
-Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18
-Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18 - Figure Skating, Ballet, Gymnastics
-The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively
-Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18
-Had or will have less than $5000 in student loans when you graduate
-Had or will have no student loans when you graduate
-Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs
-Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs
-Went to a private high school
-Went to summer camp
-Had a private tutor before you turned 18
-Family vacations involved staying at hotels
-Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18
-Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them
-There was original art in your house when you were a child
-Had a phone in your room before you turned 18
-You and your family lived in a single family house
-Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home
-You had your own room as a child
-Participated in an SAT/ACT prep course
-Had your own TV in your room in High School
-Owned a mutual fund or IRA in High School or College
-Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16
-Went on a cruise with your family
-Went on more than one cruise with your family
-Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up
-You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family

2008-02-19T10:32:00.001-08:00

I'm back! I was so busy reading everyone else's blogs that I forgot I had my own. However, since I rarely have anything to post about this will probably be the only 2008 entry and its not even that great so you should probably just stop reading now.

Concerts

Tomorrow night I will be attending my fourth Bon Jovi concert. I cannot believe that I've seen Bon Jovi that many times, I'm only 27. So because of this monumental occasion I started thinking about all of the concerts I've been to and the list is long and eclectic. I don't know if going to concerts is a big thing everywhere or just in Detroit but I want to know what concerts you all have been to (they cannot be half as embarrassing as some of mine.) Here it is for those of you who are interested. The only one that is in time order is the first one.

New Kids on the Block (I was 9)
Paula Abdul / Color Me Bad
Rod Stewart
Brooks & Dunn (During my country phase in the early 90s)
Aerosmith (3x)
Bon Jovi (4x)
NSYNC (3x)
Justin Timberlake (2x)
Backstreet Boys (2x)
Journey
98 Degrees
Tom Petty / Black Crowes
Limp Bizkit / Eminem
Dave Matthews Band (2x)
NIN / Queens of the Stone Age
The Decemberists (2x)
Prince
Barenaked Ladies (2x)
Janet Jackson
Death Cab for Cutie
Porcupine Tree
Sheryl Crow
Goo Goo Dolls
American Idol Tour (2x)
Harry Connick Jr.
Christina Aguilera
Mandy Moore

I think this may be it but it's really hard to remember. Oh, and I could've gone to the Madonna Blonde Ambition concert but my mom thought I was too young and refused to take me. Child Abuse!!! The only concert that I wish I could've gone to in the 80s is of course Michael Jackson.

2007-05-11T07:03:00.001-07:00

Miscellaneous Ramblings

Lost: Is anyone else still watching this show? Since they came back from the break in January, every episode has been excellent. We've gotten more answers in the last 8 episodes than we have in all three seasons (although every answer still brings about 9 more questions). I don’t want to spoil anything for those who are waiting for the season dvd to catch up but I like this show a whole lot more now than I even did in the first season. If you're not watching it yet, go rent the seasons and start NOW.

Heroes: Following in a super close second to Lost as my favorite show is Heroes. The character development and plot has moved so quickly in this show that I feel like I've been watching it for years. Much faster than Lost. I have no idea how its going to end but I'm hoping that the explosion will happen. I prefer a darker ending for the season instead of the rainbows and flowers ending where the heroes save the day! Boring. I know I will be surprised whatever happens because the writers have yet to disappoint me.

The Office: Okay maybe this is my favorite show, I can’t decide anymore. The Office is definitely the second best sitcom ever on TV (following behind Arrested Development of course). Every episode makes me cry either from laughing so hard or frustration over Jim being with stupid ugly Karen ;). The side characters bring so much to every episode and there's so much to take in that you almost have to watch an episode 2 or 3 times to catch all the jokes. Kelly, Creed & Toby are some of my favorite side characters. The Jim and Pam story is easily 100 times better than Ross and Rachel and I was a HUGE Friends fan. I don’t understand people that don't like this show. I'm convinced that some people won't ever like a sitcom that doesn't have a laugh track. Morons.

MPAA: The MPAA has just announced that they will now give any movie that shows "gratuitous smoking" an automatic "R" rating. SIGH. Once again, some organization has taken it upon themselves to nanny the masses. The MPAA is a horrible institution that needs reorganizing in the worst way. They could care less about violence in movies but boobies, sex and smoking are bad. People of any age are going to smoke if they want to regardless of if they saw it in a movie or not. They're also going to have sex. Forcing producers, directors and writers to water down their creations because of the MPAA's personal issues is not helping society and is producing more and more crap movies every year. That's why people have stopped going to the movies, because they suck. The movies I want to see are only shown at "arthouse theaters" and there are only 2 of those in my area. I don’t want to see remakes of classic TV shows or 3rd, 4th, and 5th sequels. I want to see originality but unfortunately "R" rated movies don’t make as much money and therefore have gone by the wayside. :(

2007-03-19T08:57:00.000-07:00

Frittata Follow-Up

So yesterday we made Red Pepper, Mushroom & Goat Cheese frittatas. It was delicious, confirming my theory that goat cheese makes everything taste great. This time we took pictures but because we were lazy yesterday we haven't taken them off the camera yet. They will soon be posted.

In addition to the frittatas I also spent all day yesterday making this: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/beef-stew-in-red-wine-sauce. I was worried because I halfed the recipe for just Chad and I and when the beef and red wine mixture came out of the oven, it didn't look too appetizing. But after we added the pancetta and vegetables and a little bit of water, it was DELICIOUS! It was so much better than I anticipated and definitely worth the time spent on preparation. I made fresh bread in my bread maker to go with the stew and it was a hearty and delicious dinner. I love making dinner on sundays because I have so much time to try new recipes. Now everyone, leave me a new recipe to try next sunday. :)

2007-03-12T07:31:00.000-07:00

Best Breakfast Ever

On Sunday Chad and I tried out a new recipe for breakfast. We made an Asparagus and Canadian Bacon Frittata. It was delicious, super easy and looked very impressive. From now on every weekend we're planning to mix up the ingredients and try different frittatas. Next weekend it will be a Red Pepper, Mushroom and Goat Cheese frittata.

Here is the recipe for those of you that are interested:

5 large eggs
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces medium asparagus stalks (about 8), woody stems trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 medium slices Canadian bacon (about 2 ounces), coarsely chopped

Position an oven rack in the upper part of the oven and preheat the broiler. Whisk the eggs, 3 tablespoons of the cheese, the milk, lemon zest, salt, and pepper to taste together in a bowl.
Heat the olive oil in an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the asparagus and Canadian bacon, and cook until the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low, pour the egg mixture into the skillet, stirring gently to distribute the fillings evenly. Cover, and cook until the bottom sets, but does not get too brown, about 9 minutes. Remove the cover, scatter the remaining 1 tablespoon of cheese over the surface. Run the frittata under the broiler until the top sets and browns slightly, about 1 minute. Set aside for about 5 minutes before unmolding. Slip the frittata out of the pan onto a cutting board, cut into wedges. Serve warm or room temperature.

2007-02-26T06:27:00.000-08:00

2002 Class B State Champs!

Here is the video of my 2002 cheer team's stunt routine at the state championships. This is my favorite video because everything hits so perfectly. We tied with another team for the championship that year but it was a team that we were friends with so it was a big party when we both won (this is an obvious lie but the politcally correct thing to say, everyone wants to win it alone and never have to share a title). You can barely see me at the bottom of the screen but every once and a while you will see my hand go up and at the end you see me jump up and run to the girls. I was a freak at competitions. I usually had to stand in front of the girls behind the judges and they would all watch me for clues telling them what to do better. But at States I had to sit in front of the judges and I didn't do well with sitting, I was way too nervous. By the end of this round I had fallen off my chair and was sobbing because nothing fell and everything was perfect. It's a very stressful sport because at any moment things can go very bad. So here you go:

A big thanks to Chad for being a genius and pulling our routine from the dvd and posting it on youtube for me. Love you sweetie!

2007-02-21T08:14:00.000-08:00

As tagged by Ei-Nyung...

RULES: Each player of this game starts off with 10 weird things/habits/little known facts about yourself. People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 10 weird habits/things/little known facts as well as state this rule clearly. At the end you need to choose 10 people to be tagged and list their names. No tag backs.

___________________________________________________________________

1. I am obsessed with shoes. I easily have about 20-30 pairs and I always want more. The higher the heel, the better. My current favorites are a pair of platform brown boots with a 4" heel.

2. I yell at the TV. Especially in the morning at the local news correspondents. They constantly flub words and it pisses me off.

3. I hate going to the doctor. If I can avoid it at all, I will not go. I always go for my yearly check ups but I hate all doctors and dentists.

4. I just had my retainer removed from my bottom teeth last year, after 11 years. My orthodontist didn't even remember me and they couldn't find my file.

5. Getting a new haircut and/or color makes me happy. Whenever I feel like I'm in a funk I change my hair.

6. I love movies and I love the Oscars even though I know they're meaningless and biased. Each year I try to watch all of the nominated films and performances before the ceremony. I also would love to have an Oscar viewing party complete with decorations, oscar pick predictions (like football sqaures), themed food and drinks, etc... Too bad no one I know is as dorky as me and therefore no one would come to my party. :(

7. I sing in the car to every song. I have an uncanny knack for picking up the words to most songs so I have a whole repertoire of meaningless lyrics in my head. I also talk to myself in the car.

8. I LOVE our house. Everytime I'm in the house I feel a butterfly-like sensation in my stomach that is excitement over having the coolest house. I want to have parties all the time to show it off or sit on the couch all day and watch movies. I just want to be in my house. I love it so much that if it were my boyfriend I would stalk it. It's probably not too healthy.

9. I'm pretty tech savvy. Everyone likes to go to Chad for help or advice but I can actually talk about current technology with confidence and give helpful advice. It's not something I fully recognize all the time but there are moments like when someone my age will say something completely ridiculous about computers or tvs or anything technology related and I'll think, "Wow, I'm so much smarter." That must be what Chad feels like all the time.

10. Chad and I have a blast together. Even though we're always together, we always have fun. My Aunt once told us that we could have fun just with each other in a whole crowd of people. And it's true. We spend our work days instant messaging back and forth and our nights at the house or going out. It doesn't matter what we do, we're always laughing and talking even after almost 4 years. Hopefully that will never change.

Tag, you're it!

2007-01-11T07:21:00.000-08:00

High School Memories (as copied from everyone else)

Your senior year in High School is supposed to be "the best year of your life." Let's see how much you remember. I know for some it might be hard for you to go back that far!

Year : 1998

1. Who was your best friend?
Amy (she turned out to not be a good friend at all. After my long term boyfriend cheated on my in college, she stopped talking to me and became best friends with the girl he cheated on me with. I always knew she was a bitch.)

2. What sports did you play?
Cheerleading

3. What kind of car did you drive?
1989 Grand Am

4. It's Friday night, where were you?
Football or basketball game depending on the season and then National Coney Island after the game and then usually a party of some sort.

5. Were you a party animal?
I went to a lot of parties but I didn't do anything that would constitute being called an animal.

6. Were you in the "In Crowd"?
I guess so.

7. Ever skip school?
Yes.

8. Ever smoke?
Not in high school.

9. Were you a nerd?
Not socially but I did take all honors/AP classes.

10. Did you get suspended/expelled?
Never.

11. Can you sing the Alma Mater?
No, I don't know if there was one. But I can still sing the fight song. RAH RAH RAH!

12. Who was your favorite teacher?
Mr. Toma - English Teacher.

13. Favorite class?
AP English and Band

14. What was your school's full name?
Lamphere High School

15. School mascot?
Ram

16. Did you go to Prom?
I went to prom sophomore, junior and senior years but it sucked my senior year.

17. If you could go back and do it over, would you?
Not at all.

18. What do you remember most about graduation?
My dad bought me a new car and gave it to me at graduation. (Yea I was spoiled.)

19. Favorite memory of your Senior Year?
I have lots of good memories from my senior year but my favorite is probably the senior trip to Cancun. Lots of good memories there.

20. Were you ever posted up on the senior wall?
I think the "Senior Wall" only exists is teen movies.

21. Did you have a job your senior year?
I worked Sundays at Mr. Pita.

22. Who did you date?
Nick.

23. Where did you go most often for lunch?
McDonalds.

24. Have you gained weight since then?
Yes. :( But I'm trying to lose it now.

25. What did you do after graduation?
I started working at Old Navy, coaching cheerleading and going to college.

High school was fun but I don't talk to anyone from that time anymore and now when I look back at who I was then I'm embarrassed. Most of the people I considered "friends" are very shallow and self involved people and I'm glad that I was able to get away from them when I did. Even now when I see any of them or talk to them, they still want to gossip and stab each other in the back like they did in high school. I think there are two kinds of people, people who never want to leave high school (and never do mentally and socially) and people who out grow their high schools selves and become fully functioning people. I think and hope I'm the latter.

2006-10-25T07:50:00.000-07:00

--AZ-Sen: Jon Kyl

--AZ-01: Rick Renzi

--AZ-05: J.D. Hayworth

--CA-04: John Doolittle

--CA-11: Richard Pombo

--CA-50: Brian Bilbray

--CO-04: Marilyn Musgrave

--CO-05: Doug Lamborn

--CO-07: Rick O'Donnell

--CT-04: Christopher Shays

--FL-13: Vernon Buchanan

--FL-16: Joe Negron

--FL-22: Clay Shaw

--ID-01: Bill Sali

--IL-06: Peter Roskam

--IL-10: Mark Kirk

--IL-14: Dennis Hastert

--IN-02: Chris Chocola

--IN-08: John Hostettler

--IA-01: Mike Whalen

--KS-02: Jim Ryun

--KY-03: Anne Northup

--KY-04: Geoff Davis

--MD-Sen: Michael Steele

--MN-01: Gil Gutknecht

--MN-06: Michele Bachmann

--MO-Sen: Jim Talent

--MT-Sen: Conrad Burns

--NV-03: Jon Porter

--NH-02: Charlie Bass

--NJ-07: Mike Ferguson

--NM-01: Heather Wilson

--NY-03: Peter King

--NY-20: John Sweeney

--NY-26: Tom Reynolds

--NY-29: Randy Kuhl

--NC-08: Robin Hayes

--NC-11: Charles Taylor

--OH-01: Steve Chabot

--OH-02: Jean Schmidt

--OH-15: Deborah Pryce

--OH-18: Joy Padgett

--PA-04: Melissa Hart

--PA-07: Curt Weldon

--PA-08: Mike Fitzpatrick

--PA-10: Don Sherwood

--RI-Sen: Lincoln Chafee

--TN-Sen: Bob Corker

--VA-Sen: George Allen

--VA-10: Frank Wolf

--WA-Sen: Mike McGavick

--WA-08: Dave Reichert

2006-09-08T20:17:00.000-07:00

Walking with dinosaurs and everything else in between:

4 jobs I've had in my life:
Mr. Pita sandwich maker
High school cheerleading coach
Old Navy
Rela Estate Development (current job)

4 movies I (would) watch over and over:
Purple Rain
Star Wars (sextalogy)
Man in the Moon
Dirty Dancing

4 TV shows I have loved:
Arrested Development
Alias
Bevery Hills 90210
Deadwood

4 TV show theme songs I have loved
Beverly Hills 90210
Saved by the Bell
Gummi Bears
Deadwood

4 websites I visit daily:
Bloglines
Flickr
TGF
E! Online

4 of my favorite foods:
Chicken Parmesan
Broiled Whitefish
Pad Thai
Filet Mignon

4 places I've lived:
Michigan

4 musicians I worship:
Justin Timberlake
Prince
Harry Connick Jr.
Eminem (before he jumped the shark)

4 books that changed the way I view the world:
Daddy Doesnt Live Here Anymore (from my childhood)
The End of Faith
Freakonomics
Megan the Klutz (don't ask)

4 places I would like to be right now:
On vacation in europe
Disney World (I'm a disney whore, even though my social conscience cringes at this)
On vacation visting CA for the first time
Nowhere else because I love my house and want to be here all the time :)

2006-08-07T06:11:00.000-07:00

Traverse City Film Festival

This weekend Chad and I went to the 2nd Annual Traverse City Film Festival in Traverse City, Michigan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traverse_City). The Film Festival is put on by Michael Moore and is a very unique compilation of independent movies. Needless to say, we had a blast! This was easily one of the coolest things I've ever done. First of all, Traverse City is one of the most conservative cities in the state and Michael Moore has had a lot of trouble getting in there and doing what he wanted to do. Last year was the first one and they had over 50,000 people attend, which is amazing because the city is relatively small.

This was our first year attending and after our short time there, I want to go back every year. We've been to the Toronto Film Festival which is a much bigger festival but this one was better in my opinion because everything was very laid back, the movies were more than just your garden variety blockbusters, they actually had substance and the people all around us were amazing. Midwesterners in general have a reputation for being really nice people, but being from metro Detroit, we don't see that very much, people around us tend to be more closed off and suspicious, I know I am. Metro-Detroiters have a definite "don't fuck with me" vibe when it somes to strangers. "Up north"* in Traverse the people were so outgoing and friendly, we met several other couples and had long conversations with them about movies and politics. Everywhere we went we saw complete strangers talking to each other like they've been friends for years. We ate dinner on a patio at this restaurant and there were four other couples around us and we were all talking. It was crazy!

It was a great experience because this year they were honoring the 50 years of Stanley Kubrick films, it was the only complete retrospective of Kubrick films anywhere in the country. On saturday we saw "Full Metal Jacket", it was my first time seeing this movie and now I understand why it is a classic. It really moved me through all my emotions from rage to sadness and to humor. Matthew Modine was in attendance, he introduced the movie and then did a Q&A after the movie. I dont think that man has aged ever he looks exactly the same. After the Q&A we went to the bookstore next door and Matthew Modine spoke again and did a book signing for his "Full Metal Jacket Diary". It was very intimate with only about 30 people in attendance. He is hands down one of the coolest celebrities. He was very open and you could tell from the stories he told that he is one of the good guys. And one of the very funniest things happened during that book signing, but I'll get to that another time. Let's just say, Matthew Modine worked with Mel Gibson a long time ago and he had a lot of stories about that.

After the book signing, we had time for a quick meal and then we went to see "A Clockwork Orange", with Malcolm McDowell in attendance. Malcolm McDowell is a riot, he introduced the movie and then sang "singin in the rain" before leaving to put his 2 year old son to bed. He told some great stories and kept the audience in stitches. He seems like the kind of guy you'd want to have a drink with and just listen to him tell stories all night long. Anyways, once again I had never seen this movie, which is strange because I'm a HUGE movie buff and this is considered one of the all time greats and its Chad's favorite as well as Michael Moore's. It was awesome, another movie where I ran the gambit of emotions. I think that was one of Kubrick's unique talents, he could draw you into a movie quicker than anyone else and during those 2+ hours of the movie you feel like you are living with the characters. Amazing! After the movie, there was another Q&A but because it was a little after 1 am and we had already, walked along the beach, driven for 2 hours and watched 2 movies we were spent.

Sunday morning we got up early and went to a panel discussion with Michael Moore, Matthew Modine, Malcolm McDowell & Jann Harlan (Kubricks' brother in law & executive producer of all his movies) on "The Genius of Stanley Kubrick". There were about 75-85 people in the audience and for about 2 hours, they all told stories about filming with Kubrick and about his life in general. And at the end, Jann Harlan brought a special video of Kubrick accepting an award in London before his death that only people in attendance at that award show have seen. It was a great way to end our weekend to see a genius who was notoriously shy and uncomfortable in front of the camera give an excellent acceptance speech and talk about making movies that took chances and made changes.

After that we left and spent the next 4+ hours driving home. All and all it was a great trip and a great experience. The celebrities we saw were all very laid back and normal. We saw Malcolm McDowell walking down the street with his wife and infant son and it was surreal because it was just him and us on the street. Very cool. After seeing these great classic movies it made me realize that very few movies these days push the envelope like Kubrick did in all his movies. The "blockbuster" movies are all sanitized and watered down and if you want to see a real movie with substance you need to see independent films and even some of them are becoming more and more watered down. Why is it that today's cinema isn't near as controversial as it was in the 70s and 80s. Midnight Cowboy was a fantastic movie about a man who made money by having sex with other men and it came out in 1969 but Brokeback Mountain is considered controversial? Why are all the movies that are coming out these days about things that have no meaning? Why are there less and less directors, actors and producers pushing to make changes and say something with their movies? These are the movies I want to see and I want my future children to see, not watered down crap that cant say the word "fuck" or show a woman's breast because that's too racy. Fuck that! I wish I had the talent, the money or whatever it would take to be able to make movies that need to be made in today's world. I wish more people did. :(

I didn't mean to sound like a downer. I do think that there are some filmmakers that are willing to take chances but not enough and those that do are not celebrated the way they should be.

*"Up north" - In michigan, it is common slang to say "we're going up north" this means anywhere in north of you in michigan and everyone goes up north at least once in the summer.

2006-05-19T06:28:00.000-07:00

Caramel Apple Pork Chops

Neither Chad nor I like pork chops too much but this meal was delicious. I will definitely make it again since we have more pork chops from Omaha Steaks. The only modification I made to the recipe was I doubled the sauce mixture, it worked out great. I made this with Boiled Potatoes and Sauteed Garlic Asparagus. I would've taken a picture but I'm kind of a freak about my food getting cold and since I didnt have the camera ready, I didnt want to sacrifice the heat. Sorry, next time I promise.

INGREDIENTS:

4 (3/4 inch) thick pork chops
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tart apples - peeled, cored and sliced
3 tablespoons pecans (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees F (80 degrees C). Place a medium dish in the oven to warm.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brush chops lightly with oil and place in hot pan. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, or until done. Transfer to the warm dish, and keep warm in the preheated oven.

3. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, salt and pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add butter to skillet, and stir in brown sugar mixture and apples. Cover and cook until apples are just tender. Remove apples with a slotted spoon and arrange on top of chops. Keep warm in the preheated oven.

4. Continue cooking sauce uncovered in skillet, until thickened slightly. Spoon sauce over apples and chops. Sprinkle with pecans.

***My personal experience cautionary note: when trying to get 1/8th tsp of nutmeg, make sure to put the cap back on immediately after use or else you will probably knock it over at some point and spill the whole bottle all over the floor and cabinets.***

2006-05-18T04:04:00.000-07:00

Sitcom Greatness

A sitcom by definition is a "situation comedy". Most will make you laugh at some point and some will draw you in with well written characters. However, most are just fluff. But once in a while a sitcom can have a "moment", a moment when everything is firing on all cylinders and the show changes from just really good fluff to something you want to devote a half hour of your life to whenever its on. Either you love it because you can relate to it or you love it because you want your life to be like this. Here are my top four sitcom "moments" in reverse order, countdown to greatness (be warned I am an extreme TV dork):

4. Saved by the Bell: Okay, I know this show is ridiculous but you rarely meet someone in their 20s - 30s who doesnt know this show and who can't name at least one thing that happened on it. The "moment" for me was "Zack and Kelly's Prom" night. At this point in the series they were a little older and Zack and Kelly had been together for what seemed like ever. In this episode, Zack is doing everything he can to make Kelly's prom the best ever because her family cant afford for her to go to the actual one. So Zack sets it up outside the gym. However, Kelly is putting in extra hours at The Max and kisses the new manager. She tells Zack at the "prom" about it and that she can't be with him while Jesse and Slater are singing* "How am I supposed to live without you". This was a great moment, especially for when I saw it at 11/12 because break ups at that age are so BIG. Great moment because it changed the show from just saturday morning fluff to something i wanted to keep watching and I did all the way through the College Years.

*No one ever really sang on that show, they were always dubbed over, sorry to ruin the magic.

3. Sex and the City: I loved this show from the beginning. I couldnt really relate as I was in my late teens when it started but it was funny. The whole series had several mini-moments but it wasnt until the very last episode when Big comes after Carrie and they finally get together for good that it had a real "moment". The Carrie/Big relationship was one we've all either experienced or watched our friends experience, a lot of chemistry but very little future. At the end when Big is the one chasing after Carrie, you know that this time is different. And we all wish we could live happily ever after with them in TV history.

2. Friends: This show ran for ten years and while some people will say they "jumped the shark" in the 6th season, I will NEVER agree. I loved every episode and have every season on DVD (I told you I was a dork). The "moment" for this show is obvious to fans of the show but for me i couldnt decide between two great moments:
a.) The one where Ross and Rachel finally get together. They let this will they/wont they thing drag on for 2 seasons and at the very end of the 2nd season they finally kiss and you cant help but feel happy for them. Two kisses, one at the coffee shop with the awesome music and one at the door of Monica's apartment after they watch the Prom video. I really loved when they got together because I know that Ross really loved her and finally Rachel woke up and realized it too.

b.) The one where Ross and Rachel take a break. My heart broke when they broke up. It was one of the greatest break ups in sitcom history and provided some of the funniest lines in the show's run.

1. The Office: This show just made the list with the season finale. This is an AWESOME show and if you havent seen it then you are stupid and need to buy the dvds and get on the bandwagon or else we'll have an Arrested Development sized hole in our hearts. This show is hilarious and it characters are all unique and hysterical. However, its the dynamic between Jim and Pam that really tugs at your heart strings. No other couple in sitcom history has ever had as much spark and connection as these two have. They belong together. In the finale, when Jim utters "Just once" my heart melted and the tears would not stop. I'm looking forward to the next season already and thats always a good sign.

These sitcoms are all relative to me and my age, I'm sure there are many other "moments" but these are the one I can relate to and I think thats all that matters.

2006-05-16T07:47:00.000-07:00

Lemony Chickpea and Broccoli Rigatoni

In the spirit of posting excellent recipes, here is one I found in the newest issue of Food & Wine magazine. I made it last night and it was delicious. The whole thing took about 30 minutes to make and could've easily fed four. Too bad I hate leftovers. Enjoy!

ingredients:
One 19-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds broccoli, cut into florets
1 pound rigatoni
5 large garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

directions
In a medium bowl, toss the chickpeas with the lemon juice and 1/2 cup of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the broccoli until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the broccoli to a colander and rinse under cold water until cool. Add the rigatoni to the boiling water and cook until al dente.
Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, heat the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook over moderate heat until the garlic is golden, about 3 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the chickpea mixture and cook until warmed through, about 1 minute.
Drain the rigatoni, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the broccoli and chickpeas along with the reserved cooking water and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the rigatoni is coated with sauce. Remove from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Transfer the pasta to a bowl, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and serve.

2006-03-22T05:32:00.000-08:00

STUPID AI!

Okay, I cleaned out my blog to make room for more interesting topics but after last night I feel I need to muck it up again with stupid AI stuff. First of all, I never wanted to watch this show ever again after the second season. However, Chad got the 360 so I had to go into the other room and Lost is always a rerun and Arrested Development got cancelled and AI is ALWAYS on. So I got sucked in by their clever marketing, bastards. Anyways, so far I've enjoyed this season, most of the singers are pretty unique and some of them are actually good. But after last night, I might have to stop watching (if I actually could). Here's my recap:

Mandisa: Meh. She's good, great even but I just don't think she's that extraordinary. I feel I can go to any Southern Baptist church and hear someone just as good. And she's never really great until she kicks into her power notes.

Bucky: He shouldve went home weeks ago. He's not good and his nervous eye blinking bugs me. He will probably go home tonight because it was painfully obvious that he has no range and there is nothing unique about him (not even his looks, he's a freakin twin!)

Paris: Okay, I loved Paris in the beginning and now I would rather have someone scream in my ear for an hour than listen to her. It seems that every week gets worse and more annoying, she's trying too hard to change her image when she would really think about singing.

Chris: This one really pisses me off. I like Chris's voice and I thought his Bon Jovi song and the fuel song were awesome. But now every week he sounds the same. This competition is supposed to be about showing your versatility which is why they have the themes and he just keeps rearranging everything to rock. And I'm sorry but i think this country has enough wannabe rockers (Creed, POD, Staind, etc...) I'm sick of it. And I'm sick of the judges kissing his ass. Everyone else they say needs to take more risks and quit playing it safe but when Chirs plays it safe week after week, they talk about roses and rainbows and how magically delicious he is. Bah. I'm done with him.

Katharine: I have a major girl crush on her. She's beautiful and she can sing. i like that she chooses good songs each week that show off her very polished vocal range. However, while I do love her, I'm a little annoyed with her supposed personality. She seems fake when she speaks and she's slipping into that Kellie Pickler ditz thing.

Taylor: Meh. He's different which I like and he has a good edgy smokey voice. But like Katharine, while I enjoy his singing his personality bugs me. And if he says "Hey" or "Yea" one more time.....I'll......yell at my TV! Take that!

Lisa: I dont really recall this performance or her for that matter. She's completely forgettable and will be gone soon.

Kevin: UGH. Please stop the madness. Gideon should be here instead of this kid and Kevin's new attitude is obnoxious I just want to box his ears. Dude, you're on Votefortheworst.com and that's why you keep advancing, you are not good.

Elliott: I love Elliott. He has an amazing voice but I wish he didnt look so uncomfortable up there. I think Barry Manilow really helped him with this and his performance seemed more from the heart and a little less robotic. (Rumor has it that Elliott will be going home tonight. :( Check out the predictions from dialidol.com which successfully predicted last week's bottom 3 http://dialidol.com/asp/predictions/Predictions.asp).

Kellie: KICK PICKLER! I hate this stupid bitch and her gnarly tooth protruding from her gums (look for it, it's there). I hate her stupid "I dont know nothin bout nothin" schtick and why do the stylists keep putting fake eyelashes on her, she cant even open her eyes. Her voice is ordinary and I feel that I could her someone like her in any kareoke bar in the country. But the judges LOVE her so I'm sure this stupid bitch will be on until the end.

Ace: He's so pretty and so average. I did enjoy his performance last night but i was distracted by the moon in the background. I was waiting for a werewolf to run up and maul poor Ace. He's safe this week unfortunately the pretty ones never last that long.

That's it. I hope Bucky goes home tonight and that DialIdol.com is wrong because Elliott deserves to be there over Bucky, Lisa, Kevin, Kellie and Ace. But we'll see, its up to America and they're mostly stupid.

I dont know what next week's theme is but I would LOVE to see them do a Prince night! I think Ace would really shine with that theme and Chris would be forced to think outside his pseudo-rocker box.