Thursday, August 26, 2010

Me and Mr. Buble


...we've got a thing, going on...


My BFF Nicole and I went to see our shared crush, Michael Buble, for his Crazy Love Tour. Lord have mercy. The man can sing. And it doesn't hurt that he's nice to look at.

photo from www.michaelbuble.com

I thoroughly enjoyed the show. The multiple-piece band was outstanding, the singing was amazing, and MB completely entertaining.

What is it about live music? There's something different about being in the same room as a band or a singer, even if it is a huge arena. The vibrations get into you somehow, and it feels like you are part of what's happening. And for a music lover like me, being in a place where there is real musical talent is very life-affirming.

Plus, it's fun to squeal at a heart-throb like a lovesick teenager.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Intoxicating

or, I get high with a little help from my KitchenAid.


I just spent the last 3 hours in the kitchen, and the sights and tastes and scents are unbelievable.




Almost obscenely voluptuous "shady lady" tomatoes.



Tomato pie = heaven

Creamy and silky (ha!) corn puddin'



Spicy and sweet snickerdoodles



Eggy, cheesy, creamy, crispy, juicy, crunchy, spicy, and oh-so-intoxicating. All from scratch with fresh, organic, local ingredients (except for the cookies, which, while homemade, used several well-travelled ingredients such as nutmeg and cinnamon).

I am in love with my food.

Friday, August 20, 2010

90 Years Later

A very important anniversary is taking place this last week. Do you know it? August 20 marks the 90th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution: "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."

The right to vote. It's a powerful thing, to be able to cast your vote. To be able to speak up, even symbolically, about what is important and who you want to lead and what issues deserve funding. But recognizing this civil right is only the beginning. Read this article by Carol Peasley to see what else needs to be done. Read the text of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women and educate yourself.

Discrimination is a hellhound that gnaws at Negroes in every waking moment of their lives to remind them that the lie of their inferiority is accepted as truth in the society dominating them. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Now I say that with cruelty and oppression it is everybody's business to interfere when they see it. -- Anna Sewell

While there is a lower class I am in it, while there is a criminal element I am of it, while there is a soul in prison, I am not free. -- Eugene V. Debs

I asked them why one read in the synagogue service every week the 'I thank thee, O Lord, that I was not born a woman.' "It is not meant in an unfriendly spirit, and it is not intended to degrade and humiliate women" [they said.] But it does, nevertheless. Suppose the service read, 'I thank thee, O Lord, that I was not born a jackass.' Could that be twisted in any way into a compliment to the jackass? - Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. - Martin Luther King, Jr.


What can you do to eliminate discrimination?

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Razr scooter of DOOM

Behold the razr scooter:



I'm either too old to be playing with these, or they are from Satan. Last night, mine bronco-bucked me into the gutter. Just where a 37-year-old on her way to a Cookie Lee party wants to end up.
Parents, you have been warned. I will never make fun of another kid in protective gear on one of these again.


Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Latest Books of Note

Or, what I did this summer.
  • To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. This summer was the 50th anniversary of the book, so a good excuse to read it again. I must say - it was better this time than when I was 12. Great story, great characters, great lessons.
  • Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, by Barbara Kingsolver. It is not an exaggeration for me to say that this book has changed my life.
  • Some Girls: My Life in a Harem, by Jillian Lauren. What I thought would be trashy lightweight reading a la People or Us magazine turned out to be an insightful, tragic, and informative account of Jillian's experiences. I was moved, and educated.
  • Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison, by Piper Kerman. Eye-opening and fascinating, but not in a sensational way. What I love about Piper's account is how she brings honesty and humanity to her portrayals of the women she met. This book has made me want to help inmates transition back to the outside. But I don't know what to do with that yet.
  • Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson. Non-stop action and adventure. And c'mon, PIRATES.
  • Lady Julia Grey Trio - Silent as the Grave, Silent in the Sanctuary, and Silent on the Moor, by Deanna Rayburn. First of all, deal of the summer - all three of these in a bundle on my kindle for $9.99. Score! Second of all, great escapist books - very Victorian Gothic, very mysterious, very British. Nice break from the every day.
  • Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon. Recommended for years by Mom, finally I'm getting to it. Great read with dashing hero and intelligent heroine, time travel, Scots brogue, history, and lots of sexy bits. What more could you want, I ask you.

What are you reading this summer?

Friday, August 13, 2010

Last of the Free Fridays

Today is my last Friday off. During summer I have a reduced schedule, with a short Thursday and a free Friday. It's been lovely - but honestly? I don't really spend a lot of time out and about doing fun stuff. It seems most of my free Fridays this year have been taken up with errands and housework.

I spent a lot of time thinking about what I wanted to do today. Massage? Road trip? Bookstore? Exploring my city? But a phone call earlier this week settled it.

"Hello, this is Jane from Bloodsource. We are in need of donations from your blood type and wonder if you could come in soon. Please call us to set up an appointment for a life-saving donation."

They made me an offer I couldn't refuse.

So today, it's off to an extravagant breakfast, then a blood donation, then home to rest. Kicking back, an excuse to eat good food and lots of it, and saving lives. Does it get any better?

For more information about donating blood, please see the American Red Cross website. They can help you find a local blood drive or blood donation center. Please consider being a donor - each donation saves multiple lives, and only 8% of those eligible to donate actually do so.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Still here

I've been enjoying a break from the blog lately, but I'm still here. Hope you are taking some time out from your regular activities, too!