Gather Ye Rosebuds

I did end up making the pastitsio last night. When I got home I started to reheat the meat sauce that I began the night before. Set it to simmer (covered)on low and left it there for many hours (at least 2 hours, probably more!), stirring it periodically. I am definitely going to have to make more of the sauce and freeze it in batches for later use. The meat was nice and tender and small and yummy. Eventually got around to making the macaroni and bechamel sauce and then baked the whole thing, once assembled (macaroni, meat sauce, macaroni, bechamel sauce), for an hour. Heh, did not actually have it done until 11:30, but that was because I waited until I had a better idea of when Chas was coming home (which was late). All in all it came out good. I think Chas liked it. The only thing it lacked was enough salt, which was easily remedied by sprinkling some on. I will have to remember to use more salt next time. Maybe mix some feta in there somewhere? And I might just skip the top layer of macaroni and put the bechamel sauce directly on top of the meat sauce like the recipe said. I have never had it that way, but who knows?

Still have a bunch of it left. Yummy!

Just got back from the Enzian where we saw Margaret Cho's Revolution, a "concert film" as they put it. Was never a huge fan before, but since we had free tix, I sucked up and went. It was very enjoyable. There were still parts of her act I don't like, but the majority was pleasurable.

And on the way home I learned that maggie226 took a video back to Stardusrt in her pajamas! Ok, so she was on her way to her radio show, Punk Rock In Your PJs, that she actually wears pjs to. And I actually heard "Beat on the Brat" as a full song, and NOT the cart promo for the show! :)

PS. I need to find a local Latin Market. I so need some Materva, or any mate beer. Could go for Vernor's ginger soda if no mate beer though. Either would help my poor, volcanic tummy.

Not fun waking up, stretching the legs, and getting a major cramp in the calf. No, not very fun at all. Good thing it cleared, as it was on my right calf, and I need it to drive.

pluralist_baby! We saw you and Kurt in the BFC extra footage last night. That is an excellent picture of you (and Kurt looks good too!) and I am so proud of you guys!


( girl stuff )

Saw Harry Potter 3 on Friday night. I think I enjoyed it more that I had not read the book completely. That made the movie flow and was less nit-picky for me, but anxious to see what was left out.

Saturday the mobile mechanic fixed the lock on Chas's passenger door, but was not able to fix his air or window. He did however fix MY window. Good thing too, since it poured later that afternoon while we were out on errands. Total for everything was $100. Still searching to get my muffler replaced for less than $250. Someone has to have a muffler for my car that isn't a lifetime warranty. My car is old and doesn't need a lifetime warranty. One for 5 or 10 years would suffice if I could save some money on it. Our new subwoofer came too. Everything we play on the computer sounds SO MUCH better now!

Went to Ormond Beach today with Chas' dad. Chas' brother and sister-in-law were at their timeshare. His sister-in-law's nephew and his girlfriend also came up/over from Orlando. We went to a place on the inter-coastal in Port Orange for a brunch, and chatted a while back at their place until we saw the sky turn dark, indicating more rain. We did get stuck in it on the way home, but I didn't care because I was not driving, and I had my music until the batteries died. ( music I listened to/had with me )

It sucks being in transition to a new bank account type even with the same bank. I cannot use my check card for my gold account until my new one arrives for me free account, because technically my account is free now. Blah! I need to be particularly careful how I handle my account if I do end up switching. I am going to check out Chas' credit union next weekend when I get paid next. Wouldn't it be funny if I made all this fuss to my current bank about the fees and account charges and stuff, change to the free account, only to cancel the account a few weeks later? Ha, the fuckers!

I got a new iChat icon. Hooray! I did it all myself! The new backdrop did not work out, as the resolution must not be the same...it is pixelated or something like that. I will see if Chas can fix it. At least I got that far.

Well, it is still raining outside, or at least still wet, but we need to get groceries. I guess I should see what Chas is up to.

We got a postcard last week from Cannes from pluralist_baby which was way cool! I liked the bit about Mick Jagger's head...tee hee! We really look forward to seeing MM's new film. Hopefully, we, along with the rest of the country will have that chance.

I got an absolutely beautiful dress from maggie226 the other night. It is hard to believe the dress is a prom dress from 8 years ago. It looks every bit as elegant today, as I am sure it did back then. It has to be one of the most elegant prom dresses I've ever seen too. I remember big puffy dresses that would certainly stick out like a sore thumb today from the dances I went to in high school. I have the dress (and the shoes, finally), so now I need the occasion!

Chas's car is fixed! Well, mostly fixed, and safely running now. Will be a bit hot until the air is fixed though. Still happy it is in commission again. My window should be fixed this weekend too. Hopefully, the dark clouds looming over our building at work will release and be done with(or move away from here and my home area) so I can go home without worry.

I have found more Waterhouse icons!

Wheee!

1. The customer I had on my phone before I left. She told me she was doing one thing when she really wasn't, and she had the nerve to lie about it, and tell me she lied to me. You won't get far in tech support by lying to us. It is like going to the doctor and lying to him about how you feel. How will he know what to treat or what not to treat if you lie? If you are honest and truthful, we will be as accommodating to your needs as possible. Why did she say she lied to me? She did not trust me/us, or my/our ability to help her. Then why bother calling? I just don't get it.

2. The rain that *HAD* to start as I got to my exit. Why could it have not waited about 10 minutes more, until
I could get my ass inside? The rain wouldn't normally bother me, but as I have a back window that will not stay up on its own for long when the car is in motion (that thing called gravity is against me!) and so it was down while the rain poured down, and in my car. At least my stuff was on the other side of my car and was not likely to get wet as much. Thing is, while I can pull the window up, it is really difficult to get a good grip when it is wet and slippery. And of course I get drenched in the process. It is a good thing I never blew my hair out straight last night as it is curly and frizzy now, whether I like it or not.

3. I hate the blanket over our bedroom window. The blanket itself is sentimental and I don't actually hate it. I understand why Chas has it there and I compromise my feelings and desires for him. I understand that it helps him sleep better in the daylight hours as he works mostly at night. What bothers me is that he leaves it down all day, and quite frankly, I like natural sunlight that brightens the room when it can. It is too dark with the blanket up. It is not hard for him to correct it when he gets up (it takes in a few seconds)...I would do it but I can't reach it to do it myself. And I really hate nagging him to lift it, even if for a few hours. I mean, I compromise and let it look that ugly there and whatnot for him, the least he could do is compromise my needs and desires too and lift the stinking thing when he gets up. It isn't hard, but it would make me happier. At least until we can get curtains or something better to suit both of our needs. Right now it is his needs and his feelings and I don't matter. I am sure it is not done just to aggravate me, but it feels like that some times.

4. And of course stupid commercials. My current "favorite" is a Dell commercial. The set up: 2 boys in college finishing a term paper/thesis thing. The Dell dude is ok, but the non-Dell dude forgot to save and back up his work and hence he becomes a failure for life as a window washer and the Dell dude is an executive whose windows the non Dell dude is washing. Cute premise perhaps, but warning to all the stupid people out there: NOT SAVING YOUR WORK, IN ANY COMPUTER, RUNNING ANY OPERATING SYSTEM, WILL HAVE THE SAME NEGATIVE AFFECTS...YOU LOSE YOUR WORK. THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED ON THE DELL TOO IF YOU DID NOT SAVE OR BACK UP YOUR WORK!! Stupid stupid stupid!

5. The whole bank thing, but I won't dwell on it here anymore.

Well, I guess I should find something to eat.

The last few days have been a little odd. Friday I found out that one of my close friends' sister in law was murdered by her roommate last weekend. It has been on the local news about the sailor that went missing, but there never mention or connection to my friend until the local paper ran an article with her brother's name in it. What is it with the military and people going off the deep end? I am glad I learned what happened, though I was at work and I started crying which made me useless on the phones. I went outside for a while and called my friend to see how she was doing. She was ok, but in shock. Her younger brother and this girl had only been married about a week. Because they're (the brother and new wife) both in the military (even though they're stationed at different bases), my friend had only met the girl on a few occasions, but never got the opportunity to properly bond and get to know her. She was 21 and my friend's brother barely 22. Such a tragedy.

Chas got some money from a client, so yesterday we went to Park Avenue CDs for much needed music, though we did not have much to spend. I only got one cd for me, and one for a friend, and he got a few too. It was funny, because the guy at the counter who knows me and Chas pretty well (though I have forgotten his name at the moment) was laughing so hard when I called my friend across the country, cell phone to cell phone, to find out if he wanted me to pick up this limited edition cd they had for a band I knew he liked. It was kinda funny I guess. A little later, Chas also called a friend to see if they wanted us to pick up something for them. We're like a music network...we are so nice. :) So the cd I bought myself was "Truth" from Beborn Beton, and yes glittergirl69, they are German, and in fact one of the songs is sung completely in German. Help with the translation to English adaneth? It was a toss up because I also found Wolfsheim's "Spectators" which was unanimously chosen as the best release from them to start with in my poll a while back, Belle and Sebastion with "Dear Catastrophe Waitress" which for some reason I keep holding off on...I am going to have to go and buy it with narrow vision next time...not to let anything else taint my vision, and Morrissey's new cd "You Are The Quarry" tempted me too. Now Chas is cross at me for not getting the B&S, but it was my money and he chose not to get it too. Instead, he picked up used copies of "North" from Elvis costello, Suzanne Vega's "Songs In Red And Gray", and a 2 cd set from The Trash Can Sinatras full of B sides and covers including a horribly recorded sounding version of XTC's "Senses Working Overtime"...was it recorded in their bathroom? and a cover of "I Know It's Over" from The Smiths...I have not heard it yet.

Today we are making my parents get out and see a movie with us. We are taking them to see "Connie and Carla" in a few hours. We still have to see my grandad too, so I should probably get Chas up so we can go soon.

I guess there is not much else to say right now.

I heard "Irish Blood, English Heart" by Morrissey on WPRK a few weeks back, but I figured it was just a track I had missed from one of his later cds that I did not own, but low and behold, it was the single for a new release(!). So, Morrissey has seemingly come out of retirement to put out some new music, and has even been in the various top 10 charts for the most popular downloads the iTunes Music Store has. Hooray for Morrissey! We love you! :)

I'll tell you what. PBS has the best "reality tv" programming around in my opinion. Fuck Fear Factor, screw Survivor...Colonial House, and the programs that preceeded this one, have it done right. Take a bunch of people back in time for a few months or so, and in the whole process you learn about that time. You realize how hard and harsh living was then, how to break away from 20th and 21st century living. If you really want more information on this, go here. I'm going to bed now. It is way passed my bedtime.