Gather Ye Rosebuds

Oh, in addition to keeping up on my calories today, I made a doctor appointment for my ankle for next week. I want to get to walking again (more seriously though), but I need to make sure my ankle is healing properly, and I need to make sure my hips are ok, because they always seem to hurt (hips and side of thighs) just after substantial walking...usually the right side hurts more. My toes also get numb after walking for 15 minutes or more. So, I need to have those things looked at too, to see if I am normal but just out of shape. Oh yeah, and my neck still cracks when I sneeze...gotta remember to ask about that too. Anyhow, I also made dinner reservations for this weekend and contacted UPS and Overstock regarding my returned order...I think it is all ok with that, but very anxious to see my order. I also took the bus of death up to Chamberlins for a few things after work and then home again. Got some walking done then, but more casual tough. So I have a certain feeling of accomplishment today. Oh, and this Bostwana Blossom tea from Republic of Tea is SO GOOD!

It may not seem like much to get three phone calls made today, or to keep track of my caloric intake today, or do a little walking, but it is a deal to me because I get so forgetful to do things like this that I need to do...I know I need to, but I just forget. One of the things I really need to focus on is organization and planning, routines and schedules. I am so bad about that, so little things here and there make me happy. Little goals. Little steps.:)

I recently picked up ingredients to make Happiness Soup (yellow squash, onions-my addition, lemon juice, basmati rice, turmeric-actually I used yellow curry since I already had it) and on a whim, I also picked up Cascadian Farms French Cut Green Beans with Slivered Almonds. I had intended to eat them separately, as I have before. While I was eating some of the Happiness Soup at work, I thought it might be neat to add the green beans to the rest of the soup mix, but later decided against it, because I had two squash still left and enough onions as well. So, I decided to cook tonight and actualize my ideas! So here is what I did:

Heated a small pan on medium and added 1-2 TBS of butter and melted, added 1 cup of the basmati rice and covered all the grains and cooked a little longer, then added 2 cups of water. Covered and cooked til done, about 20 minutes. Mainly just followed directions on bag for cooking.

In another pan, a 10" saute pan, I melted another 1-2 TBS of butter and added 1 diced squash, let that cook a bit, and some diced onion (I used pre-diced, and just added how much I wanted...probably about 1/4-1/2 cup) and sauteed a few minutes more. Added the frozen green beans and cooked til heated through. Added about 1/4-1/2 tsp of yellow curry powder, stirred in and mixed well to distribute the spices/seasoning. Once the rice was cooked, added the rice to the squash and green bean mixture, and mixed well. Lastly, I topped it all off with the almonds.

That is all. A nice veggie meal. With essense of India.

Anyone want to see pictures?

( Since Romi wanted to see it )

(...and for those hugh love Rowan Atkinson/Blackadder and Hugh Laurie)



and I just love this one (thanks Fran!)...I think it is very Monty Python...at least Steven Fry is very John Cleese-ish to me in this. Not sure who I peg for Hugh Laurie but my initial thought is Graham Chapman.

I am in need of a new hair dryer. My other one sort of fizzled out one day. I saw some red/orange spots inside the barrel, got scared, turned it off and it did not turn on again. I have a really old model (Lacy Schick) from my mom, but I get scared using it, so I have let my hair air dry more lately. Now that I have gotten my hair cut and shaped again, I should look into a new hair dryer, with at least the pointy nozzle with it. Any suggestions on what it good?

How can I be a better friend?

Should I call more? Email more? IM more? Talk less about my obsessions? Ask different or better questions?

Weekend before last, I heard Tears For Fears' Elemental again for the first time in a long time. IT was special hearing the songs again. Especially given the company present. It is an underrated release, because this is the first cd that came out after Roland and Curt split up, and Roland continued with the name and a different band backing him. But all in all, I think it is a strong effort, and in many ways I see it as an evolutionary piece. I see the experimental and keyboard nature on some tracks reminiscent of their sound on their debut, The Hurting, and I hear the heartbeat rhythms I often associate with Songs From the Big Chair as well as the jazz and soul and harmonies from The Seeds of Love...I hear these things as a collage, interweaved with the rock foundation of the songs. It has aspects of the old packaged perfectly with the new. And oddly enough, I listen to this and it seems timeless, and I find it hard to believe that it came out the year I graduated high school. That was over 10 years ago, almost 15.

I had a sudden desire to hear "Mr Pessimist" again, from Elemental, which is one of those tracks that seem like a naturally evolutionary song...a little keyborad noodling, a heartbeat bassline and some soul with a great jazz piano feel. When I heard it last, it made me think of Robert Wyatt, actually, which is perhaps because I now know that "I Believe" from Songs From the Big Chair is an homage to Robert Wyatt, and "Mr Pessimist" has a little of that feel in it.

Anyways, I am not much of a lyric poster, but here they are.

( Mr Pessimist )

I haven't really talked too much about my car or my transportation situation much in the last year, and from time to time I have thought about writing a post about it, and my experiences...but I never got around to doing it. So, here it is, a much overdue post.

( The bit about the car. )

( Taking the bus has been an experience for me. )

Tonight was scary. See, the the bus stop I take in the morning is on the side of a major highway, and I can stand on the sidewalk. The stop I get off at has a sidewalk with a nice little tree lined path even if it is not on a major highway. However, the stop to go home "on the other side of the road" is not nearly as nice or as comfortable. There is no sidewalk there, and the curb slopes down into a ravine. Really, there is not much standing room. A little further up the road there is an apartment complex entrance which is paved and flat, and goes a little way off the road. I think, after tonight's harrowing adventure, I am going to wait there from now on. So, back to tonight, at long last.

It is dusk, the twilight hour, whatever you want to call it. It is light enough for me to feel comfortable out there, but just barely. I see the bus coming down the road, and it is going so fast, it looks like it is going to pass me. But it doesn't. Well, it does, but not completely. Instead, it slows down very quickly and swerves a little and overshoots me, stopping partly on the grass. The. Same. Grass. I. Am. Standing. On. As it went by me, getting closer to the grass from the road, I swear it was no more than a few inches, maybe 6 at the most. I felt the wind of this mammoth vehicle pushing me backwards, and I frantically grasped for the pole with the bus logo and route info so I wouldn't fall back into the ravine. I ran up to the front of the bus, kind of frazzled, and the bus driver is this old guy, who has the nerve to ask ME to flail my arms or something next time so he can see me.

Anyhow, I am still a little freaked out by this incident. I guess I will have to wait at the area just a little further up, but I feel it is demeaning for me to wave my arms or something. That stop is just so not safe.

But after it all, shaken not stirred, here I am.

I have only read a portion of the Harmony Tai Chi book, mostly just warm ups and stances. Haven't actually tried any of it yet...I prefer to read it all first, then go back to it with the knowledge of what is to come and expect. My friend's son, who is in 3rd grade, I think, does Tai Chi, and can make chi balls and disperse the energy (he says he uses it to slow the ball down when he is playing soccer). I'd love to see him go along with the dvd. I will probably get a dvd too, though I do want to find classes. One of those things I *want* to do, and feel motivated to learn, but I fear that my rut will get in the way, not sure if I can get out if it to do this.

Anyhow, found this video on You Tube of a fan dance. It looks very cool. I hope that I can make this a source of inspiration, to help me get out of the rut, to WANT to get out of the rut.

It is nearly 4am and I am still fairly wide awake. I went to bed a little before 2am. I hate this. I am so over Chas' snoring too. I know lots of guys snore. He isn't as bad as some people I know, so that is good at least. I went to bed before he did, so it isn't entirely his fault, but seriously, I cannot sleep when he snores...it literally takes hours. Either he stops snoring long enough for me to fall asleep or I eventually get used to it enough. But my mind is wound up too, otherwise the head start in bed might have worked. I don't care about the snoring once I am asleep as little can disturb me or wake me once I am asleep. I think 20 minutes is the shortest time I have fallen asleep in, and I think that was a night with a sleeping pill. I took an antihistamine not too long ago, as I was sneezing a bit, and am no closer to falling asleep, though I am actually on the couch now where it is much quieter. I'd take a Lunesta, but I no longer have 8 hours to dedicate to it. Besides, it leaves a funny taste in my mouth the next day, leaving me feeling sick to my stomach. And I want to stay in my nice bed with Chas...I love him dearly, but I don't know what to do, as earplugs are not an option for me...none really feel comfortable, and I am afraid I will miss my alarm clock. Sigh...