A night like any other

I'm doing nothing special for New Years, except for maybe reflecting on the past years and the changes I want to make in the new year. I was invited to go along to a party but I've grown past my party phase. Which is not to say that I won't participate in the occasional party, but big party holidays are just not my thing anymore. I got out of work early today and have the day off tomorrow. I will likely be in bed reading if not asleep by midnight. Tomorrow I will clean and try to organize my clothes since I want to try to dress better in the new year. So, my New Years resolutions are a little bit of the usual a little bit new.

1. Be Healthier

2. Procrastinate Less

3. Learn To Let Go

4. Be More Creative

5. Be Cleaner

6. Manage Money Better

I have of course expanded and will continue to expand upon these but those are the basics.

Back in the day

Way back when I first moved to Atlanta, transferring from UGA to GSU, one of my first real jobs was at Rainbow Natural Foods in Decatur. Oh Rainbow how I miss thee. Like most of my jobs I'm not really sure how I got hired. But I did. I worked in the deli and cooked for the prepared food section of the store. It is where I learned to cook (aside from home of course) where I learned to like new foods and live without meat. I ate well when I worked there too. There was always something that was being tossed that was still good or "extra" that just didn't quite make it to the shelf. And we cooked for ourselves and each other also. Sometimes those dishes became new offerings. Sometimes they were popular with customers sometimes they weren't. Looking back I really loved working at Rainbow and to some degree miss it. When I left I was ready to leave, needed to leave, it was just time. I gave my two weeks notice when I got a job (with benefits) at Starbucks. I had every intention of copying all the recipes I loved. But they replaced me before I had the chance. Don't think me evil. I had no intention of selling or reproducing in any way the recipes. They would have been for my personal use only. It's just that there were so many tasty recipes!!!!!!!! Bowtie pasta salad, miso dressing, cowboy cookies, greek pasta salad.......the list goes on and on.

On the menu.....A cost comparison

For some strange reason yesterday I started craving BBQ pizza. I've only had BBQ pizza once when, on a whim, I picked up a frozen California Pizza Kitchen BBQ pizza that was on sale. I like CPK frozen pizzas but typically they are just too expensive. Thus was the case tonight. I had planned to pick up a CPK and a few add-ons and have that for dinner tonight. I was aghast when I saw that the small pizza was $6.99. No way could I spend that much one little pizza that I'd only get one meal out of. I'd already put in my basket a block of jack cheese and a red onion to add to the pizza. I already had BBQ sauce at home. So, I headed over to the bakery section and picked up a pizza crust ($3.39) and some chicken ($4.07). I know, I know, I've already spent more than the frozen pizza. But, I will only use a portion of the chicken and freeze the rest for a future use. Also, the crust I bought is going to make a much larger pizza. My pizza stone is (I think) 13" and the boxed kind was probably only 10". So, total cost of the supplies bought tonight for my BBQ pizza, $10.08. Go ahead and subtract about $2.00 since I'll only use 1/2 the chicken. So, about $8.08 for my pizza supplies, just over $1 more than the frozen kind and FAR superior. It will be larger for one. Healthier no doubt since most all packaged foods have preservatives and uncontrolled sodium and other bad for you things. PLUS, I will be able to tailor it to my taste. I will jazz up the bottled sauce I have on hand, shred the chicken instead of chunk it, and of course, pile on the cheese. Perhaps I will jot down a pseudo-recipe to post later

From yesterday....

I was going to post this yesterday, but, well, I didn't.....

I'm starting to get tired of being sick. It started Saturday late in the day with that annoying flem that's just stuck in your throat and you can't get rid of. Sure enough when I woke up Sunday morning I felt craptastic. So I spent most of the day lounging on the sofa. Monday at work sucked, sore throat, congestion and general achyness. Tuesday and Wednesday were much improved and yesterday I felt just fine for Thanksgiving. But I woke up in the middle of the night stuffy and with a sore / dry throat. It's the same sicky I get every year when summer slowly and erraticly changes into fall. I blame it on the crazy hot-cold-warm-cold change in temperature. And every year I only get sick enough to feel bad, never enough to call in to work. Some people I've known get the same thing but lose their voice. Never me. How nice it would be to not be able to talk. It sounds crazy, I know, but my jobs always require lots of talking. So anyway I've spent most of today lounging much like Sunday. Drinking tea and water and taking a nice hot shower. I'm hoping to feel much improved by a good night's sleep tonight and able to get out and about tomorrow and also to do chores around the house. I don't want this to be the second weekend in a row where not much got done.

I'd especially like to get to the Farmer's Market. That was my big plan for this past Sunday. After having gone through on of my phases where I didn't have an appetite for much of anything by last Saturday I'd begun to have a craving for foods again. Real food. I had decided that processed, packaged foods had a bad after taste so I needed to make some good food that was mostly vegetarian. I had a nice list for myself. But that all went out the window when I felt too ill to go to the Farmer's Market. Most of this week I haven't been very hungry and nothing has tasted good either. But I am once again I am starting to crave good home cooked food. I have to keep in mind though that I have Thanksgiving leftovers to work through. I also need to keep in mind that I need to start managing my money better. I spend WAY too much money at the grocery store too many days a week.

It all fell out

Currently I am watching a show on the Travel Channel about burgers. So naturally I am craving White Castle cheeseburgers. Far superior to Krystal but only available here in the south in your grocer's freezer. I probably should have picked some of those up while I was at the store tonight. But my trip to the grocery after work was futile as always. Here's how it happens. I leave the house in the morning purposefully leaving my list and reusable shopping bags at home. I figure I really do not need to go to the grocery store anyhow, I have plenty of food in the house. But by the time the end of the day rolls around I either have a craving for something specific or want to just pick up something quick. And so I end up wandering aimlessly through the grocery store. Now, I almost always have a running grocery list at home. You know, run low on salt, put it on the list, etc. But rarely do I take this list to work. And tonight on my way to the grocery store I made a list in my head as I often do. And, as always happens with ANY shopping experience, the mental list fell right out of my head as soon as I walked though the doors. I did manage to pick up some ham for biscuits in the morning. And 3 different types of cheese. Because one can never have too much cheese on hand. But really, not much else that will keep me from making a similar trip to the store one evening after work.

Prorastination?

I've always thought I was a big ol' procrastinator. But today it occurred to me. Maybe the problem is deeper than that. Maybe I have commitment issues. Today I finally finished my online health application. And it took a lot to make myself press the send button. Hell, it's taken me over two weeks to complete the damn thing. There's that and every other thing I ever procrastinated on. I once had a counselor in college write a motivational phrase on an index card for me, "Do it now." That and the fact that I have zero desire to get out there and date. Seriously, I'm totally fine being single. O.K., so I have committed to some things. My pets, the "Twilight" series, 5 1/2 years at Starbucks, my current apartment............Maybe the commitment problem only applies to certain things. Or maybe I've been working in a counseling office too long.

Car Drama

Last night was some of the best sleep I've gotten in a while. I'd been so stressed out all day I was exhausted by the end of the day. Thursday night I went to leave work. I was pretty excited to be leaving before Bitchface. But alas, it was not to be. My car would not shift out of park. I'd had this problem before, but this time none of my jiggling and restarting would help. So I called AAA. Because it would not shift out of park, meaning that the front wheels were locked, I needed a special tow truck. Or rather, as I would soon find out, a tow truck with special equipment. So, I placed my service call and hiked up to the Decatur mini-Kroger for some food and such. By the time I got back 30 min later the driver was almost there. It was a good thing I decided to get it towed that night because the flat-bed truck with a driver who looked like Hurley from 'Lost' would NEVER have been able to get my car out with any other cars in the lot. Since I was unsure of where I wanted it towed and whether or not the had a key drop, I had it towed home. The new girl, Tami, stayed and chatted with me until I climbed into Hurley's truck. I didn't sleep well that night, worried as I was about my car. Folks were telling me I'd likely need a new transmission!!!! Friday morning I called the shop a co-worker had recommended, Intown Auto Care in Oakhurst Village, they said they'd be able to work on my car so I called AAA again and away I went with Hurley to the shop and then to work. I got almost nothing done all day stressing and waiting for a phone call. At noon I called the shop and they hadn't even gotten to it yet! I called again around 3:30 and they said the tech was looking at it and I should call back in 30 min. I did and they had good news for me. It wasn't the transmission, it was a sensor, just like Hurley thought. AND, they said they could have it back to me that night!!!!! Considering I'd been fearing paying $1,500 for a new transmission I was relieved to only have to pay about $300. Now, I can think of a lot of things I'd rather spend $300 on than my car...........tattoos, pretty boots that speak Italian, a day at H&M, you get the picture. But all is well, I have my car back and she's running fine.

Sad end

Car brokie. Needed tow truck. Story later. Drink wine hug puppy now.

It's about time

It's been oh so woefully long since my last post. Over a month. So much, yet so little, has happened since then. Gas is abundant again, and now below $1. Wooooo Hooooo!!! We have a new president. Thank baby Jesus that Americans made the right decision for once. I don't know what all this talk of socialism is and also not sure that most of the people upset about it really know what socialism is. But hey, I don't read the times so what the hell do I know. It seems fall has finally arrived, and will be staying, here in Atlanta. I love it. I love fall. I love the crisp in the air, the color of the leaves, the sound of leaves crunching & acorns falling, the scent of wood burning. That last part may seem a little strange but it comes from childhood when my parents would take us to the nature center for the fall festival. Oh, and of course, fires in fire places. Anyhoo, not much else is new in life. Work remains very much the same. I'm way behind and I have NO hope of ever getting 'caught up'. That's o.k. tough. Oh! 'Top Chef' premieres tomorrow!!!!! Sorry, a little ADD there.

Behind the times

As I was getting ready to leave work yesterday I looked around at my desk. And I realized that I am so far behind that if I don't put a plan into action a.s.a.p. there's going to be trouble. So, I've decided that I'll be going into work early today and everyday next week. But these early hours won't be for random work or work from the day before and they certainly won't be for chatting. No. The early hours will be for getting everything that should already be off my desk, off. And all of my current work needs to be finished by the end of the day so it doesn't repeat the vicious cycle. It will mean lots of extra hours for a while, but in the end it should get me to a good place.

Updates

The madness continues with the gas situation in Atlanta. In fact, I think it's spiraled into full blown insanity. People are camping out at gas pumps, waiting an hour and a half in line, getting into arguments, and FOLLOWING TANKER TRUCKS TO THE GAS STATION!!!!!!!! Seriously, there needs to be some sort of master plan. Now, if you ask me that should be the governor's job. Too bad he's on family vacay in Europe while the mansion is being redecorated.

In happier news.......the new girl at work got fired. Which sounds sad at first, but that means I was offered her position. I thought about it, took it, and thus will be receiving a raise! WOO HOO! I'll be making about the same as when I left Starbucks. Sweet. I think I'll celebrate this weekend by making something tasty and enrolling in health insurance.

Gas madness

It's getting pretty crazy here in the ATL with the whole gas crisis. Part of the problem is panic and people acting crazy. But there is an actually a shortage in the supply here in the south east. The recent hurricanes in the gulf have affected the supply running though the pipeline. Here in Atlanta, because of EPA standards, we have to use 'boutique' gas and the EPA just gave us a waiver until October 14th that will let us use 'standard' gas. Gas stations are running out of gas and the stations that do have it have high prices and long lines. They are predicting it will still take a while to get back to normal. Part of that of course being that people start acting normally. I'm good for a while since I filled up on Sunday. After that, I'm not worried. I'm only 8 miles from work and close to grocery stores as well. And though it would be horribly inconvenient I could take MARTA where ever I need to go. I could even go up to the Wal-Mart and buy a bike. Which with weather like we've been having wouldn't be so bad. Ridding MARTA would allow me plenty of time to read since it would take an hour or so to get to work. If I rode a bike I'd get a good workout, plus the extra bonus of being able to thank God every time I arrived somewhere without getting mowed down by a crazy motorist.

Day off dissapointment

Since I worked six days last week, I got today off. I'd planned to go by Lowes for bug spray since some creepy nasties have been crawling in my window lately. Then, swing by Sevennadah in L5P for some nag champa, candles and a snack. Then, the cherry on the day-off sundae, hit up the Farmer's Market. Always fun, but even more so on a weekday when the crowds are far less. I didn't need to go all the way to the Farmer's Market, but I wanted some key things I can only get there. Ethiopian coffee for $5 a pound. I was planning on getting two. Siracha, cheap fruits and veggies, rice noodles & fish sauce for pad thai. But alas, my plans were thwarted when I had issues finding a gas station that actually had gas. Many gas stations in Atlanta have blank price boards due to being out of, mostly, mid-grade & premium. Many other gas stations still have their price signs up but are out of gas altogether. I pulled into two stations with plastic bags over the pumps. Finally I found a station that had only regular. I pulled some crazy moves to back up to the only pump not being used (this station only had 6 pumps) and after card swiping issues finally filled up my tank for $33. I decided it'd be best not to trek all over town for things I don't really need. Instead I headed back home and stopped off at my local Publix. They did, fortunately, have bug spray. It was perhaps a bit more than it would have been at Lowes, but the savings in gas make up for it I'm sure.

Must....Have....Indian food

Every now and the I get this strong craving for Indian food. It starts with me thinking that I should stop by the Indian grocery store one of these days, moves on to me perusing Indian recipes online, and ends with me spending too much at Chopatti. Chopatti, for those who don't know, is the tastiest Indian restaurant in Atlanta. Now, it's not as Good as Indian Delights, which was in the same store-front but closed a while back. But Chopatti has comparable South-Indian fare. Not quite as good as Indian Delights and the service doesn't even come close. But Chopatti has the same basic menu and Bollywood videos if you are eating in or waiting for your to-go order. But I digress, I find myself, this evening, looking at samosa recipes online. I know I'll never make samosas at home. Let's face it, Indian food is just too laborious to make at home. At least when you're cooking for one. So, perhaps sometime this weekend, Friday after work perhaps, I will head over to Chopatti and place a to-go order.

Waiting for fall

Waking up this morning I could almost believe it was fall. Mostly, I think, because the folks upstairs have the a.c. cranked and it's down right cold in my apartment. It also helps that it is gray and gloomy thanks to the monsterous Gustav who will soon be making landfall. I honestly didn't think we'd get anything from this storm, but now it looks like we might get at least a sprinkle. I don't wish the fate of hurricanes on anyone, especially poor New Orleans, but I sure do like the rain they bring us. Along with the rain comes cooling temps. A relief from the brutal summer heat and humidity which we probably have another month or two left of. Sady I don't expect it to cool down and be fall here in Atlanta anytime soon. But I am looking forward to fall. i am envious of my sister who lives in a clime where they can open their windows at night already. Actually she said they had 'em open during the day also. I'm looking forward to cooler weather and I don't want to shop for warm weather work clothes. I want o buy cute fall outfits. Things you can wear with boots and hats. Like the cute fedora I got a few weekends ago at Target.

Food porn

I'm really not sure why it never occurred too me to, from the very beginning, aim for a career that combines food and art. Clearly, I've missed my calling as a food stylist or photographer or something of that nature. I realize though that these careers would mean relocating to New York or L.A. At this point I have little opposition to relocating but I would have no idea how to start a new career path.

I think about this every time I pick up a new issue of a food magazine or cookbook. The September issue of Bon Appetit has some delicious recipes in addition to great photographs. I'm particularly interested in the smoked turkey, blue cheese and red onion sandwiches. Totally something I can make and pack for lunch. I'm all about delicious brown bag lunches these days. Especially if it needs no heating. Sandwiches, check. Full-meal salads, check. And the easier they are to put together, the better. After all, one can only eat Chick-Fil-A so many times before they begin to turn into it. This issue also has a feature on women chefs and an abundance of restaurant recipes. It is the annual restaurant issue after all. There are even a few local spots featured, a bakery here in Atlanta and a place in Athens.

Dark thirty

I set my alarm early this morning with the idea that I'd go into work extra early. That didn't happen. What did happen though is that my alarm went off twice and I rolled over and went back to sleep. Then I realized it had been a while, and why hadn't I hit the snooze again yet. Then I realized it was dark. By which I mean, pitch black. The power had gone out and I live in a basement so it was unbearably dark. I was a little afraid. Fortunately the power came back on and I did not have to say yes all day to the question, 'Did you get dressed in the dark?' Though, I suppose it would have been a pretty good reason to sleep in and be late.

Oliver on ICA?

Jamie Oliver is on Iron Chef America. A bit odd since I've always thought of Oliver as more of a casual, homey type of chef. But perhaps I will have to head over to Wikipedia and check out his bio. He does make tasty food though. I'm not super into Iron Chef, but I do watch it from time to time. I'm sad that some of the less complicated recipes are not available online. Hell, they might as well put the crazy ones up too. I'm sure someone would try to make 'em. I also think that FN should seriously consider a contest where you can win a spot as a guest judge on ICA. How cool would that be?

Anyway, it's doubtful I'll make it out to H&M tomorrow. Though I have realized that my alternate plan to go next Saturday could be thwarted by a new possibility. It is now an option, get ready Beth, to go next Saturday to watch the GA game at my cousin's. Apparently he's got a whole media room with a ginormous screen. It's not definite yet, just a possibility. Much of it would depend on how my Dad feels and if he's up to going. Though, I suppose I could go myself if I wanted. At any rate, I think I will visit my folks again. And, I think I will propose the moving in idea.

My car is freshly simonized and now I can send in my emissions certificate and get my tags. It should stay that way for a bit too. Yay rain. Thank you Fay.

Weekend Plans

Oh how I love sleeping in. And yet, I still get up at a reasonable time now a days. Unlike when I was at my old job and could sleep all day because of my crazy schedule.

In about an hour or so I'm going to head out to visit my folks where I will also take care of some things for my car. As long as the rain holds out until later tonight I plan to wash wax and clean the inside of my car. Somehow the seats have schmutz on them. I can only guess it's from groceries since that's the only thing that ever rides in my car besides myself and Luna. I also need an oil change and an emission check so that I can send off for my tags. Gotta do that before I forget about it and they end up late or I end up scrambling at the last minute. And I am, by the way, crossing my fingers for rain. Yes, of course we need it. But it's also a good way to keep vandals away from my car. My car was spry painted again last weekend and I'm now over this neighborhood and this apartment.

I'm also considering making a trip to Atlantic Station tomorrow to visit H&M. I disparately need new clothes. I've never had many nice work type clothes and quite frankly I'm wondering how I've made it a whole year at my job with what I do have. I'm o.k. on cool weather stuff, but my warm weather wardrobe is a handful of tops that get rotated out. Most of these tops, I realized this past work week, are too small. It's probably a combination of me gaining a wee bit of weight and the clothes being so old that they've shrunk over time. At any rate, I need new clothes. Mostly tops. Maybe a pair of bottoms. I've heard H&M has cute, cheap clothes. Plus, I have yet to visit Atlantic Station. I may go tomorrow, but they are only open 12 - 6 on Sundays so I may opt for house work instead and clothes hop next Saturday.

Possibility

I'm thinking about moving home. Not only would it benefit me, but it would help my Mom & Dad.

Love don't cost a thing?

That is so not true. At least not when it comes to dogs. I'd planned to go out to Gwinnett and visit my folks today. But then I saw what my dog Luna had been licking at for the past few days. There was a sore in her rear and so off to the vet we went. Long story short, she's going to be o.k. Nothing strange showed up in the ultra-sound that they gave her. They expressed her 'glands' and that seemed to be the issue as some pretty gross stuff came out. She got sent home with some pain killers, anti-biotics, and a cone. And I got sent home $165 poorer. Someone should do one of those master card adds with dogs. Bag of food, $12. Collar, leash, dog bed $45. Vet bill $200. Unconditional love, priceless.

New hair

I finally got around to scheduling an appointment and got my hair cut last week. The girl I went to was a suggestion of one of the therapists at my job and was great. I love my new short hair. And, I had enough to donate. The salon I went to even sent it in for me. Very cool. Here are the before and afters.

Worry Wart

I got the worst night's sleep last night. Instead of worrying about the audit that my work has today I'm worried about my car. Friday on my way into work the low coolant light began flashing. I out some water in it at lunch time and at the time it looked like that's all it needed. I probably should have gone ahead and taken it in Friday since it's needed a coolant flush for some time now. But when I checked it on Saturday the reserve tank was still full but seemed to be only water. I should have taken it in Saturday just so that it would be out of the way and I wouldn't have to worry about it on Monday morning. But no, it made no sense at the time as I go into downtown Decatur for work anyway and why sit around a coffee shop waiting for your car when you can just be at work. Now, the car got me home just fine Friday evening, running abit cooler than usual even. So I have no reason to think it won't be just fine to get to the shop this a.m. None the less I'm worried.

New site, part 2

It's official. This new aforementioned site, group food, is my new favorite. I'm thoroughly enjoying it and have spent many hours today exploring it.

Also, I am seriously craving comfort food. Specifically pot roast. I think I might make that this week.

New site

I have just discovered, and joined, group recipes. It's a mix of my space and all recipes. I'm liking it.

The new work week

About a month ago my boss proposed to us office ladies the idea of a four day work week. The idea being that by working four long days we could save gas. We all agreed and a few weeks later decided which set day each of us would have. I chose Wednesdays. And this week is the first week of the four day work week. I predict it will last until the end of the month. Mostly because the newest office staff member is leaving at the end of the month. Though, no one yet knows this. Part of me wants to say something. But part of me feels like I have no reason to say anything. The woman who is leaving is the closest thing I have to a friend in the office and she has asked me not to tell. But also, I feel little loyalty to my current employer.

At any rate, I have today off. I'll end up driving though. I have no choice, I'm cat sitting for someone this week. But mostly my plan for today is to clean house and do laundry. Exciting. I may also need to make a trip to the store for cleaning supplies. Maybe.

Funny Car

So, I'm sitting at a red light on my way home from work today and I look up and notice the car in front of me. It's a black pickup with a camper top and a custom paint job. All black with flame painted above the front wheel wells. And then I notice the vanity plate, 'BR1SKET'. And I smile, because I think this is an awesome choice for a custom tag. The guy must barbecue. And then I notice a decal on the tailgate. 'Biodiesel, this car is a vegetarian'. Hilarious oxymoron.

Blogger vs. My Space

I read, o.k. skimmed, an article yesterday about how writing about your feelings is therapeutic. How journaling and blogging can improve your health. I think it's true. And so, since I have been blogging over here for a while now and like it much better, I'm going to say good-bye to my space for a while. I'm going to try to blog here or write in my journal everyday. A least a tiny bit. Part of my health kick.

I put it out into the universe

My senior year of high school I had a very small group of friends that I hung out with. One of the people in this group was the younger brother of one of the girls in the group. I had a big crush on him, and he on me. But nothing much ever came of it. He was much younger than I. And I was much more shy then than I am now. I went to college and lost touch with all of these people. The rest I can say I honestly just wished them the best in life. But this boy I thought about so much over the years. I really don't know why. A while back when I joined my space I looked for him. I even joined face book to see if I could find him there. No luck. Then, a moth or so ago, my best friend from high school found me on face book. She mentioned that he had been looking for me. (Though, I think it was in the past tense, not the present.) Anyway, she and I hung out one day before she moved to Kentucky and haven't spoken since. I added a couple of my other old friends from high school to my my space page, one of them being this boy's sister.

After much convincing from my best friend out in Athens, I messaged her to ask her about her brother and what was the best way to get in touch with him. I've yet to hear back. I've decided to leave it at that. I'm going to try hard not to over analyze the situation. I'm not going to be weird and see if she's logged on to her page or read the message I sent. It would just make me agonize and analyze even more. So that is that.

Health kick

Over the weekend I (yet again) decided that I need to be more healthy. Part of this was due to me being disgusted with my lack of healthy habits, the other part has to do with the heat and not wanting to eat heavy foods. So far, o.k. Let's be honest, I am no crunchy hippie. I mixed up some 'taco salad' from vegetarian author Nava Atlas. Of course I made some modifications, I always do. It's quite yum. I took it for lunch today and plan to do the same tomorrow. I'm going to add some tortilla chips though. For dinner I mixed up a big salad.

I hit the Dekalb Farmer's Market this weekend. I have to say that is one of my favorite places in Atlanta. You gotta go early though. Not only is the selection better but so are the crowds. I got oodles of fresh veggies for dinner salads......radishes, peppers, onion, sprouts. They even had fresh garbanzo beans!! They come in their own individual pods! (That's my kindda bean.) I resisted the temptation of the delicious French truffles coated in cocoa powder, mostly because of the price. Another thing great about the farmer's market is the good yogurt. The real thing, whole milk, and fruit. That along with granola is breakfast. So that's my goal. Eat decent food all week long, no beer, and drink less caffeinated beverages and more water. Oh, and take my vitamins. I'll start working in exercise later.

Meal Planing

I try very hard to plan out my meals for the week. Do my shopping on the weekend, and then prepare those planned meals throughout the week. Part of this is of course having something to pack in my lunch box for the week. I am not so good at this process. I either can not figure out anything I want for the week. Or, I get the materials and then fail to follow through with every meal. I am trying again though. This time I am going to stop by the grocery store Friday night on my way home from work. The plan is for spicy chicken tenders after shopping with home made blue cheese dressing. I should have just enough blue cheese crumbles left. I've been craving sesame noodles lately so of course that goes on the list. And finally my soon to be famous turkey panini. This is something I concocted and continue to perfect every time I make it. It takes a bit of effort but is well worth it.

Turkey panini:

-Sub rolls

-Sliced deli turkey (I use Boar's Head maple glazed)

-Caramelized onions

-Sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil

-Pickled Jalapenos (optional)

-Cream cheese

-Sliced provolone or mozzarella

-Mayo, Dijon, Salt & Pepper

Assembling:
Slice the top third off the sub roll and hollow out the bottom. Spread a little mayo & dijon on the bottom. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put down a layer of cream cheese. Next, a layer of sliced turkey. Top with onions, jalapenos & tomatoes. Place the sliced cheese on top and spread a layer of mayo and dijon on the top layer of bread before capping off the sandwich. Press the sandwich down a little with your hands.

Cooking:
If you have a panini press, great! Go ahead and press it in that. i don't have a press so I use the two pan method. On the front burner heat a small non-stick skillet. On another burner heat a cast iron pan small enough to fit inside the non-stick pan. Spray a touch of cooking spray in the skillet and place sandwich in. Spray the top well with cooking spray and place the cast iron pan on top to press the sandwich together. Allow to cook for a few minutes and flip and repeat. Cut the sandwich in half and serve.

YUM!

No. More. Tacos.

I made tacos for dinner Monday. I've eaten tacos for dinner every night since. I can not eat anymore. That is one of the few problems of living alone. Cooking for one is tricky. I could either use the entire package of ground beef or, divide it, freeze part and possibly never use the frozen portion. So, I cook the whole package. Then, eat leftovers. And get sick of tacos very quick. This is probably why I don't cook as often as I should. Portion control.

Day Two

Day two of my back in time weekend was fun. I meet up with my friend Cat from high school and a couple friends of hers. We went to a pool party and the laser show. I finally made it home around two am! It was good to get together with her and catch up on the people we've become over the past several years. And it was good to compare notes on the old days. She remembers way more than I do, which is not at all surprising. My memory is awful.

But, I did realize one thing. I'm happy being single. %100 happy. I realized this because one of the friends she brought ended up liking me. And he's a perfectly alright guy. I just have no interest. Zero. And little old me who has so much problem with being assertive is going have to say that right off the bat.

The other thing I realized is that I do want to see that boy from back in high school. I had a big crush on him and I've wondered so much about him over the years. But I suppose that maybe seeing him again will just help me get a little bit of, I don't know, closure? Whatever the reason I really think I need to see him again. Especially now that I've come so close. In order for this to be possible though I'm going to have to go through his sister. That's going to be awkward and I do not know how to approach it.

Day One

Today was day one of my back in time weekend. I went out to my folks place and from there rode with my sister and brother-in-law out to Athens. I meet up with my best friend and got to walk around town and campus a bit. It was nice. Most of what I used to know is gone. Athens has always been one of those towns that changes constantly. But lately it's been gentrifying a good bit. But campus is still the same.

Tomorrow is day two. I'll be meeting up with my good friend from high school. I haven't seen her in about 13 years. I lost touch with a good lot of people freshman year of college. Even more the year after. But senior year in high school was an alright year. It should be good to find out what everyone is up to.

There is one person in particular that I am curious about. Senior year my group of friend included one of the friend's brother. I had quite the crush on him. Very little came of it. Really it was the first time I was interested in the opposite sex. And I was still so shy at the time. Plus, he was younger and I think that had something to with it. I've wondered a lot about him over the past several years. I wondered........was he still alive, was he still in Georgia, was he married, and did he ever wonder what became of me? So I was honestly SHOCKED, when I first messaged the friend I'm meeting tomorrow, to find out that he's been looking for me. So far this is all I know. I hope to find out more tomorrow.

Monday....

Wait, I mean Tuesday. I'm so into this four day work week. Saturday was almost a day off. So it was confusing to go into work this morning. And very strange that everyone else was at work being productive yesterday while I was at Target. There was a bit of catching up to do but not too much. I e-mailed my land lord today about the window but surprisingly haven't heard back yet. I may have to cal if I don't hear back soon. I just want to know that it gets taken care of before Friday. Last night's dinner was twice as delicious as lunch today. I highly suggest the combo. Though perhaps a bit more tomato. What can I say, I'm a Southern girl who loves her tomatoes. I also heard back from that old high school friend. It will be interesting to see what everyone is up to these days and maybe get together sometime.

Conclusion

My random day off ended up more exciting than I had planned. I was leisurely cleaning and all around enjoying my day off when my neighbor started up the lawn mower. He's been mowing our lawn in addition to his for quite some time now. But today, he hit a rock. And it came rocketing through my front window. Needless to say there was glass everywhere. I spent lots of time vacuuming. I'm still not sure I've gotten it all. But I feel comfortable enough to walk around in my stocking feet. I made it to Target and Publix while everyone else was still at work and it was quite nice. Now I'm just cooing dinner while enjoying a glass of wine. Pasta with onions, garlic, potatoes, tomatoes, and pesto sauce. I checked my yahoo account, which I rarely do, and a friend from high-school has found me on my long forgotten facebook account. I messaged her back. It might be nice to catch up with old friends from way back when. Funnily enough, she works at the same company as a friend's ex-girlfriend. And this ex is on my old friend's 'friends' page.

Random Day Off

Once a month, on a Saturday, the company I work for has a psychiatrist come in to see patients and prescribe medication. The office staff rotates out coming in on those days to basically sit with the Dr. This past Saturday was my turn, hence, I am off work today. It's really not a bother since I worked from 8 - 3 and got tons of stuff done. It's amazing how much you can accomplish when the phones aren't ringing and no one is around to ask you to do things for them. The question I hate is 'When will ________ be done?' The answer is 'When you leave me alone so that I can get something completed.' Though of course I never say that. I usually just sigh and say something about how I've been working on it and how nobody wants to see the piles of paper off my desk more than me. But I digress. Today I'm just going to clean house, do laundry and make a trip to the store. I need to hop to it too, because I slept in until 9:30 today and I want to get most of it finished before everyone else gets out of work.

Ink

I'm not sure why I feel such a strong need for a new tattoo. But I do. I have the place, side of my hip/top of the leg. I just need to settle on a design. I'm thinking a a scattering of stars. Sort of like what Kat Von D has above her eye. Something simple. Now, I had this thought a while back, but nixed it because I already have a star. Now I'm really warming up to the idea and am thinking, so what. I'm thinking varying sizes, maybe even two different styles of stars. Traditional and the star-burst twinkle. And of course I'd do them in blue. I have no real meaning or purpose behind this design. Just that I feel the need for a new tattoo and I think it would be pretty. I'm going to think about it for a while.

DOH!

So, I got a letter in the mail today about my car insurance and a form I still need to sign. I start looking for this form because I don't remember receiving anything that needed to be signed, but then, I'm not the best with my mail. I don't find any insurance thing. But I do find my print outs from when I filed my taxes through Turbo Tax. And there it is, I chose direct deposit. I start panicking. I don't remember any large deposits. But then, I am somewhat relieved to log into my online bank account and see that yes, both my state and tax refunds were deposited almost two whole months ago. Doh! This is depressing for two reasons. 1. I had planned on putting some of this into savings. 2. This just shows how much my smaller paychecks have really started to effect my finances. Now in all honesty I probably would have just used that money to pad my checking account anyway. But still. I suppose I should keep my eyes out for the stimulus check to be deposited as well. I'm going to go here to find out about that. Must call auto insurance agent on Monday.

The Hat

So, back in February I bought this little beach hat for my niece. Just a plain white t-shirt fabric hat which I planned to stitch her name on. Knowing that I'd never be able to iron on a design I also picked up a washable fabric pen so I could just draw the letters on the brim. After I got the name written on I decided I really liked this little bumble bee design I saw in my 'Doodle Stitching' book. So, I drew that on to the top part of the hat. Now, I've been VERY lazy about getting this project finished. I got the name stitched on just fine. It was a little tough because the brim is extra thick. But it looks nice. I even managed a french knot for the dot on the 'i'. Then I started in on the bee. Now, this hat is so little that I can't fit it into a hoop. So I've been sort of stretching out the fabric between the fingers of my left hand while stitching with my right. I got the little buzz behind the bee on just fine. And the stinger, though tricky, came out quite nice. But then I started to put on the body of the bee. The design became difficult to follow and the fabric began to pucker. The stripes came out all lumpy and uneven and they didn't match up with the stinger. So, I pulled it all out. I almost cried, but it needed to be done. Now, it's sitting there waiting for me to decide whether I'm going to try to restitch the body, or if I'll pull out the stinger and the buzz and just leave the name.

Dessert

So, I'm sitting here on a Friday night, just being my introverted self. Chillin' with the dog on the sofa and I come across 'Paula's Party'. (Which I normally don't watch) And, this guy, is on the show. Are you kidding me?! O.k. Granted, he's probably gay. But good lord is he gorgeous. And, he's a pastry chef! Chocolate! Now, see, this is what a girl like me wants in a guy. Attractive and good in the kitchen. Are there any guys like this in Atlanta?

Groceries

Now, I've never been what most would consider a healthy eater. But I've been eating really poorly lately. I cooked two meals last weekend, and had the leftovers for lunch three days, but other than that it's been a lot of fast food and frozen crap. I need to start eating better. Which for me just means cooking for myself. Even if that food isn't 'healthy', it's still better than something that comes from a box or a bag. So, I finally got up off my lazy butt yesterday and made it to the grocery store. On the menu for this week: Chicken paprikash, mac 'n' cheese, and cheesy potato cakes. I made the paprikash last night and will take it for lunch tomorrow. The rest will come later in the week. Tonight it's sun-dried tomato polenta. Now, I realize none of these things is all that healthy. I started the paprikash out with bacon, and I plan to put TONS of cheese in the mac. But it's gotta be better than frozen chicken nuggets tossed with hot sauce and served with ranch. Plus while I was at the store I picked up a couple of yogurts. One is Stoney Field farm 'french' vanilla, the other is the oh so delicious yet $2 a pop Fage. This Fage stuff is good. It's Greek style so it's good and thick. They make it where it comes with a side of a mix in like honey or strawberry. But I got a full size, full fat, serving. I was going to top it with my own honey. Then I realized that it'd be even better with pure maple syrup. That will be breakfast tomorrow. Gotta start the week off right.

Taxes

I'm starting to get worried. I used turbotax and filed my taxes back in the beginning of March. I haven't gotten my money back. They've been accepted, but I'm not sure if I chose to pay the extra money to have the direct deposit. I thought I did. But maybe not. Either way, I think I should have seen something by now. The funny thing is, that while I could really use this money, for paying off bills, buying groceries, and putting gas in my car........what I really want, is a new tattoo.

Dinner

Last night's dinner was pasta. I cooked up some spicy Italian sausage, onions & garlic, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and a little cream and tossed it together with a little cheese and bow-tie pasta. Yum. And I had leftovers for lunch today. Though, somewhat less enjoyable due to the proliferation of fennel seeds. I HATE fennel and I'm not a huge fan of spice seeds either. I should have guessed being that its Italian sausage and all. I should have just spent the extra couple of bucks and got the Publix brand. Eh well.

Tonight it's red beans and rice. Started out the way I start my chicken paprikash, with bacon. Nothing makes a dish taste better than using bacon drippings instead of regular cooking oil. Plus, you have bacon for brekkies in the a.m. Oddly enough I'm using smoked turkey sausage in it. I plan to serve it gravy style. Over the rice, instead of cooking the rice in the same pot. The best way, because the beans and sausage are the star of the show anyway.

Clean

I realized something yesterday. Having a clean home isn't just about being neat & sanitary. It's about pride. It's about taking pride in the things you have worked hard for and the life that you get up and go to work for everyday. And it's about respecting yourself enough to be surrounded by a pleasant environment. I've been slacking off even more than usual in the cleaning department lately. I've been a wee bit depressed. But I woke early this morning, around 8, and was ready to start cleaning. I've finished the bathroom where I even vacuumed all the cat grit and mopped. The bedroom just needs clean sheets and a good vacuuming. I have finished round one of dishes and the next step is to clean out the fridge. Tonight I am going to cook something decent for dinner. I've been slacking off in that area too. I went shopping two weekends ago as well as last weekend but have cooked hardly any of the meals I had planned. Tonight I'm going to try and salvage what I can and take the leftovers for lunch tomorrow

As of late

Life has been a blur lately. Work has been crazy because of the audit. And life in general has been, well, depressing. My Dad has cancer. Wow. That's the first time I've seen that in print. We don't know much yet but I'm trying my damned-est to stay positive. It keeps me from crying at work. I'm doing better as of late. I saw my Dad today, at home instead of the hospital, and he seems o.k. He's at home at least. I need desperately to clean my house, especially my kitchen & refrigerator. Tomorrow. Perhaps.