Queen of the Marginally Bright

Nablohfu#$

2008-11-06T13:48:00.000-07:00

I didn't even make it one week this time.

Crud.

2008-11-04T10:58:00.000-07:00

Try It Tuesday

2008-11-04T08:35:00.006-07:00

Mrs. Who has an ongoing carnival called Try It Tuesday. I've been watching for months, but I didn't really have anything to add to the carnival. But then, I realized I do have one for this week.

I love Chai Lattes from Starbucks. Love, love, love em. But who can afford (money and those calories, ugh) to have those every day? When I saw that Coffee-Mate had a Vanilla Chai Spice creamer out, I decided to give it a shot.

This creamer is awesome. It makes my regular work coffee (which is really pretty fantastic stuff, but a little strong) something like a chai latte. I use a little bit more than usual with the strong cups, but it's still great in small bits. If you're a chai fan, then give this a try.

Also, don't forget to check out Mrs. Who's site for other great Try It Tuesday entries!

Bloggy Giveaways Quarterly Carnival: Results (Kinda)

2008-11-03T17:22:00.000-07:00

Well, I've sent four emails out to the winners of my contests, but I've gotten no response so far.

I'll try again tomorrow, but I wonder how long I need to go before calling it and picking new ones?

Bloggy Giveaways

2008-11-02T23:10:00.000-07:00

I gave y'all some additional time (on purpose, yeah yeah that's the ticket) for the giveaways. Stay tuned, the winners announcement will be posted shortly.

2008-11-01T20:28:00.000-06:00

Bloggy Giveaway #2

2008-10-27T18:55:00.006-06:00

Linkies:
Bloggy Giveaway Carnival
All My Giveaways

Don't you just love Etsy? All of those fantastic, handmade treasures. Most of the time, I don't even know that I'm desperately missing something until I see it over there. Someone will link a new found treasure they bought, and then before I know it I've spent several hours Window shopping. (Get it? Windows, window shopping? nevermind.)

Anyway, I was trying to come up with a giveaway that would be open to everyone. International shipping frankly frightens me. I'd hate to sign up to send something to Timbuktu and then flake out because the sheer magnitude of things required kept me in bed with the covers over my head.

So I went looking for something virtual-like. Something that I could send through email, or better yet, have someone send for me. (Now we're talking - less work on my part = awesome.) The perfect answer? An Etsy shopping spree.

Second Giveaway: $50 Etsy Shopping Spree

Photo removed due to possible copyright issues, check the links
First row: Lovely (necklace), Berries and Cream Facial Mask, Striped Puppy
Second row: Hippie Girl (art), Laptop Sleeve, Sumac Natural Edge Bowl
Third row: Bone Head Barrettes, Abominable Snowman Beard, Wall Clock - Motorcycle Part - Harley
Fourth row: Fiery Sock Zombie Puppet, Cupcake Scarf, Gurty Giraffe

You pick your favorite things, and I pay for it. I'll even throw in shipping on top of that (but please, keep it reasonable).

Rules:
1) Open to anyone with a valid email and mailing address (yep, that's all you international folks in this one, I told you I'd figure something out)
2) Contest open until Sunday, Nov 2nd at 5pm
3) Winner will be picked randomly (Random.org) from all the entries
4) One entry/comment per person
5) If we can't come to an amicable decision on the shipping, then I reserve the right to send a gift card instead.

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post. I'll throw in a bonus entry if you leave me a link to one of your Etsy favorites.

PS - Pictures pulled off Etsy mostly at random. I'll remove the mosaic after the contest is over.
PPS - Author of the post does not endorse or represent any of the listed sellers.
PPPS - Well except for the Sock Zombie by underroos. I've got two of them and would be well on my way to a horde if the other half would let me.

Bloggy Giveaway #1

2008-10-27T16:58:00.003-06:00

It's that time of year again folks! The leaves are falling (fallen), the air is turning nippy, and the mountains are putting on their snowy tops.

And bloggers everywhere are giving things away for free. How awesome is that?
(See the full list of Bloggy Giveaways.)

I've been a bit pressed for time this go around, so I'm scrambling to find things to give away. (I know this thing happens every three months and that should theoretically give me three months to get ready, but I could swear the last one just got finished. Didn't it? No? Crap.)

On to the giveaway! I was trolling the granola, breakfast bar aisle at my local store the other day and came to an abrupt halt. Seems Chex has put out a new line of bars. The one that had me drooling was the caramel, turtleish one. I was almost afraid to pull the box down and look at the nutrition (seriously, those things sometimes pack in the same calories as a giant milkshake and then the others manage to pack a ton of blech into 100 calories). These have 150 calories per bar. That's a pretty respectable calorie count (3pts for WW, I do believe) for a snack bar. Ah, but with that kind of calorie count, I figured they were either of the cardboard variety or just enough to whet your appetite and leave you in a serious hunt for the real sweet. So I passed on them.

And then my contact sent me an offer I couldn't refuse. (Sounds so mysterious and important, doesn't it? Much better than saying the ~~weird~~ nice lady on the other end of the computer sent me a sample.) Not only would I get a free box of the very flavor I had been drooling over in the store, but she'd throw in a mini spa kit to sweeten the deal:

Long story short (too late, right?) - these things are pretty damn tasty. I've been taking them to work to get me through that long noshy period between lunch and when-the-hell-are-they-going-to-let-me-go-home. The caramel is sweet and you get all that fantastic crunch stuff that comes with the Chex mix bags (without the temptation of just eating the whole thing, damn the "serving size" nonsense).

Want one? I've got three baskets to give away. Just comment on this post (if you feel like it, tell me what snack or trick you use to get through those noshy times). I'll close the comments at 5pm on Sunday, Nov 2nd and notify the winners.

Rules:
1) Must be a US Resident for this one, sorry folks! I'll work on something that's open to the international Bloggy Giveaway community for the next ones.
2) Must leave a way for me to contact you (valid email address, link to a profile with an address, or link to a blog) and be willing to provide mailing address
3) Must stand on one foot facing away from the computer before hitting submit (just kidding - nobody hurt themselves trying that one)

And, go!

Nothing To See Here, Move Along

2008-10-21T10:36:00.002-06:00

Stupid Rush. Now I have the Jefferson's theme song stuck in my head.

Ahhhh. (Semi-safe for work. The language is cleaned up, but the bikinis are pretty small.)

If you don't watch the whole thing, then at least check it out at around 2:51. Watching Sherman Hemsley (George Jefferson) dance with Nelly is a riot. Specially when Nelly gets Hemsley to do the spank thing.

Free Schtuff

2008-10-15T11:14:00.000-06:00

Want to win a free purse? Go check out the contest at Handbag Planet. They're giving away 24 purses (handbags, whatevs :) in 24 hours.

Thanks to Sueb0b for finding this one for us.

Note: Preposted to keep it on top until the contest ends. Scroll down to (hopefully) see new entries. Woooo!

The Return of the Evil Dead... er... Makeover

2008-10-03T10:19:00.005-06:00

This is awesome. WhatsHisFace sent me his yearbook picture:

*sigh* Isn't he dreeeeaaaammmy?

As for a real makeover, what do you think of this:

Edited to add: I really like that style, am I crazy? What do you think it would look like on the days I don't go crazy with the hair product and it's all tamed down?

(I really need to get a current picture to use on there instead of the one picture I have where Jasmine did my makeup and I look half way decent. False Advertising! Heh.)

My New Makeover

2008-10-01T09:00:00.001-06:00

Heh.

PS - If you wanna play, go here.

My Thoughts

2008-09-30T13:32:00.003-06:00

Over the last few days, this is what keeps running through my brain:

"Maybe that whole guillotine thing wasn't such a bad idea..."

PS - I know, I know. But tell me that there isn't a part of you that would like to round up all those folks who made an obscene amount of money out of this and will likely face no consequences? Karma, that's my only hope. *sigh*

Should Have Been Better

2008-09-30T11:15:00.002-06:00

We went to see Righteous Kill a couple of weekends ago. That's the (semi) new movie with Robert De Niro and Al Pacino.

No spoilers, but I wish it had been better. De Niro and Pacino together carry the movie, but the script really didn't give them any help.

Anybody else see it?

White Trash Food Meme

2008-09-12T12:20:00.000-06:00

So this one is from White Trash BBQ via Queen Mediocretia of Suburbia (thanks back atcha :).

Here’s what you do:

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment at White Trash BBQ or at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

Note: I wikilinked the stuff I had to look up.

The WhiteTrash BBQ Omnivore's Hundred:

Tomato Soup Cake
Turducken
~~Chicken Feet~~
Sauerbraten (And I'm even part German - the shame!)
Limburger Cheese
Asian Pears
Ham Hocks (in green beans count, right?)
Ghee
Corn Bread
Buffalo Mozzarella
Florida Stone Crabs
Som Tum
Oxtails
Sundried Tomatoes
Beef Jerkey
~~Tongue~~
~~Calves Liver~~
Shoofly pie
Pulled Pork
Sour Cream Chocolate Frosting
Bison
Persimmons
~~Monk Fish~~
Hoja Santa Cheese
Whoopee pie
Peking Duck
Sopa de Ajo - Castilian Garlic Soup
Pistolettes
Naan
Country Ham
Jambalaya
Anchovies
Black and White Cookies
Chives
Potato Pancakes
Boudain
Macoun Apples
Brooklyn Pizza
Star Fruit
Dosa
Lutefisk (umm... you have to clean everything immediately because "Lutefisk left overnight becomes nearly impossible to remove" - wtf?)
Rhubarb
~~Scrapple~~
~~Cuitlacoche~~ (not since I know what it is - before that, sure)
Cherry Pierogi
Kumquats
Ambrosia Salad
Taylor Ham
Sardines
Capers
Dungeoness Crabs
Grape Leaves
Pepper Jelly
Hanger Steak
A just picked vine ripened Tomato still hot from the sun
Stuffed Quahogs
Smoked Eggs
Chicken Kiev
Bigos
Andouille
Shropshire Blue Cheese
Real Moonshine
Yuca
Chicken Katsu
Clams on the half shell
Scallion Pancakes
Tamales
Maine Lobster
Picadillo
Romesco Sauce
Sour Cherries
Paella
Gulf Shrimp
Empanada
Fluff
Ostrich
Wild Blueberries
~~Skate~~
Black-eyed Peas
Hatch Chile Peppers
Morels
Water Chestnuts
Massaman Curry
Goose
Jamon Serrano
Knish
Quail Eggs
Gyoza
Conch
Rutabaga
Turtle
Salsify
Hummus
Seviche
Barbecue Baby Back Ribs
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Pine Nuts
Basmati Rice
Pickled Herring
Kohlrabi

What's it say about me that I've tried less on this list than the fancy schmancy one? Does it help that there are only a few on this list that are no-gos (and two or three were for non sustainability reasons more than anything else)?

I've had: 47 of the 100
Will never try: 7 of the 100
Still on the list to try someday: 46 of 100

It's Alive!!!

2008-09-10T15:03:00.002-06:00

Well, we didn't get destroyed when they turned on the Large Hadron Collider, so that's something, right?

New favorite quote:

Mark my words... come Friday, we'll all be eating black holes for breakfast with lashings of superheated strange milk. - PinkyDead via /.

In other news, Ikea announced that they're going to build a store in Denver. Coincidence or the beginning of the end?

I kid, I kid. I want to experience this Ikea thing everyone talks about. I mean, I've been on the Ikea hacks RSS feed for a couple of years. Every time I find something I want to hack/buy - it's not available online.

Dang It

2008-09-09T00:36:00.004-06:00

I'm finishing up the last bit of baking some cookies, and watching Serenity in between. That stupid part still makes me choke up. Stupid Joss.

I am a leaf on the wind - watch how I...

Yeah, What SueB0B Said...

2008-09-06T13:12:00.003-06:00

Go over to red stapler and watch the video or go visit GloZell directly. (LOL - "This is Anx.")

Food List Thing

2008-09-04T11:30:00.001-06:00

(As seen on Red Stapler and countless other ones, I'm sure.)

Copy this list into your blog, including these instructions.
Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
Optional extra: Post a comment at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.
My little add-on: Asterisk anything you had to look up.

1. Venison - Probably, maybe - I dunno?
2. Nettle tea *
3. Huevos rancheros - Mmmm... tasty tasty green chili
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile - Sausage counts, right? Chalk it up to a weird employer.
6. ~~Black pudding~~ - no, no, nononononooooo
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush *
11. Calamari
12. Pho *
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi *
15. Hot dog from a street cart - Best damn hot dog. Evar.
16. Epoisses *
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns - Never again. Ewww.
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries - Blackberry bush as a kid, yummmmm
23. Foie gras - Twice. Once was excellent and the other was so gross I can't even think about it.
24. Rice and beans - Nummy
25. ~~Brawn, or head cheese~~ * - ewww
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper *
27. Dulce de leche - Homemade and store bought. (we got both kinds here, country and western - dude, I don't know just go with it)
28. Oysters
29. Baklava - Best friend's mom in 6th grade made it from scratch *does the Homer gurgle*
30. Bagna cauda *
31. Wasabi peas - Love those things, but I'll eat the whole bag if I open one.
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl - meh on the bowl, love the chowdah
33. Salted lassi *
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar - Does it count if they were separate?
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. ~~Whole insects~~
43. ~~Phaal~~ *
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. ~~Fugu~~ - meh
47. Chicken tikka masala *
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin - Blech, ick, yech, etc etc etc...
51. Prickly pear (mmm, prickly pear margarita)
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty ~~gin~~ martini
58. ~~Beer above 8% ABV~~ - Allergic to something in beer, so nope
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips (soooo not the same as chocolate chips)
61. S’mores - yes, I was a Girl Scout. I'd much rather have just the gooey marshmallow though.
62. Sweetbreads - yes, no, yes, no... eeeeeh
63. Kaolin * ???
64. Currywurst *
65. Durian *
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. ~~Haggis~~
70. ~~Chitterlings, or andouillette~~
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe *
74. Gjetost, or brunost. *
75. ~~Roadkill~~
76. Baijiu *
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum *
82. Eggs Benedict - made even more awesome by subbing green chili for the hollondaise
83. Pocky - nothing special
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. ~~Horse~~
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa *
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. ~~Lobster Thermidor~~
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee - Love.
100. Snake - same boss as the crocodile, weird pizza toppings

Hmm... So stat wise:

I've had: 51 of the 100
Will never try (again): 11 of the 100
Still on the list to try someday: 40 of 100

Yeah, I know the numbers don't add up, but there are a few that I've tried partially.

Randomosity

2008-09-03T15:01:00.003-06:00

Because I'm barely coherent, you get random bullet-thingamajigs:

Saw Babylon A.D. My advice? Wait for the director's cut to come out in the hopes it fixes everything. Or rent it and stop it just after they reach the apartment. You'll know the one. *sigh* What a waste of Vin.
My eye is twitching: "stop contaminating the future-wife pool." (But this is hilarious: "I don’t know where the pressure for women to lie comes from. Must be biological, probably something hard-wired in the Madeitupital Lobe, where the Slutdometer is." Heh, Slutdometer...). I have no idea who this Mike S. Adams dude is, but wow.
PMS + Depression = awesome crying jags for no apparent reason. (Did I say awesome? Yeah. Bleah.)
We You made it, baby! Hallmark, who'd a thunk it?
Aw, man... I had forgotten how much I liked Joan of Arcadia. On the plus side, SciFi is apparently running the show now.
And then my head exploded. The end.

PS - Can you tell I'm catching up with blogs?

Bittersweet

2008-08-29T16:42:00.003-06:00

Such a bittersweet day. We (finally) have half of the presidential tickets as something other than old white men. (Seriously old - McCain is 72?!? The stresses of that job at his age? Oy. I want to be retired well before then.)

It doesn't make it any better that they're from opposite sides of the aisle. I'm not going to switch streams and vote for the Repubs, but I'd love to be proud of a woman who reached such heights even if she was from over there. But because of the way this was done and the way it's being embraced by the webs, I'm well on the road to root against her. That kills me. (I mean, way to go nerd-boys. Turn an intelligent, fearless, powerful woman into just another spank target. Feh, I say FEH.) It also kills me that the local station (850 KOA - full disclosure, they're conservative) prefaced their kudos for Hillary Clinton's speech the other morning by first lampooning her orange pants suit. Seriously? Steffan Tubbs and April Zesbaugh, you two made me pull over on my way to work. If I still had the station phone number saved or could have successfully navigated to the instant message section, I'd have called you both on the carpet when it happened. I was so angry. For shame you two, for shame. In case you don't get why this is so egregious, no man has to endure ridicule of his fashion choices, hairstyle, weight, and/or makeup before they even begin to talk about his actions. She was a hairs breadth away from being a Presidential nominee and this is what we get?

Why is it a woman is still judged first by her fuckability (sorry for being so plain, but that's what it is) before all else? Don't talk to me about shattering glass ceilings, all we have here with Palin is your standard beauty queen raised up to try to garner disillusioned Hillary Clinton supporters. The only thing this reinforces to our little girls and boys is that you have to be pretty (and have the majority of men want to bed you) to be a woman who gets to be given a spot at the big table. Don't miss that last part either - given a spot. Palin didn't run for it. She didn't compete on a national scale against an entire field of men. Palin was plucked out of obscurity (at least for those of us in the lower states) and put on the ticket by a whole bunch of men.

Ugh.

PS - On the bright side, did anybody else notice how heated Obama got when he talked about making sure his daughters got paid the same as "your sons"? I could kiss the man.

PPS - It's not polished and it certainly isn't written well. I just decided to post it as is instead of letting it languish in draft mode because it was so rough.

Feeling Over-Productive?

2008-08-28T14:18:00.002-06:00

Slow. Ass. Addicting. Game.

PS - Oh yeah, Hi! I've been starting posts for days and then just wandering away in the middle. Maybe I'll be up and running soon.

Flickr Thing

2008-07-03T16:33:00.002-06:00

(Stolen/borrowed from flutter...)

Here’s how you play:

type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr search.
using only the first page, choose an image.
copy and paste each of the URL’s into the mosaic maker over at FD’s image maker.

The questions:

What is your first name?
What is your favorite food?
What high school did you attend?
What is your favorite color?
Who is your celebrity crush?
Favorite drink?
Dream vacation?
Favorite dessert?
What do you want to be when you grow up?
What do you love most in life?
One word to describe you.
Your Flickr name.

1. natalie/liad/triples 23, 2. Shakey's Pizza, 3. Foy's, 4. Orange Explosion, 5. Clive Owen, 6. Mojito Sunday, 7. Castle Duart, Isle of Mull, 8. Vanilla Cream Cakes with Pear, 9. happy happy..., 10. alien planet, 11. GUILT, 12. myname

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

Randimosity

2008-06-17T10:42:00.003-06:00

The vote means nothing to women. We should be armed.
Edna O'Brien

Hallo. Nothing much going on over here. Working lots of hours, sleeping badly, etc. How's that for being a Debbie Downer? Heh.

Went to the local Renaissance Festival this weekend. Opening day + two get in for the price of one = lots of flotsam. The level of pretty men in kilts/leather armor was down. I did see at least three guys in ultilikilts though. (Ah man, I can't find the picture of the blacksmith in the kilt anymore. That was a site to see - shoulda saved it off somewhere when I found it the first time, dangitall...) As usual for me at the Ren Fair, I saw a ton of stuff I wanted to buy but couldn't force myself to pay the prices.

Check these guys out:

We drove up to Estes Park on Sunday to the Wool Market. No idea what to expect, except I figured I could find some decent yarn. Turns out it was more for the serious wool folks than the casual hobbyist.

We had a blast wandering through the tents looking at the alpacas, sheep, and (few) angora rabbits. It was also really cool to watch the judging. The judge gave a commentary on each animal listing what he was looking for and why he placed them where he did. It's probably the same for any competition, but it's not like I hang out at livestock shows, you know?

I also spent a small fortune on hand dyed wool yarns. I'd like to make them into a scarf or two, but we'll see if they ever get past the "oooh pretty, must have, put them in the stash" phase.

I took pictures of these two alpacas because they were so cute with the head ruff. Everything else had been shorn down (see the smaller pictures below). I swear, they were posing for me at first. Except the little guy couldn't decide if (s)he was shy or as big a ham as the bigger one.

PS - Oh right, the quote. That's what popped up on the random Quotations Page. It made me smile, so up it went. About the only level of armament I can handle is a golf club. At least when I bean myself with that, it usually only leaves a bruise or a small goose egg.

Broke My Streak

2008-06-11T18:32:00.002-06:00

I promised myself no crying yesterday and I made it, yay me!

Then promptly got kicked in the teeth today and back to ground zero.

Fuckity fuck fuck. This bites.