tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40778573027739272722011-11-22T20:24:02.549-07:00sporadic musings on what tickles me.Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608374689640111331noreply@blogger.comBlogger130125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4077857302773927272.post-77392416210194292522010-02-03T20:35:00.001-07:002010-02-03T20:35:51.161-07:002010-02-03T20:35:51.161-07:00

http://jwmisadventures.wordpress.com

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608374689640111331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4077857302773927272.post-21770687237458370072010-01-13T21:47:00.000-07:002010-01-13T21:47:39.942-07:002010-01-13T21:47:39.942-07:00

If we were playing word association games and you shouted the word 'switch' at me, I'd respond with 'Will Smith.' If you don't remember his 2005 segue into almost real-ish hip hop I suggest you look it up. You'll be singing it all day. It was a solid hit Will, I give you that. I am going somewhere with this. Tonight we ate at a restaurant called Switch, and not only was it amazing, but I have

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608374689640111331noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4077857302773927272.post-23062470055389986002010-01-12T21:02:00.000-07:002010-01-12T21:02:08.070-07:002010-01-12T21:02:08.070-07:00

We love Thai food in this house. Sometimes we're bold enough to experiment with making our own. Tonight was a success, and so simple: We cooked some onions and mushrooms in a skillet and added frozen green beans. I suppose you could add any veggies you like. Next we added a jar of Thai red curry sauce (we got it at Safeway) and a can of light coconut milk from Trader Joes. Season as you wish

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608374689640111331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4077857302773927272.post-63317535690137405362010-01-12T19:02:00.001-07:002010-01-12T21:03:31.927-07:002010-01-12T21:03:31.927-07:00

When we moved into our house last year the backyard was closed in with a chainlink fence. We wanted a more secure fence for our dogs (and ourselves) so we had a masonry company come put in a six foot tall block wall. Up until two weeks ago this seemed to do the trick in containing the pups. Our surprise came two weekends ago when we heard Bruno barking like crazy at the neighbors dogs. This is

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608374689640111331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4077857302773927272.post-10065316624583453702010-01-05T21:21:00.000-07:002010-01-05T21:21:55.688-07:002010-01-05T21:21:55.688-07:00

It's rare to discover a restaurant on a whim that exceeds all of your expectations, but tonight we succeeded. I tend to spontaneously buy any Groupon that's close to the house, and jumped on one for Fuego Bistro last month. I paid $10 for a $30 credit. I remain obsessed with Groupon, but that's really for another post. I'm glad we looked this place up before we headed out because we never

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608374689640111331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4077857302773927272.post-23552160323506455482010-01-03T19:09:00.000-07:002010-01-03T19:09:43.366-07:002010-01-03T19:09:43.366-07:00

This is embarrassing, but until this weekend I had no idea what a dumpling was. I associated it with it's Asian cousin the pot sticker - ok gyoza, but really had no clue. I had a predetermined dislike for dumplings based on their named. Too similar to Humpty Dumpty or something. But...ever since we started dating Jim's been asking me to learn how to make chicken and dumplings. I'd been

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608374689640111331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4077857302773927272.post-76125397312036293802009-12-29T10:33:00.011-07:002009-12-29T18:57:27.384-07:002009-12-29T18:57:27.384-07:00

I’ve eaten meat my entire life. Despite a prolonged resentment toward hamburgers (ages five through eighteen), I’ve never thought to eliminate it from my diet. In fact, during my years living with Anna, I often pressured my sweet vegetarian friend to ‘just try it.’ This is why I find it somewhat astonishing that about a month ago I became completely repulsed with the idea of meat. I’d like to

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608374689640111331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4077857302773927272.post-92108058238452845412009-12-24T23:57:00.004-07:002009-12-29T18:58:08.907-07:002009-12-29T18:58:08.907-07:00

I started today on a mission. I will not get the Christmas Blues. What are the Christmas Blues you ask? A unique phenomena affecting Jewish people in largely Christian communities. Every December 24 to 25 you're suddenly isolated. Your friends are all busy, stores are closed, the only music you hear is Christmas-themed...even restaurants are closed (aside from Asian establishments - bless you

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608374689640111331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4077857302773927272.post-49293063441819731602009-12-24T16:59:00.000-07:002009-12-24T16:59:21.700-07:002009-12-24T16:59:21.700-07:00

Tis the season...

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608374689640111331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4077857302773927272.post-6157814204131787262009-12-12T23:42:00.002-07:002009-12-29T19:02:12.569-07:002009-12-29T19:02:12.569-07:00

I think you'd have to be a circus freak not to love puppies. SERIOUSLY. These fuzzy-cuddly-squeaky-squirmy little packages of joy are proof that overall - life is good. In fact, puppies are going quite mainstream lately. Evidence below: Example One: The Puppy Bowl. I stumbled across this joy fest last year and almost passed out with glee. It's like the world has finally evened the score for

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608374689640111331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4077857302773927272.post-70245518196742859632009-12-07T23:38:00.002-07:002009-12-29T18:58:28.041-07:002009-12-29T18:58:28.041-07:00

Jim and I started dating almost three years ago. During our entire courtship (I refuse to call it anything else) he's been with the same company, while I've transitioned through several jobs and one unfortunate-yet-miraculous layoff. For the majority of our time together, we've been challenged by having different work schedules and different days off. And this whole time I've gotten sad looks

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608374689640111331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4077857302773927272.post-61365307077256539062009-12-06T22:23:00.005-07:002009-12-29T18:59:07.671-07:002009-12-29T18:59:07.671-07:00

Today I decided that I could no longer procrastinate; I had to start my holiday shopping. I started at PetSmart, because yes, the puppies get presents. I was pleased at how calm the store environment was, despite predicted holiday craziness. My only obstacle was Santa trying to get me to pose for a picture with him. Sorry St. Nick - that's not my style. Next I went to Marshall's where I found a

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608374689640111331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4077857302773927272.post-81858640317957596682009-12-03T21:42:00.002-07:002009-12-03T21:43:47.079-07:002009-12-03T21:43:47.079-07:00

So you failed. Alright, you really failed.  You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed.  You wanna be really great?  Then have the courage to fail big and stick around.  Make them wonder why you're still smiling. 

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608374689640111331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4077857302773927272.post-52322294520721538922009-11-29T00:06:00.000-07:002009-11-29T00:06:51.882-07:002009-11-29T00:06:51.882-07:00

I stole an idea from my brother and gave all my friends an assignment this Thanksgiving. I wanted everyone to keep an ear out for any obscene or unusual one-liners spoken by the people they were celebrating with, and to then e-mail them to me. I had an overwhelming outpouring of submissions, and have to share a portion of them. Please note these comments are taken completely out of context, so

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608374689640111331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4077857302773927272.post-43480744426940382352009-11-28T23:50:00.002-07:002009-12-29T18:59:39.813-07:002009-12-29T18:59:39.813-07:00

My favorite dessert is apple pie with vanilla ice cream. Sadly, I don't have the time or caloric allowance to enjoy this as often as I'd like. I've figured out an easy way to create almost the same result with much less effort and calories. step one: butter a small baking dish step two: slice a few apples into very thin slices (you can add in pears, berries, etc) step three: toss sliced fruit in

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608374689640111331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4077857302773927272.post-22530943814973331702009-11-23T19:29:00.000-07:002009-11-23T19:29:41.841-07:002009-11-23T19:29:41.841-07:00

This weekend Nicki and I started out at the Downtown Phoenix Public Market... You can get so much cool stuff, all locally grown and super cheap. I picked up an acorn squash, a bag of potatoes and some zucchini all for about $3. After the market we stopped by my friend/neighbor Emily's art show. Emily is an inspiration - she makes beautiful jewelry and pieces of art out of recycled tin. She

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608374689640111331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4077857302773927272.post-83774660936069912772009-11-22T19:46:00.001-07:002009-12-29T18:58:49.835-07:002009-12-29T18:58:49.835-07:00

I improvised a few recipes and ended up with the best lasagna I've ever made. Really light and lots of flavor. Sauce: Saute one chopped onion, one chopped zucchini, some chopped mushrooms and a few cloves of minced garlic in olive oil. After veggies are soft, add on can of diced tomatoes (don't drain it). Add some basil and oregano, salt and pepper. Filling: Mix one 15 ounce container of

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608374689640111331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4077857302773927272.post-47295600281771714302009-11-17T21:52:00.003-07:002009-12-29T19:00:05.422-07:002009-12-29T19:00:05.422-07:00

My brother has a mancrush on Peter Bregman. Yeah bro, I just called you out.  To the untrained eye PB may look like just a regular guy, but dig deeper and you'll discover that he is so much more. Take a closer look at Mr. Bregman and you'll see that he is the epitome of cool. He exudes charisma. He bleeds authenticity.   Dan's been pushing this guys writing and business blog on anyone who'll

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608374689640111331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4077857302773927272.post-25367778454206257142009-11-15T21:31:00.000-07:002009-11-15T21:31:45.662-07:002009-11-15T21:31:45.662-07:00

I recently met up with an old friend and spent the evening catching up. When I mentioned my upcoming plans to run a ten-mile race he really wanted to know why I was doing this. His questions weren't out of contempt - he just  wanted to understand my motivation. I gave a textbook answer; running was good for my health. This satisfied his curiosity but I felt like it was artificial. Aaaaannd I

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608374689640111331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4077857302773927272.post-44127549255722449532009-11-12T21:00:00.001-07:002009-11-15T21:50:47.483-07:002009-11-15T21:50:47.483-07:00

Well, all the Web sites were right, just wait ten days and the smell is gone. It's sick to think about a decomposing rodent in the attic but I figure soon enough I'll forget about it. My favorite realtor found a way to bring a little humor to the situation...

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608374689640111331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4077857302773927272.post-48138919717742194512009-11-09T20:28:00.000-07:002009-11-09T20:28:23.968-07:002009-11-09T20:28:23.968-07:00

Last week Jim and I noticed a bad smell in the hallway by our water heater. It seemed to come and go so at first we tried to ignore it and blame it on the dogs. Then it started to get really bad. Jim was concerned that we might have a gas leak, so he and his dad set to work making sure we didn't. I had no idea that spraying soap bubbles on a gas line can reveal a potential leak. Fortunately,

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608374689640111331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4077857302773927272.post-71309058008567696022009-11-08T10:31:00.009-07:002009-12-29T19:00:24.501-07:002009-12-29T19:00:24.501-07:00

Below is a recent entry about pitbulls from a Newsweek blog I love, The Human Condition. I kind of get on a soapbox about this issue because it's so grossly misunderstood. These dogs do have a tendency to be aggressive toward other dogs and small animals when not properly trained and socialized, it's what they were originally bred for, but recent research and studies of breed behavior found

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608374689640111331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4077857302773927272.post-70182062159960617812009-11-07T09:03:00.003-07:002009-11-07T18:46:28.557-07:002009-11-07T18:46:28.557-07:00

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608374689640111331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4077857302773927272.post-38877442014860660322009-11-06T22:54:00.003-07:002010-01-13T21:21:10.251-07:002010-01-13T21:21:10.251-07:00

I'm continuing my quest to explore new Phoenix Restaurants. Here are some recent reviews... Tutti Santi: We went to this Italian place for Katie's birthday and I was impressed. I had eggplant parm and Jim ordered the special, all kinds of seafood in a tasty red sauce. The food was fabulous and all four of us finished our entrees. Actually, both girls finished and the guys were close. It was a

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608374689640111331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4077857302773927272.post-52691001237973455532009-11-01T19:37:00.000-07:002009-11-01T19:37:56.772-07:002009-11-01T19:37:56.772-07:00

Sometimes I get the urge to go to yard sales for no reason at all. One such urge presented itself this weekend and this time I had a partner in crime since Bailey agreed to accompany me. It takes a true friend to wake up at 6 a.m. on a Saturday to go dig through strangers' crap with you. Our first stop was an estate sale in Paradise Valley I found on craigslist. We arrived just as it started at

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608374689640111331noreply@blogger.com1