tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-184779722012-02-09T20:17:30.767-05:00Star-spangled, sparkly, (and occasionally very dark) musings by Valerie.Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12021793043524419799noreply@blogger.comBlogger201125vggalaxyhttp://feedburner.google.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18477972.post-10692994571636999652012-02-09T20:17:00.000-05:002012-02-09T20:17:30.774-05:002012-02-09T20:17:30.774-05:00

In English class once in high school, we had a discussion about what it means to have arrived. You have to say it like that, with the italics. I can't remember which literary character or author had done the arriving in our discussion, but I never forgot the phrase. To "have arrived" means something along the lines of  having "achieved the ultimate success." A few days ago, sitting at the office

Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12021793043524419799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18477972.post-47762974253035321112012-01-29T18:22:00.000-05:002012-01-29T18:22:52.260-05:002012-01-29T18:22:52.260-05:00

Is it just me, or is macaroni and cheese getting a lot of attention in the media these days? Every time I check out at the grocery store, I see some other cooking magazine touting its unbeatable macaroni recipe. Maybe it is just me, because macaroni and cheese is probably one of my favorite foods, and when macaroni is mentioned, I am bound to take notice. And lately, I've been trying a lot of

Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12021793043524419799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18477972.post-2934717005960044862012-01-23T20:06:00.000-05:002012-01-23T20:06:24.300-05:002012-01-23T20:06:24.300-05:00

When you have worked the last six years in a beverage-focused field and also magically start receiving Shape magazine in the mail without ever subscribing, you end up reading a lot of things about the health benefits of various drinks. Things like: Mystery coffee ingredient boosts protection against Alzheimer’s  Coffee lowers depression risk in women up to 20%: 10-year study Coffee consumption

Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12021793043524419799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18477972.post-74560198093994984462012-01-15T14:42:00.001-05:002012-01-15T14:43:06.431-05:002012-01-15T14:43:06.431-05:00

This is the tale of the confluence of a series of events leading to another Adventure in Cooking!  I love sweetened condensed milk. I eat it straight out of the can because I do not love my arteries nearly as much. Recently, I bought a can of the stuff and discovered, upon reaching home, that it was dented at the rim. I am OK with a dent anywhere else on a can, but if it's on the rim, I worry

Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12021793043524419799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18477972.post-64678677592913703692012-01-14T11:25:00.002-05:002012-01-15T14:39:09.791-05:002012-01-15T14:39:09.791-05:00

As my second week as a real office employee was passing by, I gathered my thoughts for future blogging and tried to put them into words. This proved to be difficult. Not because I didn't have the words, but I didn't have anywhere to put them. When I was working at home, I had a text file where I stored all my thoughts and blog topics. When I worked at MOM, I just never had thoughts. On the rare

Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12021793043524419799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18477972.post-76223966711831956022012-01-11T23:07:00.000-05:002012-01-11T23:07:01.497-05:002012-01-11T23:07:01.497-05:00

So, since I first proposed making a name for myself in the grammar world, some research has revealed that, as far as catchy pen names go, "Language Lady" is just as already-taken as "Grammar Girl," but "Li'l Language Lady" isn't! So guess how I hereby christen myself! The beautiful irony of this moniker is that li'l is probably one of the world's best examples of the worst grammar one could

Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12021793043524419799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18477972.post-27980559315601499592012-01-08T10:31:00.002-05:002012-01-08T10:31:39.692-05:002012-01-08T10:31:39.692-05:00

I can confidently say, after 1 week (4-day) of work at my new job, that I know everything there is to know about the University of Maryland. But I would be telling a big fat lie. I don't even know about my department! I think it will be weeks before I fully understand the nature of my job, but at least, on Monday, I will get schooled in the basics of life at the University. Monday is an

Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12021793043524419799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18477972.post-92055754343786355002012-01-03T19:17:00.000-05:002012-01-03T19:17:57.908-05:002012-01-03T19:17:57.908-05:00

My first day at work was much like my first day at the last and only other desk job I ever started. It was spent "setting up:" waiting for my network ID to be established, waiting for my voicemail password to be reset, waiting for my email address to become active, waiting for my email inbox to become active, and cleaning the office. Lots of cleaning the office. I am pleased to report that I

Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12021793043524419799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18477972.post-81324815466451669352012-01-02T17:36:00.000-05:002012-01-02T17:36:05.290-05:002012-01-02T17:36:05.290-05:00

Yesterday's post introduced you to my favorite songs of 2011. Today's post will introduce you to the songs that didn't quite make the list, mainly because there were significant things about them that I just didn't like—to wit, the words. Now, everyone knows I'm a lover of words. I blog compulsively, Scrabble is my favorite game, and I relish in inserting repartees in conversation (bonus if it's

Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12021793043524419799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18477972.post-89812453500853374132012-01-01T23:21:00.001-05:002012-01-01T23:23:40.726-05:002012-01-01T23:23:40.726-05:00

I had a hard time picking out my favorite songs of 2011, because mainly the music that I liked this year came in 20-second snippets. If forced to select my top 3, I choose these, but I don't feel nearly as much affection for them as I do for the hooks, bridges, and backbeats I will describe next. 3. (defun botsbuildbots () (botsbuildbots)) This one comes from the Portal 2 soundtrack. Now, I love

Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12021793043524419799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18477972.post-29397627950822737102011-12-29T23:03:00.000-05:002011-12-29T23:03:05.746-05:002011-12-29T23:03:05.746-05:00

So yummy I couldn't even wait to take a picture before I started eating 'em! As promised long ago, I am finally reviewing Liz Lovely's chocolate chip cookies, also known as Cowgirl Cookies. I'll let you know straight off that I'm pretty impressed. Just as advertised, they are soft and chewy and very much like cookie dough, right down to the crunchy little sugar crystals that definitely

Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12021793043524419799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18477972.post-50117834432131135752011-12-18T22:36:00.000-05:002011-12-18T22:36:42.424-05:002011-12-18T22:36:42.424-05:00

Once upon a time, before I was mercifully removed from the dating scene, I went on a terrible date that ended with me in tears. Well, about half of my dates ended that way, but I knew in advance this particular dismal finish was coming when my every phone conversation with this potential match left me full of contempt for him and his persecution complex. He was always mad at someone who had

Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12021793043524419799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18477972.post-38739741680171306352011-12-16T20:30:00.000-05:002011-12-16T20:30:57.088-05:002011-12-16T20:30:57.088-05:00

Despite my first official day at my new job not being until January 2, my new coworkers were still kind enough to invite me to their holiday party, held today at 1:30. While I am loath to attend parties, I knew this one was vital to my future social success, so I sucked up my fears and RSVP'ed yes. I bolstered my enthusiasm by allowing myself to wear a pretty swell outfit that will no doubt make

Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12021793043524419799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18477972.post-11914906524074512042011-12-14T11:05:00.000-05:002011-12-14T11:05:01.210-05:002011-12-14T11:05:01.210-05:00

The most recent episode in the Bedbug War has proved inconclusive. I finally scheduled an appointment with the bug sniffing dog late in November, but the first available appointment was December 8. So I spent two agonizing weeks waiting for my answers. December 8 came and went without the arrival of the bedbug dog, and I was finally informed at 5:00, after waiting 4 hours, that my inspector was

Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12021793043524419799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18477972.post-35675883310156442132011-12-11T21:37:00.001-05:002011-12-11T21:40:09.173-05:002011-12-11T21:40:09.173-05:00

In the past, I have occasionally been known for my mastery of sarcastic wit, but never for my quick wit, which is why it takes me, on average, a whole year to come up with two jokes. Because good things take time, my annual outpouring of hilarity must necessarily be the epitome of greatness—and thus, deserving of much attention and renown. And so, on this, the momentous occasion of 1 year, a

Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12021793043524419799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18477972.post-42502854029034217132011-12-10T18:21:00.000-05:002011-12-10T18:21:55.887-05:002011-12-10T18:21:55.887-05:00

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away... Oh, that's a different new hope. Let me try this again. Not too long ago, in a Galaxy that was actually, well, this one, I made my sad farewells to two jobs I've known and loved. Despite all my sentimental attachment, though, it was clearly time to move on. Here's why: Driving a scoop through a compacted brick of raisins is not exactly easy on your

Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12021793043524419799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18477972.post-69281073264838256612011-12-06T19:08:00.002-05:002011-12-06T19:14:26.334-05:002011-12-06T19:14:26.334-05:00

I'm starting to have separation anxiety. For six years – the entire time I have lived in Maryland – I have worked for my store and my nonprofit. I've had my ups and downs with both jobs, and thought about quitting many times, but never have I actually done it. As the moments until my last day at the store tick down, I'm starting to feel sentimental. I love my coworkers. I love how we can act

Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12021793043524419799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18477972.post-30595740151128404762011-11-24T12:50:00.001-05:002011-11-25T13:02:13.840-05:002011-11-25T13:02:13.840-05:00

A big exciting thing happened to me yesterday: I received a job offer from the University of Maryland. Ever since my second interview on Monday (read The Unfashionista for a shoe-centric account of the events leading up to it), I've been living in a state of anxiety, waiting to find out if I was the one out of three to make the cut. Today, the call came in. When I heard the voice of the

Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12021793043524419799noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18477972.post-13056990668274675542011-11-09T18:48:00.000-05:002011-11-09T18:48:50.349-05:002011-11-09T18:48:50.349-05:00

Today, suddenly consumed with a burning need to have more information on bedbug extermination, I called two of the PCO's that I had called previously. Really, information was all I wanted, but before I knew it, I had an appointment for another inspection at 2 this afternoon. The inspector arrived and was awed by our prep work (all the furniture was still pulled away from the walls, and most of

Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12021793043524419799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18477972.post-5634913623017699402011-11-07T18:33:00.000-05:002011-11-07T18:33:15.836-05:002011-11-07T18:33:15.836-05:00

I spoke too soon. Immediately after I submitted the last post, I got an email from my doctor saying one of my tests had come back positive, and she was going to consult a gastroenterologist about it. I re-read my results and whoa, what do you know? She was right. Thank heavens I have selective vision, or I would have freaked out all over again. However, I had a lot more confidence in my health

Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12021793043524419799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18477972.post-25208726273570601282011-11-04T16:46:00.000-04:002011-11-04T16:46:22.020-04:002011-11-04T16:46:22.020-04:00

Early in October, I went on a much-needed vacation that got a passing mention in this blog. What I didn't mention was that while I was there, I started experiencing this incessant abdominal pain. Well, without going into too great a detail about my bathroom habits, I will say that I was diagnosed with IBS almost 10 years ago, and abdominal pain is nothing new to me. However, incessant abdominal

Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12021793043524419799noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18477972.post-10522171516466284122011-10-30T18:01:00.000-04:002011-10-30T18:01:29.058-04:002011-10-30T18:01:29.058-04:00

I have reached a point where there is no more cleaning or research I can do regarding the bedbugs (Since laying down the diatomaceous earth on my mattress, I haven't received a new bite in 4 days—I can almost imagine they're gone), so I am forced to go back to an almost normal mode of living. Almost normal inasmuch as I still choose my daily outfit by whatever I can find near the top of my

Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12021793043524419799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18477972.post-86384345687095289012011-10-27T08:15:00.002-04:002011-10-27T08:15:52.013-04:002011-10-27T08:15:52.013-04:00

Yesterday, I surrounded the entire base of my bed with a thick layer of diatomaceous earth. This is what Josh did to his bed months ago and it seemed to protect him from any new bites. However, in reading about bedbug prevention, I have learned that more is not better, in the case of diatomaceous earth, as a thick coating acts as a bedbug repellant, whereas a light dusting doesn't deter the bugs

Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12021793043524419799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18477972.post-4534335787020541932011-10-24T20:13:00.000-04:002011-10-24T20:13:59.876-04:002011-10-24T20:13:59.876-04:00

Alas, two new bites last night. Some people say you can get delayed reactions to bedbug bites, but I'm not biting (er, buying) it. I guess some head-wall-interaction is in my future. I'm also beginning to think that I may just have to fork over the couple of thousand dollars needed for the big guns. Called another exterminator today (we're calling them PCO's [for Pest Control Operator] over at

Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12021793043524419799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18477972.post-28864901226125516592011-10-23T16:52:00.000-04:002011-10-23T16:52:49.093-04:002011-10-23T16:52:49.093-04:00

The past two days, I did nothing but battle bedbugs. I got home Friday afternoon and continued the neverending task of bagging all my possessions and getting ready for some chemical warfare. On a related note, after seeing the giant pile of garbage bags in the basement, my boyfriend forced me to watch an episode of Hoarders, which is a documentary TV show about people with hoarding disorders.

Valeriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12021793043524419799noreply@blogger.com0