.This could be the night I've waited for all my frumpy little life.
Or at least since 1985.
Seriously. We'll be front row center. I should probably learn CPR for Jennie for when he does "Flavour of Night." She should learn it for when he does "I Often Dream of Trains."

I'm already feeling a little intimidated just thinking about being that close to him singing one of the most important songs in my personal development. It's gonna be intense.

help for hard times.

Today I am going to clean up my office, bake a caramel apple cake, freeze some hot peppers and onions, stop by the Obama office for a stack of voter registration forms, take myself out for lunch, and get a radical haircut.
Hopefully these small acts will help combat the despair.

Happy Celebrate Bisexuality Day, everybody!
I'm celebrating by not having sex with anybody. My girlfriend's out of town and frankly, boys seem like too much trouble these days. Maybe I'll watch some gay porn later just for the sake of bisexuality day.
Right now I am trying to decide if I should go to either one of the two community involvement meetings going on tonight in which I am interested. One is a Larimer specific planning meeting with some folks from the Urban Lab center at CMU's architecture school, but the flyer I saw on my street the other day has since been torn down and I'm not sure what time. It's at the Kingsley Center though, and this might be just the opportunity I've been looking for to get in there and see what all is going on.
The other thing is a meeting of people who want to volunteer for the gay and lesbian film festival. Again, I am having a devil of a time finding confirmation of the details--I read about it on someone's weblong and now I can't find it again. That one is in Squirrel Hill though, and I don't think I'm really up for making that trek. I might just email the volunteer coordinator later to let them know I'm interested. I have a very evil genius attitude toward the film festival....today I'll take tickets, tomorrow I'll RULE THE WORLD!!!!! Or at least make some good programming decisions. We'll see. I definitely plan to volunteer this year, even if it does mean hauling ass to the southside works every night.
So, you want to know what else I've been up to? Here's some stuff:
1)putting food by: yesterday I went to the farmer's market and got a mess of celery and carrots and peppers and onions and potatoes and garlic and apples and nectarines. Oh, and broccoli. Last night I spent a few hours chopping and blanching and freezing, and now I have celery and carrots for stews and soups and thanksgiving, and peppers I can just pop out of the freezer bag and saute. The Blackberry Meadows farmer (Dave, who used to be a computer programmer!) now recognizes me as the garlic hoarder. I got five heads this week, and I'll probably get more on Saturday at the Firehouse market. They just do the garlic extra good there. Anyway, this weekend I started some red saurkraut with apples and caraway too. And soon I'll start some watermelon pickles. Just watch me.
2)improving media storage: we got a couple of really nice CD cabinets from a couple of really nice liberals on craigslist. the cabinets are gorgeous and make me feel like I live in the record exchange. (please see flickr for photo evidence) then this weekend we got an EXPEDIT! for the records, and now I feel like I also live in the back room at Jerry's. But the media is looking so much better. Rebby got a really nice cabinet (possibly ash? it's all hard wood) at construction junction for $20 and now our stereo components and VHS and DVDs live in there. We just need to find a solution for the cassettes. We have, probably literally, thousands.
3)baking bread. I did a molasses barley bread that turned out pretty good, and before that an oatmeal honey bread that was the bomb. I've taken to using whey from old raw milk as the liquid in my breads and although that means they're NOT VEGAN, I think they keep better. I'm glad to be back on the bread baking wagon.
4)working a lot. including a wedding this weekend that I thought I wasn't working, but ended up doing at the last minute. It was all good though--super easy, nice folks and a good ole doctor daddy tip. Huzzah!
5)contemplating radical hair maneuvers: so I got this goth juice from LUSH and I want to put it to good use. I am thinking of getting a freaky do. Something that can be serviceable right out of the shower or after a long day with a scarf on my head, but can also achieve great heights and volume if I lather on the product. Oh, and maybe color too, though since I've been using the BIG from LUSH I am liking the way my natural+gray is looking. We'll see. Thursday might be the day.
6)trying not to freak out about the country. what else can I say really? shit is whack.

I know making fun of IKEA's names for things is so 1990s, but I was there yesterday and I got some coffee(fifth one over) and I just can't stop cracking up about it.
I haven't tried it yet, so I can't tell you if it really is THAT good.

A more substantial update (hopefully with pictures!) should arrive later today.

AVAST! Today be talk like a pirate day!
Here be today's weblog entries, translated:
jus' waitin' fer th' juice t' flow
very picturesque. very cold.

Fridee, Septembree 19, 2008
These be so great.
I wonder if ye can guess which ones I jus' ordered?

Also, I sent Barak some treasure this evenin'. If ye send th' lad's some treasure this evenin' too, 't be matched 100%. But ye be havin' t' do 't before low tide.

Now I gotta get off th' dang internet an' into th' dang galley t' fry some dang corn fritters.
Dang 't.
posted by alienspice at 6:29 PM 0 comments

I dasn't think I've yet talked about me new boyfriend th' ice cream maker.
We've had some really good times together so far, an' I think th' relationship be headin' in th' starboard direction.
So far, we've made:
basic vanilla--this be our first date. 't turned ou' nearly perfect an' I be raptureous. all I had t' do be mix grog, cream, sugar, an' vanilla. that's 't. he did th' rest. 't be creamy an' set up wondefully. I fell in instant love.

balsamic strawberry--our second date be a wee rocky, but me takes full responsibility. I marinated th' strawberries in brown sugar an' balsamic vinegar, an' then added them in wi' th' grog an' cream. I didna adjust th' liquid amounts fer th' strawberry juice, an' consequently th' volume be too great an' me boyfriend made a big mess all o'er th' counter. also, th' texture be kind o' weird. again, I blame myself. he made th' best o' a bad situation.

ginger peach--by our third date we had a better idee o' what t' expect from each other an' all be golden again. this time I marinated th' peaches an' ginger in sugar, but made a basic vanilla recipe an' then added in th' fruit after th' churnin' be done. th' ice cream got a wee softer than i wanted when I added th' fruit in, but once 't set up 't be all good. this ice cream made me bawl a wee bit 't be so yummy.

Unfortunately, we still had a bunch o' strawberry an' some peach ice cream in th' freezer when th' power sailed' ou'. I tookst th' ice cream in t' work an' let me co workers at 't---'t be funny on accoun' o' one o' me other co workers brought in porto'er weddin' cake th' same tide. 't be a cake an' ice cream party at work! woo!

Last night we had another date---cinnamon banana pecan. I thought I ballsed 't up wi' too much alcohol (banana liquor an' captain morgan) but after a night in th' fridge 't seems arrr. Me boyfriend definitely prefers nay t' deal wi' th' fruit or nuts. I'll let yer mind take that wherereyou like. 'tis better if I mix them in afterwards.

So now I be obsessed wi' makin' freaky ice creams. I be goin' t' do th' salty liquorice, an' now I canna avast thinkin' about tomato ice cream. I be havin' this Sheila Lukins recipe fer tomato marmalade that be jus' tomatoes an' sugar cooked down slowly---I think addin' that t' some cinnamon ice cream might make me head explode. In a good way. Also, swabbies make avocado ice cream, I think? An' me lassie texted me from Maine last high tide' 'ere she be havin' blueberry basil sorbet. Th' possibilities be endless. I'll let me new boyfriend take me anywhere!
posted by alienspice at 6:29 PM 0 comments

These are so great.
I wonder if you can guess which ones I just ordered?

Also, I sent Barak some money this evening. If you send him some money this evening too, it will be matched 100%. But you have to do it before midnight.

Now I gotta get off the dang internet and into the dang kitchen to fry some dang corn fritters.
Dang it.

I don't think I've yet talked about my new boyfriend the ice cream maker.
We've had some really good times together so far, and I think the relationship is heading in the right direction.
So far, we've made:
basic vanilla--this was our first date. It turned out nearly perfect and I was raptureous. all I had to do was mix milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla. that's it. he did the rest. it was creamy and set up wondefully. I fell in instant love.

balsamic strawberry--our second date was a little rocky, but I take full responsibility. I marinated the strawberries in brown sugar and balsamic vinegar, and then added them in with the milk and cream. I didn't adjust the liquid amounts for the strawberry juice, and consequently the volume was too great and my boyfriend made a big mess all over the counter. also, the texture was kind of weird. again, I blame myself. he made the best of a bad situation.

ginger peach--by our third date we had a better idea of what to expect from each other and all was golden again. this time I marinated the peaches and ginger in sugar, but made a basic vanilla recipe and then added in the fruit after the churning was done. the ice cream got a little softer than i wanted when I added the fruit in, but once it set up it was all good. this ice cream made me cry a little bit it was so yummy.

Unfortunately, we still had a bunch of strawberry and some peach ice cream in the freezer when the power went out. I took the ice cream in to work and let my co workers at it---it was funny because one of my other co workers brought in leftover wedding cake the same day. It was a cake and ice cream party at work! woo!

Last night we had another date---cinnamon banana pecan. I thought I ballsed it up with too much alcohol (banana liquor and captain morgan) but after a night in the fridge it seems okay. My boyfriend definitely prefers not to deal with the fruit or nuts. I'll let your mind take that wherever you like. It's better if I mix them in afterwards.

So now I am obsessed with making freaky ice creams. I am going to do the salty liquorice, and now I can't stop thinking about tomato ice cream. I have this Sheila Lukins recipe for tomato marmalade that is just tomatoes and sugar cooked down slowly---I think adding that to some cinnamon ice cream might make my head explode. In a good way. Also, people make avocado ice cream, I think? And my sister texted me from Maine yesterday where she was having blueberry basil sorbet. The possibilities are endless. I'll let my new boyfriend take my anywhere!

Oh My Goodness.

Jilly gifted me with this yesterday after cleaning out her bathroom.
On Tuesday, my LUSH box arrived from Boston, featuring a giant piece of rock star soap.
I am going to smell like a juicy vanilla berry all winter long. Delicious.

Dammit, I just lost a lengthy post because I tried to search for a recipe for red sauerkraut and one of the recipe websites tried to install something on my computer.
Grrr.
Anyway, the short form is it's my day off and I am all about accomplishing lots of things. Perhaps the better way to handle it is to list what I actually DO accomplish later tonight than what I plan to accomplish, anyway? That way I don't have to feel bad about what I don't get done.
Wish me luck.

The power is back!
It actually came back sometime yesterday. I worked a long shift and then decided, what the hey, I'll just hang out at the QS and work on our environmental position statement (oh yes) instead of going home to a dark house. So I ended up staying there for 13 hours, and then I got on the 86B and came home. As I was rounding the corner from Paulson to Mayflower, I saw a Duquesne Light truck headed down my way. I actually called out loud to it "hope you're going to fix my power!" but as I got closer, I could see that my porch light was already on. Huzzah!
Now we just have to retrieve the stuff from the Quizzle. By the time rebby got home tonight and we had dinner we didn't much feel like dealing with it, so it will have to be tomorrow.
On a completely unrelated note, why is Brad Pitt trying so hard to win my love? First, the thing in New Orleans. Then, he and Ange donated 2 mil to fight HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia. And now this. What's up Brad? I think maybe Ange wants to double date or something.

Hey guys!
I'm writing to you from the Quiet Storm. My computer has always been super fussy about connecting to the Verizon wireless here, but today I messed around until I figured out how to do it.
BECAUSE......our power is still out. Since 8:30pm Sunday night. Everywhere around our block, even the other end of the street, has power. I can't see any downed lines in our immediate vacinity, and yet....we're last on the list for some reason. Could it be that we live in a very poor area? Hmm.
Anyway, so all the stocking up I did last week...a big pot of brown rice, ratattouille, black beans, for lunches and dinners.....it's vectoring slowly downwards toward spoilage. As of last night stuff in the fridge was still pretty chilly, but I think the beans at least are going to have to go. And all the accumulated dairy products in there (except the yogurt by golly!) I'm (trying) not (to) freak(ing) out about our freezer full of meat...especially the lamb chops and roasts we got on Saturday. Sources say that the chest freezer will hold temp for at least 48 hours. We're just now going on 36. Gulp.
I mostly feel like a spoiled asshole for even making a deal out of this when there are people all over the country losing their homes and everything as a result of these storms. So yeah, I'm mildly inconvenienced. And we'll just have to rebuild our stores once things get back to normal. I do feel justified, though, in being pissed off that power in the wealthier areas of town was restored almost immediately, whereas we and our neighbors (some of whom have medical conditions) are still waiting. Yeah, capitalism.

It's vacation time, brothers....

Tomorrow morning REALLY REALLY early we will get up and drive to the airport and get on a plane to Boston! We're going for a long weekend to attend Queen For A Day, eat at Dali, go to the beach, eat at Kowloon, and hang out with the sisters and bunnies. (there is a new bunny---don't know if I mentioned her. Can't wait to meet Lilly!)
Hopefully we'll also get to hang out with Neil a little bit. Hopefully also go to one of my many favorite breakfast spots in Boston. It will be nice to unwind for a few days, that's for sure.
In a fit of weird compulsive mania, I decided that I would have to clean the bathrooms, stove and kitchen sink before we go. Who knows. All I know is it is now 9:30pm and I still have to wait for the dryer to finish so I can finish packing so I can get some sleep so I can wake up at 3:30am to get to the airport by 4:30am. Woah.
It will all be worth it no doubt.
As the sisters' household is extremely plugged in, I might check in during the trip.
I'll definitely try to take some good pictures this time! I've never been very good at bringing out the camera, but Europe helped.
See yunz guys on Sunday!
xoxo