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Mon Jun 11, 2007
No props for Real Simple.
Last year I found this cool magazine that often has lots of useful tidbits and stuff. It's called Real Simple. I love this magazine. Even Wendell thinks it's cool. However, in the June 2007 issue, we found reason to dock Real Simple a few points.
The offending piece is here. It's at the bottom of the article. For those who don't want to read the entire piece, here's the portion I'm talking about:
"Although it’s commonly known as a Popsicle in the United States, in England it’s an 'ice lolly.' Hawaiians have given it the melodic moniker aikalima 'au..."
WTF?? I have lived here my entire life and never have I heard anybody call a popsicle "aikalima 'au." Who's in charge of checking on this information? Maybe they're not doing their job.
If, however, it turns out everyone else in this state besides me calls a popsicle aikalima 'au, please correct me and I will gladly acknowledge my ignorance. Please. I would rather be wrong than find another magazine that does not confirm the information it publishes.
the fan 
still waiting for nails to dry and annoyed at RS
Reading!
I am an extremely picky reader. Maybe it comes from years of being a library shelver and an english major. It's frustrating though, because it ultimately means I can hardly find anything to read that I enjoy.
The last author I really enjoyed was David Sedaris. The most recent series I really liked was the Harry Potter books (next movie July 11! YEAH!). Then nothing for a long, long time. I stuck to my staples of Entertainment Weekly and F1 magazines for months on end.
Now I've found a new author who is just as awesome as Sedaris: Bob Tarte. He's just as entertaining and dry as Sedaris, but he writes of the trials and experiences of keeping pets, many kinds of pets, at home. As any pet owner knows, each animal does have a personality. Bob presents his personal experiences and the behavior of the numerous animals in his and his wife's care. It hits especially close for me because I miss all of my animals, and can identify with the joys of accomplishing little things and connecting with pets.
Anyway, I plan to send his first book which I've just finished, Enslaved by Ducks, to my mom to read. She would totally identify with it. I've started his second book, Fowl Weather, yesterday and I will probably be done by the week's end.
I highly recommend this author to anyone who loves David Sedaris.
At the moment I am waiting for my nails to completely dry. It was time for a complete overhaul and I am glad to report that I am once again back to my favorite deadly red. However, about half an hour ago I tested one of them and was rewarded with a dent, which I had to repair. *sigh* More waiting now.
I swear, black and red are my favorite colors now. Red is even in my hair (I recolored this weekend). If I ever get married, those will be my colors. Sorry, happy people - it will be DARK!
Girl, Interrupted on tv happy
Mon Jun 04, 2007
More trip notes
This weekend was my first time eating at Eggbert's on Kauai. My exbf always used to go there and raved about the eggs benedict, but I'm not a big fan of that. They used to be near the sugar cane/bagasse factory in town but then they went away. I don't remember if they moved or opened a sister restaurant in Kapaa, but someone told me the latter is what happened.
Anyway, they have different types of pancakes which I unfortunately didn't try this time. I would have gone for a short stack but the specialty stuff ran upwards of $6 for just two cakes. Instead I opted for the ham and cheese omelet, and that ham rocked! I mean that in terms of taste and substantial size, but in addition the omelet was thoroughly stuffed with ham. This was a situation of having eggs with my ham instead of a ham omelet.
It was a nice weekend of not really doing anything and honestly, it's been a long time since I've had a weekend like that. Renting a car was awesome (this was my first time). The experience itself wasn't the awesome part - the not having to bother anybody to pick us up and borrow a car or take us anywhere was! I'm so gonna do this from now on.
I just missed the $9 fare specials but I'm not complaining about the $25 fares I got! It was the first time I went over on one airline and back on the other. Hey, price dictates!
PotC: CotBP on tv okay
Sun Jun 03, 2007
Another trip home
I just got back from another weekend trip home. It was a nice 3 days of doing nothing. It seems that every time I go home, while it is for a special event of some kind, I still end up not really doing anything. That's actually a good thing, because I prefer these visits to be a break from my regular routine.
I don't know anyone graduating this year, but all high school graduations were held last Friday. Although I've heard of Project Grad, it started a long time after I graduated so I'm not familiar with the concept since I didn't know anyone in high school anymore. I would have loved to escape the family for a weekend, but considering I didn't really have friends in high school probably would have made it a pretty miserable experience.
We played tourist and cruised Coconut Plantation again just for fun. There's a lot of open vendor spaces and it's been that way for a long time, but there was one space that is now serving as the sales office for the new and yet upcoming Coco Palms condos.
There's a miniature model of the grounds and buildings which looks very cool. The sales lady informed us that all the existing structures will be demolished (they are in very poor shape, after all) and all new condos (4 buildings) and rental cottages (about 50) will be erected in their place. The area fronting the highway will be entirely redone and more entrances will be added. The recreation center at the back of the grounds will be expanded and upgraded, but the zoo will not be coming back. Yes, it was a scary zoo but it was my first zoo nonetheless.
The sales office had a kitchen and bathroom sample built into it, and all I can say is they look awesome. Very expensive wood paneling and stone, blah blah blah. I don't have 5.5 million for a 3 bedroom suite, though, sorry.
I ate at Wahooo for the first time this weekend. It's a bar and grill near the Kapaa Foodland. The food was okay but the dining experience was rather...swarmy. Unfortunately, it is an open air restaurant. I say "unfortunately" because this feature, coupled with a complete lack of wind that evening, resulted in swarms of black stinkbugs hovering at every light fixture in the place.
The bugs just being there was not a problem, but they didn't mind their own business. They decided to fall into everything, and I mean everything, on our table. They drowned in our water, cruised on the dinner rolls, fell into our dinners and our collars, and walked all over the table. My dad even ate one by mistake. He reported that it had a "very strong taste" and assured us that we'd absolutely know if we bit into one ourselves.
Luckily we didn't, and he didn't either after the first one, anyway. Still, I recommend dining there only when there is sufficient wind to keep them and the termites from joining your table.
Popo's Cookies decided to take a vacation or something, because they were closed the entire weekend (I even checked on Friday) so all we came back with was a single lilikoi chiffon pie. I don't even have anything for my office because I was counting on those damn cookies. What can I say - it's Popo's, which in my experience often works on this type of leisurely unannounced schedule, and it just being Kauai.
We stumbled upon a great taco place in Kapaa town called Shaka Tacos. Yeah, we laughed at the name but the food is nothing to laugh at. I've always used Torito's as my measure of a good plate of shredded beef anything, but Shaka Tacos is my new standard. The beef was soft, even softer than Torito's and extremely flavorful. Upon Wendell's insistence we went back twice over the weekend. If you are ever in Kapaa town, I highly recommend it. They close on Sundays, though. Or at least they were closed this Sunday.
fan hot
Tue May 22, 2007
Adventures in Baking
It's been a while since I made anything, mostly because I keep neglecting to buy eggs.
Last week I finally remembered to pick up some of the awesome culinary cement in a neat crispy shell.
Given my dark chocolate affinity, I decided to try a dark chocolate brownie mix (the cake like consistency). I bake more than anything so box mix is no sweat for me. I inherited a nice Pyrex 8x8 pan, perfect for brownies, so although the box said I could use a 9x13 pan I opted for the 8x8.
Instructions = bake for 53-55 minutes.
Everything is fine after the first 30 minutes. As is my custom, I dutifully turn the pan around mid-cycle to counteract any uneven heating in my oven. During this turn, I notice that a jiggly chocolatey square center has formed in the middle of the pan. A nice crust had formed a good 2 inches from the edge of the pan, but a pool of decidedly liquidy brownie goo sloshed in the middle.
That's okay, I guess, since there's nothing I can do except wait out the last 25 or so minutes.
My little gas oven doesn't have a glass door, so I am unable to monitor the progress of any baking project lest I keep opening the door which allows heat to escape. So I don't open the door very often.
The last half of the cycle goes by and I open the door to check for center done-ness with my trusty butterknife. I pull out the pan and to my surprise, where the liquidy brownie goo once was there is now a brownie volcano. It had risen a good 3 inches or so since I'd seen it last, and only in the very middle.
They are unquestionably the weirdest-looking brownies I've ever made.
They taste fine, if anything a little dry because it was way to wet in the middle during the first prick test and I left it in for a few more minutes. But ice cream can fix that.
If this ever happens again, I should leave it in the pan to prove to the world that volcano brownies exist.
Smashing Pumpkins - Meladori Magpie sugared out
Return of the Sausage Log
Oh boy, I saw an exceptional candidate today.
So maybe she wasn't very young, but come on, ladies. You MUST still be able to tell when you look 1,000% unflattering in an outfit.
Those in the fashion industry call them muffin tops. This lady had the mother of all muffintops.
She sported a sorta fitted sweater-knit style top and capri pants. Older, this one, and very round about the middle, and a bit heavy in the bust area. This already natural round about the middle was infinitely compounded by the waistband of her pants.
When she sat down, the tummy roll MOVED. It was as if she placed her stomach on a countertop and squatted. And a second bustline appeared.
When she stood up, the tire fell down and became a tummy roll once again.
It was like magic.
One Dove - Breakdown (Cellophane Boat Mix) okay
Sun May 20, 2007
An interesting week.
Apparently, lots happened last week, and not just to me. Unfortunately, I can't get into details on these but suffice to say that they are all significant.
My friend had a pretty major incident at work and is waiting to see what happens.
I had a run-in with someone on the phone (work-related) and some new rules came down as a result. Actually, those new rules are rather welcome to me AND one of my bosses.
I experienced a very major incident that resolved itself, but was scary nonetheless.
Someone I don't care for has returned.
A friend of a friend also had a bad week. His ex's house was destroyed, she keeps bothering him, and he has fallen behind on some projects.
It wasn't all doom and gloom, however.
On the fun side, I found this site with a cool game. Yes, it's called Cat with Bow Golf. My best score is 6 under par!
On the productive side, I helped out my brother by washing and polishing his car, and wiping down the interior. He's really busy nowadays and it's still difficult to wash the car since he doesn't have a convenient place to do so, and neither do I. I borrowed Wendell's house this weekend to accomplish that.
I did some housecleaning too.
Speaking of being productive - check out what's been keeping Wendell busy.
Time now to regroup for another week - this one will hopefully not be as mad.
Futurama tired
Wed May 02, 2007
Year 3 and musings
A Milestone & Some Goodies
This past Saturday marked three years of living on my own. It was a rather dull day, but that was fine. A down-time day was a nice change, being that my weeks at work have been mostly hectic and stressful. It's slowed down a bit for now but I know that won't last very long! That's just not how my office rolls.
I bought myself a present from Bath & Body Works. Well, actually it was two batches of presents - the first one being in March and the latest was last week. I love ordering stuff from them but now I have waaaay too much stuff. I seem to receive a lot of BBW soaps but not much lotions, so I stocked up on my favorites. I even pooled an order with some friends and we got free shipping, and caught a product sale to boot!
Mmmmm....BBW aromatherapy line + Japanese cherry blossom + cotton blossom + sale + free shipping = Happiness!
Kawaii-Kon
Unfortunately, I did not go to the Kawaii-Kon this year because it was expensive! I would have liked to see the inside setup since it was at the convention center this year, but I could not see spending $25 for one day. Sure I could have bought a 3-day pass for $35, but I wouldn't be there all 3 days. Besides, I wouldn't have been able to catch that guy who voices Dean Venture anyway because he was scheduled to appear at 3:00 pm on Friday! I was still at work! *groww*
Singularity
More people are getting married. It's sorta depressing but not in the sense that most would think. In fact, I have no problem being one of the last people (or THE LAST person) in my groups of friends or family to get hitched if I haven't found the right person. It's when I have actually FOUND the right person but am NOT getting married that bothers me.
I know of 4 weddings happening this year: 2 are people I personally know, another is a friend of a friend, and the last is my brother's really good friend from small-kid-time. One of my friends was actually supposed to get married LAST year, called it off, and now it's REALLY on for this year. And I suppose I could let it bother me that my brother's friends is getting married before I am, but I was not about to get married just for the sake of it.
What a mess THAT would have been - marrying my ex, just because. *shudder* I didn't even consider getting married to him, even after 17 years. How's that for a sign that he wasn't the right person? I just equated the lack of wanting to marry him to marriage just not being on my list of life must-dos ever since high school.
Among my family, I am in the unmarried majority. Among my friends, I am in the unmarried minority (and there are only about 2 of us left). I don't want to leave my friend B behind, but I hope my situation changes soon.
Movies
Spider-Man 3!
Spider-Man 3!
Spider-Man 3!
Um, I'm waiting for Spider-Man 3. And Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (I TOLD all of you Daniel Radcliffe would grow up to be a wicked cute guy!), Transformers, Pirates 3 (Chow Yun-Fat!!)! That's all I can think of for now.
I am NOT waiting for Knocked Up. What a TERRIBLE premise for a film!! That's every single person's nightmare and I fail to see in what way it could EVER be funny! I'm not even going to discuss the 0.00000001% chance that things would "work out" and they'd end up together. *arghrrgroww*
Okay, I think that's enough complaining for today.
Close to Me - The Cure in deep thought
Bunnies in commercials
I know the Skittles singing rabbit is an old one, but it's still one of my favorites.
The VW harlequin rabbit commercial is great although yes, there are no actual animal bunnies in it.
I don't, however, like the Cadbury egg bunny commercials.
Yesterday I saw a new bunny commercial that is my current favorite: The Travelers Insurance lucky rabbit's feet commercial.
Sorry, I don't have a link to it. I think it's a great commercial! It made me laugh the first time, and still makes me smile during subsequent viewings. It's about a bunch of scientists who made a breakthrough of reattaching lucky and brightly colored rabbits feet back onto their original owners, complete with rabbit rehabilitation (a term straight from Wallace and Gromit's Wererabbit)!
Pictures of You - The Cure blah
Mon Apr 16, 2007
Dang, time flies
Before I know it, almost a month goes by and no updates. WTF?
Props to my brother!
My brother graduated from the fire fighter academy last month. He is now a Fire Fighter I! My parents came down to attend the graduation - yes, I went too! - and I agree, there are many good looking guys in the fire department. Unfortunately for my single cousin, nearly all of the graduating class are already spoken for so she's pretty much out of luck.
Just two days later he was already on the job (first watch, which means 8:00 am - 8:00 am). On his first day, he went out on three calls. Usage keeps the training fresh! Now the poor guy has something else to learn - how to cook for a firehouse with 10 hungry firemen.
ArtZoneHawaii
I volunteered to help out with HITCo's Therapy show, so I attended a few rehearsals. The first show was last week Friday. I think more people showed up than they expected, which was good, and considering how the last dress rehearsal went and the loose ends that were tied up at the last minute, things went very well.
Work
There's sort of a trial going on right now. Fortunately it's not the kind that runs on for two weeks straight, but it's taxing nonetheless. In fact, having them spaced out (with a week in between each day) sometimes makes it more difficult. The stress lingers instead of culminating and then GOING AWAY. Today was supposed to be the last day but we'll see what happens tomorrow.
Yakudoshi
One of my cousins (of my generation this time, not my parents') had his yakudoshi party this weekend. That makes me feel old. Granted I'm not as old as he is, but that means the yakudoshis are starting to roll around to people closer to my own age. I actually passed my yakudoshi year three years ago, so whatever.
Movies
Racked up a few viewings in the past several weeks - not as much as I wanted to but it was still fun.
Of course 300 was on the list but it was so crowded that we had to go on Saturday. Friday was sold out! I thought it was a fun movie. Not very cerebral, but very pretty and nicely shot.
Blades of Glory was lower on the list and we haven't gone yet. I think that's a good thing.
Grindhouse was high on the list and we went on the first day. That was a long, long day for me. The 9:30 show did not get out until almost 1 am, but I did not fall asleep or get tired during the film. I liked both but Death Proof was more fun. Come on, it's been soooo long since Kurt Russell has been in anything cool or fun. It was like Jack Bauer gone bad-psycho but in a strange way, a wuss.
I finally watched Howl's Moving Castle this weekend. SUBTITLED, thank you very much. I am SO glad I didn't bother checking out the dubbed version - I don't think I could have taken Billy Crystal as Calcifer for two hours. I liked the movie but have to say that I really had no idea what it was about beforehand.
Anime meetings
The past two months' meetings were closer together than usual, and more fare than usual was shown at March's meeting. Kell finds good movies which unfortunately are not anime so he sqeezes them in outside of the meeting time. It's so worth it, though. My brother may be interested in watching the Battleship Yamato movie - later on, when he has more time.
This past Saturday's meeting was followed by a few hours of karaoke which again brought my bedtime to nearly 2 am. The Bahrain F1 race was at 1 am but sadly, I was unable to stay awake for it. Boo.
Whew. That's a lot of stuff. During this time I also had thoughts about some articles in the news but I've already forgotten them and don't know where the links are either.
Seriously though, for the majority of the past few weeks I have literally just come home, eaten and gone to bed.
And after I watch a bit of my new acquisition, Futurama: Season 4 (which I scored for $20!), I will be off to bed. Again.
Futurama blah and hahaha
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