I think his Irish is showing
Happy Birthday, Zacky boy! Yes, this little guy is one year old today:
This morning while we were waiting for the princess to arise, we got out one of his new toys from Grandma and Grandpa Yona. It's this thing where you put balls in the top and then push a blue lever and it lights up and makes noise and the ball shoots out the bottom. It's cute. So he caught on right away and I was so proud of him! We were clapping away and he bumped his head on the TV stand. It happens -- we've got pretty tight quarters here, and he didn't bump it hard...but apparently it made him angry, so he turned around, glared at the big mean piece of furniture, and head-butted it. That's right, Zack, kill those brain cells!
On the job hunt front, I'm getting pretty discouraged by the pretty lack of response I've been getting. So Tuesday (we're switching to a 3 day school schedule with the kids as of December to save a little scratch and Monday is one of their home days) I'm going to revamp my resume and cover letter outline and start focusing on companies and organizations I really, really want to work for. I'm not going to stop perusing the Monster stuff, but I'm going to focus on applying for jobs I'll excel at, at places I want to work (
Note to Columbia School of the Arts Dean Becker -- if you're Googling me and reading this, the job in your department is at the top of my list. I would be perfect for that job. Seriously.). Here's my list:
- Universities
- Publishers
- Anti-censorship organizations
- Museums
- Historical Preservation societies
- Charities I can believe in but that won't horrify me too much on a daily basis (e.g., starving children and animal abuse = bad; higher education for poor but smart kids = good)
I'm sure there are others, but that's what I've got for now, and this post is two days late going up so I'm going to stop. It's mostly so I don't forget, anyhow. And I'll probably add to it as I think of more.
My balls are getting firm
I made two cheese balls for Thanksgiving dinner (and in the spirit of the season, I'm not going to rant -- much -- about how my MIL always tells us to bring dessert and then always goes out and buys dessert as well. Which is a little annoying. At least I found out this year before I actually made the pie.) and I'm thinking they came out really well. They're in the fridge firming up so I can roll them in their respective coatings, but I sampled the wares quite extensively, and in the interests of being able to reproduce them, here's the recipe and variations:
Main Cheese Ball Base
1 1/2 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 c. (1 8 oz. pkg) lowfat cream cheese
2 tbsp. nonfat mayonnaise or mayonnaise style dressing (e.g., Miracle Whip)
Blend all ingredients together in food processor until creamy and well blended, along with variation ingredients (see below). Empty contents of food processor onto large square of plastic wrap. Holding all for corners of plastic wrap, twist plastic closed. Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm. When firm, remove from plastic wrap and shape into sphere. Roll in desired topping (see suggestions in variations, below). Serve with crackers (I like the Club cracker stix).
Variations:
Irish:
1 1/2 tbsp Bailey's Irish Cream
1/2 - 1 tsp seasoned salt (to taste)
Roll ball in chopped pecans
Savory:
1 packet onion soup
Roll ball in chopped green onions, or chives, or shredded cheddar
Also, I exercised today for the first time since I got laid off, and it feels pretty good. I'm a little sore, but it's a good sore. We'll see how that works out for me tomorrow. Ideally, I'll keep doing the cardio pretty much every day (weekdays), with some yoga and conditioning thrown in for good measure. I've been gaining a little weight back since I'm home every day, which is partly because I'm here around yummy food all day, and partly because in winter I like to eat warm food (no salads, though last week and this week I got back on the salad horse), and partly because now I don't have 20-30 minutes of walking as part of my commute every day. I would go out and walk, but I live in the northeast and (prepare yourself for an understatement of grand magnitude) am a bit of a wimp about the cold. But I do have a Tony Little Gazelle, and while I don't believe it will give me six pack abs in 3 weeks, I do believe that it's a decent cardio workout. It's actually very similar to the ellipticals I used to use at the gym.
This isn't the Faust you're looking for. Move along.
That was...disappointing. The sets were kinda neat (though note to the Met: I'm getting a little tired of your crazy techno-modern-twisty-non-traditional sets. I can't possibly the only one who just wants to see a fake French/Italian/German house/town/tavern and some pretty 17th century clothes when I go to the opera. I choose traditional operas for a number of reasons, and that's one of them. But I digress.), and that's about the nicest thing I can say about it. I left at intermission, so it is possible that things improved in the second act, but I doubt it.
The music was eh--this was the Berlioz Faust, not the Gounod that I was really looking forward to (based on the write up in my cheater book, Forman's
A Night at the Opera, which I highly recommend because it's pretty damn funny and also very informative. End digression the second.). Must learn to pay attention to composers when I buy my series next year. So I wasn't thrilled with the music, but that happens. Usually, it's offset by the gorgeous singing you tend to find at the Met. Not so much this time. For one thing, I'm used to operas with LOTS of singing, little bit of instrumental interludes. This was just the opposite. Secondly, the gentleman who played Faust (a rather important part, as you might guess from the title of the opera) had a rather weak voice. I thought it might just be that he was overwhelmed by the music--that happened a couple of times during Tristan und Isolde last year--but when Mephistopheles came out, he was just fine, as were the soldiers in the chorus.
StewI threw together a stew in the crockpot this afternoon based loosely on a recipe for a Basque Stew that I found in
this book, which my mom gave me when I moved into my first apartment. I give you my modified version here, mostly so that I don't forget it (if it sucks, I'll let you know -- I've made it before but did some more improvising today
ETA: It came out alright, but not great. I couldn't find the chili powder, and I think it really needs about a 1/2 tsp. Also, forgot to note that I like to serve this over saffron rice -- I buy the instant stuff at the grocery store -- and I just tried it over mashed potatoes and it's pretty awesome that way. If you're going to make it without pork and increase the other meats, I'd do more beef than chicken, or I might substitute lamb.):
1 packet of those tiny little baby carrots
1 jar mushrooms (I prefer buttons, but could only get sliced this time.)
6 small or 3 large baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
1-1.5 pounds each cubed chicken, pork (I used pork chops), beef (I used stew beef)
2 tsp flour
Kosher salt
2 cups red wine
1 can Guinness (Kit, I stole a can of your Guinness. Sorry.)
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, shaved
2 Tbsp brown sugar
Spices to taste (I used cinnamon, onion powder, garlic powder, seasoned salt, oregano)
Put vegetables and meat into crockpot with the veggies on the bottom and the beef on top. Sprinkle the flour across the top of the beef, then sprinkle kosher salt across the top as well. Mix wine, Guinness, chocolate, sugar, and spices in measuring cup, then pour over meat and veggies. Cook 4 hours on high.
I keep forgetting to title these, don't I?
So last weekend we got to go up and hang with the O'Kulpells and 50 other super awesome people that we are fortunate enough to call friends. We stayed over because, duh, 4 hour drive, and really had an amazing time. Now if only they would come visit us so we could host them...(Yes, I'm nagging. I'm like that. Ask my husband.)
Tonight I'm going to the opera -- Faust this time. I got a really fun series this season, I think. I'm looking forward to it. This is the last one this year, and then there are four (five?) more next year, including Orfeo et Erudice and something whose name escapes me with Placido Domingo.
The job hunt continues apace, though the only actual response from a live person I've gotten is a "we got your resume and we have no interest in you" email (it was nicer than that, but you know that's what they mean).
I didn't quite finish the baby sweater I hoped to have done by Saturday night, and am so close it was just annoying, but will finish it up this week and post pictures and mail it up to darling little Toph, who is tied with his sister for second cutest baby ever (Becky and Zack are tied for first, of course). Next up is the second Sahara sweater (for Miss Jene), a sweater for Becky Jayne in yarn she picked out herself -- I'm casting that on tonight on the train, I think -- and of course the Hemlock Blanket that I'll be working on in class this week and the week after Thanksgiving.
Look! I made a hat!
Pics of it on my head will be forthcoming, I'm sure.
I had this post all written about closing doors and opening doors and I decided not to post it because, well, it was a little cliched and annoying. So let's just move on and I'll tell you all the sweet and funny things my kids did this week.
I was talking to Becky about her friends at school. She now has "upstairs" friends (from her old class) and "downstairs" friends (her new class). We were talking about how some of her upstairs friends would be coming to join her downstairs soon, and I mentioned a couple of the little girls I know are around 3. Then she mentioned a name, and I said, "Oh, is she almost 3?" to which Becky replied, "No, mommy -- she almost 3:30!"
She also got out of bed Thursday and gave me a big hug and said, "It's Mommy-Becky day!" And indeed it was. After we dropped Zacky off at school we went and had a donut, and she used the potty at Starbucks. Then we went to see the specialnewlionmovie (for those of you who don't speak Becky, that would be Madagascar 2), which she had gone to see Saturday with Kit and didn't make it quite all the way through. Thursday we made it all the way to the end, and afterward she used the potty at the mall (the theater's in a mall). We came home and had a late lunch, did some coloring, and just generally had a great time. She also started nagging me around 2:30 to go pick up her "brudder." She must really like the little bugger.
Who is also just freakin' adorable.
He's not really doing anything new these days, but he's very smiley and sweet. Oh, here's a cute Zacky story. The other day I go in to change his diaper and get him dressed, and as soon as I get the new diaper on him, he grabs my hands and pulls them apart. I take my hands back and try to start getting him dressed, but he does it again. We went through this three or four times before I realized that he wanted me to do raspberries on his belly...I always hold his hands away from my glasses when I do it, and that's what he was doing with my hands. So I did raspberries and he giggled that awesome baby belly laugh. My kids laughing is definitely my favorite sound in the world.
At least I'm not alone
I just got a NY Times alert that unemployment is rising faster than expected...apparently almost a quarter of a million people lost their jobs in October. Somehow, that makes me feel a little better about being one of them. Misery loves company. Does that make me a bad person?
Moving on. I've recently discovered, or really,
rediscovered Neil Gaiman. I avoided reading Gaiman for years, due to confusion on my part about authors named Neil (I thought he was Neal Stephenson, who is just not my cuppa). After seeing the Stardust movie, I picked up the book -- I thought it was an interesting story that was perhaps muddled up by all the special effects and overacting on the screen. I was, in fact, correct. So now I've been reading some other stuff, and really, really enjoying it. Just finished Anansi Boys, and wow. Funny, poignant, interesting,
real characters. There are a couple of things I find myself really enjoying about Gaiman's writing. One is that it's easy to read. It's good, not just fluff, but it doesn't require the same level of involvement and investment that epic fantasy does. It's easy to pick up, easy to put down, easy to start and stop. Those of you with toddlers will understand how important this is. Can't wait to read more. Thankfully, he's pretty prolific so there's a lot out there.
Oh, and hey, look, pictures!
The hat I've been working on (I think it'll look a lot better when it's finished :) ):
Me and the kids. Not very many of these in existence -- I'm usually behind the camera.
I'm going to clean the house now. I made the mistake of telling Becky that's what I was going to do today, and she told her father and now, well, I'm kinda stuck. :)
That's amore
You know you're completely in love with your husband when you call him to ask him if you can go out to your favorite Mexican restaurant for date night tonight, only to be reminded by him that you're going out with friends tonight, and date night isn't until tomorrow night. Yes, I'm more excited about going out for dinner and drinks with my husband than I am about hanging out and drinking with friends. And I like it that way.
Speaking of things I like, new president, new congress! Yay! I finally feel good about the future. I also feel a little bit like Crash Davis: The moment's over. Now I'm ready for change to start happening (even though I know it won't really until January, and it won't really really for a few months after that. But it's something to look forward to.).
I got another really nice warm fuzzy today when I was scrolling around on my projects page in Ravelry and noticed that 7 people have favorited my
Puss' Magical Stockings pattern...and lots of them are people I don't know! That's just freakin' awesome, and incentivizes me to buckle down and get that Infloresence pattern done and published. Oh, and hey, I almost forgot -- remember I've been promising to do up a tutorial on crochet seaming? Turns out somebody already did it so I don't have to!
Check it out! (Link also posted in the sidebar over there.)
Vote! (And don't forget you can get free Starbucks when you do!)
So. I voted this morning after dropping the kids off (our polling location is conveniently located about a block away from school, so I didn't even need to move the car). I had considered taking Becky with me, but she wasn't in a great mood this morning, so I just went ahead and dropped her off. Just as well, as lines were long (and confusing -- Kit, go to the table at the end of the gym closest to the street when you go vote tonight). Is it weird that I'm even more nervous about this election because Obama looks so good in the preliminary polls? Well, in any case, I did my part. Everyone else, go out and do yours (even if you're not making the same choice I did!).
The other important thing I did today (though on a more personal level) is send a real paper resume directly to the dean of the department I'm hoping to work for at Columbia. I spent a summer temping in the HR department of SMU, and so I have some idea of the red tape involved in the actual application process at a large university. I figure it can't hurt and might help to put my creds right in front of the person who would be responsible for actually hiring me. So I did.
In other news, here are pics of the sweaters I finished recently (I'm trying something a little new with pics, so let me know if anything's weird on your browser):
Evergreen Sleeve Tunic, from Inspired Knits. Fun to knit, even though I had to do it twice, but I'm still not 100% thrilled with the final product. I wanted and expected it to be much more oversized. It is pretty comfy, though.
The Ravelympics Wrap Front Sweater. Not as much fun to knit -- the pattern was a little, well, vague in a lot of places. I'm experienced enough to do the math properly and figure things like attaching the hood to the back out, but that doesn't excuse bad pattern writing or make it less annoying(especially since it's published in a magazine, not just self-published).And the other projects I've been working on:
Finally, some yarny goodness. This is a series of yarns from The Sanguine Gryphon called Kypria. Each colorway is accompanied by a bit of translation of the Homeric prequel to The Iliad and The Odyssey. Most of you know that I'm a big Classics geek, and these yarns are also pretty gorgeous. Below are Tyndareus, The Swan, and Hatched.
I can't wait to knit them. If only I didn't already have a whole crapload of socks on the needles, not to mention the 84 assorted sweaters I need to finish, and also, I'm casting on a hat for myself.
This hat, in fact, knit in this yarn:
In fact, I think I'm going to go do that know, while I wait for polls to start closing and results to start showing up and enjoy my House marathon in the meantime (I've just started watching, and yes, it's totally formulaic, but by gosh, I like him).
