Junkie

On again, off again.

Recently that's been my relationship with the great beyond. No, not the great beyond you're thinking of. I don't believe in that great beyond. I'm talking about the great beyond that's oh so much more important (!?!?!).

The internet.

It's been a bit of now you see it, now you don't.

Spent yesterday afternoon dealing with an outage that didn't directly affect me but which was my responsibility to resolve nonetheless. That one just turned out to be a faulty power strip. Hate it when that happens. Hate it worse when I have to pay $95 for a tech to come out to tell me the obvious.

In my defense, I was 20 miles away from said power strip.

Then came home, posted a couple of pics and went out. (To Explore Booksellers . . . to buy books . . . like I need more books . . . please refer to this post's title.)

Came home and ugh, no internet. Spent too much time confirming the obvious.

Got up this morning and the first thing I did (ok, well actually, the second, after turning on NPR. that's a whole 'nother junkie thing) was to recycle the wireless router and check our online status.

Up again! Sweet!

But, remember, I don't have TV. A girl's gotta get her fixes somewhere.

Silence

No internet = no post.

:-(

I couldn't help myself

I admit it, I splurged. But look at them! Aren't they pretty?

And, in my defense, they were 40% off. With free shipping.

I tried to resist temptation. I really did. For weeks. But, they just kept calling my name.

And every time I checked, they still weren't sold out.

It must have been meant to be.

(Now, I'll probably find my lost Merrells . . .)

Well, that's one way to do it

We live a pretty pedestrian friendly life. I work one mile from my house, Steve's job is about 3 miles from the house. Aspen has an extensive free bus system that'll take us just about anywhere we want to go.

I want to sell the car. Steve and Rachel, not so much.

Steve says I'd regret it. I'm not so sure.

On September 22, in a effort to compromise, we started to store the car keys a mile away from the car. We wanted to cut down on the number of times that we drove simply because we could. We did pretty well for a while but in the past few weeks, we had basically fallen back into our old habits.

Until December 17, that is.

I had a meeting downvalley so Steve went with me and we went to Costco and Target and Pier 1 and Sports Authority and City Market El Jebel.

And then, on the way home with the car chock full of packages, the battery light came on. This probably means that the alternator needs to be replaced. The owner's manual says to drive straight to your repair shop. We drove straight home instead and felt lucky to get there. See, we have experience with this little issue. The last time it happened in 2004, we had to call AAA for a tow.

Once home, we parked the car and haven't moved it since.

Now, Steve rides his bike to work and I walk or take the bus. We use the car share car when we need a vehicle.

And I still want to sell the car. But I guess we'll have to get it fixed first.

Motivation

One of my friends tells a story about how, growing up, her room was so messy that her parents were able to hide the Christmas presents in her room. Not just her Christmas presents but all her siblings' presents too. Things like a typewriter. And she never found them. And she looked.

It often seems like Rachel's room could also be used as the family hiding place. It's not a large space, she has a lot of stuff, she doesn't like to get rid of anything and she's ADD which means that she's pretty unorganized.

Speaking of disorganization, she had some interesting insight into the subject. She claims that the chaos in her room is in no way indicative of the level of organization in her brain. And suddenly, it was important to her that her room reflect more accurately her brain.

So, for the past few weeks, she's been actively working on her room. She assessed it, discussed it, straightened it, purged it, planned it and rearranged it. All by herself.

Now, I can't tell you how much energy I've expended in the past, attempting to create exactly this change. All to naught. I had pretty much thrown in the towel ages ago.

But, it all just goes to show, all good things in their own time.

And, how good does she feel, that she did it all of her own volition?

Fun

1) Four places that I go to over and over: work, home, The Isis (movie theater), Aspen Highlands

2) Four people who e-mail me regularly: Susie, Steve, Suzannah, Lisa

3) Four of my favorite places to Eat: Takah Sushi, Su Casa, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, The Big Wrap

4) Four places I would rather be right now: hmmm, since I live where I live, I'm not sure I could come up with even one. I guess not at work, so Aspen Highlands, walking around town, eating a good meal or Paris.

5) Four people I think will respond: Susie, and ??

6) Four TV shows I watch: I don't have a TV. But most recently, I was enamored of Heroes, Brothers and Sisters, Pushing Daisies (I don't even know if any of these are still on)

Christmas Eve

Growing up, Mom always made quiches for Christmas Eve dinner. Every year, three quiches made from scratch. (and every year, Brian's Christmas Eve dinner consisted of salad and rolls because, you know, real men . . .)

Christmas of 2004 was going to be our first Christmas not with the extended family and, in an effort to establish our own festive traditions, we decided that our annual Christmas Eve dinner would be fondues.

Yes, multiple. As in three. Cheese fondue (appetizer), meat fondue (main course) and chocolate fondue (dessert). And yes, I have three fondue sets.

My favorite is the cheese, Rachel's is the meat and Steve simply likes all three.

Basically, it's ended up that all of my siblings come to Aspen every other Christmas. The years they're here, we have ham or lasagna on Christmas Eve and the years they're not, we do fondue.

This year was a fondue year. Mom and Dad, who I'm happy to report are here this year, came over at about 4:30 pm and we fondued until approximately 8 pm when we did the Santa Claus thing.

It was grand and as you see from the above photo, there was much wreckage . . .

February 16, 1992 or now?

Prescient? Or master of the obvious?

Search Calvin & Hobbes here
See entire archive here

Thanks Susie.

LIttle Annie's? Not so much . . .

They have good ribs.

Otherwise, not so much.

I don't know why I keep bothering. The service is surly, it's crowded (why?), the food just doesn't speak to me.

It's one of the less expensive places in Aspen (remember, everything's relative so it's not cheap) so the other night when we were doing the usual "Where do you want to go to dinner? I don't know, where do you want to go?" thing for our party of five, I actually suggested Little Annie's. Mistake. I think it's kinda like childbirth, the bad memories fade too quickly.

They had a blackened ahi special and as you might remember, I love ahi. But, like most everything, I'm kinda picky about my ahi. I really only like it rare. Best way to ruin a nice piece of ahi? Cook it past rare.

So when I ordered, I ordered it rare. The server immediately objected (I should have been paying attention). But she checked with the kitchen and they assured her they could prepare it to my liking (how hard can it be?), so I blindly plunged forward.

Wrong.

The ahi came out cooked completely through. Grey, grey, grey. And the rice pilaf was really dry.

After much thought since I didn't want to order something else after having returned something (worried about kitchen staff retaliation), I handed the full plate back to the server and asked her to take it off our check.

Which she did. With apologies.

And then proceeded to add an automatic 18% gratuity to our check.

Slumdog Millionaire

Wow!

Such a good film.

Such a complete experience.

Deep and multi-dimensional.

Funny, frivolous, serious, poignant. Poverty, family, torture, religious intolerance, victimization, oppression, romance, triumph.

Go see it. And don't miss the dance sequence during the ending credits.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

At Rachel's insistent and repeated urging, I finally read Twilight. (Of course, it didn't help that I started a 784 page book, instead of starting Twilight. She was basically apoplectic.)

But, I finished the 784 page book in a few weeks and then read Twilight in 24 hours.

As Rachel promised, Bella is not quite as much the victim as she is in the movie. Well, actually, she's probably every bit the victim but because you're privy to the inner dialogue, her victimness isn't as stark.

As usual with books and movies, the book is better. The reader comes away with a much better understanding of the motivations and intentions of the characters than the movie is able to convey.

The romantic teenage girl in me definitely thrilled to the budding romance between Edward and Bella. The cynical adult in me was a bit put off by the ooziness of Meyer's love scenes.

I guess I liked it in spite of myself . . .

Tomorrow's PostSecret Favorite

American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin

I'm at a bit of a loss to explain my reaction to this book.

Perhaps, it's due in part to reading it immediately after the rather weak 109 East Palace.

Perhaps, it's due simply to how well done it is.

All I know is that I recommend it. Highly.

American Prometheus is a 784 page paperback book that despite its length is never dense. In crafting their biography, the authors wisely made the decision not to get weighed down with the science that played such a central role in the protagonist's life.

The reader is treated to a clearheaded depiction of a compelling man, one which makes no bones about his flaws while at the same time celebrating his triumphs. The book delves into Oppenheimer's life from start to finish and provides the reader with a perceptive perspective on his motivations.

The section on the Gray Board hearings and the concomitant government abuses which culminated with Oppenheimer's loss of his security clearance is eerily reminiscent of the government misdeeds during the Watergate era (in the news recently due to the death of Mark Felt) and the more recent attack on civil liberties which we have suffered through under the current administration.

When will I learn?

Once again, we bought tickets for a show at Belly Up, this time the Squirrel Nut Zippers.

We would really enjoy seeing the Squirrel Nut Zippers.

But, once again, it's not to be.

The 10 pm start time (for the opening band, no less) is just way past our bedtime.

We're pathetic.

Going to Costco. Again.

Our Christmas Alter Egos

My new space

This week's favorite

It's not mine, I swear!

Just get the damn vaccine!

I've had to deal recently with a number of vaccine skeptics.

I don't have much patience for this.

To me, they're just like global warming skeptics. Misinformed, ignorant and likely to believe that 9/11 was a government plot.

There is no (none, nada, zilch) scientific evidence that links vaccines to autism.

There are many (as in a lot) scientific studies which show that there is no causal relationship between vaccines and autism.

There is also the sad case of the healthy 22 year old unvaccinated Arizona student who traveled to Costa Rica on a study abroad program and was airlifted home with polio.

Polio. As in residual leg weakness. Which doesn't go away. As in leg braces, crutches and wheelchairs.

Geez.

(This rant was brought to you courtesy of NPR's recent story about Amanda Peet, who, unlike many other celebrities, is championing the cause of vaccines.)

The Mom Song

This is pretty *&^% funny! Rachel thought so too.

You wouldn't buy our shitty cars

Fine print:

You probably thought it was smart to buy a foreign import of superior quality, with better mileage and resale value. Maybe you even thought that years of market share loss might prod us into rethinking our process and redesigning our products with better quality in mind. But you forgot one thing: We spend a shitload of money on lobbyists. So now you're out $25 billion, plus the cost of your Subaru. Maybe next time you'll buy American like a real man. Either way, we’re cool.

We’re The Big Three. We Don’t Need to Compete.TM

Photo Credit

Mistake?

Wow

What a stupid, stupid man . . .

Garlicky Broiled Salmon and Tomatoes

Garlicky Broiled Salmon and Tomatoes

4 6-ounce pieces skinless salmon fillet
4 medium tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 teaspoon paprika, preferably hot
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
8 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cloves garlic, sliced

Heat broiler. Place the salmon and tomatoes, cut-side up, in a broilerproof roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle the salmon with the paprika.

Drizzle the salmon and tomatoes with the oil and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Scatter the thyme and garlic over the top.

Broil until the salmon is opaque throughout and the tomatoes are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Real Simple, SEPTEMBER 2008

Our Christmas Card

From us to you.

Merry Christmas!

Tomorrow's PostSecret Favorite

Are you listening?

Someone from Hallmark Cards' ISP in Kansas City, Missouri spent 45 minutes this afternoon reading yesterday's blog post.

Good.

I'm mad at Hallmark

I like Hallmark ornaments. Over the years, I've spent a fair amount of green on Hallmark ornaments which I've then given as gifts.

Several people on my list get an ornament from me every year (whether they like it or not).

A month ago, when I was in Denver, I stopped in a Hallmark store but the display was overwhelming and 3 people were waiting for me so I bailed, thinking that I'd just order them online when I got home.

Oh no.

Hallmark is no longer selling Hallmark ornaments online.

This is a bonehead move.

According to Hallmark.com's handy little store locator, the closest Hallmark store to my abode is in Grand Junction. Grand Junction is a 2.5 hour drive.

For ornaments? Hah!

I poked around online and the only Hallmark ornaments available are through resellers with a healthy markup. Markup, not discount. Don't they know we're in a recession? Isn't everything supposed to be on sale right now?

So I sent Hallmark the following email:

Why are ornaments no longer available online? The closest Hallmark store to me is 72+ miles away which in the mountains where I live would take me more than 2 hours to drive. I really can't justify this to buy ornaments. In the past, I've been able to buy the ornaments that I give as gifts every year directly from your website. Why no longer? The only websites I can find for the ornaments have a markup which I'll pay if I have to but I'll buy fewer ornaments and it's really a shame.

To which they helpfully responded:

Thank you for contacting Hallmark.

Thank you for looking to Hallmark to meet your gift-giving and connecting needs. Hallmark is no longer offering flower and gift items, including Keepsake Ornaments through Hallmark.com or 1-800-HALLMARK. Please visit your local Hallmark Gold Crown store to find the perfect card and gift for any occasion. To find stores in your area, you can use our online store locator service. Just click 'Store Locator' at the top of any page.

We appreciate your thinking of Hallmark.

To which I responded:

Your response is extremely unhelpful. It's a shame that in this depressed economy Hallmark doesn't value my business.

There are no Hallmark stores in my area. My zip code is 81611. See for yourself.

To which they responded:

Thank you for contacting Hallmark.

Due to the overwhelming amount of spam we have been receiving we are no longer accepting e-mail through this channel.

You will not receive another reply to this e-mail, but we are happy to help you through our online support site where you can get the information you need quickly and easily. You can also contact us from our support site through the "E-mail Us" form once you get there.

http://hallmark.custhelp.com

We apologize we are unable to assist you in the way you expected.

Hmph!

Parental obligations

I'm not a big one for parental obligations like school performances.

Rachel knows this about me.

It's kind of a running joke with riffs about coming late, skipping out early . . .

I whine a lot.

Tonight was the Choir and Band concert.

And it actually wasn't too painful.

The band went first and while it suffers a slight bit from lack of size and while a lot of the music they played was unfamiliar to the audience so we didn't know when to clap, they did a good job. The percussionist, who got to play with all kinds of cool noise makers, was having a particularly good time.

The choir, which does not suffer from a lack of size, was very good. They mostly sang things I recognized and did quite a fine job. Rachel's an alto and with her height and light hair, she was like a beacon in the second row.

And the best part of the whole thing was that it was less than an hour long!

Happy-go-lucky

Disappointing.

The trailer was enticing and the reviewer quotes featured in the movie marketing were numerous and approbative. But this movie wasn't quite as lighthearted as I was led to believe. Or would have liked.

Poppy is a bubbly, eternally optimistic teacher who doesn't let anything get her down. Or does she?

She takes driving lessons from a vile specimen of humanity and these scenes are a drag.

It's more as if she doesn't want to let anything get her down but she's just not quite successful. Or maybe she is; things would be so much worse if she wasn't actively looking on the bright side.

That's a life philosophy I can totally get behind and have in fact espoused but it doesn't seem to make for much of a movie.

This week's favorite

Even though I'm still annoyed with Frank, here it is . . .