Saturday, June 6, 2009
Trip to Utah
Let's see, on Memorial Day I drove home with Mary, who courteously took the Phoenix to St. George leg of the trip. We made good time (11 hrs including a lunch break and a horrible traffic jam outside of Salem. There should never, ever be a traffic jam near Salem. No one lives there!) and enjoyed an uneventful trip. I came home, enjoyed the presence of much family and some decent sandwiches and Chinese food. Seriously, how hard is it to make a decent turkey sandwich? But I digress. The occasion of my return was my brother's high school graduation, which went off smoothly and mostly meltdown-free. We took pictures, had a tasty family dinner, the usual things. On Saturday, Paul flew in and we shuttled between families for a day. Sunday, we drove home and made better time (10.5 hrs including lunch). I drove almost all the way, from Provo to Kingman. That's like eight hours for those keeping track. I also drove us into Phoenix, so overall I drove around 9 of the 10.5 hrs. I think one person could do it in one day with a strategic long break, but it would not be particularly pleasant. My back and leg were in agony going into Vegas, but by the time we switched everything was sufficiently numb, so it didn't matter. It was a little depressing to return to our sandwich, Chinese, and family-less town, but then I went out swimming and you'd be surprised how awesome you feel lying in a pool looking up at blue skies and palm trees. Really perks you up. Think I burned a bit though. Nothing, well nothing except the back of my neck looks pink, but my shoulders and cheeks have that dry uncomfortable feeling. Anyway, it was great to go and now it's okay to be back.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
A Brave New World
As you probably know, gentle readers, I am a notoriously picky eater. And I love Mac and Cheese. These two statements are the foundations of ambitious new summer plans.
First, The Grand Expansion of Tastes. Every day this summer, I will try a new food or beverage. I was inspired by positive experiences with avocados and acai juice (which is delicious, FYI!) and not discouraged by tomatoes (which are, as I had previously believed, disgusting). Yesterday was hibiscus soda. It tasted acceptable, but the smell was awful. Paul considered it palatable. Today's was Wallaby's organic Australian-style pear yogurt. It's delicious and worth the 79 cents.
Second, the Great Mac and Cheese Experimental Taste-Off. I'm attempting to try every brand of Mac and Cheese on the market here. It can't be anything other than straight up Mac and Cheese (no shells, no white cheddar, no jalapenos). I'm taking suggestions, so take note next time you go to the grocery store. Heck, I'll even try any kind of Mac and Cheese you send, provided it meets the above requirements. (I'm not sure any of you care enough to send any though.) Since individual recipes vary, I've been using the my standard tbsp of butter and enough milk to dissolve the cheese powder for all of them. So far, I've tried:
Kraft (standard)--Three stars
Trader Joe's--Two stars
Annie's--Four stars
Simply Organic (Annie's organic line)--Two-and-a-half stars.
Back to Nature--Three stars. (Note: This one was good, but too salty. If you like salt, this would probably be three-and-a-half to four stars.)
Well, that's it. I'll try to finish up the post on my week in Utah later today or tomorrow.
First, The Grand Expansion of Tastes. Every day this summer, I will try a new food or beverage. I was inspired by positive experiences with avocados and acai juice (which is delicious, FYI!) and not discouraged by tomatoes (which are, as I had previously believed, disgusting). Yesterday was hibiscus soda. It tasted acceptable, but the smell was awful. Paul considered it palatable. Today's was Wallaby's organic Australian-style pear yogurt. It's delicious and worth the 79 cents.
Second, the Great Mac and Cheese Experimental Taste-Off. I'm attempting to try every brand of Mac and Cheese on the market here. It can't be anything other than straight up Mac and Cheese (no shells, no white cheddar, no jalapenos). I'm taking suggestions, so take note next time you go to the grocery store. Heck, I'll even try any kind of Mac and Cheese you send, provided it meets the above requirements. (I'm not sure any of you care enough to send any though.) Since individual recipes vary, I've been using the my standard tbsp of butter and enough milk to dissolve the cheese powder for all of them. So far, I've tried:
Kraft (standard)--Three stars
Trader Joe's--Two stars
Annie's--Four stars
Simply Organic (Annie's organic line)--Two-and-a-half stars.
Back to Nature--Three stars. (Note: This one was good, but too salty. If you like salt, this would probably be three-and-a-half to four stars.)
Well, that's it. I'll try to finish up the post on my week in Utah later today or tomorrow.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Siblings?
I'm still recovering from our trip north, but I thought I post some pictures I took with my laptop while watching Bones with my sibbies. I know, you thought they didn't exist. Well they do, and I think the pictures say a lot about them.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Hella Good
So my awesome friend Mary came down and went to the No Doubt concert with me and I don't want to spoil the ending for you, but it may have been the BEST NIGHT OF MY LIFE! Getting to the amphitheater was a huge adventure. An adventure driven by Mary because when confronted by the unexpected Mary sees adventure and Jennifer sees plan-ruining complication. We're different that way. Anyway, the first adventure was failing to take the earlier offramp (you betrayed us, Google Maps!) We were stuck in traffic trying to get off the freeway for a good forty-five minutes. During that time, we watched the gas--which was low to begin with--get lower and lower and then the little gas light went on. When we were finally off the freeway, we tried to turn into a gas station, but were foiled by gridlock. We saw another station a little further down the road (and a little further from the road we needed to be on). It was a Sam's Club station, members only. At that point, Mary performed a very bold U-turn and we weathered some more congestion before finally accessing the first station from the side. I should mention that the concert had started by this time.
With gridlock on all sides, we had no choice but to go straight through the intersection, rather than turn left as we needed to do. Unfortunately, the road we were now on was under construction. No turning around for us. Finally, there was an intersection from which we could turn around. Except we couldn't because there wasn't any place to turn left and there was a lot on congestion because first off-ramp from the freeway fed into the road. Then we couldn't go straight anymore because the road was closed and our only choices were to get back on the freeway in the opposite direction or make a completely illegal U-turn and try to wedge ourselves into the congestion. Laughing hysterically we made the insane turn and finally after some 90 minutes stuck in traffic, we arrived at the venue.
By now it was 8:10 pm (concert started at 7:30) and my water bottle had been confiscated. Good thing too, or I would have used it to club to death the people in front of me. But more on that later. Paramore has already started playing, we're in a hurry to get in, we try unsuccessfully to find our seats and trudge halfway through the amphitheater to where we do find our seats. And they are awesome and perfect seats. Except for the two girls dancing and doing karaoke in front of me. Just so you get a clear picture, we are surrounded by 30 yr-olds with beers and Blackberries in their hands. Everyone else in the entire section is sitting down except for these two girls. I passed an executive order to have all fifteen year-old girls taken into the woods and shot, but it must have been non-binding because no one ever came to get them. Now, I don't know if you know this (I didn't), but apparently Paramore sings the theme for "Twilight" and nothing excites fifteen year-old girls more than Paramore and "Twilight." Blessedly, that was the end of the set list and the girls left to use the bathroom or harass the band or something. During the break between sets, the screens showed text messages sent to the concert. One said, "16 yr olds, go home and let the adults enjoy the No Doubt concert." This received a lot of cheers in my section.
The lights dimmed, the seats the girls had been annoyingly bouncing around in were claimed by their rightful owners (it was a sold-out show) and the No Doubt concert began. And what a concert it was. It was loud and they played all the songs you wanted to hear and a few older ones. They changed the songs a bit, but they still sounded great and the band was totally on. I saw No Doubt in a GA concert at UVSC for my eighteenth birthday when it was just them doing whatever they wanted and us moshing happily below. This was more of an 'event' concert; everything was all choreographed and had cool video backgrounds (including vintage, pre-Tragic Kingdom footage). It was so much fun and hardly seemed that any time had passed. The only acknowledgement that time had indeed past came when the band performed "A Simple Kind of Life." Originally a very melancholy song about how the lead singer still single and childless at 30, it took on a more upbeat, nostalgic feeling. (The crowd cheered wildly at the line, "I always thought I'd be a mom." I guess they're fanatical fans of motherhood.)
Speaking of the lead singer, it was great to see the Gwen Stefani of my youth, all tomboy with her wallet chains and combat boots and wife-beater doing boy-style push-ups. I much prefer the you-lookin'-at-me? Gwen to the trend-setting fashionista that's been around since she went solo.
In conclusion, getting there was awesome, fifteen year-old girls are stupid, and the No Doubt concert was awesome beyond words. Also, Libya is a land of contrasts.
With gridlock on all sides, we had no choice but to go straight through the intersection, rather than turn left as we needed to do. Unfortunately, the road we were now on was under construction. No turning around for us. Finally, there was an intersection from which we could turn around. Except we couldn't because there wasn't any place to turn left and there was a lot on congestion because first off-ramp from the freeway fed into the road. Then we couldn't go straight anymore because the road was closed and our only choices were to get back on the freeway in the opposite direction or make a completely illegal U-turn and try to wedge ourselves into the congestion. Laughing hysterically we made the insane turn and finally after some 90 minutes stuck in traffic, we arrived at the venue.
By now it was 8:10 pm (concert started at 7:30) and my water bottle had been confiscated. Good thing too, or I would have used it to club to death the people in front of me. But more on that later. Paramore has already started playing, we're in a hurry to get in, we try unsuccessfully to find our seats and trudge halfway through the amphitheater to where we do find our seats. And they are awesome and perfect seats. Except for the two girls dancing and doing karaoke in front of me. Just so you get a clear picture, we are surrounded by 30 yr-olds with beers and Blackberries in their hands. Everyone else in the entire section is sitting down except for these two girls. I passed an executive order to have all fifteen year-old girls taken into the woods and shot, but it must have been non-binding because no one ever came to get them. Now, I don't know if you know this (I didn't), but apparently Paramore sings the theme for "Twilight" and nothing excites fifteen year-old girls more than Paramore and "Twilight." Blessedly, that was the end of the set list and the girls left to use the bathroom or harass the band or something. During the break between sets, the screens showed text messages sent to the concert. One said, "16 yr olds, go home and let the adults enjoy the No Doubt concert." This received a lot of cheers in my section.
The lights dimmed, the seats the girls had been annoyingly bouncing around in were claimed by their rightful owners (it was a sold-out show) and the No Doubt concert began. And what a concert it was. It was loud and they played all the songs you wanted to hear and a few older ones. They changed the songs a bit, but they still sounded great and the band was totally on. I saw No Doubt in a GA concert at UVSC for my eighteenth birthday when it was just them doing whatever they wanted and us moshing happily below. This was more of an 'event' concert; everything was all choreographed and had cool video backgrounds (including vintage, pre-Tragic Kingdom footage). It was so much fun and hardly seemed that any time had passed. The only acknowledgement that time had indeed past came when the band performed "A Simple Kind of Life." Originally a very melancholy song about how the lead singer still single and childless at 30, it took on a more upbeat, nostalgic feeling. (The crowd cheered wildly at the line, "I always thought I'd be a mom." I guess they're fanatical fans of motherhood.)
Speaking of the lead singer, it was great to see the Gwen Stefani of my youth, all tomboy with her wallet chains and combat boots and wife-beater doing boy-style push-ups. I much prefer the you-lookin'-at-me? Gwen to the trend-setting fashionista that's been around since she went solo.
In conclusion, getting there was awesome, fifteen year-old girls are stupid, and the No Doubt concert was awesome beyond words. Also, Libya is a land of contrasts.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
In Further Honor of Us: 25 Random Questions
Since your love of trivia and my surplus time overlap, I thought I'd pose and answer 25 random questions about Paul and myself. Warning: This is shamelessly cribbed and condensed from a friend.
1. Do you like bleu cheese?: J--not really, Paul says yes.
2. What is your favorite ZZ Top album? Who listens to ZZ Top any more?
3. What is your favorite snack? J--goldfish crackers or hazelnuts, Paul--bagels.
4. What do you think of hot dogs?: They are delicious! (Paul's more of a brat man, technically.)
5. Favorite Christmas movie?: J--How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Paul--It's a Wonderful Life.
6. What's your favorite piece of jewelry?: J--engagement ring, Paul--wedding ring.
7. Favorite hobby?: J--hobbies? Paul--playing video games with his bros.
8. Do you wear glasses/contacts?: Of course, have you seen us?
9. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment:J--Dinosaurs! Piper is adorable. I want ice cream. Paul--Delicious, he saw she wasn't dead, or was it a ghost? (Paul is watching Primeval right now)
10. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink:J--water, milk, juice. Paul--drinks diet Coke exclusively.
11. Where would you like to go?: J--Bed. Paul--Pipertown!
12. Do you own slippers?:J--I own scooffies, does that count? Paul--no.
13. What color shirt are you wearing?: J--White, Paul--none
14. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets?: Yes, and we love to eat bonbons and watch the afternoon soaps. Do you know us at all? One of us wouldn't even sleep in sheets if it weren't for the other.
15. Can you whistle?: J-yes, Paul-yes.
16. Where are you now?: We're both on the couch
17. Would you be a pirate?: J--heck yes! Paul-no.
18. What songs do you sing in the shower?: We do not sing in the shower. Paul talks in his sleep, though.
19. Last thing you ate: J--part of Paul's snack. Paul--Chocolate Chip Molten Fudge Cake.
20. What is in your pocket right now?: Pajamas don't have pockets. Sorry.
21. Last thing that made you laugh?:J--Craig Ferguson's lip-synching of "Oops I did it again." Paul--Something Awful
22. What vehicle do you drive?: Accord.
23. Worst injury you've ever had?:J--broke my finger. Paul--has never been seriously injured. It's like he's...unbreakable...or something.
24. Do you love where you live?:J--yes. Paul--eh, sure.
25. How many TVs do you have in your house?: Two, one's sitting in the living room begging for DI.
1. Do you like bleu cheese?: J--not really, Paul says yes.
2. What is your favorite ZZ Top album? Who listens to ZZ Top any more?
3. What is your favorite snack? J--goldfish crackers or hazelnuts, Paul--bagels.
4. What do you think of hot dogs?: They are delicious! (Paul's more of a brat man, technically.)
5. Favorite Christmas movie?: J--How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Paul--It's a Wonderful Life.
6. What's your favorite piece of jewelry?: J--engagement ring, Paul--wedding ring.
7. Favorite hobby?: J--hobbies? Paul--playing video games with his bros.
8. Do you wear glasses/contacts?: Of course, have you seen us?
9. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment:J--Dinosaurs! Piper is adorable. I want ice cream. Paul--Delicious, he saw she wasn't dead, or was it a ghost? (Paul is watching Primeval right now)
10. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink:J--water, milk, juice. Paul--drinks diet Coke exclusively.
11. Where would you like to go?: J--Bed. Paul--Pipertown!
12. Do you own slippers?:J--I own scooffies, does that count? Paul--no.
13. What color shirt are you wearing?: J--White, Paul--none
14. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets?: Yes, and we love to eat bonbons and watch the afternoon soaps. Do you know us at all? One of us wouldn't even sleep in sheets if it weren't for the other.
15. Can you whistle?: J-yes, Paul-yes.
16. Where are you now?: We're both on the couch
17. Would you be a pirate?: J--heck yes! Paul-no.
18. What songs do you sing in the shower?: We do not sing in the shower. Paul talks in his sleep, though.
19. Last thing you ate: J--part of Paul's snack. Paul--Chocolate Chip Molten Fudge Cake.
20. What is in your pocket right now?: Pajamas don't have pockets. Sorry.
21. Last thing that made you laugh?:J--Craig Ferguson's lip-synching of "Oops I did it again." Paul--Something Awful
22. What vehicle do you drive?: Accord.
23. Worst injury you've ever had?:J--broke my finger. Paul--has never been seriously injured. It's like he's...unbreakable...or something.
24. Do you love where you live?:J--yes. Paul--eh, sure.
25. How many TVs do you have in your house?: Two, one's sitting in the living room begging for DI.
Of Years and Matrimonial Contracts, Part 2
Well, our actual anniversary was last night and it was quite nice. We went out to a local steakhouse for dinner and it was delicious. Paul's prime rib may have been better than my filet mignon, hard as it is to admit. Then we came home and watched the Bones finale. Paul was away on yet another business trip last week, so he missed it. (He was heartbroken about it, I assume you.) No, he most certainly wasn't, but it's my Star Wars*, so he graciously watched it with his full attention. He even told me that a certain anonymous friend of his also loves Bones. I don't want to brag, but I would like to say the number of people who think Bones is awesome continues to increase, while the number of people who think it is lame remains constant at 1 (Paul). I also asked if he had any defining memories, but he didn't. He said he mainly saw five happy years, not any specific events, which was pretty much how I felt. You may awww now.
*This is a reference to How I Met Your Mother (not grandmother/mother-approved). The main character, Ted, is attempting to prove to his friend, Marshall, that he isn't rushing into a marriage. But it's revealed Ted's fiancee has never seen Star Wars, his favorite movie of all time.** It's not just his favorite movie, it's what he watches "when he's home sick with the flu, on rainy Sunday afternoons in the fall, on Christmas Eve, in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad." So, as a test of their compatibility, they watch Star Wars. I think you can imagine how it goes.
**This leads Marshall to say one of the best things ever said on television: "The only people in the universe who haven't seen Stars Wars are the characters in Star Wars. And that's cause they lived them, Ted! That's cause they lived the Star Wars!"
*This is a reference to How I Met Your Mother (not grandmother/mother-approved). The main character, Ted, is attempting to prove to his friend, Marshall, that he isn't rushing into a marriage. But it's revealed Ted's fiancee has never seen Star Wars, his favorite movie of all time.** It's not just his favorite movie, it's what he watches "when he's home sick with the flu, on rainy Sunday afternoons in the fall, on Christmas Eve, in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad." So, as a test of their compatibility, they watch Star Wars. I think you can imagine how it goes.
**This leads Marshall to say one of the best things ever said on television: "The only people in the universe who haven't seen Stars Wars are the characters in Star Wars. And that's cause they lived them, Ted! That's cause they lived the Star Wars!"
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Of Years and Matrimonial Contracts
Tomorrow will be our fifth wedding anniversary. Can you believe that? Where did the time go? I guess five years isn't very long. I am amazed at how often I still fail to remember foods that Paul hates, for example. I think I named five different dinners in a row on Wednesday that he didn't like. In five years, we've:
Lived in four apartments in two states and one foreign country
Bought a car
Adopted a cat
Accumulated three bachelor's degrees
Entered the world of gainful employment (well, one of us)
Yet, it doesn't feel like much has changed. One of the quirks of time, I suppose. I thought I'd fill the rest of the space with crazy trivia about us or nice sentimental memories, but I can't really think of any trivia and, let's be honest, I'm not much of a nice sentimental memory person. I guess if there's anything I've learned, is that when times are good, it doesn't matter so much whether you're alone or not (though not is better), but when times are hard or bad or just plain miserable, being married makes an unmeasurable difference.
Lived in four apartments in two states and one foreign country
Bought a car
Adopted a cat
Accumulated three bachelor's degrees
Entered the world of gainful employment (well, one of us)
Yet, it doesn't feel like much has changed. One of the quirks of time, I suppose. I thought I'd fill the rest of the space with crazy trivia about us or nice sentimental memories, but I can't really think of any trivia and, let's be honest, I'm not much of a nice sentimental memory person. I guess if there's anything I've learned, is that when times are good, it doesn't matter so much whether you're alone or not (though not is better), but when times are hard or bad or just plain miserable, being married makes an unmeasurable difference.
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