We're getting a Cost Plus World Market in November!
The Weslaco Chamber of Commerce is hosting the 18th annual Onionfest on March 24!
Mike just woke up from a jet lag-induced 8-hour nap!
I've predicted wrongly on almost every Ocsar!
Someone HAS been at the neighbors' house because now that poor dog is tied to the porch posts, far far away from where I can give it supplemental water or food. Called Animal Control again!
I bought a pair of turquoise cowboy boots!
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Internal Babel
Yesterday's gluttony is causing an international incident in my belly. Nothing eruptive, just a general feeling of ookiness all day long.
I did get out of the house long enough to drop off a copy of the newspaper and printouts of my last column at Anita's Antiques as promised. Anita said she's already had one new customer stop in because of the column. Yay!
The Monitor is still publicizing the Valley Girl column with outdated/broken links--something I've pointed out three times already. Grrr. I hope they get it ironed out by next week.
Going to put my queasy self to bed now.
I did get out of the house long enough to drop off a copy of the newspaper and printouts of my last column at Anita's Antiques as promised. Anita said she's already had one new customer stop in because of the column. Yay!
The Monitor is still publicizing the Valley Girl column with outdated/broken links--something I've pointed out three times already. Grrr. I hope they get it ironed out by next week.
Going to put my queasy self to bed now.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Foodgasm
I went to the Chamber of Commerce 6th Annual International Food Festival tonight and boy, am I stuffed! For $15 at the door, it was all you could eat and drink (including beer, wine and alkapop) courtesy of 30 restaurants--both local and from across the border.
I called my friend, Peggy, to see if she wanted to go with me. Got her answering machine--but I ran into her there. Our stomachs think alike.
My first stop was Thai Red Chili's, the subject of last week's Valley Girl post. After that, I had A Taste of India (knee-knockingly good) and Cabrito's Nuevo Leon. I generally skipped the chain restaurants (Tony Roma's, Outback Steakhouse, Taco Palenque and Hooters) in favor of restaurants I hadn't tried.
Johnny Carinos had a spicy sausage bowtie pasta with sundried tomatoes. As I tried to find a place to stand and devour, I saw Tupinamba's booth. Score!
Tupinamba is a restaurant in Reynosa--one recommended highly by Scott of Dallasfood.org. We were going to go with the kids, but I got sick; they went to Reynosa without me but skipped Tupinamba. Serious mistake, the latter.
I tried all the dishes at their booth--delectable ribs, tender chicken in a green chile sauce, beef in a spicy red sauce and a dense meat in another savory sauce--maybe some kind of organ meat. Between bites I stood there telling myself out loud how great it was. I almost started evangelizing to passersby, it was that good.
Right then, I spotted Peggy and called her over. Finished my plate and steered her toward the Tupinamba booth and later to the Thai booth where she went all googly-eyed over the mussaman curry.
We hung around until they announced the contest winners; Tony Roma's and some gordita place were a hit with the judges. But the People's Choice award went to (drumroll...) Thai Red Chili's! I was ever so thrilled--and hoped my online review pointed a few more people in their direction.
I called my friend, Peggy, to see if she wanted to go with me. Got her answering machine--but I ran into her there. Our stomachs think alike.
My first stop was Thai Red Chili's, the subject of last week's Valley Girl post. After that, I had A Taste of India (knee-knockingly good) and Cabrito's Nuevo Leon. I generally skipped the chain restaurants (Tony Roma's, Outback Steakhouse, Taco Palenque and Hooters) in favor of restaurants I hadn't tried.
Johnny Carinos had a spicy sausage bowtie pasta with sundried tomatoes. As I tried to find a place to stand and devour, I saw Tupinamba's booth. Score!
Tupinamba is a restaurant in Reynosa--one recommended highly by Scott of Dallasfood.org. We were going to go with the kids, but I got sick; they went to Reynosa without me but skipped Tupinamba. Serious mistake, the latter.
I tried all the dishes at their booth--delectable ribs, tender chicken in a green chile sauce, beef in a spicy red sauce and a dense meat in another savory sauce--maybe some kind of organ meat. Between bites I stood there telling myself out loud how great it was. I almost started evangelizing to passersby, it was that good.
Right then, I spotted Peggy and called her over. Finished my plate and steered her toward the Tupinamba booth and later to the Thai booth where she went all googly-eyed over the mussaman curry.
We hung around until they announced the contest winners; Tony Roma's and some gordita place were a hit with the judges. But the People's Choice award went to (drumroll...) Thai Red Chili's! I was ever so thrilled--and hoped my online review pointed a few more people in their direction.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
NEXT!
I waited nearly 2 months to get an appointment with the OB/GYN a friend recommended. I stopped by the office Monday so they could copy my insurance card ahead of time.
I've heard horror stories about wait times in doctors' offices around here. I showed up 10 minutes early with my paperwork filled out. I brought a book to keep me occupied and my California protocol: if I don't get in to see the Dr within 30 minutes of my appointment, I complain and reschedule. My time is valuable, too.
Today, I waited 40 minutes before approaching the receptionist who said I was "next." How long is "next" in minutes?
Shortly thereafter, I was called in to talk to a nurse who said the Dr was running late because of a delivery and there were three other patients before me. I told the nurse I appreciated the unpredictable nature of their work, but when they're backed up like today, they should let their patients know.
I asked the receptionist for a new appointment--first of the day or first after lunch. The soonest opening: April 30. The nurse told me to call ahead to do my intake over the phone and avoid the wait for that.
On one hand, I feel good about not caving to the cultural bullshit of indefinite waits at RGV doctors offices. OTOH, I'm another two months away from getting answers and dealing with health issues. I guess that gives me time to shop around for other providers. Still, it was a disappointing introduction to the local health care system.
I've heard horror stories about wait times in doctors' offices around here. I showed up 10 minutes early with my paperwork filled out. I brought a book to keep me occupied and my California protocol: if I don't get in to see the Dr within 30 minutes of my appointment, I complain and reschedule. My time is valuable, too.
Today, I waited 40 minutes before approaching the receptionist who said I was "next." How long is "next" in minutes?
Shortly thereafter, I was called in to talk to a nurse who said the Dr was running late because of a delivery and there were three other patients before me. I told the nurse I appreciated the unpredictable nature of their work, but when they're backed up like today, they should let their patients know.
I asked the receptionist for a new appointment--first of the day or first after lunch. The soonest opening: April 30. The nurse told me to call ahead to do my intake over the phone and avoid the wait for that.
On one hand, I feel good about not caving to the cultural bullshit of indefinite waits at RGV doctors offices. OTOH, I'm another two months away from getting answers and dealing with health issues. I guess that gives me time to shop around for other providers. Still, it was a disappointing introduction to the local health care system.
Not Loving Our Neighbors
The neighbors on the east side of us are renters. We don't see much of them or their two kids, just comings and goings and the occasional fiesta.
We called the police one night when an impromptu party in their driveway (which is 15 feet from our bedroom window) at 11:00 pm on a Wednesday prevented us from going to sleep. So far, it's been a one-time thing.
More bothersome: they neglect their pets. They have a sweet, friendly cat who sleeps in our bushes and keeps us company in the yard. Their dog is less friendly. (If I spent my life chained to a tree, I'd be in a bad mood, too). She has become more emaciated the past few months and no longer barks when I'm in the yard.
What makes me hopping mad is the family has been gone since last Friday and no one has been feeding/watering their pets.
Over the weekend, I watered our plumeria and the dog came over to drink the water puddling on the other side of the chain link fence. I tried to get her to drink from the hose, but she wouldn't get close enough. I flooded the corner of the yard so the dog would get enough to drink.
Monday and Tuesday, I took food over (cat food--the only kind I have) and filled a pie tin with fresh water. The dog made short work of food and water. Poor thing. Probably time to call Animal Control.
We called the police one night when an impromptu party in their driveway (which is 15 feet from our bedroom window) at 11:00 pm on a Wednesday prevented us from going to sleep. So far, it's been a one-time thing.
More bothersome: they neglect their pets. They have a sweet, friendly cat who sleeps in our bushes and keeps us company in the yard. Their dog is less friendly. (If I spent my life chained to a tree, I'd be in a bad mood, too). She has become more emaciated the past few months and no longer barks when I'm in the yard.
What makes me hopping mad is the family has been gone since last Friday and no one has been feeding/watering their pets.
Over the weekend, I watered our plumeria and the dog came over to drink the water puddling on the other side of the chain link fence. I tried to get her to drink from the hose, but she wouldn't get close enough. I flooded the corner of the yard so the dog would get enough to drink.
Monday and Tuesday, I took food over (cat food--the only kind I have) and filled a pie tin with fresh water. The dog made short work of food and water. Poor thing. Probably time to call Animal Control.
Change of Address
No, not us. The Rio Grande Valley Girl column has moved. The Monitor's website got a major overhaul and the new site launched Monday. It's a nice 'do, but it changed the URL for the blogs. Thought I'd repost the new links so you can find them again.
www.TheMonitor.com for the main page.
http://blogs.themonitor.com/ Read the blogs section here.
The blogs are under the Multimedia heading, which doesn't draw much attention to them. I had to go hunting for them and the page dedicated to Valley Girl posts is not functioning.
We're also using a new program to publish the blogs, which I'm sure is making the online editor's job loads of fun right now. I should probably let him know that all the links/publicity the paper has done so far for my column has been undone by the redesign. Whoops.
www.TheMonitor.com for the main page.
http://blogs.themonitor.com/ Read the blogs section here.
The blogs are under the Multimedia heading, which doesn't draw much attention to them. I had to go hunting for them and the page dedicated to Valley Girl posts is not functioning.
We're also using a new program to publish the blogs, which I'm sure is making the online editor's job loads of fun right now. I should probably let him know that all the links/publicity the paper has done so far for my column has been undone by the redesign. Whoops.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Friendly Overtures
Today's the first day I haven't been sore from Wednesday's tennis match. I play tennis with a 90-year-old and I end up feeling like one--a sign that exercise needs to become a more regular part of my regimen.
I had a slug day Friday--just rattled around the house, cleaning, putting up drapes, and slipcovering the couches. Watched the kitties pounce on each other. I'd take pics of them cavorting, but the digital camera is in Japan with Mike.
Today, I got out of the house with two women I know from church, both young moms. At church last week, one suggested we go to the movies while her soon-to-be ex had the kids Saturday afternoon. The other mom overheard and we invited her along.
We went to see "The Pursuit of Happyness," though we missed the first 10 minutes or so waiting for mom #1 to arrive. Afterward, we compared notes: why aren't there more movies like this about single moms pursuing their dreams? Are the obstacles in our path really as big as we think? If we put our minds to it, could we achieve the kind of success in our dream pursuits as Chris Gardner did?
In the movie, Gardner's son, Christopher, tells a joke about a guy treading water and refusing rescue from two boats, saying "God will save me." When he drowned and went to heaven, he asked God why he didn't save him; God said "I sent you two boats!"
Over lunch (at a cafe that made us feel we were NOT in small town, TX), I thanked my lunch companions for being my "boats." I was glad to have people to talk to and compare notes with. It's really easy to isolate myself, to not go out exploring--especially when Mike's not here.
Both moms said they feel that way, too--isolated or that their lives revolve around the kids to the exclusion of things like friendships with other women or pursuits they enjoyed before marriage.
It was groovy to make plans for an afternoon out with the girls, to see an inspirational movie and to feel like I can relate to at least a couple of women as more than just acquaintances. That's comforting.
I had a slug day Friday--just rattled around the house, cleaning, putting up drapes, and slipcovering the couches. Watched the kitties pounce on each other. I'd take pics of them cavorting, but the digital camera is in Japan with Mike.
Today, I got out of the house with two women I know from church, both young moms. At church last week, one suggested we go to the movies while her soon-to-be ex had the kids Saturday afternoon. The other mom overheard and we invited her along.
We went to see "The Pursuit of Happyness," though we missed the first 10 minutes or so waiting for mom #1 to arrive. Afterward, we compared notes: why aren't there more movies like this about single moms pursuing their dreams? Are the obstacles in our path really as big as we think? If we put our minds to it, could we achieve the kind of success in our dream pursuits as Chris Gardner did?
In the movie, Gardner's son, Christopher, tells a joke about a guy treading water and refusing rescue from two boats, saying "God will save me." When he drowned and went to heaven, he asked God why he didn't save him; God said "I sent you two boats!"
Over lunch (at a cafe that made us feel we were NOT in small town, TX), I thanked my lunch companions for being my "boats." I was glad to have people to talk to and compare notes with. It's really easy to isolate myself, to not go out exploring--especially when Mike's not here.
Both moms said they feel that way, too--isolated or that their lives revolve around the kids to the exclusion of things like friendships with other women or pursuits they enjoyed before marriage.
It was groovy to make plans for an afternoon out with the girls, to see an inspirational movie and to feel like I can relate to at least a couple of women as more than just acquaintances. That's comforting.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
V-Day Rundown
My V-Day started early, thanks to an invitation to play tennis.
Bro. Miller, the 90-year-old charmer who made a variegated wood cutting board for us, asked if I'd play with him and his wife and another woman from the ward. One of their usual doubles players was out of town, so I agreed to fill in.
Usually the Winter Texans are out in droves, but the am temperature of 45 degrees was something of a deterrent. A few games in, I started to warm up. My serve still needs work and I can be an inelegant player, but I come through often enough to be dangerous. :)
After 3 matches and partner switches, we got cold enough to go home. The Millers loaded up Spike, their double-sweatered, longsuffering Jack Russell and gave us bags of grapefruit as parting gifts.
I got home just as Mike was leaving for campus. Kiss, kiss, I love you, Happy Valentine's Day. Call me when you're headed home.
I showered and got cracking on this week's Rio Grande Valley Girl column--on finding Thai food in the RGV (www.themonitor.com/valleygirl). Sat down to watch a Netflix movie and then it was time to pick up the giant, decorated V-Day cookies the YW had made for a girl's camp fund raiser.
Mike was late getting home, but arrived with mushy card and gift: a keychain-sized stapler so I can attach business cards to my RGVG notebook. We went out for Thai food earlier in the week, so this was a nice surprise.
Then I helped him pack for his business trip to Tokyo and drove back to campus with him to fetch the Japanese business cards he'd left at the office. Logged a few hours of cuddling/sleep before dropping him off at the airport.
Not fancy, but satisfying. Besos, mi amor!
Bro. Miller, the 90-year-old charmer who made a variegated wood cutting board for us, asked if I'd play with him and his wife and another woman from the ward. One of their usual doubles players was out of town, so I agreed to fill in.
Usually the Winter Texans are out in droves, but the am temperature of 45 degrees was something of a deterrent. A few games in, I started to warm up. My serve still needs work and I can be an inelegant player, but I come through often enough to be dangerous. :)
After 3 matches and partner switches, we got cold enough to go home. The Millers loaded up Spike, their double-sweatered, longsuffering Jack Russell and gave us bags of grapefruit as parting gifts.
I got home just as Mike was leaving for campus. Kiss, kiss, I love you, Happy Valentine's Day. Call me when you're headed home.
I showered and got cracking on this week's Rio Grande Valley Girl column--on finding Thai food in the RGV (www.themonitor.com/valleygirl). Sat down to watch a Netflix movie and then it was time to pick up the giant, decorated V-Day cookies the YW had made for a girl's camp fund raiser.
Mike was late getting home, but arrived with mushy card and gift: a keychain-sized stapler so I can attach business cards to my RGVG notebook. We went out for Thai food earlier in the week, so this was a nice surprise.
Then I helped him pack for his business trip to Tokyo and drove back to campus with him to fetch the Japanese business cards he'd left at the office. Logged a few hours of cuddling/sleep before dropping him off at the airport.
Not fancy, but satisfying. Besos, mi amor!
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Martha I'm Not
I got a bee in my bonnet to have the missionaries over for dinner this week.
The elders assigned to our area dropped by our house on Super Bowl Sunday--clearly, a slow teaching day--and chatted with us for nearly two hours. One is from a Salt Lake City suburb and the other grew up in Watts, so we have some So. Cal. common ground. Learning more about them takes them out of the missionary stereotype and makes them seem like regular folk. I don't know if that makes sense to anyone but me.
Anyway, I planned to roast a couple of bacon-wrapped chickens. I prepped the chickens as usual and stuck them in the oven while I chopped veggies. Soon after, I smelled smoke, then saw smoke curlicuing from the top of the oven door.
I thought the bacon might be spattering onto the heating element, so I tented the chickens with foil, added the vegetables and turned the oven down a bit. I also placed a frantic call to Mike, as my kitchen gaffe had filled the house with smoke and I hadn't yet tidied up or cleared space for us to eat at the table.
Mike called back to say he was en route and did I want him to get some roasted chickens at HEB on his way home? NO, I hissed, I need you home ASAP and I'm already committed to these chickens (which I hoped would be done in time for dinner).
Mike, the yin to my yang, calmly added another leaf to the table, moved our partly- assembled LOST puzzle to one end, set the table, opened windows and set up a fan to get rid of the smoke. After the missionaries showed up, Mike set them to work on the puzzle which bought the chickens more roasting time.
As far as I know, the slightly underdone chicken didn't kill/sicken anyone. But I'm in the market for a new meat thermometer after sticking it into chicken #2 and putting the pan back in the turned off oven while we ate. Now the dial is warped and the hand is stuck at 160 degrees. Any recommendations for a moderately priced replacement?
The elders assigned to our area dropped by our house on Super Bowl Sunday--clearly, a slow teaching day--and chatted with us for nearly two hours. One is from a Salt Lake City suburb and the other grew up in Watts, so we have some So. Cal. common ground. Learning more about them takes them out of the missionary stereotype and makes them seem like regular folk. I don't know if that makes sense to anyone but me.
Anyway, I planned to roast a couple of bacon-wrapped chickens. I prepped the chickens as usual and stuck them in the oven while I chopped veggies. Soon after, I smelled smoke, then saw smoke curlicuing from the top of the oven door.
I thought the bacon might be spattering onto the heating element, so I tented the chickens with foil, added the vegetables and turned the oven down a bit. I also placed a frantic call to Mike, as my kitchen gaffe had filled the house with smoke and I hadn't yet tidied up or cleared space for us to eat at the table.
Mike called back to say he was en route and did I want him to get some roasted chickens at HEB on his way home? NO, I hissed, I need you home ASAP and I'm already committed to these chickens (which I hoped would be done in time for dinner).
Mike, the yin to my yang, calmly added another leaf to the table, moved our partly- assembled LOST puzzle to one end, set the table, opened windows and set up a fan to get rid of the smoke. After the missionaries showed up, Mike set them to work on the puzzle which bought the chickens more roasting time.
As far as I know, the slightly underdone chicken didn't kill/sicken anyone. But I'm in the market for a new meat thermometer after sticking it into chicken #2 and putting the pan back in the turned off oven while we ate. Now the dial is warped and the hand is stuck at 160 degrees. Any recommendations for a moderately priced replacement?
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Bookishness Meme
Hardback or trade paperback or mass-market paperback? No strong preference.
Amazon or brick and mortar? Both, although brick and mortar options are severely limited in South Texas. I lean toward Amazon for descriptions and thriftbooks.com for super bargains.
Barnes & Noble or Borders? I never thought I'd be so happy about a Barnes & Noble.
Bookmark or dog-ear? Both. I'll dog ear things I want to come back to. Bookmarks are typically a folded square of toilet paper. I guess that gives me away as a bathroom reader.
Alphabetize by author or alphabetize by title or random? I'm anal, but not that anal. I group by section: Literature/poetry from those English major years; religious studies; feminist theory; reference; magazines; cookbooks; book group selections; and genre-crossing favorites I want close at hand.
Keep, throw away, or sell? Mostly keep, unless I'm moving and exasperated with the number of books I own. I gave two boxes of fiction to the school where I tutored. I just found the one used bookstore in town where I could sell/recycle the books I'm not that attached to.
Keep dustjacket or toss it? Keep.
Read with dustjacket or remove it? Read with dustjacket unless/until it starts to annoy me.
Short story or novel? Typically novels or popular non-fiction. Occasional forays into short stories.
Collection (short stories by same author) or anthology (short stories by different authors)? I own three collections and probably two dozen anthologies.
Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket? Love Harry Potter. Bought all hardbacks for an ex-BF and kept them after the breakup. Liked the Lemony Snicket movie, but not greatly tempted to read the series.
Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks? When I'm too catatonic to turn the page.
"It was a dark and stormy night" or "Once upon a time"? Huh?
Buy or Borrow? Buy. Or library borrow. I rarely if ever loan my books out and I'm not good at returning borrowed books, so I don't like to do that, either. I still have two books I borrowed from a grad school friend (although one was her boyfriend's and after they broke up I had no inclination to return the book to his sorry ass).
New or used? Eh, I have no problem with used books if they're in good condition.
Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation or browse? Recommendations from friends, usually. Like to find treasures while browsing.
Tidy ending or cliffhanger? I'm more of a tidy ending gal. I hate it when a story (book or movie) just STOPS.
Morning reading, afternoon reading or nighttime reading? Afternoon and evening. I'm not much good in the mornings.
Standalone or series? Series faves: Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Anne of Green Gables, Sue Grafton's Alphabet murder mystery series. More standalone or books by the same author.
Favorite book of which nobody else has heard? Genius by Patrick Dennis.
Favorite book(s) read last year: The Shadow of the Wind by Carols Ruiz Zafon.
Favorite books of all time? Small World by David Lodge; Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis; A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute; Prodigal Summer & The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver; Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston; Song of Years by Beth Streeter Aldrich; Angle of Repose & Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner; Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko.
Amazon or brick and mortar? Both, although brick and mortar options are severely limited in South Texas. I lean toward Amazon for descriptions and thriftbooks.com for super bargains.
Barnes & Noble or Borders? I never thought I'd be so happy about a Barnes & Noble.
Bookmark or dog-ear? Both. I'll dog ear things I want to come back to. Bookmarks are typically a folded square of toilet paper. I guess that gives me away as a bathroom reader.
Alphabetize by author or alphabetize by title or random? I'm anal, but not that anal. I group by section: Literature/poetry from those English major years; religious studies; feminist theory; reference; magazines; cookbooks; book group selections; and genre-crossing favorites I want close at hand.
Keep, throw away, or sell? Mostly keep, unless I'm moving and exasperated with the number of books I own. I gave two boxes of fiction to the school where I tutored. I just found the one used bookstore in town where I could sell/recycle the books I'm not that attached to.
Keep dustjacket or toss it? Keep.
Read with dustjacket or remove it? Read with dustjacket unless/until it starts to annoy me.
Short story or novel? Typically novels or popular non-fiction. Occasional forays into short stories.
Collection (short stories by same author) or anthology (short stories by different authors)? I own three collections and probably two dozen anthologies.
Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket? Love Harry Potter. Bought all hardbacks for an ex-BF and kept them after the breakup. Liked the Lemony Snicket movie, but not greatly tempted to read the series.
Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks? When I'm too catatonic to turn the page.
"It was a dark and stormy night" or "Once upon a time"? Huh?
Buy or Borrow? Buy. Or library borrow. I rarely if ever loan my books out and I'm not good at returning borrowed books, so I don't like to do that, either. I still have two books I borrowed from a grad school friend (although one was her boyfriend's and after they broke up I had no inclination to return the book to his sorry ass).
New or used? Eh, I have no problem with used books if they're in good condition.
Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation or browse? Recommendations from friends, usually. Like to find treasures while browsing.
Tidy ending or cliffhanger? I'm more of a tidy ending gal. I hate it when a story (book or movie) just STOPS.
Morning reading, afternoon reading or nighttime reading? Afternoon and evening. I'm not much good in the mornings.
Standalone or series? Series faves: Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Anne of Green Gables, Sue Grafton's Alphabet murder mystery series. More standalone or books by the same author.
Favorite book of which nobody else has heard? Genius by Patrick Dennis.
Favorite book(s) read last year: The Shadow of the Wind by Carols Ruiz Zafon.
Favorite books of all time? Small World by David Lodge; Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis; A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute; Prodigal Summer & The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver; Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston; Song of Years by Beth Streeter Aldrich; Angle of Repose & Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner; Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko.
Friday, February 09, 2007
The (not so) Good Shepherd
Mike and I caught The Good Shepherd at the discount theater recently.
It was a dank, dark film and frequently uncomfortable to watch as the main character (a pulseless Matt Damon) sold out his college mentor, deaf girlfriend, accidentally knocked-up fling turned wife, the son they conceived, and various co-workers, co-conspirators and Communist arch rivals.
By the end, there were precious few people this guy hadn't ravaged or screwed over. It was easy to empathized with the screwed, but much harder to care about the guy doing all the damage. Plus, the film contained one of the most horrifying murders I've ever seen on the silver screen, indirectly the work of Our Main Character.
Before the credits were done rolling, I said, "I feel like I need to take a shower now. Let's go!" Mike concurred. IMDB says it took Robert De Niro 10 years to bring this project to movie screens. Why work so hard on a film if it makes people feel dirty for having watched it?
I read a few reviews to see if there was something I missed. Some panned, some raved. Perhaps De Niro's point was to show how poisoned a person could become while doing what he thought was the right thing. How lies beget lies and how secrets devour their keepers. The movie gave me the heebies, intentionally or not.
Hmmm, how about a nice, frothy antidote...say, Music and Lyrics?
It was a dank, dark film and frequently uncomfortable to watch as the main character (a pulseless Matt Damon) sold out his college mentor, deaf girlfriend, accidentally knocked-up fling turned wife, the son they conceived, and various co-workers, co-conspirators and Communist arch rivals.
By the end, there were precious few people this guy hadn't ravaged or screwed over. It was easy to empathized with the screwed, but much harder to care about the guy doing all the damage. Plus, the film contained one of the most horrifying murders I've ever seen on the silver screen, indirectly the work of Our Main Character.
Before the credits were done rolling, I said, "I feel like I need to take a shower now. Let's go!" Mike concurred. IMDB says it took Robert De Niro 10 years to bring this project to movie screens. Why work so hard on a film if it makes people feel dirty for having watched it?
I read a few reviews to see if there was something I missed. Some panned, some raved. Perhaps De Niro's point was to show how poisoned a person could become while doing what he thought was the right thing. How lies beget lies and how secrets devour their keepers. The movie gave me the heebies, intentionally or not.
Hmmm, how about a nice, frothy antidote...say, Music and Lyrics?
Thursday, February 08, 2007
The Other Rio Grande Valley Girl's Debut
After some late-night email exchanges with the online editor, my first Rio Grande Valley Girl posting is up at The Monitor!
To take a look, click here.
This is the URL for the space I have all to myself. I'll post new entries every Thursday, with occasional "Finds of the Week" or other bonus entries if I run across something too good to keep. Like this tidbit:
Yesterday, I stopped at the ONLY used bookstore I've seen here. They had a small section of regular fiction, classics, Westerns, young adult books, and a larger selection of mystery novels.
The other 8-10 aisles were romance novels from every publisher in the biz: Harlequin, Silhouette, Regency and all their permutations (with icons indicating Virgin Bride or Sex & candy). Plus historical romance, Western romance, Sci-Fi & Fantasy romance. There was a whole grouping dedicated to Fabio-covered novels. Seriously.
I was agog at the selection. Apparently, they have a steady stream of repeat customers who buy a few books and sell them back until they've read every volume by an author or in a series or section.
I've never seen a bookstore that catered to romance novel junkies. I shudder to think what kind of melee erupts when the shop is crowded. Wonder if they do brisker business near Valentine's Day?
To take a look, click here.
This is the URL for the space I have all to myself. I'll post new entries every Thursday, with occasional "Finds of the Week" or other bonus entries if I run across something too good to keep. Like this tidbit:
Yesterday, I stopped at the ONLY used bookstore I've seen here. They had a small section of regular fiction, classics, Westerns, young adult books, and a larger selection of mystery novels.
The other 8-10 aisles were romance novels from every publisher in the biz: Harlequin, Silhouette, Regency and all their permutations (with icons indicating Virgin Bride or Sex & candy). Plus historical romance, Western romance, Sci-Fi & Fantasy romance. There was a whole grouping dedicated to Fabio-covered novels. Seriously.
I was agog at the selection. Apparently, they have a steady stream of repeat customers who buy a few books and sell them back until they've read every volume by an author or in a series or section.
I've never seen a bookstore that catered to romance novel junkies. I shudder to think what kind of melee erupts when the shop is crowded. Wonder if they do brisker business near Valentine's Day?
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Fully Vetted
Belita needed a second round of shots and PK was due for his, so I called the vet. Mike followed me so he could help wrangle kitties at yesterday's appointment.
The wrangling started earlier than that. Belita clawed her way out of the cardboard carrier not even halfway to the vet. I lured her into reach at a stop light and held her while I drove. I stuck her back in the box at another red light, but she scratched me and wriggled away again before we got to the vet.
PK was subdued during the drive, ensconced in his sturdy plastic carrier--subdued until we tried to get him out of the carrier for his exam and shots.
My California vet would tie a bottomless Dixie cup over PK's head so he couldn't bite and put him in a kitty straitjacket that had a Velcro opening at the neck and zippers at each leg. Once trussed, he'd stop calm down enough for the exam.
I asked the technician at the new vet if they had something similar to deal with combative animals. After he saw PK in hostility mode, he left to get their cat bag. Only it was nothing like the straitjacket.
Instead, their cat bag was a rectangular metal frame covered in blue mesh fabric that opened and closed like a pair of salad tongs. The cat is sandwiched between the two mesh panels at one end and the metal frames at the opposite end are lashed together so the cat can't escape. I took pictures with my cell phone, but they don't capture the full indignity of the apparatus.
Since PK could see through the mesh and shift around inside the bag, he did not calm down much. The vet had to redo one of the shots because the needle didn't go all the way in and PK spat and swatted at him. Poor vet was puzzled; Abbys are supposed to be amiable. This one, not so much.
Both kitties were subdued the rest of the day. Tonight, they are back to their usual selves, tearing around the house and tackling each other with gusto.
The wrangling started earlier than that. Belita clawed her way out of the cardboard carrier not even halfway to the vet. I lured her into reach at a stop light and held her while I drove. I stuck her back in the box at another red light, but she scratched me and wriggled away again before we got to the vet.
PK was subdued during the drive, ensconced in his sturdy plastic carrier--subdued until we tried to get him out of the carrier for his exam and shots.
My California vet would tie a bottomless Dixie cup over PK's head so he couldn't bite and put him in a kitty straitjacket that had a Velcro opening at the neck and zippers at each leg. Once trussed, he'd stop calm down enough for the exam.
I asked the technician at the new vet if they had something similar to deal with combative animals. After he saw PK in hostility mode, he left to get their cat bag. Only it was nothing like the straitjacket.
Instead, their cat bag was a rectangular metal frame covered in blue mesh fabric that opened and closed like a pair of salad tongs. The cat is sandwiched between the two mesh panels at one end and the metal frames at the opposite end are lashed together so the cat can't escape. I took pictures with my cell phone, but they don't capture the full indignity of the apparatus.
Since PK could see through the mesh and shift around inside the bag, he did not calm down much. The vet had to redo one of the shots because the needle didn't go all the way in and PK spat and swatted at him. Poor vet was puzzled; Abbys are supposed to be amiable. This one, not so much.
Both kitties were subdued the rest of the day. Tonight, they are back to their usual selves, tearing around the house and tackling each other with gusto.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Going Live!
A promotion for my new blog ran in the Sunday paper--a photo and short article about my background and the idea behind the online column. I'll scan it in so you can read for yourself. There was one boo boo: somehow, the author got confused about where I got my MA. What is UCLA? Bzzzzt. No, the correct answer is, "What is Claremont Graduate University?"
Several people from church mentioned the article, one a little confused that I am using my birth name. That's the only name I'm published under, so it seemed like the obvious choice to me--but not to the people who know me as Sister Stevens.
I finished my introductory post a few minutes ago and sent it in for review, even though it's not due until tomorrow and won't hit the blog until Thursday morning.
For my non-local readers, you should be able to go directly to my posts here: www.themonitor.com/valleygirl/ The link isn't working right now--probably because there's nothing posted yet. I'll check/post again Thursday to make sure no gremlins are mucking up the technology.
I'm tickled pink! And I hope people write in with oodles of suggestions.
Several people from church mentioned the article, one a little confused that I am using my birth name. That's the only name I'm published under, so it seemed like the obvious choice to me--but not to the people who know me as Sister Stevens.
I finished my introductory post a few minutes ago and sent it in for review, even though it's not due until tomorrow and won't hit the blog until Thursday morning.
For my non-local readers, you should be able to go directly to my posts here: www.themonitor.com/valleygirl/ The link isn't working right now--probably because there's nothing posted yet. I'll check/post again Thursday to make sure no gremlins are mucking up the technology.
I'm tickled pink! And I hope people write in with oodles of suggestions.
Friday, February 02, 2007
Mindless Friday Fun
Took this quiz for giggles.
| You Are a Visionary Soul |
 You are a curious person, always in a state of awareness. Connected to all things spiritual, you are very connected to your soul. You are wise and bright: able to reason and be reasonable. Occasionally, you get quite depressed and have dark feelings. You have great vision and can be very insightful. In fact, you are often profound in a way that surprises yourself. Visionary souls like you can be the best type of friend. You are intuitive, understanding, sympathetic, and a good healer. Souls you are most compatible with: Old Soul and Peacemaker Soul |
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