Wednesday, February 13, 2008

12 of 12 February 08



7:41 AM - I was fifth on line at the polls this morning to vote in the "Potomac Primaries". I wore my sticker proudly all day.



1:19 PM
- For lunch I have leftover Lion's Head casserole. The broth was well flavored, but I didn't let the pork chill long enough, nor did I sear the meatballs effectively, so they are a little dry. Good thing the recipe only made four of them. They got eaten despite the lack of savor.



2:36 PM- The view from my office balcony. This is the same office that I was promised prior to the move, then was told that I couldn't occupy, then occupied after four months in another office, and now I have to go back to my old office because the looming specter of "someone more important" has materialized. I hope they die of sunstroke. Then I can have my office back. That's the Masonic Temple in the distance. They have tinfoil dioramas of Moses inside. It's weird.



6:42 PM
- I have an urgent need to examine the hem of my skirt. I feel as if there's been a loose string all day, but find nothing. Maybe Moses is sending me brainwaves from inside the temple... Let my stitches go!



7:12 PM- I am forever in traffic! I can't figure out what the deal is with this sea of stock-still cars, it's just rain! I found out later that it was a gross ice storm that caused all kinds of problems. I can't blame my sheltered perception solely on the fact that I park in a garage at work. Sometimes my head's just not in the game.



7:54 PM- I get through the traffic to arrive at my exercise class. I could not figure out why no one was there. I check the calendar, classes are scheduled. What's the problem? The hot line message says that class is canceled due to the weather. I still think it's only raining, so I'm PISSED, especially since I stayed late at work to take the class.



8:31 PM
- In traffic again, this time closer to home.



8:44 PM- I'm not as conscientious as GMiller at checking the mail, so sometimes there's a lot in the box when he's out of town, and I get my butt up to the mailbox. This is mostly junk that goes right into the bin.



8:48- When I got home there was a Realtor's card on my dining table. I can't even get excited any more. My first thought was "At least they left the place as neat as they found it." Sometimes prospective buyers really trash the place, which is annoying because a) I can't tell who their Realtor was so my Realtor can call and bawl them out, b) It looks like hell when another person comes to see it later in the day, and finally, c) I hate cleaning up after myself and it really toasts my bread to clean up after strangers, too.



9:37- I treat myself to a Sazerac. My new favorite recipe is from the Brennan family of New Orleans, original home to this original cocktail. M-O-O-N, that spells Sazerac.



8:51 PM- This is a letter that should have gone in the bin at the mailbox, but they got me with the HUD logo on the envelope. With all that you hear nowadays about high interest loan holders getting a break, I was momentarily fished in. Of course, they are obligated by law to tell you that they are not affiliated with HUD once you actually read the letter.



10:20 PM- I am tired. You know, the pleasure I get at hogging the bed no longer outweighs the fact that I am lonely when GMiller travels and I'd rather have to share the space and the blankets.

If you are new to 12 of 12 - here are the basics:

1) ALL PHOTOS MUST BE TAKEN ON THE 12TH OF EACH MONTH.

2) After you post your pictures onto a webpage of your choice (Livejournal, typepad, MySpace, Flickr, etc...) please post the TIME, LOCATION, and A SMALL COMMENT in the pic.

3) You own the rights to all of your pictures. The idea "12 of 12" is Chad Darnell's. While credit is not necessary, please don't credit someone else with the idea.

4) The original concept was at least one body part in the picture. That idea was slowly faded away. The important part is that it is 12 pics.

5) The monthly Bonus pic is a 13th picture and is optional.

6) When referring to the project, please refer to it as "12 OF 12" - not "12 ON 12."

7) Once completed, please e-mail or post the PERMALINK of the post AND the city and state or city and country of WHERE THE PICTURES WERE TAKEN. (If you are on vacation, it's where the pics were taken.)

(The permalink is the link to the ENTRY of your page. If you just send me your website, I have to track it down. By listing the permalink, it helps for people to go back and view your previous 12 of 12 entries from previous months.)

ANYONE is welcome to join in, even if you've never done it before! I hope you will.

Thursday, February 07, 2008

Greenbacks bring out the green-eyed monster in me

Trying to plan for the future is hard. In the ant and grasshopper story; I'm the fiddler. I fiddle cash on clothes, bags, food, books... Am I extravagant? No. I buy what I can afford. At least I thought I did, until we went to see a financial planner. I'm not too far off track, which is the good news, but I'm not making my money work for me, either. Phooey. What I can't afford is to have no savings, emergency fund or retirement investments. So I'm not spending what I can afford, I'm spending my future. Pretty sobering. Looking at my scuffy Luella bag makes me mad at my spending plan. Looking at the shoes I wear that the cat chewed makes me mad at my spending plan. Looking at the lifestyles of my friends and acquaintances makes me mad at my spending plan. I am jealous that they spend so freely yet I have this stupid spending plan. Then I read an article in the Washington Post by money writer Michelle Singletary about being happy with what you've got.

The subject of the article expressed the same frustrations I have and asks the straight-shooting columnist for a figurative smack on the head. Ms. Singletary uses a quote from Thoureau; "A man is rich in proportion to the number of things which he can afford to let alone."

I have to quell my green-eyed monster and realize that because of my stupid spending plan, my fiance and I will pay for our wedding outright without using credit cards. That because of my stupid spending plan, the only debt we have will be our mortgage. That because of my stupid spending plan, car repairs aren't an emergency and December shopping bills aren't the thing that wakes us in a cold sweat come January. And, finally, because of my stupid spending plan, if bad things happen, the safety net we worked to build will be there.

Thinking about it that way, perhaps more people should be jealous of me, even if I have cat tooth marks on all my leather shoes.

Monday, February 04, 2008

It's Mardi Gras!

Faithful readers will know that NOLA is my favorite city that I don't live in. I love Mardi Gras, and so does my family. My father and stepmother are active in the Carnival scene in Biloxi, MS and each has been members of the court and even King and Queen of Mardi Gras for local krewes over the years.

Last night I made GMiller's favorite, grillades and grits, for him. The first time he was served this braised meat and gravy dish we were on our inaugural trip to NOLA as a couple, at brunch at Elizabeth's. After the heaven that is praline bacon, this huge Pyrex pie plate full of food is plunked down in front of GMiller. He has a soft spot for anything braised, and made short work of a serving that would have satisfied four with ease. For the past four or so years, I've been trying to make a version that was met with such excitement. I think last night I succeeded. Thanks to NOLA cuisine, the grillades with andouille and cheddar cheese grit cakes were awesome! If you have some time on your hands, make this dish. It takes about 3-4 hours and is so worth it.

I'll also host friends for dinner tomorrow night. Our menu will be:
Shrimp remoulade
Chicken and Tasso jambalaya
Banana caramel coconut cream pie with dark rum
Gin and tonic
Sazeracs
Abita Mardi Gras bock

My dad sent me a huge box full of decorations, so the place is looking festive with green, gold and purple beads, streamers, doubloons and garland. Laissez les bons temps rouler!