Saturday, September 24, 2005
18 yards of denim
I recently got a job at Jo-Ann's fabric store. Shortly after I began working there I started having nightmares involving large quantities of fabric which I am attempting to fold or cut or measure. In one dream I had measured out 18 yards of denim and cut it and was attempting to fold it all up when the lady decided she didn’t want it afterall. I woke up restlessly trying to fold my blankets. I hope this will pass once I'm more used to working there.
Friday, September 23, 2005
Floating Bloodsucking Jelly-fish!
I am sewing sleves tonight. As I paused to evaluate my handiwork so far I was reminded of the vampire jelly-fish things from Cordelia’s Honor (if Megan Stringfellow hasn’t read that book she should; actually all of you should). How a sleve could remind one of bloodsucking jelly-fish is something you can only understand if you know me. Just immagine...what would Andrea do with striped courderoy? Joi might be able to picture what I’m talking about because she was here for the first part of the sleves - before they developed dangly leggs and an apatite for blood. If you were here now I would be waving them menaceingly at you while grinning and giggling. I expect this would evoke some kind of bizzar retaliation ...but as I am all alone I guess I’ll just sit here and remember favorite scenes from that book while I handstitch the rest of the leggs. I think I will now be reminded of the scene where they blow up the helium filled jelly-fish every time I wear this.
Friday, September 16, 2005
Long Hair
I have what most people would call 'really long' hair. I would consider it medium length - it reaches a little past my hips. People always ask me how long it has taken to grow it - the answer is about 8-9 years. Much to my dismay my hair grows very slowly. It does grow a lot faster than I thought it did as a child, however. Now, in general I would consider myself to have been a pretty bright kid, I usually got straight A's throughout school. But strangely enough I never connected the fact that my hair didn't grow with the fact that my mother was always having it cut. I only realised this in the last year or two. You see, my mother hates hair, says she wishes everyone was bald, and never wanted to mess with taking care of my hair when I was little, so she kept it at a sort of 'page-boy' style. Finally when I was old enough to take care of my hair myself - meaning she didn't have to sit and comb it out while I screamed or fumble with briads that didn't want to stay tight - she let me grow it out. By eighth grade it was about waist length and then tragedy struck. I went to get a trim, you know get rid of some split ends and even it out a bit, and the lady when scissor happy. She chopped it off to shoulder length once again. My mother said she had never witnessed anyone as angry as I was, said she'd never seen what a real rage looked like. For some reason my long hair is a very inegral part of my being, cut it off and you've just amputated half my soul - it seems. I don't feel like myself with short hair! It goes against all my principles! Can you immagine being made to be what you are not. It is utterly contrary to me to have short hair. I was horrified, angry beyond expression, and extreemly depressed. Needless-to-say since that horrible day I have seen to it that my hair has not met with any more voracious scissors. I have hopes that it will someday be past my knees, though it doesn't seem to be in any hurry to get there. I have given up on the rapunzel thing, and perhaps not even on the floor length. If it actually did grow to the floor I might keep it that way, but I don't think I'd really like it to get dirty like that all the time, and I'd really rather not have to pick old gum and bits of lint or trash out of the ends of it at the end of the day. I can't immagine it would stay very healthy.
I am very protective of my hair. You do not even want to joke about cutting it. Holding scissors while standing behind me puts me on edge. I am really a nice person, good, lawabiding and all that, (the only thing I take joy in harming is bugs in my house, outside I protect them) but I really don't know what I'd do if I caught someone cutting off my hair. I might just murder them. I'd probably go mad on any account. I had a nightmare once that someone was cutting my hair while I was asleep and I had violent urges to thrash whoever it was with a knife, I woke up trembling and layed there grasping my hair and feeling up and down it's length to reassure myself that it was still there. I really can't explain why my hair is so important to me, it doesn't make really sense, but it's very true none-the-less. So there you have the warning - don't joke about cutting my hair - Seriously.
I honnestly think that almost everyone should have long hair. I am, however, also a fairly open-minded and reasonable person. I know that a great many people will never agree with me on this account, and there's really nothing to be done about it. Everyone's hair is really their own business, but if you ever ask me if you should get your hair cut you know my answer. I will admit that a few people do in fact look better with short hair, but I think many more would look good with long hair than think they would. It always makes me happy to see people with hair longer than shoulder length - well at least when they keep it nice. When it is all straggly on the ends or when it is so thin it looks like a rat's-tail when braided then I'm not so fond of it. Even people with grey hair, I think, should have long hair. I think long silvery hair is very pretty. It's a shame almost all older women cut their hair short. I do generally like men to have long hair as well, though perhaps not as long as women. -that is rahter an interesting trend, dont' you think, that in generall all over the world men tend to have shorter hair than women.
Many people seem to think than having 'long' hair is 'more work' than short hair. I would definately disagree. I spend much less time on my hair every day than my mother does. I can very easily braid it, or 'throw' it up into a pony tail or bun in less than 2 minutes, whereas she spends considerably more time (I haven't timed it) curling and styling and ratting and spraying it. If she just leaves her short hair how it is when she gets up it looks pretty funny, but just a quick brush over the top to flatten some of the whispys that have gotten out during the night (I sleep with it in a braid to keep it from tangling) and my hair is at least passable. Now some people with short hair can just get up and do nothing with it, but most women with short hair, it seems, do spend a great deal of trouble styling it.
I am very protective of my hair. You do not even want to joke about cutting it. Holding scissors while standing behind me puts me on edge. I am really a nice person, good, lawabiding and all that, (the only thing I take joy in harming is bugs in my house, outside I protect them) but I really don't know what I'd do if I caught someone cutting off my hair. I might just murder them. I'd probably go mad on any account. I had a nightmare once that someone was cutting my hair while I was asleep and I had violent urges to thrash whoever it was with a knife, I woke up trembling and layed there grasping my hair and feeling up and down it's length to reassure myself that it was still there. I really can't explain why my hair is so important to me, it doesn't make really sense, but it's very true none-the-less. So there you have the warning - don't joke about cutting my hair - Seriously.
I honnestly think that almost everyone should have long hair. I am, however, also a fairly open-minded and reasonable person. I know that a great many people will never agree with me on this account, and there's really nothing to be done about it. Everyone's hair is really their own business, but if you ever ask me if you should get your hair cut you know my answer. I will admit that a few people do in fact look better with short hair, but I think many more would look good with long hair than think they would. It always makes me happy to see people with hair longer than shoulder length - well at least when they keep it nice. When it is all straggly on the ends or when it is so thin it looks like a rat's-tail when braided then I'm not so fond of it. Even people with grey hair, I think, should have long hair. I think long silvery hair is very pretty. It's a shame almost all older women cut their hair short. I do generally like men to have long hair as well, though perhaps not as long as women. -that is rahter an interesting trend, dont' you think, that in generall all over the world men tend to have shorter hair than women.
Many people seem to think than having 'long' hair is 'more work' than short hair. I would definately disagree. I spend much less time on my hair every day than my mother does. I can very easily braid it, or 'throw' it up into a pony tail or bun in less than 2 minutes, whereas she spends considerably more time (I haven't timed it) curling and styling and ratting and spraying it. If she just leaves her short hair how it is when she gets up it looks pretty funny, but just a quick brush over the top to flatten some of the whispys that have gotten out during the night (I sleep with it in a braid to keep it from tangling) and my hair is at least passable. Now some people with short hair can just get up and do nothing with it, but most women with short hair, it seems, do spend a great deal of trouble styling it.
Tea
...is a way of life. To me it symbolises slowing down and enjoying simple pleasures, and the easy-going attitude that allows you to do that. Stopping to have a cup of tea often gives me a new perspective on the day. One of the things I like best about Ireland and Brittain is that they serve good tea and serve it often. Tea is soemthing for hot summer days as much as for rainy evenings. Both old and young people drink it in Brittain; it is not only something for frumpy old ladies. In Ireland usually the first thing a friend is asked as they come in is if they’ed like a ‘cuppa’ and of course they alsways do. Instead of feeling obligated to come up with some kind of entertainment people would just sit and talk over a cup of tea (or several -I was oftered a cup about every half hour in one home) Some of the best conversations happen over a cup of tea. Somehow drinking tea seems to put people more at ease.
Tea makes everything better. When I’m feeling tierd, or stressed, or frustrated, or glum drinking a cup of good tea sooths and relaxes, comforts, gladdens my heart, makes the day beautifull again. Tea is like a hug in a cup. Perfect moments usually involve a cup of tea. In fact, a really good cup of tea can make almost any moment sublime.
Tea in America is in a very sad state. It is possible to get good tea, but quite difficult. When you can find it it is always sold in miniscule quantities at high prices. Sigh. Most of the time when you ask for tea at a restaraunt here you get the kind that tastes like they brewed cardboard. The most popular choice seems to be Lipton, which is not so bad as Nestea and some others; it will do in a pinch but it certainly is not very enjoyable. I have taken to carying my own tea-bags with me and simply requesting hot-water so I don’t have to pay to suffer through/grimace down the liquid cardboard. They also never serve milk or creme with tea here unless you are in an actual tea-house. I am constantly forgetting to tell them to keep their lemon and honey and bring me some little coffee creamers instead if they have any - sometimes they actually bring milk in a little pitcher which is nice. Cofee houses are in abundance here, and they often do serve some tea but the selection is usually very limited, and only occassionally includes a good black tea.
I prefer black tea. Breakfast teas are my favorites. On occasion I will drink herbal teas, but although I like them I like black tea so much better that I will always choose that first. Earl Grey is nice, but a lighter more, I guess I would call it ‘flowery’ flavor than I prefer. I like my tea fairly strong, and used to drink it plain, but since my trip to Ireland and Scottland a couple years ago I have taken to drinking it with milk. They insisted upon it in Ireland and I guess I just got hooked. I still like it without milk, but if I can have it I usually will put a little in. I don’t like a lot of milk in it, just a few drops usually. When it’s brewed just right and has the rigth ammount of milk it always looks the same color of amber-brown with the same ammount of opaque-ness. I particulaqrly like to have it with a piece of cheddar cheese or some chocolate - usually twix or plain dark chocolate. I like the way those flavors mix with the flavor of tea.
Tea makes everything better. When I’m feeling tierd, or stressed, or frustrated, or glum drinking a cup of good tea sooths and relaxes, comforts, gladdens my heart, makes the day beautifull again. Tea is like a hug in a cup. Perfect moments usually involve a cup of tea. In fact, a really good cup of tea can make almost any moment sublime.
Tea in America is in a very sad state. It is possible to get good tea, but quite difficult. When you can find it it is always sold in miniscule quantities at high prices. Sigh. Most of the time when you ask for tea at a restaraunt here you get the kind that tastes like they brewed cardboard. The most popular choice seems to be Lipton, which is not so bad as Nestea and some others; it will do in a pinch but it certainly is not very enjoyable. I have taken to carying my own tea-bags with me and simply requesting hot-water so I don’t have to pay to suffer through/grimace down the liquid cardboard. They also never serve milk or creme with tea here unless you are in an actual tea-house. I am constantly forgetting to tell them to keep their lemon and honey and bring me some little coffee creamers instead if they have any - sometimes they actually bring milk in a little pitcher which is nice. Cofee houses are in abundance here, and they often do serve some tea but the selection is usually very limited, and only occassionally includes a good black tea.
I prefer black tea. Breakfast teas are my favorites. On occasion I will drink herbal teas, but although I like them I like black tea so much better that I will always choose that first. Earl Grey is nice, but a lighter more, I guess I would call it ‘flowery’ flavor than I prefer. I like my tea fairly strong, and used to drink it plain, but since my trip to Ireland and Scottland a couple years ago I have taken to drinking it with milk. They insisted upon it in Ireland and I guess I just got hooked. I still like it without milk, but if I can have it I usually will put a little in. I don’t like a lot of milk in it, just a few drops usually. When it’s brewed just right and has the rigth ammount of milk it always looks the same color of amber-brown with the same ammount of opaque-ness. I particulaqrly like to have it with a piece of cheddar cheese or some chocolate - usually twix or plain dark chocolate. I like the way those flavors mix with the flavor of tea.
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Cheese
I really like cheese. There are so many different wonderfull kinds of cheese. Blue cheese drdessing was for a long time the only dressing I liked at all. It is best when it has big chunks of real blue cheese in it - Disneyland has good blue cheese, it makes me not even care if half my salad is composed of that nasty bitter white lettuce - it’s just a bit of crunchiness with my blue cheese. Another one of me favorite cheeses is Irish - at Stater Brother’s they call it Dubliner cheese and soemtimes have it in the special deli cheese section. When I first had it in Ireland they said it was regular cheddar and I was very confused because I always thought cheddar was orange and kind of waxy in texture, yet this was white and somewhat dry and crumbly with little crunchy salt flecks. I think it is actually made from goat’s milk, but I don’t know for sure. I like swiss cheese when it is cold, but not so much when it is melted, I’m not sure why. Provalone is very nice on sandwiches. I also like a lot of the softer cheeses that they will often put on salads at nice restaraunts like Feta or Gorgonzola. Sting cheese tastes best, I think, when eaten in very thin strings. I just don’t understand people who will eat it without peeling it apart, it tastes kind of strange that way for some reason.
I always like LOTS of cheese, except on quesedillas. For some reason I just don’t like thick quesedillas, they seem too rubbery to me, I like them thin and crispy, or the way Del Taco makes them which is thin and stringy. I’m not quite sure what kind of cheese they use, it doesn’t seem like normal cheese you buy from the store and grate up, it has a different consistancy, a bit more oily unfortuneately, but very satisfyingly soft and stringy. Taco Bell, on the other hand, does not make very good quesadillas - well, they do make them crunchy wich is good, however they don’t melt the cheese anymore. I think part of it is because for some unknown reason they switched to wide grated chees rather than thin grated cheese which means it doesn’t melt as easily. It also, unfortuneatley, has a way of reminding me of little white grubs all smashed together - ugh! I am very sore about the change in grating-size because I used to really like Taco Bell tacos, but now that the cheese never melts and has the wrong sort of consistancy they just don’t have the same charm. Hmm.. come to think of it I tend to like thinner grilled cheese sandwiches too for the same reasons, it should be crunchy not rubbery. On spaghetti, however, I like to have at least equal parts cheese to pasta. Since I don’t like tamato sauce I usually just put butter and a mountain of parmasagn cheese, though sometimes I get alfredo. My very favorite way to have it is the Mizithra cheese and browned butter at the Spaghetti factory. Pizza should always have much more cheese than it has sauce. It’s just nasty when it looks like it’s bleeding because the sauce is all squeezing out from between the sparce cheese -eeew! I remember long ago what was possibly the best pizza I ever had. It had soo much cheese, and the cheese was so thick and stringy that I had taken my piece and pulled it away but the cheese stayed attached and just kept stretching and stretching, but it never looked as though there was any less on the rest of the pizza. I tried to brreak it, but it wouldnt’ break, so I thought I’d bite it - I stuck part of the long string in my mouth and chewed, it didn’t completely separate, so I kept eating it, and it kept stretching and soon I and a very long string from the pizza to my peice taking a detour down my throught - yes it does sound kind of gross when you think about it, but I just remember it being really amazingly cheesy pizza - the best one I ever had. One of my favorite ways to eat cheese is with Tea. I found that I really like the flavor of eating cheddar with breakfast tea, I’m not sure why they taste so good together, I wouldn’t have expected it, but they really do. I also like to just fry up grated cheddar all by itself. At one point I had it perfected, but then I didnt’ do ti for a while and now I usually can’t get it to work right. I remember that I would put the grated cheese in the frying pan making sure it was allin one clump with no straggling peices because those woudl burn, and then I’d stick a cover over it and let it sizzle for a while, then when I felt the time was right I’d flip it and in the end it would make a lovely semi crispy semi chewy wafer of cheese - almost like cheese-it crackers only much better. Usually I would have to pat it between paper towels first to get rid of all the extra greese but recently I haven’t been able to get it crispy enough to not stick to the paper when I tried to absorb the greese, I’m not really sure why.
I always like LOTS of cheese, except on quesedillas. For some reason I just don’t like thick quesedillas, they seem too rubbery to me, I like them thin and crispy, or the way Del Taco makes them which is thin and stringy. I’m not quite sure what kind of cheese they use, it doesn’t seem like normal cheese you buy from the store and grate up, it has a different consistancy, a bit more oily unfortuneately, but very satisfyingly soft and stringy. Taco Bell, on the other hand, does not make very good quesadillas - well, they do make them crunchy wich is good, however they don’t melt the cheese anymore. I think part of it is because for some unknown reason they switched to wide grated chees rather than thin grated cheese which means it doesn’t melt as easily. It also, unfortuneatley, has a way of reminding me of little white grubs all smashed together - ugh! I am very sore about the change in grating-size because I used to really like Taco Bell tacos, but now that the cheese never melts and has the wrong sort of consistancy they just don’t have the same charm. Hmm.. come to think of it I tend to like thinner grilled cheese sandwiches too for the same reasons, it should be crunchy not rubbery. On spaghetti, however, I like to have at least equal parts cheese to pasta. Since I don’t like tamato sauce I usually just put butter and a mountain of parmasagn cheese, though sometimes I get alfredo. My very favorite way to have it is the Mizithra cheese and browned butter at the Spaghetti factory. Pizza should always have much more cheese than it has sauce. It’s just nasty when it looks like it’s bleeding because the sauce is all squeezing out from between the sparce cheese -eeew! I remember long ago what was possibly the best pizza I ever had. It had soo much cheese, and the cheese was so thick and stringy that I had taken my piece and pulled it away but the cheese stayed attached and just kept stretching and stretching, but it never looked as though there was any less on the rest of the pizza. I tried to brreak it, but it wouldnt’ break, so I thought I’d bite it - I stuck part of the long string in my mouth and chewed, it didn’t completely separate, so I kept eating it, and it kept stretching and soon I and a very long string from the pizza to my peice taking a detour down my throught - yes it does sound kind of gross when you think about it, but I just remember it being really amazingly cheesy pizza - the best one I ever had. One of my favorite ways to eat cheese is with Tea. I found that I really like the flavor of eating cheddar with breakfast tea, I’m not sure why they taste so good together, I wouldn’t have expected it, but they really do. I also like to just fry up grated cheddar all by itself. At one point I had it perfected, but then I didnt’ do ti for a while and now I usually can’t get it to work right. I remember that I would put the grated cheese in the frying pan making sure it was allin one clump with no straggling peices because those woudl burn, and then I’d stick a cover over it and let it sizzle for a while, then when I felt the time was right I’d flip it and in the end it would make a lovely semi crispy semi chewy wafer of cheese - almost like cheese-it crackers only much better. Usually I would have to pat it between paper towels first to get rid of all the extra greese but recently I haven’t been able to get it crispy enough to not stick to the paper when I tried to absorb the greese, I’m not really sure why.
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