Thursday, January 01, 2009
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
For Your New Year's Eve-rtainment
Top 10 words that sound funny with a Minnesota accent
Yes, my blog-darlings. I'm spending New Year's Eve doing what I do pretty much every days' Eve...surfing the 'net, watching mindless TV, reading a book and whatever else for the moment.
Mensa Boy is deadlining tonight. He said he was going to go to bed early tonight...10 o'clock...because he needs to go in tomorrow. But it's 8:40 already and he isn't even home yet, so I have no idea if he's going to make the 10 p.m. bedtime or not.
I'm actually quite good with this. We aren't into parties anyway.
Today I found out the results of my 2008 NY resolution. I resolved a year ago to not salt my food until I'd eaten half of it. If it still "needed" salt, I'd do it then. Unless it was something like fries. Fries have to be salted upfront. At the time I decided that, my blood pressure was 120/70. Good. Always had been. I just decided to go salt-less because my friend Sarah pretty much never salts her food and I wanted to be just like her! Actually, no. But it seemed like a good idea. So every time I went to the doctor, which is about 3 or 4 times each year, my bp got a little lower and a little lower. Today it was a whopping 96/68! HOLY BUCKETS! Oh. And I don't miss the salt at all, either.
For this next year I plan to stop chewing those hardened little edges of skin next to my fingernails. I don't do it a lot...I mean people don't have to worry about shaking my hand or anything...but I still do it and I have raggedy cuticles as a result. So I've decided, when I notice myself wanting to chew on those? I'm going to put cuticle cream on them. I've put little pots and tubes of cream around and we'll see how it goes. I'll probably develop this fetish for that stuff then! I'll be excusing myself from conversations to go hide in a corner somewhere so I can dip into the cuticle cream tin. I'll get all nervous when the cream starts to run low...wondering if I can make it til the next paycheck when I can afford to go buy more...maybe I should re-think this.
Mensa Boy is deadlining tonight. He said he was going to go to bed early tonight...10 o'clock...because he needs to go in tomorrow. But it's 8:40 already and he isn't even home yet, so I have no idea if he's going to make the 10 p.m. bedtime or not.
I'm actually quite good with this. We aren't into parties anyway.
Today I found out the results of my 2008 NY resolution. I resolved a year ago to not salt my food until I'd eaten half of it. If it still "needed" salt, I'd do it then. Unless it was something like fries. Fries have to be salted upfront. At the time I decided that, my blood pressure was 120/70. Good. Always had been. I just decided to go salt-less because my friend Sarah pretty much never salts her food and I wanted to be just like her! Actually, no. But it seemed like a good idea. So every time I went to the doctor, which is about 3 or 4 times each year, my bp got a little lower and a little lower. Today it was a whopping 96/68! HOLY BUCKETS! Oh. And I don't miss the salt at all, either.
For this next year I plan to stop chewing those hardened little edges of skin next to my fingernails. I don't do it a lot...I mean people don't have to worry about shaking my hand or anything...but I still do it and I have raggedy cuticles as a result. So I've decided, when I notice myself wanting to chew on those? I'm going to put cuticle cream on them. I've put little pots and tubes of cream around and we'll see how it goes. I'll probably develop this fetish for that stuff then! I'll be excusing myself from conversations to go hide in a corner somewhere so I can dip into the cuticle cream tin. I'll get all nervous when the cream starts to run low...wondering if I can make it til the next paycheck when I can afford to go buy more...maybe I should re-think this.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Pink Bush Rose
I took this with my faithful D40 on September 30 in my neighbor Mary's back yard. It was a horribly dark photo...severely underexposed and grainy (noisy) looking.
For the past few days my photographic mentor, Greg Schneider, has been helping me with some Photoshop techniques for another project I've been working on. The main thing he's taught me is how to select an area in a photo and highlight just that. Basically, draw a circle around that part and bring the lights up a bit. The hardest part has been learning how to use the selection tool to make the selection. After that? Piece of cake.
I don't know if this brings this photo into any sort of higher-quality range or not, but I like it, and I guess that's what really matters, isn't it? (Ah...just got an email back. He likes the photo but thinks the background is still too dark for his taste. I can tell he's going to do something else. And that's why he's the MENTOR and I'm the MENTEE!)
Today I went to the 5:45 a.m. Jazzercise class. It was odd getting out of class and having it still be dark out, but it was a great way to start the day. After that I ran home for a shower and some more desk work, and then up to have a massage and do some errands. A nap in the afternoon and starting in a new book followed that. So it's been a great day. But I'm a little tired. And the stiffness is starting to kick in. Time for a nice hot soak in Epsom Salts.
For the past few days my photographic mentor, Greg Schneider, has been helping me with some Photoshop techniques for another project I've been working on. The main thing he's taught me is how to select an area in a photo and highlight just that. Basically, draw a circle around that part and bring the lights up a bit. The hardest part has been learning how to use the selection tool to make the selection. After that? Piece of cake.
I don't know if this brings this photo into any sort of higher-quality range or not, but I like it, and I guess that's what really matters, isn't it? (Ah...just got an email back. He likes the photo but thinks the background is still too dark for his taste. I can tell he's going to do something else. And that's why he's the MENTOR and I'm the MENTEE!)
Today I went to the 5:45 a.m. Jazzercise class. It was odd getting out of class and having it still be dark out, but it was a great way to start the day. After that I ran home for a shower and some more desk work, and then up to have a massage and do some errands. A nap in the afternoon and starting in a new book followed that. So it's been a great day. But I'm a little tired. And the stiffness is starting to kick in. Time for a nice hot soak in Epsom Salts.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Two Tone Spritz
For all my whining about these stupid cookies, I did have this little accident with them that turned out somewhat pleasant. I had gotten through the green dough, which I used for the Christmas trees, and there is always some in the press that just doesn't come out. I colored the next batch red to do these whatever-they-are (poinsettias maybe?) when I got down to the last dozen or so of those, I got this result.
For the last few, I pulled the dough out of the press, made snakes and then shaped them into initials for Mensa Boy, Nate, Taylor and Erin.
So the annual Spritz ordeal is over. And the cookies taste okay, despite the fact that I had to flavor them with almond extract when I ran out of vanilla.
For the last few, I pulled the dough out of the press, made snakes and then shaped them into initials for Mensa Boy, Nate, Taylor and Erin.
So the annual Spritz ordeal is over. And the cookies taste okay, despite the fact that I had to flavor them with almond extract when I ran out of vanilla.
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