Hippies have come to town...

OK, so if I had been alive in the sixties I would like to say I would have been a hippie, but that's probably not true...I like being clean among other things. Anyhow, my mother had to take something to the laudromat today and as I am waiting for her to come back out this yellow VW Van pulls up (I love them...and this one was in really good shape!!). Anyhow, out of the driver's seat gets this guy with the necessary hippy beard and pony tail wearing...I kid you not...a tie dye Allman Brothers Band t-shirt and tosses his flip flops onto the ground to put back on (I think shoes are necessary for going inside). His girl gets out of the other side and has a Beatles tote bag (I love the Beatles!!). They are clean!! And her bag is new!! They are imposter hippies!!! When I back up, I am able to see the back of the passenger side front seat...she has a Burt (from Sesame Street) seat cover!!! These aren't Ann Arbor hippies...they were too clean and normal. :) Haha If I had been in Gainesville they would not have even gotten a second look or if I hadn't been so bored they probably wouldn't have either. It's kind of like my purple hair. I have these awesome purple clip in hair pieces. When I wear them in Gainesville I don't get a second look, but in Chiefland you would think I had a full head of purple hair!! They really aren't that noticeable and they are very tasteful. It's just funny. Of course, I always have like to do stuff like that to screw with people. :-P So, that's the end of my hippy encounter for the day. Happy Tuesday.

Raspberry Almond Tart

My latest "creation"...a Raspberry Almond Tart...finally got some use out of that tart pan! :) It's very yummy!!

Here's the recipe (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Raspberry-Almond-Tart/Detail.aspx):

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 1 cup butter or margarine, divided
• 3 eggs, divided
• 1/2 cup raspberry jam, divided
• 1 cup ground almonds
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and 1/3 cup sugar. Cut in 1/2 cup butter until fine crumbs form. Beat 1 egg; add to mixing bowl and stir until dry ingredients are moistened. Press dough evenly into bottom and up the sides of 9-in. x 1-1/2-in. tart pan with removable bottom. Spread 1/4 cup of jam over dough. Cover with plastic wrap and chill.

2. Meanwhile, cream together remaining sugar and butter; stir in almonds and extract. Add remaining eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition; spoon filling over jam. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes. Cool in pan, then carefully remove sides from pan. Spread remaining jam on top. Combine confectioners' sugar and lemon juice; drizzle over the top.

WTF is with American Idol??!!

There is NOTHING on TV and I'm cleaning and don't feel like digging out a DVD. I've never watched this show before except for the bad and crazy tryout shows...and those people were better than these 12 thus far!! How did these people ever make the show??!! They are awful!! I've heard better playing Rock Band...frankly, my craptastic Rock Band singing might possibly be just as good and let me tell you...that is pretty bad!!! I probably don't even sound good in the shower!! I'm just disgusted. Why do people watch this show? Yes, we have Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, but has there been anyone else good on this show? I didn't like Clay. I didn't like Reuben. I didn't like Fantasia. Is that all? I also think Paula must be acting or flipping nuts and should ask Britney for her therapist's number (I secretly love Britney by the way...there I said it...I'm rooting for her to get normal again and Circus is in my car...I never like Backstreet Boys or 'Nsync though...I do have an NKOTB sleeping bag though).

Here's hoping one of these people doesn't make my ears bleed...

Update...Ok...so the Allison girl with the pink hair singing the Heart song was good. The country-ish guy was OK and the girl with the long blonde hair with the two year old was good too.

Ugh! It's inevitable I guess...

...and I am not happy about it at all! We are moving. To a place I think is a dump as is and my mother is so flipping wishy washy about what changes she's going to make. She is almost through with the process...loan secured and signed, contract signed, ...just waiting for closing which will be within the next two weeks. At least the Brownstone in Ann Arbor was nice and historic once Molly Maid got finished with it. I think that perhaps this place is still infested with hippies and is not what I would call historic...just old. It looks like a bunch of hippies vomited in the place!

The only two good things I can say about this place, well three...It's next door to my favorite Grandma, one of my crazy friends and it's somewhat closer to town. I'm just so completely annoyed. I like my nice clean room and huge closets!! The room I am supposed to live in has paneling and I HATE paneling! I haven't figured out what to do about that. I can't just paint it because then you'll still see the grooves and I HATE the grooves. I thought of damask wallpaper, but now I don't know if I'll be able to afford that right away. Grr. I thinking a neutral damask wallpaper or getting that paintable wallpaper and painting it a bright white and bright blue. I want something clean and comfy to make up for the craptastic rest of the place.

I just don't need the stress. I'm going to end up having a flipping heart attack and it will be all her fault for putting this stress on me right now!! She gets these stupid ideas in her head and then it has to be her way RIGHT THEN. Her thing now is apparently wanting to own her own place. She's old and doesn't take care of herself or her health conditions...she'll be dead before she pays it off! It just pisses me off and I can't even really stand to be around her anymore without being completely disgusted. And I apparently can't up my meds yet because I am having problems with my blood pressure getting too low and almost passing out. $@&* I go back to the cardiologist in a couple of weeks. There better be good news because I am freaking tired of living like this...it's not living at all actually.

A little cell phone etiquette please...

I have a cell phone, as does most of the rest of the modern world. When I go out to eat I put my phone on silent, vibrate, or turn it off. No one wants my ring tones to interrupt their meal and I don't want to hear yours. I understand forgetting once in awhile and that's ok, but tonight I went for a nice quiet calm dinner at Liquid Ginger. Liquid Ginger is so tranquil and makes you feel good...and has amazing food. Instead, I end up with some jack@$$ behind me playing You Tube videos quite loudly on his cell phone all throughout dinner!! Usually it doesn't bother me, but it was REALLY loud and obnoxious!! It sounded like a Gator Basketball game in the usually serene restaurant.

I do not answer my phone in the restaurant. Sometimes if it is important I will, but only if it will be short and I do not have to raise my voice any louder than normal conversation...otherwise I will excuse myself and go outside. My mother talks loudly when she's on the phone and I make her go outside, but now she'll go outside and talk for thirty minutes while I sit there and wait for her to come finish her meal...and it's not even important...just say..."I'm eating and I will call you back."

I just get annoyed when people are rude with their cell phones. This reminds me of an episode of Sex and The City where Samantha was in a restaurant talking as if to someone sitting with her on her cell phone. The restaurant told her she was being rude and could not be on her cell phone in the restaurant because it was disruptive to the other patrons. Meanwhile, there was this horrible child literally climbing the walls and throwing sphagetti on Sam's white suit, but that was completely ok because that was a child.

People are just completely oblivious of other people when they are in public and need to take a class on common courtesy.

My dinner of grilled scallops in a Lemongrass beurre blanc was extraordinary though. :) I LOVE Liquid Ginger! It is probably my favorite Restaurant in Gainesville!!

Top reasons to clean out your closet regularly...

I am trying to get rid of stuff and clean out stuff I don't need, wear, doesn't fit, etc... During this process, I have come up with some reasons why you should do this regularly. Please feel free to add your own to the list.

In no particular order...

1. No one is going to want your crazy clothes from the 1990's (or 1980's)!! You start thinking...Man...what was I thinking??!! I actually wore that!

2. You are more acutely aware of the difference in the size of your clothes...the newer ones aren't that small...man...I think they shrink when they hang in the closet...I'm telling you...those buggers just hang there on that hanger and shrink up!!!

3. You start seriously questioning your ability to pick out your own clothing! Sequined/glittered sweaters??!! Flowered knee length gauzy skirts?? Blossom hats!!

4. It's not a month long process if you do it more than once a decade!!!


Ok...that's enough...it's too depressing!! Haha I seriously had clothes in my closet that I wore as far back as 9th grade...and no...I'm not going to tell you what year that was!! I seriously do not remember some of those clothes being that small!! I don't remember ever being small enough to fit in some of that...it had to have shrunk...that has to be it. How could I ever wear some of that stuff??!! Sadly, I find that some of it is coming back in style...I saw similar stuff to some of it in the most recent issue of InStyle magazine. I'm sorry, but I wore it once and I don't want to go back!! I'll stick with my jeans and black shirts thank you very much!!

I already gave away about 10 garbage bags of clothes and I still have about six boxes worth. Teresa and I are thinking of getting a booth at the flea market...she really wants me to get rid of more than I am...I don't dare let her in here or she'll get rid of EVERYTHING!! At this rate, I think I'm going to need two booths. I still have so much to go through and I already have the front room full of stuff!! I went through and put price stickers (I got pre-printed ones...they rock) on about half of the stuff...and of course the cat wanted to help!! He'll ignore me all day when I'm watching TV, but as soon as I start actually doing something he starts meowing and hugging all over me...he's male...that probably explains it. :-P

So...I've learned that it's less depressing to get rid of things in more of the Teresa fashion...about every other month. Haha

I guess I should attempt to sleep now since it's almost 2AM...

My name is Jackie and I'm a Shopaholic...

So I went to see Confessions of a Shopaholic last night. Oh my gosh!! I read the first two books in the series (which are the ones that the movie is loosely based on), but it was so much funnier with Isla Fisher playing Rebecca Bloomwood in living color! She even ends up going to Shopaholics Annonymous (which was not in the book). I don't really know if this is sad or not, but I so identified with a lot of the things she did and said...though I didn't just go out and buy like she did and most definitely not from upscale boutiques...I would love me some Prada and Christian Louboutin heels though!! This movie was so hilarious!!

It apparently got poor reviews from the "critics," but I guarantee you that if you are female there is going to be something you relate to and if you like shopping...you will definitely find this movie amusing. I did really relate to her attempts at "de-clutter" by putting everything in space bags and sticking it in a closet...then something happens and they slowly become "un-sucked up" and bam...when you open it...everything comes popping out!! I'll post a few pictures of some areas of my closets (yes...I did mean to put closets plural...I have three...all walk-in...one used to be a guest room and then a storage room...it is now my shoe closet and I am only showing you a small portion of my shoes). I have already gotten rid of and/or removed about ten garbage bags of clothing from my closets and they are still full, but I am severly attached my shoes and clothes...yes call me materialistic if you like, but I don't care I still like them no matter what you or anyone else says. However, I do find my self having too many pairs of things such as sunglasses, scarves (why do I need so many scarves in Florida??!! But I like them!), etc. Anyhow, I just thought I would share my materialistic side with you. :-P It really sucks that we are moving and I will have one teeny tiny little non-walk-in closet!! I have ALWAYS had a walk-in closet!! I guess I'm going to have to get a storage unit!!

Yummy Valentine's Treats

I came home and made Orzo with pine nuts and wilted spinach for dinner. It was pretty yummy. Then I started on some homemade Valentine's sweets. I made lavender heart cookies, chocolate covered strawberries, and chocolate raspberry truffles...half with sugar coating and the other half with toasted coconut coating. It's all pretty yummy!! I LOVE chocolate covered strawberries and chocolate raspberry truffles!!

Wal-Mart sucks!!

Wal-Mart was so horrible today!! It was packed!! I wonder why there is a rumbly in my tumbly and then I realize I haven't eaten today, so I want to go home and eat. I had to wait in line to check out for fifteen minutes for about five things!!!

Then I hurry back to my car...only to be stuck behind someone who waits to pull out of the aisle until there is absolutely no cars or people coming...I wait for FIFTEEN MINUTES!!! Then...the guy FINALLY turns and I can go, but nooooo...these stupid old people walk with their buggy right in front of my car and walk really slowly...I think a snail woulda beat them. I swear if I didn't want to bust a head light, I would have probably hit the gas!! That is so annoying when people walk right out in front of you when you had obviously been sitting there waiting to go. I also hate it when they walk right down the middle of the aisle while cars line up behind them!! Ugh!!! Then I miss the turn signal because they guy in front of me stops AT A GREEN LIGHT!!! four or five cars besides me could have made it through that light, so I just turned right and went the back way!! Grr!!! Why are people so bloody stupid???!!!! I know that you may not have somewhere to go on a Friday afternoon, but I don't want to be stuck sitting in Wal-Mart parking lot!!

You would think this would make my blood pressure go up, but nooo. Twelve hours after I have taken my meds and when it's time to take them again it drops to 95/41 and I get all dizzy!! My doctor switched one of my meds because the insurance won't pay for the one I was on and now this one is sucking. It gave me a headache all day yesterday and it's lowering my blood pressure even more. I'm thinking of going back on the other and just paying for it out of pocket. It's so flipping frustrating!!

One more thing, if you're really cranky and pissy...don't call me!! I don't want to talk to you! I hate it when people are really cranky and then call me and wonder why I get annoyed with them and call them cranky!! If I didn't do anything to piss you off...don't get pissy with me...actually...even if I did do something to piss you off...don't get pissy with me. :-P Hehe

So...that was my rant and annoyance of the day!

I wanted to share this article from CNN.com...

My biological clock is broken

By Colleen Kane

(The Frisky) -- I'm smack in the middle of my thirties and about to get married. For some childless women my age, this is tick-tick-tick time. However, while other women may be intimately in touch with their ovulation cycles, I'm in no hurry to have kids now, if ever.
My old man and I have talked about it, but we're both horrified by how much our lives would have to change -- not to mention how big a pain in the ass kids are for, oh, say, 18 years.
We have two starter kids: dogs. Sometimes, they drive us bonkers. They give us joy and a lot of laughs, but when we travel, as we often do, they complicate our plans.
Actual children, what with their need for food more than every 10 hours (or whatever it is that you're supposed to do with little humanoids), and their ability to talk, scream, and cry, would be far more painful at travel time.
Or, say, at 4 a.m. time, and all those other ungodly hours they pick to start needing things.
Then there's the whole nine months business. The older I get, the more I'm grossed out by pregnancy.
If I'd found myself madly in love and in a stable relationship as a younger woman with less experience and a steady income, I probably would have gone for it. But now a lot of the gory details make me shudder.
"But it's great!" we're told by new parents. Amazing. "Best thing that ever happened to me," they say.
Sure, they have to say that -- to recruit more new parents into the club, so they have someone to talk to about their kids. I'm sure it is life-changing, heart-expanding, and all that good stuff. Maybe I'd want to do it someday.
But it's like how I feel about running. Runners always foam at the mouth about how great running is, how you get in shape, the bonus of getting a runner's high. I bet it is invigorating as hell and super-healthy to boot.
But I hate running. So you're not going to see me doing it -- unless I'm being chased by a pack of fast, blood-thirsty zombies.
I don't want to rule anything out absolutely, but if I'm comparing having children to being chased by a pack of zombies, it's probably not the right time to start planning a little treasure in my belly. And that's OK by me.




Find this article at: http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/personal/02/04/biological.clock.broken/index.html