A Little of This and Little of That

• 12Oct 08

  The Twelve Months

  EDIT: See this is why I don't submit. I submitted a switch of episodes for Knight Rider, because they were in the wrong order. My submissions got rejected, but the correction was made? WTF?

  New show, My Own Worst Enemy, is starting tonight. YAY! I'm really looking forward to this one. I guess Heroes hasn't been doing well in the ratings. It's unfortunate that people are so picky. I remember when television watching was just that, you watched, and the show progressed. In addition, new shows started in September and didn't stop running until April or May. The good old days!!!' Quote of the Day:
  
  Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted
  Albert Einstein
  
  The Blog This! Of The Day:
  
  If you could only have one gadget or electronic device, which one would you choose?
  
  I actually don't have that many gadgets anyway. My main one would be my computer. I'm a chat junkie as well as a TV junkie. I've a very addictive personality apparently. It would be a tough choice between my TV and my Computer, that's for sure. I'd go for the comp though, as technically I can watch TV on that. Hee!
  
  The Word Of The Day:
  
  Piliferous
  
  PRONUNCIATION: (py-LIF-uhr-uhs)
  
  MEANING: adjective: Having or producing hair.
  
  ETYMOLOGY: From Latin pilus (hair).
  
  USAGE: "If there's one thing that separates us from the stars, it's hair. Film-star hair, like film-star orthodontia, bears scant relation to life as we know it; it comes and goes, changes colour at will, or sprouts overnight into rolling acres of luxuriant growth. Sometimes you can see an entire range of exciting piliferous activity within a single movie."
  
  Today's Person Of Interest:
  
  Ang Lee Biography ( 1954– )
  
  Film director, producer, and screenwriter, born in Taipei, Taiwan. He attended the National Taiwan College of Arts ( 1975 ), then went to the USA, where he studied at the University of Illinois and New York University.
  
  He made his directorial debut in 1992 with Pushing Hands, and earned Academy Award nominations for his next two films, The Wedding Banquet ( 1993 ) and Eat Drink Man Woman ( 1994 ).
  
  Later films include Sense and Sensibility ( 1995, Best Picture Oscar nomination ), The Ice Storm ( 1997 ), Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ( 2000, four Oscars, four BAFTA Awards, Best Director Golden Globe ), and Hulk ( 2003 ).
  
  In 2006, Ang became the first Asian to win an Academy Award for Best Director for his film Brokeback Mountain, a small-budget, low-profile independent film based on Annie Proulx's short story about gay ranch hands.
  
  What I'm Reading:
  
  Paolini ~ Brisingr: This part of the trilogy is quite long. I'm wondering if I shouldn't re-read the first two books, before delving much father into this one. I can't remember everything that happened up to this point. (Must have killed those brain cells, Hee)
  
  What I'm Watching:
  
  Terminator: TSCC, The Big Bang Theory, HIMYM, 2.5 Men, Heroes, Boston Legal, My Own Worst Enemy.
  
  

  Poem Of The Day:
  
  The Twelve Months
  
  SNOWY, Flowy, Blowy,
  Showery, Flowery, Bowery,
  Hoppy, Croppy, Droppy,
  Breezy, Sneezy, Freezy.
  
  George Ellis
  
  Recipe of the Day:
  
  Tuna Stuffed Shells
  
  INGREDIENTS
  
  18 jumbo pasta shells
  1 can (6 oz) light tuna in oil, well drained
  1 cup fresh white bread crumbs
  1⁄4 cup finely chopped onion
  1 large egg
  1⁄4 cup minced fresh parsley
  1 tsp fresh lemon juice
  1 can (103⁄4 oz) condensed cream of celery soup
  1⁄2 cup milk
  2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
  Paprika (optional)
  
  PREPARATION
  
  1. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat an 11 x 7-in. baking dish with nonstick spray.
  2. Boil pasta as package directs until just firm-tender.
  3. Meanwhile mix tuna, bread crumbs, onion, egg, 1⁄2 the parsley and the lemon juice to blend.
  4. Drain pasta shells. Rinse gently to cool; drain. Fill each shell with 1 Tbsp tuna mixture. Place in prepared dish.
  5. Whisk soup and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until hot. Remove from heat; stir in remaining parsley. Pour evenly over shells. sprinkle with cheese and paprika. Cover with foil. Refrigerate overnight, if desired.
  6. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until bubbly.
  (Substitution ~ you can use Crab Meat instead of Tuna)
  
  

  Brightest Blessings,
  
  ~S~

  • Posted Oct 12, 2008 11:33 pm GMT
  • Category: Writing
  • 6 Comments
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• 11Oct 08

  Upon Moving Into My Van

  Hullo everyone, no new news today. On with the blog ...

  Quote of the Day:
  
  If you owe the bank $100 and can't repay that's your problem. If you owe the bank $100 million, that's the bank's problem.
  J. Paul Getty
  
  The Blog This! Of The Day:
  
  If you could change a law from any time in history, which would you change and what impact would this have?
  
  The Word Of The Day:
  
  Floruit
  
  PRONUNCIATION: (FLOR-yoo-it)
  
  MEANING: noun: The period during which a person, movement, etc. was active.
  
  ETYMOLOGY: From Latin floruit (flourished), from florere (to flourish). Ultimately from the Indo-European root bhel- (to thrive or bloom) that gave us flower, bleed, bless, foliage, blossom, and blade.
  
  USAGE: Then there was the astonishing firm of Woodhull, Claflin and Company, floruit circa 1870-1872."
  
  Today's Person Of Interest:
  
  Jewel Biography (1974- )
  
  Singer, songwriter. Born Jewel Kilcher on May 23, 1974, in Payson, Utah. A popular recording artist, Jewel grew up in Alaska. She began her musical career at the age of six, joining her parents, singer-songwriters Atz Kilcher and Nedra Carroll, on stage. After her parents divorced, Jewel continued to tour with her father for several years.
  
  When Jewel was fifteen, she made a major change in her life. She starting performing as a solo act and won a vocal scholarship to Interlochen, a private school in Michigan dedicated to the arts. While there, she began writing songs and took up the guitar. Jewel later moved to San Diego, California, to live with her mother. But she eventually branched out on her own, ending up living in a van for a time as she tried to make as a performer.
  
  With her impressive vocal range and poetic lyrics, Jewel found success playing at coffeehouses in the San Diego area. Her first steady gig was at the Innerchange in Pacific Beach. While performing there, she was discovered by record company representatives as well as a music manager. Most of them were impressive with her raw talent, and she signed a deal with Atlantic Records in 1994.
  
  The next year, Jewel's first album Pieces of You was released, but it wasn't until 1996 that the album really took off. In the meanwhile, she toured constantly to promote her music. Jewel even served as the opening act for two musical legends: Bob Dylan and Neil Young. Her persistence began to pay off as her single "Who Will Save Your Soul" became a huge hit, climbing as high as number 11 on Billboard's Top 100 chart. Two other songs from the album "You Were Meant for Me" and "Foolish Games" were also well-received. With its folk and pop sensibility, Pieces of You went on to sell around 11 million copies. Many listeners were captivated by the heartfelt emotions Jewel conveyed in her songs.
  
  Released in 1998, Spirit was Jewel's second album, which it showcased her talents as a folk music performer and was filled with ballads and simple instrumentation. The songs "Hands" and "Standing Still" did especially well with listeners. That same year Jewel had a collection of her poetry, A Night Without Armor, published, which quickly became a best seller.
  
  With 2001's This Way, Jewel returned with a lighter, more pop sound. But she really reinvented herself for 2003's 0304, making a foray into dance music, much to the surprise to her long-time fans. The album debuted at the number two spot on the Billboard 200 albums chart and featured the hit single "Intuition." Not only did Jewel sound different, she looked different too, wearing sexier, edgier clothing in her music videos and on stage.
  
  Returning to making personal, folk influenced music, Jewel recorded Goodbye Alice in Wonderland (2006). She tackled ballads as well as up-tempo songs on this album. While "Again and Again" was a minor hit for her, Jewel was unable to recreate the success of her early albums with this latest recording. During her career, she has sold more than 25 million albums in total.
  
  In addition to her music career, Jewel has taken on some acting roles. She made her debut in Ang Lee's Civil War drama Rides with the Devil (1999), starring Tobey Maguire and Skeet Ulrich. On television, Jewel has appeared on such shows as The Lyons Den and Las Vegas.
  
  Jewel has also been devoting some of her time to helping others. She established Higher Ground for Humanity, a charitable foundation that handles projects in many different countries. Some of the organization's efforts include helping to provide clear drinking water to communities around the world.
  
  What I'm Reading:
  
  I changed my book up. The third book in the Eldest trilogy came out today. So currently I'm reading Brisingr.
  
  What I'm Watching:
  
  Family Guy, American Dad, Army Wives, Mad Men and True Blood
  
  Poem Of The Day:
  
  UPON MOVING INTO MY VAN
  
  Joy. Pure Joy. I am
  What I always wanted
  to grow up and be
  Things are becoming
  more of a dream with
  each waking day--
  The heavy brows of Daily Life
  are becoming encrusted
  with glitter and the shaking finger
  of consequence is
  beginning to giggle
  Grumpy old men
  have wings
  Bums sport halos
  and everyday dullness
  has begun to breathe
  as I remember the
  incredible lightness
  of living
  
  ~Jewel~
  
  

  Recipe of the Day:
  
  Chicken and Shrimp Jambalaya
  
  Ingredients
  
  1 cup sliced celery
  1 large onion, chopped
  1 14-1/2-ounce can low-sodium tomatoes, cut-up
  1 14-1/2-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
  1/2 of a 6-ounce can (1/3 cup) tomato paste
  1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  1-1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning or 1 recipe homemade Cajun seasoning (see recipe below)
  1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or thighs, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
  1-1/2 cups instant rice
  8 ounces cooked, peeled, deveined shrimp
  3/4 cup chopped green sweet pepper
  
  Directions
  
  1. In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart crockery cooker combine celery, onion, undrained tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and Cajun seasoning. Stir in chicken.
  2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Stir in rice, shrimp, and sweet pepper. Cover and let stand 10 to 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Makes 6 servings.
  Homemade Cajun Seasoning: In a small bowl combine 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
  
  Brightest Blessings,

  ~S~
  
  

  • Posted Oct 11, 2008 10:02 pm GMT
  • Category: Food
  • 12 Comments
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• 10Oct 08

  At The Club

  
  
  Ohhh I nearly forgot that 'The Starter Wife' returned yesterday. However, I had to schedule the recording for a later showing of it, as it's second hour cut into my 2 shows at 9pm. I do hope it normally airs at 8pm. Or else it's not getting watching. Sanctuary started first, and Numbers I've been watching for ages. Hee!
  
  Quote of the Day:
  
  Harmless hilarity and a buoyant cheerfulness are not infrequent concomitants of genius; and we are never more deceived than when we mistake gravity for greatness, solemnity for science, and pomposity for erudition.
  Unknown
  
  The Blog This! Of The Day:
  
  How do you find out about new artists/bands?
  
  

  The Word Of The Day:
  
  Analphabet
  
  PRONUNCIATION: (an-AL-fuh-bet)
  
  MEANING: noun: An illiterate; one who doesn't know the alphabet or the basics of something.
  
  ETYMOLOGY: From Greek analphabetos (not knowing the alphabet), from an- (not) + alphabetos (alphabet), from alpha + beta.
  
  USAGE: "For an auto-analphabet like me, this was big news indeed. Armed with these magical tires, I'd never have to lug around a spare."
  
  Today's Person Of Interest:
  
  Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Biography (1956- ) Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was greeted at Columbia University Monday (Sept. 24, 2007) with some harsh words from the school president. Lee Bollinger Ahmadinejad for behaving like ``a petty and cruel dictator.''
  
  Bollinger said Ahmadinejad's denial of the Holocaust might fool the ignorant, but said, ``When you come to a place like this it makes you simply ridiculous.'' Ahmadinejad said Bollinger's remarks were "incorrect" and "an insult to information and the knowledge of the audience."
  
  Ahmadinejad also defended the right to cast doubt on the Holocaust and questioned the official version of the Sept. 11 attacks. He said he wanted to visit ground zero to express sympathy with the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks, but then questioned whether al-Qaida was responsible. "Why did this happen? What caused it? What conditions led to it?" he said. "Who truly was involved? Who was really involved and put it all together?"
  
  Pressed about executions of homosexuals in Iran, he said: "In Iran we don't have homosexuals like in your country." With the audience laughing derisively, he continued: "In Iran we do not have this phenomenon. I don't know who's told you that we have this."
  
  Born in 1956 in Garmsar, Iran, Ahmadinejad is the son of a blacksmith. He rose from near obscurity to become one of the world's most controversial leaders.
  
  Ahmadinejad entered the Science and Technology University (STU) in Tehran in 1975 and studied civil engineering. He continued at the university and became a member of the civil engineering faculty there in 1989. He later earned a PhD in transportation engineering and planning from STU in 1997.
  
  While at the university, Ahmadinejad became politically active. After the Islamic Revolution in January 1979, he helped found the Islamic Association of Students in the Science and Technology University and became a member of the Revolutionary Guard. It is unclear whether he had a hand in the taking of hostages at the U.S. Embassy in November 1979. Some of the hostages have identified Ahmadinejad as one of the men involved, but he had denied it. And several of the known hostage takers, now political opponents of Ahmadinejad, have also said that he was not there. It is known, however, that Ahmadinejad served in the war with Iraq and there are even some reports that indicate he may have been involved in some covert operations during this conflict.
  
  Since the war, Ahmadinejad has held a number of government posts, including serving as governor of Maku and of Khoy. A religious and political conservative, he became mayor of Tehran in 2003 and quickly began repealing reforms put in place before by the earlier, more moderate local government.
  
  Only two years later, with strong support from conservative leaders, Ahmadinejad ran for president. He promised to resolve issues of poverty, social injustice, corruption, and economics. Positioning himself as a man of the people, he won in a run-off election on June 24, 2005. After taking office, Ahmadinejad has made some interesting political moves. In line with his conservative views, he banned western music. But he has also lobbied to allow women to attend sporting events, which seems more of a moderate position. He also has encountered some challenges from within the government. Several of his candidates for oil minister withdrew or were rejected because the Majilis, the Iranian parliament, did not approve of Ahmadinejad's selections.
  
  Diminutive in stature, Ahmadinejad has become an imposing figure in international politics. His hard-line stance on his country's right to develop civilian nuclear power has heightened tensions with the United States—already tenuous since diplomatic ties were severed in 1979—and other western nations. He wrote a letter to President George W. Bush in May 2006, which was the first direct communication between leaders of these two countries since the hostage situation. In the letter, Ahmadinejad offered his solutions to U.S.-Iran conflicts. The United States, however, dismissed the letter with officials stating the letter contained no proposals to resolving the nuclear issue.
  
  Ahmadinejad has drawn fire for making inflammatory remarks, including those against the state of Israel and about the Holocaust, which have brought him condemnation from many world leaders. During a 2006 speech made at the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Ahmadinejad again criticized Israel, this time for its military action in Lebanon. He also lobbied for a seat on the UN Security Council for a representative of the Non-Aligned Movement, an association of more than 100 countries, including Iran, Cuba, and Venezuela.
  
  For all of his rhetoric there is some question as to how much power Ahmadinejad wields in his own country. With the control of the government largely in the hands of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, it remains uncertain whether Ahmadinejad will make a long-term impact on Iran.
  
  Often wearing a plain tan jacket, Ahmadinejad is said to live a simple life outside of politics. He is married and has three children.
  
  What I'm Reading:
  
  JD Robb: Memory In Death. I really am nearly done with this series, only about 5 or 6 books left. This particular part of the series deals with a foster family that Eve had to endure while she was growing up. The foster 'mother' was basically pretty monstrous and only did fostering for the additional income. More about that later.
  
  What I'm Watching:
  
  TV Catch-up Day
  
  

  Poem Of The Day:
  
  At the Club
  
  When a pretty maiden passes
  By the window down the street,
  Cards and billiards lose their sweet;
  Conversation on old brasses
  Languishes; up go the glasses:-
  "Nice complexion!" "Dainty feet!"
  When a pretty maiden passes
  By the window down the street.
  Smith forgets the "toiling masses,"
  Robinson, the fall in wheat;
  All the club is indiscret.
  Ah, the wisest men are asses
  When a pretty maiden passes
  By the window down the street!
  Richard Hovey
  
  

  Recipe of the Day:
  
  Spanish Shrimp
  
  INGREDIENTS
  
  1 pkg (3 1/2 oz) fully cooked chorizo sausage, sliced
  1 1/2 lb peeled, deveined raw large shrimp
  1/2 cup dry sherry or dry white wine
  
  PREPARATION
  
  1. Heat 1 tsp oil (preferably olive) in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chorizo and sauté 2 minutes until browned.
  2. Add shrimp and sauté 1 to 2 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink.
  3. Add sherry and sauté 1 minute or until shrimp are cooked through. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.
  
  
  
  

  • Posted Oct 10, 2008 11:24 pm GMT
  • Category: Other
  • 3 Comments
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