Baking and Chocolate Goodness

In addition to everything else she did, Michelle sent me yummy vanilla and a brownie recipe for my birthday. Well, I had to try it, right?

I've misplaced my camera, so these pictures are being taken with my phone.


In the pan, with foil so I can wrap them up and send them with John to work tomorrow.



Carnage on the plate.

Yum. Thanks Michelle!

Quizzes, because they amuse me

Your result for The What Middle Earth race do you belong to Test...

Balrog

You scored 0% Size & Strength, 35% Morality, 65% Aggression, and 94% Intelligence.

You're a Balrog! You scored high on size & strength, low on morality, high on aggression and high on intelligence. Balrogs were once divine Maiar spirits along the lines of Gandalf, but they were corrupted by Morgoth into creatures of flame, shadow and pure malice. Immensely powerful and terrifying, they can also create melee weapons from the fire of their own bodies, favoring swords and bullwhips. Their capacity for destruction is surpassed only by Dragons. Once the high lieutenants of Morgoths army, many of the Balrogs were slain in the War of Wrath. The few that survived were scattered and hid deep in the Earth, away from their enemies.

FYI, your polar opposite is the Hobbit.

Take The What Middle Earth race do you belong to Test at HelloQuizzy

This is the part that made me laugh - look at my low morality and high aggression!

# You scored 53% on Size & Strength, higher than 35% of your peers.
# 3/100 You scored 35% on Morality, higher than 3% of your peers.
# 74/100 You scored 65% on Aggression, higher than 74% of your peers.
# 96/100 You scored 94% on Intelligence, higher than 96% of your peers.

Where am I?

Sorry, trying to use my very limited spare time to work on Charlotte Misner*. She's not being ignored, and neither are any of you. So, to keep you occupied, here's The Cure with Charlotte Sometimes



*The name always make me think of the Ben Folds Five album The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner, which has the will eventually be a classic song Army. Sadly, all I could quickly find is the clean version. Second verse is really "son, you're fucking high".

My bank account may never be the same...

Nordstrom's advanced search let's you create an RSS feed for your search terms. Now I can be automatically notified whenever shoes in a 9.5 W show up.

This is quite possibly the most wonderful and awful thing I have encountered this week.

This evening's refreshing beverage is . . .

North Coast Brewing Company's Red Seal Ale. A nice ale. I usually like things a little hoppier or darker, but this is a nice little ale with good flavor.

Of course, the fact that the brewmaster is my boss' brother is kinda cool too. She goes down and helps out with the Monterey Jazz Festival each fall, an event that they sponsor.

If you see some of their brews, give them a try. I really enjoyed the Brother Thelonius Belgian Style Abbey Ale.

Vive La France!

Happy Bastille Day! I've been celebrating by drinking French wine (hic!), eating French Fries, avoiding French Dressing, and maybe I can entice John to embrassez-moi once he gets home.

So, from one of the best films ever, I give you La Marsellaise

Return of the Friday Funny

What, you thought I'd abandonded it? No, Friday Funny was on vacation, getting some spa treatments and some grooming.

This week - McSweeney's.

Something for everyone at McSweeney's.

Janiece in her quest to fight the homeowner's association might appreciate An Overheard Conversation at the Suburban Neighborhood Pool, If the Suburban Neighborhood Pool Were in Deadwood.

Michelle might enjoy Summer Safety Tips: How to Avoid a Lion Attack.

Jim might roll eyes at the premise of The Middle East Peace Process, as Moderated by My Spin Instructor.

MWT and John The Scientist would probably come up with a few additions to None of My Science Piñatas Are Appropriate for Children.

OK, you get the idea. I think most of us will get a rueful chuckle out of The 700 Club Does Weather.

Have a lovely weekend!

TMI Time (be warned)

I schedule my annual physical also known as my LOF/Inspect around my birthday, as that makes it easier to remember. Being of the female version of human, I get to have my parts checked out thoroughly. Honestly, the exam doesn't bother me. I figure after a provider's first dozen or so, as long as a patient has standard equipment and nothing too pierced or prolapsed, the clinician doesn't really care or think too much about your down there. Physical time always reminds me that either a) I should be going to yoga again or b) I sure am glad I've been going to yoga lately. I also get the complete checkup of everything else, updated family history, vaccinations, any foreign travel, am I getting eyes, teeth, etc. all checked out, any new allergies or sensitivities I've noticed, all the usual. Last year I got a baseline mammogram. This year, I have orders to get scoped up top and MAYBE down below. Versed here I come!

So. Looks like Tania is ok for another year. Weight is something we're both ok with, labs are good, BP is in my usual range (106/62). I got the low blood pressure safety lecture. I get it every visit. And yes, if I don't sit for a bit when getting up from bed, I pass out and/or slam into the wall or the door. I've been know to try and catch myself and take out a bookcase. Fun!

But, what I'm TMI sharing with you is my interactions with my doc. I like my doc. He's been my doc for almost 20 years, since he went into private practice. He calls me on my bullshit, understands my irrationalities on some topics, and has a great sense of humor. Oh, and he reads SF/F. We trade books. Even better, the nurses at work think he's one of the better docs in town.


During the History & Physical update:
How many sexual partners do you regularly have?
One, unless I'm suffering blackouts and having sex with multiple partners. I don't think I'm suffering blackouts.
Ok. So as far as you know, your only "john" is John? (sounds of nurse sputtering in the background)
Yes.
So, this means you are having sex.
Yes.
Any pain when having sex?
Only when I ask for it. (sounds of nurse sputtering in the background)
That's good to know. Sounds like you have a healthy relationship, let me know if things change.


Anything particularly troubling you today?
Hmmm. Ummm. Well, I called my Aunt to wish her a Happy Birthday, and got to talk to my Grandmother which was great, but she made me talk to my mom. I don't like talking to my mom.
You're kidding me. You're 36 years old and you still have mother-daughter issues?
Yes. And believe me, I'm the grown-up in this situation.
Really?
yes.


What happened to your biceps? You used to have biceps. I see you at the gym. Develop some upper body strength.
Watch it buddy, or I will stomp you with my overdeveloped legs.
___________________________________________________________________

I try to have a good joke each year, just because. I've had the last line of the following floating around in my head for years, but it wasn't until this week I finally worked up a story in which to insert it. So, here's my 2008 annual physical joke.

After a long day on the job, a stomach and a gall bladder walk into a bar to unwind. While there, they meet Fred, a womb. As they chat through the evening, the three become friends. As the evening winds down, Joe (the stomach) says "Fred, it's been really great to meet you, and I'm sure we must have some contacts in common. Bob (the gall bladder) here is married to my sister Debbie (a liver), who has a really mean brother Brian (a spleen). Now that I've told you about some of our connections, I'd like to know - what are uterus?"

Birthday Gifties!

#0 was about a week before my birthday. My cow-orker Russ and his wife gave me a $30 B&N gift card, since I'm 30-something.

#1 was from the kitties - the rear end of a vole, and the entrails laid out delicately with it. They show they care in their own twisted little feline manner.

#2 was from that crazy UCFer Michelle!! I got a copy of Night Watch, the very book that I (while said book was in transit) demanded to know (on her blog) why I'd not read it. Creepy. Cool.

#3 was $$ from my Dad. I'm 36, I don't really expect gifts from my parents, but it makes him happy, so I take his money, and then pay bills. It seems like the sort of thing a parent would approve of.

I know that some friends will have treasures for me on Friday, when about 10 of us are gathering for dinner, with my natality as the excuse. Oh, the anticipation!!

Anyhoo.... Yay! Thank you everyone. I am a very fortunate person in my friends.

Ronald McDonald of Clan McDonald

May not be the harbinger of doom that we've all thought.

Kitchenmage has a post about McDonalds and their support of equal treatment for gay folks. Go read it. Please.

Wow. Who'd a thunk it? This sure as hell makes me feel better about the money they score off of me because of my ice tea addiction.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Yup, today is my birthday. I turn the big 36. I have no idea what, if any, birthday festivities are planned.

This a busy birthday month for my family. My cousin Wendy was on the 1st, I'm on the 8th, Wendy's mom is on the 9th, cousin Ginger is on the 11th, and it keeps going like that all month long...

My Aunt T (Wendy's mom) was there with my mom when I was born. She was encouraging my mom to hold out for a few more hours so we could share a birthday (Aunt T was 11 at the time). Aunt T says my mom was NOT INTERESTED in prolonging labor any more than necessary, and now that Aunt T has had three kids, she understands completely.

I'm taking today off of work (don't tell anyone!) and going to run some errands and try to have a nice day. We'll see how that works out.

Happy Birthday Tania!

Embarassing truth #436

I want to see the film of Mamma Mia! just because it has Christine Baranski in it. I like her.

When in the course of human events it becomes

necessary to laugh so you don't cry about the hypocrite your country has become, one can always count on the Muppets!



Happy Independence Day! Go out and stick it to the man, because that is a patriotic thing to do!

How Geeky Are You?

Gacked from Andrew Wheeler's Blog

83% Geek

OnePlusYou Quizzes and Widgets

I'm surprised the number isn't higher, quite honestly.

What's in a name?

Nathan sent me an email earlier today asking about the story behind Orphelia's name. He sent it privately because since he is such a nice guy, he was concerned that I might have misspelled my own cat's name. Not only is that proof of Nathan's stand up ways, but his keen insight.

I sent him back a really long email (I was/am catching up from being in Denver the last 3 days), and he suggested it was worthy of a blog post. Apparently I am not capable of getting my days aligned with Cat Blogging Friday. I'll do better in the future.

How Orphy Got Her Name

This is Orphelia aka Orphy. Brain the size of a walnut, but the most dog-like cat I've ever lived with. Comes when you call, plays fetch, goes for walks with you. Weird stuff.




With a name like mine, I try REALLY HARD to get things right. Every time I swap the i and e in Janiece I wither a little inside.

Why yes, there is a story...
A friend (the woman I married) was a foster house for the local cat rescue group (these days she's also a licensed Vet Tech, but not back then). She took in a pregnant teenage mom, and raised the kittens, and placed them in homes. So, I've known our cats since they were in utero.

My friend lived in a little cabin, up on pilings with a crawl space underneath. The short haired black kitten crawled under the cabin and wouldn't come out. Momma Cat would go down there and nurse it, but it took almost a week to finally catch the kitten and get it back up to the living area. Sooo...at this point we still thought the short haired black kitten was a boy and we named it Orpheus, because it had a journey to the underworld, and returned. About a month later, it was determined that Orphy was a girl cat, NOT a boy cat. I didn't want to call her Eurydice, so I morphed it into Ophelia/Orphelia. She's the cat that is fascinated by running water and John has to avoid peeing on. She tries to join you in the shower too.

She's good cat, though a little stupid. She's the X-sports cat. If an odd spot can be climbed to, jumped to, wiggled into, she's there. Hence the picture of John geared up climbing the tree on my sidebar. There is a series where he's getting her out of the tree because she chased a squirrel up it and then wasn't sure about coming down. Stupid cat. But a sweet cat. She's next to me right now as I update and edit the original email I sent to Nathan. She's 14 this year, and still a mighty slayer of voles and bunnies. Go Orphy!

And yes, that picture is of her in a camp chair in the driveway, lounging on her catnip mat.

July 1

What is today?

It's Canada Day! Fireworks, barbequeueueueues, and singing of that lovely national anthem O Canada. As an Alaskan, I'm frequently mistaken as being from Canada's most western province/territory - Alaska. That's ok, we like Canadians. Even though I do find this song to be hilarious. Serge and Kimby are Canadian. Yay Canada!

What else is it? Oh, it's my cousin Wendy's birthday. Wendy is 3 years younger than me. Her mom is 11 years older than I am. Yes, I come from a family of easy women and early breeders. But you know what? All three of my aunt's daughters have finished their BA degrees, and the youngest in school to become a Physician's Assistant. So, even if we have trouble containing our adolescent hormones, we do put an emphasis on education. And contraception, for this generation. I've always been proud of my aunt for not perpetuating a stereotype.

Oh, and I do believe that it is MICHELLE'S birthday today. Hmm. I wonder what INTERESTING birthday gifties will be arriving this week? The mind boggles....