For the beautiful trees that line my apartment complex; brilliant red and gorgeous and autumnal.
For the friends I've met since moving to PDX, who have welcomed me with such open arms.
For 'Dexter'. Seriously, this show is so kick-ass.
For my favorite flourless chocolate cookie recipe (I made them last night for a little CYA get-together, and found out only after I got there that two of the four other people there have celiac disease. I WAS A HERO).
For a job that I love, even in spite of the fact that I got peed on this morning.
1. Few people in this world can produce an instantaneous smile from me at the mere mention of their name. Ben Folds is one such individual. That he was a judge on "The Sing-Off" was the sole reason I even bothered to watch at first (the nerdy boys singing a capella music helped, too). I don't remember where I came across this link (Gawker? Vulture? Hard to say [just kidding! It was Twitter!]), but he's got some beautiful photos on this site. [via]
6. Exciting things on the horizon, including a trip north this weekend to visit Breener!
7. Unmitigated joyful moment of the week: It's no secret that I love Jimmy Fallon on Late Night. As an entertainer, he doesn't shy away from simple, joyful humor for humor's sake. I caught a promo for a rerun this week and decided to record it (see: slow jamming the news, thank you notes, AND Jimmy's Justin Bieber impression), and was even more thrilled when Super Grover 2.0 stopped by.
As virtues go, patience has never been one that I've possessed in abundance. By the nature of my job, my ability to stay calm in a situation has improved, to be sure, but in a very situation-specific way: I give kids with disabilities a lot of slack, whereas typical kids who are really just brats can push me over the edge with very little provocation.
Recently, I've encountered a lot of "hurry up and wait" roadblocks. Once I decided to move to PDX, it was "hurry up and wait to find a job". Once said job was secured, I had to "hurry up and wait for moving day to roll around". And now? Hurry up and wait for... something I can't quite put my finger on. That may actually be more frustrating than trying to be patient for whatever 'it' is.
As promised, photographic proof that I'm not camped out in a hovel somewhere on the streets of PDX:
Living room, part une. Pay no attention the pictures leaning under the window that I have as of yet been too lazy to hang (or just don't have a place for yet).
Living room, part deux. Please to note that ugly green desk fits PERFECTLY in the alcove. Sign from God? I'd like to think so!
The solarium (I KNOW). Sitting room? Sun room? Either way, it sounds awfully pretentious, so I'm just going to go with it, I guess.
You can't tell me this isn't one of the most genius things you've ever seen. Do yourself a favor and watch. Provided you have a soul, you will giggle uncontrollably.
As part of my ongoing effort to quit my hermit-like ways, I spent my day hiking with some folks I met at ToT earlier this week. We (meaning they, as I'm completely unfamiliar with the area) decided to hike the Mirror Lake trail at the base of Mount Hood. My trusty Hipstamatic app once again helped me grab what I think is an amazing shot of the mountain from the far side of Mirror Lake.
1. In an effort to avoid a repeat of the poor judgment I exhibited during my first few months in Godforsaken Idaho, I ventured out of the ol' comfort zone and checked out the PDX Metro area's Theology on Tap, hosted by MCF. Met some pretty spiffy new people and a thoroughly enjoyable time was had by all.
2. Special congrats to my big brother Wavey and my lovely sister-in-law Starbuck for clueing me in earlier this week that when the month of May rolls around, I'll be an aunt! I'm super stoked for them, and the knitting will commence ASAP.
Inspired by Jennifer at Conversion Diary, here are my 7 Quick Takes:
1. The fact that this is a real site makes me both incredibly gleeful and also a little wary of just what people will come up with when they have enough free time on their hands. [Hot Guys on Judge Judy]
2. I've used 3/4 of a tank of gas in two weeks, including driving to the airport last Saturday. Have I mentioned that I love my new job? Back in Godforsaken Idaho, I'd gas up at least once a week.
3. Brand spanking new ottoman/coffee table is being delivered tomorrow morning. Expect pictures once I finally get this place looking presentable.
4. I'm not going to lie to you, I kind of secretly love the new "Hawaii 5-0". CBS has some sort of weird love affair going on with Alex O'Loughlin (and maybe I do, too; I freely admit to watching every single episode of the truly, truly terrible "Moonlight"), and maybe the third time will be a charm for them. Also, Scott Caan is unquestionably HYSTERICAL in this show.
5. Can someone PLEASE make this happen for my next birthday? Or my next Tuesday?
One of my favorite gifts that I've ever received is my food processor. It's so shiny! More than that, though, it's super versatile and handy to have around the kitchen. Once I finally made myself sit down and watch the DVD that came with it (I know), it was a snap to use, and one of my favorite things to make in it is pizza dough.
Flipping through my trusty Better Homes cookbook yesterday, I was looking for something I could make for dinner this week that would A) produce leftovers for a night or two, and B) used what I had on hand so I wouldn't have to buy a whole lot of extra ingredients (massive pay-cuts are a bitch, let me tell you). I figured I'd give this recipe a shot because I love both tacos and pizza, and it was way cheap to make. I adapted the recipe a bit, but not enough to call it my own. Either way, it was damn tasty.
Tostada Pizza
3/4 lb. lean ground beef
3/4 c water
1 4-oz can diced green chile peppers, drained
2 tbsp taco seasoning mix
1 tsp chili powder
1 tablespoon cornmeal
pizza dough (I used my own, but original recipe calls for a 13.8 oz. package of the refrigerated stuff)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
shredded cheddar cheese
spinach, torn
chopped tomato
In a large skillet cook ground beef until brown. Drain off fat. Stir in the water, chile peppers, taco seasoning mix, and chili powder. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes or until most of the liquid is gone.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet and sprinkle with the cornmeal. Unroll pizza dough onto the baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes.
In a small bowl mash pinto beans with a fork. Spread beans over partially baked dough to within 1/2 inch of edges. Spoon meat mixture over beans. Bake, uncovered, 10 minutes more or until crust is just golden. Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake 1 to 2 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Top with lettuce, tomato, and green onions. Cut into 12 pieces. If desired, serve with taco sauce.
First look at my attempts to decorate the new place. More pictures to come once I actually get things looking decent (and once my coffee table finally gets here next Saturday).
(Yes, birds. On plates. I have a sickness, I know. Just go with it.)
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