Thursday, July 31, 2008

I feel good about getting back into the kitchen. It seems I took an unplanned hiatus, and fell into a tendency to do quick, not-so-nutricious dinners, mostly because I felt tired and lazy. I still feel tired, but it is certainly a relief to be in there and concentrating on something other than baby stuff. (Yesterday we did have pizza, but it had been a while and I had a craving.) Tonight, I just sauteed some green and red bell peppers with onions, and put them under a simply seasoned chicken breast, topped with a roasted pineapple and habaƱero sauce (store bought, I won't lie). Simple, fast, and healthy.

Then I realized it looked strikingly similar to the chicken dish pictured on a flier for Chevy's that was lying on the opposite counter. Weird.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Am a bit bummed that HBO has not renewed 'Tell Me You Love Me' for another season. It wasn't nearly as provocative as 'Queer as Folk' or 'The L Word.' I am going to miss it. Except for the parts when the 60-something therapist and her hubby get naked and bouncy on the couch.

Friday, July 25, 2008

Naming a child is harder than I imagined. While I may like the sound of a million names, I had to keep in mind that I had to call my child by that name for the rest of her life (so willing, as long as she doesn't decide to change it legally). When we finally got serious about figuring out a name (two weeks before she came - heh), there was no clear consensus, no single name jumped out as the winner. We racked our brains, scoured baby name websites, and browsed popular names registered with the Social Security Administration. It was only the week before that we ran across Anneli on a page of Swedish names; still, it wasn't immediately decided, but it had a nice ring to it. Before making any final decisions, we Googled the name and checked Wikipedia to make sure there weren't any serial killers or other crazies named Anneli (or some variation of it).

Anyway, I got to thinking about the whole process after I read some iReports on CNN. I have no idea why some parents make such awkward or inappropriate choices with names.
  • Richard Handler was an anthropology professor I had at UVA. On the first day of class, he walked in proudly with his golden retriever (he came to class every day) and announced, 'This is anthropology 101, and I am Dick Handler.' We all tried very hard to stifle our giggles. Dick Handler, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to the proclamation he had just made.
  • A girl I knew in high school had a brother named Woody Dick.
  • A girl I knew in high school was named Bbeun Yi Lee. In Korean, Lee Bbeun Yi (pronounced 'ee-ppuhn-ee') translates to 'pretty girl.' Pretty girl she was not.
I'm sure I've met more people with unfortunate names, but I can't think of them right now. Parents, please think long and hard about the names you choose. Please. But then again, I suppose people with unfortunate or funny names are easier to remember.

Monday, July 07, 2008

There are still good people left in the world.

We have a new washer and dryer coming this week. Our current machine--tiny, squeaky, just plain old--has run its course. I'm looking forward to having a shiny new washer and dryer. The washer is "high efficiency," which means I must part ways with the giant jug of Dreft; I used it to wash Baby's clothes (and I love the way it smells). Husband said, 'You'll get over it.' Sigh.

Also had to have ~$600 in repairs/maintenance completed on my car. Things are starting to wear down, probably because I have failed miserably to maintain it properly. (Sorry, I'm a girl, it happens.) Husband okayed the needed repairs; later he said, 'You need a new car.' Secretly, I'm pleased, but I'd like to hold off on an expensive purchase for a while longer. The car only has 83k miles, it will be fine for a few thousand more.

Thursday, July 03, 2008

Blogger by way of Google now allows me to access information about my blogs. I am appalled.



[Click here to view full size. Use zoom tool to see what I mean.]

Appalled!

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Am a bit stressed. It too shall pass.

As I entered my building, I noticed a package on top of the mailboxes. Not unusual since most deliveries that won't fit in the boxes are placed there. I would have glanced to check it wasn't ours and moved on, but... it was a paddle. A paddle covered in packing paper, criss-crossed with clear packing tape. Unmistakeably a paddle, as the paper and tape did little to disguise its shape. I didn't look closely enough to see the addressee.

Someone is either Greek... or into S&M.