I am a foodie

I love food porn. I watch tons of cooking shows. I love trying new restaurants. But THIS year, I am going to become the goddess in the kitchen. I have decided I need a hobby, something really constructive. I have tried a number of things that haven't stuck, but this year, definitely food. I mean I am obsessed with it in all aspects of my life, except in the kitchen.

Now once I move (soon to be discussed here), I will be limited in the whole cooking by being at my parents. They are sensitive to "strange smells." That's what they call anything that deviates from plain meat and boiled vegetable (is it becoming clear why I am a food freak?). So I have to compile a list of recipes that they will not object to, some things that taste fabulous while also being fairly innocuous. And I will be limited in kitchen stuff. I don't believe there has ever been a sharp knife in my mother's kitchen. Plus she has very little counter space (not a kitchen person, my mom). These are all things that can be overcome with a few purchases and a little ingenuity.

If anyone has suggestions on recipes for simply dishes, I would greatly appreciate it. This blog may remain legal in nature, but it is going to take on a decidedly food bent!

American Boot Strap Mentality

I used to believe that we, as a society, really did have a independent, boot strap mentality. Until I really started listening to people. In the past 15 years, I have heard so-called independent people scream about postage being raised, even though the Postal Service is almost a privately held entity and it still costs less than 50 cents to send a letter.

It has really started bugging me because I am doing a project that I hope gets published about the agriculture sector. But it has involved speaking to a lot of people. Farmers, distributors, etc. And no matter who it is, a foodie or a farmer, every comment complaining about what someone else is doing is usually followed closely in the conversation about how they are not getting what they are entitled to. Uggg. And it is really beginning to piss me off. I don't claim to be a boot-strap person. Actually, I hope that as a society we can all give each other a hand (yea yea, very PollyAnna). In fact, I wish I saw more evidence of people simply talking with each other. There are a few people in my own family that I can't have more than a superficial conversation with because I am either a liberal commie or (get this) a fascist. I am all things.

I SWEAR - Real conversations
Me: I wish the Prez had come out sooner about the Gulf oil spill. It just seems like he ignored it.
Cuz: What, because he's black, he's incompetent.
Me: Umm, what does his race have to do with anything?

Me: I like a lot of the health care reform package, though I would like to see a public option.
Cuz2: Really? And I suppose you would like to see everyone getting a three month vacation too.
Me: Um, what does that have to do with healthcare?

And don't even get me started about the Grandma that watches Fox News morning to midnight. She has gone batshit crazy. "Hello" is now a communist socialist plot as she yells about keeping your filthy socialist hands off her Medicare. Family get-togethers have become a minefield.

Anywhoo, I was just thinking about this, rather than beginning the next lecture in the Barbri series.

Which is worse?

A cold during Barbri or changing eating habits? The cold has mostly gone away. That's right 2 weeks later, I still have congestion, cough, and fatigue. Not bad, but enough to exert itself.

But I also think that I part of the fatigue (and every website, doc, etc seems to agree) is the fact that I eat a lot of junk. And I mean a lot. So I decided to do something about that part. Problem? Yes, indeed. All I can think about is cake...birthday cake with butter cream frosting. Or chocolate cake. Or red velvet cake. And cookies, chocolate chip cookies. Or peanut butter cookies. Because I am trying to drop sugar and white flour and processed foods. Do you have any idea how hard it is to concentrate on Property when visions of sweets are flying around in your head.

Thank you very much. I am going back into Barbri.

Day 9 of WoM (war of mucus)

This thing has decided to move in, settle down, rearrange the furniture, toss some stuff, then throw some rowdy parties. Rattling, whistling, noises I am completely unfamiliar. Please let the party be over. If the coughing would just let me sleep for more than an hour or two at a time, I could break out of the molasses.

Barbri lectures are not absorbing. I assume it's the cold.