This week's prompt: Write a haiku! (or maybe three?)
Sitting at my desk
Watching the rain hit the trees
Drip drip drop drip drop
Too lazy to bake
Chocolate-coconut-graham
3 of 7 Wonder Bar
Afternoon treads on
Outlook reminder pops up
One maid-a-milking
Showing posts with label Blog Challenge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blog Challenge. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Blog Challenge #11
What's a skill you don't possess that you wish you did?
This is a tough prompt for me to tackle. My immediate thought is “don’t get me started! Don’t even get me started!” An exercise such as this is like my own personal Pandora’s Box because, simply stated, I am undoubtedly my own harshest critic.
So I’ll go dig deep and use my elementary school report-writing “skills” as a jumping-off point.
Skill: A developed talent or ability. http://dictionary.com, citing American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed.
Oy.
Allow me to explain. Looking back on my life thus far, I feel I have lived the quintessential “Jill of all trades, master of none” life. OK, maybe not all trades, but a good many. And I could get by in all of my endeavors, be it athletic, artistic, academic, or social. But I never really had a talent or ability that I excelled at enough to really have it develop into a mastered skill, per se.
I don’t have anything that’s my thing. You know, the type of thing that a person would say: “You should call her. She knows everything there is to know about that.” As Fella would say (about his self), “I don’t have quite that intense of a personality for such things.” Which is, of course, a load (his “things” are: old cars, architecture, history and politics, and geography--or perhaps more accurately cartography). His things he can speak on with authority.
So what is it that I would like to speak with authority on?
The smartass in me answers, “What wouldn’t I?!” Which, really, is just another diversion tactic from answering the question.
So here goes nothing: I’d like to possess mad cake decorating skills.
All that lead-in blather for that?! I know, I was hoping for something loftier myself, but that’s what I came up with.
Is there anything you can do to gain that skill?
There’s plenty I can do. There are Wilton® classes at craft stores. And there’s always the culinary program at DVC. To name a couple.
Why haven't you done it?
Why, time, why else! The constraint of time is the bane of my existence. It was the basis of my conversation with my checker at Trader Joe’s on Sunday, who, after awhile conceded defeat to my schedule, just as I seem to have.
I should make time, I know. And someday I will. Right after I do all the other things that make up this Jill’s life right now.
Oy.
This is a tough prompt for me to tackle. My immediate thought is “don’t get me started! Don’t even get me started!” An exercise such as this is like my own personal Pandora’s Box because, simply stated, I am undoubtedly my own harshest critic.
So I’ll go dig deep and use my elementary school report-writing “skills” as a jumping-off point.
Skill: A developed talent or ability. http://dictionary.com, citing American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed.
Oy.
Allow me to explain. Looking back on my life thus far, I feel I have lived the quintessential “Jill of all trades, master of none” life. OK, maybe not all trades, but a good many. And I could get by in all of my endeavors, be it athletic, artistic, academic, or social. But I never really had a talent or ability that I excelled at enough to really have it develop into a mastered skill, per se.
I don’t have anything that’s my thing. You know, the type of thing that a person would say: “You should call her. She knows everything there is to know about that.” As Fella would say (about his self), “I don’t have quite that intense of a personality for such things.” Which is, of course, a load (his “things” are: old cars, architecture, history and politics, and geography--or perhaps more accurately cartography). His things he can speak on with authority.
So what is it that I would like to speak with authority on?
The smartass in me answers, “What wouldn’t I?!” Which, really, is just another diversion tactic from answering the question.
So here goes nothing: I’d like to possess mad cake decorating skills.
All that lead-in blather for that?! I know, I was hoping for something loftier myself, but that’s what I came up with.
Is there anything you can do to gain that skill?
There’s plenty I can do. There are Wilton® classes at craft stores. And there’s always the culinary program at DVC. To name a couple.
Why haven't you done it?
Why, time, why else! The constraint of time is the bane of my existence. It was the basis of my conversation with my checker at Trader Joe’s on Sunday, who, after awhile conceded defeat to my schedule, just as I seem to have.
I should make time, I know. And someday I will. Right after I do all the other things that make up this Jill’s life right now.
Oy.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Blog Challenge #10
This week's prompt: Did You Build Forts as a Child?
I have to admit here, I don’t know as I could take any credit for any fort-building initiatives in my childhood. You see, I had (ok, still have) this older brother. And he had a thing for building things. Lincoln Logs, Leggo’s, popsicle sticks, toothpicks, wood blocks--you name it, my brother built things with it.
Oddly enough, we didn’t have a couch situation that enabled us to build forts with its cushions. Perhaps that was a strategic move on our parents’ part. So what I remember most, is building snow forts for snowball fights in the winter. Brother needed extra man power to pack the snow in good. Being the "yes man" little sister that I was, dug my heels in and went to work until the frostbite nearly set in.
And what thanks did I get in return? A turncoat. That’s right, from workhorse to target, I was powerless against his reign of terror. Well, almost powerless. The perfect pitched screech and crocodile tears always swayed the jury of our parents. He may have been older, but I was pretty shrewd.
But giving credit where it is due, were it not for my brother, I’m not sure that I would have ever thought to build a fort of my own accord. In fact, I’m fairly certain there are a lot of things that I wouldn’t have known, done, or seen were it not for brother paving the way before me.
Thanks brother (if you ever read this).
I have to admit here, I don’t know as I could take any credit for any fort-building initiatives in my childhood. You see, I had (ok, still have) this older brother. And he had a thing for building things. Lincoln Logs, Leggo’s, popsicle sticks, toothpicks, wood blocks--you name it, my brother built things with it.
Oddly enough, we didn’t have a couch situation that enabled us to build forts with its cushions. Perhaps that was a strategic move on our parents’ part. So what I remember most, is building snow forts for snowball fights in the winter. Brother needed extra man power to pack the snow in good. Being the "yes man" little sister that I was, dug my heels in and went to work until the frostbite nearly set in.
And what thanks did I get in return? A turncoat. That’s right, from workhorse to target, I was powerless against his reign of terror. Well, almost powerless. The perfect pitched screech and crocodile tears always swayed the jury of our parents. He may have been older, but I was pretty shrewd.
But giving credit where it is due, were it not for my brother, I’m not sure that I would have ever thought to build a fort of my own accord. In fact, I’m fairly certain there are a lot of things that I wouldn’t have known, done, or seen were it not for brother paving the way before me.
Thanks brother (if you ever read this).
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Blog Challenge!
What's an Easter memory from your childhood? How is/will your child's Easter celebration be different or the same?
As I was preparing for 4.0’s first Easter, I couldn’t help but reflect upon my Ghosts of Easters Past.
Spring break never seemed to coincide with the holiday. My first year in law school, I remember thinking I was going to make myself a nice Easter dinner since I was spending it alone (I splurged on lamb!) Unfortunately, I got a little over zealous with the garlic. To boot, I suddenly came down with the flu and started feeling like death not long after I tried to stomach the over-garlicked spread. It was awful and all I wanted was my mommy to make it all better. So when I hosted a potluck Easter the following year, I made ham.
One year in college, a bunch of my sorority sisters who hadn’t made the treks home to celebrate decided to have a potluck at the house. I think I ended up bring dinner rolls. I don’t remember much more about it than that, except that I was glad to have friends to share the day with.
As I was shopping for the final touches for 4.0’d Easter basket (read: candy for me and Fella) I recalled the goodies my brother and I got from the Easter Bunny each year. There were definitely some constants: these little cartons of chocolate eggs, foil wrapped chocolate bunnies and eggs, jellybeans (Jelly Bird Eggs, actually), and maybe a Regal Chocolate Rabbit. Somehow I remember getting spice drops, too, but I could be confusing that with the candy we were traditionally given on Valentine’s Day.
Regardless, I found myself wishing I could pick up the same candies for my guy (who can’t even eat it this year). Now that I think about it, I’m sure I could order most of the above, but that would take a little foresight on my part (got to work on that). And now that I’ve had time to contemplate, I wonder: do I really want the focus of 4.0’s memories to be on candy like his food-troubled mother?! Things that make you go hmmm.
What I’d really like for 4.0 is to have are memories like the one I have of my Easter in Memphis. We shared the holiday with relatives we didn’t get usually get to share any holidays with, including my second cousin five months my junior. I remember we each got Barbie umbrellas and I was SO in love with mine. I kept treating it like a parasol. I mean, we were in the south after all. Oh how I longed to be a southern belle!
Looking back, what resonates with me most now was how special it was to spend the holiday in a different place with different relatives than we were used to spending the holidays with. I want 4.0 to relish the time he spends with his family, especially since so many of my relatives are far-flung . I certainly want him to have a greater appreciation of his extended family than I did when I was younger. Hopefully he’ll take after his father that way.
It does strike me as odd that being a religious holiday, I don’t have much memory of the church part of Easter. I am sure we attended Easter Mass (or at least ¾ of us did), it just left no impression on me. But can a child really get his head around the religious meaning of Easter anyway? I mean, Christmas is easy—we all have birthdays like the little baby Jesus. Getting that. But death and resurrection? Not exactly hitting close to home.
So how will my child’s Easters Yet to Come differ from mine past? Really, I hope not much at all.
As I was preparing for 4.0’s first Easter, I couldn’t help but reflect upon my Ghosts of Easters Past.
Spring break never seemed to coincide with the holiday. My first year in law school, I remember thinking I was going to make myself a nice Easter dinner since I was spending it alone (I splurged on lamb!) Unfortunately, I got a little over zealous with the garlic. To boot, I suddenly came down with the flu and started feeling like death not long after I tried to stomach the over-garlicked spread. It was awful and all I wanted was my mommy to make it all better. So when I hosted a potluck Easter the following year, I made ham.
One year in college, a bunch of my sorority sisters who hadn’t made the treks home to celebrate decided to have a potluck at the house. I think I ended up bring dinner rolls. I don’t remember much more about it than that, except that I was glad to have friends to share the day with.
As I was shopping for the final touches for 4.0’d Easter basket (read: candy for me and Fella) I recalled the goodies my brother and I got from the Easter Bunny each year. There were definitely some constants: these little cartons of chocolate eggs, foil wrapped chocolate bunnies and eggs, jellybeans (Jelly Bird Eggs, actually), and maybe a Regal Chocolate Rabbit. Somehow I remember getting spice drops, too, but I could be confusing that with the candy we were traditionally given on Valentine’s Day.
Regardless, I found myself wishing I could pick up the same candies for my guy (who can’t even eat it this year). Now that I think about it, I’m sure I could order most of the above, but that would take a little foresight on my part (got to work on that). And now that I’ve had time to contemplate, I wonder: do I really want the focus of 4.0’s memories to be on candy like his food-troubled mother?! Things that make you go hmmm.
What I’d really like for 4.0 is to have are memories like the one I have of my Easter in Memphis. We shared the holiday with relatives we didn’t get usually get to share any holidays with, including my second cousin five months my junior. I remember we each got Barbie umbrellas and I was SO in love with mine. I kept treating it like a parasol. I mean, we were in the south after all. Oh how I longed to be a southern belle!
Looking back, what resonates with me most now was how special it was to spend the holiday in a different place with different relatives than we were used to spending the holidays with. I want 4.0 to relish the time he spends with his family, especially since so many of my relatives are far-flung . I certainly want him to have a greater appreciation of his extended family than I did when I was younger. Hopefully he’ll take after his father that way.
It does strike me as odd that being a religious holiday, I don’t have much memory of the church part of Easter. I am sure we attended Easter Mass (or at least ¾ of us did), it just left no impression on me. But can a child really get his head around the religious meaning of Easter anyway? I mean, Christmas is easy—we all have birthdays like the little baby Jesus. Getting that. But death and resurrection? Not exactly hitting close to home.
So how will my child’s Easters Yet to Come differ from mine past? Really, I hope not much at all.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Blogging Challenge #8
Quite awhile back, I accepted a blog challenge, but leading up to, and in the aftermath of 4.0’s arrival, I missed a whole lot of posts. Then the challenge took a little hiatus, too. But just in time for Easter, it has been resurrected and we’re both back in action! So here’s what we’re tackling this week:
What’s a movie you can’t NOT watch if you come across it on TV?
Fella is a bit of movie buff. A moldy-oldie sort of buff. So we getstuck to watching some pretty interesting Old Hollywood quite often.
The one hetortures me with …imposes upon me … has goaded me with lately is Mildred Pierce. All because it came on PBS one Saturday night and I said “I just can’t take watching this one,” explaining that I was too tired to watch such a dull sedate B&W movie (that we’ve seen before) that night. Oh how he thinks he’s a laugh riot with his interpretation of that reaction!
It’s a good movie, but in the right context. Totally has to be the right time and the right place. Same with Now, Voyager. We’ve seen that one a lot, too. And Dark Victory. All movies I don’t necessarily choose to watch on a sleep-deprived Saturday night in the dead of winter.
So what movie do I need to watch on a sleep-deprived Saturday night in the dead of winter, were I to stumble across it on the tele? Why, that's easy! There are two options, one “moldy,” one modern.
North By Northwest. Need I say more? OK, but I’ll keep it short. Classic Hitchcock. Archibald at his finest (and I do mean fiiiiiine). And there’s a hot blonde, to boot. Did I mention we stayed at the Ambassador East Hotel the last time we were in Chicago? That’s how much we like that movie.
Sixteen Candles. We physically cannot resist changing the channel to this if it’s on. It’s like our remote is programmed to seek it out from the bowels of our cable lineup. And we are compelled by some force greater than we to watch it. No matter how far into the movie it is we watch. Although I am always a little sad if it’s already beyond my favorite lines: (1) “Fred, she’s gotten her boobies…oh and they are so perky!” or (2) “Voila! Breakfast is ready!”
Lucky for us, it plays on the Encore channels A LOT.
Oddly enough, both of these movies involve a little bit of my hometown. While NxNW is only in Chicago for a blip, Sixteen Candles is my childhood and would have become my adolesnce, had my family not become California transplants when we did.
It’s filmed in my actual hometown (Evanston). In fact, one of my elementary school classmates was supposed to have the movie filmed in her house. Her parents turned it down due to some issues they had with the script. My guess it’s the same reason my best friend and I were promptly dragged out of the theater when her mom had taken us to see it: the shower scene.
Nostalgia aside, these are two great movies, never (ever!) to be missed in our house.
What’s a movie you can’t NOT watch if you come across it on TV?
Fella is a bit of movie buff. A moldy-oldie sort of buff. So we get
The one he
It’s a good movie, but in the right context. Totally has to be the right time and the right place. Same with Now, Voyager. We’ve seen that one a lot, too. And Dark Victory. All movies I don’t necessarily choose to watch on a sleep-deprived Saturday night in the dead of winter.
So what movie do I need to watch on a sleep-deprived Saturday night in the dead of winter, were I to stumble across it on the tele? Why, that's easy! There are two options, one “moldy,” one modern.
North By Northwest. Need I say more? OK, but I’ll keep it short. Classic Hitchcock. Archibald at his finest (and I do mean fiiiiiine). And there’s a hot blonde, to boot. Did I mention we stayed at the Ambassador East Hotel the last time we were in Chicago? That’s how much we like that movie.
Sixteen Candles. We physically cannot resist changing the channel to this if it’s on. It’s like our remote is programmed to seek it out from the bowels of our cable lineup. And we are compelled by some force greater than we to watch it. No matter how far into the movie it is we watch. Although I am always a little sad if it’s already beyond my favorite lines: (1) “Fred, she’s gotten her boobies…oh and they are so perky!” or (2) “Voila! Breakfast is ready!”
Lucky for us, it plays on the Encore channels A LOT.
Oddly enough, both of these movies involve a little bit of my hometown. While NxNW is only in Chicago for a blip, Sixteen Candles is my childhood and would have become my adolesnce, had my family not become California transplants when we did.
It’s filmed in my actual hometown (Evanston). In fact, one of my elementary school classmates was supposed to have the movie filmed in her house. Her parents turned it down due to some issues they had with the script. My guess it’s the same reason my best friend and I were promptly dragged out of the theater when her mom had taken us to see it: the shower scene.
Nostalgia aside, these are two great movies, never (ever!) to be missed in our house.
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