Floating Leaf

I just discovered another very simple and very delicious recipe: Paprika Shrimp & Green Bean Saute. Nothing but shrimp, grean beans, white (canellini) beans, paprika, olive oil, a little red wine vinegar, lots of garlic & fresh parsley. YUM.:D

I have also accidentally discovered a fascinating essay about the English language. It's a review of a dictionary, actually, but it talks about many related topics like descriptive versus prescriptive linguistics, modern American English and its strange, disturbing variations like "corporate speak" (which is ideologically closer to totalitarian "propaganda speak" than most people realize), "political correctness", social/professional dialects and their functions etc. Very thought-provoking - at least for someone who has devoted several years of their life to studying such matters.:) And humbling, too, because it made me realize I still have a lot to learn. And amazingly funny, too. But then, I'm not objective when it comes to language geekery, and I always experience immeasurable glee when someone mocks the "dumbing down" of the English language that is going on in the US these days. So read at your own risk:

http://instruct.westvalley.edu/lafave/DFW_present_tense.html

In completely unrelated news, I had a funny Viggo dream yesterday. In which Viggo was some kind of professor/tutor, and I was his student. As in, the ONLY student in his class. *ahem* I can't tell you what the topic of the class was, because all I know is that he was sort of rambling, staring down at his desk, and I had no idea what he was talking about, because his voice was doing strange things to my insides. Obviously, I had a major crush on him (big surprise, LOL), and he was perfectly aware of it - which made him act a little skittish and avoid eye contact. Sort of like his character in Good - except he looked more like in this icon, courtesy of stormatdusk (*points to the top of the post*). It was totally endearing. The skittishness, I mean. Poor Viggo. I can only imagine him being a high school/college teacher and having to fend off crowds of enamoured girls (and boys ;). Worse than movie fans, because I you can't really run away from them.:P

As if I didn't have enough reasons to feel upset already, I read an article today that gave me another one. About evil, carcinogenic chemicals in cosmetics and other 'body care' products. There was a sizeable list of substances to be 'avoided at all costs' - and nearly every item on that list turns out to be a very commonly used ingredient in all types of products. I checked out my shampoo, conditioner, face wash, mouthwash, toner, facial cream, shower gel etc. - and they ALL contain some of the evil stuff. Granted, possible damage caused by cosmetics is not as great or immediate as that caused by harmful chemicals in food, which is actually ingested - but still, constant exposure over time can result in some of those chemicals being absorbed by the body and finding their way to the internal organs. ( Read more... )

Just a quick thank you to mellacita for the snowflake.:) It was a nice surprise. I meant to congratulate you on all the recognition you received for the SNAP challenge project... I just never got around to it. So I'm all the more surprised that you thought to send me a virtual gift. *blinks*

Also, thank you to dissonant_dream and willys_digs for the holiday cards. I really appreciate the gesture, even if it makes me feel bad in a way, because I haven't sent any cards this year and most likely won't. I have a weird relationship with holiday cards. ( Read more... )

I lost my muffler this morning on my way to work. I kid you not. I knew something was wrong with it as soon as I started the engine, because, you know, it ROARED. But I thought, oh crap, I'll just stop somewhere on my way back home tonight and have someone look at it. But then, as I was driving, I kept hearing some odd rattling & clanging sounds in addition to the roaring... and finally, lo and behold, the whole thing just FELL OFF. I clearly saw it detach itself from the car and clatter away to the curb. I probably should have stopped to pick it up - but I was kinda stunned, as well as, typically, running late for work, so yeah. I kept driving. Just another instance of my precious old pile'o'junk falling apart on me right in the middle of the road, lol. Doesn't really faze me that much anymore.;P ( Read more... )

I just got back from seeing The Road. akashaelfwitch had the brilliant idea to go to an early showing at 2:00 p.m., to avoid the typical evening crowds - so we pretty much had the auditorium to ourselves (there were maybe 5 other people there). (I had to call in sick to work yesterday anyway, since I got my period - so it made perfect sense to extend the 'sickness' for today as well.) After the movie we went to a cheap sandwich place to have a bite and do some catching up, as we hadn't seen each other in a while. The weather was perfect for the occasion - wet, dark and gloomy, that is.;) It just wouldn't do to walk out of that movie into a sunlit afternoon - it'd be totally wrong, somehow. Just as it wouldn't do to eat in a clean, expensive restaurant. I still felt kinda guilty as I dug ravenously into my cheap salad, with an image of Viggo's emaciated face imprinted firmly on my mind...

I cried, of course. ( Read more... )

Another Friday. Another Netflix movie. Iranian this time. ( Read more... )

Another postcard from dissonant_dream arrived this weekend - the magnificent Warwick Castle. Wow... you live 15 minutes away from such a gorgeous historic site? I envy you, girl.:)

Also, this picture from The Road chills me to the bone:



I am so very afraid to see this film. And yet, I can't wait. Masochistic much?... LOL

But seriously, I shouldn't have a problem, because I love movies that tear my heart out. Not of the violent, gory variety, but of the dark/psychologically disturbing kind. Well... to an extent, anyway. As long as I am not too emotionally invested in the most victimized characters, that is. *ahem* So yeah, I might have a problem. Somehow it's easier for me to watch Viggo as the "bad guy", making others suffer, than to watch him suffer himself. Even though he makes both extremes look equally "real" to me.

Anyway... I obviously don't have a life outside of the silver screen these days.:P

Hi, everyone. I'd like to share another happy Netflix experience today.:) A clever, funny and touching love story called Boy Culture. It's a gay movie, of course. I LOVE gay movies. No surprise there, I guess.:) But I just need to say it again, and I can't say it enough: the abundance of gay films these days makes me HAPPY. I still remember a time when the very thought of a gay relationship depicted on screen seemed somehow outrageous. Now it's practically commonplace - and of course that means plenty of bad gay movies in addition to the good ones. I've seen my share of both. But, over the years, I seem to have developed a knack for picking out the good ones. Out of the dozens of gay flicks I have rented through Netflix, there were maybe 2 or 3 that I would consider a complete waste of time. Most were interesting, to say the least. And some were real gems. Here's one.

( detailed review under the cut )

I didn't get sick, after all. Friday night & Saturday morning totally felt like the beginnings of a cold, but by Sunday it was gone. I wonder why. The thing is, on Saturday morning I went to see my chiropractor, who also happens to be my acupuncturist.:) And I told her I was definitely coming down with something. So she said, OK, we're gonna put some needles into the points near your spine that should trigger your auto-immune response. And I was like, sure, whatever. I certainly didn't expect immediate recovery - but looks like that's what happened. Acupuncture rules, people. Seriously. *blinks*

I mean, I did take some chewable herbal cold remedy tablets that I had bought back when I still shopped at Whole Foods, and some Vitamin C Halls candy, and drank a few mugs of a medicinal "cold stop" tea that my dad swears by - but that was it. I somehow doubt that it would have been enough to cure me within two days.:) ( Read more... )

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, gairid!!! I hope you had a blast - maybe even invited some sexy vamps over for a little drink.;P