Fish Don’t Fry in the Kitchen

So I had this interview with a company the other day to do some freelance work. I thought things were going well and that I’d booked the job because that’s what they said. Starting out it wasn’t exactly what I wanted to be doing but there were promises to move on up to the deluxe apartment in the sky. Then I got home, got the sample assignment and a note from the owner who said don’t hurry to get the sample done because we have other candidates who are also interested. Mmm, it took me about 45 minutes to get home from the meeting and in that time other candidates popped up? For what amounts to a typing job? Awesome. I completed the project this morning at o’dark 30 (thanks to snoring and high-pitched whistling on someone’s part) and sent it back. I’ve crafted an email that basically says I’m an experienced instructional designer and when you get to that point in the project please keep me in mind but I’m not interested in freelance work if all it entails is typing someone else’s words…where’s the stretch in skills with that work?

In other news, my school team knocked our practice presentation out of the park last night. We received some good feedback on tweaks to our presentation but we’re ready to roll for our formal presentation next week.

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Ain’t no rules, ain’t no vow

Tonight we’re having a little Jamaican feast. I whipped up a jerk marinade this morning for chicken. And, I’ll be making peas and rice to go with the jerk chicken. We had peas and rice when we went to the Bahamas and the dish is similar to red beans and rice. The dish we had in the Bahamas used pigeon peas but today I’m using small red beans because that’s what we have. I guess the biggest difference in peas and rice and red beans and rice are the spices used and the addition of coconut milk. I haven’t figured out the vegetable dish, but the day is long yet.

This week is quite busy with meetings for school–regular class times and then meetings after class. The semester is winding down and that means lots of meetings so I can get my diploma. I’m really hoping we don’t spend hours hashing out things tomorrow night because in all honesty after about 8pm on a school night I’m pretty well toast. I hope our meeting is quick and to the point because I know I’ll just degrade the longer the meeting lasts. So what is billed as stressful will just turn into useless the longer we meet.

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The Hell?

Sister not coming. Bummer.

Other bummer: a Nora Roberts book on my desk from my secret pal. When I list items such as these as possible books I’d like:
Lay Bare the Heart: An Autobiography of the Civil Rights Movement by James Farmer, Earth Abides by George R. Stewart and Then We Came to the End: A Novel by Joshua Ferris how do I end up with Nora Roberts?

I didn’t even look at the title. WTF.

Posted in General Spleen Venting | 1 Comment

Annoyed that I’m Annoyed

I’m annoyed with myself. I’m way too irritated by people lately and I seem to be getting in my own way. I need to take a couple of days off. I think I’ll talk to my supervisor about doing just that. I have to take one day the last week of April for my school presentation but I need one or two next week too. In fact, I should just cash in my sick leave and take off all of May. Tempting but just not practical.

The other night we were getting ready for dinner and I was making some noises, hopping around, etc. Who knows. Anyway, the better-half asked me what was going on and I said I’m being goofy because I can’t do that at work. Seriously, I’ve never worked somewhere that was so serious. Granted we can get off some funny and sarcastic comments but playing? No. When I worked for a buttoned down bank we had more fun. I guess in addition to a host of other things that’s something I’m missing in my work life–a sense of play.

My FL sister is coming this weekend for a whirlwind visit–it’s been 3 years? since she’s been in town. People are going to go wild. It will be good to see her.

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Happy Unbirthday

Yesterday we went with my sister’s family to Norfolk to visit my brother-in-law’s sister’s family. A good time was had by all and I’m pretty sure no one drooled on their food. We could hear Lil’ Elvis blowing through her penne pasta but if you could get away with doing that, wouldn’t you?

In celebration of being together we sang Happy Birthday to ourselves (it was an un-birthday party) and then enjoyed:

If you look closely, you can tell there are 45.2 million layers of goodness in that cake. My brother-in-law’s sister is a pastry chef in her spare time. Dessert when she’s around is always decadent.

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Two Bothersome Things

First bothersome thing: When reading food blogs do you hate it when the writer uses the word drool? As in we drooled over the kippers? Unless you are an infant, someone with Parkinson’s or are a victim of a stroke or some other malady, you don’t drool on food. If you actually do this in a restaurant, I will feel free to get up from the table and smack you hard in the back of the head. I promise.

Second bothersome thing: Just got off the phone with my mother who asked me about graduation and if they were invited. Big deep breath and then I said she was but not my father. She got very quiet and I repeated for the upteenth time if he feels it’s OK to not talk to me lo’ these last 7 years then he doesn’t get celebration privileges with me anymore. Yes, it bothers me that he’s such an asshole and it makes me sad sometimes but I’m not putting up with it and especially to celebrate something he hasn’t said boo about in the last 3 years.

Posted in General Spleen Venting | 1 Comment

Hell Yes

I took today off to finish some work for the humongous school project (my classmates and I are consulting with a local company). I’m feeling pretty good about my portion of our final report for our client and I’m thrilled to be done with it–well, as done as I can be at this point in time.

To celebrate, please enjoy:

Must go crank this downstairs.

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I’m Not Drinking (at the moment)

I’ve been exhausted lately. I haven’t been sleeping well and I’m feeling a little overwhelmed by all the crap I have to do. And, to cap it off I sat in a training room today and aside from moving around to stop myself from falling asleep there was no interaction ALL DAY. That breaks about 500 tenets of adult learning.

This song makes me feel better so I’m posting it:

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Planted

Spinach seeds
Yukon gold seed potatoes
Beet seeds
Red and Yellow sweet onion sets
Brussels sprouts plants
Carrot seeds
Parsley plants
Chive plants
Radish seeds
Broccoli plants
Turnip seeds
Swiss chard plants and seeds

3 hydrangea that my crazy MIL purchased
1 forsythia that my wonderful husband purchased

Moved: 2 horehound, 1 thyme plant and one plant we can’t remember the name of but it repels bugs.

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Flowers and our new tenant

Here are two photos of daffodils around our back door:

And, finally, a photo of the rabbit who gnawed through our lattice to set up house under our screened porch:

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