atinygoat

thinks "bzzef" may become part of the English lexicon.



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keep track of all the books I read in 2013 (read all 7 entries…)
Ina May's Guide to Childbirth (Ina May Gaskin)

This book has been on my radar for a while, and one of my healthcare providers strongly recommended it.

The information shared in this book is SO much more useful to a pregnant woman (at least one with my mindset) than What to Expect When You’re Expecting. I learned a lot in reading this, and I would recommend it to any expectant parents, especially those wishing to avoid a c-section or other medical interventions.



keep track of all the books I read in 2013 (read all 7 entries…)
Night (Elie Wiesel)

Night was one of the first Holocaust memoirs I ever read, and it has remained with me as one of the rawest accounts of a person’s experience.

I first read it in 8th or 9th grade, and I remember being really struck by the fact that the author and I were roughly the same age as when he was in Auschwitz.

I’m glad that many high schools include this book on their reading list. It’s a short read, albeit a heavy one.



keep track of all the books I read in 2013 (read all 7 entries…)
Boy (Roald Dahl)

A few weeks ago, The Husband asked me what my favorite top ten books of all time are and what my reasoning for each selection is.

This is no easy question to answer. I’ve read and loved so many books in my lifetime.

In an effort to answer his question, I’m going back and revisiting some of my old favorites.

I first read Boy as a 3rd or 4th grader. I love Dahl’s work, and reading about his childhood, especially as a child, was really interesting to me.

This is a good, short read that is amusing to me at any age, it seems.



fill my picture frames
I have several picture frames in need of new life.

When we moved into this apartment, we brought all of our wordly possessions with us, including a number of pictures frames from the last 10-15 years.

They are now hanging on our walls, despite the fact that many of the spaces are filled with pictures of people who no longer are a part of our lives.

I need to change this, and sooner rather than later. My brother is getting married in about 3 weeks, so I’ll leave a spot empty for a wedding photo. And our child is due to hatch in late September, so I’ll leave a spot for his/her photo as well.



travel south of the equator (read all 2 entries…)
Our trip to Buenos Aires was lovely.

The husband had to work, which left me with lots of time to wander the city on my own. And on the weekend, we took a boat trip.

I’d go back, and next time, I’d love to see more of Argentina, especially Patagonia.



keep track of all the books I read in 2013 (read all 7 entries…)
What to Expect When You're Expecting (Heidi Murkoff)

My doctor’s office gave me this book after my initial visit. A nice gesture, I suppose, but I’m not sure how worthwhile a read it is.

I skimmed parts and flipped through other sections. It’s not well written, and offered up very little new (to me) information. I’m not a fan.

If I hadn’t received this book for free, I wouldn’t have bothered with it at all.

Can any of you recommend any particularly good or helpful books on pregnancy and childbirth?



keep track of all the books I read in 2013 (read all 7 entries…)
In the Garden of Beasts (Erik Larson)

I love Erik Larson’s work, and this book was no exception.

I enjoyed how thoroughly this (and all of his work) book was researched, and as I have traveled to Berlin, I also liked being able to picture much of what he described.

Reading about the lives of Ambassador Dodd and his family in pre-WWII Germany added another layer to the knowledge I already possess about this region and time period, and I am better for having read this.



donate hair to Locks of Love (read all 10 entries…)
My hair just keeps growing and growing..

It’s about even with the bottom of my rib cage, and I really do think it’s time to say goodbye.

My brother is getting married in two months, and I’ll be back in Chicago for his wedding. I’m thinking that the day after his wedding, I’ll go see Erin and ask her to transform my long wavy locks into something more like this. And then donate the chopped hair, of course.

I’ve learned to like having long hair, but it’d be fun to try something new. That and it’s hair, so I’m pretty confident it would grow back eventually.



travel south of the equator (read all 2 entries…)
Our tickets are booked!

The Husband and I are headed to first Mexico City, and then on to Buenos Aires in about three weeks.

And thanks to the fact that he has a few meetings while there, and he has accumulated mad airline miles, we only have to shell out about $200 for the taxes on my ticket; his ticket and all lodging are taken care of.

I’m not sure if I’m more excited to be traveling south of the equator or to be taking a week’s vacation for very little money. Being married to a man who travels for work 30-40% of the time has some nice perks.



share 43 things I find to be particularly satisfying (read all 9 entries…)
vacuuming with our new-ish vacuum cleaner

When we moved into our apartment here in TN, we decided to spring for a new vacuum cleaner.

When living in The Cave, we swept and used a handheld vacuum as needed, but our current place is about 2.5 times the size of The Cave, and half of the space is carpeted.

After doing some research, we opted for The Shark Navigator Lift-Away, and even after having had it for months and after using it weekly, my husband and I still talk about what a great purchase this was.

I’m pleased with the product and our choice in purchasing it, but what I find to be extremely satisfying (and somewhat disgusting) is how much crap gets vacuumed up every week. I love being able to see all the nasty dusty bits and to empty it out after one apartment-wide use.



keep track of all the books I read in 2013 (read all 7 entries…)
Maus 2 (Art Spiegelman)

Both books were included in the copy that I picked up a few weeks ago, and so I quickly plowed through this, the second book. It was new to me, and I’m glad I read it. Spiegelman did a nice job with his father’s story.

I have a Saudi student who is very interested in the human side of WWII, and specifically with the Holocaust. We’ve got our spring break this week, and so I’ve lent him the book in hopes that he will spend time reading in English and that he will enjoy reading it as much as I did.. even if I spent part of our bus ride sobbing because certain parts are just too much.



keep track of all the books I read in 2013 (read all 7 entries…)
Maus (Art Spiegelman)

I love graphic novels, and I am compelled to read memoirs of Holocaust survivors.

I had read this before, a few years ago, and when I finished, I donated the book to the library of the university I was teaching at during that time because they had so few English-language books.

A few weekends ago, I was on a field trip with some of our ESL students in St. Louis, and I popped into a book store. I saw a copy of Maus + Maus 2 and had to buy it.

Despite the fact that I have been working entirely too much, I found time to read this. I think that 4 hour bus ride home had something to do with it..

This is a great read, and I particularly love the formatting.



Have a baby (read all 5 entries…)
Today is Baby R.'s due date.

I had been dreading this day for months. She stopped developing last summer, and I miscarried in August. And not a day has passed that I haven’t thought about her or her due date.

I’m feeling a lot more numb and empty than I thought I’d be, but I suppose that is for the best.

I had known how incredibly, painfully common miscarriages are, but I always thought they are something that happens to other people. And I wildly underestimated how painful, physically and emotionally, they are, and just how much they can shake up your little life.

Looks like it’ll be a while longer yet until I can mark this goal off.



post 43 music videos that make me happy (read all 13 entries…)
#13 Grimes "Genisis"

I recently discovered Brooke Candy, and can’t get enough of her. I found Grimes through Brooke Candy, and really enjoyed this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FH-q0I1fJY



talk about food (read all 14 entries…)
vegan pulled 'shroom sandwich

I came across this recipe on pinterest yesterday and had everything on hand, so I decided to try it out for dinner tonight.

I served it with a few slices of raw onion on onion rolls, which I ordinarily love, and paired it with green beans.

I think the flavor was good and the texture was decent, but next time, I’d use a sturdier bread for contrast. I also may try this with faux chicken strips to see which I like better.

http://tofu-n-sproutz.blogspot.com/2012/08/pulled-mushroom-sandwiches.html



pay off my student loans (read all 6 entries…)
I'm done with my ecsi.net managed loans.

On New Year’s Eve, I made my final payment for the last of my ecsi.net-managed loans.

This means I’ve got an additional $136.00 a month to throw at my remaining loans.

I like clearing out one whole company, but I still feel like I’m getting nowhere with this. Easily 1/3 to 1/2 of my monthly salary goes to student loan payments, and I’m barely making a dent.

I love my career and my current job, and I definitely required the degrees I have to get here, but having so much debt makes my head swim.



keep track of all the books I read in 2012 (read all 11 entries…)
A Dance with Dragons (George R. R. Martin)

Part of me wishes I would have waited to start this series until all of the books had been written and published.

I enjoyed this segment of the series, and now I’ll just have to wait to finish it out.



make a catweed kicker toy for the cats
my first attempt flopped.

I made one of these last summer before we left Poland. By the time we got settled into our temporary housing in Canada, one of my cats had destroyed it.

I think the problem was the shoddy hand stitching.

As soon as I get my sewing machine fixed, I’ll be trying this again.



talk about food (read all 14 entries…)
I'm going to try making fried chicken.

My husband has mentioned that he wishes he could have fried chicken.

Living in the South, this should be an easy thing to accomplish, right? Well.. he only eats meat that was produced with as little suffering as possible, and so, heading over to the nearest KFC or diner isn’t going to cut it.

We buy our eggs from a local farmer because we appreciate the life they give their chickens, and it’s nice to know the people who make our food. They treat their chickens well, and we support them for doing so. And we get tastier, more vibrant-looking eggs out of this arrangement than we would if we bought the cage-free, vegetarian eggs at the grocery store.

We went out to the farm today to pick up some eggs, and ended up leaving with a pound of chicken that they had raised and slaughtered, and I’m going to fry it up for my husband for dinner.

I plan to soak half of the chicken pieces in salted, vinegared soy milk overnight, and the other half is going to be treated to a dijon + egg mixture bath, and then both varieties will be dipped in a flour, panko, baking powder, salt, pepper, cayenne, and garlic powder mixture.

I think I’m going to try to pan fry half of each (mustard /”buttermilk”) variety in peanut oil for 10-12ish minutes per side, while putting the remaining halves of each variety in the oven at 375 for about 20 minutes.

I’m probably still too repulsed by the idea of eating meat to try any of it myself, but I’m hoping that by trying a few different approaches, I’ll find something that my husband likes.

Do any of you fried chicken eaters have any advice for me?



talk about food (read all 14 entries…)
I tried spaghetti squash..

And I’m not really a fan.

As a vegetable added to a dish, it seems okay at best.

As a pasta substitute, it failed miserably.

Oh well, at least now I know I’m not missing out on anything.



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