So, I've kind of decided that I really need to go home and have a nap before I hurt someone.
As some of you already know, I was up until the wee hours of the morning today finishing up an assignment, and as a result am operating on 4 hours of sleep and a hell of a lot of caffeine.
Now, I'm not sure if it's the lack of sleep or the abundance of caffeine, but I am irritated by every.little.thing. I'm sure that people aren't really being any more irritating than normal, or louder than normal, or stupider than normal, etc... but I'm sure noticing it a heck of a lot more.
Wow. This post is really not nearly as interesting as it sounded in my head. Definitely nap time.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Well son of a ...
I'm an addict.
I spent an entire class this morning thinking about getting a fix.
And now, I find out that I can't get my fix here at the college, and I am saddened. :(
No, it's not a cigarette that I crave, or caffeine, or any alcohol or drug for that matter.
It's a game. A mind-numbing time-devouring game.
It’s called Hog Heaven Slots. Hours and hours of pig pokin' fun.
It’s available at a web site I have long avoided (www.pogo.com - Go on. Click it. You know you want to. Everyone else is doing it. I promise I won't tell.), until a good friend asked me if I wanted a 5-day guest pass.
Unfortunately, the game runs on a Java applet, which the college’s network bans from “calling home”.
So, I guess I’m back tostudying... or blogging... or reading other people’s blogs... or any of the other distractions that I find to avoid actually working on anything important between classes. ;)
Le sigh.
I'm an addict.
I spent an entire class this morning thinking about getting a fix.
And now, I find out that I can't get my fix here at the college, and I am saddened. :(
No, it's not a cigarette that I crave, or caffeine, or any alcohol or drug for that matter.
It's a game. A mind-numbing time-devouring game.
It’s called Hog Heaven Slots. Hours and hours of pig pokin' fun.
It’s available at a web site I have long avoided (www.pogo.com - Go on. Click it. You know you want to. Everyone else is doing it. I promise I won't tell.), until a good friend asked me if I wanted a 5-day guest pass.
Unfortunately, the game runs on a Java applet, which the college’s network bans from “calling home”.
So, I guess I’m back to
Le sigh.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Wugh. A whole week since my last post. School is seriously kicking my butt y'all. Not to mention this cold that doesn't seem to want to leave me alone. Ever.
I threw together some vegetarian enchiladas last night, and they were so good I thought I would share the recipe. I started out looking for someone else's recipe to follow, but nothing I found sounded like quite what I wanted, so I made up my own.
Vegetarian Enchiladas
Mix a couple of tablespoons of canola oil with the taco seasoning in a large coverable pot until well combined, then add the uncooked rice. Mix the rice with the seasoning mixture until well combined, and then cook on high(ish) heat until most of the rice has started to turn from slightly translucent to opaque white. Add the water, stir, cover, and turn the heat down to minimum. Let the rice cook for about 20 minutes - until all of the water is absorbed.
When the rice is done, mix in the corn, refried beans, and chilies.
While the rice is cooking, prepare a 9x13 casserole dish by lightly greasing and then covering the bottom of the dish with a layer of enchilada sauce.
Warm the tortilla shells however you prefer. I use the "low-fat" technique outlined at Simply Recipes.
As the shells become ready, spoon some of the rice mixture onto each one, roll the shell around the filling, and place the finished roll into your casserole dish, seam side down. There's great pictures at Simply Recipes that demonstrate how to lay your rolls in the casserole, just remember that whether you lay them widthwise or lengthwise depends on the starting diameter of your tortilla shells. I usually use the large size, and the best way to fit those is widthwise.
When all of the tortillas are filled and in the casserole, pour the rest of your enchilada sauce over the top, and then sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake in oven @ 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes (until cheese is browned and bubbly).
I served these with green salad tossed in salsa and sour cream, with some crushed plain tortillas and a little shredded cheese on top.
I threw together some vegetarian enchiladas last night, and they were so good I thought I would share the recipe. I started out looking for someone else's recipe to follow, but nothing I found sounded like quite what I wanted, so I made up my own.
Vegetarian Enchiladas
- 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice (you could use any type of rice, and just modify the cooking times, of course)
- 2 cups cold water
- 1 package taco seasoning (or homemade, but I'm lazy)
- Canola oil
- 1 can corn nibblets
- 1/2 can refried beans
- 1 can chopped green chilies
- 8 tortilla shells (I used flour, but you could use any variety)
- 1 jar enchilada sauce (again, you could use homemade, but I've never tried to make it)
- Cheddar cheese (to sprinkle on top - vary amount depending on your tastes)
Mix a couple of tablespoons of canola oil with the taco seasoning in a large coverable pot until well combined, then add the uncooked rice. Mix the rice with the seasoning mixture until well combined, and then cook on high(ish) heat until most of the rice has started to turn from slightly translucent to opaque white. Add the water, stir, cover, and turn the heat down to minimum. Let the rice cook for about 20 minutes - until all of the water is absorbed.
When the rice is done, mix in the corn, refried beans, and chilies.
While the rice is cooking, prepare a 9x13 casserole dish by lightly greasing and then covering the bottom of the dish with a layer of enchilada sauce.
Warm the tortilla shells however you prefer. I use the "low-fat" technique outlined at Simply Recipes.
As the shells become ready, spoon some of the rice mixture onto each one, roll the shell around the filling, and place the finished roll into your casserole dish, seam side down. There's great pictures at Simply Recipes that demonstrate how to lay your rolls in the casserole, just remember that whether you lay them widthwise or lengthwise depends on the starting diameter of your tortilla shells. I usually use the large size, and the best way to fit those is widthwise.
When all of the tortillas are filled and in the casserole, pour the rest of your enchilada sauce over the top, and then sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake in oven @ 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes (until cheese is browned and bubbly).
I served these with green salad tossed in salsa and sour cream, with some crushed plain tortillas and a little shredded cheese on top.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
I just about squealed!
Word 2007 has contextual spell check!
Type 'it's' instead of 'its' and Word will flag it with a blue squiggly (like the red squiggly for spelling errors, and green squiggly for grammar errors). Right click on the word, and the suggested replacement is available to replace the original. I haven't tested the full capabilities of this feature, but common homonyms like won and one, knew and new, they're their and there, to two and too, are easily identified and corrected.
Now I have to admit that as a parent I have some reservations about this feature, because it could conceivably become a crutch and hinder students from actually learning which is the appropriate word to use in a given context. However, I also think that perhaps repeatedly having Word suggest corrections may help to reinforce the correct choice.
Now if we could only have this immediately implemented into every message board software currently in use... ;)
Word 2007 has contextual spell check!
Type 'it's' instead of 'its' and Word will flag it with a blue squiggly (like the red squiggly for spelling errors, and green squiggly for grammar errors). Right click on the word, and the suggested replacement is available to replace the original. I haven't tested the full capabilities of this feature, but common homonyms like won and one, knew and new, they're their and there, to two and too, are easily identified and corrected.
Now I have to admit that as a parent I have some reservations about this feature, because it could conceivably become a crutch and hinder students from actually learning which is the appropriate word to use in a given context. However, I also think that perhaps repeatedly having Word suggest corrections may help to reinforce the correct choice.
Now if we could only have this immediately implemented into every message board software currently in use... ;)
I am in heaven.
Last night, I downloaded and installed Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007. The Office 2007 products are not expected to be in stores until January 30th, but in the meantime you can get trial versions here to play with until the official release. The trial versions are fully functional until March 31st.
Now, that probably doesn't sound like an event that would cause so much glee, but then you're probably not as much of an Excel junkie as I am. I thought that I was perfectly happy with my ancient Office XP Suite, but oh my is the sun shining so much brighter today! I haven't tried the new Word yet, but I expect I'll be just as thrilled with it when I do.
I'll post some of my favorite new features as I play more with the programs, as well as any problems and solutions I run in to, just in case anyone is interested.
Last night, I downloaded and installed Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007. The Office 2007 products are not expected to be in stores until January 30th, but in the meantime you can get trial versions here to play with until the official release. The trial versions are fully functional until March 31st.
Now, that probably doesn't sound like an event that would cause so much glee, but then you're probably not as much of an Excel junkie as I am. I thought that I was perfectly happy with my ancient Office XP Suite, but oh my is the sun shining so much brighter today! I haven't tried the new Word yet, but I expect I'll be just as thrilled with it when I do.
I'll post some of my favorite new features as I play more with the programs, as well as any problems and solutions I run in to, just in case anyone is interested.
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Laughing so hard there are literally tears running down my face. O Holy Night @ The Sneeze
And the zombiefied version, just for Birch: O Holy Night @ ZombiesComic.com
And the zombiefied version, just for Birch: O Holy Night @ ZombiesComic.com
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Quick! Go look at this picture, and then come back and tell me how long it took you to get it.
I'm down for 6 seconds, although I have to admit I was *really* confused for 5 of those.
I'm down for 6 seconds, although I have to admit I was *really* confused for 5 of those.
It's not even three o'clock yet, and the cafeteria at the college is out of coffee and not making any more for the rest of the day. I'm still here for another two hours, so the lack of coffee is ridiculously unfair. I think I'm going to start a petition for a Starbucks on campus. Or at least a Tim Hortons, since I don't think most of us can afford thrice daily Starbucks fixes.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Thursday, December 28, 2006
I took a couple of pictures of our favorite tree ornaments the other night just after we'd decorated. I thought I would share, and put out an open invitation for my readers to do the same on their own blogs. Can't wait to see your special ornaments! (Provided of course, that you are as lazy in the week following Christmas as I am and haven't already taken your tree down, or that you just happen to already have the appropriate pictures.)
This baby is my favorite. I got it for Ryan the first Christmas after we started dating. It's a Hallmark, and it's called "Stuck on You", which very much described our budding relationship. If we weren't physically stuck to one another, our minds were stuck on each other. I'm amazed that we both made it through that period with our jobs intact. Totally and completely driven to distraction darn near 24/7.
This here is Monkey's favorite. This year, as soon as we dragged out the boxes of ornaments, she was searching for it. I was surprised that she remembered it, because she hasn't ever made a big deal about it in the last couple of years since it was given to us, but apparently she finds it very special. It was given to me by an online friend as part of an ornament exchange the year that we all moved in together.
That's it for now, but I'll finish with a picture of our massive tree all decorated - I know I'm a couple of weeks past showing off your tree time, but we got a late start.
I'm crossing my fingers as I hit the publish button, because I'm not sure if my formatting is going to work out. If the pictures are on the left, and most of the writing is on the right, I'll be ecstatic. Simple minds, simple pleasures.
This baby is my favorite. I got it for Ryan the first Christmas after we started dating. It's a Hallmark, and it's called "Stuck on You", which very much described our budding relationship. If we weren't physically stuck to one another, our minds were stuck on each other. I'm amazed that we both made it through that period with our jobs intact. Totally and completely driven to distraction darn near 24/7.
This here is Monkey's favorite. This year, as soon as we dragged out the boxes of ornaments, she was searching for it. I was surprised that she remembered it, because she hasn't ever made a big deal about it in the last couple of years since it was given to us, but apparently she finds it very special. It was given to me by an online friend as part of an ornament exchange the year that we all moved in together.
That's it for now, but I'll finish with a picture of our massive tree all decorated - I know I'm a couple of weeks past showing off your tree time, but we got a late start.I'm crossing my fingers as I hit the publish button, because I'm not sure if my formatting is going to work out. If the pictures are on the left, and most of the writing is on the right, I'll be ecstatic. Simple minds, simple pleasures.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Funniest Flash animation ever. Not safe for work or small children. I never get tired of this one.
End of The World
End of The World
Posting from my new toy!
That's right folks, we've finally invested in a laptop.
It's going to be immensely useful for me for school - instead of coming home between classes to use my desktop computer and wasting time and gas on the drive, I can just set up anywhere at the college and work away. Most of the campus is wireless, so I'll even be able to get online.
Yay!
That's right folks, we've finally invested in a laptop.
It's going to be immensely useful for me for school - instead of coming home between classes to use my desktop computer and wasting time and gas on the drive, I can just set up anywhere at the college and work away. Most of the campus is wireless, so I'll even be able to get online.
Yay!
My Christmas Dinner Contribution
Here's the recipe for the lentil loaf I took to Christmas dinner. I would cook it for a little longer than it says, because mine didn't really "loaf". It was more of a lentil slop. Tasty lentil slop, but slop none the less.
1 onion
1 clove garlic
2 stalks celery
2 teaspoons sage
3 cups cooked lentils
3 cups cooked wild rice
1/4 cup dry whole wheat breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 eggs (Use egg substitute to make this dish vegan).
2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
fresh ground black pepper
sea salt
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Chop onion and celery finely, and crush the garlic clove.
3. Spray a frying pan with non-stick spray, and saute the onion, garlic and celery until onion is translucent.
4. Add the sage.
5. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
6. Spray a loaf pan with non-stick spray and fill the loaf pan with the mixture.
7. Press down.
8. Bake 30 minutes covered, 10 minutes uncovered.
9. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving.
I served it with Mushroom Gravy, which is so disgustingly simple to make, and extremely tasty.
1 onion
1 clove garlic
2 stalks celery
2 teaspoons sage
3 cups cooked lentils
3 cups cooked wild rice
1/4 cup dry whole wheat breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 eggs (Use egg substitute to make this dish vegan).
2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
fresh ground black pepper
sea salt
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Chop onion and celery finely, and crush the garlic clove.
3. Spray a frying pan with non-stick spray, and saute the onion, garlic and celery until onion is translucent.
4. Add the sage.
5. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
6. Spray a loaf pan with non-stick spray and fill the loaf pan with the mixture.
7. Press down.
8. Bake 30 minutes covered, 10 minutes uncovered.
9. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving.
I served it with Mushroom Gravy, which is so disgustingly simple to make, and extremely tasty.
Monday, December 25, 2006
Merry Christmas from a bad bad blogger
Hope you're all having a wonderful Christmas!
See you sometime later this week once the sugar buzz and Christmas dinner hangover wears off!
See you sometime later this week once the sugar buzz and Christmas dinner hangover wears off!
Monday, December 18, 2006
A sigh of relief and a brag
Another semester almost over. My final portfolio of papers for Contemporary Moral Issues is one (or maybe two) editing sessions away from being complete, and when I hand that in at 3 o'clock on Wednesday, I will officially be on 'winter break' (which really just means more time at work, but at least my evenings will be a little clearer).
I've been obsessively checking the college's web site to see if any of my marks have been posted yet, and sometime this afternoon my mark for Auditing went up. 97%. Yay me! Seeing that kind of number pop up really makes all of the homework and studying and lost sleep feel much more worth it.
And now, I must sleep.
Hopefully we'll get the monster Christmas tree decorated tomorrow, and I can share some festive pictures with you all.
I've been obsessively checking the college's web site to see if any of my marks have been posted yet, and sometime this afternoon my mark for Auditing went up. 97%. Yay me! Seeing that kind of number pop up really makes all of the homework and studying and lost sleep feel much more worth it.
And now, I must sleep.
Hopefully we'll get the monster Christmas tree decorated tomorrow, and I can share some festive pictures with you all.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Some light reading and a reminder link for myself...
Just got through reading this article, and I thought I would link to it both for the enjoyment of (some of) my readers, and as a way to remind myself to try the recipe which comes at the end of the article. It's an oldie but a goodie by Peter Singer.
If you're not a vegetarian, interested in animal rights, or open minded in any way about the aforementioned topics, you might want to just skip it.
If you're not a vegetarian, interested in animal rights, or open minded in any way about the aforementioned topics, you might want to just skip it.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
The Plague
The Husband and I have recently found ourselves struck down by the plague.
You know what I'm talking about - that nasty head cold that goes around during the Christmas season that leaves you feeling like a walking snot machine with a vice clamping down on your head and a tourniquet ever tightening around your throat.
And it's right on time to interfere with exams and getting ready for Christmas. You'd think I would have figured out by now that this will happen EVERY YEAR but apparently I'm not that quick.
Wugh.
You know what I'm talking about - that nasty head cold that goes around during the Christmas season that leaves you feeling like a walking snot machine with a vice clamping down on your head and a tourniquet ever tightening around your throat.
And it's right on time to interfere with exams and getting ready for Christmas. You'd think I would have figured out by now that this will happen EVERY YEAR but apparently I'm not that quick.
Wugh.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Grammar goodies
Most excellent.
Now take it and tell me what you scored. Make sure to post the results on your own blog to spread the grammar love.
Your Language Arts Grade: 100%
Way to go! You know not to trust the MS Grammar Check and you know "no" from "know." Now, go forth and spread the good word (or at least, the proper use of apostrophes).
Are You Gooder at Grammar?
Make a Quiz
Now take it and tell me what you scored. Make sure to post the results on your own blog to spread the grammar love.
Nothing like a little public humiliation...
This is several months old, but I just came across this picture and thought I would share.
For your viewing *ahem* pleasure, a picture from my bachelorette party. Yes, I am drinking out of a diamond shaped ring shot glass. Yes, I am adorned with many shiny sparkly things. Yes, that is in fact a veil made of bar bathroom paper towel.
This is the first time any of the pictures have been put out to the internets, as far as I know, and it may be the last.
The party was a blast, and I was surely and soundly humiliated by my dearest and closest friends, as per tradition. And I can't wait for the rest of them (you know who you are!) to get married so that I can return the favour. Bwahahahahaha.
In all fairness, I did get off quite lightly, compared to some of the other poor girls I've seen dragged around town in horrid getups. In fact, I fared far better than my husband - he may have made an even prettier woman than I did that night. But I'll save those pictures for another day...
For your viewing *ahem* pleasure, a picture from my bachelorette party. Yes, I am drinking out of a diamond shaped ring shot glass. Yes, I am adorned with many shiny sparkly things. Yes, that is in fact a veil made of bar bathroom paper towel.
This is the first time any of the pictures have been put out to the internets, as far as I know, and it may be the last.
The party was a blast, and I was surely and soundly humiliated by my dearest and closest friends, as per tradition. And I can't wait for the rest of them (you know who you are!) to get married so that I can return the favour. Bwahahahahaha.
In all fairness, I did get off quite lightly, compared to some of the other poor girls I've seen dragged around town in horrid getups. In fact, I fared far better than my husband - he may have made an even prettier woman than I did that night. But I'll save those pictures for another day...
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