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Soup is the best: two more cookbooks down

February 12th, 2013 by pladd

I love winter for a lot of reasons, but one of the main ones is that my obsession with soup stops seeming really weird when the weather gets colder. I never let something like 100 degree heat stop me from enjoying delicious soup, but it seems more socially acceptable in the winter months. The perfect time to knock out some of my cookbook goals! First up was this guy:

Twelve Months of Monastery Soups by Brother Victor-Anotine d’Avila-Latourrette

Soup was probably the first thing I learned to cook on my own because of its simplicity, and I’ve had this book since high school. The recipes are divided by month to help in using seasonal ingredients, and the bottoms of the pages are decorated in medieval woodcuts and proverbs about soup (“Eat soup first and eat it last, and live till a hundred years be past”). Often the recipes have stories about their origins or different variations too. Most of them are pretty simple, but hearty, and if any meat is used at all, it’s only in the optional chicken broth. You have to fiddle with some of these recipes, but it’s not hard because they’re usually pretty simple. I’ve had the book for so long that I have a lot of notes penciled in the margins about that, but I can see how some people would find it frustrating. I chose to make the Pasta and Lentil Soup, because lentils are delicious!

I know this picture isn’t beautiful, but it was definitely tasty

I had to add a lot more water than the recipe called for, and it still ended up being more stew like, but still delicious with some bread and a little Parmesan cheese. Of course I am keeping this book, I can’t get enough soup!!

As evidenced the week after when, with a whole book of Italian food to choose from, I still decided to make soup again:

Italian & Pasta: Quick and Easy, Proven Recipes

I got this book as a wedding present from my favorite math teacher (sorry, Mom, but I was never in your class) along with AMAZING HOMEMADE POTTERY, and I’m ashamed to say I haven’t cooked anything from it until now. It’s not as tall as most of our cookbooks (though just as thick: 350 pages of delicious!), and I think it was getting lost behind some of them. Well, that mistake has been rectified because this book is SO GOOD!! Each recipe is only a page spread, one of which is a giant picture, so none of them are too complicated and I always know what I’m aiming for (Steven always makes fun of me for this, but cookbooks really can’t have enough pictures in them–I want to see what I’m making to whet my appetite!). The only weird thing about it is how the recipes are divided. The table of contents has sections for: “Soups & Appetizers”, “Fish & Shellfish”, “Meats”, “Poultry & Game”, “Vegetables & Salads”, and “Entertaining & Dessert”. As you can imagine, there’s a lot of overlap, especially because “Entertaining” just seems to mean appetizers and entrees for larger groups of people. Luckily, there’s also an index so finding the recipe you’re thinking of need not be that difficult.

I decided to make the Classic Minestrone

I’ve made minestrone before, but this one was a little bit different, because it included bacon. I was wary of this step (I’m not really a huge fan of bacon), but it ended up tasting good since there wasn’t very much of it. It just added a more meaty, salty flavor to the broth. I can’t wait to try more recipes from this book! Both recipes after the cut: Read the rest of this entry »

Tagged: 2013, cookbooks, recipes

Posted in 2013 Magnificent Seven |

2013 Cookbook Project: Coca-Cola: Refreshing Recipes

January 18th, 2013 by pladd

I wanted to start off my New Year’s Resolution to make one recipe out of each of our (completely underused) cookbooks with this one, partially because I considered it a challenge! Also because we’ve had it for like two years (I think it was a Christmas gift to Steven) and have never used it once.

Plus, I spent at least once of those years thinking it was a joke

This book actually has a ton of recipes in it, with chapters on Soups & Starters, Beef & Pork, Poultry & Seafood, Sides, Sauces & Salads, and Desserts. A lot of them don’t really use that much Coke–maybe a little in the sauce where you might normally use sugar–which would explain how they could work in so many different kinds of recipes, from Asian beef to paella. But, let’s be real, you could easily make any of these without Coke. In fact, for most of them I think you could follow the recipe in the Coke cookbook, but omit the Coke, and still be fine. It really didn’t seem like it made too much of a difference in most of these recipes, which is probably for the best tasty-recipe-wise. The one I decided to make was “Sweet and Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa” (recipe after the cut):

Steven and I are both pretty bad at folding tacos so the stuff doesn’t fall out so we usually don’t even try

It turned out delicious! I’m always a little nervous about cooking shrimp, and the process usually involves me yelling “What do you think now?” at Steven multiple times before we both agree that they’re probably beyond done. I really liked the mango salsa, although we started late so it didn’t get to steep the required 1 hour in the fridge before we ate it. This meal was kind of weird, but good, and not really as much work as its length made me think it would be. I guess this book makes the cut, even if it is a little silly. Especially since I still want to try some of the desserts, like Coca-Cola Float Cupcakes.
Recipe: Read the rest of this entry »

Tagged: 2013, cookbooks, recipes

Posted in 2013 Magnificent Seven, Food, Things I've Made |

So yesterday I almost had a heart attack…

January 17th, 2013 by pladd

I saw the email subject, screamed, and dropped my phone on the floor

Steven was there, he’ll tell you.

First I just hyperventilated. Then for a brief, shining second I thought “We are going to become BFF!!!!” Then finally my brain reminded me of all the times I’ve made fun of Merlin II or Choppy McAxeFace or Mustache Sam and decided it’s possible that what he really wants is REVENGE. You know what they say: Keep your friends close, and follow your enemies on Twitter. I started to get kind of panicky.

Then I realized he probably just follows everyone that follows him. It’s not like he googles himself constantly, has read my blog, and wants to keep tabs on me because I seem too obsessive (I’m not that obsessive, Sam, I just like to finish things I start). So I can continue the Sam Neill Project without fear of angry Sam Neill reprisals.

Unless I go missing and then later you discover my axed-up corpse.

You’ll know why

Tagged: omg, sam neill, twitter

Posted in Sam Neill Marathon |

2013 Plans

January 4th, 2013 by pladd

I am not really a big fan of resolutions, I think because most of the time they are so vague. This is probably the fifth year I’ve thought “I should really eat more vegetables” but then after a week of roasted broccoli and fancy salads I forget to make a special effort. For resolutions to work, at least for me, they have to be more specific, explicitly stating the goal and how it’s going to be achieved. That’s why my only achieved new year’s resolution ever, the January Letter Writing Project, was successful at all: there was a clear goal and a clear to-do list to achieve it. Write a letter every day for a month. Also, the goal was achievable, at least for me, who doesn’t find writing letters to be particularly onerous. It’s too easy to burn out by setting yourself personally unreachable goals. I’d like to say that I’m going to write ten pages every day until my final draft is done, but you know that’s not going to happen, and certainly not well. Why set yourself up for failure? So this year I’m laying down some goals with actual numbers and time lines involved in the hopes that I won’t just forget about it in a week or give up because I have unrealistic expectations.

1. Make at least one recipe from each of our cookbooks

This is the one I’m most excited about! We have a whole shelf of cookbooks (about 38, by my count), and some of them we received as gifts and have maybe never even opened. This project will not only hopefully help me discover good recipes we already own, but maybe will also help me weed some of them that we don’t need. So basically I am hosting a reality show in my kitchen where each week I put a different book up to an arbitrary test. Will they survive? Or be sentenced to library donation? I’m sure I’ll update you dramatically as I go. I only have to do like three a month to get through them all, so I’m not really worried about this one, although some of the books will be easier to accomplish than others. Like Steven’s ancient Roman cookbooks? It’s possible I will have to substitute something for dormouse. Also one of them may be a joke cookbook by Sir Terry Pratchett, but whatever, go big or go home.

2. Read 200 Books

I struggled deciding what number to set myself. In my journal when I wrote these out a month ago I actually vowed 300, but this morning that seems a little far-fetched. According to my goodreads account, my most prolific reading year was 2011, when I read just short at 193 books. Okay, before that I wasn’t really keeping careful track, but still. In 2012 I only managed 108, so my 2013 goal is basically twice as much reading. 200 is still 3-4 books a week and 16-17 books a month. Granted, I can whip through children’s, non-fiction, or graphic novels pretty quick, but that’s still a lot of reading. I’m confident that this one can be done, but I’m not sure if it will.

3. Knock Off At Least 1 State from My Map

So far I have yet to visit the country's juicy center

Some day, Nebraska

As Brian pointed out, West Virginia would probably be the easiest to accomplish since it’s only 3 hours away, but who knows what the year will bring?? Maybe I will take an Alaskan cruise!! You never know.

4. Lift weights at least once a week

I’ve kind of been doing this anyway, so listing it as a resolution might be cheating. Originally I’d written, “Work my way up to lifting TWICE AS MUCH!!!!” but I’m not really sure if that’s even possible or how. I’m not very knowledgeable about weight lifting so I will probably just see how it goes rather than set potentially impossible and dangerous goals.

5. Knit a cardigan

Apparently my brother has a New Year’s Resolution to Look More Like Mr. Rogers while still being swathed only in obnoxious goldenrod. Finding the right color yarn might be tricky, but I’ve already found a free pattern on Ravelry, a knitting and crochet social networking site I discovered last year. I know, I joined to make fun of the concept too, but then it quickly seduced me with its free patterns and tutorials and being able to brag about my knitting accomplishments. Sigh.

You can laugh all you want. I still kind of do

6. Send out my entire stash of postcards

I can’t entirely abandon my annual show of solidarity with the USPS. Except this time I’m giving myself an entire year since I have more than a month’s worth of postcards.

7. SUPER SECRET SEVENTH RESOLUTION

Unfortunately, I can’t reveal my super secret seventh resolution yet, although I hope that before the end of the year (okay, probably 12/31/13 but still) I will be able to write a dramatic, picture-filled blog post about how I kicked its ass. I am already hard at work to achieving it, but I know it will take pretty much the whole year, if it’s achievable at all.

Wait, what am I saying, GO BIG OR GO HOME, PLADD. Anything is possible with a library card!

Tagged: 2013, books, knitting, life goal, reading, resolutions

Posted in 2013 Magnificent Seven, lists |

Spam Report: December 2012

December 31st, 2012 by pladd

Last Spam report of 2012! What with vacation and my internet freaking out, I ended up leaving my spam folder alone for about 2 weeks! Until this morning, when I checked and saw that I had 487 new messages. What can I say, spambots love me. So, after a laborious culling process, I bring you these:

On my NaNoWriMo post:

Michael writes:

It’s a slow news day because there’s nnthiog new on the Paris Hilton front.I think the major media organizations would fry a fuse if an atom bomb went off from a terrorist in New York AT THE SAME TIME that Paris was being let out of jail.It would probably be resolved by stand-by cameras at Paris’ jail, with brief interruptions for news on the attack.

I can only assume Michael is trying to give me ideas for next year’s NaNoWriMo. Sorry, Michael, but scathing social commentary on the state of the media is so 2008.

Sundance writes:

My problem was a wall until I read this, then I smsahed it.

I love this metaphor, Sundance, and the way I am now envisioning you as some kind of angry Wario character. I don’t know what kind of problems my NaNoWriMo bragging post helped you solve, but I’m guessing boredom, since it takes a good while to get through Mazelandia.

On my Hobbit Review post:

Omar Scoggins writes:

The next time I learn a weblog, I hope that it doesnt disappoint me as significantly as this one. I mean, I do know it was my option to learn, even so I really thought youd have 1 thing interesting to say. All I hear is really a bunch of whining about something that you could repair when you werent too busy seeking for attention.

Whatever, Omar. You’re entitled to your own opinion, and you’re probably right that if I took the time to slog through The Silmarillion I wouldn’t be whining so much about the books, but HOT THORIN IS MY KING AND NOTHING YOU CAN SAY WILL CHANGE THAT. Sorry that got heated.

silver price once again tries too hard to pretend he’s people by rambling about something just slightly off-topic:

‘Return of the King’ is the most enjoyable because in the structure of the movies, it is nothing other than pay-off, there is no more setting up to do, no more exposition, no more introducing characters. The pay-off is very character-based. It is action-orientated as well, but all of our characters have been pushed to a point where their life and death depends on what happens in the third movie. It is very emotional, and from an actors point of view it is very enjoyable to work on, because they were able to play some pretty intense drama. From my point of view it was always great, because we were heading toward an ending, a climax which we never had in the other two.

I agree with you, silver price, although Return of the King had the one drawback of finally turning Viggo Mortensen’s permastubble into a full-fledged beard, an act I can never forgive. I still mourn for you, dirty, stubbly Aragorn. Where did you go?

When I asked Can You See This:

Nacci responded:

Death thru Adams sin is not punishment it is simply the result. Thru free will then we have to the choiceď to accept or refuse Gods free offer of salvation. God is allowing lucifer to run his best game plan so he can defeat him “honorably” Punishment follows. If there were no death what would we have? Were there no reward or punishment, what would justify anything? I simply try to follow Christ and not fry my brain trying to figure out all the deep secrets of God. We will know one day.

Nacci, are you saying that I should stop trying to fix my Internet because it’s one of the “deep secrets of God”? So was replacing my wireless card like opening the Ark of the Covenant? Why is my face still unmelted? Maybe you’ll say that Indiana Jones isn’t religious canon, but to that I would respond that I can’t take life advice from anyone who doesn’t know what an apostrophe is.

And, weirdest comment of the month goes to jackets on my 2012 Booklist: The Good post:

The testicles remain, so unlike a castrated ram the teaser ram still produces male hormones. He acts and reacts like a normal ram. Ugh. The builders obviously went way past the inherent limits of their building algorithms.. People who buy used clothing online usually look for designer items first. Familiarize yourself with the going rates of both brand new and used designer goods.

I don’t even know what to say, jackets.

Thanks for a great year, spambots! See you in 2013!

Previously: November

Tagged: spam

Posted in Spam Report |

Sam Neill Update: Middle of Nowhere Edition

December 18th, 2012 by pladd

Sorry it’s been so long, gang! I can’t believe it’s been 3 months since my last Sam Neill update! Unfortunately, we’re almost done with this project! My spreadsheet says 94% complete! But will I ever really be done watching Sam Neill movies? Yeah, right. I’LL QUIT WHEN YOU DO, SAM. I haven’t decided what kind of party I’m going to throw for myself for the sort-of completion of this project, but it will probably involve some kind of greatest hits reel and definitely cupcakes. Get pumped!

The Horse Whisperer (1998)

They should have just named this movie “Shots of Montana with Sad Music”

The Movie: After a tragic horse accident, Grace has lost part of her leg, her best friend, and apparently her horse. It is freaking out, y’all! Then, despite the perfectly reasonable protests of her husband, Mom MacLean decides to take the horse and her daughter on a cross country road trip to the middle of nowhere to work with a “horse whisperer” whom she then of course falls in love with. But their love CAN NEVER BE because they are from two different worlds etc. etc.

I’m upset too, Sam. This movie was over 2 hours of scenery shots

The Character: Sam Neill is, once again, the cuckolded husband. I feel like this must just be on his resume. “Good at playing: 1) Crazy people, 2) Mild-mannered cuckolds, 3) the vaguely sinister”. And, like in other movies where his wife cheats on him, you can’t hate him (I can never hate him), so I ended up being really annoyed at his wife the entire time. Why are you trying to break Sam Neill’s heart?? Cowboy doesn’t want you, anyway. Eventually Sam Neill takes his daughter and her healed horse back home, and everyone except him learns a valuable lesson about not getting so caught up in the hectic New York lifestyle and taking time to relax with family. Sam Neill didn’t learn anything because he is perfect.

Thing I Learned: You can’t work remotely from Montana if you’re the editor of a big New York City magazine before the Internet was a thing.

Should You Watch This?: No. It’s hella boring. And both of the “romantic” characters are annoying and not-hot.

In Cold Blood (1996 TV miniseries)

Sam Neill!!! You look so good in a fedora!!

The Movie: This TV miniseries was based on the Truman Capote “nonfiction novel” of the same name, about the real-life murder of a small town ranch family. Unfortunately, Netflix only sent me one disk, and when I tried to turn it over to watch the second half (which…. what? This is not a record, you guys) it didn’t work. So I’ve only seen the first two hours, which is the long, drawn out setup before the murder that ends with the family being locked in their bathroom while the two bad guys search their house for riches that aren’t there. It was pretty good for a miniseries, but spent way too long establishing that the good guys were good and the bad guys were bad. There was an interesting subplot about the daughter being in love with a boy from a different religion (read: another kind of Christianity! Scandalous!) and not being allowed to date him anymore.

Sam Neill, about to eat some pie

The Character: Sam Neill was barely in the first part of this miniseries, although imdb tells me that he will leap into action in the second part to solve this murder! So he must be like some kind of detective or something? I think the fact that Sam Neill was barely in this made it even more excruciating to sit through, because I kept waiting for him to appear only to be denied!

Thing I Learned: If you’re an award-winning cherry pie maker, you better be ready for random school children to drop by at any time, just bursting with hope to be filled with your pie knowledge.

Should you watch this?: No. I mean, maybe I would change my mind if I had seen the whole thing, but it would have to be pretty damn spectacular to make up for the lackluster two hour buildup.

The Hunter (2011)

I told you Willem Dafoe would be back!

The Movie: This was definitely my favorite of this batch! I still probably wouldn’t have chosen to watch it on my own, but I was interested to see where it was going, since it really wasn’t following a set formula like the other two. Plus, I was happy to see Willem Dafoe team up with Sam Neill again. You may remember him from Victory or Daybreakers, which I watched before. Willem Dafoe is some kind of bounty hunter (an animal bounty hunter?) that a sketchy corporation hires and sends into the wilds of Tasmania to kill the last Tasmanian tiger, which was previously thought to be extinct. Then he’ll take samples of its skin and blood and whatever back to them, and they can use it to patent medicine? Or something? This part wasn’t clear, the point is: Willem Dafoe is looking to kill that tiger, and nothing is going to get in his way!

Except when he gets too involved with the family he’s staying with–a kind of hippie single mom and her two children, struggling after their husband/dad went missing in the very wilderness he’s searching for the tiger. Surprise! He was working for Evil Corporation too, and then they killed him! Just like they try to kill Willem Dafoe when it looks like he’s going to betray them and Do The Right Thing! But Willem Dafoe is too badass for that, kills their assassin, kills the tiger, and leaves them a phone message that’s just “Now you’ll never get what you want. Don’t mess with me, I was a fucking vampire”. Okay, maybe not the last part. Unfortunately, he’s too late to save the single mom he may or may not be falling in love with, since she and her daughter die in a house fire that Evil Corporation’s assassin may have set. But Traumatized Son is still alive, and the last shot of the movie is Willem Dafoe finding him and hugging him. I feel happy and sad at the same time.

Sorry Willem Dafoe kinda hogged the spotlight on that one, Sam. Here’s a picture of you looking like a Tasmanian badass

The Character: Sam Neill is Jack, who drives an awesome yellow jeep and is a family friend to the Poor Doomed Hippies. He may be secretly in love with the mom? Hard to say. He’s also the one who rats out Willem Dafoe to Evil Corp. when he’s clearly doing more than just looking for that tiger, possibly in the hopes that Willem Dafoe will step off his woman. Unfortunately, the plan backfires when Evil Corp.’s assassin kills the mom (by accident? on purpose? as in life, there are no clear answers), and Willem Dafoe leaves Sam Neill after a dramatic confrontation a sad and broken man.

Thing I Learned: The Tasmanian tiger was the largest known carnivorous marsupial of modern times, and is thought to have gone extinct in the 20th century. Unlike most extinct species, we actually have video of this one from 1933. The video was of the last known tiger, which died in 1936. Look at its giant mouth, RAWRRR! The movie made a computer animated one that looked like this guy for Willem Dafoe to hunt!

Should You Watch This?: I’m not sure if it was just because the other ones were so bad, but I’m not just going to give a straight No here. I really liked seeing the Tasmanian wilderness, and Willem Dafoe is a great badass loner WITH A HEART. He’s quiet and doesn’t actually talk much, but you can see his feels all over his face. Plus, the story and script were interesting because they felt more real–this movie definitely didn’t follow a formula so I was interested to see what happened.

Next: Middle of Nowhere Edition
Previously: Playing Both Sides Edition

Tagged: movie reviews, sam neill

Posted in Sam Neill Marathon |

Spam Report: November 2012

December 4th, 2012 by pladd

Like myself, my adoring spambot fans seem to have taken the month of November off. Maybe they too were writing NaNoWriMos, which I picture as just being 50,000 words of raccoon stories. Obviously they were saving their best material for that, so I was just left with:

Chicken tractor commenting on my Pandowdy post:

I happen to be writing to make you know what a fantastic discovery my cousin’s child had going through your webblog. She mastered a wide variety of things, which include what it is like to have an amazing helping mindset to have most people clearly know precisely several advanced subject matter. You truly did more than people’s expected results. Thanks for providing these warm and friendly, trustworthy, revealing and in addition unique tips on that topic to Janet.

I’m glad your first cousin-once-removed Janet is learning so much from my blog, I assume about Sam Neill. But, I’ve gotta say, Chicken Tractor, I would have been more grateful for your praise had not Panic Attacks upped the ante:

On that same post, Panic Attacks writes:

I am just commenting to let you be aware of what a fantastic encounter my wife’s princess developed viewing your webblog. She figured out a wide variety of issues, which include how it is like to possess a very effective helping character to have certain people really easily master a variety of advanced matters. You really surpassed our own expected results. I appreciate you for rendering such invaluable, safe, educational and cool tips on that topic to Ethel.

A PRINCESS IS READING MY BLOG, YOU GUYS!!!!!!!! I mean, I’ve never heard of a Princess Ethel, but I feel like now I have to change the title to The Royal Plaid Pladd, and maybe add a coat of arms. Get on it, Steven.

On my October Spam Report, Gavin writes:

You…are…my…hero!!! I cant believe some thing like this exists on the web! Its so accurate, so honest, and a lot more than that you simply dont sound like an idiot! Lastly, a person who knows the best way to talk about a subject without sounding like a kid who didnt get that bike he wanted for Christmas.

Thanks, Gavin. I try my best to be accurate, honest, and non-idiotic when I can. I don’t know how someone who missed out on a Christmas bike would answer spam comments, but maybe you’ll get to see next month when no one can figure out a way to cram a ten-speed into my stocking!

corporations offshore writes:

The best things in life happen when you get carried away. I went into a cooking school to write about what it means to be a chef, and instead I became a cook, got a job line cooking, lucked into one of the great restaurants of the world to work with the chef on his book, and I kept on writing about food. I got carried away, and it’s made all the difference.

Inspiring words, corporations offshore, but are you suggesting that my spam answering is getting carried away? Was it because I presented one in the form of a poem? I say I haven’t been going far enough. Next month, I’m recording myself dramatically reading one and forcing Steven to applaud me with finger snaps.

Nadene Corcoros writes:

Fantastic post however , I was wondering if you could write a litte more on this topic? I’d be very grateful if you could elaborate a little bit more. Appreciate it!

Wish granted, Nadene!

Previously: October 2012

Tagged: spam

Posted in Spam Report |

Spam Report: October 2012

November 2nd, 2012 by pladd

Some of my spam from this month was even vaguely Halloween themed! And not just because the spelling and grammar was so scary!

On my Banned Books week 2012 post:

oszustwa writes:

Strange this post is totaly unrelated to what I was searching google for, but it was listed on the first page. I guess your doing something right if Google likes you enough to put you on the first page of a non related search.

What can I say, oszustwa? Google totally has a soft spot for sarcastic Sam Neill reviews and challenged books.

Sol Ellinwood writes:

Well, I deduce that could ensue because Abigail and the girls commenced accusing additional folks of witchcraft when they had been recently naked dancing naked in the interior the woods and therefore, aberrant. Abigail furthermore engaged in a affair down with John Proctor. Those they were accusing were absolutely not answerable of accurately what they’d been recently accused linked with, and the exacting accusers had been the furthermost machine on the globe from being holy… they wrecked positive point of reference bogus witness.

I am all for a spirited debate about the Salem Witch Trials, Sol Ellinwood, especially since I once wrote a paper in high school about the moldy bread theory, but Banned Books Week is not the time for that–you should really have saved your challenge for Halloween!

On my What’s happening to My Body? Book for Boys post:

katy perry dress writes:

It’s too severe for a young woman. Embrace the curves, open up the neck, show your legs. You’re beautiful.

Thanks, Katy Perry Dress! I always appreciate compliments and body positivity, although you may have missed the “Book for Boys” part of the title.

Burberry outlet wrote what I can only assume is poetry. I’ve arranged it in the form of a poem for you:

Let us do it by ourselves,
will you?
He lacks courage.
He is my age.
You may as well tell me
the truth.
The teacher got a little angry.
How do you want your steak?
How do you want your steak?
A red tie will match that suit.
What do you desire me to do?
I can’t do this

As good as anything Patricia Willa Anderson used to write for the Rice Standard, Burberry Outlet! In fact, I feel like read the right way, a lot of my spam comments could be mistaken for poetry. Maybe I will try it at the next impromptu poetry slam I hold in my kitchen.

On the Notebook Girls post:

Panama writes:

This week we’re taking a look behind the scenes. In other words, what goes on in our writing or personal lives that you might not know. I thought about my obsession with all things ‘Idol’. Although that’s well documented. And now it’s more than Idol because we have X Factor (UK/USA/Australia); The Voice (UK/USA/Australia), Britains/USA/Australia’s Got Talent…… if there’s singing I’m there!!So, then I decided to talk about my other obsession. Masterchef (yes, it’s always going to be TV related). It’s so bad that when it starts, I drop everything I’m doing to watch. So much so that my critique partners use the term Masterchef when I finish the end of a scene too abruptly – I very often get told ‘You’ve Masterchefed it’. They know that the scene has ended not because it was the right place to do so, but because it’s 5pm!And the funniest thing is, I’m the world’s worst cook. I hate cooking. Though I am very good at burning. But for some strange reason I like watching others do it. My children have dubbed me ‘weird’.I do have other little ‘foibles’, but they’re best not mentioned here….. for fear that the ‘weird’ label might stick!

Wow, Panama, thanks for opening up about your TV obsession. Before all I really knew about you was Panama Canal-related, so this really helps to put a more relatable face on the land bridge between two continents.

On my post about the Gandhi biography, Great Soul:

Buy wow gold writes:

Keep functioning ,fantastic job!

Thanks, Buy wow gold, although maybe I should explain that “keep functioning” doesn’t work as well as a greeting in human parlance as it does in spambot society, since “functioning” is usually used to refer to machines such as yourself. Next time try “Keep it up!” or “Keep breathing, fleshy meatbag!”

On the post about my First Grade Journal:

Danilo writes:

First of all I want to say awesome blog! I had a quick question in which I’d like to ask if you don’t mind.
I was interested to know how you center yourself and clear your mind prior
to writing. I’ve had difficulty clearing my thoughts in getting my thoughts out there. I truly do take pleasure in writing however it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes are generally lost simply just trying to figure out how to begin. Any suggestions or hints? Many thanks!

Beginnings are the hardest part, Danilo. That’s why I write all my blog posts backwards.

On my post about the book My Mom’s Having a Baby:

abercrombie hoodie stores writes:

Tremendous issues here. I am very glad to look your post. Thank you a lot and I am having a look ahead to touch you. Will you please drop me a mail?

I’m flattered, abercrombie hoodie stores, but no. As a general rule, I don’t respond to strangers over the Internet asking to touch me.

Previously: September 2012

Tagged: spam

Posted in Spam Report |