Tuesday, January 31, 2006
WORRYING
I'm worried about my dad.After a recent doctor's visit filled with tests he was diagnosed with diabetes, which runs rampant in my family. He also has high blood pressure and a swollen heart valve and is on heart medication. He told me all this as he was smoking a cigarette and cooking a big pasta dinner.
The doctor told him that if he continues to smoke and eat like this, he'll be dead in 5 years. My dad is only 59 years old. And I want to cry.
He's a carpenter and is working on the job all day long. He's very physically active, has a youthful appearance and attitude, and is only overweight by a few extra lbs (although the doctor told him he needs to lose those extra pounds). I think most people would be fooled by this and think he's pretty healthy. I think even he's fooled even himself.
I told him I wanted him to join WW with me and to start the patch. He immediately dismissed both ideas and got defensive. I mean, how do I even begin to question his choices and actions when I can't even face my own demons and lose weight? I'm hardly someone to pass judgement, and I know how hard it is to quit something you love.
But I don't want my dad to die. Not in five years. My dad is one of the most upstanding, loving people you'd ever meet. I'll be devasted if he's gone in five years. I don't know what to do or say to him or to handle this.
I'm angry at myself for not being able to help motivate him through my example, and I'm angry at him for not being motivated enough to help himself.
Friday, January 27, 2006
CHINESE NEW YEAR
WHY am I still awake?? It's 2:30 am, and I have a hella day tomorrow. I have my student concert tomorrow night and have about 25 things I need to do before that happens. Instead, I'm uploading photos and writing in my journal. Nice!
Tonight I went to my friend Susan's house for their annual Chinese New Year celebration. They made and bought chinese food and it was YUMMY! Sue made the most delicious crab rangoon I have ever tasted, and I had plenty of them.
We also gave a little concert for everyone, with solo songs, a horrible duet of "lullaby of birdland" where neither of us could remember the words, and a fake-horn solo by Susan's best friend Michelle. A good time was had by all. They're good people and an awful lot of fun to be around.
But I'm up WAY too late and Suzy Q is asleep on my couch in preparation for her debut performance at the concert tomorrow night where she will, no doubt, bring down the house. But unless I get my ass to bed and get up at a decent hour, there will be no house to be brought down!
Anyhow, it's the year of the dog, so Happy Chinese New Year to you all. Pics up on Flickr. Enjoy!
Monday, January 23, 2006
JULIP STRIKES AGAIN!
Sunday, January 22, 2006
OH, SWEET JESUS!
Just got this in the mail. I think this just may be the most wonderful letter I have ever received:
SESSION II
Yesterday was our second session of recording. I gotta tell ya, recording while you're in pain BLOWS. I was being stubborn and didn't use the crutches yesterday, and I am SO paying for it today.Our Executive Producer, Jim, stopped by to give a listen. He'd never been in a studio before, so he was totally fascinated by the whole thing. He said he was going to stay and hour or two, but ended up staying the whole time. It was nice to have him there because he's so supportive and was really into the music.
We've still got a long way to go, but even the unmixed, unedited product sounds fantastic. I cannot wait for this to be done...I think it's going to be something we're very proud of!
We have a couple pics from the session...click on the flickr badge to see 'em!
Friday, January 20, 2006
#$&*!*&^%! ......OUCH
Let me start right off by telling you that I am anti-foot. I do not like to look at, touch, or God-forbid SMELL feet. Yuck. So my apologies to you right away if you feel the same way I do. This is a foot entry, and I hate it too.So, in the spirit of trying to get more exercize, I was running around and playing with Julip today. She was chasing me up and down the hall and out of nowhere, my ankle went out on me. I came crashing down and was about 1 inch away from cracking my skull on our pool table. Instead, I sprained my ankle.
At first, I thought I might have broken it, but I think it may just be severely sprained. Suzanne isn't home, so my mom is coming over with crutches and an ankle brace for me later. Gah! This is one ugly foot:
All black and blue and ugly. In fact, this could easily be my crazy Aunt Evie's craggly ol' foot. What the HELL?
And, to top off the day, I tried to superglue something back together and I now have glue bonded to four of my ten fingers. How the HELL do I get this stuff off of me??
This has been quite an assy day. Any tips on getting the superglue to unleash my flesh would be greatly appreciated!
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
CHAPSTICK AND CHICKEN CURRY
My dog Julip has an obsession with Chapstick. The first time she chowed down on one, I thought it was just because it fell on the floor and she chews anything that falls on the floor. Then I realize that she was searching them out. One time, I hid one in my jewelery box just above my bed. She lifted the top up and took it out and then had herself a Chapsticky treat. Just yesterday, I left my purse open on my desk and she went into my purse and took out the Chapstick.It's totally bizarre and like crack for her...she just can't control herself and has to eat it. The bad part is that I've spent a ton of dough replacing all of them. She needs some intervention.
But tonight I had something much tastier than Chapstick: homemade spicy chicken curry. As some of you know, I'm back on Weight Watchers and I'm cooking EVERYTHING now. This was SUPER easy to make and after three of us had it, we concluded that this is a winning recipe. Something I found on the internet, but I changed it up a bit. And for those of you on the WW, it's low-point, baby!
Diva Taunia's Superstar Chicken Curry:
This makes approx 6 servings, so adjust as necessary. Also, don't be put off by the amount of ingredients. Almost everything is in one big pan (I use a wok). Super easy to make and from start to finish is about 30 mins.
You'll Need:
2 tblsp of oil (I use olive)
1.5 cups chopped onions
3 lg tblsp of chopped garlic (I just use the jarred stuff)
2 large potatoes
2 lbs of boneless chicken tenders - cut into cubelike pieces
3 large tblsp ginger paste OR fresh ginger
8 tlbsp of hot curry powder (more or less to your taste...I like things HOT!)
3 tlbsp of tomato paste
3-4 tlbsp of mango chutney (or any sweet fruit flavor or preserves)
3 tlbsp of lemon juice
1/2 cup of nonfat plain yogurt
2 cups water
1 tblsp of salt
1 tblsp of pepper
For extra spiciness, I added: 2 tblsp of cayenne pepper and 2 tblsp of chili powder.
Directions:
1) Chop up potatoes into small chunks and boil in a separate pot.
2) In your main cooking pan/wok, fry the onions and garlic in the oil until golden. Add the chicken and ginger. Fry for 5 - 10 minutes.
2) Add the remainder of ingredients (including cooked potatoes) mix well and simmer until chicken is cooked and tender.
Serve this with naan or paratha flatbreads. Tip: Pillsbury makes a great quick-heat paratha that you can find at any indian grocery. Trader Joes makes an AWESOME frozen naan that heats up in about 2-3 mins in the oven!
If you make this, leave me a comment and let me know how it was!
SAY HELLO TO MY BOYFRIEND
On April 15th, at 10:30 pm, I will be at the taping of my boyfriend's new HBO special at the BankNorth Garden:.jpg)
If you don't know Dane Cook, you should. He's HILARIOUS. And he's HOT. And he's my boyfriend. He just doesn't know it yet.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Best. Show. EVER!
Sometimes the planets and stars align just so that you have an evening unlike any other. That was last night at the Amazing Things Arts Center.
I don't even think I can put into words how unbelievable the show was...but I'll try:
We had a full house, and the venue was really cool. Really bright artwork everywhere, nice stage lighting, and great sound. Not to sound too new age-y, but there was a vibe and energy in the room that was just amazing.
A cute all-female high school group called Cloud 9 opened for us. Of course, all of them had crushed on Ben, Dan, and Shah, and I ended up having to make an announcement from the stage that I needed some boy groupies because I was part of the group too. lol They DID look hot, though, so I couldn't blame those high school girls. Ben even got asked to a prom! So Marcia Brady/Davey Jones.
We did two 45 min sets and we always have a fear that people will leave during the break. Not a single person left - everyone stayed to the end. We were REALLY funny all night and just ON. People were laughing, singing, and whoopin' it up with us all night. At the end, we got an encore and everyone in the room got up and danced to "Freedom". It was a great way to end the night.
We even ended up getting pre-orders on our soon to be released CD!
It was the kind of night that can only be described as magical. Everything worked. Even when we made big mistakes - we covered so quickly and laughed at ourselves that the audience had no choice but to laugh with us. I was laughing and smiling all night...we all were.
If you want to see some of the pics from last night (more to come!), click on my flikr thiny over there.
There is NOTHING better than making great music with great friends. And it was nothing short of AMAZING.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
MY PAL NEB
Some people I know are lousy gift givers. They forget the gesture and meaning behind giving a gift and get something out of obligation rather than affection. I try *really* hard to be creative and thoughtful in my gift-giving, but there's someone who outdoes me: Ben.Most of you who know me know that Ben is in my band and that he's also one of my best friends. I'm a few years - ok, almost 10 - years older than him, so it's somewhat of an unlikely friendship. Yet, he fills in for me when a date is needed (weddings, etc), loves all the stuff I do (ballroom dancing, poker, music), and always cracks my shit up. He's a great guy all around.
But the past few gift-giving events have reminded me how thoughtful he is too. For Christmas, he got me 1) a hardcover Scrabble dictionary to appeal to my Scrabble addiction, 2) a set of coasters with pool balls on them (to use in the "party room" with our pool table) and 3) a martini shaker with clubs, diamonds, and stuff on it for our poker nights. Really, really thoughtful and personal gifts that I really appreciated.
Fast forward to this past Sunday at our rehearsal. Ben told us that he wrote a song for his sister Caroline for Christmas. He played it and I almost cried. It was one of the sweetest things I've ever heard. Funny, touching and a really catchy melody/hook too. I think Caroline summed it up best:
In true Ben fashion, the song starts:
the day that we met, i didn't like you very much
i wanted a pet, not someone who whimpered at my touch.
but they wouldn't take you back, despite my desperate plea
But then it got *really* touching... So I will leave you with the last line of the song, while I privately gush, and forever treasure this song in my heart, as it was written by the one person in the world whom I have always, and will always, worship.
no one else i can find
can ever compare to caroline.
What an amazing relationship they have. And what an amazing gift to give to someone. Talk about touching and thoughtful!
Later in the rehearsal, we were recording some stuff and I was walking around the living room and noticed a picture of me and Ben from my cousin's wedding. Then I realized there were about 10 others of the same picture! When I picked one up, I realized it was a deck of playing cards:
He had forgotten to put them away and reluctantly had to tell me that he had them made for my birthday (which is more than a month away!). Even though it's a funny gift, and we'll definitely be made fun of when we play with these, it's one of the most thoughtful gifts anyone has ever given me. He told me I could take them then, but I said for him to keep them until my birthday and I'd act surprised.
But you know, I'm not surprised. Ben's just great like that. Funny, thoughtful, and caring. Ben, I know you're reading this and it's gooshy and mushy, but too bad suckah! Thanks for making me feel special. You're a true friend.
Thursday, January 05, 2006
THE AVENUE I'M TAKING YOU TO
For Christmas, I gave my mom two tickets to see:
Admittedly, I've never been a huge fan of musicals, so I wasn't super-excited to go see this when she said she wanted to take me. There are always a few that blow me away (Chicago, Cabaret), so I was willing to go to this with an open mind.
AND I LOVED IT.
I knew quite a few of the tunes in the show, and the DANCING. HOLY CRAP! It made me want to run out and sign up for tap dancing lessons! The dancing was phenomemal. The group numbers literally had me on the edge of my seat.
There wasn't a lot of scenery, and there didn't need to be. The costumes were very ornate and they had a few props here and there during some numbers.
And speaking of props: here is a shout out for the gal who played Lolly Fleming. A big girl representin' that you don't need to be a size 0 to have a lead role in a show. Girl was dancin' and sangin' and workin' her thang!
I love when I'm very pleasantly surprised and end up loving something. This was one of those times. If you get a chance to see 42nd Street on the stage...do it!
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
LIKE MCADAMS LOVES GOSLING!
See? I told you I'd be quoting that forever. It's going to get old and annoying quick...but not to me!When I was a kid and into my early teens, I wanted to be an artist. A visual artist. I loved to paint and draw and make pottery and stuff. I took a gazillion classes, and I actually won the "Boston Globe Scholastic Art Award" when I was 14. I had to get all dressed up and go to a big award ceremony at Fanueil Hall.
But alas, that was my biggest moment as an artist. My artistic talent stopped at 14, and I quickly realized my calling was really music. I wish I had kept up with it as a talent, but I was too into my trumpet.
Anyhow, to this day I have artist envy. I love looking at paintings, drawings, photographs, etc. When I was searching around on Google one day, I found a site that I'm completely obsessed with. http://www.zindy.zone.dk. This gal is fairly young, but she is GOOD. She has a slight obsession with celebrities...but so do I, and that's just fine by me.
I was checking out her latest drawings, and came across this one:
I know Ben will appreciate this one. :) Seriously, though. Rachel McAdams IS a work of art....she's stunning. She's right up there with Kate Winslet in the "work of art" beauty category.
So go on and check out Zindy's stuff. It's really amazing what this girl can do with some pencils and charcoal. But be forewarned: it's addictive!
Monday, January 02, 2006
TWO, no SIX, no TWELVE BAKER'S DOZEN!
I think this (click on the photo) could quite possibly be the funniest shit I have EVER seen. I will be quoting this forever, I'm sure:
Sunday, January 01, 2006
NEW YEAR, NEW BLOG, NEW RECIPE
I know what you're thinking: "Bitch, find a blog and STAY there!" Maybe it's a fear of commitment, maybe it's boredom, or maybe it's just that no one was talking to me on Friendster. People who weren't members of Friendster couldn't post comments, so I figured I'd wander back over here so folks could say hi again. There were tumbleweeds in bloggerville for a while, so don't be a stranger. Say hello every once in a while and make a diva happy, eh?The holidaze were groovy. Christmas was quite with the family and I found a new game addiction:
If you're an 80s trivia nut like me, you'll love this shit. You have to know trivia, quotes, be able to sing songs, act things out, and draw. Now that I think of it, it's a lot like the game Cranium, but all useless 80s stuff. Awesome.
Over the holiday week, I went on vacation to Rhode Island (and Foxwoods!)- which was a two hour drive. I brought along some Dane Cook with me. If you don't know who he is, you will. He's a comedian and he's hilarious. And I'm in love with him. Any boy that can make me laugh that hard wins a special place in my heart. If you go to his website, you can hear his clips or watch his tv appearances. But remember: he is now betrothed to me, because I said so.
For New Year's Eve, we threw a bash at our house which was attended by many of my old college friends. Good times were had by all. You can see some photos BY CLICKING HERE.
We had WAY too much good food, and I decided to make my friend Laurie's famous "Cowboy Beans." I don't like baked beans, but I LOVE these. They're spicy and sweet and so incredibly fattening, that I feel I must share the recipe with you all so you can savor them yourselves. Be warned: you'll need to work out for three hours a day for the next month, but the beans are worth it. They were a big hit at the party:
LAURIE'S FAMOUS COWBOY BEANS:
(1) LB bacon (yes. that's a whole fucking package of bacon!)
(2) medium yellow onions - chopped small
(2-3) plump garlic cloves (I used 2-3 tbls of jarred garlic - works fine)
(3) 28 oz cans of B&M baked beans (I used the bacon(!) and onion flavor)
(1.5) cups of Heinz 57 Chili sauce
(1/3) cup of Worcestershire sauce (thank god for spellcheck!)
(1/4) cup of yellow mustard (I used Nance's Sharp & Creamy for extra kick)
(1.5) tblsp of dried basil
(1.5) tblsp of dried oregano
(2-3) dried red chilis - chopped extremely fine (most important ingredient!)
(2) tblsp of ground cumin seeds
(1/2) cup of dark brown sugar
Directions:
1. Cut bacon into quarters. Separate and saute' in a pan, browning slightly but still limp. When finished, place in crock pot or large covered pot.
2. Saute' onions and garlic until onions are clear. Add to pot.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot and stir.
4. Cook on low for the entire day. Minimum to let them cook: 4-5 hours. I cooked mine for 6.5 and they were perfect.
Makes enough for 6-8 people and these keep well in the fridge for a while.
So go ahead, cook em up. These cowboy beans will start your 2006 off in a rootin' tootin' good way! Happy New Year!