Thursday, July 31, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
The race for another kind of cure
If you looking to donate to a cause this year, I have a friend who is biking in the Bike MS fundraiser. It's a personal soft spot, because I have MS. I wish Janell many happy and fruitful miles on her quest. Many thanks!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Household cleaning tip: Use vinegar
It all started with a nasty, calcium-caked on dishwasher. After looking up online what I could do to clean it out—because obviously using dishwasher detergent was only adding to the caked-on mess—I found the solution to be simple: vinegar. I know, I hate those home-remedy tips too, but I was willing to give it a try after commercial I'll-eat-your-skin-off-if-you-don't-wear-gloves cleaners don't seem to work. Plus, if those chemicals aren't healthy enough to touch, then what are they doing once they go down the drain? I can only imagine. So in went the vinegar to run for a cycle. The results: Although not completely rid of the white, crunchy residue, it was noticeably cleaner, and I think if I maybe run a vinegar cycle every few weeks, my dishwasher might start to be a useful, clean appliance.
But because vinegar proved so useful for my dishwasher, I wondered what it could do on a small, more concentrated level. Test item: my water-stained drinking glasses (courtesy of said dishwasher). So I poured a little in a glass and waited. Holy smokes! My glasses look like new, and I've completely fallen in love with them all over again. Next I tried my tea kettle. (Thanks Charissa! My tea pot is a gift that keeps on giving. I think of you every time I use it!) Eudora is infamous for its hard water, and my tea kettle had started to show the strain, but the vinegar conquered. Now my kettle is nice, new, and lovely.
I've ran out of vinegar at this point (I only had 3/4 bottle to start with), but I plan on stocking up more and using it in other places around the house instead of using those nausea-inducing cleaners. Better for the earth, and clearly, better for a cleaner household. Don't forget the price-savings too! Mom would be proud.
But because vinegar proved so useful for my dishwasher, I wondered what it could do on a small, more concentrated level. Test item: my water-stained drinking glasses (courtesy of said dishwasher). So I poured a little in a glass and waited. Holy smokes! My glasses look like new, and I've completely fallen in love with them all over again. Next I tried my tea kettle. (Thanks Charissa! My tea pot is a gift that keeps on giving. I think of you every time I use it!) Eudora is infamous for its hard water, and my tea kettle had started to show the strain, but the vinegar conquered. Now my kettle is nice, new, and lovely.
I've ran out of vinegar at this point (I only had 3/4 bottle to start with), but I plan on stocking up more and using it in other places around the house instead of using those nausea-inducing cleaners. Better for the earth, and clearly, better for a cleaner household. Don't forget the price-savings too! Mom would be proud.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Just the motivation I needed
Today was one of those days. I woke up cranky; I showered and dressed cranky; I drove to work cranky; I worked cranky, until it was time to head to the Plaza to enjoy a nice steak linner (lunch/dinner) during the regional ASBPE awards banquet. The editorial staff didn't take anything home, but Amanda won a much-deserved award for one of her masterful design creations. Way to go Amanda!
Besides the steak, listening to the speaker talk about his many awards and how his publication wins so many (he even choked up at one point talking about his win for an editorial letter he wrote about his friend dying of brain cancer; it broke my heart, and it made me want to go work for him), it gave me just the motivation and turnabout I needed for my day and renewed spirit for my job. After watching and listening to other publications accept awards, I wanted one myself. So I've decided to set a new goal for myself at work: write a feature. I've never written anything longer than 1200 words, so writing an in-depth feature will require lots of time I'm not sure I have. If I plan it right, though, I can take a few months to research and write. Of course, this requires I talk to the Big Heads, but I'm sure they'll be fine with it; it's free labor. And just maybe next year I can snag one of those awards myself. Now I just have to hold myself to the goal. It's all about follow through.
Music mood: The Hives, "Try It Again"
Besides the steak, listening to the speaker talk about his many awards and how his publication wins so many (he even choked up at one point talking about his win for an editorial letter he wrote about his friend dying of brain cancer; it broke my heart, and it made me want to go work for him), it gave me just the motivation and turnabout I needed for my day and renewed spirit for my job. After watching and listening to other publications accept awards, I wanted one myself. So I've decided to set a new goal for myself at work: write a feature. I've never written anything longer than 1200 words, so writing an in-depth feature will require lots of time I'm not sure I have. If I plan it right, though, I can take a few months to research and write. Of course, this requires I talk to the Big Heads, but I'm sure they'll be fine with it; it's free labor. And just maybe next year I can snag one of those awards myself. Now I just have to hold myself to the goal. It's all about follow through.
Music mood: The Hives, "Try It Again"
Monday, July 21, 2008
Happy birthday blog
This blog passed its 100-post anniversary. You've been a warm and comforting spot to write. Happy Birthday (of sorts) View!
Little moments
I don't have kids—yet. But from time to time, special moments pass by between Jonathan and I, and even friends and family, that I feel are too cute not to be shared. So from now on, I'll be posting these little moments. Here's just a couple from this weekend:
Moment #1:
Jonathan heading off to the bathroom with my latest edition of InStyle magazine "just to see what it was." What he did think? "It's about as enjoyable as you'd find Sport Illustrated. Plus, what's all those ads about?" Thanks for trying, honey; that's why I love you.
Moment #2:
Jonathan always does laundry in our house. (Lucky, I know, right?) He enjoys doing it, and heck, I'll let him keep enjoying it all he wants. He always stays caught up too. This weekend he asked me, "Want to know a secret?" Why does your mind and your whole body freeze when someone asks you that? (Probably because you know it'll be an internal struggle to not tell someone, or post it on this blog.) "Okay, what's the secret?" "I love it when I grab the exact number of hangers I need when I do laundry." That simple, and that great.
Moment #1:
Jonathan heading off to the bathroom with my latest edition of InStyle magazine "just to see what it was." What he did think? "It's about as enjoyable as you'd find Sport Illustrated. Plus, what's all those ads about?" Thanks for trying, honey; that's why I love you.
Moment #2:
Jonathan always does laundry in our house. (Lucky, I know, right?) He enjoys doing it, and heck, I'll let him keep enjoying it all he wants. He always stays caught up too. This weekend he asked me, "Want to know a secret?" Why does your mind and your whole body freeze when someone asks you that? (Probably because you know it'll be an internal struggle to not tell someone, or post it on this blog.) "Okay, what's the secret?" "I love it when I grab the exact number of hangers I need when I do laundry." That simple, and that great.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Restaurant review: Raglan Road
I ventured out for lunch today with coworkers to Kansas City's infamous Power & Light District to enjoy Irish fare. Although the interior was spacious and impressive, that's where the pleasantries end. I ordered the very expensive fish and chips (or according to the menu: Fish &; I'm not sure if that was a typo or not. Our British waiter said the menu had gone through so many iterations to misspellings alone). Okay, so it was $14 fish and chips. I think you can expect to expect some good fish and chips for that price. Accompanying the fish and chips was a pea shot, and that's where this story takes a turn or spill for the worst: a waitress, upon delivering my fancy plate, complete with fish and chips in a wire cone, the shot glass full of pea soup dives off the plate. Or at least I think it did; I can't exactly remember because I was thinking the entire time, "Oh shit. That doesn't look stable." While most of the green goo tipped over onto the plate, the other portion landed on the table, and much to chagrin: my lap. Thank god for Tide pens and the invisible shield protecting the white T-shirt I was wearing.
Of course the waitress was extremely apologetic and had it cleaned up from my plate in no time, mopped up with cloth napkins. Had I been the waitress, I think I would have immediately returned the plate. Instead, she just gave me a new order of a pea shot after wiping my plate clean.
The fish and chips were, well, I get more excited about my cooking than what I ate. Granted, I'm learning I'm a fairly descent cook, so maybe it's not hard to surpass restaurant fare anymore. The fish, while hot, was very bland. I was dipping my bites heavily in the tarter sauce, which was the only good thing on my plate. The chips, or fries, were the thick, chunky kind. Not quite steak fries. They were mushy in the middle—not how a fry is supposed to be at all.
And what about that pea shot? It seriously was a pea shot, complete with the shot glass. I've never had pea soup, and when I had it spilled on me, I smelled the very distinct hint of mint. Not a good sign. I decided that, because the shot had been the cause of so much trouble, I should at least sample it. One tiny sip revealed that it was indeed infused with mint. So I passed it on to Rick, one of my coworkers, who said he absolutely loved pea soup. He downed it, shot-style. At least someone enjoyed it.
After all that, I thought, "Okay, well, that wasn't worth my excitement, but maybe they won't have charged me the full price of the meal after the pea soup fiasco." Wrong. $19 later and a new stain to my skirt, I was ready to leave Raglan Road.
Ambiance: B+
The place is very cavernous, so it was easy to hear my lunch party; I've heard it can get pretty loud in the evenings though. The place is outfitted with heavy wood and leather. I also liked the design treatment of both the coasters and the menu.
Waitstaff: C
In hindsight, the waitress/server, I felt, made a grievous mistake in just mopping up my plate in front of me. I also felt that the price of my food, which landing in my lap, should have been deducted, at least by a few dollars.
Food: C-
The food didn't really promise on an Irish gastronomy experience. Rather, I felt I had gone to a quaint pub with overpriced fare with clever Irish names. In the KansasCity.com review of the restaurant, Lauren Chapin summed it up best: Everything needed a bit of salt.
Of course the waitress was extremely apologetic and had it cleaned up from my plate in no time, mopped up with cloth napkins. Had I been the waitress, I think I would have immediately returned the plate. Instead, she just gave me a new order of a pea shot after wiping my plate clean.
The fish and chips were, well, I get more excited about my cooking than what I ate. Granted, I'm learning I'm a fairly descent cook, so maybe it's not hard to surpass restaurant fare anymore. The fish, while hot, was very bland. I was dipping my bites heavily in the tarter sauce, which was the only good thing on my plate. The chips, or fries, were the thick, chunky kind. Not quite steak fries. They were mushy in the middle—not how a fry is supposed to be at all.
And what about that pea shot? It seriously was a pea shot, complete with the shot glass. I've never had pea soup, and when I had it spilled on me, I smelled the very distinct hint of mint. Not a good sign. I decided that, because the shot had been the cause of so much trouble, I should at least sample it. One tiny sip revealed that it was indeed infused with mint. So I passed it on to Rick, one of my coworkers, who said he absolutely loved pea soup. He downed it, shot-style. At least someone enjoyed it.
After all that, I thought, "Okay, well, that wasn't worth my excitement, but maybe they won't have charged me the full price of the meal after the pea soup fiasco." Wrong. $19 later and a new stain to my skirt, I was ready to leave Raglan Road.
Ambiance: B+
The place is very cavernous, so it was easy to hear my lunch party; I've heard it can get pretty loud in the evenings though. The place is outfitted with heavy wood and leather. I also liked the design treatment of both the coasters and the menu.
Waitstaff: C
In hindsight, the waitress/server, I felt, made a grievous mistake in just mopping up my plate in front of me. I also felt that the price of my food, which landing in my lap, should have been deducted, at least by a few dollars.
Food: C-
The food didn't really promise on an Irish gastronomy experience. Rather, I felt I had gone to a quaint pub with overpriced fare with clever Irish names. In the KansasCity.com review of the restaurant, Lauren Chapin summed it up best: Everything needed a bit of salt.
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