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Cheesy lyrics post

I know its cheesy to post lyrics rather than my own words. But sometimes a lyric can say it far, far better than I. So. I came across this song today and recalled how much I liked it. It’s ME. ALL. OVER. You really don’t know.
Diva/Annie Lennox

Why
Composer/Artist: Annie Lennox

How many times do I have to try to tell you
That I’m sorry for the things I’ve done
But when I start to try to tell you
That’s when you have to tell me
Hey, this kind of trouble’s only just begun
I tell myself too many times
Why don’t you ever learn to keep your big mouth shut
That’s why it hurts so bad to hear the words
That keep on falling from your mouth
Falling from your mouth
Falling from your mouth
Tell me

Why
Why
I may be mad
I may be blind
I may be viciously unkind
But I can still read what you’re thinking
And I’ve heard it said too many times
That you’d be better off
Besides

Why can’t you see this boat is sinking
Let’s go down to the water’s edge
And we can cast away those doubts
Some things are better left unsaid

But they still turn me inside out
Turning inside out turning inside out

Tell me
Why
Tell me
Why

This is the book I never read
These are the words I never said
This is the path I’ll never tread
These are the dreams I’ll dream instead
This is the joy that’s seldom spread
These are the tears

The tears we shed
This is the fear
This is the dread
These are the contents of my head
And these are the years that we have spent
And this is what they represent
And this is how I feel
Do you know how I feel?
‘Cause I don’t think you know how I feel
I don’t think you know what I feel
I don’t think you know what I feel
You don’t know what I feel

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I’m published!

I forgot to post this when it was published back in April, but I wanted to make sure to put it here so it’ll live forever as proof that I have been published at least once somewhere besides my own blog! :)

I wrote a blog commentary at Decatur Patch about the Walmart coming in over at Suburban Plaza and the editor asked if he could publish it as an editorial. It’s at Decatur Patch. In addition to having the link, I’m going to repost the whole thing after the cut, with screen shots to save it for-EVAH. Continue reading “I’m published!”

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Mystery of the Oil Slick

Yesterday, I go out to get the mail and notice this HUGE oil slick on the driveway:

Since that is sort of where the truck is parked every night, I was alarmed and contacted Nick to go and check his truck immediately. He did, and said he saw nothing obviously leaking. We decided better safe than sorry, so he arranged to take the truck in for a check later in the afternoon.

I’d also noticed a maroon vehicle in front of my house – which Nick said was there when he left in the morning. Hmmm… Someone picked up the car in the afternoon, so I thought no more of it.

We were talking about where else the oil could’ve come from and I remembered that the fridge repair guy had been there the day before – but I hadn’t noticed the oil then, so chances were slim it was his van.

Nick takes in the truck, it checks out fine and he comes home. He checked out the oil (which had dissipated significantly in the heat) and checked out where the car had been parked in front of our house. He saw that there were clear drip lines coming down the street, into our drive, back out and then another huge oil slick in the street where the car had been.

Well, ok, that explains the oil, but still?? So then it occurred to me that our newspaper delivery person always pulls into the drive and I seem to recall them driving a red or maroon car. If their seals let go as they were delivering papers, it’d make sense that they’d just park it and come for it later. But ODD just the same. Whoever it was has some serious repairs to do!

There’s always some weird shit to keep you entertained in the ‘hood. I really wish they’d not left a huge oil stain on my driveway. :/

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Memorial Day weekend

I’m not particularly thrilled to be missing Phoenix Comicon this weekend. The guest list is amazing and our comics buddies will all be there… ::sigh:: Well, at least we’ll be entertained by the Decatur Arts Festival and Googi’s going away party on Monday. ::sigh::

I’m looking forward to Heroes Con at the end of June. It’s the only con we’re doing this year and despite not having anything new to offer, it’ll be fun to go. I hope we are not shoved in the back corner of the convention hall. I halfway expect to be banished since the vendor organiser is pissed at me for criticising their lack of organisation as well as not taking credit cards properly or offering online table sales. Eh, well, if he takes his revenge by bad placement, it doesn’t really matter. It’s our last Heroes and their 30th Anniversary, so we just want to have some fun. We don’t expect to sell much of anything.

I tried out a new recipe last night. I planned to make chicken piccata, but discovered I only had about a teaspoon of capers: argh! So, I made chicken piccata with dill rather than capers and it was pretty good. I think fresh dill, cornichons and more lemon will make it perfect. If I can get the recipe firmed up, it’s one more for the cookbook.

I’m also getting geared up for canning this year. Our cucumbers are going nuts, so I plan to do several different kinds of pickles, along with pickled brussels sprouts and onions. I am also planning to do garlic red peppers (hopefully from my garden), canned tomatoes (from my garden) and perhaps some marmalade (just for fun). Oh, and beets, of course. I’ll also do a few small jars of hot peppers, too. I got my canning pot w/ rack and I’m ready to go. Come ON veggies!! Expect canned goods for Xmas! :)

I’m still a bit grumpy with people since my last gauntlet of bullshit. For all the shit I’m accused of doing badly, I’d like to take a moment and point out the shit I’ve put up with in the name of keeping the peace! I keep my fucking trap shut WAY more than I get credit for. I keep WAY more secrets that I get credit for, too. I know lots of dirt on lots of people and if I was the hell bitch they say I am, I’d be flinging their dirty laundry all over this blog. But do I? Nope. I may call people out when I’ve had my fill of their crap, but even those I *do* call out, I generally keep their secrets. I’ve got serious dirt such as: cheating, lying, unfaithfulness, more lying, animal abuse, and plenty of just outright CRAZY.

In general, people disappoint me. A LOT.

It’s an unfortunate personality flaw of mine that when I get disappointed enough, I tend to blow up and sever ties with people. I do it much less now than I used to (because I’m old and can’t be bothered as much) but I just did it recently and I still don’t like doing it. But when someone’s secrets and lies become their reality, I am not going to be a part of it. I’m honest to a fucking fault, I know this, and I try to tamp it down as much as I can, but lying really does bother me and I won’t take it for long. Animal abuse also REALLY bothers me and I won’t put up with that, either. I am not interested in excuses for the behaviour; if you lie or abuse animals, I DO NOT CARE what your lame ass excuse is. There, I’ve said it. Those things will put you in the “Soon To Be Booted” category in my mind and there’s little to be done about it at that point. I can forgive a lot of shit, but those things I tend to never forget. Sorry, it’s my nature.

I guess what I’m saying is this: I am aware of my many character faults and my status as Controller of All Pestilence and Disease of the World. I do the best I can to be honest and keep others’ secrets at the same time. I feel I have to in order to retain my integrity. That doesn’t mean I like it, tho. And it doesn’t mean I won’t delete you eventually for lying and believing your own lies. Just a heads up. Patience is another virtue I’m lacking.

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Beef Tenderloin w/ Mushroom Sauce (aka Steak Diane)

This is one of my go to meals that I make when I come across beef tenderloin on sale. It’s quick and very delicious! Who knew Steak Diane was this simple? We tried this with thin sliced chicken breast and it’s DEELISH! It’s just a good sauce all round.

4 thin beef tenderloin steaks (buy 2 and cut in half laterally to make them thin)
1/2 small package cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbl butter
olive oil
1 Tbl L&P (worcestershire sauce)
1/4 cup dry sherry (Use cognac and flame it if you want to do traditional Steak Diane)
1/2 cup chicken stock (or veal if you have it)
1/2 cup heavy cream (if you want traditional Diane)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 Tbl chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
s/p to taste
cornstarch on hand to tighten up the sauce if it’s too thin for you

Set out the tenderloins at least half an hour before you cook them. Coat in olive oil and season with s/p. In a stainless (NOT nonstick) pan, lightly coated w/ olive oil, heated to the smoke point, sear your tenderloins. Leave them pretty rare, as they will get cooked briefly again. I like my steak rare to midrare, you can cook yours as much as you like. Set aside.

Rinse pan if you have any burnt bits. Put a couple of turns olive oil and butter in pan, heat to med hi and saute onions and garlic. When they have softened (not browned), add in shrooms – watch the heat, you don’t want anything to burn. Add pepper flakes, L&P and s/p to taste. Once shrooms are softened, add chicken stock, turn up heat to HI. Add cream if you’re using it. Once the sauce has tightened up (use some cornstarch slurry if it’s too thin for you), add back in your tenderloins and coat thoroughly. Now add the sherry or cognac, flame it and cook for a couple of minutes to get rid of the alcohol. Add in green onions and parsley. Check your seasonings. Kill the heat and let it sit while you get the plates ready.

I like this with smashed garlic potatoes and green beans, but it’s good with anything, really.