Tuesday, November 13, 2012

It's Curtains for Me

Well, fine, maybe it's not curtains for me. It's certainly not curtains for my bedroom. I have a weird inset window and I have previously hung curtains in my living room with a tension rod that is secretly a shower curtain rod. That worked brilliantly and all, so I decided to get some curtains for my bedroom. The blinds do an alright job keeping the light out, but the insulation on my windows is crap, so I got some nice, insulated, sagey green curtains. I was very excited to get them hung as they would add some much needed to color to my bedroom. Like the rest of my house, my bedroom is an unending paint job of boring apartment beige and I thought the new curtains would break that up nicely. I will never know. I have bought and returned three curtain rods in the last week. Supposedly the pocket takes a one inch rod (I hear you snickering in the back row) but no matter what size rod I get, even if I take it apart and try to insert it from the middle in order to avoid the finials on the end, I cannot get this thing to fit. My mind is boggled. I bought lovely curtans...that are apparently impossible to hang! Meanwhile, my bedroom is call, and the cream continues unabated. Can you blame me for being cranky?

Monday, November 12, 2012

ACHOO

Oh, right now I think I am just so frustrated. I have been dealing with some kind of weird TMJ issue or some kind of sinus problem or SOMETHING and the doctors just can't seem to figure out what is going on. This is frustrating because I don't think this is new problems. I think this is old problems that are conspiring together to create a big thing. I feel like it has dragged on for forever for two reasons 1) is that my doctors aren't listening to me and 2) is that I get so many sinus infections people just assume that's what's wrong with me and give me antibiotics. I thought that was what was wrong with me and went along with it for awhile,but it just didn't seem quite right. I am pretty sure I have talked about this before - I feel like doctors don't really listen very well. Or at least, they listen at the beginning but then they think they've got things figured out and quit paying attetion. "oh, first line sounds like a sinus infection, I'm gonna move on now" but it isn't! And so many antibiotics, for real! I keep saying "I have sinus pain, but there is no green snot!" and all they hear is "I have sinus pain." Y'all, the green snot is KEY. Don't they know that? In other words, don't be me! Be pushy, and make them listen to you describe your snot so you can save yourself months of pain.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

MOVE ALREADY

What's making me cranky? How about the fact that I missed TWO DAYS OF POSTING? I suck at NaBloPoMo, but I will try to make the posts up so please don't holst it against me! Meanwhile, people in general are making me sooooo cranky. They are all up in my bidness. I went to "the big city" today and let me tell you...I am glad I'm not a city girl. That's just so many people...everywhere! all the time! ARGH. Parking lots are maybe the worst? Or maybe inside stores are the worst? Or maybe everywhere there are people? EVER? They keep bumping into you, even when you are standing still. And then they are like...giving you dirty looks? When they bumped into you! Like, it's not my fault you can't walk, lady. Why do people seem to think they are the only ones who deserve space on the road, or in the aisle or in the parking lot...and therefore, it is YOUR responsibility to stay out of THEIR way? We all have to share this planet. Why can't we have a little courtesy, a little respect, a little patience. And pay attention to what we are doing so that we can be a little easier on each other?

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

GROW. UP.

Alright. Last night I was politcally cheery, tonight I'm on a downturn. If your guy won, which was the case for me...YAY! But gloating is gross and not going to help the situation. Keep it amongst friends, and be gracious with the losers. No one likes a sore loser, but a poor winner is almost as bad. If your guy lost, I'm sorry. That sucks. But this country has a lot of work to do. Instead of whining about how things didn't go your way, why don't you buckle down, roll up your sleeves, and get to work. It is time for all of us to start working togethr to fix things, rather than complaining about how much we don't like how things are. Obstructionist actions and policies can no longer be accepted. It is not acceptable to me for a senator or representative to vote against a healthcare bill, or a jobs bill, or a budget because they don't like the person who sponsored it. Disagree with it? Think it's wrong or bad for the country? Explain why. "We don't want Obama to accomplish anything" is NOT. GOOD. ENOUGH. So suck it up, and make it better.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Way to vote!

What's making me cranky tonight? Very little, go Go GO OBAMA!

Monday, November 5, 2012

Callouses

Well, I am trying to get back into the guitar. I took a course in college, which was a mini mester, so it was too much crammed into one short period to have time to master anything. Then I tried, in the last town I lived in, to find an instructor, but the one I tried was...horrible? That seems...more than fair. So I tried to teach myself off and on, but without much luck. I always seem to get to the same point, and then can't seem to push beyond it. I am starting lessons again this week. I work on a college campus and am trading lessons for food with a hungry student. Haha. The student teaches lessons at a community church on Tuesdays, when I can't go, soI am going to give the poor starving kid a meal that doesn't come from the cafeteria, and the student is going to give me lessons. I am excited. And really looking forward to it, so I'm not cranky about that. BUT I have been trying to go over what I do know to get ready and MY FINGERS HURT. And I'm worried I'm going to be horrible and stupid. I can get callouses and my fingers will stop hurting...but I am still probably going to feel stupid.

Sunday, November 4, 2012

So...it's that guy, but it turns out it's NOT that guy?

Okay. So I'm going to interrupt myself and what I planned to blog about to complain about how many dudes look like Eddie Cibrian. Like, I feel like he's in every single movie now...and then it turns out it's NEVER him. I know he's in movies. I mean, I'm pretty sure I've seen him in movies. He must have been in actualy movies, right? this is not a judgement on Mr. Cibrian, I'm sure he's a fine actor...probably. But I was watching a movie on the Hallmark channel, and thought it was him. It was not him. So then I decided to watch a movie on SyFy, thought it was him. It was not him. So my question is...WHY DO ALL THESE GUYS LOOK SO MUCH ALIKE? Or perhaps what's really making me cranky is not Eddie Cibrian (about whom I have no particular feelings, other than that he apparently looks rather generic to me) and is the fat that movies seem more and more inclined to cast the same generic looking dudes (or dude, presumable it is occassionally Eddie Cibrian)over and over. I get it, y'all are trying to find a generically attractive dude to give the ladies some eye candy. Hallmark and Lifetime holiday movies, I love you, I do, but more Kavan Smith, less Eddie Cibrian...ish dudes? SyFy, if you're just going to give me eyecandy, you can do better. Anyway, again, I don't have anything against Eddie Cibrian...other than the fact that I apparently cannot recognize him. But my point is, variety is the spice of life, and I can't even tell you're giving me variety so like...try harder.

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Sound and Fury, Signifying Nothing

So obviously, today's post is about politics. I mean, CLEARLY. Listen, I think I've made it pretty clear what side of the line I fall on, and if you disagree with me, you're wrong, but that's your choice and you have a right to it. But while what happens on Tuesday will either delight me or depress me, what's going to happen every day leading up to it is just depressing me. The political commercials. Oh y'all. I am not even in a swing state, and I am so tired of them...I mean, sooooo tired of them. It's ridiculous. They've done everything except claim that the other one is possessed by Satan and frankly I'm not sure it hasn't happened, I just suspect I just haven't seen that commercial. I admit, I don't watch much network television, so I've been spared the worst of it, but it takes only one commercial for me to go from "I wish this campaign was over" to "dear heavens, I think there's something seriously wrong with these people" and then on to "really, if any of this is true at all they're clearly all maniacs of the worst sort and what on earth have we left our government to?" Which of course, is enough to make anyone cranky, because how ridiculousis this mess? If the commercials are to be believed, this entire goverment is nothing but liars, charlatans and outright criminals. WHAT on earth are we coming to, then? Hyperbole is all well and good, but there has got to be a line, people. And really, it's all this noise...and what does it ever change?

Friday, November 2, 2012

Please Answer Promptly

So here's the deal. I'm not a good blogger when it comes to group blogging projects like NaBloPoMo. As you may have noticed from my many prolonged absences, I'm really not a very good blogger at all, despite my wishes to the contrary. So I try to read the blogging prompts provided by the NaBloPoMoers, and I gotta be honest...they mostly prompt me to be...CRANKY! I'm sure you're shocked. Today's prompt is " If you could live anywhere, where would it be?" and I just don't find that at all inspiring. I don't want to write about where I want to live if I could live anywhere. I don't even know where that is. And I don't find it very inspiring to talk about. I find most of these prompts...so basic. Unchallenging. Uninteresting. So if there is anyone still out there reading...here's my challenge for you - give me a prompt that YOU want to see me writing about this month.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Hold that thought

So, it's NaBloPoMo once again and I had a real cute, pithy blog post that I was all ready to type up and post, but instead I am going to share with you a quick "mini-crank" in the moment. If I am actually standing by the bathroom, with my hand on the doorknob, about to go in, maybe. JUST MAYBE this is not the moment to strike a conversation. Just a thought.

Saturday, August 4, 2012

I shall say no more, because enough has been said

Fun fact kids, freedom of speech does not mean that you have the right to say whatever you want without consequences. If you say something that reveals you to be a bigot, that is your legal right. It is MY legal right to disagree with you, and express that in my actions, such as not purchasing your product. Conversely, if you reveal yourself as someone with more liberal views, other people have the right to disagree with you, and express that in their actions. IT WORKS BOTH WAYS. That's the beauty of this wild and wacky country we live in.

Friday, August 3, 2012

CLICK HERE TO GET DEEPLY ANNOYED WITH THE FACT THAT YOU STILL AREN'T THERE YET

I HATE HATE HATE When someone posts a link on Twitter or Facebook or Livejournal or whatever other hellbound social media platform they are choosing to use and I am haplessly trying to follow and then their link goes to a page! That tells you that there is a link! And you click that link! And it goes to another link of a thumbnail or a page or picture and eventually I think...I DON'T CARE THIS MUCH ABOUT THE NEW WOLVERINE MOVIE NO MATTER HOW CUTE HUGH JACKMAN IS. COME ON ALREADY.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Playlist

Needed to change up my walking/workout playlist. I wouldn't say it's all NEW music, but it's different music!
Workout by G Mage on Grooveshark

Thursday, July 5, 2012

On Fat Acceptance and Self-Acceptance.


Tonight I am reading Bella Tuscany – the sequel to Under the Tuscan Sun. The movie, by the way, has nothing to do with the book though I enjoy them both. In Bella Tuscany, Frances Mayes and her husband (who is actually NOT a cheating dickhead) return to Bramasole, their vacation home in Tuscany. At this particular juncture, they have left Bramasole for a side trip to Sicily. 

                Much of Mayes’ books are given over to describing food in delicious detail, but one particular moment of the Sicily trip stood out to me. She had her husband stop to split a cannoli and she interrupts herself to assure us it’s ok that that they ate one because they’re going to walk it off later. 

                This stuck out to me because it’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. A couple weeks ago Skinny Emmie posted a link on her twitter to this article and the article set me off on a bit of a twitter rant. The Fatshionista, aka Lesley Kinzel, a fat acceptance blogger who has a new blog coming out and the author of the article sat down to talk about fat acceptance and how the author of the article had been inspired by the Fatshionista to accept her own body.  The interview took place over breakfast, and while discussing the importance of body acceptance in general, the article’s author made sure to take time to point out that Kinzel had chosen to eat a healthy omelet and whole wheat toast. It felt like she punctuated the article by saying “well, yes, she’s fat and we have both dare to accept our bodies, but it’s ok, we’re the good fatties.” 

                How does this tie into Bella Tuscany? Because in the middle of a travelogue about the glories of Italy, Frances Mayes had to stop and justify her food choices.  A woman who is by no means fat, who had the good fortune to be portrayed onscreen by DIANE LANE – stopped and apologized for SHARING a cannoli. An article on the importance of accepting our bodies stops to make sure we know it’s ok for them to accept themselves – because they are eating “mindfully”. Why do they (and the rest of us) have to justify our food? If I eat a nice healthy omelet one night, does that give me permission to eat a slice of my own birthday cake? If I eat a candy bar do people get to judge me but if I eat a chocolate coated fiber one bar, I’m off the hook? Does Slim Fast come in cans now because we want to make sure people know we’re drinking a diet shake because heaven forbid they think we’re just drinking a shake? 

                This is not a protest against health. You SHOULD be thinking about what you put into your body. But I’ll tell you the truth, there are times when I dread going out to eat with my friends because I worry that everyone is going to judge me no matter what I order. If you order a salad, someone comments “live a little!” if you order pasta…are they thinking “way to go, fattie?” Why do I (we, I’m betting) feel so compelled to justify our right to exist in our own bodies?

                I confess to being conflicted about fat acceptance. I’m all for it on one hand. I believe that people have the right to live, to have access to good drs., to be allowed to walk down the street and to eat as they choose without fear of judgment or harassment no matter what their weight is. On the flipside…I’m not happy with my own body.  I want to be thinner – I want to be fitter, and I know they aren’t identical things…but I feel like they are. And I catch myself judging other people’s bodies and then I feel bad about it. At the same time, I look at the aforementioned Skinny Emmie and I think she’s super cute – and I also know she’s bigger than me. But I don’t find myself to be supercute.  Do I lack style? Do I lack grace? Do I judge myself poorly? Or is my problem just that I need to get a tan because I’m too pale (seriously y’all. I suspect pasty may just not photograph well.)? And why do I feel like I need to compare myself to others at all? I am trying really hard to find the balance in changing my body and accepting it.

Friday, June 29, 2012

Why does it have to be black or white...

Have I mentioned that I very much do not enjoy the new back end of blogger? I keep almost starting new blogs when I just want to start a new blog post. It is fairly annoying. Of course, if I posted more often, some of you may be saying, I would be used to it by now and shush up.

For the record, I have been blogging, but I've been doing it with paper and pencil, retro style. Eventually I will probably share some of those things over here, but they are not all about me being cranky, although they sort of are, because let's face it: inevitable.

I will tell you what I am cranky about right now: people's inability to use common sense when reading articles. I came across this article about teens and physical activity versus technology this morning.   These sorts of articles are published constantly, either condemning technology or promoting it and the reactions are always extreme and I find it so irritating. Here's the thing that I don't understand. Why does it never seem to occur to people that the answer is not "we must take our children away fro the internet because otherwise they will be fat and sad" or "we must let our children use technology or they will fall behind and be stupid and the whole country will fall into ruin" but "maybe we should strive to find a balance for our children that includes technology and activity."

I mean, is it that complicated? Am I naive to believe that children can do sports AND use a computer? It seems simple enough. I've seen it happen. My niece can shoot a basketball and use the remote. I don't understand the problem.

Or maybe I do understand the problem and it goes back to the people who want to ban books from libraries because they don't think their children should read them. Rather than making sure they know what their kids a r reading, they just want those books taken away from everyone. If you put your kid in a sport, then that's all you have to worry about. If you plunk them down in front of a computer, you're good to go. If you need to try and find a balance for your kid (or for yourself) that takes a little more effort.

Of course this is not just to pick on parents, because I know some great parents and some terrible parents. This seems to be a wide spread problem where people are unwilling or unable to realize that the world is not made up of absolutes. You CAN eat cookies and carrots.  You CAN exercise and take naps. You CAN dress nicely and comfortably. Sometimes you can do these things at the same time (granted, that does not include exercising and napping). You don't have to pick one or the other and then live your life, sometimes miserably that way, forever. I wish that the people who read (and sometimes, those who write) articles would acknowledge that.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

IN MY BARE FEET

GRUBS. I hate them. They are disgusting and they eat all the lovely plants in my garden. Those are for me to eat, dang it! Plus, you wanna talk about cranky? Try stepping on one of them barefoot. Blech.

In other news, all the other insects. Ever. Except maybe lightening bugs. They are the ok. But everybody else! Icky and cranky making. Terrible. AND THEY KEEP EATING MY PLANTS.

I am trying to be environmentally friendly, but soapy water only does so much and there was a grub! IN. MY. PEAS. RAWR.

Monday, April 30, 2012

FALSE FOOD EQUIVALENCIES




So someone in my twitter linked this article: http://t.co/BnwIqE7P about how some desserts at fast food places are worst for you than desserts at OTHER fast good places. I for one am shocked. SHOCKED I tell you.
Look, I get that some people need to have things explained to them, although I’ve never met any of these people who need quite this much help, but whatever. But articles like the one above are presenting  false equivalencies. A small ice cream sundae has fewer calories than a large chocolate shake? That’s great. But not really a fair comparison. How does it do calorie wise if you make the sundae a large or the shake a small? Frankly, the whole thing is a bit silly. A small ice cream has fewer calories than a large ice cream! Ice cream has more calories than apples! Hats go on your head! Shoes go on your feet! Obvious statements help no one!

The other day I was in a grocery store and saw a woman stop to look at the nutritional information on cupcakes. CUPCAKES. Here’s the thing, y’all. THEY ARE CUPCAKES. They have no nutritional value! They aren’t supposed to! The frosting is made of Red Dye #6 and the tears of kittens! EAT UP, IT IS DELICIOUS. I mean, are you kidding me? I look at the nutritional value on a loaf of bread to decide which one has less sugar and more fiber. However, I’m not comparing the nutritional data on cupcakes because…CUPCAKES.

No one needs to feel guilty about having a cupcake or a milkshake or an ice cream or whatever. Eat like a reasonable, grown-up person. Have meat and veggies and carbs and yes, even DESSERT without feeling like your deserve to be fat, should feel guilty, or that you’ve “been naughty”, because guess what? Adults aren’t naughty. Little bitty ol’ babies are naughty. Toddlers? Naughty. Grown-ups who had the nerve to eat what they wanted? NOT NAUGHTY. Unless it was my yogurt and you stole it out of the fridge in which case you are still not naughty, but you are kind of a douchebag and by kind of I mean totally.

In summation, sure. Think about what you are eating. Make good choices (this is my new slogan, btw. More on that to come). Eat what makes you feel good, and not just for five minutes, but for the day and the next day and the day after that and if that means eating grilled chicken breasts on a salad 5 days a week and horfing a six pack of mini cupcakes, well, I’m not judging you.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Things that are making me cranky: a list

1) The last season of Eureka starts tonight. THE LAST ONE. Why you gotta do me like that, Syfy?

2) My back is still all janky.

3) The possibility that I know more than one person (and by know I mean might be related to) who may be literally certifiable

4) Revising an article I'm writing about a grant. I hate revisions. I haaaaate theeeeem.

5) My schedule for this week? Also janky. Inexplicably so. And getting worse. 

6) Baseball. I like baseball. I feel like I'm not very good at watching it? Like maybe I'm on the baseball shortbus because I don't really get all the statistics?

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Earworms

Y'all. Why do I never get AWESOME songs stuck in my head? It's always the worst, stupidest songs. The two that have been tormenting me lately prove this to be terribly true. They are Red Solo Cup by Toby Keith and Drunk on You by Luke Bryan.

Now, I have to give Toby Keith a pass on this. Red Solo Cup is indeed an extremely stupid song,but it cracks me up and mentions Abbott and Costello, so I can forgive the song.

HOWEVER

LUKE BRYAN WHAT IS YOUR EXCUSE.

The chorus to the song is as follows:

Girl you make my speakers go boom-boom
Dancing on the tailgate in the full moon
That kinda thing makes a man go mmm hmmm
You're lookin' so good in what's left of those blue jeans
Drip of honey on the moneymaker gotta be
The best buzz I'm ever gonna find
Hey I'm a little drunk on you
And high on summertime


LUKE BRYAN. Is this how you want to go down in history? You've already got one song about girls dancing on the tailgate. It's called Shake it for Me. There has to be a limit, man. And you have passed it. THIS IS A TERRIBLE SONG. The song in my head would like you to stop it. Stop it RIGHT. NOW.


ALSO HOW WOULD SHE EVEN GET HONEY ON HER BUTT? THAT IS SO STUPID. QUIT IT.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

OW.

SO, life is a bit of a mess right now. Basically, my body continues to treat me like I am the enemy, which includes these crazy  muscle spasms in my back. I can't take muscle relaxants forever...I really can't take them at all, due to my boss frowning on my using the keyboard for a pillow...I''m not sure she minds the napping, but the drool is a problem. So, my dr. finally sent me to get physical therapy, and I thought I was going to go one time and they would give me some exercises to do and that would be it. But NO! It's like real physical therapy! I don't even know! So I've gone for two weeks, and today, they hit the spot. not just the little spots around. The real deal. The source. And I INSTANTLY had tears in my eyes. So ...they want me to go back tomorrow. Good stuff. And they like...made it angry. IT's like my back is the Hulk. Or Chulthu. They've awakened the sleeping beast, at any rate. So if you want to know why I'm cranky? They keep poking spots that hurt.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

STOP "FIXING" THINGS

DEAR NEW PROQUEST,

I HATE YOU. I hate your changes to the booleans. I hate that you remember my previous search parameters. I hate all the things.

SINCERELY,
ME

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Tasty Fail

So, as previously mentioned, I am working my way towards bready perfection this year. As part of that question, last night I attempted to make ciabatta style sandwich rolls. Y'all, this is the kind of failure that makes me want to toss in the apron. The rolls were tasty, but I thought, based on the recipe, that theywould SPREAD and rise...and they just...rose. So they really didn't make a sandwich roll...unless you want to eat a rather tiny sandwich, and due to the the rather crusty nature of ciabatta bread, they dn't actually make very good dinner rolls,s o this was pretty much an all around failure. However, I am not defeated. I will rise again (pun intended) until I get the perfect recipe for tasty perfection. I must admit though that the waste of a fairly large amount of ingredients was extremely cranky making. However, the cranky was mitigated by the production of a very tasty pizza, which I made the crust for from scratch.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Second Verse, Same as the first

So today I added Margaret Sanger to the list of potential topics to have freshman prove their research skills on. She was a fascinating woman, who did a lot for the cause of allowing woman to control their own bodies, which in turn made a huge difference in the overall ability of women to move in society at large. If you haven't already done so, I encourage you to read My Fight for Birth Control, by Sanger. Then you can be as cranky as I am when you realize how many of the arguments she faced are still being presented to stop women from having control of their bodies and their lives TODAY.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

The dough also rises

I have only made one resolution for this year:

Get awesome at making bread.

How about you?

(my recent bread making failures have led to extreme crankiness, but it's really only entertaining if you'r ein the room with me when Ir ealize what's gone wrong. I would be hilarious on my own cooking show (Which would be called Baking Between Naps) but it would be too expensive to bleep out all the profanity that happens when I realize my extreme failures.