tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38059262635770865162024-03-14T02:48:33.325-04:00life is nothing more, than a quick succession, of busy nothingsrosemary brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12414149126610881812noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805926263577086516.post-78370301601057158452011-04-21T20:43:00.002-04:002011-04-21T20:45:11.273-04:00When I'm trying to use up food...I end up making things like this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4puLl2T8IksBglxa4Q5DJ0KiLLgR8ogEFMP9f_Xh7cnIjj1Im5gOXISdLIHhoApnQoFNN_Zl9zm7Ix-iwxL43wPj6ktrzsPAYLtMYyWgH5EPBSz-8UuFeK0DMTyrjm5UZ6DIwIsWJfzs/s1600/DSC04563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4puLl2T8IksBglxa4Q5DJ0KiLLgR8ogEFMP9f_Xh7cnIjj1Im5gOXISdLIHhoApnQoFNN_Zl9zm7Ix-iwxL43wPj6ktrzsPAYLtMYyWgH5EPBSz-8UuFeK0DMTyrjm5UZ6DIwIsWJfzs/s320/DSC04563.JPG" width="420" /></a></div><br />
Yum. Pre-roasted fennel. Know why there aren't any pictures of post-roasted fennel? I may have eaten it all. Me = Happy.<br />
<br />
Also I had the opportunity to hear <a href="http://mayhempoets.com/">The Mayhem Poets</a> tonight. Check them out, because they rock.rosemary brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12414149126610881812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805926263577086516.post-4518963478800584592011-04-04T22:21:00.000-04:002011-04-04T22:21:21.178-04:00Also...How cute is this?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/61WkeY9Jcvw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>rosemary brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12414149126610881812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805926263577086516.post-68683030678773225702011-04-04T22:17:00.002-04:002011-04-04T22:17:43.088-04:00too close for comfortI can hear my next door neighbors microwaving something through our shared wall. There are so many things wrong with that.rosemary brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12414149126610881812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805926263577086516.post-56197543159117165712011-03-12T23:21:00.000-05:002011-03-12T23:21:54.249-05:00Day 3/41) Stopping my tendency to swear at random things is a lot harder than I expected. Funniest part is that halfway through saying something I shouldn't, I realize that I shouldn't, and I try to backtrack, which usually ends in me sounding like I am choking on something.<br />
2) I am complaining less. I actually do feel better, in general I think, as a result.<br />
3) I drove one of my students and her friend to dinner yesterday, even though I knew I shouldn't have because I was already late leaving to pick up my brother from the airport. But I did because they were waiting in the cold for a shuttle that I'm sure would have taken an hour to arrive.<br />
3a) Today I drove Tom all the way to my parents' house, only to turn around a drive all the way back for a program on campus that in the end, I didn't even really need to be at. BUT it meant that sort of by accident I was on campus to go to two other events run by my staff that I would have otherwise missed. They were happy I came, I was happy I went. Win win.rosemary brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12414149126610881812noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805926263577086516.post-49089157138065966222011-03-10T21:53:00.004-05:002011-03-12T23:23:32.937-05:00Day 2I think someone is testing me. 24 hours of pouring rain, a work day that crawled like SLUDGE and getting drenched twice while walking to and from the office and NO ability to moan and groan about it. Torture.<br />
<br />
But apart from that, things aren't going too shabbily.<br />
<br />
1) Only swore a few times today and I'm catching myself earlier, it's hard. Who knew dropping words you never really thought you used all that much would be that difficult?<br />
2) Well since I didn't really complain above I suppose that counts right? Actually Jackie and I complained briefly to one another tonight over dinner about how much we hate students, and since each of us have elected to complain less during Lent we figured that complaining to each other somehow canceled out any potential negative karma that may or may not be headed our way. So yes, I'm ahead on this one.<br />
3) I wrote two recommendations today. Those people I wrote them for might not ever know something nice was done for them, but I can tell you, I absolutely did NOT want to write them this afternoon. So yes, I was suffering for the good of someone else.rosemary brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12414149126610881812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805926263577086516.post-31597768547062890152011-03-09T23:52:00.003-05:002011-03-10T00:00:53.658-05:0040 days of temptationSo I'm not the most religious person, but I do like the season of Lent. I even went to church tonight, Ash Wednesday service. Which, really, did nothing but remind me how unreligious I am. That I'm totally not pious or virtuous or any of that nonsense that apparently, if you go to church regularly, you're supposed to be. I did nothing during the service but listen to the guy behind me who had an incredibly distracting baritone singing voice. He was good by the way.<br />
<br />
Anyway, during Lent you're supposed to give something up, back in the day when I used to attend services most Sundays, often strong-armed by my mother, I used to think it was just a device to punish me and keep things I loved far from me, like a distant memory...all those teenage Lenten seasons spent without chocolate. So depressing. Now, older, and perhaps a bit wiser, I see it as an opportunity to spend time reflecting about things I do regularly that perhaps aren't the most useful ways to spend my time. Case in point, the things this year I've decided to refrain from:<br />
<br />
1) Swearing. Really, not a great habit and something that I just need to stop doing.<br />
2) Complaining. I do way too much of it. So I want to do less. I fully expect to have to do this in stages...a girl's not perfect you know.<br />
3) I am planning to try and do one nice thing for someone else every day. This is to get me out of my comfort zone, being reserved is my strong suit.<br />
<br />
So how'd today go?<br />
<br />
1) Some slippage, but minor, when I ran my foot into the wall earlier I managed to keep my mouth shut and just growl angrily at the baseboard.<br />
2) Success...so far.<br />
3) Coffee for a needy friend, she was happy, and in turn, so was I.<br />
<br />
Day 1 - success, 39 to go.rosemary brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12414149126610881812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805926263577086516.post-20730331441564187672011-03-04T21:56:00.001-05:002011-03-04T21:56:36.537-05:00The verdict?It looks a lot better than it tastes...which is a disappointment. It would be so much cooler if cake in a mug was actually delicious.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvtnSdxfrU2Xv-EEfRlHxMhfk9b5n1ZMG7Xr2e38SiUAuK0IoQJgac7IKRfzQQUAkwB4pT4uwLgB0UPd0PvLgi9Asnzm35Nxqv7kL9hLE7zytNCZiF40LIww5E_0-15xkMGrlO8B5ftww/s1600/DSC04535.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvtnSdxfrU2Xv-EEfRlHxMhfk9b5n1ZMG7Xr2e38SiUAuK0IoQJgac7IKRfzQQUAkwB4pT4uwLgB0UPd0PvLgi9Asnzm35Nxqv7kL9hLE7zytNCZiF40LIww5E_0-15xkMGrlO8B5ftww/s320/DSC04535.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTX9RVDnDSfof3z9ZltpO-pyVZuFFbcCOImI6VW6dpV9onVnYl0apGQwGRCRf962IWgwttU-weU4tw0wWGuk7bpDOdNRxgcEVBGXVqyajgJRxYFwSNt1XClebD-2hyQOqfzLP1RQpEATk/s1600/DSC04541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTX9RVDnDSfof3z9ZltpO-pyVZuFFbcCOImI6VW6dpV9onVnYl0apGQwGRCRf962IWgwttU-weU4tw0wWGuk7bpDOdNRxgcEVBGXVqyajgJRxYFwSNt1XClebD-2hyQOqfzLP1RQpEATk/s320/DSC04541.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>rosemary brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12414149126610881812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805926263577086516.post-59038505796014990562011-03-04T16:18:00.001-05:002011-03-04T16:18:56.153-05:00two thingsOne:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguJf54K5diLNI5cm3oQIJOfzdMpd7dGBGSiXQ11sI9ijW4UQXqYcyO-gr5vYCBu7U_Wf06XrSO2QmU5T0HZhwcqlBEVFaWu5xZPHFBcZIUfHwuqyn_cBZbugIzahxdis2h1oe_Iye62ow/s1600/world+rabbit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguJf54K5diLNI5cm3oQIJOfzdMpd7dGBGSiXQ11sI9ijW4UQXqYcyO-gr5vYCBu7U_Wf06XrSO2QmU5T0HZhwcqlBEVFaWu5xZPHFBcZIUfHwuqyn_cBZbugIzahxdis2h1oe_Iye62ow/s320/world+rabbit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I'm pretty sure this is 100% true, and<br />
<br />
Two:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdzYg7kEqHPxQe7JTZ2elPOjkPcNngRNHeDvv6wLR0GFlHQgMJJLamzVn5z-Nz_mXY6Tl3-_0BahpxjbCcm6YuzZNL8m2XNJSQPPWlToMkxY0Kk19GHM_bJUqGKKRgvdfhPTArFTuBP1k/s1600/bunny+suicide+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdzYg7kEqHPxQe7JTZ2elPOjkPcNngRNHeDvv6wLR0GFlHQgMJJLamzVn5z-Nz_mXY6Tl3-_0BahpxjbCcm6YuzZNL8m2XNJSQPPWlToMkxY0Kk19GHM_bJUqGKKRgvdfhPTArFTuBP1k/s320/bunny+suicide+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
This is what I wanted to do ALL day at work today.rosemary brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12414149126610881812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805926263577086516.post-61350787898230925702011-03-03T20:46:00.001-05:002011-03-03T20:48:45.721-05:00small changes yield big resultsSo yesterday one of my students was discussing how small changes in a usual food choice can create magical results. My friends, let me share my small change and my most magical result.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyTyjPVKJ47Ps44do3q-xwLecBqgDDFpXKddBT4lWH0R45rWUGzJsNQz8_1p79-Ta4qYEmW8PYgtBbreRxc27bSreyWVpbKFEvW49sPCT-LWEvm_otqIXqpIQuZFxuKNOuvbaVBvbJmpI/s1600/DSC04522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyTyjPVKJ47Ps44do3q-xwLecBqgDDFpXKddBT4lWH0R45rWUGzJsNQz8_1p79-Ta4qYEmW8PYgtBbreRxc27bSreyWVpbKFEvW49sPCT-LWEvm_otqIXqpIQuZFxuKNOuvbaVBvbJmpI/s320/DSC04522.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuWh7Lhi-3qsozS-ijidPqGTjqTJDdP_hzp9Dj1zxvL7_wvnFkppqumVacpTGlqArZ52fxABUcwP-81U_xJhg1atZ6IgKEXAHJfEAFo8Wu6kHzFlHEcVMYwadKrJYrXPhu5xP0WUdzyWI/s1600/DSC04531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuWh7Lhi-3qsozS-ijidPqGTjqTJDdP_hzp9Dj1zxvL7_wvnFkppqumVacpTGlqArZ52fxABUcwP-81U_xJhg1atZ6IgKEXAHJfEAFo8Wu6kHzFlHEcVMYwadKrJYrXPhu5xP0WUdzyWI/s320/DSC04531.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
The magical change? Oh, I don't know, I <i>cooked<i>. </i></i>Legitimate cooking, not just throwing-stuff-together-out-of-a-bag nonsense. The magical result? Really delicious tasting food. And yes, I am patting myself on the back.<i><i><br />
<br />
</i></i>Thank you very much.rosemary brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12414149126610881812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805926263577086516.post-82423002641201456252011-02-28T22:05:00.007-05:002011-02-28T22:16:11.425-05:00Hi, my name is Imelda MarcosPurty things make me happy. Tell me why I walked in to buy black dress flats and walked out with high heeled cream peep toes. Oh what a world. But a well dressed one.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYD7GdA6ThBDevnlTZAegCI1cX4QcCXRW6SofR1ADQsu-kM0ZVummlm0I55fgEbRelu7WiH173Q1_8m3MiRkn7laEkLY09tzJNtKdOxVa6bEwzU3uN0GZFJLieJjuO_83bTE0sOTYPDd4/s1600/DSC04515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYD7GdA6ThBDevnlTZAegCI1cX4QcCXRW6SofR1ADQsu-kM0ZVummlm0I55fgEbRelu7WiH173Q1_8m3MiRkn7laEkLY09tzJNtKdOxVa6bEwzU3uN0GZFJLieJjuO_83bTE0sOTYPDd4/s320/DSC04515.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhitJPD8NluhLKbaFSNZz3cjCf99Jq2PB99OPRFUxJOk6lN3nDFEdrNpKlCR4I-U1-W7ASEJwQdQoUNU7STTvTEqPTl4Gxyt7E0ajERnyDQF0lwrsvxH2Y0J04ahkusWSpn7kVyWiFeMMk/s1600/DSC04516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhitJPD8NluhLKbaFSNZz3cjCf99Jq2PB99OPRFUxJOk6lN3nDFEdrNpKlCR4I-U1-W7ASEJwQdQoUNU7STTvTEqPTl4Gxyt7E0ajERnyDQF0lwrsvxH2Y0J04ahkusWSpn7kVyWiFeMMk/s320/DSC04516.jpg" /></a></div>rosemary brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12414149126610881812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805926263577086516.post-47903991595044010772011-02-27T22:58:00.003-05:002011-02-27T22:59:04.823-05:00Thank you Lena Horne"It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it."rosemary brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12414149126610881812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805926263577086516.post-5916108169218579782011-02-27T21:35:00.000-05:002011-02-27T21:35:41.239-05:00the little thingsSometimes it's the little things that just make the day that much better.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFUNgA2fdqa3y7CDddUkCNF2EqgNvIj-SsLaL_5aHfSC4_e6w_R-jAQD_IhMyUsEABlIwnLSKkVay33WjpWHdTusfWeKhyphenhyphenWdWN7x7Pdzy7QKMXaTgvZ2Kd3SZkZ8dNymHR80kvOmW-VR0/s1600/DSC04489.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFUNgA2fdqa3y7CDddUkCNF2EqgNvIj-SsLaL_5aHfSC4_e6w_R-jAQD_IhMyUsEABlIwnLSKkVay33WjpWHdTusfWeKhyphenhyphenWdWN7x7Pdzy7QKMXaTgvZ2Kd3SZkZ8dNymHR80kvOmW-VR0/s320/DSC04489.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Busy nothings are made that much sweeter by delicious tasties.rosemary brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12414149126610881812noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805926263577086516.post-50023841126001829472011-02-26T01:50:00.002-05:002011-02-26T01:51:43.002-05:00haha! success!I was searching for this earlier and couldn't find it anywhere and then like magic, it appeared. Miss Moss's color comparisons are just SO AWESOME I am reposting. Thanks to <a href="http://jacquelinesofia.blogspot.com/">Jackie</a> for originally showing them to me, because they rock.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.missmoss.co.za/2010/11/11/vintage-sartorialist/#more">Over here, click me!</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.imgur.com/w0WwW.jpg?3747" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="359" width="460" src="http://i.imgur.com/w0WwW.jpg?3747" /></a></div>rosemary brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12414149126610881812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805926263577086516.post-56853608662627606792011-02-24T22:06:00.001-05:002011-02-24T22:07:24.180-05:00signs I'm agingI know I'm getting older the more annoyed I get at students.<br />
<br />
Today, I was super annoyed.<br />
<br />
So in turn, I felt super old.rosemary brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12414149126610881812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805926263577086516.post-34041061594636479842011-02-20T22:32:00.003-05:002011-02-20T22:39:46.961-05:00gotta have it.I don't even wear hair clips and I want some of these.<br />
<br />
to store:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.215719691.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="312" width="420" src="http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.215719691.jpg" /></a></div><br />
to wear:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ny-image0.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.180275040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="312" width="420" src="http://ny-image0.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.180275040.jpg" /></a></div><br />
to covet:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.151883991.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="312" width="420" src="http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.151883991.jpg" /></a></div>rosemary brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12414149126610881812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805926263577086516.post-72099102172714302672011-02-19T01:36:00.002-05:002011-02-19T02:31:10.857-05:00scrumdiddlyumptiousThere is a certain beauty to a really good Friday.<br />
<br />
Things that make a good Friday better?<br />
1) 68 degree weather<br />
2) driving with all the windows down<br />
2a) in February<br />
3) singing to awesome music in the car<br />
3a) while [see #2]<br />
3b) see #2a<br />
4) seeing Heather Strube<br />
5) drinking a delicious cappuccino from Atwaters<br />
5a) eating lime and lemon bites while [see #5] and [see #4]<br />
6) sitting on my couch after a long day and watching nonsense TV<br />
7) finishing a book I've been reading for way too long<br />
8) typing a blog entry while lounging in bed<br />
9) the promise of EVERY Roald Dahl audiobook delivered to me within the next week, care of my awesome brother<br />
<br />
combine numbers 1 through 9. Perfect day attained.<br />
<br />
[annnd one late edition:<br />
10) a facebook status war with my brother that went 62 posts long across two different profiles.]rosemary brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12414149126610881812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805926263577086516.post-18029675490728213262011-02-17T23:40:00.004-05:002011-02-20T22:38:37.628-05:00dreaming...about this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVXJGu6n45He3KQcnZDp617gGydA7azaGqTHDdyqanGvC8pMBytm6UW4QioTOF3a_Q5sBNuQcJx-UCASUsl7hlbbsCZWpvwWnTBNFqPbqOw3G96YcaxUoKkir7kZWv77pdDn7emFboFI/s1600/Coffee-bags-home1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVXJGu6n45He3KQcnZDp617gGydA7azaGqTHDdyqanGvC8pMBytm6UW4QioTOF3a_Q5sBNuQcJx-UCASUsl7hlbbsCZWpvwWnTBNFqPbqOw3G96YcaxUoKkir7kZWv77pdDn7emFboFI/s320/Coffee-bags-home1.jpg" width="420" /></a></div><br />
and this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhld1OA7yKEO9HLs1DAQ6aG6GpsvCtqG8GZoyhTO6Nt18mOMFzu6N1QLjvoAAewSTN_Q6_o5i-tydhRAU92uKXg94F6VP0VWNwTmuGTO784dZA0lEELmXTE6H3-_2Ejjsy6ma8qXtKcwp8/s1600/delicious" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhld1OA7yKEO9HLs1DAQ6aG6GpsvCtqG8GZoyhTO6Nt18mOMFzu6N1QLjvoAAewSTN_Q6_o5i-tydhRAU92uKXg94F6VP0VWNwTmuGTO784dZA0lEELmXTE6H3-_2Ejjsy6ma8qXtKcwp8/s320/delicious" width="420" /></a></div>rosemary brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12414149126610881812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805926263577086516.post-32331528341283210922011-02-13T10:04:00.006-05:002011-02-17T23:47:09.979-05:00You know how much I like to follow trends.So, I was listening to a report on TV the other day about the evolution of cookies. I know, I clearly had a lot of time on my hands. Anyway, the reporter was talking about baking "fads" and how cookie pressing is a relatively new obsession people are getting into. I think these people need to do better research. Cookies "pressing" in one form or another has been around forever. Case in point, and if I do say so myself, a delightful segway to my first real attempt at Arabic baking completely by myself. I mentioned awhile back how I had made ma'moul. Well I did, I was just incredibly lazy and never got around to posting photos. I should mention that I had a great deal of phone input from my dad, but really, I kind of needed it to get the proportions right. I mean, how exactly do you follow directions that have the specificity of "some four, a couple of spoonfuls of a few spices, crush the nuts, etc.?" All without any amounts! Those Arab women, they are protective of their recipes. Well, actually, to be entirely truthful they're not, my aunts and my dad love to share how to make things, but they want you standing next to them while you learn, showing you what "some flour" and "add al'tahi to taste" mean. Ha. How my father learned how to cook anything is amazing, his attention span is not that long.<br />
<br />
Anyway, cookie pressing. Ma'moul is delicious, it's a semolina-based filled cookie. You fill the cookie with one of three fillings: walnut, pistachio or date, along with sugar and spices. We go with walnut or pistachio whenever we make it as dates are not always well received by our American friends. Ma'moul is really tasty and, I've discovered, equally fun to make. You squish out some of the semolina dough, fit it into the mold, add a spoonful of filling, and press the dough over the top. Hit the mold hard and the cookie pops out. You look like a master and really it's the press that's done all the work. Over the years I've taken out various levels of frustration by beating the crap out of the wooden molds you use to form the dough. So yeah, that reporter who said cookie pressing is a new fad. You're an idiot.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0KpqM_ITvUOg8ANF7uPJSZZgLNpwisi7tgx7XHx0TIWJef301eXUTKQzxmsGi6c33kPZo1SLN3QuzcDfe-pXyr7poW11iHDMLh5nOQHhKzhPz_Rk4kaxRqPDo1nLAPsKBc1pWYMaRfw/s1600/DSC04573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0KpqM_ITvUOg8ANF7uPJSZZgLNpwisi7tgx7XHx0TIWJef301eXUTKQzxmsGi6c33kPZo1SLN3QuzcDfe-pXyr7poW11iHDMLh5nOQHhKzhPz_Rk4kaxRqPDo1nLAPsKBc1pWYMaRfw/s320/DSC04573.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>rosemary brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12414149126610881812noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805926263577086516.post-19226864203356967982011-02-09T01:22:00.000-05:002011-02-09T01:22:18.924-05:00worthy of a share<a href="http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/01/largest-cave/peter-photography">In Vietnam, World's Largest Cave Passage - Pictures, More From National Geographic Magazine</a><br /><br />Click and be amazed.rosemary brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12414149126610881812noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805926263577086516.post-71780794810233798772011-02-09T00:19:00.001-05:002011-02-09T01:16:59.593-05:00with open ears and shut mouth...oh the things I hear.So, I'm a blue.<br />
<br />
What the hell does that mean right? During staff training this year I presented a session on "finding your color," basically a lot of hoopla on how to identify your personality and work habits based around four colors. Now, don't get me wrong, I am the type of person who generally finds crap such as this completely ridiculous. I go off, laugh, chucking at the shumks [oh man, chuckling at the shmucks, exhaustion doesn't suit my typing skills] who put stock in the self congratulatory language of the handouts telling them how different, special and unique they all are. However, I have found myself referring to the information I gleaned from this session on more than one occasion in the past couple of weeks, and every time I do it makes me almost cringe inwardly. 1) because I find people who quote frequently from emotionally stunting information like this annoying (i.e. my astrologer says I'm an Aquarius with a receding moon and star pattern, [wtf?] that's why I'm having difficulty with the chi you are sending across the room at me today) really? Please. And 2) I don't like trying to explain the intricacies of life with information that has been boiled down onto four sheets of paper. It seems a bit...impersonal.<br />
<br />
Anyway, there is a point to this explanation. I have been having difficulty (being a blue, I know bear with me) recently dealing with the overwhelming desire to want to smack a few people I know in the face. Being blue means I apparently feel for others. I'm a caretaker, I like listening and supporting those around me. I hate conflict and thrive on making other people feel special. My god, I sound like a freaking martyr don't I? It feels that way sometimes, believe me. However, because I also have a lot of green tendencies (and yes, you can laugh at me for continuing in this vein of color spectrum worship) I sometimes get annoyed as shit at myself for totally lying on the tracks and letting people steamroll right over me. Being a good listener and such is fine, but sometimes I just want to tell people to shut the hell up and get over themselves. Is that so wrong? No, no it's not.<br />
<br />
We had some hard decisions to make at work yesterday, but we made them, and, I thought, all felt pretty good about it. Well, turns out some of those tough choices we made are being turned on their head. I do actually agree with one of the reversals made, however, I don't with another. I personally feel like my coworker is pulling in a little too much care for others - which, to be frank, is not really in his nature. Not to say he doesn't give a crap about other people, because he does, a great deal, but it's not generally his style. Anyway, the green part of me want to smack him upside the head and tell him to stick with his gut and cut the proverbial fat. Some people just shouldn't be working for us anymore. The other part - the one that cares about others and wants everyone to leave with a delightful feeling of joy surrounding them (yup, that cheesy), is silently congratulating him for standing up for his students and making the unpopular decision. I'm totally bipolar today, it's awful.<br />
<br />
In related news, work is sucking lately, I'm so busy I almost don't have time to think. Case in point, I discovered, quite by accident that I had left something rather important in my office over the weekend. What might you ask, did I leave behind? About a half pound of seafood that somehow got lost in a bag of crafts that I had sitting outside my door. Yup, came in on Monday after a day of it sitting there and was greeted with the most delightful smell. Sometimes, you just can't get over how dumb you are. Monday was one of those days. It also proved to me how easy it is to get stuck doing way to much and forgetting even the most basic of tasks...like unpacking your purchases to make sure you didn't leave anything important in them (like, say, an aforementioned bag of food, or, I don't know, your keys and cell phone which apparently you also left behind and didn't notice until you found them two days later amongst containers of glitter and cardstock), yup, that moron is me.<br />
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Tomorrow is another day...a busy one. But I am bent and determined to finally try my last batch of melting cakes. I want to try another one dammit, one that is cooked properly and actually sticky to the degree I want in the center. I swear, it's the small things in life that matter...like undercooked cake middles.rosemary brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12414149126610881812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805926263577086516.post-45215435924486590422011-02-08T02:00:00.000-05:002011-02-08T22:24:04.970-05:00Really world? Do we need more of this drivel?So it's late. Really late anyway, for me. Being almost that unmentionable age where you suddenly notice you're "old," and still being awake at almost two-in-the-morning nearly makes my stomach turn. But also, in a weird way, makes me feel like I'm hanging on to my youth. Oh the irony. Actually it's probably not irony, but it sounds a whole lot better saying things like "oh the irony" as opposed to something lame like, "how bizarre is that?"<br />
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Currently I'm sitting on my couch watching "White Collar," which, I must say, is an excellent cable show. The need to mention this particular series is to offset it against the drivel that I just saw a commercial for: Face Off: where up and coming makeup artists compete to create "the next great face," with challenges like making an elephant man and the how-to of creating burns...really? What is the TV world coming to? Oh, I know, a place where they have shows like The Unpoppables. What, might you ask does that deep, meaningful television masterpiece cover? BALLOON ARTISTS. Yup, the same guys that twist inappropriately long balloons into misshapen dogs. I rest my case. We're getting dumber and more accepting of trash TV by the minute. I truly miss being young and only having Nickelodeon Kids and PBS to choose from.<br />
<br />
Recently I have been dreaming of places like this: <br />
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And this:<br />
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<br />
Where I see things like this:<br />
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Winter in Baltimore is brutal. February especially makes me wish I could defect to somewhere that's warm all year round. It's like a cloud of depression just hangs over the city. We're supposed to hit 57 next week and I'm almost salivating at the idea of temperatures over freezing. I don't think my extremities can take any more subzero weather.<br />
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I'm going tangential here which means I'm really tired. So while I'm dreaming of beautifully warm beaches and European trees older than our own country I am going to share my desire to retest my melting chocolate cake recipe again. I'm so close to perfection, I just need to get the baking time down...hopefully tomorrow I can succeed on that task, because I'm pretty sure everything work related is going to get pushed to the side. Oh yeah...older doesn't necessarily mean wiser, OR better with time management.rosemary brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12414149126610881812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805926263577086516.post-24928532218144894792011-01-03T14:46:00.000-05:002011-01-03T14:46:52.445-05:0020WHAT?2011, you came far too quickly. Though in all honesty I can't say I'm UPSET that you've arrived. 2010 kind of blew. So, what lies ahead in this fabulous new year, where I've already been able to date a card 1.1.11 (hee, sometimes it's the small things). I'm waiting patiently for 1.11.11 and 11.11.11 (I feel like luck will be dripping off me that day).<br />
<br />
So for this year I have two real goals:<br />
1) to run the Baltimore 1/2 marathon (the full would just be a ridiculous clusterfuck, I don't even want to entertain the idea).<br />
2) to decide what to do next year. I have many ideas, and no way of choosing. Got to get on top of that.<br />
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In between all the madness that will be these two illusive goals I will be cooking, lots and lots of cooking. I have successfully made three Arabic cookie recipes over break, and I will take photos as soon as I unearth my camera from multiple packed bags and dirty laundry. Needless to say I have a lot to catch up on.<br />
<br />
Best of all, I have a brand new (full-size!!) stove that was installed while I was gone. How, HOW did I cook for four years on something that only just approximated an easy-bake oven? Those of you with 32-inch cooktops don't know how good you have it! Self-cleaning oven, where have you been all my life!? I was closely acquainted with Easy-off for the majority of my 20s. I should have bought stock if they were a publicly traded company...rosemary brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12414149126610881812noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805926263577086516.post-71771530615626921142010-12-22T23:04:00.000-05:002010-12-22T23:04:13.267-05:00and then...there were cookies.So, last day of work today. Someone upstairs was smiling at me. The day before vacation is always the worst. I spent an inordinate amount of time in traffic. Oh goodie. I drove and picked up my bestie and proceeded to spend the afternoon and evening catching up with old friends. There is something about reliving middle and high school moments that just makes all adults regress in age and maturity.<br />
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It's awesome.<br />
<br />
This trip down memory lane concluded with a brief stop at said local high school where Christine and I wandered the halls AND GOT YELLED AT BY A TEACHER. It's like we never left!! How, at 29, can we still be yelled at? By teachers? FROM HIGH SCHOOL? It's comical.<br />
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Tomorrow is "wrap presents day," ick. And make ma'moul day, yay! First recipe I am attempting to make from my trusty ME cookbook. There will be a load of watching the master (read: my father) make his version. I came home and saw the beginnings out on the kitchen counter. Moulds, fillings, oils, nuts. I can see hours of pressing and banging of wooden mallets in my future. And yes, I promise to share pictures.rosemary brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12414149126610881812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805926263577086516.post-71513122338762779192010-12-21T14:40:00.000-05:002010-12-21T14:40:57.746-05:00And we trieth again...The facts:<br />
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1) I am discontented with my life.<br />
2) I need a change.<br />
3) I'm trying to come up with other points, but I don't have any, so I suppose, it really boils down to that.<br />
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The reinvention of a blog is always an entertaining event. I've been writing online since high school. I cringe to think about some of what I wrote all those years ago. I think I'd rather not remember. Regardless, I realized that what I like most about blogging is the ability to just punch together lots of random bits of interesting stuff and call it a day. Do you realize that most people now DO blog? I would argue that it happens mostly on facebook. Think about everything you share, it's almost a daily retrospective of your life!<br />
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Hence writing here. My uncle just yesterday described me in an email to my mother as "percipient," as in someone who is good at perceiving things. Hilarious given that I rarely think I do that well at all. However, I did find it a bit amusing because he made this jump as a direct result of the tag line in my email, which is where the title of the blog came from. Good 'ol Jane Austen, she never fails me.<br />
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I am a day away from Christmas break and work is just sucking my soul dry. Students are gone and I find myself spending an inordinate amount of time cruising Amazon, even though, as of yesterday, I am completely done with shopping (oh thank you dear lord).<br />
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In other news, break is going to be spent making things: namely <a href="http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring05/PATTbranchingout.html">THIS</a> and <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/12/sugar-and-spice-candied-nuts/">THESE</a>, have you ever seen anything more delicious in your life?! I don't even like nuts all that much but I want to eat about 10,000 of these.<br />
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Also in the works? Well here's the thing. My family is middle eastern, and I've been trying, for years, to figure out how to cook good Arabic food. Not to say I can't, I can, but there are certain things that are just so elusive I have decided to sit down with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/New-Book-Middle-Eastern-Food/dp/0375405062/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_1">this particular book</a> that I intend to pinch from my mother (except hers is about 30 years old and in delightfully dog-earned condition) and cook obscene amounts of food. My students will be my guinea pigs, though by the way they completely housed the food I made for our holiday party, I'm guessing they're not going to mind too much.rosemary brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12414149126610881812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3805926263577086516.post-19454917003588195562010-07-01T14:23:00.000-04:002010-07-01T14:33:45.724-04:00Pretty little elephantsSo I thought this just too wonderful NOT to share. My mother recently returned from England and brought with her pictures of the Elephant Parade that is going on in London. Apparently in a bid to raise money and awareness for African elephants there are multiple elephant statues across the city, each designed by various artists which are to be auctioned off this week. One in particular is of special note, her name is Just Joey.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnOwiuPEUDNK9T6puq-9XfGIZnZqV9fsfROj2HJs4ZNuafxQZUZaJZwLs05Zx2uaiL1n4SgfupaXTay5eLPugyiCpyINwci8YAHq6lpzBbgZLbDZLLUTA4NOx2TQkbLNdU9BBkROsIQII/s1600/DSC04409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnOwiuPEUDNK9T6puq-9XfGIZnZqV9fsfROj2HJs4ZNuafxQZUZaJZwLs05Zx2uaiL1n4SgfupaXTay5eLPugyiCpyINwci8YAHq6lpzBbgZLbDZLLUTA4NOx2TQkbLNdU9BBkROsIQII/s320/DSC04409.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
She's so pretty! Why is she of particular note you ask? Well, primarily because the rose after which she is named was created by my relative and bears the name (though is not named for) of my grandmother. Nifty huh? I wish I could bid for this beautiful specimen but unfortunately (or rather fortunately for those spectacular elephants) her current bid is <b>£</b>6,000! Oh well, I am content in the knowledge that her new owners obviously love her enough to spend a great deal of money on her.<br />
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Exploring the locations of many of these pretty elephants: <a href="http://www.elephantparadelondon.org/">http://www.elephantparadelondon.org/</a> just reaffirms my desire to travel this fall. I am continuing to seriously consider going overseas to study at some point next year. In my quest to figure out what I am doing with my life, as well as give myself some legitimate direction, which I currently feel I am sorely lacking, I have this nagging feeling that I need to make a change, and a big one at that. Since college I have, unconsciously I'm sure, found a way to stay relatively within my comfort zone in terms of where I went to school, where I took my first job, etc. I wouldn't say it was completely intentional. There were many factors that went into my eventual choices of where I ended up, and believe me when I tell you I tried hard to get out of Maryland, I always managed to end up right back where I started. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I spent such an inordinate amount of my childhood traveling overseas. I recall vividly wanting to spend a summer at the beach, or Disney World like all of my friends, but instead, found myself being trooped around the greater boroughs of London, the outskirts of the Jurassic Coast of England, all the way to tiny towns in Italy and the cacophony of colors and sounds that was my father's home country of Jordan. Don't get me wrong, I did love parts of these experiences, but some part of me thinks that this constant moving around set within me a huge desire to just <i>be</i> somewhere relatively permanent when I finally had the choice to do so on my own.<br />
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Regardless, due to the <i>lack</i> of movement I've had in the past ten years or so I feel myself almost itching to get out of my current rut of a city. I love Baltimore dearly but I do find myself wistfully thinking about living somewhere else; somewhere with a bit more culture, different people, smells, and sights. Whether this will come to fruition in the next year I'm not sure. I used to think a year was a <i>really </i>long time and I'm learning in my old age that is actually not the case at all. A year moves <i>quick</i>, so much so that there are days I wake up and I wonder where the month has gone and what the heck I've done during the past 30 days.<br />
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Despite my tendency to look much further ahead than I should I have narrowed the next task on my plate down to the completion of my first letter. I have decided that it is going to an old student of mine. She is currently traveling the world and perhaps that is part of the reason I chose her. I am happy to say that we have begun a travel journal of sorts that is being passed back and forth between us. The more amusing part is that this journal has been in my possession since high school (a <i>frighteningly </i>long time ago) when it was given to me by one of my best friends. I think at one point there were plans for us to use it, though of course that didn't really pan out the way we planned. The more amusing part is that this journal is constructed such that anyone over the age of about 12 would find it virtually useless after about three trades back and forth since it only has about 30 pages worth of paper in it. However, we are making a go of it with the intention of graduating to a much more adult version (moleskin anyone?) in the near (read: about a week) future!<br />
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Despite the lack of space on which to write, we have managed to accumulate quite the collection of scribbled bits of this and that and this round will be my first official letter in my quest to reach 365 before the year is out. And yikes, I am realizing more and more just how much writing that is going to be.<br />
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Best get to work I suppose.<br />
<span id="goog_1355108041"></span><span id="goog_1355108042"></span>rosemary brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12414149126610881812noreply@blogger.com0