Baglady Likes to Bake

92 Degrees of Grief

2009-08-16T12:29:00.000-07:00

During a heat wave a few summers ago, the kids and I flew into Sacramento en route to my grandmother's house in Northern California. I worried about the difference between San Diego and our destination's heat factor. We left Lindbergh Field's scorching 92 degree heat and traded it for Sacramento's 102. I remember thinking this was the establishment of a new baglady life axiom: it's all the same over 92 degrees.

This past week marked the birth and death of my little brother, Jonathan. The anniversary of his death, a day I hope to mark less - in favor of his birthday - with every year that passes, felt as equally bad as last year. It was more than just a day - I remembered each moment as it had unfolded in 2007. I'm not terribly great at math or time zones, so my tears were somewhat lessened by teasing myself I was likely crying off schedule. It was still painful to think of the time of his approximate death (again given time changes for Lagos) coming home from dinner. The world around me was wonderful: La Jolla, healthy kids, a wonderful guy who took me to a chick restaurant and played Cake to cheer me up. My reaction was more appropriate to watching a war zone. I wanted to scream and draw attention to the scene unfolding... but my adult, composed self remembered it was two years ago, far from this moment.

A friend going through similar grief, but six months newer than me, asked if the second year was easier than the first. My immediate answer was that it's not. Comparing the two years is no different, but I know it must be in some small measure. It's just that it's more like the difference between 92 and 102 degrees. I'm also convinced that the key to healing is to look outward; looking inward and experiencing pain won't bring Jon back. Time for my next project to honor you, Jon! Here's hoping 2010 will feel closer to 82.

13 Months Off

2009-05-29T21:25:00.001-07:00

Let's not even dwell on where I've been or why I stopped blogging. I'm ready to look ahead. Things I want to do in the near future:
1. Remind myself how to use a sewing machine.
2. Get an SLR camera. It has been too long since I've taken a good macro shot.
3. Cultivate my various plants, especially the tomatoes.
4. Mail out the final copies of my Christmas newsletter. See there are things I am almost as behind on as blogging.

In my last three minutes of spare time, I want to thank any of you who hung in through this dry spell. Will she be back? Who knows?!

Sweet TweetCloud

2008-04-09T19:08:00.001-07:00

Tweetcloud
Originally uploaded by baglady

Thanks to artlung for the tip on TweetCloud. I love how my most used word is "wondering" followed by obvious ones: chocolate and coffee.

Am I Giving Up (Yet)?

2008-03-05T15:28:00.001-08:00

" I sometimes feel that I have nothing to say and I want to communicate this." Damien Hirst

After not posting to my blog in months, I started to wonder at which point should I declare it dead? Do you just let it languish a la a tree falling in the forest and all that? It began as a baking blog and I do still bake twice a week or more. I think I'm just more into my non-digital life and if anything Twittering these days. Back to my blogging sabbatical.

/stream of consciousness rambling *

P.S. This post was written weeks ago and I am finally publishing it. Just to clarify before anyone worries I am not** diligently working on my term paper.

P.P.S. Ha! Freudian slip perhaps? I meant to say that I am, although at this exact second, I obviously am not... but I so will be in 20 seconds.

OCD Baking Log #412

2007-12-11T00:09:00.000-08:00

What have I been up to in between blog entries? It's not very interesting, but I can show you pictures of what I've been doing between what I've been doing - you know the multi of my multitasking. Could be the cold, but I've been baking, cooking and sewing constantly.

Cinnamon Rolls
I baked cookies at a friend's house last week and in reading through cookbooks, trying to be inspired about cookies, I kept coming back to cinnamon roll recipes. I wanted to bake something with yeast. 2 oz or 8 packages of yeast. First I made a sponge:

While the sponge rose, I put massive amounts of flour and sugar together with yolks and butter:

Lots of mixing and kneading later, I produced this ball of dough:

I watched it rise twice, rolled out the dough using my super duper rolling pin and slathered on butter, cinnamon and sugar:

I rolled it tightly and cut it into rolls. Yay, I was almost finished:

Just for fun, I watched the rolls rise AGAIN:

It took a while, but after several minutes the most amazing smell started to emanate from my home:

Finished and iced buns:

Here is the sad postscript... neither the kids nor I really liked them. I did engender much good will from pals at work and from Mr. Green Eyes. I'm looking for a really good cinnamon roll recipe so I can try again!

The six egg whites made wonderful chocolate chip meringue cookies that were gobbled up and loved by all.

Oh Snap! Time to Rethink Parties

2007-12-02T13:12:00.000-08:00

There were a few questions that just didn't have the answer I wanted to give, but here it is folks. BTW, xoxox to Steve Forbes:

Your Political Profile:

Overall: 30% Conservative, 70% Liberal

Social Issues: 0% Conservative, 100% Liberal

Personal Responsibility: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal

Fiscal Issues: 75% Conservative, 25% Liberal

Ethics: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal

Defense and Crime: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal

How Liberal Or Conservative Are You?

Me Starring Me

2007-12-02T13:05:00.000-08:00

Suddenly short online quizzes that generate profound predictions complete with HTML and embedded ads seem so much more fun than trying to figure out if my t-stat is statistically significant. Signs are pointing to yes and hey, check this out since you already read all that:

The Movie Of Your Life Is A Cult Classic

Quirky, offbeat, and even a little campy - your life appeals to a select few.
But if someone's obsessed with you, look out! Your fans are downright freaky.

Your best movie matches: Office Space, Showgirls, The Big Lebowski

If Your Life Was a Movie, What Genre Would It Be?

Bathroom Trappings

2007-11-17T23:46:00.000-08:00

It's not a true fixation on bathroom humor, it is honestly just my life. A couple weeks ago, I heard someone talking on a cell phone as I entered the shared bathroom at work. I was disgusted, but it is becoming more and more common these days, so I just took the far stall away from the talker. I contemplated what would have worked to finish the call maybe 18 months ago - a simple pre-emptive flush, but there are bathroom noises and she's not ending the call. As I was pulling out the toilet seat cover, I realized that I could hear both sides of the conversation not because she was loud and her cell phone was cranked up, but because she was relieving herself on speaker phone. I started to feel offended on top of disgusted, but not enough to walk up a floor to the nearest bathroom - plus by this time I was committed - seat cover in hand.

Bathroom-talker got asked where she was and she answered, "On my way to the lot."
I'm thinking, "Liar!!"
Bathroom-talker: Actually, I am in the bathroom on the way to the lot.
Man-friend: Oh?
Bathroom-talker: Ya, I better get going cause I'm on the toilet right now. (In case you're wondering, she was in progress throughout the conversation).
(Me: OMG! but silently. I decide instead of being a victim to voice my displeasure).
Me outloud: Yes, it's pretty weird to talk on speaker phone in a shared bathroom.
Bathroom-talked: Ya, I better go.
Man-friend: I love you!
Bathroom-talker: I love you!
Me: I love you too!
Man-friend: Who was that??
Me: The person a stall over in the bathroom!
Man-friend: Oh, you ARE in the bathroom! Oh my God...

Call ends nicely and abruptly. I finish washing my hands and leave not wanting to know what the person looks like. My work is done in more ways than one.

A FEW DAYS LATER, KARMA?

There isn't much to the possible karmic sequel, except to admit that I almost fulfilled my career dream of being in Lights & Sirens. I always use the bathroom between classes (an artifact of motherhood - go before you need to). I had a hard time getting the metal door latch closed to lock the stall. Note to readers... if this happens to you, do not keep trying. Find a new stall that closes easily. All was well until I tried to leave the stall about 45 seconds later. No joy. Wouldn't budge... not even with my sweater wrapped around the nob and all my large German woman muscles flexing. :-/ I contemplate crawling under the stall door, but it's low. I think I can make it, but I am always larger than I remember and in no way want to germ myself up nor my backpack. It's a new building where the stalls are small and the building would have to be on fire for me to try to crawl out.

I begin to wonder - who do you call when you're stuck on the bathroom at school? Someone in the bathroom? What could they do - the latch is one-sided anyway. I mean really, the police? Coworker? I can't imagine telling either that I am stuck in a stall at Pepper Canyon. My class is starting and I enter pre-panic phase. I decide to will the door open without any specific plan. I was eventually able to free myself (obviously I am blogging about it - what, you thought a sad ending on this one? ;) by pushing the stall walls out far enough so the door could be moved with the lock extended. Go big-boned genes! I am woman! Hear me RAWR as I run to class.

Apathetic

2007-10-20T22:55:00.000-07:00

I used to blog a lot more before I was hit by... oh man, just read the subject.

Heart Breaker

2007-08-14T23:52:00.001-07:00

Jon
Originally uploaded by baglady

In case you have the internet in heaven... let them know we need you back here and that it was just a mistake.

Summer Baking Therapy

2007-07-24T22:28:00.001-07:00

Peach Puzzle: Serious Food Porn
Originally uploaded by baglady

Tonight I made the Peach Puzzle, from the most recent Cook's Country. I haven't made anything like it before. It's a cross between a cobbler and a pineapple upside down cake, but really not either. You place an empty ramekin in a pie plate face down with seven peaches, drizzle a yummy homemade syrup and top with a biscuit dough. Click through to my other Flickr pics to see the outcome. It was very satisfying to flip it onto a platter and see all of the syrup drain into the ramekin.

The syrup reminded me of breakfasts growing up. Neither my Mom or my grandma buy syrup. They would always make it alongside pancakes or waffles or dutch babies. Homemade isn't as thick, but it has a great flavor and no chemicals. It was also super hot. My grandma still makes hot chocolate on the stove with Ovaltine. I want to say it's making me hungry, but I'm stuffed from eating some of the puzzle.

Call Me Sick

2007-07-07T09:38:00.000-07:00

but I think it looks phallic too:

“If it looks like a phallic symbol, someone has a strange perception,” said Shapery, a San Diego-based developer. “You can find sex anywhere if you want to. . . . There's just some sick people out there.”

Open Letter to Mr. Val Kilmer

2007-07-02T22:27:00.000-07:00

Dear Mr. Kilmer,

Today at the checkout stand in my local grocery store, I saw the unfortunate tabloid picture of you with your gut hanging over your swim trunks. I still think you are hot. It was probably taken by some jealous paparazzi.

xoxox,
The Baglady

Have a Happy Period!

2007-06-18T19:05:00.001-07:00

Have a Happy Period!
Originally uploaded by baglady

A few months ago when applying a feminine product to my undergarments, I found a message scrawled all over the part covering what the manufacturer refers to as the "wings." Never before had such a mundane and even depressing moment been met with such exuberance. I almost immediately wanted to share it with my three readers, but panicked that on top of being an unsavory topic that certifying the occurrence of my period was somehow just completely undignified.

The problem was that every time I thought to blog about this I was on my period. The "Have a Happy Period!" messages would remind me and I would set aside a new adhesive covering to scan. This went on for a good 4-5 cycles and every time I cleaned my counters I had to find a place to tuck that stupid piece of waxy paper.

The latest package I bought does not include this message - no well wishes, just the old boring badge. I was determined to find the paper right then and there (well after I had pulled my pants up) and set out to find the scrap. I tore some of my piles apart and made a mess looking for it. I decided that I had to finally let the world know what was going on in women's sanitary products. I was going to let the blogosphere (gross word) know even if it meant exposing my cycle date. "Let them know! Let them mark their calendars and live in fear!" I thought. Perhaps due to blood loss, I could not find the memento and gave up. In looking to see if someone else had posted a pic, I did find that Always has a whole web site dedicated to this philosophy.

So don't believe me, check it out for yourself. I especially enjoyed the narcissistic philosophy that included, "This is the time when, even if something is even slightly annoying, the world (curly font) should know about it." Isn't that what blogs are for? Now I have TWO excuses. I haven't heard from my sister yet; I hope she enjoyed the ecard I sent her. I am still trying to understand just what kind of person would download the Always background in the "pick-me-up downloads". It's bad enough wearing a small diaper; I definitely don't want to stare at a reminder of it all day.

Sorry to tell you that while I finally found the scrap of paper after cleaning my desk, it is no longer "that time," so friends you will have to be on guard all month as usual.

While I am on this subject, I would like Ralph's to know that they are NOT Costco. When I got my most recent period early and went to the store for more panty liners, there were only three choices. 1. Costco-sized box. 2. Thong liners. WHAT IS THE POINT? (Shaking head) 3. Large(r) woman size. I am big, but not that big and hey, I can just get an adult diaper if it comes to that. I had just done my Trader Joe's shopping and had a full cart, so in addition to being forced to choose the Costco-sized box, I had to put it right on top of all the bags. While I don't mind sharing my period stories with all of you, I just don't want to stand in line behind a bunch of teenagers with over a hundred sanitary napkins. Call me old fashioned.

Big Boned Women and the Hazards of Jumping

2007-06-10T13:58:00.000-07:00

If I ever do internet dating, which I seriously, seriously never plan to do, I would list my ability to clear drains as a skill. I was sure the clogs in my shower and bathroom sink were going to require a visit from my handyman. Nevertheless after being grossed out for the last time at the slow drain situation, I decided I had nothing to lose and went to it. I am an upside person, but using the fact that you're standing in your own rinsed off grodiness to understand how difficult bathing conditions in third world countries must be to abate my whiny thoughts has only limited success. With my only materials being my hand cloaked in a trash bag, scissors and hot water I removed all of the hair, etc. from the drain. It didn't really help, but I hadn't expected it to. I scrubbed the shower down, waited for the silt to drain. A few minutes into the shower and of course with soap in my eyes, I heard a belch from the pipes underneath me. At first I wasn't sure what it was, but realized it was the drain clearing. It took my best measures of self control to keep from jumping up and down. My place has really lame construction quality and I pictured jumping up and landing finally in the tub a floor below Laurel & Hardy style. Of course with the plumbing the way it is, the stuff I cleared is probably now partnering with other blockages to necessitate a serious call from the handyman for a full snaking, but for now I bask in my small victory. It feels great to rock at small home repair skills.

How Wilder Ruined Cheap Salmon for Me

2007-06-08T21:26:00.001-07:00

How Wilder Ruined Cheap Salmon for Me
Originally uploaded by baglady

It was recently pointed out to me that farm-raised salmon is died that perfect color orange of actual wild salmon. I grew up during the whole Red Dye #3 or whatever causes cancer phase and just can't stomach the thought of dyes in ma belly. This is the package of the last farm-raised salmon I baked for ma famille. It was delicious and everyone asked for seconds. I'm not sure it's just the dye that bothers me after also hearing Wilder go on about what sounded like the Simpson's three-eyed fish, Blinky, and the ills of genetic inbreeding.

Thanks for spurring me to write this with your post and here, Happy, is your collective "ewwwww" on the count of three...

Tumor Confessional

2007-06-01T22:17:00.000-07:00

Reading CrazyAuntPurl's most recent post reminded me of a similar issue I experienced. Not too long ago, I noticed a lump under my right ribs. I have had other upsetting surprises and my response is to not tell anyone and alternate between forgetting about it and worrying. I spent lots of time jabbing at it and was casually worried it was a bona fide tumor.

The thing I hate most about leaving my 20's is the change in metabolism and how everything wants to embrace my middle. There is a reason it is called a waist (waste). I used to have a tiny waist, especially compared to what is above and all that is behind. I like to say I have so much junk in the trunk, I need a garage sale. It was with this thought that I decided at a minimum that I needed desperately to start some kind of stomach exercises. Of course I am doing way too many things and my brain can't hold another, especially one so contrary to my geeky, introspective lifestyle.

I realized at mass one week that it contains many opportunities to do stomach exercises, basically every time you kneel. For those of you who aren't Catholic, that is a good three times during mass and a fourth if you get there early. (I am not counting the first time you do it going into the pew or the last getting out). I began multitasking with the stomach exercises just every Sunday. It seemed silly, but after a while I didn't even notice and it didn't interrupt contemplation at all (that would have made me feel guilty and we do not want that!).

It seemed dumb because my stomach, or stomachs as I call them, were just the same blubbery masses as before. I knew it would take more effort, physically activity and cutting back on favorite vice foods, but didn't have more mental energy to spend on it. A good month into my secret stomach muscle worship exercises, came the tumor; I am such a dolt I didn't even connect the two. Luckily after a week of thinking it was a tumor, making the kids give me their opinion, I noticed during church, pain was in the tumor spot while kneeling. This lump in my upper stomach was a muscle - gasp!

Mark Bittman: Killer of Tomatoes

2007-05-15T21:12:00.000-07:00

Either I failed Mark Bittman or he failed me with his lousy (LOUSY), did I mention? LOUSY recipe for Gazpacho. Everyone says East Coast tomatoes are totally different and that is my hope at why this recipe was so beyond bad. I love his "Joy of Cooking" sized tome, "How to Cook Everything", but trust me, it does not include how to cook - or assemble - Gazpacho. I bought almost a full grocery bag of vegetables; save one cucumber it was to the letter of what he proscribed. It made something that would not only didn't fit in my blender, but looked and smelled like barf. I am very acquainted with barf (morning sickness) and this was an excellent facsimile of what is in your stomach after lunch. When I was finished, it took me a while to come to terms with the fact that I had taken a few pounds of beautiful tomatoes, a cucumber, lovely french bread, etc. and turned it into something that would only be served at a shellbacking event. To add insult to injury, in the day it took me to decide to just pour it down the sink, it made my fridge smell like said upchuck. I suppose I should just be thankful that I didn't clog my sink. /rant. Okay I feel a little better about this now, but I will not be making Gazpacho for a while.

When Drugs Meet the Holocaust

2007-05-15T21:02:00.000-07:00

I was up really late studying for a midterm on drug policy last night. Even though I should have been focusing on my midterm, I had just started the sequel to an amazing book/comic book/memoir on the Holocaust, Maus by Art Spiegelman. I switched gears and read it even later despite my worries that it would keep me up, since the subject is pretty heavy. I slept fine, but had a dream that David Hasselhoff was sheepishly hiding out at a coffee house feeling guilty. Right in the middle of this two rival gangs start shooting and I don't know what happened to Hasselhoff, but I tried to hide inside and found myself with glass walls on either side. All I could figure out when I woke up was that I was thinking about bad things that happened in Germany and things that Germany should feel bad about which reminded me of David Hasselhoff's popularity in Germany (not that in my real mind do I equate the ridiculous notion of his celebrity there with something as serious as the Holocaust). This reminded me of Hasselhoff's recent drunk video which tied in with what I was studying re: alcohol consumption. Equally confusing was why gangs would clash in drug-related violence at a coffee shop since it was the antithesis of what I had been studying. (There is some gang activity and violence related to drugs, but lots of drug dealers aren't in gangs, lots of gang members don't deal drugs, yada yada yada or however you would spell that). To add to my confusion Hasselhoff has not made it to any dream dictionaries :-/.

Important Signs to be Familiar With

2007-04-29T09:49:00.000-07:00

I am going to resume the genocide paper in .5 seconds, I really am. Kind of seems right considering what today is for me (for me to know and you not to find out, unless you knew me in the 90's and have a really good memory):

Gnome Poo(h)

2007-03-25T09:05:00.000-07:00

I found the best vending machine ever at Ranch 99 yesterday. I was hoping to get the gnome or slug Pooh, but am happy with my Peek-A-Pooh Flower Pot Pooh.
I tried using it on my cell phone, but found it too hard to get out of my pocket and it kept snagging my ear buds. I wish I could buy them individually. I am also interested in Cancer Pooh, Mole Pooh, Bush Baby Pooh, Octopus Pooh and most ironic of all time, Yule Log Pooh.

Who Knew? Putin's Poodle

2007-03-07T12:31:00.000-08:00

That's right folks - he's almost through his second term and I just found out that he has a poodle:

How did I miss that? I wonder if any US presidents have ever owned poodles while in office? It's hard to picture, unless it was their "wife's dog". Apparently he has been seen with many types of animals, including some more macho varieties of pooches. For your gratitous amusement from English Russia:

It has been said that one can show his real face only when he is sure that nobody is watching him or when he is playing with animals. Many people are asking a question “Who is Mr. Putin?”, maybe these photos can give them a clue.

All Things Maternal

2007-03-07T12:24:00.000-08:00

Home playing nurse is giving me a quick chance to debrief you on some of my most recent and odd web findings. I've been having fun looking at etsy.com, a place where people sell homemade crafts. I aspire to also do so, but most of my crafts are kits and totally unoriginal, which isn't allowed. While perusing the site, I found tons of cute things to buy for myself or as gifts. Also stumbled upon was a boutique with Rockstar Maternity clothing. Check out this AC/DC rock cardigan:

I also discovered an active topic on how to sell breastmilk. My favorite reply was from BrassMonkeyDesigns about the potential audience:

My sister worked with a woman who used a breast pump at work and kept her milk in the fridge there. The lady caught a guy pouring it into his coffee. She said there was NO way it was an accident because it was very clearly labelled.

Kirkout...

Disco Stewashvilli

2007-02-28T19:10:00.000-08:00

Best quote of the day from the WSJ, "Hard solutions don't work in these situations," Mr. Saakashvilli said. "But I think the EU often underestimates its own soft power. Let's try the disco approach."

- regarding the Georgian President's appeal to the EU for keeping things together in the South Ossetia region through the building of discos and sports centers.

Emo Unearthed

2007-01-30T19:20:00.000-08:00

Yes, the blog is finally back and so is that sad, emo mood it takes to sit here blogging. I am dressed appropriately in one of my favorite cardigans. What have I been doing since I posted my last blogilicious post? A serious amount of reading and baking. Cookies (chocolate cayenne pepper), bread (banana, orange cranberry), cakes (red velvet), brownies, pies (pumpkin, apple). I made lots of caramels and so much fudge that I still have some in my fridge from Christmas.

Can You Keep a Secret?

2006-11-19T18:14:00.000-08:00

After a caraffe of coffee and two cups of tea, I don't think I'm excreting urine, but some unsanitary caffeinated beverage. I am strangely sleepy, but dare not add more for fear of throwing my body's PH off. I keep hearing Charlton Heston's voice "out of my cold, dead hands", but I picture myself with a coffee mug and not a gun.

Mr. T Kicks My Butt

2006-11-16T07:12:00.000-08:00

Too tired to write anything of my own brain's making. Dig this Mr. T. motivational video. Site discovered via Leah Peah.

Need a Muse

2006-10-29T12:10:00.000-08:00

If this second cup of coffee doesn't get the words flowing, I am going to resort to eating instant coffee crystals. I thought I should leave this note in case it goes awry to help the toxicologist doing my autopsy.

Quotable (on Vices)

2006-10-28T23:44:00.000-07:00

One of my friends/coworkers claimed Friday to not have any vices. I pointed out that he drinks (A LOT) and he still insisted that it wasn't a vice. Another coworker piped in that "drinking is not a vice, but a must and if I could drink at work, I would!"

Who needs to drink on the job when you have awesome entertainment like that ;)?!

I Love To Write

2006-10-22T15:26:00.000-07:00

... except when I have to.

1 cup of coffee
1 cup of Lady Grey
almost caffeinated.

Path to Rep Party: Getting Punched in the Face

2006-10-21T22:32:00.000-07:00

Truth is stranger than fiction... Mike Tyson has joined the republican party and is even trying to help someone get elected. Deadspin via KC:

As for the t-shirt Tyson was wearing, its for Maryland Republican Senatorial candidate Michael Steele (Karl Rove's head hits desk with audible thud).

Flavor of the Town Just Not the Same

2006-10-18T22:13:00.000-07:00

... since Dingle changed their name (via BBC):

In a well-known town by the sea in a remote and beautiful part of south-western Ireland, there's history, politics, and commerce for starters. Dingle, or, to give it its proper, official name these days, An Daingean, is in County Kerry... Last year, a new law meant Dingle's official name was changed to An Daingean... They argue that the internationally-known "Dingle brand", familiar to people in the US, the UK and beyond, is in danger of being lost.

Too Precious to Miss

2006-10-18T22:06:00.000-07:00

Something I bet is missing from the Precious Moments church/museum:

I like how the caption on the church reads "Another dumbstruck busload tours the chapel".

A Month Without an Esthetician

2006-10-18T21:24:00.000-07:00

I was a few weeks overdue when I finally made it into the beauty shop on the first of this month. I thought they were joking or that something was lost in translation when I was told that Rosie wouldn't be back until after Halloween. It has been eighteen full days and the growth is even worse than what originally drove me there. I have hair in pores I didn't even know grew hair. The thought of trying to erradicate it myself isn't even a real option as she's the only one who's made sense of my eyebrows and upper lip in this millenia. I miss my arches!

I'm trying to think on the bright side.

"Halloween is a good time of the year to have extra facial hair!"

"Who needs the Groucho Marx glasses?" My green frames are pretty thick and with a cigar, I could probably be admitted to my friend's Halloween party (costume fragment demanded for entrance or you get one at the door). They used to look like this:

All of this is devolving into bad self-imagery. I was looking at myself before getting in the shower and saw an emoticon staring back at me. It wasn't :-| or even :-), it looked more like :-O.

What Ten Years Really Means...

2006-10-15T20:16:00.000-07:00

I am so tired or reading articles with heresay like "scientists say we are ten years away from" something really important to humanity. I read it so much that I think it means "we really have no clue, but sooner not later". How many times have we read that gene therapy is ten years away or that there is a cancer cure ten years away?

While I'm on a roll, I just wanted to let all of my friends and family know that I think I'll be married soon... in about ten years :P.

|-|

2006-10-12T22:19:00.000-07:00

means tired

Ode to the Bookmark

2006-09-26T22:28:00.001-07:00

So much matters
on that all important
bookmark. Leather, paper,
tattered from wear.

on a theme of William Carlos Williams

What I need more is coffee, then sleep, then lots of coffee. I need there to be a paypal system for sleep where friends and family can donate hours to me. Maybe my Mom could hold a telethon too.

Caffeine Is Evil

2006-08-28T13:30:00.000-07:00

Fell off the no caffeine wagon temporarily at the Sea Shanty in Cayucos, CA.

Street Scene More Like Mean Streets

2006-08-09T20:39:00.000-07:00

I was saddened but not surprised to read that three people were seriously injured at Street Scene (SS) (SD Union Tribune):

A rock-music fan seriously injured during a concert at this year's Street Scene in Mission Valley has “vastly improved” and is expected to survive, a police official said Wednesday. The man, whose name has not been released, was one of three people who suffered serious head and chest trauma when spectators rushed the stage during a performance by the band Tool on Saturday night.

I haven't been back since I was caught in a major traffic jam of people trying to get to the Jack Johnson stage. The year I went SS was held in the Gaslamp. We were boxed in by the trolley line that bisected the venue (one to file under "what were they thinking?!"). When the police tried to compress people to one side or other of the tracks on the road to Jack Johnson's area, hundreds of people were penned into a fenced patch of asphalt with no way out. We never even made it to Jack Johnson and took the trolley home. We had experienced a semi-traumatic event, but there was no mention of it in the coverage of the 'great Street Scene success'.

I love the idea of Street Scene, but I have too much to live for to die at a rock concert. With my luck it would be near a lame band stage I wasn't even trying to get to. My family and friends' grief would be mixed with stunned emotion as they pondered why I had died trying to see Yanni or Paris Hilton. (She is repackaging herself as a singer, no kidding). The Street Scene organizers have two duties. First, they need to work on crowd control and security. Second, the artists need to stay at a high caliber, so if people continue to be injured, they can say, "Ya, I lost a leg, but it was so worth it to see Tool, man!"

My Footprint

2006-08-01T22:31:00.000-07:00

Considering my car gets 12 mpg in the city, I scored a very decent ecological footprint.

CATEGORY ACRES

FOOD 6.9

MOBILITY 1.7

SHELTER 3.2

GOODS/SERVICES 3.5

TOTAL FOOTPRINT 15

IN COMPARISON, THE AVERAGE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT IN YOUR COUNTRY IS 24 ACRES PER PERSON.

WORLDWIDE, THERE EXIST 4.5 BIOLOGICALLY PRODUCTIVE ACRES PER PERSON.

IF EVERYONE LIVED LIKE YOU, WE WOULD NEED 3.4 PLANETS.

Thanks for the idea, Happy!

Meet My Baby, Smelly Head

2006-07-30T09:14:00.000-07:00

The government of Malaysia has announced a new list of names you cannot give to your newborn:

Hokkien Chinese Ah Chwar (snake)
Khiow Khoo (hunchback)
Chow Tow (smelly head)
Sor Chai (insane)
Karrupusamy (black god)
Woti (sexual intercourse)

Gwyneth Paltrow, who has a baby named Apple, would have been out of luck in Malaysia. Is Jade a color? I thought it was a symbol of good luck, but could also be out. "Parents will not be able to call their babies after animals, insects, fruit, vegetables or colours."

Getting Serious Without Falling Overboard

2006-07-13T19:04:00.000-07:00

Garrison Keillor has a great quote about marriage:

In general, the rules for marriage are similar to the rules for being in a lifeboat on the open ocean: don't crowd each other, no sudden moves, and keep all disastrous thoughts to yourself.

In searching for it, I found another great quote about the perfect woman:

The perfect woman is the woman who you love to converse with and who you want to tell everything to. The moment you have a big experience, you want her there to listen to your account of it. Her take on things fascinates you, her talk is pleasurable to you, and you love her company. That's what you want in a companion.

Is this true? Do men change at a specific age? The ones in my age range seem to be a lot more shallow. Maybe that's SoCal for you?

I Hate the Crawl (Too)!

2006-07-12T18:23:00.000-07:00

Thank you Lewis Black for saying what the rest of us are thinking. Too much information! I hate the crazy banner and the crawling news feed.

Via Digg: Lewis Black demands CNN banner disappear.

Ring Me Cizzle Badizzle Fo Sho

2006-07-08T09:51:00.000-07:00

Copying Vermiciousknitter's cool post, the following are some of my alter egos:

YOUR PORN STAR NAME
(your first pet, the name of the first street you lived on):
Gina Piedmont
This formula works!

YOUR MOVIE STAR NAME
(grandfather/grandmother on your father's side, your favorite kind of candy):
Mary Swedishfish

YOUR FLY GIRL/GUY NAME
(first initial of first name followed by "izzle", first two or three letters of your last name followed by "dizzle"):
Cizzle Badizzle
(I'm sure Snoop would pronounce it "sizzle").

YOUR DETECTIVE NAME
(favorite color, favorite animal):
Blue Dolphin
Sounds like a bar.

YOUR STAR WARS NAME
(first 3 letters of your name- last 3 letters of mother's maiden name, first 3 letters of your pet's name repeated twice):
Chrger GinGin

YOUR SUPERHERO NAME
("The", your favorite color, the type of car you drive):
The Blue Expedition

Lost In Translation

2006-07-06T00:04:00.000-07:00

There really is a TV show that airs from 11:30 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. called Infarto. It appears to be a Mexican news station. I tuned in and waited for a punch line... no luck. There were a lot of very jubilant people south of the border jumping around for some reason.

The stranger episode occured yesterday when North Korea test fired the Taepodong-2 and the Nodong missiles. I know I'm not the first to note this, but wonder if anyone has tried telling them?

Dear North Korea,

The word "dong" is a nine on the Beevis and Butthead snickers scale. You people need to get out more often or order Berlitz Does English. If you're going to try and get up in our grill on our national holiday, try naming your weapons something a little scarier and less antiphallic. A few suggestions:

RAWR
HASSELHOFF
LOTSADONG

Sincerely,

The Baglady

P.S. Kim Jong, speaking of unmanly things, please work with the hair! Are you trying to give Donald Trump a run for his worst-hairdo-on-a-rich-guy ever or what?!

Best Ending to a Sermon Ever

2006-07-02T20:38:00.000-07:00

"And oh Peggy Lee, your lyrics were always so strange". - Father Lyng

Anes: Where Does Ikea Come Up With This Stuff?

2006-07-01T22:41:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to wonder if anyone at Ikea's corporate headquarters really speaks English. Two of their new products:

Jerker

Call me fussy, but I don't want to pull on a drawer handle every day that's called the jerker.

Anes

Okay so the Anes bed frame name has a little circley thing over the top of the "A". By my junior high humor standards, it still looks and sounds too close to that planet between Saturn and Neptune.

What I Told My Dad Today...

2006-06-18T14:29:00.000-07:00

I sent my dad a card with this quote. It really describes him:

To laugh often and much: To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you lived. This is to have succeeded. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Happy Father's Day to all the good dads reading!!

Nice Shirt, Ethnic Sir...

2006-06-11T21:23:00.000-07:00

There is a plus to having a nine letter name! Strange anagrams of my name:

Nicer Shit
Enrich Its
I Snitcher
Ethnic Sir
Reich Isn't
In Richest
Thrice Sin
Retch I Sin
Tech In Sir
Nice Shirt
Hi Cistern
Rice Thins (Rejected cracker?)
Cries Thin (Don't I wish!)
Irish Cent
Chi Ne Stir (Sort of French for 'Don't Stir My Chi'?)
Chin Tries
Inch Tires
Rich Stein (Only the Good Beer)
Rich Set In (Any time now, go ahead!)
Itch Rinse
Ricin Seth
She Nitric (Super Hero?)
Her Sit Inc
Re Shit Inc (Not making this up!)
Risc Thine
Sic Hinter

92% Self-Esteemed

2006-06-05T22:29:00.000-07:00

Maybe it's higher than I thought or this blog shows:

You Have Low Self Esteem 8% of the Time

Which can be translated to mean, you have high self-esteem and a healthy sense of self worth.
You believe in yourself, and you know how to be the real you. You love yourself, imperfections and all.

How is Your Self Esteem?

Most Boring Blog... Ever, No, I Mean It

2006-06-05T22:06:00.000-07:00

I'm not trying to enter their contest. (But if I win then I of course was). I was shocked to try and parse this phrase: furniture store blog. It's true. Everyone is blogging these days. Via San Diego Blog.

Fear and Loathing in La Jolla

2006-06-05T19:39:00.000-07:00

This is for all of my homeboys with plumbing/lack of water ills. KC & D who had upstairs neighbors flood their places. KB who had sewage spill onto his carpet and had to pay $800 for someone to come dry it out (your landlord is evil!). M who's water keeps getting shut off. My own plumbing issues. Don't ever try to convert a cardboard box into a bucket. Mildew is the enemy.

This is for all my pals with love ills. I won't even mention your initials. You know who you are.

And for all people filled with fear and loathing, some Sinatra:

That's life, that's what all the people say.
You're riding high in April,
Shot down in May
But I know I'm gonna change that tune,
When I'm back on top, back on top in June.

Ignore that the song ends this way:

But if there's nothing shakin' come this here july
I'm gonna roll myself up in a big ball and die

Making Banana Bread (Tabblo Review)

2006-05-30T23:40:00.000-07:00

I'd been looking for an excuse to use Tabblo, a neat new site that lets you storyboard pictures. It is definitely still in beta or maybe just doesn't work great on the Mac. I don't think it works better than a plain blog interspersed with photos (once you add in all the trouble it is to use). It is a fun way to show an online album and I think I'll try a new subject next time. I'd thought it might be a neat instructional tool (new assignment). However, I think it needs to work some kinks out before non-geeks try using it.

Making Banana Bread/Tabblo Take 1.

Liquid Plumber Manicure

2006-05-18T21:47:00.000-07:00

Sure it can unclog a sink, but did you know that it gives the most amazing manicure? My kitchen sink is seriously clogged. My guess is that the mini shredded wheats didn't get all the way down the drain this morning :(. They must have spent all day getting super solid in my poor whittle drain. I plunged the drain for a long time, then poured in LP. I plunged so long on the drain that my plunger broke :(. My arms felt like they were burning a little, so I rinsed them with water (in the working sink). The skin around my inner elbow is feeling hot, but my nails are etched like they've been polished and are very white. I also smell very sterile. My hands are soft like they've been exfoliated. Spa treatments that work by eating proteins are probably dangerous. The silver lining is now I can get a fancy plunger guilt free, since mine is broken. I've always wondered just how much better those ribbed black ones work. Stay tuned...

P.S. Why are there so many people who have pictures of plungers?

Sometimes...

2006-05-16T00:46:00.000-07:00

at night
it's awful to be alone.

P.S. Bagels Are The Enemy

2006-05-10T00:16:00.000-07:00

Another bagel successfully stared down.

While I'm talking about carb options... has anyone else ever noticed that Trader Joe's Yogurt O's don't get soggy in milk? Don't get me wrong. I really like the taste, especially the kind with the dried mango. They are like rocks though - even with some soak time. I think I chipped a tooth eating them.

Really Bad News/Baglady Likes Her Butt?

2006-05-10T00:12:00.000-07:00

I never assumed that I was the only person using the handle/name/whatever "baglady". That fact was brought home loud and clear to me today when a friend (let's call her Care Bear) shared some new intell with me. Apparently she'd set her IRC client to notify her everytime baglady signed on to the IRC server she uses. This is how she noticed that there was another baglady signing on, but not to the benignly topiced channel Care bear frequents. No friends, the other baglady frequents the channel called "enema-palace".

That honey of a phrase is going to push some funky traffic to my blog - I know it!

What should my new handle be???

I'm Seduced Already

2006-05-09T19:50:00.000-07:00

Check out the EU's new campaign for Europe Day (today):>

That's a campaign that I can get behind!

You Are What You Eat

2006-05-04T22:09:00.000-07:00

I've been hooked on Trader Joe's Monteblue & Populet. That's snob for poppycock with blueberries:

Cute But Wrong

2006-05-04T19:24:00.000-07:00

This kitty-shaped iPod Nano case is cute, but so wrong at the same time:

No One At the Table

2006-05-01T22:26:00.000-07:00

I've never had a good answer for the cliche, "If you could have five people (living or deceased) to dinner, who would they be?"

I would like to ask my grandma what stitch she used for the half complete afghan I want to finish.

I would ask Clara why she married Charlie the second time.

I asked my grandpa the questions I had. The best advice he gave me was that it takes that real strong feeling for someone to keep a marriage going (both of you). You could get by with almost anything if you had that.

I'd ask my other grandpa how he kept his african violets so nice. I have instructions, but I just can't seem to get them as healthy as his were.

Why I Wax

2006-05-01T22:25:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to look like I'm undergoing gender reassignment starting with my eyebrows.

Why I Need To Lose Weight

2006-04-18T22:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was checking out an outfit and my scant makeup in the mirror. I caught the voice inside me say, "That'll do, pig, that'll do."

Or maybe I should just go for the wife's look. I'm getting closer by the day! Stuff that used to look sexy looks more like a flesh explosion. /self loathing

"Astronomy is Hot!"

2006-04-18T22:39:00.000-07:00

Ye of little faith thought that this blog had been abandoned. Nay! With material like this, the blog must go on:

In a follow up to my original kilt post, I want to inform the public that a kilted astronomy club, or rather a regiment within said organization, exists right here in California! Yes, 'tis true.

I can't find an explanation of how they decided to wear utilikilts, which mystifies me. Astronomy is a night activity and while Sacramento gets really hot, it seems like star gazing is more suited to pants. Am I missing something?!

The Empress

2006-04-06T13:41:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the scary pic!

Which Tarot Card Are You?

You are the Empress card. The Empress is the archetype of the Mother. She creates and nurtures life. She represents the abundance of Mother Earth. The Empress is capable of using nature in a productive way. She espouses art for art's sake. Her planet is Venus, and she embodies love of beauty and a strong value system. Here is also found initial sensation. This is the first really physical experience of the world that The Fool has entered. The Empress has a rich understanding of the world based on her five senses. In a reading, The Empress represents pregnancy, actual or metaphorical. She indicates an act of creation and a sensual experience of beauty. The Empress is a nurturing force that wishes to see the product of her experiences reach the next stage of development. Image from A Photographic Tarot http://www.bluewitch.com/healingtarot/healtar.htm Deck
Take this quiz!

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Why Logging IM Conversations Is Bad

2006-03-27T21:44:00.000-08:00

... could also be called "Why My Friends All Give Me Strange Looks". I actually sent this tonight:

"The moral of the story... you want a bear, soak a tampon in beef fat".

What You Biatches Missed!

2006-03-26T18:09:00.000-08:00

Molten Flourless Chocolate Cake and Carmel Gelato, originally uploaded by baglady.

I mean that affectionately of course! Friday included a line up of my favorite places. We started with Cafe Sevilla. The Food TV network was there filming. Mom, Matthew and I split tapas, while KC had a skewer of shrimp. The Dizzy's show was really enjoyable. We followed it up with MORE dessert.

Barry 'N Barbara: A Sign of the Apocalypse

2006-03-22T22:22:00.000-08:00

If I was the kind of DB that watched American Idol, I would have noticed something disturbing last night, er... I mean whenever it happens to be on. Barbara Walters (Wawa) and Barry Manilow (Barely Man Enough) look like twins! He seems like a very sweet man and I feel a little bad mentioning this. Judge for yourself:

I can only guess that they have the same plastic surgeon.

This is just a randomly disturbing image of Barry for your amusement. I love that the image has the keyword "Chicagocrotch" (hurl):

Visions of Hummus Utilikilts Danced In Her Head

2006-03-15T23:31:00.000-08:00

After late night studying comes late night snacking. Even though I'd baked chocolate chocolate chip muffins earlier, they didn't look appealing. Settled on pita bread and garlic hummus. I know this is going to give me nightmares. Garlic before bed sounds like an intuitively bad move.

If the hummus doesn't get me, the utilikilt site surely will. I've seen a couple guys wearing these around campus. I thought they were in a club, but this makes me unsure. It sounds like a man's lib movement. I don't know why anyone would elect to wear skirts if they didn't have to. Skirts are for big women who can't fit into pants and for skinny women who's thighs don't rub together. The rest of us only wear them to look good. This is probably my favorite pic. What's a bear with *no* pants or skirt gonna say to you?!

Fashion Arrest?

2006-02-28T00:04:00.000-08:00

I don't get the big, fancy glasses that have been in this past year. I know they say it was for drugs, but I'm starting the rumor that George Michael was under fashion arrest:

Best Rummy Quotes

2006-02-26T12:31:00.000-08:00

While writing a fictional missing chapter to Candide, where Candide meets up with Donald Rumsfeld in Iraq, I came across some great quotes from Rumsfeld. Some are actually insightful, while some are just plain funny (in a sick way :P). From BrainyQuote:

"Death has a tendency to encourage a depressing view of war."

"Control your time. If you're working off your in-box, you're working off the priorities of others. Be sure the staff is working on what you move to them from the President, or the President will be reacting, not leading."

"Don't be a bottleneck. If a matter is not a decision for the President or you, delegate it. Force responsibility down and out. Find problem areas, add structure and delegate. The pressure is to do the reverse. Resist it."

"Don't blame the boss. He has enough problems." (spoken like a true boss :-D)

"Don't necessarily avoid sharp edges. Occasionally they are necessary to leadership."

"Don't say "the White House wants." Buildings can't want."

This one's for Cooper:

"From where you sit, the White House may look as untidy as the inside of a stomach. As is said of the legislative process, sausage-making and policy-making shouldn't be seen close-up. Don't let that panic you. Things may be going better than they look from the inside."

"I don't do quagmires."

"I'm not into this detail stuff. I'm more concepty."

Keep your rules limited to the number of fingers you have:

"If you develop rules, never have more than ten."

"Oh my goodness gracious, what you can buy off the Internet in terms of overhead photography. A trained ape can know an awful lot of what is going on in this world, just by punching on his mouse, for a relatively modest cost. "

"People say, 'Well, where's the smoking gun?' Well, we don't want to see a smoking gun from a weapon of mass destruction. "

Kind of scared to see the Powerpoint that goes with this one (pruning people :O):

"Prune - prune businesses, products, activities, people. Do it annually."

Say this one three times fast:

"There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we don't know we don't know. "

Did Rummy work in academia?

"Watch for the "not invented here" syndrome."

Okay, maybe not because they all seem to be vacant this long:

"Watch the growth of middle level management. Don't automatically fill vacant jobs. Leave some positions unfilled for 6-8 months to see what happens. You will find you won't need to fill some of them."

"You will launch many projects, but have time to finish only a few. So think, plan, develop, launch and tap good people to be responsible. Give them authority and hold them accountable. Trying to do too much yourself creates a bottleneck. "

Guns Don't Kill People, Guys in Mittens, Hats & Scarves Do

2006-02-26T09:59:00.000-08:00

When you have an hour to kill, check out ThreadBared. My favorite pattern pic has to be this guy holding a rifle in mittens:

I love the added caption on this one:

A Simple Vow

2006-02-26T09:56:00.000-08:00

If any man has a reason why I should not eat Trader Joe's "Way More Chocolate Chips" cookies for breakfast, let him speak now or forever hold his peace.

I do.

How I Rate

2006-02-24T17:02:00.000-08:00

My life is rated PG-13!

Your life is rated PG-13!

What is your life rated? (MPAA Scale)

Stupid Romantics/Jealous of the Moon

2006-02-21T22:42:00.000-08:00

Maybe if I blog about this, I will feel better. Here goes...

My boyfriend and I broke up a couple weeks ago. It was my doing and I don't have a right to be mopey. I'm taking a class and we're reading from the romantic period. I am not in the mood. I just want to stick all the whiney, romantic characters in the eye with something sharp. "Take that fool! Why did you think it would work out?!!"

My new favorite song is "Jealous of the Moon" from Nickel Creek's new album:

Trying on a brand new dress
But you haven't worn the old one yet.
You've come too far, to turn around now.
Giving up a good fight.
You're as strong as anyone.
You're back when you started from,
I see you're back where you started from.

Staring down the stars, jealous of the moon
You wish you could fly.
But you're staying where you are,
there's nothing you can do,
if you're too scared to try.

Drag your pretty head around
Swearing you're gonna drown with a beautiful sigh and a river of lies.

I hate to see a friend of mine,
Laughing out loud when she's crying inside,
but you've got your pride.

*****

I think blogging nullifies the pride claim :P.

A Top 10 Worst List San Diego Did Not Make

2006-02-19T12:08:00.000-08:00

We may have our financial woes and corruption scandals, but San Diego is not the most irregular city in the US. From Slashfood:

*****

Dannon's new yogurt, Activa, contains a special bacterial culture known as Bifidus Regularis that helps to regulate the digestive tract. To help promote their new product, and perhaps to locate potential markets for this breakfast-food-come-Milk of Magnesia-competitor, Dannon commissioned a survey to determine the most irregular cities in America. The survey defined irregularity as not going to the bathroom for two or more days and found that the ten most irregular cities are:

1. Orlando, FL
2. Memphis, TN
3. Greenville, NC
4. Tampa, FL
5. Raleigh-Durham, NC
6. San Antonio, TX
7. Oklahoma City, OK
8. Jacksonville, MI
9. Miami/Fort Lauderdale, FL
10. Philadelphia, PA

*****

What I want to know is, how did they determine which cities are most irregular? I can't think of a single source of that information.

New Word: Malversation

2006-02-18T00:30:00.000-08:00

I saw a new word used to describe Randy "Duke" Cunningham:

Malversation: corrupt behavior in a position of trust.

Now check out the origin: based on the latin for badly "male" plus behave "versari". It's a fancy way to say "men behaving badly".

First Freedom Fries

2006-02-18T00:26:00.000-08:00

Iranians have renamed danishes (pastries) "Roses of the Prophet Muhammed". Clerics can't name food anymore! Roses of the Prophet Muhammed and coffee, just doesn't have a ring to it.

Iranians rename Danish pastries

Bakeries across the capital, Tehran, are covering up signs advertising the pastries and replacing them with ones bearing the dessert's new name.

Don't Go There

2006-02-14T23:20:00.000-08:00

Going to break with my usual rule of no friend stories. This exchange was priceless. KC was trying to straighten out the oriental rug runner in my entryway tonight. He put one foot at each end and almost went into the splits.

Damien: Ah, you're trying to do a David Lee Roth.

Me (to KC): I want to see you in those pants!

Damien: Those assless chaps?

BRAIN WAVES CEASED

KC: They're called "bottomless chaps".

KNEES COLLAPSED

Damien: No, assless chaps.

KC: Bottomless chaps.

Me: I meant the parachute pants! (from the Might As Well Jump video)

Most Romantic Valentine's Day Gesture

2006-02-13T20:58:00.000-08:00

The Ralph's by my house is the worst place to be anytime near or on Valentine's Day. Yesterday I completed my big shop for the week. I was glad to not have to go back. The store is decorated a la Valentine's Day on steroids... in the sort of way that gets you down. To my horror, I discovered that I was almost out of worsteshire sauce. I ventured over to Ralph's about 8:30 p.m. and found lines 10-20 people long. Just insanely long lines of people buying strawberries, alcohol, balloons, etc. Except for the guy behind me in line. He was standing in a 20 minute line with one box of tampons. That is love! On top of that, he watched my basket while I ran to get the elbow macaroni I'd forgotten on my pass through the store.

No winter..

2006-02-13T19:43:00.000-08:00

No winter lasts forever;
no spring skips its turn.
- Hal Borland

The Glu Was Missing

2006-02-11T09:40:00.000-08:00

Superglu is one of the coolest things I've seen in a long time. It can take multiple feeds, such as blogger and flickr, adding them into one view. Check me out:

Baglady Glus It Together

Blinged Out Water

2006-02-09T15:12:00.000-08:00

Okay this is the DUMBEST thing I've seen in a while (via Slashfood):

Bling H2O

You'll just have to see for yourself. Oh, and hear for yourself. Dig the jazzy song you can't turn off.

More Vacation Than I Know What To Do With

2006-02-08T21:48:00.000-08:00

Thank goodness for clerical errors! I have an extra 132 hours of vacation. I'm taking tomorrow off for no particularly good reason! Here are the thoughts I've had so far:

* Mail my Christmas newsletter. Hmmm, more like my Valentine's Day newsletter now.
* Sleep.
* Work on my jigsaw puzzle.
* Catch up on Netflix. It seems wrong to spend sunny days indoor watching TV.
* Taunt my friends at work over IM.
* Do homework :P.
* Cook something really good for dinner.
* Recover those three unmatching dining room chairs.

Any suggestions about what I should do tomorrow? How would you spend it?

More Signs of Aging

2006-02-04T22:50:00.000-08:00

You know you're aging when you want dessert and the cranberry juice in the fridge looks better than the cookies and streudel.

Goodnight, Grandpa (Munster)

2006-02-04T22:35:00.000-08:00

"Al Lewis, the cigar-chomping patriarch of "The Munsters" whose work as a basketball scout, restaurateur and political candidate never eclipsed his role as Grandpa from the television sitcom died."

Getting Ready for Friday Night

2006-01-24T22:36:00.000-08:00

Getting Ready for Friday Night, originally uploaded by baglady.

I went all out for our restaurant week dinner at Trattoria Aqua. The outcome was something between Shirley Temple and Miss Piggy.

In Support of My Favorite Sweater

2006-01-19T23:07:00.000-08:00

I may never have written about him, were it not for his fashion gaffe. Nonetheless, I have to give a nod to Bolivia's President Evo Morales and his favorite sweater. The latest Time Magazine has him in four separate pictures wearing the same red, white, blue and grey horizontally striped, alpaca sweater. He met the leaders of China, the UN, Spain and South Africa in it!

I didn't find a good picture of it, but I did learn that Kentucky has a llama and alpaca association. You'll be relieved to know that they have full meeting minutes on their web site.

I spent most of high school in a green, wool Benetton sweater. By my senior year, my friends were begging me to throw it out. It was cozy, kind of like a security blanket. I should make some quilting squares out of it. That would require some skill and effort though. It wasn't like any sweater I could find online. With some digging, I should be able to find myself in a picture wearing it.

Can you believe the head of Benetton has such help-me-find-the-words press photos? Look, he's making the baglady a new green sweater!

Bearded Lady

2006-01-19T22:20:00.000-08:00

It's not too late to enjoy Big D's Halloween costumes. It's not over until the fat lady sings:

Something else could be said about bearded circus ladies. I enjoy people who enjoy it when people laugh at them. I think I would be really depressed if I wasn't amused when people think I'm weird :P. Must be a coping mechanism I developed.

SD Bloggers Event: Post Mortem

2006-01-17T21:49:00.000-08:00

The San Diego Bloggers event drew a big crowd. A shout out to my dawgz Declan and Gabe and to some new friends PES, Joe & his lovely wife, Leah and Jennifer aka Sushi Slut.

Killing Me Softly

2006-01-05T22:56:00.000-08:00

The day I was born, the song at the top of the charts was Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly". I was really worried what it might be, given some of the frightening stuff that came out of the 70's.

Find out yours at:

This Day In Music

Bad News for Slackers

2006-01-03T22:01:00.000-08:00

and NEETs:

Why hard work makes people happy

Hard work may be the last thing people want as they return to their jobs after the festive break, but experts say it could be the key to happiness.

"From our research the people who were most active got the most joy. It may sound tempting to relax on a beach, but if you do it for too long it stops being satisfying."

I Could Use Some Chocolate...

2005-12-13T22:20:00.000-08:00

right about now. Check out Godiva's new
Bananas Foster. While I'm at it (in my fantasy of being alone in the store unattended), I'm also going to have a key lime pie, a salted caramel (it could be good) and a mexican hot chocolate (contains habanero peppers!).

Roar

2005-12-11T14:28:00.000-08:00

I am woman and man, hear me roar!!

After many failed attempts, some boiling water and more plunging attempts, I finally fixed a clogged toilet myself. This was not any ordinary clog. This was one that I'd tried plunging a dozen times, flushed after the water had gone down (which took an hour or so) and that I let sit over night.

This article actually helped or maybe it's a coincidence. Once I had the idea to get the air out of the plunger first, I was able to get supreme suction going. It occurs to me as I type this, how little interest this is going to hold for the .5 readers of my blog. Please appreciate this blog post as a geeky girl's version of the end zone dance. I am constantly excited when I tackle something that I think falls under the job description of handyman. On to the towel rack that recently fell down.

I Hate Computers

2005-12-08T22:14:00.000-08:00

I'm Farah

2005-12-07T23:26:00.000-08:00

I think my most recent haircut is a feathered hairdo without all of the right styling to make it that way. I found the Feathered-Back Hair site by trying to determine if people ever shaved pictures into their back hair. I would have kept looking, but too many of the Google responses had the word "pubic" in the summary and I didn't want to be scarred by clicking further.

The Feathered-Back Hair site also has an odd collection of movies with people eating out of containers. Think I'm kidding? Check it out!

Christmas Shopping: Who Can Use a Stamp?

2005-11-22T22:54:00.000-08:00

Having fun doing early online Christmas shopping. Came across this craftlike object:

I can think of a few times over my career that I could have used this :-D.

iPod My Baby

2005-11-20T14:47:00.000-08:00

Just in time for Christmas, these iPod onesies:

Don't worry, not trying to say anything indirectly. Just thought this was really funny and cute.

No More Eyebrows

2005-11-20T10:30:00.000-08:00

I have a semi-serious habit of tugging at my eyebrows when thinking hard. I swear I'm going to have bald patches in my eyebrows before the semester is over. Since I don't feel a compulsion to do it and don't eat the hair, I feel safe that I don't have Trichotillomania. I always thought of it as something that made you go bald (on your head), but apparently it can affect eyelashes, eyebrows and even underarm and pubic hair. Oh my lord!! I think even the blogger is speechless on that one. Back to studying...

in a minute. I can't resiste a quote from one of the many success stories. Here is a suggestion on how to stop pulling your hair. I think she means something more spiritual than laying a hairball at God's ankles:

1. Lay trichotillomania down at the feet of the Lord. Leave it there and don't pick it up again.

Here is my favorite affirmation from Millie's story:

"This is my hand, which God created for good." " I am in control of it and I don't have to let it raise to my head, to pull out my hair, just because an urge tells it to do so." "My hand will follow God and not an urge."

Reading the site for three minutes has sufficiently scared me out of touching my eyebrows. Okay, now back to studying... I mean it this time.

Turducken, Andouille...

2005-11-12T20:20:00.000-08:00

I just learned about a cajun dish I'm not sure I'll ever try to make and maybe not even eat: turducken. It's a chicken in a duck in a turkey and it all gets cooked together:

You can buy them online from Cajun Specialty Foods. If you've had one, I'd love to know what you thought.

I'm always up for Andouille sausage. My favorite place to get it (served to you vs. shipped) is Bud's Louisiana Food Shoppe. Although I have stopped drinking coffee myself, their Cafe au Lait is to die for. I also recommend their Po Boys and the bread pudding - which they swear is made with freshly sliced bread.