Canning

So my incredibly infuriating sister informed me earlier this year that she believed it would be better for the world if we all exchanged handmade gifts for Christmas (she took the handmade pledge). Anyway, I thought she meant we were supposed to make, by hand, gifts for each other. Apparently she meant buy gifts somebody else made by hand. So I got to work thinking about what I could possibly make by hand. The obvious choice was to make cards but that seemed too easy since my mom and sister both make cards as well. Instead I decided to embark on a jam making journey.

First off I contacted Auntie (I like to think of her as the head of the family) and she promptly sent me a packet full of recipes and books on canning. I did however notice that her amazing applesauce recipe was not in that packet. damn. I then bought a canning pot and headed down to the local farmers market to pick up some fruit. I decided on raspberries and got to work. It was really fun and I ended up with raspberry juice all over my clothes, my face and my kitchen.

I was too scared to try it so I decorated a jar with some fabric and twine and gave it to my friend Lindsay with a warning that it may not taste good. She gave it to her husband to try with the pancakes at breakfast and he really liked it, so much so that I traded him another jar of jam for some jars of organic peanut butter! Which was awesome as MaraNatha can get spendy. (It's so worth it though!)

UnAfraid

When I was snowed in on the coast I decided to pick up my mom's book club book. It is Unafraid: A Novel of the Possible by Jeff Golden. The premise is, what if the bullet that killed JFK strayed 3 inches, leaving him alive to serve 8 years as President? At first I didn't really like the book but then I got into it and couldn't put it down; even staying an extra day in the Coos to finish it. I suggest you check it out. It's a good read.

White Trash Bash!

(Britt & Casey)

As I previously mentioned my good friend Brittany had a white trash themed birthday party. I drove 4 hours to be there for the drunkenness. We drank consuelas which are basically a large pitcher full of shots and orange juice. We also sang karaoke (I was a karaoke virgin) and then went to Country/Western night at Cantina and danced and made complete fools of ourselves. Alcohol does that to me from time to time. It was basically an amazing night of drunken debauchery.

Driving home the next day I got stuck on I-5 when it began to snow and they decided to close the interstate. I then attempted to purchase chains and no Les Schwab from Florence to Brookings had chains that would fit my tires. What the hell? I detoured back to my mom's house in the Coos where I got to see my family and went to dinner for my soon to be sister-in-law's 21st birthday. We went to Puerto Vallarta Mexican Restaurant and they gave us tequila poppers and even mi madre downed one. Alcoholism apparently runs in the family! KIDDING. sort of.

It's Not Valentine's Day Yet But....

So, I don't think I've had a "valentine" other than my mom (love you) in 4 years which is fine by me because V-day is stressful and irritating and makes me want to vomit in my mouth a little bit. Today MSN has an article titled Little Things About Love. I click on it because this is what I do at work, read crappy articles on MSN but even though I'm all surly with my *Beetle Girl shell I am a sucker for sappy love movies. Here are some quotes
they had in their article:

*Yes, I have a friend who has nicknamed me Beetle Girl. He says I'm of the shit talking coastal pincher variety of beetle.

“Scarlett! Look at me! I’ve loved you more than I’ve ever loved any woman, and I’ve waited longer for you than I’ve ever waited for any woman.” —Gone With the Wind

“The best thing you can do is find a person who loves you for exactly what you are. Good mood, bad mood, ugly, pretty, handsome, what have you, the right person’s still gonna think the sun shines out your ass.” —Juno

“We’ll always have Paris.” —Casablanca

“I love that you get cold when it’s 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich.... I love that after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night.” —When Harry Met Sally

Etsy Find

I just found this dress at Etsy. I love it! I love the print and the ruffles and it's just cheery. It was handmade by a designer named Ananya and you can check out her blog here.

Brooke's Wedding Plates

My sister Brooke is getting married and she wants an assortment of different plates for her wedding. I have been thrifting for her and this is what I've found so far. I have 3 of the plates that are in the middle.

Here is the cutlery I found. A bunch of really neat knives and what not. I have duplicates of some but just took pictures of one of each design.

White Trash Birthday Bash!

One of my best friends from high school is having her birthday party next week in Corvallis and I cannot wait. It's a theme party where everyone has to dress up in their white trash best (not hard for those from the Coos) and go to dinner at a Mexican restaurant and then go drinking and dancing at the bar - on Country Western night. It's going to be so fun. I've been brushing up on my line dancing skills. Woo!! I will post pictures at a later date.

I almost forgot...

My mom, sister and I had our annual card making extravaganza. My friend Lindsay came and joined us for some card making fun. We sampled some local restaurants and went wedding dress shopping for Brooke and thrifting. Southern Oregon has some good thrift stores! We made a lot cards which I am now selling for $5.00 each. :)

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree...

Last night my friend Rhino (Ryan) brought over a mini Christmas tree that he cut down and we decorated it and then went to the Creekside Pizza Bistro for some pizza and beer. I don't like the color red so my tree has brown and gold ornaments. I'm not sure if you can see it but near the top is an ornament Rhino got me for Christmas that has a snowman head and his body is a NY Jets football. SO COOL!!

Goodbye Pasta!

My dear dear friend Matt left for a new job in Colorado on December 1st. It was a sad day for all of us so in saying good-bye we all met at the tree for one last fireball shot. yuck. Leave it to Matty to like the most disgusting shot ever concocted.

Catch Up Time not Ketchup Time

So I FINALLY uploaded my photos from the last 3+ months onto my computer. I had lost the cord but found it while moving. So where I live there is craziness that happens every Halloween. This town LIVES for Halloween. The Plaza is a crazy madhouse party til the wee hours of the morning. Last year I saw a drunken man in drag laying on the sidewalk in his own vomit. The cops don't care because they're too busy getting their pictures taken with girls dressed up in slutty police officer outfits. Fun times for all. Anyway, this is my favorite costume I saw this year.

New Apartment

So today I finally started moving my crap into my new apartment. I've had the keys since Nov. 1st but have been too busy (lazy) to move anything. I had been sleeping on a pile of blankets on the floor since I am avoiding my old apartment. Today I finally moved my bed, dresser, desk, card making desk, hope chest and rugs. Yay me. Now I just need to move my massive collection of clothes and shoes.

We Did It America!

This is long but amazingly inspirational.

Eve of Election Day

I cast my ballot today decidedly more excited and hopeful than when I cast my ballot 4 years ago. Last time there was not a candidate I believed in, nobody to cheer for and to get excited about. Although I started this election year as a fervent Hillary supporter I am now excited about our future under the Presidency of Barack Obama. He was not my first choice but it's obvious to see that at this time he is the right choice for America. In the last week I've heard of 5 friends that have been laid off from work, our economy is in turmoil and we have doubts about our future. The hope that we seek is finally here. I spent hours upon hours working on my ballot. I treated it as though it were the most important school assignment I would ever have to finish. I know tomorrow night I will be up until the wee hours of dawn watching election coverage with a pot of macaroni and cheese in my lap; not only because it is one of my favorite past times but also because this election counts more than any other in recent history. This is the one that is going to return hope to Americans. This is the one that will restore our futures.


*Unless of course you all vote for McCain, then I'm disowning you and moving to Mexico.

Quiero

So my sister turned me on to this awesome site with handmade items and I fell IN LOVE with this clutch. For anyone who doesn't know, I love peacocks. They're beautiful and colorful and I love them so much so that I have a peacock tattoo. If I were to have a mascot, they would be it. Anyway, this is beautiful.

My tattoo is a Sailor Jerry design done by Steve Fuller at Triple Six tattoo in Ashland, Oregon.

Annual Card Funness

I am getting excited for our 2nd annual Christmas Card Making Extravaganza! In anticipation for the event I made this card, to make sure I wasn't rusty.

Obama

It's almost time to vote people.

Update on Life

So yesterday I had a Physics test. I have yet to feel like I'm really learning anything in that class but what the hell, I knew all of the answers except for one. I probably could've figured it out but it was a math question and I didn't feel like exerting myself that much. I've had a rough week. Anyway, my English class is AMAZING! My teacher is this young Latina who likes to cuss all the time, it's right up my alley. My two Spanish classes are going well although neither of them are that exciting. One of my Spanish teachers has the most massive comb-over I've ever seen. It's pretty much dominant. I'm going to the Coos tomorrow so that makes me HAPPY! I love that place. It's hunting season so I'm going out with my dad and little brother to kill some deer. It should be good times. This may be a little vindictive, or a lot vindictive, but I really hope I kill a buck so I can loudly proclaim my awesomeness around my roommate who has been out almost everyday for 2 weeks and has yet to get a shot off even though he's seen deer.

Roommate Woes

So my roommate is ridiculous. Basically, he is very passive aggressive and never says anything that's pissing him off except through text messages. So today I'm at work and he texts me. Here is a transcript of our text conversation:

*I've been house-sitting for over a week and therefore have not been home.

Him: Hey are you going to take out this trash you just have left in the kitchen?
Me: What trash?
Him: The trash in the kitchen.
Me: I haven't been home to have any trash. Are you going to clean the bathroom? I cleaned the entire thing and have barely used it since and it's gross.
Him: It's your trash from two weeks ago. I was saving it so you could throw it out.
Me: Throw it out yourself. Grow up!

Really? You're going to text me about trash from two weeks ago that you were too lazy to throw out when I'm at work. Really? Grow the fuck up and take out the trash. I don't care whose trash it is. Big Effin Deal. This is like the time he freaked out and tried to tell me that a bag of potatoes that he swore I bought (why would I buy an entire bag of potatoes) rotted and ruined the floor. Who saves trash for 2 weeks? If I wanted to live with a girl I would've made sure my roommate had a vagina.

So this leads me to my search for studio apartments.

Palin the Idiot

By now everyone has seen or has heard about Sarah Palin and her ridiculously incoherent interview with Katie Couric. Tina Fey has been impersonating Sarah Palin on SNL for the last few weeks and the best part of it is that she quotes Palin almost verbatim during her skit of the Couric interview. I'll try and post the video of it here but since I'm not really sure how to do it you should go check it out - you can google it. Also, watch the one of "Sarah Palin & Hillary Clinton" and the debate with "Joe Biden & Sarah Palin." They are all 3 hilarious yet scary.

Hippie Granola

So I'm into health food as much as the next person but sometimes I just want my greasy potato chips and my greasy french fries and my greasy pizza. I went to Subway today and got a veggie sub which is pretty healthy and then I talked myself into the meal by convincing myself that since I was eating a healthy sub with an iced tea that I could therefore eat a miniature bag of potato chips. Healthy cancels out not healthy so then I'm back where I started. To me, this is common sense. So I go to choose which chips I want and all they have are hippie granola flavors. I ended up with the Flat Earth Tomato Ranch chips that have 1/2 serving of vegetables in every ounce. Oh freakin' yay! They were goofy looking and they tasted like crap. I know I live in a hippie town but give me my damn ruffles with ridges. Is that too much for a girl to ask?

Merchandise

I just love political election year merchandise. The only problem is, after November I'm not really sure it's necessary to wear a Hot Mama for Obama t-shirt. I love this tote though!

Estoy Enferma

Today was the first day of class. dun dun dun. Knowing this, yesterday, my body decided to get sick. I think I have a head cold and my glands are swollen. I lose focus very easily which is super awesome when you're sitting through a 2 hour Physics class and science is your least favorite subject ever. My favorite part though is how the teacher made us play 2 truths & 1 lie. Yeah, like we haven't been playing that since we were in elementary school. Way to think up an original ice breaker. Anyway, the best part was when we went around the room introducing ourselves and telling what our one lie was and the girl behind me said, "my lie is that I'm voting for Obama." You could've heard a pin drop and blood curdle. It was quite obvious that everyone was thinking one huge collective thought of, "She's really going to vote for McCain? Is she stupid? How was she even let into college? Let's kill her!" Doesn't she know that she's at the biggest liberal hippie school there is? I mean, our school is the only 100% green public campus in the nation. I've got to say she did have some balls for admitting that though...but she's still stupid.

Favre

So, Brett Favre completely redeemed himself after that embarrassing loss to the Chargers. He threw for 6 touchdowns leading the Jets to a 56-35 win over the Arizona Cardinals. For anyone who doubts the greatness of the legend that is Favre, here are some stats:

Favre (6-2/222/Southern Miss/Kiln, MS), a veteran of 17 NFL seasons, the last 16 in Green Bay, is the league’s all-time leader in touchdowns passes (442), completions (5,377), attempts (8,758), yards (61,655) and victories as a quarterback (160). Since Sept. 20, 1992, he has started 253 consecutive regular season contests (275 including postseason), leading the Packers to a record of 160-93 (.632). During his 16 seasons in Green Bay, Favre has quarterbacked the Packers to 11 postseason appearances, seven division titles, four NFC Championship games and two Super Bowls, including a victory in Super Bowl XXXI. A three-time Associated Press Most Valuable Player (1995, 1996, 1997), he threw for 4,155 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2007, completing a career-high 66.5 percent of his passes. The 2007 campaign marked his fifth season with more than 4,000 passing yards as the Packers finished second in the NFL in total offense. The former Southern Miss signal-caller has logged 40 fourth-quarter comebacks, eight seasons with 30 or more touchdowns and 55 300-yard passing games. Favre was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the 1991 NFL Draft (33rd overall) and acquired by the Packers on Feb. 10, 1992 for the 17th overall pick in the 1992 NFL Draft. The Falcons traded that pick to Dallas, who selected CB Kevin Smith (Texas A&M).

The Joys of Craigslist.

At work we invariably get bored and take to looking at the personal ads on craigslist. We read people's misspelled pleas for love and proceed to make fun of them. Generally, it's very mean spirited and yet hilarious. Today I found one of the funniest personal ads ever. This guy is hilarious and I absolutely love it! It is as follows:

I'm tired of attracting nice, attractive, healthy, sane, intelligent women who seek the same in a man. They're just too practical and boring on dates while having great food and hilarious conversations. So, I've changed my menu of desires to wanting just a messed-up, selfish, baggage-dragging piece of trash who thinks the world owes her everything. Please just be your own sloppy self with at least 3 or more of the following qualities:

1: Bratty, dirty, foul-mouthed kids who look forward to Christmas dinner at Mc Donalds.
2: One or more alcoholic ex-hubbies who gave you herpes just after the divorce was final.
3: Experience in creating complicated lies and/or manipulating people to support your cigarette and drug habits.
4: An undependable, non-classic vehicle at least 15 years old needing constant repairs while leaving you stranded every time you drive it.
5: An appearance of being at least 20 years older than you are.
6: Willingness to always compare me to your favorite TV & movie men while letting me know over and over of how I'll never amount to anything without you.
7: One or more pets who freely roam your home pissing and pooping anywhere they please (Bonus points for pet hair equally distributed everywhere including your bed).
8: Disorganized in everything you do while having a wad of expired Papa John's coupons mixed with unpaid parking citations hanging out of your purse.
9: Shops Wal-Mart in crusty pajamas and stained slippers while pretending to be interested in the most expensive cuts in the meat department.
10: Valid Oregon Trail Card (if you don't know what this is, please move on).
11: Constantly juggling self-induced insecurities while surrounded by never-ending clouds of personal and neighborhood drama.
12: Spuratic bragging sessions about false achievements, sometimes triggering you to be arrogant and snobby.

No "pic for pic" here, as I no longer care about appearance, nor should you (if you have a digital camera or scanner, then you're in the class of which I'm no longer seeking).

Work Makes Me Sad

So as all of you know I work 7 days a week. The shifts vary. On Monday night I had to come in and cover for a colleague who no-called no-showed. Therefore, I missed the Jets play the Chargers on Monday Night Football. I was not pleased. Favre threw 2 interceptions for touchdowns. Furious. Then, tonight I had to miss Obama and McBush debate. All I could do was read about it on cnn. Not a happy girl. I'm going to have to watch it online on a public computer somewhere since my private computer is a pile of crap. Anyway, I hate McCain. Over and out.

Shipping Container Homes

I just read an article about 4 guys who are designing homes that would be affordable for low income families to purchase in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. It's a really neat idea and they turned out really cute. The full article is here. It makes me a little nostalgic for my trailer.

Grey's Anatomy

I am beyond excited for the season premiere of Grey's Anatomy!! CANNOT WAIT! For all of you Grey's lovers out there the 2 hour - yes 2 whole wonderful hours - season premiere is TOMORROW - Thursday September 25th at 9/8c.

Presidential Debates

Yay! I can't wait for the debates to begin. Here's the schedule for any others interested.

Each debate starts at 9PM Eastern time!

September 26, 2008: Presidential debate with foreign policy focus, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS

October 2, 2008: Vice Presidential debate, Washington University, St. Louis, MO

October 7, 2008: Presidential debate in a town hall format, Belmont University, Nashville, TN

October 15, 2008: Presidential debate with domestic policy focus, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY

Each debate will begin at 9pm eastern, 6pm pacific time and last for 90 minutes. They will be aired on every major broadcast network such as CBS, NBC, ABC, and FOX. They will also be aired on cable outlets such as Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, and many others.

Note: The topics of the 1st and 3rd presidential debates were switched, the Sept. 26th debate will be foreign policy with the Oct. 15th debate being domestic policy. This is the latest information.

Dumbfounded

So, everyday I read the news on cnn's website. Today I read this article about how when Sarah Palin was governor of Wasilla, Alaska her town charged rape victims for rape kits. What the hell? I just about flipped out when I read that. These women have already been victimized and brutalized and then you're going to go ahead and charge them up to $1,000 for their rape kit. Seriously? What the hell? How can you justify that? It's already hard enough to prosecute and convict rapists and many rape victims are too scared to come forward and Wasilla was making their situation that much worse.

See article here.

Henry, the forensic nurse, said charging victims "retraumatizes them."

"Asking them to pay for something law enforcement needs in order to investigate their case, it's almost like blaming them for getting sexually assaulted," she said.

I would swear Sarah Palin is the Anti-Christ.