reverie

Thanks Sherry, Shauna & Keith for the turkey encouragement! Here's how it all went down. Saturday before Thanksgiving around 12:00pm: Place turkey in a pan in the fridge to allow sufficient time for thawing. Thanksgiving Day 9:30 am: Set turkey on counter to come to room temperature 10:00 ish am: Ewwww - remove turkey from packaging - try to pull out giblet bag - hold turkey while Nicole pulls out giblet bag - swiftly toss giblet bag into trash (don't care if it makes good gravy. eww ) - pull out neck bag & swiftly toss it into the trash - mixture of laughter & heebie jeebies while Nicole & I rinse turkey and try not to drop it into the sink or on the floor - set turkey in roasting pan & prep with salt & pepper - stuff cavity with onions, lemon, fresh herbs, celery, carrots & garlic - rub skin with butter 10:30am: throw turkey in oven shortly after: get ready for the day & appreciate that I scheduled shower time after turkey prep time. Have

or perhaps I should be. I bought a turkey yesterday. A 15 lb. frozen Butterball turkey. As has become tradition, Nicole & I are hosting Thanksgiving at our apartment for friends, acquaintances, amiable passersby, etc. who need a place to go for the holiday. In the past we have utilized the aid of Marie Callender's and ordered a pre-cooked turkey. But not so this year. Due to rising costs at good ol' MC's and perhaps a little crack smoking, I've decided that this year we will make the turkey ourselves. And now that a turkey is sitting in the freezer there's no going back. While the thought is slightly daunting, I have enough confidence in my culinary skills not to be paralyzed with fear at the notion, but I'm not so confident that I will be felled by my hubris. (Hopefully.) The next week and a half will be spent watching all kinds of turkey tips on the Food Network, soaking up all the info I can find online, and perhaps cooking a test chicken to try

This is something I've been working on for over a month. I'm not sure this is finished nor am I sure I will have anything to add to it at any point, so I figured I might as well share it now. I'm so over summer & these 100+ temps. :P snow whispers white in pine, ash, and birch fingertips of frozen boughs dangle with icicles wintry ornaments gently clanging-- nature's wind chimes above their song a new melody rises lilting laughter-- lighthearted children experience wonder, imprints of angels grace earth's canvas

Please excuse the mess while we make a few changes around here. Yes I invoked the royal we. I feel very monarchical at nearly 2am. Methinks it's time for bed. ;)

I bring you Shark Week meets MSN in this article about how sharks are helpful to people. To be fair some of the list was actually interesting & is potentially promising, but as always some of it is just amusing to me. (Excerpts in italics.) As the oldest-living vertebrates, sharks may provide information on the origin and evolution of all vertebrate species, including humans. Wait we're related to sharks AND monkeys? Why don't we have any cool swimming or tree jumping abilities? Did we decide to develop higher thinking instead of sweet skills? That seems a silly way to have gone. Sharks always draw a crowd when they are safely contained in aquarium exhibits. While such displays remain controversial, they have earned millions of dollars, with some of the monies going to shark-conservation projects. Soooo sharks help humans by making money that goes back into saving sharks? Recent studies indicate that sharks are highly intelligent, with advanced problem-solving skills, s

Shark Week! (It starts Sunday July 29th for those interested.) I think this is the first time in my life I've actually had cable during Shark Week. I'm very excited. It's odd I realize seeing as I have an unnatural fear of sharks to the extent that every time I think maybe I want to try surfing the Jaws theme begins playing in my head and images of gnashing teeth and torn limbs and blood-filled water flash in my mind. (Note to parents: don't let children watch Jaws 3 before they're even old enough for kindergarten.) And yet I find them oddly fascinating even though I will be no doubt freaked out by a lot of the programming during Shark Week as I always am by that sort of thing. I'm weird. I know.

Apparently scientists can now make artificial sperm which has caused an MSNBC contributor to wonder, " Will science render men unnecessary? " I think the answer to that is clear. Yes. After all men contribute nothing to society aside from the other half of a zygote. It's a wonder we don't cast out men whose swimmers have low motility or potency. I mean, it's not like men are the backbone of society. It's not like we need them to help guide our children into manhood and womanhood. It's not like there are statistics upon statistics showing how detrimental it is for children, especially boys, to grow up without a father present. It's not like we need them to be protectors and advocates and fighters. It's not like men and women were created to serve different purposes and it's not like there is great struggle when one is forced into a position not meant to be his or hers. I could go on and on but I think you get the point. If you didn'

My roommate is out of town for the second weekend in a row. I don't like it when she's gone. Luckily Shauna was in town last weekend, so that helped as she is fantastic to hang out with. But this weekend I am all alone at home & I very much don't like it. I feel like doing something or talking to someone but nothing I can do by myself sounds particularly fun and if I continue to talk to my teddy bear I'm pretty sure he's gonna call the guys in the white coats . . . again. ( Sidenote : this is not true. I don't talk to my teddy bear . . . anymore. Seriously though I don't & never did. I'm not crazy just super bored.) Anyway, I don't really have anything to say. Try as I might over the past 18 days nothing seems worthwhile enough to post up here. This doesn't either, but hopefully it is enough to appease the masses for a bit. I am sorry if you are bored and this is one of your only forms of entertainment. I understand really, f

Fabric softener is one of my favorite things. I will not do laundry if I am out of fabric softener, save for dire needs when a trip to Target is impossible, but that is rare. For the past couple of years I have been using Downy Clean Breeze. It has served me well, softened my clothes and left just a hint of it's clean breezy goodness behind. This week when I went to purchase a new bottle of Downy I intended to stick with my tried & true scent, but then something new caught my eye: Downy Tahitian Waterfall. I smelled it and was intrigued. I checked out the other new scents, reminded myself of the aroma of my standard, and decided to go with something new. I must say I am very pleased with that choice. :) I know, I'm a nerd. But next time you find yourself in Target (or at my house) check it out, it's quite delightful.

Good ol ' MSN never fails to disappoint. I found an article in the Faith-Based subsection of their Dating articles section entitled "8 great first dates." (I figured it would be a treasure trove of amusement.) My comments in italics. Here are the suggested dates: 1. Putt-putt your way to love. “A miniature golf course is fun and you can talk,” says Jon Caroulis of Philadelphia, PA. “But make sure you have a backup plan in case it rains or if it’s too hot or too chilly.” Tip: If you’re a scratch golfer, give up a stroke or two in the interest of building a good relationship. Mini golf is definitely a good idea. It's fun; it's outdoorsy. It gives you a good idea what kind of sport the other person is -- it's a good sign if they aren't great at it but can still have fun & be goofy, or if they're great at it but don't take it too seriously. FYI Keith, I read this article after suggesting that we go mini golfing. 2. Serve others. “I’m pr

. . . of Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo! Penguins! A big turtle! And a niece! It's hard to tell from this picture, but the meerkat in the front looks like he lost his left eye in a knife fight with a younger, cockier meerkat. I bet the San Diego zoo doesn't have any miscreant meerkats. An Amish field trip to the zoo. (My mom says they're not Amish, but I can't remember what she said they were, either way still awesome.)

I noticed this flower in a pipe in a curb outside of my friend Rachel's house as we arrived there yesterday morning for breakfast. Things like this tend to catch my eye. Sometimes I feel silly taking pictures of them, but "it helps me remember, and I need to remember. Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world I feel like I can't take it, like my heart's going to cave in." A pretty flower growing in this dark and dank place, I can imagine few better metaphors for hope in an often weary world. Here's hoping that you all are able to see the flowers this week more so than the stagnant water and cobwebs that would delight in snuffing them out. This past week and weekend have been amazing for me, I can barely wrap my head around it. There is much to tell and somehow too few words with which to tell it. If my mind ever finds a coherent way to articulate such things I promise to share. For now let's just say I got my May Day basket this year and it

For some reason until today I had forgotten about all these pieces I had written for my Rhetoric class in college. It was one of my favorite courses and probably the one that I think of most frequently in every day life situations. I wrote the following piece for a rhetoric of persuasion assignment. I have taken some artistic license with the retelling of the most specific details, but I assure you it holds true to the event. It was the summer of 1986 and we had just moved into our new house. My parents were busy unpacking various boxes and my little brother Raj and I were playing in his brand new bedroom. I was four years old, but even from that young age I knew I wanted to be an artist. Sitting in my brother’s room I decided that we should draw a picture for my parents. After all, the crayons and markers were one of the few things already unpacked and parents like it when their children draw for them, or so I thought. I asked Raj to help and he would have agreed save for

Don't worry this post is not risque. Nor am I extolling the virtues of Vin Diesel's cinematic achievements. But rather I write to tell you about my new favorite vitamin water called XXX. It is called such because it is packed with triple antioxidants from acai, blueberry, and pomegranate. It is very yummy. Plus you have enjoy any product with witty banter printed on it's labels. *Edit* Just saw this thanks to Keith. If this doesn't convince you of the awesomeness of vitamin water, nothing will. :)

Oh God you are, you are our help You are our helper Through all generations you will be Forever and ever Our shield and our eternal hope, oh Lord You are the Ancient of Days and worthy of our praise I alluded to it before , but a couple of years ago when I was going through a really rough time I used to wake up with that song in my head every morning. Every morning. It was as if God was greeting me and lifting up my head. Calling to my Israelite heart, saying I brought you to this place, do you think I will leave you alone in the desert? As I got off the phone tonight with a new friend, whose presence in my life is a blessing that words fail to encompass, only a smile can suffice, that song popped into my head. Clearly (well hopefully it's clear) not out of a place of despair but this time rooted simply in praise and adoration. A couple weeks a go I had a very difficult conversation with someone I love dearly. And something was said to me that devastated my heart. Since the

For my 13th birthday one of my friends gave me Freesia products from Bath & Body Works. This was in the early days of B&BW's heyday and so it was my first personal contact with them. And I discovered that I loved the fragrance. Around that time most people were enjoying Country Apple and Sun-Ripened Raspberry. But Freesia was different and wonderful. And so it became the only scent I wore for several years. Then one fateful day in 2001 (I believe) something terrible happened and they discontinued Freesia. And so I began the arduous task of visiting every B&BW in Omaha searching for any products I could snatch up, which thankfully ended up being a decent number. Then a short time later something fantastic happened and B&BW introduced Sheer Freesia. It was new and slightly different & I was skeptical at first, but I came to enjoy it even more than original Freesia. And so without interruption I was able to continue wearing my favorite fragrance in its new

No my plane is not crashing, neither literally nor metaphorically thanks to the support of friends and a fun & ridiculous late night conversation with my sister. One of the things we discussed is my 3rd favorite holiday after President's Day and Arbor Day. Kidding, the top 2 are actually Christmas and Thanksgiving. President's day is a quasi-favorite as it means a day off on or around my birthday, but when it falls on my birthday it means no mail which is no fun. Anyway the holiday coming in at number 3 for me is May Day which falls on May 1 every year. It's the most delightful & whimsical holiday that most people have never heard of. Sad fact. If you have heard of May Day, please let me know. If you have not, do not fear I am about to explain it to you. :) The specific origins of May Day seem to be untraceable, but my research seems to indicate that it dates back to a Roman festival of Spring. As many of our holidays and traditions find their roots in Anc

Today isn't sitting well with me. And that's strange because it wasn't a bad day. In fact on paper it would look like a great day. I had normal Saturday breakfast with the girls where we made chocolate chip pancakes and talked about boys. Or rather the other girls talked about boys, I was rather untalkative today. Then a quick trip to Target with Nicole where I bought a few of my favorite things: Care Bear bandaids, the new issue of Real Simple, and Diet Coke plus (that's Diet Coke with vitamins!). After we came home I ate cereal for lunch while watching my Red Sox beat the Yankees. :) Then I cooked sweet corn cake and pbj cheesecake bars (which I made up for a recipe contest & they're fabulous btw). And tonight was spent at a friend's house. Admittedly I was not in a social enough mood to be there, but I spent most of the evening playing with a tiny puppy so it was okay in that respect. And somehow I am sitting here at the end of a theoretically

This was on Postsecret * some time ago. It makes my heart happy. I have just started reading the book New Seeds of Contemplation by Thomas Merton thanks to Keith's recommendation. When I told my mom the other night I was stopping by Barnes & Noble on my way home to look for the book she suggested I have Raj buy the book for me with his employee discount. I had considered that, but immediacy seemed more important to me than saving a bit. And page 1 proved it was worth it, "[Contemplation] knows the Source, obscurely, inexplicably, but with a certitude that goes both beyond reason and beyond simple faith." That makes my heart happy too. I really needed to hear it this week. I know God exists too. *(Please note: content on Postsecret is not always suitable for all ages.)

castles in the sky collide with reality rainbow words were spoken in their echoes rings a regression of hope fading expectations from ears unready to hear despair yearns to claim me and steal my faith for you it's damaged I admit but a resilient heart cannot be long held down half truths only serve to further desire for ardent intercession

(I warn you from the beginning that this is decently long, but I promise it is chock full of the humor & wit & delight & emotion you have come to enjoy here, so try to get through it all you won't be disappointed . . . and if you are I owe you a cookie.) ;) While I do consider myself to be quite a fine sister, something I think you'll find my siblings will corroborate, I do not write this post to extol my own virtues but rather in honor of my sister Amber. Every time Raj mentions a sib in a post he makes her name a link to her blog. I say her because while we are blessed with another brother, he claims to be morally opposed to blogging which is really just an excuse for him to keep his brilliant wit locked in his mind and away from a mass public who may not yet be ready to handle it. Suffice to say, only Raj's sisters blog, thus any sibling mention/blog links would result in the feminine pronoun. Anyway, I like that he does that but I will entrust you to s

I've been thinking of getting pink highlights lately, like Joss Stone. More so like what she has toward the bottom, not so much the lighter pink she has on top. I don't want to get them because Joss Stone has them, but rather despite that. It's not that I particularly like or dislike her, I'm just indifferent. And I'm not really in the habit of making life decisions based on what celebrities do. I mean, they all do seem to really have their lives put together & have excellent decision making skills ;) but I kind of just like to think for myself. And I think it would be fun. Perhaps this is something I shall explore over the summer. :)

This year Nicole & I were once again blessed to spend Easter with our family of friends in LA. We had a total of 12 people for dinner this year. (Our smallest holiday dinner since our first Thanksgiving of 10. Last Easter & Thanksgiving were around 20.) It was the perfect number of people and was actually one of the more relaxed holiday dinners I've ever cooked. Now don't get me wrong I always love cooking for others particularly on the holidays, but this was the calmest one I think we've had yet. Quite a surprise and a blessing considering this weekend was also Nicole's birthday weekend and prep time for Easter dinner was minimally available. I think that ended up working out for the best. I didn't spend tons of time planning and prepping as I usually do. I just had to let things go and turn out as the willed. I love my lists and meticulous preparations that usually surround such gatherings, but it was nice to just sort of go with the flow this ye

If you look closely, beyond the rain and the dirt on the window, you can see a rainbow here. It's faint but it's there. I wish I could see it for you. If you can't get past all that mars your vision right now I'm not sure my promise that it's there is enough. But even if you have to wade through a monsoon before you can see it, I'll be here waiting with you for a tiny sliver of sun to break through and offer you a ray of hope. I've been feeling a lot lately that words fall horribly short. I can only say I'm sorry so many times, offer hope so many times. And despite the fact that it's always uttered in sincerity, I know it begins to ring hollow. But the words I feel I most need to say, the beckoning to stop running from God, the one thing that would make all the difference in the world, those are the words that get trapped in my throat. I'm afraid of saying them almost as much as I'm afraid of not saying them. Oh that I would have the

Every once in awhile when on the phone with my parents, they'll ask me if the fire is anywhere near me. Often my response is, "what fire?" Brush fires (and fairy tales ) are just a part of life in Los Angeles . It's an every day occurrence in the summer. But usually at most you'll see a plume of smoke off in the distance. Yesterday was different. Don't worry, the fire was nowhere near where I live (for those to whom it was, no property or person was damaged), at least not physically but emotionally its proximity was practically at my doorstep. Just on the other side of the hill from where the Hollywood sign is perched is the apartment complex where I stayed when I came to LA to attend the LAFSC during my final semester of college. I lived there for 4 of the most important months of my life, and to see a fire (set by 2 idiot teenagers) encroaching on that place was sad. Cognitively I understand that my memories and experiences would remain untouched

From time to time I like to peruse some of the articles MSN offers on the subject of relationships to see what kind of crazy, ridiculous advice they're peddling of late (like proposing via a billboard, a very bad idea). Much to my surprise & delight they had a good bit of advice on where to take a girl on a first date: The zoo. Sure, it’s childish, but childish sometimes works. And meandering among primates provides a nice contrast to your own charms. It says, “Compared to these monkeys, I don’t throw feces.” Now some of you may be thinking, of course you think that's a good date, you've been saying that forever. And you would be right, I can't disagree when someone else stumbles upon the good sense that I've had for many a year. Nevertheless they get props for not offering a terrible suggestion and for presenting it in a humorous manner. Plus if you actually use the feces quote it will be a good gauge of the girl's appreciation and/or tolerance of poop

It was a cold Sunday afternoon. I was 14 years old & I was home alone. It was a fairly typical wintry day in the midwest . Until the phone rang. It was one of my aunts; she wanted to speak to my mom. I could tell something was wrong and when I informed her that Mom was not home she left the hardest message I've ever had to relay to anyone. My great grandma had passed away. This was in the days well before cell phones were prevalent, so I laid down on my bed alone & in the dark & cried as I waited for my mom to return home. It felt like forever. My great grandma had been sick of and on for quite awhile and at 97 the news of her passing was not shocking, but it was still very sad. And my heart was quite heavy with the burden of having to be the one to tell my mom that her grandma had passed away. The whole thing hit me harder than I expected, I think perhaps because I never knew my other grandmas. (This next part may seem superfluous, but to me it is an integ

I turned 25 on Monday. I think the greatest thing about it was that Nicole got Jared Leto to come to my party. ;) Actually the greatest part about it was being surrounded with so much love. I may not have an amazing career, a nice car, a husband & 2.5 kids, or any of the typical measures of "the American Dream," but I have something so much better than all of that. I have the most amazing people in my life. And I know in my head that I am blessed with so many people who love me, but it was so nice to really have that lavished on me this past weekend. With cards & notes & phone calls & hugs & cookies & presents. It was truly wonderful. Here are some photo highlights. Saturday night I had a Fake Asia night for my birthday party. Pretty much that just means an Asian themed party with candy sushi instead of real sushi. It's also funny because I'm half Indian which in my mind makes me Asian, but most people don't consider Indians to

oh . . . and you know, love too. ;) Are you ready for it? I now bring to you the 2007 edition of Aziner's Bogus Valentine's Statistics, sponsored by humor and presented without bitterness interruption. 99% of girls tell their closest friends everything only 30% of guys ever use this to their advantage (a girl's closest chicas know everything you need to know & are generally willing to help you b/c it's most important to them that you make their friend happy) 78% of girls who date jerks do so because it's much less disappointing to be hurt by them than the "good" guys 64% of guys really do mean well, they just don't understand women 36% are just genuine dillholes 42% of women would marry for wealth over love 81% of single women buy Valentine's chocolates for themselves, 92% of which is purchased the day after Valentine's in order to enjoy the clearance prices - no sense in being single AND poor 54% of single guys never even realize it&#

I have discovered some new favorite things. 1. Special K chocolatey delight - I'm pretty sure you can't go wrong by adding chocolate to cereal. It is quite delicious. Even more delicious is that it's on sale at my grocery store this week. On the negative side, as the flakes get soggy from the milk the chocolate bits tend to sink to the bottom, but it still tastes good. 2. Berryblossom white tea from Starbucks - this is a delightful light, floral tea. White tea is when the tea leaves are still very young (before turning green, then black) and it has a very gentle flavor. It also is higher in antioxidants than green tea. I highly recommend it. 3. the show House - when House first came on I thought, "great just what we need, another medical drama." I absolutely never had any intention of watching it despite Raj's endorsement of the show. Well, one night a schedule change on Fox caused an episode of House to be recorded on my dvr instead of what I inte

Some say it's unnatural. Some say it defies gravity. Some just laugh and shrug their shoulders. Behold Jadyn's mohawk, aka "rockstar hair." Her hair does this of its own volition, my sister & brother-in-law do nothing to encourage it. I find it highly amusing. I hope Jadyn does too when she gets older and looks back at pictures of her 2-year-old self. :)

I couldn't let the first day of February pass without properly ushering in the month. As you know, if you've been with us during past Februaries, I love this month. So I have compiled for you the Top 10 reasons why February is awesome. 10. groundhogs predicting weather patterns- it's almost as if we're ancient Romans divining the will of the gods based on how the birds are flying and what their excrement looks like 9. the cool spelling 8. it's the only month with 28 and sometimes 29 days 7. President's Day 6. February sweeps = good tv all month long 5. Flag Day for Canada (wave that maple leaf, wave it) 4. the weather is often amazing- one year in Omaha I had my birthday outside and last year on my birthday the sky in LA was the clearest I have ever seen it (I could see the mountains behind the mountains that you can't normally see & there were snow capped peaks, it was so beautiful!) 3. the return of my bogus Valentine's statistics ( 2004 , 2006

His name is Daniel Loud Hawk. He is a 54 year old, out of work, homeless Native American. He is a former shoe maker with graying hair. He has the teeth of an Englishman. And the face of God. He was waiting outside of Barnes & Noble for someone to offer help. I handed him the only bill I had in my wallet. And that's when something unexpected happened. He said, "You've helped me before, haven't you?" I said to him, "I don't think so." For I know I had not helped this particular man before. Daniel Loud Hawk is not an individual you would forget. But in that moment when he asked that question, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was not Daniel Loud Hawk who was speaking to me. It was my God who has been pressing on my heart not to turn a blind eye to his people in need. It was an incredible experience. Sure I know there is a stigma against homeless individuals. "They'll only buy alcohol or drugs if you give them money."

I'm sitting here in my pink plaid pajama bottoms, pink tank top with a tiny pink bow on it, and pink glitter painted toenails. Growing up pink was my favorite color. Lately I have been super into it again. There's just something so fun and whimsical about pink. And girly . I think that's why it's recaptured my attention so. It's become very important to me lately to reclaim my girlhood. I like pink and ruffles and bows and lace and princessy things. For so long I've wanted to be seen as the low maintenance girl, the girl who's just as comfortable in heels as a baseball hat, the girl who likes to play pool and poker. I'm still all those things, but I'm also a girl . And so as much as I love poker night and other "guy" things, for now I need to pull myself out of situations where I'm just "one of the guys." I'm not and I don't want to be seen as such. Now I think it's time for a tea party. ;)

It has been quite some time since I've written about relationships, though much has been brewing in my mind the past several weeks. I feel compelled to hit upon 2 subjects related to this matter: 1. dating rules 2. the "friend zone" (which yes falls under the purview of rules, but is such a large topic it deserves it's own point.) I recently heard a friend say, "I'm breaking all my rules in dating this girl, but it's going so well." Now don't misread that, he wasn't talking about compromising his morals or integrity. All he was doing was going against all the silly dating guidelines he had built up for himself. Examples: (not specific to this friend) 1. don't date a friend 2. don't date someone from work 3. don't date someone younger 4. don't date someone who a friend used to have a crush on 5. don't date someone who doesn't like the same kind of movies/music/television as you Okay wait, we might have something subs

I hope 2007 has started off nicely for all of you. It has been okay for me so far. I left Houston to spend New Year's Eve in LA. It was fun, but it was hard to leave family and now I am roommateless for the week as Nicole is house-sitting, so I went from being surrounded with people to being home alone. It's not that fun. BUT I am optimistic for this year and have every hope that 2007 will make 2006 look like weak sauce. ;) As mentioned, I spent Christmas in Houston where I got to meet my new, adorable nephew. Here, despite Raj's complaints that a photo blog doesn't count as "real" blogging, I will give you a Christmas photo review. Enjoy! The nephew dressed as Santa, with his best gangsta face & calling his reindeer homies with his gang signs. Ravi got Alaina a Boston hat for Christmas. Jadyn hugging her baby brother. A good old fashioned game of pass the baby. And a good old fashioned game of throw balls of tissue paper at your nieces. That&#