no amount of explaining can make this make sense, but at least the cable box is in texas (again).
Sunday, March 30, 2014
a ruby a day
While trying to find a new hiding spot for treats in my small apartment, I might have gotten a little too ambitious. Never fear: nothing can stop a Ruby on a mission.
Thursday, March 27, 2014
i've started to do this thing - which the vet tech recommended a long time ago, actually - which is designed to alleviate boredom for ruby and has the added bonus of entertaining me. the game: i hide four treats around the apartment and wait for ruby to happen upon them and get excited. or at least that's how it worked on the first day. now ruby goes hunting for them! there are only a handful of good hiding locations in my apartment - on the stairs up to the loft, on top of the refrigerator, on various window sills. she just found one treat that i hid a few minutes ago and now is ON THE PROWL to all the usual hiding spots in the apartment to see if more treats are there. it's pretty adorable.
cats: not smart enough to know you are hiding the treats, but smart enough to find them later.
insert obligatory cute ruby photo here.
("those papers you graded? they're mine now.")
cats: not smart enough to know you are hiding the treats, but smart enough to find them later.
insert obligatory cute ruby photo here.
("those papers you graded? they're mine now.")
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
what i'm listening to right now
people, coming back from spring break hit me like a ton of bricks. monday was a teacher workday, but anyone who works in schools knows that it was jam packed with meetings. i had research papers to finish grading, a week of lesson planning to finalize, some things that had to be done in preparation for AP exams (i am the AP coordinator for my school, which is a scary job because if i forget to do something and we have problems on exam day it is a VERY VERY BAD THING), and we started meeting with rising 9th grade families this week to plan their kid's schedule for next year. eek! on monday i was drowning, but i'm back on top (for now). and this song is a good one for calming myself down.
"i choose you," by sara bareilles:
what a fantastic voice. i thought i had more of her music, but i only own a couple songs. i'm about to correct that on itunes!
"i choose you," by sara bareilles:
what a fantastic voice. i thought i had more of her music, but i only own a couple songs. i'm about to correct that on itunes!
Friday, March 21, 2014
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
30 vegetables update
30 vegetables challenge is on a temporary hiatus while i am a little sick (i feel okay, just not great, so don't you worry too much about me). i am eating relatively boring foods, but i did get one new veggie in:
day #16: dinner was half an amy's frozen pizza (my favorite frozen pizza brand - the crust is un-cardboard-like, which one cannot say about all frozen pizzas) with mushrooms, red peppers, and 23. artichokes on it.
also: while waiting for a doctor's appointment today, i discovered this game - 2048 - which is very fun and totally additive. you should be playing it! like, NOW.
day #16: dinner was half an amy's frozen pizza (my favorite frozen pizza brand - the crust is un-cardboard-like, which one cannot say about all frozen pizzas) with mushrooms, red peppers, and 23. artichokes on it.
also: while waiting for a doctor's appointment today, i discovered this game - 2048 - which is very fun and totally additive. you should be playing it! like, NOW.
Monday, March 17, 2014
a ruby a day
remember back in december when ruby learned how to open cabinet doors? well a couple weeks ago she learned how to open the cabinet doors above the kitchen counter, too…because i was hiding her treats in there and ruby will stop at nothing to get a treat. i was initially putting the treats on the bottom shelf, but when she learned how to open the cabinet door (and thus eat those treats), i moved them up a shelf. tonight ruby took her exploring for treats to a new level.
needless to say, the treats have been moved into the pantry, where there is a door that shuts. if she starts to open actual doors we will be in real trouble.
(seriously folks: this video is proof that i have the cutest and smartest kitty everrrrrr.)
needless to say, the treats have been moved into the pantry, where there is a door that shuts. if she starts to open actual doors we will be in real trouble.
(seriously folks: this video is proof that i have the cutest and smartest kitty everrrrrr.)
Sunday, March 16, 2014
what i'm listening to right now
this was going to be a post where i told you that i'm listening to "let it go," by idina menzel on youtube a lot…but then it won the oscar for best song and now everybody knows how awesome it is. and the songwriter became an EGOT winner!* so instead, i will give you this version from the jimmy fallon show (but you should listen to the original version first if you haven't heard it yet!):
*which makes me think of tracy jordan EGOTing on 30 rock and thus makes me giggle...
*which makes me think of tracy jordan EGOTing on 30 rock and thus makes me giggle...
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Friday, March 14, 2014
a photo a day
rivalry!
my department chair's daughter goes to syracuse, and we've had an ongoing fun rivalry this year. i teach in his classroom, so we switch places for two hours a day - he sits in my office and does work while i'm in his classroom. on monday i had printed out the ACC tournament schedule and it was lying on my desk. i came back after class and he had vandalized it!
my department chair's daughter goes to syracuse, and we've had an ongoing fun rivalry this year. i teach in his classroom, so we switch places for two hours a day - he sits in my office and does work while i'm in his classroom. on monday i had printed out the ACC tournament schedule and it was lying on my desk. i came back after class and he had vandalized it!
except, because he is the nicest guy ever, he made a copy before he vandalized it, so i still have an unadulterated version for following the tournament. (can i just say - leaving the syracuse bracket on my desk was awesome, and not ruining my one copy was even more awesome.)
go duke!!
go duke!!
Thursday, March 13, 2014
30 vegetables update
day #11: i had 18. eggplant curry for dinner at an indian restaurant in austin - delicious! it was laurie's first time eating indian food, and she loved the samosas and chicken tikka masala that she had.
day #12: lunch in the cafeteria included roasted vegetables: carrots, 19. parsnips (something i would never eat on purpose, so this was a good thing for my challenge), and 20. beets.
day #13: i made pasta with garlicky broccoli rabe for dinner, and i'd never bought 21. broccoli rabe before (it is a leafy green that is also called rapini. do not be fooled in the grocery store when it is called rapini and you have to google whether those things are the same.). this recipe is so good! garlicky and a little spicy and the broccoli rabe is delish in it, though i quasi-halved the recipe and ended up with not enough broccoli rabe for the amount of pasta i made. so, if anything, up the broccoli rabe. this will definitely go into my recipe rotation! love smitten kitchen recipes.
day #14: after work i had a one-woman happy hour on my patio: a beer and a little 22. seaweed salad from kroger. ruby watched the goings-on and we both enjoyed the 70 degree weather.
it is harder and harder to eat vegetables i haven't yet had this month! i have some brussels sprouts in my fridge…but after that, i may have to start trying a little harder to get to #30.
day #12: lunch in the cafeteria included roasted vegetables: carrots, 19. parsnips (something i would never eat on purpose, so this was a good thing for my challenge), and 20. beets.
day #13: i made pasta with garlicky broccoli rabe for dinner, and i'd never bought 21. broccoli rabe before (it is a leafy green that is also called rapini. do not be fooled in the grocery store when it is called rapini and you have to google whether those things are the same.). this recipe is so good! garlicky and a little spicy and the broccoli rabe is delish in it, though i quasi-halved the recipe and ended up with not enough broccoli rabe for the amount of pasta i made. so, if anything, up the broccoli rabe. this will definitely go into my recipe rotation! love smitten kitchen recipes.
day #14: after work i had a one-woman happy hour on my patio: a beer and a little 22. seaweed salad from kroger. ruby watched the goings-on and we both enjoyed the 70 degree weather.
it is harder and harder to eat vegetables i haven't yet had this month! i have some brussels sprouts in my fridge…but after that, i may have to start trying a little harder to get to #30.
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
a photo a day
this weekend ruby had mixed feelings about her dog friend piper. she spent portions of the weekend hiding in places where piper couldn't get her, but she could still observe the goings-on:
and portions of the weekend peacefully coexisting. on the same couch-turned-bed! without humans to mediate!
they really got along great! other than the two glasses of water that ruby knocked over in the middle of the night (obviously it was too tempting not to), she was a model guest. whew.
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
february: 3
i am delinquent. the 11th day of the month and i'm just now posting my summary of the book i read in february? bad claire.
the husband's secret, by liane moriarty (i just read one book this month, and it was for my book club. i liked it, but wasn't running home to finish reading it. i would call it one step up from a beach read (where a beach read goes quickly and doesn't require a huge amount of brain power), so if you're looking for a spring break book, this would be a fantastic one. i'm realizing that this is a relatively luke warm review, and i don't mean for it to be. i enjoyed reading this book!, but it won't be the best book i read in 2014, i'm sure of that.)
the husband's secret, by liane moriarty (i just read one book this month, and it was for my book club. i liked it, but wasn't running home to finish reading it. i would call it one step up from a beach read (where a beach read goes quickly and doesn't require a huge amount of brain power), so if you're looking for a spring break book, this would be a fantastic one. i'm realizing that this is a relatively luke warm review, and i don't mean for it to be. i enjoyed reading this book!, but it won't be the best book i read in 2014, i'm sure of that.)
Monday, March 10, 2014
a photo a day
a photo series in which the ladies from this weekend (the dog and cat are both girls, too!) attempt to take a self-portrait that includes all five of us.
think of it as our own little photo booth.
Friday, March 7, 2014
a photo a day
a conundrum i face: when writing a letter to someone in prison, which stamp do i pick to put on the envelope?
by my logic, the only acceptable one is the "equality" one. or am i over thinking this and no one notices stamps anyway?
by my logic, the only acceptable one is the "equality" one. or am i over thinking this and no one notices stamps anyway?
Thursday, March 6, 2014
i've been following this story for a couple months - SO interesting: early treatment is found to clear HIV in a 2nd baby
laurie
this weekend is the 4th annual reunion of jenny, laurie, and me. we worked together in atlanta for a few years until jenny moved to idaho and laurie retired and moved to new hampshire. laurie was a huge mentor to me and jenny, and for the past three years we've gotten together for a weekend (one year in idaho, twice in new hampshire, and now in texas - each with other friends tagging along, but schedules didn't work out for those friends to come this year). though laurie is at least thirty years older than us, she is a great friend and so easy to spend time with. she gives incredibly sage advice on our careers in education, saying often throughout our friendship: "when you run your own school…" we love that - she believes we could run a school one day.
i'm thinking of laurie this week since i know i will see her this weekend, and i realized i've started doing something she does - something i used to consider unthinkable. laurie said she would always drive to school in the morning in silence - no radio on - just her thoughts to get her ready for her day. i could never do this, listening to NPR or a podcast or the bits and pieces of music through the talk radio show jabber. but i've found myself doing it this year - turning the radio off and driving to school in silence once or twice a month, with just the white noise of the car and some time to think. it's not as bad as i imagined.
i'm thinking of laurie this week since i know i will see her this weekend, and i realized i've started doing something she does - something i used to consider unthinkable. laurie said she would always drive to school in the morning in silence - no radio on - just her thoughts to get her ready for her day. i could never do this, listening to NPR or a podcast or the bits and pieces of music through the talk radio show jabber. but i've found myself doing it this year - turning the radio off and driving to school in silence once or twice a month, with just the white noise of the car and some time to think. it's not as bad as i imagined.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
a ruby a day
someone likes small spaces!
(don't worry: i saw this coming from a mile away, so there was no danger to miss ruby.)
(don't worry: i saw this coming from a mile away, so there was no danger to miss ruby.)
30 vegetables update
day #4: dinner was vegetable red curry from my neighborhood take out thai restaurant, and included 14. cauliflower, 15. snow peas, and 16. bamboo shoots (i had to google whether that's a vegetable. it appears to count).
day #5: i went over to a friend's house for her birthday dinner, which was potluck. people brought such delicious food! i brought kale salad…there were veggie samosas…two chicken dishes (of which i didn't partake)…and a chickpea and 17. sweet potato curry with naan…then chocolate cupcakes for dessert. delish! and great company - it was a fun group of people to spend the evening with.
day #5: i went over to a friend's house for her birthday dinner, which was potluck. people brought such delicious food! i brought kale salad…there were veggie samosas…two chicken dishes (of which i didn't partake)…and a chickpea and 17. sweet potato curry with naan…then chocolate cupcakes for dessert. delish! and great company - it was a fun group of people to spend the evening with.
Sunday, March 2, 2014
what i'm listening to right now
"all of me," by john legend:
this is the first song of his in a long time that i've really liked. gold star, john legend.
this is the first song of his in a long time that i've really liked. gold star, john legend.
30 vegetables update
day #1: my dinner was a burrito with lots of veggies and beans and 11. corn in it. roasted corn in a burrito is the best thing ever!
day #2: one new vegetable to add to the list - 12. peas in my mutter paneer for dinner. i tried a new indian restaurant and found it just okay…the search continues for the perfect indian take out in my neighborhood!
day #3: dinner was pasta salad with feta cheese and veggies in it, including one of my favorites: 13. broccoli. (i'm omitting tomatoes from this 30 vegetable challenge because maybe they're a fruit, huh?)
day #2: one new vegetable to add to the list - 12. peas in my mutter paneer for dinner. i tried a new indian restaurant and found it just okay…the search continues for the perfect indian take out in my neighborhood!
day #3: dinner was pasta salad with feta cheese and veggies in it, including one of my favorites: 13. broccoli. (i'm omitting tomatoes from this 30 vegetable challenge because maybe they're a fruit, huh?)
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